Not one but two Cate Blanchett films open this Christmas Day. She stars as Katharine Hepburn in the Howard Hughes biopic 'The Aviator' and she plays a documentry filmmaker in the comedy 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou'. If you can move after the Turkey and wine, drop by the local theatre for these flicks! [Showtimes USA] [Showtimes CAN] [Showtimes UK]

Tolkien's mystical world of Middle Earth comes to life in a new exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum. Four-time Oscar winner Richard Taylor - one of the creative geniuses behind the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy - is describing a place where fantasies are made. It's not Mordor, or Hogwarts, but a vast fun factory on the outskirts of New Zealand's windy capital. [More]

Lots of actors write memoirs. Some do it as career repair, explaining an embarrassing spiral into drug use or scandal. Others do it to enhance their image as lovable, humble professionals, just honored, by gosh, to be part of this wonderful, wonderful business. And then there's Sean Astin, whose performance as steadfast hobbit Sam Gamgee in the The Lord of the Rings trilogy gave the movies their heart and soul. In his new book, There and Back Again: An Actor's Tale (St. Martin's Press, $24.95, 320 pages), Astin does something positively revolutionary: He's honest. [More]

Showbusiness Editor The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King has been voted best film of the year. The third and final instalment in the Tolkien trilogy topped a poll by viewers of the BBC's Film 2004 show, hosted by Jonathan Ross. In a year which saw it win a record-equalling 11 Academy Awards, The Return Of The King was runaway favourite in the survey. The two previous films in the trilogy, The Two Towers And The Fellowship Of The Ring, also took the title in 2002 and 2003. [More]

PennyQ writes: I just read this in today’s Daily Mail – a very favourable review of Sir Ian McKellen’s first foray into the world of pantomime. Bet he’ll want to do this every year from now on!! [More]

McKellen.com have posted some photos and reviews of Ian McKellen in the new play 'Aladdin'. [More]

Not hooked on 'Lost' yet? Dominic Monaghan's new series, and easily the best new show on TV 'Lost' is airing the first 10 episodes this Holiday period. Be sure to catch up if you are new to the series! The show airs tonight on ABC, and the Monaghan-centric episode 'The Moth' airs later this month! Be sure to get "Lost" with Dom! [More]

Millions, nay, BILLIONS of people have written in asking what and where the ROTK:EE DVD Easter Eggs are located. For those new to this, an 'Easter Egg' is a special hidden feature on a DVD, and yes, almost all DVD's have them! Rasputin the Evil Balrog gives us a concise round up on the two Easter Egg's located on the new DVD's. Take a look! [More]

Sean Astin, the 33-year-old actor who won fame playing the title rtole in "Rudy," has been named Bacchus XXXVII. Astin will lead the 38-float procession along the traditional route on Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. A special new feature of this year's parade will be the return of actor Elijah Wood, who served as Bacchus XXXVI last year. Wood will ride a Returning King's float.

The folks making the very cool looking 'Sin City' film have released a new trailer today. There is a quick shot of our Elijah Wood, who stars in this film alongside more names that I can fit on one page, take a look! [More] [Trailer]

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman has been added to the Jan. 8 Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala, bringing the number of gala honorees to an all-time high. "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy composer Howard Shore also was announced as an honoree, and a significant director is expected to be added shortly. That will bring the number of gala honorees to nine. [More]

It seems like such an unheard-of thing, but TORN staffer Sarumann (AKA Josh Rubinstein) has just published a book not about LOTR, but about Ben Franklin! The book, entitled "Ben", is about a time travel experiment that brings the founding father to 21st Century Philadelphia. You can still find a nice nod to the Professor as Ben Franklin sits down to read a copy of LOTR. [More]

Claire writes: Just to tell you that my husband and I took our two children and a friend's daughter to the Old Vic in London last night (Sunday, 19th December) to see 'Aladdin'. Before we went, my 13-year-old son wasn't too keen - "Pantomimes are too babyish", he said. [More]

