Jackson's pre-LotR movies are pretty good. The Frighteners is a really great movie. I'm not a fan of what he did to LotR at all. The magic (for want of a better word) was lost in favour of being a action movie for popcorn-munching audiences. Far too much was altered or left out and the world of Middle Earth became far too ordinary and realistic. I completely agree with you especially about The Hobbit where the tone is absolutely wrong.