Some thoughts:

"Terminator 3" and "The Matrix Revolutions" were both turkeys this year because of their downer endings. On the other hand, in a few days "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" will hit theaters with the biggest bang of the year. Having cheated by reading the book in 1977, I know it has a triumphant conclusion. LOTR3 will be a winner because we love to see a definitive victory. In the western world, we still have a eschatological heart--a Christian notion of the victory of good over evil.