I just saw a clip from LOTR Two Towers and I never got into LOTR and now feel like I lack some culture not having read any of it. I also haven’t watched any of the movies. I tried watching The Hobbit (first movie) but I didn’t understand any of it. Maybe it’s not for me? I like sci fi but not sure about phantasy. Can you understand each book without reading them in order? How many books are there? Is it still a trilogy?
Start with The Hobbit, then the LOTR trilogy.
If you like it enough look into The Silmarillion and others like The Children of Hurin, which really flesh out the lore etc.
I’ve read The Hobbit and LOTR many many times over the years and only now gotten around to reading The Silmarillion etc.