Travis Simpkins: Harry Potter

Friday, October 16, 2026

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. J.K. Rowling

I'm enjoying "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling.

Harry Potter spent ten long years living with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, an aunt and uncle whose outrageous favoritism of their perfectly awful son Dudley leads to some of the most inspired dark comedy since Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But fortunately for Harry, he's about to be granted a scholarship to a unique boarding school called THE HOGWORTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY, where he will become a school hero at the game of Quidditch (a kind of aerial soccer played high above the ground on broomsticks), he will make some wonderful friends, and, unfortunately, a few terrible enemies. For although he seems to be getting your run-of-the-mill boarding school experience (well, ok, even that's pretty darn out of the ordinary), Harry Potter has a destiny that he was born to fulfill. A destiny that others would kill to keep him from.

https://link.amazon/B0gw3OU04

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

With J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" book series providing ample material, and fresh off the success of the first film adaptation, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) the previous year, work set forth on the second film: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). The story finds Harry Potter and friends returning for a second year at Hogwarts. However, a message written in blood tells that the ancient Chamber of Secrets has been opened, unleashing a serpent monster, and the "mud blood" students may die… and Harry Potter must face Lord Voldemort in the persona of Tom Riddle. Magic, medieval imagery and historical-inspired set design create a wondrous mood. Most of the principle cast and crew returned, with Chris Columbus directing the young stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. Some of the older actors returned (Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane) and some new faces were added (Kenneth Branagh, Jason Isaacs). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is just as visually impressive as it's predecessor. The passage of a year had led to new developments in CGI effects and the flying sequences, in particular, benefited from it... and the future films in the series would see similar technological improvements.