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Connor Macgregor Reviews...Harry Potter And The Philosopher`s Stone
Before i go into the review...THIS IS THE CORRECT TITLE. JK had to change it because lets face it...not many Americans read these days. So they changed it to the other word to make it easier for them. Never the less its Harry Potter so lets get into the film.
Young Harry Potter has to lead a hard life: His parents have died in a car crash when he was still a baby, and he is being brought up by his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. For some reason unbeknownst to the bespectacled ten-year-old, the Dursleys let him live in the small chamber under the stairs, and treat him more like vermin than like a family member. His fat cousin Dudley, the Dursley's real son, keeps bothering Harry all the time. On his eleventh birthday, Harry Potter finally receives a mysterious letter from a certain Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, telling him that he is chosen as one of the future students of that supposedly renowned school. Hagrid, the gigantic man who brought the letter, finally introduces Harry into the real circumstances of his life: His parents were a wizard and a witch, they were killed by the evil wizard Voldemort protecting him. Harry still has a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead from that event. Since he survived the attack as a baby, and also somehow deprived Voldemort from his powers, he has been famous in the wizarding world ever since. The Dursleys, strong disbelievers in that magical crap, never told Harry anything about his true self. So, Harry is strongly surprised, yet absolutely happy to start his training. At Hogwarts, Harry meets his teachers, and becomes friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The three of them accidentally find out that the potions master, Severus Snape, seems to plot on stealing something that is guarded by a three-headed dog. Since nobody would believe some first years to have found out such important things that even would incriminate a Hogwarts teacher, they take it on themselves to find out what Snape is up to. Their quest for the truth leads across many obstacles, from keeping up the everyday school life, a bewitched Quidditch match (Quidditch is a popular wizard sport), Fluffy, the three-headed monster dog and quite some tasks one has to overcome to get to the guarded object.
Of all the movie adaptions from novels, this one has to be the most successful and the most risky. Never the less, the film is a modern day masterpiece. The story is amazing and introduces us to Harry and the wonderful world of the witches and wizards. Both good and bad. JK Rowling is a talented author with a craft of imagination. From every detail is this world is examined and she leaves no i dotted and no t crossed.
The acting is convincing enough. Radcliffe does well as Harry, Grint is in my eyes the strongest and Emma Watson is adorable but fiesty. Its mark to pick a clear standout but either Maggie Smith or Alan Rickman would do. Robbie Coltrane was also great as Hagrid. Again so many performances to talk about because of the ensemble cast which could be possibly the biggest brittish production ever. I`ll mention Richard Harris who was great as Dumbledore and had that wizard factor around him.
CGI was great. The Qudditch Scenes and The Hogwarts settings gave me the feeling i was in a magical place. Same with Diagon Alley. Many can slate Chris Columbus as a terrible director but he did great with Harry Potter you can`t deny. And who can forget the score composed by the almighty John Williams. His score is fresh and exciting and helps absorb the film in a whole.
Harry Potter 1 is a great introduction to the whole of Harry Potter without the books. Its a modern classic that will be remembered for years to come.
Rating - 86% - A-
Connor Macgregor Reviews...Harry Potter And The Philosopher`s Stone
Before i go into the review...THIS IS THE CORRECT TITLE. JK had to change it because lets face it...not many Americans read these days. So they changed it to the other word to make it easier for them. Never the less its Harry Potter so lets get into the film.
Young Harry Potter has to lead a hard life: His parents have died in a car crash when he was still a baby, and he is being brought up by his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. For some reason unbeknownst to the bespectacled ten-year-old, the Dursleys let him live in the small chamber under the stairs, and treat him more like vermin than like a family member. His fat cousin Dudley, the Dursley's real son, keeps bothering Harry all the time. On his eleventh birthday, Harry Potter finally receives a mysterious letter from a certain Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, telling him that he is chosen as one of the future students of that supposedly renowned school. Hagrid, the gigantic man who brought the letter, finally introduces Harry into the real circumstances of his life: His parents were a wizard and a witch, they were killed by the evil wizard Voldemort protecting him. Harry still has a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead from that event. Since he survived the attack as a baby, and also somehow deprived Voldemort from his powers, he has been famous in the wizarding world ever since. The Dursleys, strong disbelievers in that magical crap, never told Harry anything about his true self. So, Harry is strongly surprised, yet absolutely happy to start his training. At Hogwarts, Harry meets his teachers, and becomes friends with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The three of them accidentally find out that the potions master, Severus Snape, seems to plot on stealing something that is guarded by a three-headed dog. Since nobody would believe some first years to have found out such important things that even would incriminate a Hogwarts teacher, they take it on themselves to find out what Snape is up to. Their quest for the truth leads across many obstacles, from keeping up the everyday school life, a bewitched Quidditch match (Quidditch is a popular wizard sport), Fluffy, the three-headed monster dog and quite some tasks one has to overcome to get to the guarded object.
Of all the movie adaptions from novels, this one has to be the most successful and the most risky. Never the less, the film is a modern day masterpiece. The story is amazing and introduces us to Harry and the wonderful world of the witches and wizards. Both good and bad. JK Rowling is a talented author with a craft of imagination. From every detail is this world is examined and she leaves no i dotted and no t crossed.
The acting is convincing enough. Radcliffe does well as Harry, Grint is in my eyes the strongest and Emma Watson is adorable but fiesty. Its mark to pick a clear standout but either Maggie Smith or Alan Rickman would do. Robbie Coltrane was also great as Hagrid. Again so many performances to talk about because of the ensemble cast which could be possibly the biggest brittish production ever. I`ll mention Richard Harris who was great as Dumbledore and had that wizard factor around him.
CGI was great. The Qudditch Scenes and The Hogwarts settings gave me the feeling i was in a magical place. Same with Diagon Alley. Many can slate Chris Columbus as a terrible director but he did great with Harry Potter you can`t deny. And who can forget the score composed by the almighty John Williams. His score is fresh and exciting and helps absorb the film in a whole.
Harry Potter 1 is a great introduction to the whole of Harry Potter without the books. Its a modern classic that will be remembered for years to come.
Rating - 86% - A-