Is it cheating to say that I prefer reading the books, but with the soundtrack of the films (and video games) playing in the background. That's the perfect mix. I love the films, but I prefer my own imagined perspective on what the characters, creatures, and settings look like in the books. I also prefer the books simply because there's more to consume - they're more rich in detail. Finally, you can't get into the minds of the characters in the films.