Muggles Need Not Apply
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Harris
Director: Chris Columbus
Movie Help Web Popcorn Kernels:
It's hard work trying to reproduce a great book, especially if it's fantasy or sci-fi. The director of a history piece can always open up an encyclopedia or check on the Web for facts, figures, and pictures of just about anything that's happened, but who else but the writer knows exactly what the sorting hat looks like? Or how about Quidditch?
Chris Columbus figures it out. He's done a phenomenal job in bringing J. K. Rowling's book to the screen, setting just the right tone between whimsy and seriousness. To summarize the plot: a baby is delivered to a doorstep by a few mysterious people at the beginning of the movie, and we fast forward to the young boy, Harry Potter (Radcliffe), living with his aunt and uncle. They treat him cruelly, but that is changed when he receives a letter. It is a summons to become a student at Hogwarts School, a prep-school for witch and wizards. There he meets up with two friends, Hermione Granger (Watson) and Ronald Weasley (Grint). He also makes an enemy of Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton), a member of a rival group (house). The reason for his midnight delivery on that doorstep, and many other secrets and wonders, are revealed during the film.
The adult cast are all British actors, led by Headmaster Dumbledore (Harris), all perfectly in character and delightful to watch. Hogwarts itself is suitably imposing, with more than a touch of magic and adventure enchanting its halls. There are individual scenes, such as the Quidditch match, a chess game with life-sized pieces, a walk in a dark forest, and even Fluffy that stand out, but in fact the whole movie is a joy to behold.
This movie remains true to the book, the young actors do a great job with their roles, and all the locations are spot on. This one is a classic in the best sense of the word.
