Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

Harry Potter is an average eleven-year-old boy who has lived with the Dursley family ever since his parents died in a car crash. For some reason, the family has always mistreated him, even making him work around the house as some sort of slave. On his eleventh birthday, a giant man named Hagrid hands him a letter telling him that he has been accepted as a student at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry learns that his parents were wizards and were killed by the evil wizard Voldemort, a truth that was hidden from him all these years. He embarks on his new life as a student, gathering two good friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger along the way. They soon learn that something very valuable is hidden somewhere inside the school and Voldemort is very anxious to lay his hands on it. The Philosopher's Stone is the first instalment in the Harry Potter franchise and is based on the best-selling book series. I have such fond memories of this fabulous fantasy film, which has become such a staple in pop culture and the movie industry being the first of 8 thrilling adventures. I have always loved the Harry Potter novels and read them during my school years, where I became enthralled with this magical world. My love only grew with the series of films that felt just as magical as the books. Alongside the abundance of amazing visuals for the time, one of the highlights of these movies has to be the actors who each did a phenomenal job in their roles. Of course, in regards to all the younger actors, their performances can be a little off but after all, they are children and as they get older they only improve and develop. I enjoyed how we get to see all the children grow up with every new feature. With Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) growing up with each new school year, it was great seeing these actors age alongside each instalment both in terms of becoming so experienced to actually getting older. Supporting actors were integral to the story too and Alan Rickman as Severus Snape was sheer perfection giving some chilling performances that completely stole the show. He is so careful and calculated with every single word. I also like all the other characters and I can't think of any I disliked. From Hagrid, and McGonagall to Dumbledore, each of the characters is so entertaining, charming and funny. They are equally loveable and it is pretty obvious why they are such fan favourites. The world-building in this film is exceptional and well-executed. From the grand-scale buildings to even the tiniest of details, they all make this world all the more magical. From the wondrous castle of Hogwarts with its infinite rooms and halls to the shop windows in Diagon Alley displaying brooms or wands, this world feels lived in and so alive. Undoubtedly, Hogwarts became the most popular school in movie history with so much to explore with many background details to notice mainly with the moving portraits. John Williams composed the mystical music of the first two instalments which are so surreal and are some fantastic pieces. My favourite has to be 'Hedwig's Theme'. It is so enchanting and displays Williams' musical genius which had been proven long before in his other projects like Star Wars, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Jurassic Park (1993). His magnificent pieces elevate the story and moods, I would even go as far as to say that without his music, this film would never have had the charm we have come to recognise and love. The mystery of the Philosopher's Stone makes for an exciting story that is truly intriguing as pieces to this puzzle slowly start to unravel for our trio to uncover. Overall, this is a fascinating start to the Harry Potter franchise, which continued to deliver exciting entries showing great development and character growth throughout each one, bringing so much lore behind it to make a believable world. This film is great family viewing that will forever stand the test of time as a perfect adventure for people of all ages to delve into. Check out the next film: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), to continue the following chapter in the chosen one's years at the wizarding school.

Runtime: 2h 32m

Director: Chris Columbus

Genre: Adventure / Family / Fantasy

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Copy:

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)

