No. 6: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The final chapter to the Hobbit trilogy depends too heavily on CGI to make it very meaningful. The film is just a long battle with not much character growth or development outside of Thorin's redemption. Some of the spectacle is jaw-dropping though. However with heavy reliance on action and spectacle, "The Battle of the Five Armies" falls a bit flat.

No. 5: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

This film has it's special moments, but it's overlong run time dilutes what is special into mediocrity. It is lifted by great performances from the cast, but suffers from dragging on. It gets the trilogy off to a decent start, but that is all.

No. 4: The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

Arguably the best in the trilogy. Although it can be a bit too long, this installment in The Hobbit trilogy does not lag to much with second installment issues. The visuals are dazzling and the story is strong. This is the Hobbit movie worth revisiting every now and then.

No. 3: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The music, acting, storytelling, and countless other things culminate in kicking off the Lord of the Rings trilogy the right way. This film has beautiful sets and uses the natural beauty of New Zealand to enhance the viewing experience. Parts can drag on and be slow, but the action is intense even if it is relatively small scale for the series.

No. 2: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

This is my personal favorite of the series. It suffers from being overshadowed by the next film on the list, but that shadow is thin. "The Two Towers" build upon its predecessor and tells numerous storylines smoothly. There is constant build up for an entirely satisfying finale. Only to show us that the hardest parts of the characters' journey await them.

No. 1: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

This film is rivaled by "The Two Towers", but being able to take home 11 Oscars as a fantasy movie is no small feat to overlook, especially the Oscar for Best Picture. This film deserves every accolade it has under it's belt. The effects, action, story, and characters are all at their best in this modern classic. The tale of Good vs. Evil is encapsulated in "The Return of the King" and it could not have been done any better.