Brad Wieners writes: The first to pad up the red carpet were a dozen hobbits, their thick, curly, old-person’s wigs looking more than a little warm in the late afternoon sun. A clutch of velvety elves followed, along with several fierce, evil warriors, a brigade of righteous men in chain mail, and a blithe clique of immortalssome elders from Rivendell and the Fords of Isen, no doubt. [More]