Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The title reminded and still reminds me of every lame knock off child's film. Once upon a time there was "Narnia", and then there was "The Golden Compass". I originally saw the first Harry Potter almost 10 years ago when it was first released. I am a lover of fantasy, particularly the Lord of the Rings and Star Wars series. When I saw "The Sorcerer's Stone", I was upset, upset at the age group it was trying to solely appeal to. I enjoy so many things about other fantasy films, and none of them have anything to do with fantasies about being dumb boring English kids who have spells to include brushing their teeth. I hated all the colors, I hated the lack of character development throughout all the characters. They give you barely what you need, but don't bother exploring them much, at least outside of their current childish escapades. Everything in this film feels so Fisher Price. I have been informed that perhaps watching this film in black and white may help my brain get over the poor use of colors. Words from that advisor mentions a feel of horror when entering the school for the first time, and that is exactly what I want. In a world of magic, I don't like everyone the way they are, it doesn't feel believable.
The child actors in the first film really show that youth in ability. The adults in the film create an inconsistency in all the performances. Everything has been waxed to perfection, buffed and polish. I feel like the success of this first film was really attributed to being the first of its kind, in a way that "Avatar" was as well. It is the only logical thing I can think of.
"The Sorcerer's Stone" (2001)
5.5 / 10
"The Chamber of Secrets". I was being told throughout the film that the chamber itself was this thing everyone was terrified about, I begin to wonder if the English and American words for 'terrified' are the same. They should have communicated scary or maybe just mysterious, not terrifying.
The introduction of the house elf "Dobby" was a bit more interesting. Still, Dobby didn't carry the film into victory, nor did anything else. We still got an overdose of the same styles the first film gave to us. I feel like they succeeded in finding a director who can match the ages groups of the actors and their target audience, but not me. The series at this point feels like there was a lacking education in the writing, or even lacking vision. Good ideas were made clear via the writer, but so many other movies present good ideas. The hover board in "Back to the Future" being one example. I feel like a million minute ideas, the size and importance of the hover board were presented in Harry Potter, and I just don't care.
One of my biggest hatreds for the series was quidditch. Watching people try and convince me of the importance of flying on broomsticks was saddening, even more saddening when those broomsticks make second-long appearances outside of the Potter sport. If Star Wars told me there were such things as light-sabers, and showed them to me for mere seconds per film in inopportune moments, Star Wars might not have done so well. But using these ideas, teamed with a good story, with good timing, adds to the whole project.
The graphics look a tiny bit better in this film than the first, and maybe more magic, but its just all empty... like watching a version of Lord of the Rings without the ring... Harry Potter still his ring.
"Chamber of Secrets" (2002)
5.5 / 10
Now the franchise has made an attempt to better itself in "The Prisoner of Azkaban" by removing the playful Fisher Price director with someone who presents a little more vision. I won't name anyone yet because no one knows, and no one cares.
Harry Potter has become a bit of a better character in this installment. A bit more aged, is becoming slowly but surely more relevant for what the story wants us to believe is either happening or going to happen. The film really kicks off with the introduction of the Dementors. Now, having had a near death experience with them, Harry finds they have then been invited to their school. Makes sense. I feel like Harry Potter is supposed to be important, the most important person in the world, and even though the leaders know about that, they don't seem to care much. If I was told salvation of the world would come through Harry Potter, I would feel the need to lend him protection until that day came, not let him do as he wills.
The acting in the film becomes a bit better in this than the first 2, but still hard for my eyes and ears to not feel bothered. My biggest problem with the series is its story, its story is just far more empty than the other great fantasy films. I just never feel like I care about anything that is happening. There are some fun moments, and I can sit through this film fine, but I can sit through plenty of flops.
The colors are better in this film, taking itself a bit more serious, which does earn it a better point score than its predecessors.
"The Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004)
6 / 10
I need to re-watch "The Goblet of Fire" before I create a review for it. It is the one I have seen the fewest times, and been the longest time since seeing it. I will update the blog when I see it with its own post.
Moving on down to "The Order of the Phoenix" we have one of the better moments of fantasy in all of film. This film gave us a bite of what even the Lord of the Rings series didn't, a real wizard vs. wizard fight with explosions of magic.
The film as a whole was more pleasing but still a little underdeveloped. It traded off some weaknesses for other weaknesses. The acting in this film is the beginning of something worth watching. The graphics and cinematography is also taken some steps up, but the impact of this film as a whole comes up short like the rest. Each movie doesn't feel capable of being on its own, like other great series, but become more and more dependent on the rest of the films to help carry it. Every movie seems to remind us that yet again nothing will actually be happening just yet.
"The Order of the Phoenix" (2007)
6.5 / 10
"The Half-Blood Prince" was a small step down from the previous, but still moving in a better, or more serious direction that the whole series should have been on. There is a glimpse of some real drama in this one, as opposed to the previous ones, and again, more magic to be found in this than most. However good certain things may or may not have been in the film, this film could have very easily have been cut into a great 1 hour film, instead we get a stretched 2 and a 1/2 hour pile of indigestible food.
I still feel like there is an attempt at trying to please all audiences, and it doesn't work well. I actually think many kids would find it more difficult now in this film to enjoy it as they can the earlier ones. Meanwhile, adults, confused at the inconsistency of the series, and just bored of the stretched out story (if one can be found) in this film.
"The Half-Blood Prince" (2009)
6 / 10
The most recent of the Potter series, "The Deathly Hallows: Part 1", finally takes off with the wings I have always been waiting for from this series. If the whole series was as exciting as this installment, and as well executed as this installment, then perhaps we could be taking about a great trifecta in fantasy, with debatable positions as for which is better. It is the first time I had been upset at the film actually coming to an end.
The acting was solid, the story actually had a point and teamed it up with successful and inventive suspense nowhere in the previous films. I think Harry Potter will deserve a good remake come a handful of years, one with a bit of consistency. The magic in the film could have been better, but to say that is really me being a nitpick. I think the world of Harry Potter grew, and we got to do more exploring, more connecting with the characters than ever before. When a character is cold in this film, we are cold, when a character feels anything at all, we also feel it. First well made, overall, film of the series.
"The Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
8 / 10
Even though I harshly criticize the series, it is still just about all we have in terms of magic in fantasy, which is crowned... The most magical series of all time.
Polanski does have a unique way of making film. "Frantic", if given to most modern directors would produce a straight to television version of the story. With the help of Harrison Ford, in the days it seemed he cared about his roles, gives us a dramatic thrill ride. 
