# [MotD- Semi-Finals] Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King vs Spirited Away



## masamune1 (Jan 6, 2010)

vs







The Poll will remain open for 2 Days. 
The winner will pass on to the next round.


----------



## Rukia (Jan 6, 2010)

Spirited Away.


----------



## Deleted member 161031 (Jan 6, 2010)

Spirited Away was better


----------



## Niabingi (Jan 6, 2010)

This is such a depressing round, it's hard for me to comprehend both of these films being in the semi-final for film of the decade. That being said god forbid Return of the King makes it to the final. 

My vote goes to Spirited Away.


----------



## The Pink Ninja (Jan 6, 2010)

Return of the King is the third best LoTR film, nevermind the best film of the decade


----------



## Mojim (Jan 6, 2010)

ROTK of course. I was 100% fully entertained by it. Remains one of my favorite movie ever!


----------



## Yasha (Jan 6, 2010)

I just watched the extended version of the Return of the King two days ago.  I remember some of the scenes felt rushed the first time I saw it in the cinema, particularly when Aragorn took the Paths of the Dead to summon the Dead Men of Dunharrow. But the extended version more than made up for it. It even showed the Mouth of Sauron in front of the Black Gate and a brief confrontation between Gandalf and the Witch-king, which were totally awesome. It was an extremely satisfying movie experience. Needless to say, I give my vote to the Lord of the Rings.


----------



## Baks (Jan 6, 2010)

ROTK for me, though Spirited Away is a great movie as well. So I don't really minds who wins this one to be honest.


----------



## Ennoea (Jan 6, 2010)

Spirited Away


----------



## Butō Rengoob (Jan 6, 2010)

This such a gay choice, but in the end i'll forgo my love of LotR and vote Spirited Away.


----------



## excellence153 (Jan 6, 2010)

I knew Return of the King would get pitted up against Spirited Away... I fucking knew it.

RotK FTW, y'all!


----------



## Hyouma (Jan 6, 2010)

Lord of the Rings then. It's more epic than Spirited Away, which gave too much of a cozy feeling.


----------



## Brian (Jan 6, 2010)

Return of the King was much more epic


----------



## Tyrael (Jan 6, 2010)

If this was Spirited Away vs any of the other two LotR films the choice would have been easy. But against RotK...

I hate to see LotR as a franchise unrepresented, but my vote goes to Spirited Away.


----------



## Mider T (Jan 6, 2010)

Gotta give this to Spirited Away.


----------



## Girl I don't care (Jan 6, 2010)

Return of the King.


----------



## Ishamael (Jan 6, 2010)

Spirited Away although this is the hardest choice yet.


----------



## Dream Brother (Jan 6, 2010)

Could the SA fans tell me what they liked so much about it? Just curious, as I've never been able to understand the buzz about this film. (Aside from the obviously lovely aesthetic element.) I enjoyed _Princess Mononoke_ and _Howl's Moving Castle_ much more.


----------



## pfft (Jan 6, 2010)

i love princess mononoke and even howls more than spirited away,... but i love spirited away. it should win


----------



## Mider T (Jan 6, 2010)

Dream Brother said:


> Could the SA fans tell me what they liked so much about it? Just curious, as I've never been able to understand the buzz about this film. (Aside from the obviously lovely aesthetic element.) I enjoyed _Princess Mononoke_ and _Howl's Moving Castle_ much more.



Beauty, power, mystery, and above all, heart.


----------



## pfft (Jan 6, 2010)

Dream Brother said:


> Could the SA fans tell me what they liked so much about it? Just curious, as I've never been able to understand the buzz about this film. (Aside from the obviously lovely aesthetic element.) I enjoyed _Princess Mononoke_ and _Howl's Moving Castle_ much more.



Its the heart of the story of a little girl who tries to save her parents. The bond she forges with those who help her and her own spiritual journey which leads to her finding out why kohaku was so familiar (in a way) to her.  Plus its almost a love story since that is what helped break the bond. its adorable.


----------



## G. Hawke (Jan 6, 2010)

The charge of the Rohirim across the Pellanor Fields and Aragon finally and truly accepting his linage by wielding Andruil and demanding the aid of the Dead Men of Dunharrow as is his right as the King of Gondor >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anything in Spirited Away (which I do happen to like mind you, just not as much as Princess Mononoke or Kiki's Delivery Service).



> *Theoden*: Eomer. Take your Èored down the left flank. Gamling, follow the King's banner down the center. Grimbold, take your company right, after you pass the wall. Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day... a red day... ere the sun rises!
> [the King rides past his men, hitting their spears with his sword as he goes]
> *Theoden*: Ride now!... Ride now!... Ride! Ride to ruin and the world's ending!
> [He stops and faces Sauron's army]
> ...





> *Aragorn*: Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!*



Epic.

I openly admit I teared up at many points of this movie.


----------



## Dream Brother (Jan 6, 2010)

Hmm, I think I may rewatch SA at some point, then. Maybe I was just in a dismal mood that day. 

And I reckon that RotK is actually the weakest of the LotR films, so 'tis not a big deal if it loses. Those (quoted bits) are both killer scenes though Yami, I must say. The first one was more a case of the atmosphere (music/visuals/tension/body language) being awesome, and the second one is much more dependant on the lovely words and the equally great delivery.


