Stephen Colbert didn't start the comparisons with 'The Lord of the Rings' with this whole debt ceiling crisis situation looming in Washington, but he is one of our foremost experts on the books and films. As such, he corrected their metaphor on 'The Colbert Report' (Weeknights, 11:30PM ET on Comedy Central).

The best equivalent he gave us was having Gandalf represent the Tea Party and shout, "You shall not pass ... legislation raising the debt ceiling!"

He then got a little derailed, showing us his cave troll, which he arbitrarily decided was Nancy Pelosi, and his pinball machine (the American people), and ultimately his replica of Aragorn's sword of Anduril, given to him by Viggo Mortensen. That was just to remind us he had it.

During James Franco's appearance on 'The Colbert Report' (Weeknights, 11:30PM ET on Comedy Central) he managed to get into an intense argument with Stephen Colbert over who had been the bigger fan of 'Lord of the Rings' author J.R.R. Tolkien growing up.

"I hear that you were a big Tolkien fan," Franco told Colbert. "I was the biggest Tolkien fan."

"You were not the biggest Tolkien fan, Colbert responded. "I was the biggest Tolkien fan."

Franco immediately disagreed, and what followed was a debate over happenings in the Tolkien universe that was probably quite illuminating and endearing to all the other "biggest Tolkien fans" out there.

As an actor, Dominic Monaghan specializes in playing characters who take part in an impossible quest ... of one kind or another. In 'The Lord of the Rings,' he starred as a hobbit engaged in a thousand-year struggle to destroy the One Ring of Power. On 'Lost,' he was a musician who tried to unravel the secrets of a tropical island (and who died in the process).

But on the racing show 'Top Gear' (Sun., 10PM ET on HIST), his job was much, much easier.

Dominic doesn't like cars very much -- he calls them his "least favorite form of transport." Nonetheless, on the new 'Top Gear,' he shattered the old celebrity racing record. In the process, he beat out a real-life hero: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

To help celebrate the release of 'Up!,' Pixar fans may want to revisit 'WALL-E,' one of the studio's most celebrated ventures to date.

The Oscar-winning feature mixes action, adventure and comedy, and is the perfect movie for both parents and children to watch.

Also airing this week: A classic '70s musical, along with Jimmy Stewart in arguably his best-ever big screen performance.

See more of this week's must-see flicks after the jump.