Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

It is impossible to imagine a world now, in 2020, that does not include these characters from the fantastically creative imagination of JK Rowling. That she worked closely with Chris Columbus in the creation of this adaptation of her introductory story featuring the boy-wizard means it stays broadly faithful to the book but allows the imagery to replace, rather than duplicate, the narrative. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson validate the best in the casting director's art as we set off on this wonderfully enjoyable fantasy adventure. The supporting cast - Richard Harris, Robbie Coltrane, Julie Walters, Zoë Wanamaker et al all add richness to this as young "Mr. Potter" and is friends begin to realise their magical potential. John Williams works his wonders creating a score almost as recognisable as his "Star Wars" theme and the special effects are gentle, yet sophisticated....

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a masterclass is world building. This movie's world breathes and slowly discovering every inch of it is a joy, from Diagon Alley to Hogwarts Castle. I would not say the story is overly brilliant, but that is just a catalyst for the world in this first film. Despite its minor drawbacks, it does enough to intrigue the viewer and kept me engaged. The performances are a little off, which is expected as this film is primarily carried by three twelve-year-olds. But they get better as the film progresses and the adults in the film are able to bring the average up with their amazing performances. Overall, this movie suffers from being dated with poor effects, CGI, and some rough child acting. Never-the-less, it manages to create an experience like no other and I expect the films to do nothing but improve from the initial entry. Score: 77%...

Ahh, the magic begins. Harry Potter is an Orphan who on his eleventh birthday discovers he's a wizard and is called to term at Hogwarts School. But Harry is soon to find out that his past, and his destiny, is a truly remarkable, magical, and terrifying thing. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone arrived in a blaze of publicity, one of the most hyped and talked about motion pictures of the decade had finally arrived. The box office was guaranteed to bulge based on fandom book base alone, regardless of if the film got bad word of mouth or not, it was destined to be a monster smash hit. To someone like me who to this day has never read any of the Harry Potter books, it was easy for me to view objectively without comparison to the source - I enjoyed it immensely upon theatre release, and I still enjoy it equally as much now. Director Christopher Columbus, I believe has wisely stayed...