Since this year marks 20 years since the first book's release and this is Harry's birth month I have been watching the movies a ton this month. I realized I had a lot of unanswered questions so I decided to watch the whole series over and jot down everything.
That ended up being way way to0 long so I'm going to just be going Philosopher's stone today. It is still a long one so grab a nice cup of tea and settle in.
Warning Spoilers. Obviously.
- Mcgonagall is right. The Dursley's are terrible people. This just reminds me that Dumbledore is a d**k.
- How did Hagrid's motorcycle not wait up all the muggles?
- Poor Harry just takes everything they say. And they treat him like a house elf.
- Have I mentioned how much I hate the Dursleys? No meals for a week?
- I love how Harry discovers he can talk to snakes and just makes small talk.
- Why did they send so many letters? They had to know Harry wasn't receiving them. Why did they wait so long to send Hagrid? Oh yeah that's right Dumbledore is a twat.
- 100s of letter on the floor and Harry goes for one in the air. This is why your aren't Ravenclaw Harry.
- I still feel so sad when Harry makes that cake out of the dust on the floor.
- The joy when Hagrid gives him the cake! His first real birthday present! :'(
- Harry thinking he can't be a wizard, that he isn't that special. :'(
- I don't want to stick up for Petunia but her reaction to her sister being a witch does seem a bit reasonable. I feel like muggles are way to chill about their kids being wizards.
- I love how Harry is reading is school supplies list out loud and none of the muggles look at him like he's crazy.
- If Hogwarts was a safer place for the stone than Gringotts than why was the stone even at Gringotts?
- Since every first year needs a wand, why is Ollivander's so empty?
- I think Harry was so attached to Hedwig because Hagrid gave her to him.
- I love how Harry doesn't say Voldemort around Hagrid but doesn't give any F's around anyone else.
- I strongly believe that Molly has never mixed up the twins. They just tell her she does so much that she believe it.
- How is the train always full? Why haven't they ever added more cars? They say "everywhere else is full" in every movie for Merlin's sake!
- I feel bad for every other kid that wanted sweets off the trolley only to find some kid brought everything.
- I feel so much better that Ron's spell season to bother/hurt the rat know that I know who he is.
- You know Hermione kind of comes off like Draco at first. Bit full of herself. Like she's better at magic than you are and that makes her worth more than you. It goes away after the troll incident but it just feels a bit bitch at first.
- I love how McGonagall always dresses like she's head of Slytherin instead of Gryffindor.
- I love all of the reveal scenes in this first film. Harry's first time in Diagon Alley, the first view of Platform 9 & 3/4, the first time we see the castle, the first time Harry sees the great hall. They really capture the wonderment you'd have going to Hogwarts for the first time.
- I love that when Dumbledore tells them that "the 3rd for is out of bounds to those you do not wish to die a most painful death" Harry is the only one who has a look of "WTF kind of school is this?" Everyone else just looks like "awe man, well that stinks."
- Everything I watch this I can't help but be amazed at the CGI of the sorting hat for 2001 that is pretty amazing.
- Everything I watch PS I get so mad when the hat doesn't touch Draco's head. Sort him by personality not name but stupid piece of fabric!
- Did half of Harry's class end up on Gryffindor? Looking at all the first years lined up for sorting most of them face I see are Gryffindors.
- Everyone always complains that the house point hourglasses aren't in the films. They are. They are just never addressed. They are always in the background and can been seen in all the films at hogwarts. In PS you can see them behind the staff table as Harry is being sorted. After PS the are in the entrance hall by the main doors.
- I love how Harry switched sides of the table from sorting and is now sitting between Percy and Hermione instead of next to Ron.
- Seeing the ghosts always makes me sad that Peeves wasn't in the films.
- The Fat Lady sure did change over the years. So much so I'd say she looks like a whole new woman in the later films. haha.
- I just love the permanent look of wonder on Harry's face during first year.
- Why was Snape so pissed that Harry was taking notes. "Not paying attention?" He was literally writing down every word you said!
- I still don't know where Seamus is from and I drives me crazy.
- If it's ever bothered you Neville forgot his robes.
- Draco is the only other kid to get his broom on the first go. Which means he has promise to be a great flyer but that does not promise that he's good at Quidditch.
- Madame Hooch said to push off on her whistle. Why was Neville the only one listening?
- How did Neville fall that far and only break his wrist?
- I love how Draco gets on his broom.
- It mades me so sad that Fred & George were in the films so little.
- I love that in their first couple of years they freak out when the stairs move then they just get used to it and it's like it isn't even happening.
- The fact that they only found fluffy because the stairs moved and Filch was going to catch them.
- How do they kids manage to shut a door against a giant dog?
- I love Oliver's accent so much! "hooops"
- Harry is just naturally good at all fields of Quidditch
- That snitch looks so good! How was the CGI so good in this film?
- How did Seamus ever pass is first year. Seriously! He blows up everything!
- I'd love to spend Halloween at Hogwarts. It looks so amazing!
- Quirrell's delivery of "Troll in the dungeon" then the kids freaking out is amazing. Really sets a great ton for this bit of the film.
- Ok now the troll, there is the 2000s CGI.
- This bathroom is set up much more like the the Chamber bathroom is supposed to be. This set should have been used in Chamber of the Secrets.
- I love how Ron is best at magic when he's under pressure. I like "my friends are going to die. Time to do the levitation spell correctly for the first time!"
- I love all the "you look suspicious" looks that Harry and Snape exchange throughout the series.
- "What is in this broom shaped packages? ... A broom?! Oh my god! No way! I never would have guessed!"
- Also isn't it cheating for Mcgonagall to buy that broom?
