# Reccomend me some movies featuring LOTR cast members! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2001, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492 "2001-10-05T01:47:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nymysys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f6c823/32.png) [@Nymysys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nymysys)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492/21 "2001-10-06T17:13:52Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Alessan \* \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Laughing Lagomorph \* > > > [@](#): > > > > Liv Tyler (Arwen): That Thing You Do. Cute movie. > > See also **Stealing Beauty** , probably her best performance.\*\* Agreed on both points, but I think you have to add in Empire Records to get the Liv Tyler Trifecta. Admittedly, not that Liv was that great in it, but Rory Cochrane rules my world. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Jeannie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@Jeannie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeannie)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492/22 "2001-10-06T18:27:25Z")
Since Sean Astin (Sam) is my favorite actor ever, I just thought I would chime in. If you want good, go and rent _Harrison Bergeron_. I think it was originally on Showtime or HBO. It’s based on a short story by Kurt Vonnegut. Next to _The Goonies_ (my all-time favorite) and _Rudy_, it’s my favorite Sean Astin film. In addition to those listed in other posts: He had a bit part (less than 5 minutes of screen time) in _Courage Under Fire_. He was in a halfway decent movie called _Deterrence_, which stars Kevin Pollack as the president of the U.S. He was in _Memphis Belle_, which from comments I’ve heard over the years, is a movie you either love or hate. I love it. He was in a pretty-bad-but-sort-of-funny-in-a-bad-way movie called _Icebreaker_, which also stars Bruce Campbell. It’s sort of “_Die Hard_ on a mountain.” No, I am not kidding. He’s also had some stinkers. Don’t see _Dish Dogs_. The only redeeming quality is that Shannon Elizabeth takes off her shirt (I personally didn’t care but my husband did pointed that out). _The Low Life_ was slightly better, but I still don’t think I would watch it again. I also have one on tape called _Boy Meets Girl_. I think it would be a cute romantic comedy if any of it made any sense. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492/23 "2001-10-06T19:17:30Z")
Elijah Wood is a more than competent actor. But Ian McKellen? The man is so skillful he could play the lead role in **The Autobiography of Whoopi Goldberg** _without makeup_, and deliver a convincing performance. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492/24 "2001-10-06T19:58:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jsc1953 \* > \*\*Whenever I see John Rhys-Davies (Gimli), I think of the first time I ever saw him (and Patrick Stewart, and John Hurt): in I, Claudius. > \*\* John Rhys-Davies wasn’t in _I, Claudius,_ was he? I suspect you’re confusing him with Brian Blessed, who played Augustus. As far as Ian McKellen movies go, you should _definitely_ see _Richard III,_ in which he’s positively brilliant. Also, Ian Holm has a supporting role in _Henry V,_ which is a movie everyone should see. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492/25 "2001-10-06T21:20:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Katisha \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by jsc1953 \* > > \*\*Whenever I see John Rhys-Davies (Gimli), I think of the first time I ever saw him (and Patrick Stewart, and John Hurt): in I, Claudius. > > \*\* > > John Rhys-Davies wasn’t in _I, Claudius,_ was he? I suspect you’re confusing him with Brian Blessed, who played Augustus. > > \*\* Nope, I’m dead certain. He played Macro, Caligula’s military aide/bodyguard. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2001, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492/26 "2001-10-06T22:52:15Z")
I think _Inventing the Abotts_ was pretty good. Ebert gave _Heavy_ 3.5 stars. Ian Holm is in the new Jack the Ripper movie, _From Hell_ Heck just go to [http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebertser.html](http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/ebertser.html) and search on the actor. I dont always agree with Ebert, but I can tell from his reviews that he has read SF, and so I respect his SF reviews more. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492/27 "2001-10-08T15:01:25Z")
OPer checking in. I would like to thank everyone for their input. I was actually able to knock off two of the actors on my “never seen” list this weekend: Hugo Weaving in Matrix and Ian McKellan in X-Men. Matrix was about what I expected, an ok SF story heavy on the special effects. I will have to look into those Matrix-bashing threads Jeremy’s Evil Twin mentioned. Weaving was a great bad guy, thoroughly slimy and repellent. I hope he is as good as a good guy (Elrond). > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Alessan \* > \*\*I second that. I’ve never read a comic book in my life, and I liked X-Men a lot. It was an exciting, well-acted. reasonably intelligent action-fantasy. \*\* I have to say I agree on all counts, I liked X-Men much more than I thought I would…I think Ooner recommended it as well. Very entertaining, and you didn’t need to be familiar with the comic book. McKellan plays a fairly sympathetic bad guy, and I am looking forward to his interpretation of Gandalf. I would like to see Mortensen (Aragon) next. I am leaning towards “The Perfect Murder” with Michael Douglas…I remember wanting to see that when it came out. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492/28 "2001-10-08T18:03:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Polycarp \* > \*\*Ian McKellen? The man is so skillful he could play the lead role in **The Autobiography of Whoopi Goldberg** _without makeup_, and deliver a convincing performance. \*\* Right on, **Poly**! The man is a genius, and doesn’t get nearly enough credit. His name should be known to even the purely mainstream, pop-culture crowd, like Gielgud & Olivier, even if people have never seen their work. When I read _Apt Pupil_, I was disappointed to think that it would never be made into a film due to the subject matter (I thought the same thing about _A Time to Kill_). When I heard that it was being made after all, and with Ian McKellen, I was so excited! Attention Dopers! As previously ordered, go rent _Henry V_ if you haven’t seen it- the Branaugh version, please. Not only is it great entertainment, it is a who’s-who of great actors, including Brian Blessed, Ian Holm, Derek Jacobi and dozens of others. If you thought that the battle scenes in _Braveheart_ were groundbreaking, come see where they got the idea! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reccomend-me-some-movies-featuring-lotr-cast-members/85492.md?page=1)