Having it all planned down to the last detail, Clark Griswold and his supportive wife Ellen take their two teenagers, Rusty and Audrey, on a cross-country trip from the suburbs of Chicago to sunny California's Walley World amusement Park. Clark must, and will, do everything he can to find the promised land. However, anything that could possibly go wrong does, and before long Ellen's cousin, Catherine and her husband Eddie enter the picture and Clark is on the verge of blowing a gasket. Their intervention results in the Griswold family giving cantankerous Aunt Edna a lift to Phoenix making Roy Walley's wonderful park seem farther and farther away. How hard can it be to have the perfect vacation? National Lampoon has brought us so many incredible comedic films and none are more hilarious than the Vacation movies. National Lampoon's Vacation is the first instalment in the series and is a magnificent starting point. Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) has to be the funniest character in the whole film and even in the later movies. His witty comments, over-the-top expressions and moments of complete madness where he completely breaks out, going to the extreme make him such an enjoyable protagonist with countless brilliant scenes to laugh at. He is easily my favourite member of the Griswold family who only gets better with each movie. I also love Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo) who always puts up with Clark despite his constant mishaps, which shows how much she truly loves him, especially after considering how much they all go through thanks to Clark's actions, it's incredible she sticks with him even through the later films too. However, she doesn't put up with him all the time, freaking out over his stupidity which is very frequent but leads to some fantastic moments of the two having an equal outburst of craziness. One aspect I find so strange yet amusing in each of the Vacation movies is that Rusty and Audrey keep changing actors/actresses for every new instalment. Not only that but they even change in age difference, which is just so random and quite funny to me as once you get used to one duo the next film brings completely different people. One of the coolest things that I absolutely love about this flick is the poster because it both exaggerates and perfectly describes the movie. It displays this adventure as something like out of a fantasy film with the muscular man wielding his sword (or in this case tennis racket) overhead with the overall dramatised appearance. There are far too many great scenes to count but I shall name a few of the highlights with the first being, Clark and Rusty racing one another to the Wally World amusement park to the song from Chariots of Fire (1981). Clark looks so overcome with joy at the fact that they have finally made it there after all the detours and issues. What makes the scene just pure gold is that when they finally get to the gate we find out it's closed for repairs for 2 weeks. Honestly, such a beautiful sequence that I'll never forget. They take it to a whole other level when Clark proceeds to get a gun and hold the security man hostage, making him take them on all the rides. Having their hostage partake in the amusements was very entertaining, seeing him forced to enjoy himself to the point where he really was. I think this is one of those perfect films to connect with because not every holiday goes to plan with some problems on the way and this film just explores that to the max which is why I find it to be so timeless. The music in this movie is very energetic, especially in the case of the theme song of the film: 'Holiday Road' by Lindsey Buckingham, which is such a feel-good song for those long rides that this film displays. Overall, this is a great summertime feel movie filled with those great 80s vibes we all love with superb comedy, stupendous acting and great musical numbers. This is one vacation you cannot miss out on, so hop in for the ride of a lifetime in National Lampoon's Vacation. If you loved this phenomenal 80s classic then you have got to check out the equally amazing sequel: National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) which sees our favourite family take their antics to other countries.

Runtime: 1h 38m

Director: Harold Ramis

Genre: Adventure / Comedy

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

Theme Song:

My DVD Copy:

Groundhog Day (1993)

TV weatherman Phil Connors is cynical, to say the least, and has to go yet again to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 2nd to see if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow isn't his idea of fun. He is grumpy with the station's new producer Rita and is downright nasty with cameraman Larry. He doesn't take the shadow business all that seriously however, the next morning, he awakens to find he is reliving the same day. Initially disbelieving and fighting what is happening to him, Phil eventually accepts that he will relive the same day, over and over again. As Phil relives that same Groundhog Day, over and over, he goes through numerous highs and lows. As the days continue to repeat he uses the opportunity to acquire new skills like piano playing and soon becomes the most admired man in Punxsutawney. Groundhog Day is one of those movies I will never stop rewatching and one I always put on every February 2nd. It has such a unique charm that constantly keeps enticing me back. This film manages to evoke countless emotions through its heartfelt story and fantastic acting from all roles involved, most especially from Bill Murray. Stuck in the endless loop of the same day, Phil Connors goes through so much character development and experiences a renewal in his life much like his other film Scrooged (1988) where he plays a self-centred, unfeeling man who has a grand redemption. This movie juggles with its use of humourous and emotionally impactful scenes. Phil is extremely funny with some great witty comedy that will have you smirking at every little joke and line, but he can also be abrupt, mean and self-absorbed, which doesn't sit too well with his peers. Those characteristics and ego make him super unlikable and I'm sure many first-time viewers will dislike him for it, especially the antics he gets up to on his realisation of having no consequences to his actions in a loop. Everything about him from all his bad traits is dissolved and changed throughout the film and we grow to care for him more and more, especially with those truly heartbreaking moments. Scenes of him trying to escape the loop through multiple suicides and deaths were so tragic as we see the unfortunate consequences of Phil's tiredness of the endless repeats. However, even after all of that, he still keeps waking up in his bed all over again. Through these hardships we see him grow into a wonderful character which is best seen by his helping the old homeless man. We see him countless times being ignored and passed by Phil, but as he changed, he gave him money and food. His care for him peaks when he realises he has been dying every single day. That scene will always get me choked up but seeing how it affects him, striving him to do better makes for such an impactful story. I can only imagine how difficult getting every scene to feel and look like the same day over and all those who worked on this film did such an incredible job, making it work flawlessly. We also never do find out how long Phil was trapped in that same day and many people have tried to figure it out but we can never be too sure. Another highlight of this movie has to be the relationship Rita and Phil form over time. Although he became a much greater person in the end, he most especially changed towards her. From treating her so harshly and coldly, he came to care deeply for her, even love her. Towards the end of the film, their scenes together are simply perfect and romance at its finest. My favourite part of this film has to be when Phil uses his time for greater purposes like helping all the townsfolk with their issues and becoming a respected man by all. Saving people in danger and doing little odd jobs for people, he turns into a lovely person. Overall, this film will forever be timeless, quite literally in a way that it can be watched again and again. With so many loveable characters, phenomenal storytelling and great life lessons to learn from, this film is such a delight to see and should be viewed every Groundhog Day.