- "I took a bludger to the head 2 minutes in, woke up in hospital a week late." Now tell me why do these kids need a permission slip to go 2 miles down the road but not to play death sky broom football?
- Seriously these reveal scenes! You really feel the wonder with Harry!
- I would make a remark that Quidditch is unfair since the snitch is 150 points but since Bulgaria lost even with the snitch I'm going to have to leave that out here.
- Seriously they hit on Oliver! How are these kids allowed to play this game without parental permission? And why are there no kids version rules?
- And now what they've done to Katie. Why are children allowed to play this game?
- I love how Hermione just sets a teacher on fire in her first year.
- You can see the saliva on the snitch's wings! The CGI is amazing in this film for 2001!
- I love Hagrid's "I shouldn've said that" thought out the series.
- Christmas at Hogwarts look amazing too!
- Harry seems pretty terrible at Wizard's chess.
- Harry's face when Ron tells him he has presents. :'(
- Even the editing of the invisibility cloak is really great!
- The mirror is so heart breaking! Harry reaches out for them! My heart can't take it!
- I want to like early Dumbledore so much but I know he was always a terrible person. I can't un-know the truth we learnt in Deathly Hallows.
- Hermione almost takes off Harry's fingers when she slams that book on the table.
- Why does it later say Nicolas only has enough elixir to get his affairs in order when Hermione reads that "it makes the drinker immortal."
- I love how when Hagrid hatches a dragon in his cabin Ron sends his brother a letter like "hey there is an illegal dragon at Hogwarts. Can you come pick it up?" and Charlie is like "yea mate, let me get some friends." I wish they would have left that bit in the films.
- I love the smirk Harry gets when Draco gets detention with them.
- Is it bad that I'd love to be the Forbidden forest with them right now? It's just so pretty.
- Why did they send for kids into the "Forbidden" and dangerous forest to look for something killing unicorns?
- I love these forest scenes. The wide shots showing the characters silhouetted against that blue is so pretty!
- Harry really was meant for Gryffindor. Draco and fang run in terror and Harry walks toward the thing drink unicorn blood.
- I love how Draco's distant scream turns into the suspenseful score!
- The score in all of these films really is amazing.
- I wish they would have kept Firenze thought the films like he was in the books. A centaur astronomy teacher would have been amazing in the films. Just another thing to add to the list with Peeves.
- I love how well these three 11 year olds handle Voldemort being in the forest.
- "My scar is burning. Should I tell anyone? Nah." Harry you really aren't a Ravenclaw are you?
- Where did Fluffy go after everything with the stone? Where did Hagrid keep him before Dumbledore needed him?
- You know Snape if you weren't always lurking the golden trio might not have always thought of you first when looking for the bad guy.
- How is Neville the only one who knew/tried to stop the trio? They had the invisibility cloak but still.
- Why are these kids so willing to jump into dark holes? First the one under that trap door, then the entrance into the chamber. What is wrong with these kids?
- Poor Ron. That devil's snare must have been terrifying
- I'm a little sad they cut all but 2 of the challenges to get to the stone. The potions bit was so cool in the books.
- Was there an infinite number of chess pieces ready to play for each new person that comes through the room?
- You know this defence isn't really that great if three 11 year olds could get past it.
- Why didn't Ron jump off before the Queen hit him?
- How did Hermione carry Ron up through that trap do and past fluffy and all the way to the hospital wing?
- I love that Harry thinks it's impossible for Quirrell to be the one. Harry learned that day that evil comes in all shapes and sizes and even those who seem cowardly can be on the dark side.
- I love the little touch of Harry's scar only hurts when Quirrell's back is to him.
- How did Dumbledore get the stone into the mirror? What kind of spell is that? Elder Wand ex machina.
- Even the CGI of Voldemort's face in Quirrell's head is great. What is these this? This isn't 2001 graphics.
- Voldemort looks so weird with a nose.
- Why did it burn for Harry to touch Quirrell's and but not for his throat to touch Quirrell's hand?
- How was Harry not scarred by turning a man to dust?
- Incase you don't already think Dumbledore is a d**k, he comes into the hospital and immediately starts picking through Harry's candy.
- I hate the Dumbledore keeps Harry in the dark for so long. Like I get that horcruxes and all might be a lot for an 11 year old but after what he just went through I think he can take it.
- Earwax. That's what you get for taking Harry's candy!
- I will never get over the beautiful shots of the castle. The one where Harry walks out of the hospital wing and Hermione and Ron are up on the second floor is just amazing.
- Reason to hate Dumbledore #394: He announces Slytherin winners of the house cup then gives Gryffindor the win.
- Seriously why wouldn't he have give Gryffindor the points first instead of telling Slytherin they won and then tearing it away?
- Really 50 points for chess? Really? Neville should have gotten the 50 and Ron should have gotten the 10 if your are going with his points are for chess.
- Hagrid! A photo of his parents! You are the best! And that goodbye to Hagrid! My heart hurts!
- That line "I'm not going home, not really." AHHHHHHH! and the fact that Ron remembers he said that and says "Welcome home Harry." in chamber! It's both heart breaking and heart warming at the same time.
- I love the ending shot of the train pulling way from hogwarts! It's another perfect shot for this film!
That ended up being so long! Let me know if you made it all the way through! Should I do posts like these for the rest of the films? Let me know in the comments below!
I love re-watching Harry Potter over and over again! It is always great!
Thanks so much for reading this extra long post! I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a like if you did, it's much appreciated!
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to message me or leave them in the comments below.
Photo Credit: photo taken by me with a Canon Rebel T5 camera with a 18-55mm lens and edited by me in photoshop.
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I'm glad I'm not the only one who sits here every time I watch PS thinking about how they really bombed on the 'creating an ultimate protection plan' if a group of 11 year olds could figure it all out hahaha
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