Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

     I just want to start this review by saying that the film will not be compared to the book. Much like my Twilight review, the films that are based on books will be judged solely on how they translate to film and not whether they are a great adaptation of their source material. That being said, now we can begin the review. I do not think that you need me to tell you that this film is great. Honestly, the only reason I am even reviewing this film now is because I watch this franchise usually every Christmas season because they have one Christmas scene which to me is close enough. If Die Hard can be considered a Christmas film, why can’t this? This is a wonderful film and Chris Columbus brings such a vibrant joy that he typically brings to the films he directs. This was the start of a film franchise that became a phenomenon.

            Christ Columbus was the perfect choice to direct this because of his history working with young actors and getting the absolute best out of them. Anytime you are working with kids it is a challenge because they are still young and learning and you have to be patient with them, but Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson all end up doing a fantastic job. They do struggle at time, but that is to be expected considering their age at the time, but they really dive into the characters and become them throughout the film. On that note, Tom Felton was the perfect choice for Draco Malfoy. He has that sort of arrogance down really well and possesses one of the most punchable faces I have ever seen. Nobody could have played Malfoy better. Aside from the young actors, it feels like every other character also had the perfect actor chosen; the best of which being the late Alan Rickman as Snape. No matter how many years pass, Alan Rickman will always be the perfect Severus Snape. He is broody, somber, powerful, and overall, just nails the character. I could talk about the cast for the entire review, but I want to look at some other aspect of the film.

            The world that is created is simply magical, no pun intended. The cinematographer, set designers, special effects people, and the composer all deserve a world of credit for creating a world and an ambience that is amazing. Every kid and some adults that watched this film when it came out all wanted to go to Hogwarts and visit all of the cool locations such as Diagon Alley or Platform 9 ¾ because it all looks fantastic. Films are much more than just a way to tell stories for a few hours. They create worlds, and perhaps no other world that was created is better than the wizarding world. The film was also successful because it carries a great pace, and each moment builds on the last. There is such great character development that goes on here and things that happen towards the end were set up in the very first act of the film. Anybody can create a good opening for a film, but to create a climactic ending that actually makes sense with everything that has happened up until this point is difficult, but Columbus pulls that off here.

            I could gush about this film for hours. It has no shortage of great moments and spectacular scenes to call back on. It is not a perfect film, but the issues that you may have with it would probably be minuscule. This is one of my favorite films, and one of my favorite franchises to revisit. It spawned a cultural phenomenon, and it will continue to influence the way magical films will be judged forever, and when you can achieve something like that, you know you have a classic on your hands. Official Rating: 3.5 Stars.