Runtime: 1h 41m

Director: Harold Ramis

Genre: Comedy / Drama / Fantasy / Romance

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Copy:

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

After settling in Green Hills, Sonic is ready for more freedom, and Tom and Maddie agree to leave him home while they go on vacation. But, no sooner are they gone, Dr Robotnik comes back, this time with a new partner, Knuckles, in search of an emerald that has the power to both build and destroy civilizations. Sonic teams up with his own sidekick, Tails, and together they embark on a journey to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands. This sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) is a great improvement bringing more of what we love about the franchise from characters to subtle nods to the video games and so much more. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, probably more than I thought I would and perhaps even more than its predecessor as it just felt like it was doing more justice to the source material in comparison. Not that the first film wasn't a complete departure from the original depictions, but it had them very scarcely compared to this one, which puts it centre stage showing countless references throughout. In the last film, there were a lot of 'people parts' with a bit too much focus on normal human interactions and lives rather than Sonic, the star of the movie and by far the most interesting part. This film most certainly rectified this and made all the human storylines a bit less prominent and gave the main characters more time to shine. Not to say, however, I hated the human stuff and I did find some of the scenes very funny in this film but sometimes I would have to remind myself I was watching a Sonic movie during those scenes and it felt pretty weird. Even when there are human sequences in this movie, they take it in a bizarre direction that honestly just gets a laugh from me despite its abnormal placement. In this film, we are introduced to two new characters in the form of Tails and Knuckles who are long-established within the franchise and were a great addition to this movie that fans will undoubtedly love. I think Knuckles was my favourite of the new additions in this film as he was superbly funny with his misunderstanding of everything he hears and is told, taking things very literally which leads to some big laughs. His introduction in the meet knuckles scene was phenomenal. I adore the moment when Sonic is charged up, leaping towards Eggman only for him to graciously move aside presenting an already equally charged and leaping Knuckles. It was so unbelievably good that I even watch it repeatedly. I just really enjoyed it, probably too much but what can I say. Tails is also really cool from his first appearance to his helpfulness in the mission and the friendship that grows over the film with Sonic. He's got some interesting gadgets and gizmos that he uses, which lead to some amazing sequences. Probably the coolest detail from this film was the inclusion of the biplane that is iconic for being the one Tails flew in the games. What made it better is you see the plane throughout segments of the movie making it all the more exciting when you slowly realise they are going to use it in the final battle. They took their time to implement it into the story, which is just a nice touch. Jim Carrey blows it out of the park in this once again as Eggman and probably got the most laughs out of me with his usual incredible performance. I was so happy with how he looks too, now using a more accurate appearance for his character, like that moustache, that has improved greatly since the last rendition. We are further treated to game-like levels seen in the video games, like ancient ruins and sledging down snowy mountains that felt like a real homage to what this franchise is all about. Overall, from ancient tombs with booby traps to navigate, to the Master Emerald and the giant Eggman robot, this film delivers heaps of nostalgia from the Sonic games and continues to offer a family fun adventure sure to keep you laughing from beginning to end. Not only does Sonic look even better than the last with improved effects but the story and featured characters also get a huge boost in this epic sequel.

Runtime: 2h 2m

Director: Jeff Fowler

Genre: Action / Adventure / Comedy / Family / Fantasy / Sci-fi

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Copy:

One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing (1975)

