Here's how I look at the Hobbit movies:
Imagine if there was a legendary band you absolutely loved for years and years and years. But they broke up or a member died or something like that. Essentially, there's no chance they would ever be getting back together.
But then somebody finds an album of unreleased material. They're not the big hits, they're not your favorites and it's not necessarily the band at their absolute best. But the tunes are kind of catchy and it's just great to hear your favorite band playing again.
B-sides.
Or, as Saruman might put it, "Lesser sons of greater sires." But, for me, still members of the family.