I grew up loving the films and I have been meaning to revisit them from the lens of being an adult. Maybe I'll see things differently in my older age.
A few ground rules/thoughts before I share my thoughts on Sorcerer's Stone
1. No I am not watching in 4k
2 While it isn't the explicit focus of the thread, criticisms of JK Rowling's poor character and personal politics are fair game. Its not my or anyone's place to make excuses for her. Her defenses of shitty people should be called out.
3. I will be looking at the films as I finish watching them.
4. No I will not be watching the Fantastic Beast movies, they suck and Rowling's screenplays are awful and worse than the Star Wars prequels
Onto the main programming
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Movie released in November in 2001 and I was in the 4th grade. My mom pulled me out of school to see it opening day. That will always be a memory I will love and cherish.
Having now just finished rewatching it, the film I think holds up very very well both as an adaptation of the novel and as fun movie. Director Chris Columbus did a great job of translating the novel onto the big screen. I imagine it was a herculean task to get the sets, the lighting, and costuming just right. The film is competently directed but is well below the caliber of a film much later in the franchise. Columbus was a good fit to ease the audience into this universe.
The other massive herculean task for this film is the casting. They had so many parts they had to cast and that any weak links had made it on, the entire franchise would have suffered. All of actors in this are wonderfully cast. Alan Rickman (RIP) is a legend as Snape. He chews the scenary incredibly well and delivers every syllable with contemptuous gravitas. The strongest of the main trio in this film is Rupert Grint as Ron. He seems the most natural on screen and his delivery of comedic lines and the way he expresses himself work really damn well. Maggie Smith is great as Professer McGonagall.
John Williams's score is incredible. Its exciting, foreboding, and warm. The main theme at the opening of the film gave me genuine goosebumps.
My favorite sequence of the film when I was a kid seeing it in the theater was Quidditch. They managed to live up to my expectations of what Quidditch would look like. As an adult, my favorite scene is a small scene. When Harry discovers the Mirrror of Erisad and has this quiet moment where he sees his mother and father was so beautiful to me. Its what he can never have. In tandem with Williams quiet music, the audience really feels Harry's yearning for his parents. It affected me enough to make me pause the film and think about how fortunate I am for both my still living parents being a part of my life.
The main plot is fine. They think Snape is the trying to help Voldemort come back and figure out who is Nic Flammel. Its serviceable if a bit uninteresting. Its good enough for a family film. What the film excels at is bring the characters and worlds to life.
I guess my final verdict is that its still pretty good.
Off to watch Chamber of Secrets before seeing star wars.
A few ground rules/thoughts before I share my thoughts on Sorcerer's Stone
1. No I am not watching in 4k
2 While it isn't the explicit focus of the thread, criticisms of JK Rowling's poor character and personal politics are fair game. Its not my or anyone's place to make excuses for her. Her defenses of shitty people should be called out.
3. I will be looking at the films as I finish watching them.
4. No I will not be watching the Fantastic Beast movies, they suck and Rowling's screenplays are awful and worse than the Star Wars prequels
Onto the main programming
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Movie released in November in 2001 and I was in the 4th grade. My mom pulled me out of school to see it opening day. That will always be a memory I will love and cherish.
Having now just finished rewatching it, the film I think holds up very very well both as an adaptation of the novel and as fun movie. Director Chris Columbus did a great job of translating the novel onto the big screen. I imagine it was a herculean task to get the sets, the lighting, and costuming just right. The film is competently directed but is well below the caliber of a film much later in the franchise. Columbus was a good fit to ease the audience into this universe.
The other massive herculean task for this film is the casting. They had so many parts they had to cast and that any weak links had made it on, the entire franchise would have suffered. All of actors in this are wonderfully cast. Alan Rickman (RIP) is a legend as Snape. He chews the scenary incredibly well and delivers every syllable with contemptuous gravitas. The strongest of the main trio in this film is Rupert Grint as Ron. He seems the most natural on screen and his delivery of comedic lines and the way he expresses himself work really damn well. Maggie Smith is great as Professer McGonagall.
John Williams's score is incredible. Its exciting, foreboding, and warm. The main theme at the opening of the film gave me genuine goosebumps.
My favorite sequence of the film when I was a kid seeing it in the theater was Quidditch. They managed to live up to my expectations of what Quidditch would look like. As an adult, my favorite scene is a small scene. When Harry discovers the Mirrror of Erisad and has this quiet moment where he sees his mother and father was so beautiful to me. Its what he can never have. In tandem with Williams quiet music, the audience really feels Harry's yearning for his parents. It affected me enough to make me pause the film and think about how fortunate I am for both my still living parents being a part of my life.
The main plot is fine. They think Snape is the trying to help Voldemort come back and figure out who is Nic Flammel. Its serviceable if a bit uninteresting. Its good enough for a family film. What the film excels at is bring the characters and worlds to life.
I guess my final verdict is that its still pretty good.
Off to watch Chamber of Secrets before seeing star wars.
