Set in Middle Earth, The Hobbit is full of action, adventure, humor, and even a little bit of romance. This is one of the greatest adventures of all time, and the recent big-screen adaptation into a trilogy is outstanding.

The Hobbit series boasts an amazing cast, including the lovable Martin Freeman as Bilbo, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of Smaug, and, of course, Andy Serkis as Gollum. With many returning characters from the Lord of the Rings movies, there are definitely some familiar faces, most notably Legolas the elf.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit from the Shire, where he lives a boring, routine life. Then one day, the wizard Gandalf invites him on an adventure. As he helps the dwarves in their attempt to reclaim Erabor, the last great dwarf kingdom, Bilbo discovers himself and his courage. But in his travels he also discovers Sauron’s ring of power. And it is with this well-known ring and his newfound courage that we see Bilbo transform into a hero.

Thanks to modern technology, this classic adventure truly comes to life on the screen with beautiful scenery and masterfully designed CGI animations of tiny goblins, orcs, giant spiders, the fiery dragon Smaug, Gollum, elves, fat dwarves, even trolls and rock giants. The beautiful scenery – from dense forests to rocky, barren mountaintops – is filmed entirely on the islands of New Zealand.

Each movie in this trilogy will leave you wanting more because they are so perfectly made.