Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone just turned 20, folks! Yeah, it’s officially an old movie. Kids who were 10 when the Chris Columbus film was released are now 30. Daniel Radcliffe is 32. Let that sink in.
Yet, perhaps because the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II, wrapped up the Potter saga a mere 10 years ago, the series still feels fresh. Indeed, if Columbus actually managed to make a big-screen adaptation of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I would definitely be the first in line to see it.
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Why? Because these movies — along with the books — are so much fun. The universe J.K. Rowling built (on a napkin, no less) rivals Star Wars in terms of its scope and potential, packed to the brim with colorful characters, fascinating magical contraptions, and an endless array of spells and magic. Yeah, I’m a Potter junkie.
Anyways, Sorcerer’s Stone marked the first entry in the eventual eight-film saga. While later adaptations, namely Prisoner of Azkaban and The Half-Blood Prince, were far superior — mainly due to their darker, complex narratives — Sorcerer’s Stone remains a delightful film in its own right and perfectly established Harry’s wondrous world with aplomb.
So, without further ado, here are our five favorite moments from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Check them out and let us know which scenes strike your magical fancy.
THE CHESS MATCH
Harry Potter has no shortage of big set pieces, but one of the most impressive in Sorcerer’s Stone is the big chess match, mainly because it allows Ron — who, up until this point had mostly stood in Harry’s shadow — to show off his own unique abilities. The sequence looks and feels just like I pictured when I first read the book so many years ago.
FIRST QUIDDITCH MATCH
Quidditch plays an enormous part in the books. In the films? Not so much. In fact, aside from a few sporadic glimpses of the wizarding sport, it basically vanishes from the films altogether. No matter; in the first film, Quidditch was front and center. Coupled with John Williams’ terrific score, the scene was one of the more exciting moments in the film.
LEVIOSA
Ah, Hermione. Even as a youngster she was outclassing poor Ron with her knowledge of spells and magic. The famous Leviosa bit serves as a reminder of the character’s early brilliance, but also subtly foreshadows Hermione and Ron’s eventual romance.
SNAPE VS. HARRY
Alan Rickman was Harry Potter’s MVP. While the legendary actor only featured in a handful of scenes throughout the series, his impact was greatly felt. Chris Columbus has said that Rowling explained Snape’s character arc to the late actor, which allowed Rickman to play the part with a certain creative freedom. In their first scene together, Snape wastes no time belittling Harry, and Rickman happily chews the scenery.
HARRY VS. VOLDEMORT
Harry’s first confrontation with He Who Must Not Be Named is actually quite darker than I remembered. Sure, the whole face-stuck-on-the-back-of-a-man’s-head is creepy enough, but ole Voldey roughs Harry up pretty good, leading to the first of many dramatic confrontations between the two iconic wizards.
There are obviously so many other great scenes in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone — we didn’t even talk about Richard Harris! — but these were our favorites. Now it’s your turn. Sound off below!
