Following the release of 2003’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – a movie that took me a full decade later to actually sit down and watch (told you I’m slow) – Peter Jackson had seemingly done the impossible: bringing J.R.R. Tolkien’s famed series to life on the big screen…and made it amazing. So amazing in fact that I was determined not to let another decade pass before I got to watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

What did I find? More of the same; and I couldn’t be happier for it (you can go here for an in-depth review by our own Nat Almirall). Sure, the length of the movie is every bit as ridiculous as the original trilogy, but if you know that going in there’s really no point in complaining about it. Instead, I focused on what made me love that first offering so much: colorful characters, gorgeous settings and an adventure that could easily stand in as a double for the definition of “epic.”

Many of the same stars and characters make appearances in Hobbit, so there’s practically no chance of unfamiliarity with the viewer…unless this is their first foray into Tolkien’s universe. And unless they have an aversion to fantasy – at which point I’d ask why they’re watching something like this in the first place – they’ll still have a great experience watching a younger Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman in his usual twitchiness) and his new band of brothers come together for the greater good.

We don’t know about you, but we’ve always thought J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit was missing something. Sure, it’s a hugely successful, classic book with amazing characters and visuals. But we still feel like something is missing. What is that something you ask? A love story.

Apparently, Peter Jackson thinks so too, at least according to the newly released trailer for part two of his The Hobbit big screen trilogy. Thank goodness as it gives Orlando Bloom and Lost alumni Evangiine Lilly something to do besides shooting orcs with arrows.

But wait, there’s more. We also get a glimpse of what we think is probably the more important character in this tale: Smaug himself.

Yep, there be dragons (well, one anyway) and he looks pretty cool. Still not convinced this had to be three movies but we are convinced that nobody does Middle Earth like Peter Jackson. So, benefit of the doubt extended.

Check out the trailer after the break. (and yes, we’re joking about the love story).

Just when you thought we couldn’t get any more cool trailers for today, along comes this new one for Peter Jackson’s second installment of The Hobbit trilogy. Sorry, having to type ‘The Hobbit Trilogy” reminds us we were angry about this one book having to be split into three movies.

However, we’ll try to get over it, at least for today. That way, we can take a look at this trailer objectively and enjoy the fact that, at long last, we get a glimpse of the dragon Smaug.

From the looks of things, Jackson at least knows his way around a dragon. Plus, it’s nice to see Orlando Bloom show up again in what looks like two different roles. Guess he was jealous of John Rhys-Davies during the last trilogy.

Anyway, take a look at the trailer after the break. Look for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug to arrive in theaters on December 13.

It’s been nearly ten years since Middle Earth unfurled across the screen, and in that time, the Lord of the Rings films have cemented their place in cinematic history. The actors have aged, technology has evolved, and the influence of Peter Jackson’s trilogy is evidenced in all the three-plus-hour epics we’ve seen over the past decade.

Jackson slips back into this world seamlessly, elevating the grandeur but also reigning it in; instead of army battles and global chaos pitting kings against wizards and demons, this is a merrier tale of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and a band of dwarves hunting a lost treasure guarded by the fierce dragon Smaug.

Smaug, we’re told (and cleverly not shown until the very end) attacked the thriving dwarf city of Erebor years ago, evicting dwarven kind from their homeland (writing that I’m starting to wonder if there’s a parable here, big noses and all…) and forcing them to have it out with every other race in Middle Earth, from the orcs at Moria (the chief of whom kills the leader dwarf, Thorin’s, grandfather and becomes the main antagonist) to the elves at, uh, Elvania (the elves chose not to help the dwarves in the battle against Smaug).

While many may be excited for this, some of us are not as much as we thought we would be. From all accounts, The Hobbit is good, but not great.

Still, it will be fun to go back to Peter Jackson’s version of Middle Earth for a few hours. And then a few more hours. And then, a few more.

Why was this turned into a trilogy again? Oh yeah, because they can. And also, for the money.

Enjoy this latest featurette from the first filme after the break. Look for the first installment of The Hobbit to arrive next week.