The second film of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy hit movie screens twenty years ago this month. While the first was a major hit for New Line Cinema the year before, the success of the second installment was no sure thing. Star Trek: Nemesis was opening the week before, and the Christmas frame included new films from Spike Lee, Martin Scorcese, and Steven Spielberg. There was also the issue of the film's title with its cryptic reference to twin towers just a year after 9/11. Nevertheless, it proved to be a major hit that outperformed the first film on opening weekend and would finish as the highest-grossing release of 2002 - ahead of Harry Potter, Spider-Man, Star Wars, Men in Black, and James Bond. Now we're headed back to Middle-earth for some more sightseeing - look, there's Helm Deep! The Dead Marshes! Fangorn Forest! And The Two Towers!

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