The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012, dir. Peter Jackson) ****/****

I had the pleasure of seeing the first instalment in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy in 3D.  The movie is tremendously entertaining and beautiful to look at.  The CGI is seamless with the live action.  The various creatures and background are all extremely realistic and expertly rendered to provide a powerful and enthralling cinematic experience.  There are some battle sequences in this movie that are amazing and truly exciting to watch.  J.R.R. Tolkien's novel is brought to life in a vivid and sprawling epic of a movie that will not fail to entertain viewers of any age.  The 3D in this movie adds significantly to the overall presentation and really puts you in the picture.  The movie ends making you wish the next two instalments would come out soon.  Highly recommended and enjoyable for all.