"Hors concours" is an interesting expression that I'd never seen before. I had to look it up. I assume by context that LOTR3 is out of the competition because it is already understood that you plan to see that movie (?).

Anyway, I really enjoyed the film version of Patrick O'Brien's "Master & Commander." I saw a slow but enjoyable film called "The Station Agent" recently. It is one of those movies whose primary interest lies in the subtle changes in characters and their relationships; I was actually in the mood for something more exciting when I watched it but it is a good film. I've been wanting to go see "Mystic River" and "The Missing."