"I can't be a-a-a wizard. I mean, I'm just Harry, just Harry."
Today's film is the first of two entries in a row from the "Harry Potter" series, and it's no coincidence that this one comes first in the countdown. Magic, or just a great ranking system? Hmmm...
Family-Friendliness
- Rating: PG "for some scary moments and mild language"
- Minimum Recommended Age: 7.3 (Common Sense Media: "On for ages 7 and up", Kids First! Juror Recommended Age: 8-12, Kaboose: "some scenes are too scary for kids under the age of seven")
- Quality Rating: 81.7% (Parent Previews: B, Common Sense Media: 5 stars, Rotten Tomatoes rating: 7.0)
- Number of Lists Recommend: 2
- Sex/Violence/Profanity: 0.4.2 (Kids-In-Mind)
Language: 1 arse, 1 damn, and 1 hell. Also some uses of "bloody". - Main Child Character Age: 11
- Running Time: 152 minutes
- What does it have to do with Halloween? Nothing
Summary
Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Watch Out For
Common Sense Media: "Parents need to know that this first movie in the Harry Potter series has some intense and scary moments. Harry Potter and friends -- who are only 11 years old here -- are in peril and get hurt, but not seriously, and most of the scares come from fantasy creatures. There's a flashback to the (bloodless) death of Harry's parents and discussion about how they died and the one who killed them."
Screen It!: "A tiny bit of profanity (minor expletives) is present as are some colorful phrases, while some of the violence has bloody results, we see a ghost's neck wound that's nearly severed his head sometime in the past, and some other "gooey" moments are present. Finally, as the film deals with kids using magic/sorcery, some kids may want to imitate that while parents may want to discuss that and other subject matter with their kids."
Screen caps courtesy of newsie__nympho
On TV
Biography Channel is airing the documentary "Creating the World of Harry Potter" about the making of the first film, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". "Part 1: The Magic Begins" airs October 14 at 9:00 PM EST, and "Part 2: Characters" airs at 10:00 PM EST.
Talk About It
Common Sense Media:
* Families can talk about the Harry Potter series. Do you like the books or movies better?
* What themes from the first in the series pop up again in later installments?
* What do you think about Harry and his friends going away to school? Would you ever want to do something like that?
Parent Previews:
If you are a Harry Potter fan, and have read all the books, how does the movie’s interpretation of J.K. Rowling’s work compare to your imagination? Does the movie change the perception that you had from the novels?
Many people are concerned about the positive portrayal of the occult made in the Harry Potter books. How do you feel about the magic and the messages presented in these stories?
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