Was Christopher Tolkien right?

[doug*platypus]

...the two Harry Potter films lack the luster, magic, and oomph of Rowling's writing.

Very true, Lush, and I for one don't think it's inappropriate to bring Harry Potter up. In the Harry Potter films we see a good example of strict authorial control. And you're absolutely right, on a certain level the movie is not as enjoyable as the book. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book, but I don't really want to see even the second movie. But I think this is more because of the children acting in the movie than anything else. The children in the book are far more believable, it's really hard to find good actors so young. So my idea of the perfect movie from LOTR (or any book) being possible is pretty much located in an ideal world, which we don't live in. I think that realistically, at this point in time, it may not be possible.