Harry Potter and the Philosopher`s Stone

I admit, I never saw the Harry Potter movies before.  Or better said, not really, only watching some of them when they where on television with a half eye while painting my wargame figures years ago.

I also never saw Titanic, but that is going to stay that way...

But at the last Antwerp Convention, I got intrigued by how popular the franchise remained, and I decided to finally sit down with the Smurf and Chu, both avid fans, to have a decent look at the movies.

The fact I decided to actually make a MOC (or three) in the future did help of course, as my own real knowledge of the franchise was platinumming both PS3 games because the Smurf wanted to be able to play all levels and all characters.  I`m not saying I`m a fan yet, but I do appreciate the movies, though it will never be able to take the light of that other big fantasy work that came to the theatres in that time, The Lord of the Rings.

Now, the first movie is of course just that, an introduction to a franchise that will last 8 movies in all.  It starts with a bunch of very young kids who we will accompany during their rise in life and in wizardry, and this first movie from 2001 is all innocent and childfriendly in tone, sporting some cool magical lessons and the immensly popular Quidditch sport, which (in a fashion) is even taking off in real life these days.

The story goes about a strange object, the Philospher`s Stone, which Harry wants to find to prevent the return of an evil wizard that killed his parents, Voldemort.  Passing a series of tests, they face him, or rather their teacher Professor Quirrell, who hosts the living face of Voldemort at the back of his head, hidden by a turban.

Harry manages to overcome the not yet reborn Voldemort, and learns he is the one that can defeat him should he ever return, as he is `the boy who lived`.

All in all, a light footed introduction to the series, and not to bad a film at all, but to say this is what they all are going mad about was beyond me.