Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
"An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world."
Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone is the only film I can quote word for word. There is no way I can start a blog about films without talking about my favorite movie of all time. This movie, this franchise, is so important to me for so many reasons, and I'm going to talk about the first chapter, when the boy who lived started his adventure.
As a stand alone movie, this is actually really good. The pacing is great and the mystery of the Sorcerer's Stone is told really well. I've seen this movie my whole life so that twist at the end never phased me. But for a newcomer, the villain reveal really was a cool plot twist. What's done really well is how we are introduced to the magical world through Harry's eyes. We learn the culture & customs of this hidden world, more so than the other movies of the series. We learn about the bank, the school, some creatures, and everyone's favorite magical sport. It's a fun adventure of meddlesome kids with a lot of themes that touch the heart, and I personally could never see anything wrong with it. It's just the perfect movie.
Chris Columbus really knew what he was doing when he helped start one of the biggest franchises of all time. However, I would consider David Heyman the father of the films, as he has been deeply a part of not only the Harry Potter films, but the Fantastic Beast films as well. I appreciate both of their work on the films, but the unsung hero is none other than Stuart Craig, the Production Designer.
Sturt Craig has been around for 10 movies in 20 years. One thing that stands out to me in every film is the attention to detail on every set. That moment when Harry arrives in Diagon Alley, you can't help but react the way Harry does. The Great Hall is massive and beautiful. The Gryffindor Common room feels like home. Every little inch of every set is well designed with tiny details that make us more immersed in the universe, and I really appreciate it.
When you watch a film with music composed by John Williams, the music has this way of being its own character. And we all know Williams is a master of creating iconic theme songs. I've listened to the soundtrack so many times and I can recite every song note for note. Some of my favorite pieces of music of all time are in this soundtrack, and I will forever adore this and every other work of Williams.
This is a cast of British royalty. I really have to acknowledge Alan Rickman and his performance as Severus Snape. I've seen several of his other roles, it's no surprise he was hand chosen. Maggie Smith & Robbie Coltrane were the only people that were meant to play McGonagall & Hagrid. And Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore was a superb choice for the Hogwarts Headmaster.
The Sorcerer's Stone is not just the first chapter of Harry's story, but the first chapter for the Golden Trio. These three kids from three different backgrounds pushed aside their differences and not only became fierce friends, but one unstoppable team. And for the first time in his life, Harry was able to learn what having a family could be like. When Dumbledore says "it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live," he was trying to tell Harry that though he yearns to know his parents, the family he needs is right there for him, and this continues to be a theme throughout the series.
Daniel, Rupert, and Emma as Harry, Ron, and Hermione couldn't have been cast better. Their acting gets better as the series goes on, but this first movie only required them to be cute, and they succeeded.
My favorite scene is the final scene of the movie. When Hagrid gives Harry the scrapbook, the admiration Harry has in his eyes is a moment where magic didn't come from a spell. As Dumbledore said right before, Love is the strongest kind of magic. The famous line that follows, "I'm not going home, not really," gets me every time, as the movie ends with an extreme wide shot of the the beautiful Hogwarts castle.
As John Williams' music blares through the credits, I'm always left thinking about how, when I was in my darkest moments, Hogwarts was there when I needed it most. As JK Rowling once said, "Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home." And no matter what I do, what movies I watch, this is the movie I come back to every year, and that feeling of happiness has never gone away.
Speaking of the devil, JK Rowling created something bigger than herself. 19 Years later, after the first film was released, the fandom is so large and so supportive of each other. No matter what Rowling says, she could never take that away. That's why through all the controversies, I've stood by the series, not for her, but for the boy who slept under the stairs. For the know-it-all who is the brightest witch of her age. For the loyal friend with flaming red hair. And for all the characters that call the wizarding world home. The Art is greater than the artist. And I will always be a part of it.
Always.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★