Starts out magical ...

Rating: 9/10 (19 November 2001)

In my vote for this movie, I gave it a 9 (out of ten). This was a combination of the first thirty minutes, which were a 10, followed by the remainder of the movie being an eight. If you've read the book, you'll get chills as the beginning sequences of the movie makes you feel the same way as the book did. This is true movie magic at its best. After getting past the introduction and settling into the story, the movie sometimes drags a little, but it will still keep your interest. Despite the length of the movie, there is still plenty left out. I'd be curious to hear what someone who hasn't read the book thinks about the movie.
As far as the casting goes, I was especially pleased with the Dursleys. Hermione was also quite well done, as was Hagrid (but was Hagrid really that illiterate in the book???).
Oh, and is it just me, or were you also disappointed in the size of the Great Hall. It just didn't come close to matching my imagination! :-)