For fans of the Lord of the Rings films, The Hobbit will offer another comforting dose of Middle Earth enjoyment. Peter Jackson brings the same elite level cinematography and attention to detail that garnered him the Best Picture Academy Award for the final movie in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. You’ll see many of your favorite characters from the trilogy in this film. Ian McKellen reprises his role as Gandalf, and even Frodo makes a brief cameo. Martin Freeman is excellent in his portrayal of Bilbo Baggins, and the cast that surrounds him was also well chosen.  The movie runs a bit long, coming in at just under 3 hours of hobbitty goodness, but it’s well worth the time.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s sprawling epic is simply magnificent. C.S. Lewis was so taken with the Lord of the Rings story that he submitted Tolkien for a Pulitzer Prize for his work. For those in search of entertainment, there is plenty to spare in Tolkien’s writing and in the films themselves.  The thing that makes the books and films truly wonderful, however, is the deeper messages within both that require a bit of thought. I believe that great works of literature demand something of the reader, and quality films are the same. Anyone seeking to be entertained and enlightened both should make time for The Hobbit.