I'm not a Tolkien fan- I thought the books were just OK- but I couldn't watch the movies! The books were way better, IMO. I think most chick-flicks are better than the books that inspire them (e.g. Bridget Jones' Diary). Those books are impossible to read but the movies provide some mindless entertainment I do enjoy every once in a while.
i can't believe it, but i actually read confessions of a teenage drama queen. and i can't believe that i actually really liked the movie. it was better than the book, just because it was so surreal and fabulously cheesy and cute. i've read most of forrest gump. it's an alright book, but it really is nothing like the movie. the movie is twenty times better, it's one of my favorites. oh and this is kind of obscure but the old movies/cartoons of pippi longstocking are nowhere near as amazing as astrid lindgren's books.