Elf_Maven writes: Here is the review I wrote for this new Tolkien-related book, 'The Battle for Middle-Earth: Tolkien's Divine Design in "the Lord of the Rings"'. Although I haven’t finished this book by Fleming Rutledge, I think it's going to be one of my favorites. The title is 'The Battle for Middle-Earth: Tolkien's Divine Design in "the Lord of the Rings"'. [More]

Sala Baker will be in Orlando on January 28th to 30th, 2005 to attend the FX 2005 Convention. Other guests include Ernie Hudson, Walter Koenig, Ray Park, J.K. Simmons & Marina Sirtis. [More]

Carlene Cordova, "RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS" Director writes: I've sent in some pictures that I took of Dominic Monaghan from our "RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS" narration recording session. We recorded at the same studio where he does the looping for "Lost." [More]

Gandalf writes: Something a little different for you today. Passing through Wellington Airport recently I noted a rather large portrait of Peter Jackson on the wall... made of toast! The artist is Maurice Bennett, aka "The Toast Man", with this piece being about 3m tall comprising some 2224 pieces of cocktail toast. [More]

Cesar writes: IGN.com has made it's "Best Of 2004" awards and some LotR related products received some of the awards. The Lord Of The Rings: Battle for Middle-Earth (PC Videogame) won for 'Best Soundtrack'. ROTK: EE was Runner-Up for 'Best Transfer', 'Best Commentary' (Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens), 'Best Bonus Collection/Extras', 'Best Making-Of Feature(s)', 'Most Consistent Studio for Audio Mixes'. It WON 'Most Consistent Studio for Video Quality', 'Most Consistent Studio for Extras', 'Best DVD Of The Year' (Tied with "The Ultimate Matrix Collection"), 'Best Audio' (Tied with Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World). [More]

Elijah Wood will be on 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien' tonight on NBC. This is a repeat of an earlier appearance, 'Late Night' starts at 12:35AM.

Okay, no, you’re probably not having any trouble finding Tolkien-related books, movies, prints, calendars, action figures, collectibles, chess sets, tiles, goblets … etc. But remember you can always give your Tolkien fan some food for thought and support TORn at the same time with More People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien, the follow-up volume to 2003’s successful The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien, also still available. You can find both at Amazon.com!

Sir Ian McKellen made his first appearance as a pantomime dame on Saturday afternoon after a planned debut was called off. Friday night's planned opening of Aladdin, at the Old Vic in London, was cancelled due to "technical problems" following a dress rehearsal. [More]

Rob writes: My wife and I are in the initial phases of the grand project of building a Hobbit Hole. We intend to follow Tolkien's guidelines as closely as possible, according to the specs he laid out in the beginning of The Hobbit. Please take a look at the link below to our website and see if you think it is a worthy news item. [More]

Billy Boyd, the actor who won a starring role in the Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy, is leading a £1 million fundraising drive to ensure other young Scots performers have the chance to make it big. Boyd is the patron of Scottish Youth Theatre (SYT), where he started out as an usher - a far cry from his epic role as Pippin in Peter Jackson’s Tolkien trilogy. [More]

Helge writes: I wrote a couple of articles about a possible prequel to the Jackson trilogy: the problems and possibilities. No, it's not The Hobbit. [More]

psandusky writes: Fans of Tolkien have long noted that The Lord of the Rings is a truly inspirational work, and Bruce Hopkins' documentary work amply demonstrates its capacity to influence young readers. That said, I would like to indicate a project underway at Barnes & Noble bookstores during the holiday season. Barnes & Noble is hosting a book drive for children and teens for whom books for Christmas would be quite a luxury. (My nearest B&N, in Greensburg, PA, listed a domestic violence shelter as one recipient site.) If there are any Tolkien fans out there with some room to spare, how about taking some time in the bookstore to give the gift of Tolkienian estel to brighten some young readers' holidays? [Locate a Barnes & Noble near you!]