SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

...although I understand that approach entirely, "Ringers: LotF" doesn't quite reach Mount Doom to fulfill its quest. From the looks of its IMDb entry, though, it appears that many people felt the same way, despite the other blurbs you'll find here. Perhaps this is just the result of poor theatrical and video distribution, or a general waning of interest in the subject in the several years after Jackson's film trilogy swept box offices worldwide; I don't know. What I do know is that I wish this doc had been better, more willing to probe, more interested in detail and thoughtful commentary. Director Carlene "This was my calling card" Cardova and writer/director Cliff "Yeah, me, too" Broadway are obviously devotees of Tolkien and his masterwork, but in their eagerness to cover as many bases as they can, they end up with a somewhat shallow final product, or so it felt to me.In its attempt to marry the whimsical with the serious, "Ringers: LotF" somehow cheapens the widespread influence Tolkien's fantasy epic had when it was "rediscovered" in the Flower Power 60s; Monty Python-esque cartoons and bogus recreations of hippie "read-ins" just don't cut the mustard, no matter how many straightforward interview snippets with counterculture spokespersons like David "Kung-Fu" Carradine or literary mavens like Peter S. "The Last Unicorn" Beagle are shoveled into the mix. It feels like Cardova/Broadway were a little too worried about minimizing the geek factor in their peek at Tolkien fandom; their apparent desire to distance their film from *Trekkie-ness* gives the film a certain desperate veneer, as if they're somewhat embarrassed by the underlying obsessiveness of the legions of new fans spawned by the Jackson films.This is not to say "Ringers: LotF" is without merit. It does possess many charms. It's worth a watch, primarily by the legions of faithful. It seems a shame, though, that so few of those legions have bothered so far.

My friend and I were lucky enough to see Ringers (me twice and her three times) up a Slamdance. It portrays LOTR fans in such a flattering light and a funny one too. We're not just geeks! There are just too many good things to be said. From the obsessed fans (how many times have they seen LOTR, why they choose a costume to wear, how long have they been in line, etc.) to the older generation and their love for the books. They go into great detail telling about how the books came to be so popular with younger generations and basically how it regenerates itself. There is not one boring second in this film and even if you aren't THIS OBSESSED you can enjoy it. If anything it will make you want to go home and read the books (again for most of us) through and through! Carlene and Cliff have a great deal of respect, love and admiration for Tolkien and it definitely shows.They were kind enough to do a Q and A session after the film and I just have to say that if there were 2 chosen people to make a film about LOTR and it's fans this is them. If any of them happen to see this I just want to say that I can't wait for the DVD and all the deleted interviews and so on to come out! I hope you get everything back that you put into this because you deserve it!!!

I attended the premiere of "Ringers" in Park City and have now seen the film three times. Somehow, it got even more enjoyable with each viewing. "Ringers" is a film that will obviously appeal to fans of the books and movies but you do not have to be a Tolkien or "The Lord of the Rings" devotee to enjoy it. The film is smart, interesting, and entertaining and even those few poor souls who have never read the books or seen the films might find Ringers to be a fascinating social study. The filmmakers are obviously very knowledgeable and passionate about Tolkien and this shows from the first frame till the last."Ringers" covers Tolkien's influence on pop culture from the original publication of the book in the 50's, through the 60's hippy counter-culture, 70's rock and roll music, and the current internet craze grounded in the website, theonering.net. It contains many satisfying interviews with movie and music celebrities and others known to be Tolkien enthusiasts. The movie celebs include those from the "The Lord of the Rings" films themselves. It has a good share of comments from luminaries in the field of literature as well, each without a hint of literary snobbery. I was pleasantly surprised by the addition of fun graphics and audio that were reminiscent of Monty Python. The somewhat contrived footage of groovy hippies getting way into Tolkien just adds to the wonderful campy feel of the segments. Being a hopeless music freak, I feel that the music is one of the highlights of the film. I often found myself focusing on it, sometimes distracting me from the visuals (but that's just me), which made my multiple viewings even more valuable. Even though there were plenty of Celtic-type tunes included in appropriate spots, the film is mostly driven by pounding rock music, including the miraculous offering of Led Zeppelin's "Ramble On". For those who do not know, several classic rock bands wrote music based on the books and this fact is discussed in the film in satisfying depth. I should also mention that there is some gorgeous footage of New Zealand, the movies' Middle-earth. The filmmakers traveled around the world in their quest to make this film representative of the fans, who come from every part of the planet.Of course, as expected, there are plenty of fan interviews and anecdotal blurbs. They range from the serious and poignant to the fun and silly. Although the focus appears to be more on the hard-core costumed fans instead of the more mainstream ones, there is a good representation of both. A couple interviews with fans who might be described as being on the outer fringe of fandom caused major chuckles from the audience, but these fans are treated with genuine affection by the interviewer. They are never made to look foolish - only fun-loving and passionate. And passion is what this film is about. Passion for a book...a trio of movies...and the people who created them. Passion for a story that will, no doubt, live on forever because its themes are timeless.

I am one of the lucky ones to have seen the film at the Slamdance film festival. I've seen it 2 times now and will be seeing in once more.I'm not great at writing reviews, but I just wanted to let everyone know that this documentary is fantastic. It's great to see both fans and actors come together to celebrate Tolkiens work. Cliff and Carlene have put together a funny but uplifting film.They've also chosen awesome music for the film. I can't wait till I can get a copy of World Without Sundays 'Where there's a whip there's a way'. It's awesome!Carlene, Cliff, and the rest of the crew have done an excellent job. I hope the rest of the world gets to see it soon.