A fun fantasy story that's good for the whole family

Rating: 8/10 (20 November 2002)

The Harry Potter story is brought from the books to the big screen. Never having read the books, I have to rely on anecdotal evidence that the movie stayed pretty true to the stories. I first saw the movie with my family, who've all read the books. But my youngest sister, Kelly, is the biggest fan. After the movie she was telling me all the things that were different or left out. I jokingly asked her, "So, you didn't like the movie?"...to which she replied that it was her favorite movie of all-time. That alone, tells me that the movie succeeded. I enjoyed the movie myself and think it's a fun fantasy story that's good for the whole family. The director, Chris Columbus, did a nice job and the actors, especially the kids, were great. Harry Potter is a feast for the eyes and obviously a lot of thought went into the detail. It's heartwarming for me to see this kind of movie made...Something healthy that kids of all ages can be excited about. As a side note, I am especially happy with the books being so popular. It seems like I hardly talk to a kid who hasn't read the books. That says a lot.

*** (Out of 4)