Lord Southmere escapes from China with a microfilm of the formula for the mysterious 'Lotus X' and is captured by Chinese spies who try to retrieve the microfilm. Escaping his captors, Lord Southmere hides the microfilm in the bones of a large dinosaur at the National History Museum. However, he has been followed into the museum by the spies, so Lord Southmere asks Hettie (his former nanny), to retrieve the microfilm before the spies find it. He is then promptly recaptured by the head spy, Hnup Wan. Hettie, and her friend Emily, devise a plan for a group of nannies to search for the microfilm, but they are unsuccessful in their endeavours. The spies decide to steal the dinosaur but are outmanoeuvred by Hettie and Emily, who, with young nanny Susan, take the dinosaur skeleton on an unforgettable journey around the countryside. I found the premise of this movie to be quite a funny concept putting old nannies against Chinese spies as they try to recover a piece of top-secret film attached to a dinosaur skeleton. I mean that whole plot sounds so bizarre but that's got to be why I loved it so much. I mean who doesn't want to see nannies fighting against highly trained spies and having a blast whilst doing it? Or seeing a dinosaur skeleton being stolen and driven through a foggy London causing chaos in a highspeed pursuit? Just some of the strange, yet wonderful goings-on to enjoy in this wacky adventure. I would watch this film on Boxing Day each year and it became a bit of a family tradition that we continue to do. The nannies are probably the coolest characters in the film, being so determined and up for a fight to help Lord Southmere. I love the trio of nannies: Hettie, Emily and Susan who have some superb banter and look like they are having a blast in every scene they are in. I especially like Hettie (played by Helen Hayes) who is calm and collected showing no fear, even making fun of Hnup Wan, the head spy after realising she was his nanny a long time ago. I love how scared he is of her, flinching whenever she is around. Hnup Wan (played by Peter Ustinov) is probably my favourite character in the whole film as he is just so funny in everything he says, the way he says it and even in the way he acts. He is just so enjoyable to watch and will always be the best part of the film in my opinion. One of the highlights of this film is the sequence where the nannies take the dinosaur skeleton through London because of all the hilarious encounters they come across. From a hunter trying to shoot the skeleton to be an ornament for his wall to some drunk Scotsmen mistaking it for 'Nessy' (the Loch Ness Monster) and even tailing after another car where one of the passengers is overcome with fright by the dinosaur confusing the driver, who keeps missing it. Such a brilliant group of skits that got a bunch of chuckles from me. I really enjoy the music in this movie, particularly the theme song, which is extremely catchy and has gotten stuck in my head countless times. More times than I care to mention, it's that good. The fighting and acrobatic choreography is phenomenal too, with so many flashing scenes with lots of action and even some slight use of slapstick. Seeing nannies and skilled Chinese spies fight it out in a bar will just never get old. I particularly found nannies using their umbrellas to trip people up in the commotion to be utterly fantastic as the spies start piling up. The comedy that's laced throughout the film is excellent and had me chuckling from start to finish. Even the final reveal of what 'Lotus X' really is is just so amusing and makes for a great finale to see what the fuss was all about, but I won't spoil that amazing reveal here. Overall, this is a great comedic film that features plenty of genres from the mystery of what is on the microfilm and why everyone is after it, to the adventure we go on to find out that very answer. So much fun is packed into this film that I can watch it again and again. 

Runtime: 1h 34m

Director: Robert Stevenson

Genre: Adventure / Comedy / Family / Mystery / Thriller

Related Sites and Media:

Movie Trailer:

My DVD Copy:

The Amazing World of Gumball (TV Series 2011-2019)

Welcome to Elmore. This quaint little suburb isn't quite what it seems, as in Elmore, just about everything is alive with a mixture of 2D and 3D animated characters. The Amazing World of Gumball follows the misadventures of Gumball, a 12-year-old cat. With help from best friend Darwin, his 10-year-old former pet goldfish that grew legs and joined the family, he gets into all sorts of antics. He is joined by his sister Anais, a four-year-old bunny with heightened intelligence. His parents, Richard and Nicole, support him as well. The whole Waterson family get into many wild shenanigans alongside the many characters in this amazing world. The Amazing World of Gumball has to be one of, if not the most enjoyable and funniest shows I have ever seen. It is extensively creative and smart when it comes to its comedy. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages, with many jokes being geared more towards adult viewers likely to fly over younger watchers' heads. I think that this show resonates more with adults than kids because of the countless jokes and references included that adults will be able to appreciate and find amusing. I have heard and seen so many parents who have watched this show with their kids and absolutely loved it (including my parents). Their entertainment is totally warranted as this show never skips a beat with its witty hilarious stories and characters. This show is still great fun for younger audiences as it is after all deemed a kids/family series that will keep them laughing for hours from the ridiculous characters to the elaborate stories. I utterly love this show. It was a series I stumbled across whilst flicking channels some years back and I was captivated instantly with its outstanding humour. The incredibly wacky stories are brought to life by the actors who do such a fabulous job in their respective roles, with performances that are just as fun as the scenarios they are put in. My favourite characters in the entire show have to be Gumball and Darwin who have a beautiful friendship and brotherly bond that will forever be unmatched in any other show as they are practically the definition of the perfect duo. From the beginning, they have stolen the show with their speedy jokes and gags but as the seasons went on we finally got some backstory and development in the episode 'The Origins' showing how they met and began their friendship. It was easily one of the highlights of the show for me that was extremely emotional, with some real tugging of the heartstrings which was quite unexpected for a kid's show. The other members of the Waterson family are also very memorable like the brainy Anais who the two brothers (and even the parents) always look to for the smart answers, despite being the youngest of them all. Richard is the unemployed Dad who sits about at home constantly eating, yet has some great moments due to being not very bright, but is still loveable. Nicole is a hardworking mum who goes all out with work and daily life usually giving in to her extreme anger and rage. She is equally very funny with just as many, if not quicker, quips as the rest of the family. The episodes span a wide variety and strange yet wonderful adventures that vary from meaningful and heartwarming stories to just outright unusual but the one thing in common is they are all amazing as the title says. My all-time favourite episode is: 'The Game' (clip featured below) about a board game called Dodj or Daar, which is one big reference to the film: Jumanji (1995). Many episodes are their own creative ideas but some feature many references to other products like Star Wars or James Bond. The first season has a very different animation to that of the following five and despite that it is still funny but doesn't come close to later seasons, with a wide range of phenomenally detailed models. From both characters and background settings, this show looks incredible and unlike any other show, I know of. Overall, I adore this show mainly because of how unique it is delivering some wild stories with such a wide cast of so many loveable characters. Most certainly the best show to keep you laughing for days on endfor the whole family.

