A Good Film, but not the Book

Rating: 7/10 (30 July 2015)

Harry Potter, arguably one of the most famous book series, didn't take long for to be adapted for the screen. Facing big expectations the first movie did well to hold its own.
Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is a neglected boy who lives with his mean aunt, uncle, and cousin. Odd things happen around him and before long he is told that he's not like other people, he is a wizard and a famous one to boot. He leaves his world of neglect behind and enters the magical world where young wizards of England attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
With the help of friends, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), Harry navigates his first year of school with the looming prospect of the dark wizard who killed his parents trying to return to power.
The film has an all-star cast including Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, and Alan Smith. Chris Columbus (The Goonies) directs and does a fine job of bringing the magical world to life.
It is definitely worth seeing but be sure not to neglect the books. It would be interesting to see how a Harry Potter miniseries would do, but at the moment we just have the films. The movies can only create so much of the books' brilliance, but to be fair this first one does a decent job.