Harry Potter

(Sorcerer’s Stone, 1997/2001, PG; Chamber of Secrets, 1998/2002, PG; Prisoner of Azkaban, 1999/2004, PG; Goblet of Fire, 2000/2005, PG-13; Order of the Phoenix, 2003/2007, PG-13; Half-Blood Prince, 2005/2009, PG; Deathly Hallows Part 1, 2007/2010, PG-13; Deathly Hallows Part 2, 2007/2011, PG-13)

We're going to begin with the story that started it all for me, that fueled my passion for storytelling. Of course, I was the kind of kid that would have loved books anyways. I can't credit Harry Potter for my love of stories. I credit my parents for that. But a passion this deep and this intricate? I can't imagine it stemming from anywhere else than J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World.

Premise – A young, orphaned, abused boy one day finds out that he’s not only a wizard with magical powers, but the most famous wizard of all time. Whisked away to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he slowly discovers his special role in the wizarding world and how he is destined to save them all.

Review -  It feels odd to even offer commentary and review this series… as if it’s just a piece of fiction that can be viewed as an object of art. This fictional universe was the inspiration for the title of this blog, with the hope that, somewhere, this world exists. Harry Potter isn’t just a book series or a film series, it’s a lifestyle. The wizarding world is real to me, or as real as it can get. There’s a quote from Albus Dumbledore, “Of course it’s inside your head, but why should that mean it’s not real?” So how do I review these as pieces of cinematic and literary art and not just realizations of the stories? I treat both the films and books as canon, and it is so special to me. This review is therefore going to showcase just a fraction of my feelings because it would take several lifetimes to discuss the wonders of Harry Potter.

An entire society is created before our eyes, and then threatened in Britain’s Second Wizarding War. Harry Potter is a symbol for that war, and really the wizarding world in general, but he’s also a real, damaged, human being (in a fictional sense, but still). We experience life with him as he grows from 11-17+ years old. So Harry Potter is the story of the Wizarding World, but it’s also the story of HIM and HIS adventures and the people HE loves and that’s why I’m so obsessed not just with the series, but with the character.

Harry is my favorite fictional character of all time, and not just because he’s the star of this iconic series. I genuinely believe Harry is the best character. He’s brave, noble, loyal, kind, sarcastic, temperamental, curious, intuitive, rich, powerful, famous, humble, self-conscious, withheld, skillful, generous, self-sacrificing, and just FULL OF PURE LOVE. There’s no possible way to encapsulate all of this in the film series but Daniel Radcliffe provides a very strong template, and now whenever I read the series or imagine it, it is Daniel Radcliffe’s Harry Potter that exists in my head, as well as all of the other actors that contributed to the film series.

I love everyone else too. Every single character and minor detail of the world is entirely three dimensional. Take Hermione Granger for instance, my second favorite fictional character of all time, and my favorite female character of all time. Hermione is incredibly special to me because we have some key similarities, but Hermione also lives a lifestyle I never would (not just because she’s a witch, but because she likes to be in the center of action). Hermione is the smartest witch of her age, bossy, controlling, quick-thinking, empathetic, courageous, self-sacrificing, loyal, ambitious, active, progressive, bold… but also (at least in Emma Watson’s version) extraordinarily beautiful in an unassuming way. I believe Emma’s Hermione in particular is a female icon for having both beauty and brains, without having beauty be an essential part of her character. She isn’t fawned upon because, while she’s beautiful, her somewhat masculine personality can be off-putting. And her brains are so overpowering that it's what she’s remembered for above all else. But she is still beautiful and so overwhelmingly lovable, as is every character.

What starts out as a kid’s story grows into something more adult… except, not really because... was it ever a kid’s story? Or was it always incredibly deep and complex - it's just that the early ones are filtered because they are shown through the perspective of young, albeit insightful, children? This is a story for the ages that preaches the powers of love, death, friendship, rebellion, and SACRIFICE. Perhaps that last one is key because the whole story is about the scars that martyrdom leaves. Now, to review the films, they are flawed. They are only 2 hours each and cannot be perfect. I have loads of criticisms. But instead of focusing on those, I just appreciate every positive aspect they bring because the positives outweigh the negatives. Overall I’m just so appreciative that so much love and care was put into the films and that they really gave their all to bring these stories to screen, so let's not even bother going into the details. What more could I ask for? (100+/100)

Quote: "His will to live was much stronger than his fear of death" - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

What to watch for - The entire series. Not even kidding. Don't miss a word. 

If you liked this series, I'd recommend Percy Jackson!

Author - J. K. Rowling
Directors - Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell, David Yates
Publisher - Scholastic
Distribution Company - Warner Bros.