Seasons & Episodes: 6 Seasons - 240 Episodes

Creator: Ben Bocquelet

Genre: Adventure / Animation / Comedy / Famiy / Fantasy

Related Sites and Media:

Series Intro:

Series Clip:

My DVD Copy:

Superman: Animated Film Series (TV Series 1941-1943)

A lone baby alien survivor of the planet Krypton is sent to Earth moments before the planet explodes. Growing up he discovers he has strange powers and later becomes Superman, protector of justice. Under the alias of Clark Kent, a news reporter, he leads a double life and keeps his true identity and powers a secret from all. Superman made his animated debut in this series of seventeen classic Technicolor short films produced by Fleischer Studios and its successor Famous Studios in the 1940s. They were so ahead of their time with some animation that was worthy of and ended up being nominated for the 1942 Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoons. I love these short films most especially because they have some of the cleanest animations I have ever seen which still manages to hold up to today's standards. I would even go as far as to argue that they are even better than some modern-day animated projects and looking at the quality of them, it is plain to see they were leagues ahead of their time. What made this series all the more incredible is the fact they were released during the period of World War 2, and yet, the visuals of these shorts are just breathtaking, which is most likely due to them being lavishly budgeted. I would have thought that a show like this wouldn't have had such a grand budget, let alone being made in colour but thank goodness it did because they are simply fantastic. There are however elements of the current ongoing period featured within, whilst of course being set in the modern day of that time during the 1940s, there are later episodes which featured some war propaganda. In the episode Jungle Drums, it featured Nazis whom Superman naturally defeats and at the end of the episode, we see a disheartened Hitler who is listening to the news of his plans failing. These propaganda episodes were obviously included as a means to boost morale and rally viewers, especially the younger audience during such trying times. This show is responsible for many great feats, from not only being one of the best-animated projects ever made but also accomplishing so much more in changes to the original design of the character which would alter the character forever going forward! These very cartoons were responsible for Superman being able to fly. When they started working on this series, Superman could only leap from place to place in great bounds however, they deemed it as "silly looking" after seeing it fully animated and decided to have him fly instead, after getting permission for this change. This has since become one of Superman's most recognisable abilities, being able to fly, and thanks to this series, he has ever since. One of the most interesting processes used by the team in creating this cartoon was the method of Rotoscoping. It is the process of tracing animation drawings from live-action footage, which was used extensively to lend realism to the human characters and the man of steel himself. I found this immensely fascinating and I began to wonder what other projects out there have used this technique. However, some of Superman's actions could not be done with this method like, for example, flying or lifting incredibly large objects and therefore had to be figure drawn. One of the greatest achievements from this show's legacy would be the inspiration of two phenomenal shows also set in the DC universe, Batman: The Animated Series (TV Series 1992-1995) and Superman: The Animated Series (TV Series 1996-2000). They were both made using the hand-drawn animation style and in the case of the Batman show, it was made to look like it was set in a futuristic 1940s period, inspired by this very show and that show would go on to have the follow-up Superman series coming almost full circle. Although with the later Superman show they chose not to keep the 40's style of Batman because of this show's existence. Overall, I adore this animated superhero cartoon. It has achieved so many technical feats that was able to deliver content like nothing ever seen before and I have nothing but respect for it. Undoubtedly one you should watch especially with them all being available on YouTube.

Seasons & Episodes: 1 Season - 17 Episodes

Creators: Dave Fleischer, Steve Muffati

Genre: Action / Adventure / Animation / Family / Fantasy / Sci-fi

Related Sites and Media:

Series Intro:

Series Clip:

My DVD Boxset: