Harry Potter is solid gold

Now I promise you I won't use the word magic in this review. Of course not, the word's been used far too often in relation to Harry Potter. It's become clichéd. So how was the movie? Well, in all honesty- it was like magic.

Okay, okay, so I used the word. But the truth is that the Harry Potter movie was magical -- and there's no other word that so perfectly captures the effect of the film. The movie lifts you up like the Golden Snitch and flies you -- via broomstick, of course -- to a fantastical world where imagination reigns and realism is rejected.

Without a doubt, the movie's not as good as the book. Yet to be as good as the book- well, the movie would have had to be another Casablanca- and at that, a better Casablanca. With magnificent special effects, believable actors, and a wonderful premise, the movie more than fulfilled my rather inauspicious expectations for it.

Now, if you don't know the story -- read the book! Please, please, to all you moviegoers -- do not, I repeat, do not venture to view movie without the background knowledge provided by the book. But to skim over the basic details…

Harry Potter lives with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, who are, in one wizard's words, "Muggles of the worst sort." Muggles, of course, are nonmagic folk. Harry is unwanted and treated as such; he lives in a miniscule cupboard under the stairs, is tormented by his tremendously overweight and bullying cousin Dudley, and is not treated as any part of the family. Worst of all, Harry is kept completely unaware of his true heritage.

However, Harry receives a letter from Hogwarts, School of Wizardry, on his eleventh birthday -- but doesn't get to open it. Rather, his uncle, determined to keep Harry from becoming "abnormal," attempts to prevent Harry from receiving the Hogwarts letters. Eventually, a friendly giant who quickly becomes Harry's friend and confidante, Rubeus Hagrid, intervenes and takes Harry to Hogwarts, where Harry meets his two best friends, Ron and Hermione.

The trio is awed and entertained by Hogwarts' magical and home-like atmosphere, settling in to their new life with ease. Yet they soon stumble accidentally upon the forbidden third floor and a giant three-headed dog named "Fluffy" guarding a terrible secret. The children embark on a series of adventures -- despite interference by the slimy Draco Malfoy, a student who Harry and friends detest -- in order to find out the secret and to prevent the dark forces from regaining power.

Using special effects to convey the spells and enchantments used at Hogwarts, the movie gives a very real picture of the fantastical. Of course, the absolutely fabulous supporting cast contributes as well. Richard Harris as Hogwarts Headmaster Dumbledore is perfectly wise and mysterious, and also manages to portray that special quality about Dumbledore -- his warmth of manner and love for children -- that makes him very likable. And Dame Maggie Smith plays the severe, rule-abiding Professor McGonagall with just the right mixture of seriousness but occasional playfulness. Smith's icy demeanor exemplifies McGonagall's personality to the core, and her rare smiles show the true goodness of the professor.

The acting is easily what defined the film; wooden actors would have rendered Harry Potter lifeless. Luckily for the movie, the child actors turned out to be quite exceptional. Hermione, played by Emma Watson, was a wonderful know-it-all (if such a thing exists) and Ron, played by Rupert Grint, portrayed every facial expression with precision and detail. And as for the title character -- Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter certainly had the right look, but his acting was the least effective of the children. Radcliffe did a decent job with a somewhat difficult role, yet Grint and Watson overshadowed his abilities with their own surprising talent.

The movie's only fault -- and it's a small one -- was a certain lack of character development. There is so much action, special effects, and adventure that the very distinct personalities of the characters were somewhat lost along the way. However, if you've read the book --which you should have -- the personalities are pre-developed for you, and there's no need for extensive detail in the movie.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a movie of excitement, adventure, and -- I apologize again -- magic. The movie is amazingly realistic, almost bringing Hogwarts and its wizards into our boring Muggle world with its detailed scenery and lifelike special effects. In a splash of spells and sorcery, Harry Potter brings fantasy to life.