Long story short, the toys for the film are what got me interested. They looked amazing with their detail, and I immediately delved into this spectacular story.
Favorite Tolkien character:
Frodo Baggins. Frodo is just a great character, in the book and film. People say he is a wimp in the films and does nothing but cry for help. I disagree 100% on this. Frodo is the center of the story. He drives the story on, with his determination to get his quest fulfilled. He wouldn't retreat, and just followed his feet.