That's exactly why I don't hate the Wrinkle in Time movie! My expectations were in the pits!

Which is funny, because I didn't have HIGH expectations for the Howl movie. I went in afraid they'd mess Sophie up. And they didn't, which WAS a relief, but I guess I just never expected anyone could mess Howl up!

(And yeah, to respectfully disagree with you, I was glad they left out the scouring of the Shire-- although I understand the point academically, it felt too anticlimactic to me even in the books. I think Frodo was messed up enough after everything else to justify going to the Grey Havens without it).