NEWS FLASH - 'Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' opens today. So now you know. Our own Eric Baker is seeing it this afternoon and plans on having some comments tonight, I believe...which is good because I have to admit that I don't intend to see it any time soon. I liked 'Fellowship' quite a bit and expect 'Towers' to be even better. I just can't get excited about it. Sorry. Now if 'Adaptation' or 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' was playing nearby, I'd be waiting in line. I never read the books growing up and I seem to have an aversion to spectacle/event movies like this. Let me reiterate, I expect the movie to be great. But is it going to surprise me at all? Is it really any different than seeing a James Bond movie to some extent, except with better acting, directing, writing, production design and cinematography? Out of 78 reviews on "Rotten Tomatoes," only one critic expressed a negative reaction -- someone named Victoria Alexander from FilmsInReview.com. I appreciate Ms. Alexander's nerve -- "I'll be the reckless, foolish messenger and endure the wrath of LOTR devotees: Compared to The Fellowship, The Two Towers is a big, sprawling disappointment," she writes -- but her review is sort of like reading the phone book. Lots of information, mainly about the plot, with absolutely zero insight. I know Sam is anxious to see it and Eric will chime in with his thoughts soon. It's worth noting that Nate "The Yapp" from the Feedback Forum isn't the only person to include 'Fellowship' on his list of the best films of the past 25 years. Eric's a big dork as well. (Just kidding)

E-mail CinemaScoped@attbi.com or start a discussion in the Feedback Forum