Topic: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

[Dragonfire]

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Uncover the intimate details of the search to cast Harry Potter and his friends. See Daniel, Rupert and Emma's never-before-seen screen tests. Be there with stars and filmmakers walking onto the set of the exciting first day of shooting. Learn about Chris Columbus' critical, step-by-step decisions behind the creation of Harry Potter's world on screen. Look back on an amazing decade's worth of movies with Daniel, Rupert and Emma in new and vintage interviews never seen before. My Thoughts I think I've mentioned before that I really love the Harry Potter books and movies.  So once I got a Blu-ray player, it wasn't long before I picked up this version of the first movie.  I first saw this one in the theater and I don't know how many times I've seen it since.  The movie has held up really well and is definitely worth watching.  It does stay fairly close to the book, though a few things are changed or left out.  I have heard some people complain that the movie follows the book too closely.  I don't feel that way at all.  The first book especially is full of all kinds of foundation that will play a part in the later books/movies, and I think it was important to include that stuff in the movie for things to be set up properly. The plot is very entertaining and not at all boring, even on repeat viewings.  I love all the magical things and how they are used in the movie.  I think there is a decent amount of mystery to what is going on that helps to keep things interesting.  Things progress at a fairly fast pace, though I never felt like it things were rushed.  The sets are amazing and really help to bring the story to life.  This was the first time I had watched this movie in a while, and I had forgotten how different some parts of Hogwarts look compared to how they look in the later movies.  The basic looks is the same, but certain things here and there are a bit different.  I did notice more details in general this time to the castle, but I was looking more closely for things too.  I finally saw the house hourglass things in this movie.  They are really just in the background, but they are there.  The special effects look good and I think they have held up well overall. The cast is wonderful and absolutely perfect.  Daniel Radcliff, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson look like how I imagined the characters when I read the book.  Their acting has a few issues at times, but it isn't horrible..and it gets better with every movie.  I adore Alan Rickman as Snape.  He is perfect in the part.  He puts so much menace into just a look.  Watching this one again made me really miss Richard Harris as Dumbledore.  Michael Gambon has been good overall in the part, though his Dumbledore has felt a tad off to me.  Richard Harris is just better in the part...I think he better fits the character from the book.  He has a bit of a mischievousness to him that Gambon has never attained. This version has a new extra focused on the making of the movie.  Each Ultimate edition of the movies will have a different featurette focused on a different part of making the movie.  The casting is covered and there are interviews with various cast members, some from during the filming and some from during the filming of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.  There is some clips of Daniel, Rupert, and Emma from that time early time immediately followed by the newer footage, which really makes it stand out how much they have grown up and changed during the process of making these movies.  There is a lot of focus on the development of the sets and different locations used as well.  The featurette is highly entertaining and I really enjoyed it.  The book that comes with it has lots of pictures, including a few that have to be tied to the last movies.  It makes this version of the DVD/Blu-ray definitely worth picking up. I love this movie and this version of it is wonderful.  I'm so glad I decided to double dip on this one. I did post a review on Epinions back in 2001 after seeing the movie in the theater.  This was only a matter of months after I started posting reviews there.  I am thinking I'm going to update it at some point.  I just haven't taken the time yet. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone