I don't really think the CGI helped Lord of the Rings, it resulted in truly questionable shots winding up in the movie (anything with Legolas' digital double stunk like a fetid corpse). Outside of that it wasn't so bad, but I think it's like any modern movie - they're doing stuff they can't quite do yet and I don't want to watch an FX test, I want to watch something that is perfect (especially when I'm told it's the "best Movie Ever" and have just paid ten bucks to see it).