----------



## G. Hawke (Jan 6, 2010)

Dream Brother said:


> Hmm, I think I may rewatch SA at some point, then. Maybe I was just in a dismal mood that day.
> 
> And I reckon that RotK is actually the weakest of the LotR films, so 'tis not a big deal if it loses. Those (quoted bits) are both killer scenes though Yami, I must say. The first one was more a case of the atmosphere (music/visuals/tension/body language) being awesome, and the second one is much more dependant on the lovely words and the equally great delivery.



Aye, I do expect LotR to finally drop put of the polls at this point. Though I do consider the three movies as simply one very long movie and in my opinion should have entered this competition as such.

But then again there was no way it would lose as such, which I guess would have taken the fun out of the whole thing.

Oh well, at least City of God might just sneak a win, which would be all kinds of awesome.


----------



## Austeria (Jan 6, 2010)

Return of the King was the worst out of the Lord of the Rings saga IMO.

Spirited Away was a more enjoyable watch for me.


----------



## Ennoea (Jan 6, 2010)

If you're gonna re-watch Spirited Away then make sure its the sub and not the dub, the dub kinda was half assed and missed out on alot of things.

Pfft the Train ride alone was more than the battle scenes in RotK, it expressed so much and was fucking beautiful, LotR's beauty comes from the number of enemies on screen.


----------



## G. Hawke (Jan 6, 2010)

Ennoea said:


> If you're gonna re-watch Spirited Away then make sure its the sub and not the dub, the dub kinda was half assed and missed out on alot of things.
> 
> Pfft the Train ride alone was more than the battle scenes in RotK, it expressed so much and was fucking beautiful, LotR's beauty comes from the number of enemies on screen.



...oh pls, what a load of tosh.

I expect Spirited Away to win this, but the simple fact is that is one of Miyazaki's most overrated works. Still good mind you, but hardly stellar like his other works.

That train ride you note, while it was a good scene and yes beautiful, was hardly all that you make it out to be. 

Despite the fact I have read LotR's time and time again, knowing that the men of the West succeed against Sauron, when Theoden sent his Rohirim across the fields to charge the massed armies of Mordor it felt like these brave men ride to their death.

I knew how it ends, but the scene was so epic and moving and believable that I believed that these men go to their death. Broken spears and splintered shields, they would wage glorious war, and die for it. 

It was beautiful, the sadness it invoked in me.

So yeah, Spirited Away might win, but it hardly has anything on RotK on the sheer epic scale.

Beauty, power, mystery, and above all, heart?

That was Princess Mononoke.


----------



## West Egg (Jan 6, 2010)

Yami no Takeshi said:


> Theoden: Eomer. Take your ?ored down the left flank. Gamling, follow the King's banner down the center. Grimbold, take your company right, after you pass the wall. Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day... a red day... ere the sun rises!
> [the King rides past his men, hitting their spears with his sword as he goes]
> Theoden: Ride now!... Ride now!... Ride! Ride to ruin and the world's ending!
> [He stops and faces Sauron's army]
> ...



Thispek

For me, this was probably the most memorable movie scene for me. When I first watched it, I felt something primal awake inside of me. I wanted to be there, to be part of such a glorious voyage.

Though, Spirited Away is magical in its own way.


----------



## Roy (Jan 6, 2010)

ROTK. I see what you're trying to do OP.


----------



## Yasha (Jan 6, 2010)

A day may come when the Lord of Rings falls, but it is not this day. This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you "Stand, fellow LOTR lovers!" 

One Ring to rule them all!


----------



## Noda. B (Jan 6, 2010)

Spirited Away. Though Lord of the Rings was obviously more "epic", I just think Spirited Away was the better film.


----------



## Horrid Crow (Jan 7, 2010)

Ennoea said:


> Pfft the Train ride alone was more than the battle scenes in RotK, it expressed so much and was fucking beautiful, *LotR's beauty comes from the number of enemies on screen.*



Speak for yourself. I'm sure most fans will disagree with you here.

RotK get's my vote.
Didn't like SA that much anyway.


----------



## Angelus (Jan 7, 2010)

Nothing beats the charge of the Rohirim across the Pellanor Fields. I wept like a manly baby when I first saw it at the cinema. Thank god it was dark.


----------



## Scholzee (Jan 7, 2010)

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King easily for me :ho


----------



## Chocochip (Jan 7, 2010)

The depth in the LOTR series and it's many intertwining relationships and its ability to perfectly set the mood and have a great flow can't be belittled by comparing it to Spirited Away, which at most, was cute.


----------



## Yasha (Jan 7, 2010)

Casshern said:


> Nothing beats the charge of the Rohirim across the Pellanor Fields. I wept like a manly baby when I first saw it at the cinema. Thank god it was dark.



Believe me, buddy, you're not the only guy who wept watching LotR.


----------



## G. Hawke (Jan 8, 2010)

I'll admit, I thought RotK would lose.

But instead it won pretty comprehensively.

Yay.


----------



## Ennoea (Jan 8, 2010)

People cried? At what? The wooden acting, the 2 dimensional characters or the underlying racism that filled up Middle Earth


----------



## masamune1 (Jan 8, 2010)

The Exteded Edition tones the racism down a bit (well, _The Two Towers_).


----------

