HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
Released: November 16, 2001
I saw this WELL after the initial hype. WELL after the books by J.K. Rowling were hailed as the literary classics everyone seems to think they are. So, eight months after the theatrical release I decided to view the "Harry Potter" thang for myself - on DVD. Was it worth all the hype? I never rea d any of the books and I just can't be bothered to. Well, I found myself really enjoying this special effects-driven blockbuster. And I enjoyed it much more than the similar budgeted blockbusters that came out around the same time like "Lord Of The Rings" and "Episode II". There's some really well designed sets and FX scenes. The acting is good because you can tell they cast ENJOYED themselves making the film. Chris Columbus, "Home Alone" and "Mrs. Doubtfire" director and cinematic spawn of John Hughes, really knows how to capture the spirit of this kind of movie. The cast is well-picked too - Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Richard Harris... Daniel Radcliffe does a swell job as Harry Potter and the rest of the cast shines. If the new "Star Wars" movies or the Tolkien trilogy had as much life to them then we'd really be in for a good cinematic treat. Rent this and enjoy - if you're a kid or an adult. Fun stuff...
The international title is "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" (like the book is titled). The American version is condescendingly retitled "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" because Warner Bros. must have thought nobody in the US would know what a "philosopher" is...
152 Minutes
Warner Bros.