Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone is the first entry in the series and it's interesting to see what exactly it accomplished. Now there are problems. It is directed by Chris Columbus, who I'd say is a better writer than a director. As director I'd describe his work as the standard for a standard kids movie. Of course I'd actually say this isn't too problematic for the simpler story of this film. What the film does well is get things going. It effectively set the basis for the aesthetic elements of the series, though more enterprising directors would take this further later, and it contained of course John Williams's wholly fitting score that now is synonymous with the series. It also began the intelligent use of extremely accomplished British thespians such as John Hurt, Maggie Smith, Richard Harris, and of course Alan Rickman. Now there are problems the visual effects here in particular leave something to be desired, and the child acting is bit rusty in spots. The thing is though even with its fault it works, and most importantly it set off the series on the right foot.
3.5/5

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Fellowship Of The Ring being the first evidently deserves the most credit in bringing the fantasy of Lord of the Rings to life. In terms of its visual realization of the world the film cannot be faulted through its brilliant use of locations, sets, props and costumes you really do feel this a completely new yet lived in world. The technical achievements continue with its beautiful, now iconic I'd say, as well as the often stunning visual effects, some quite marvelous in terms of their practical forced perspective in order to create the various sizes of the characters. The storytelling also deserved such credit particularly that opening sequence which gets so much exposition out of the way in a wholly compelling fashion. The characters are well acted and drawn with many of them finding their development within the forward momentum the story. I always feel special mention particularly goes to Sean Bean's Boromir who I think ends up feeling far more complex than he was in the novel. The action set pieces are each fantastic yet it never loses the emotions behind any of it. I would not say this is a flawless film, the fact that Merry is just comic relief #2 always bugged me bit, but nevertheless it's a great cinematic achievement.
5/5

Vanilla Sky

I'll admit I usually got tired of thirty minute mind bending trips with episodes of Twilight Zone, this is an entire feature film. One has to be a real master of the art to make it work, David Lynch can do it for example, but Cameron Crowe is quite up to the task. Not that I think the film is a complete failure. There are individual scenes that work, and I certainly like some of the performances, Diaz, Taylor and Russell. It does not quite captivate, particularly not in the pivotal romance, in a way that it should for it truly work as a film.
2.5/5