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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

H.P.'s source?

HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
Cert. PG
Director Chris Columbus

Take one tragically-orphaned boy, brought up by nasty, materialistic relatives who are completely devoid of imagination and sensitivity and make no pretence of their resentment and dislike. Enable him to discover that despite this he is special and significant; he has his part to play in the universe and he will find it through adventures at a unique school.

There he will learn magic. But the real magic he learns is about truth and courage, about choosing right not wrong, and about the power of love, especially sacrificial love. The boy's name is, of course, Harry Potter, created by J.K. Rowling, the first of whose stories, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is now transferred to the screen.

Christians will continue to debate the true intentions of Harry Potter's originator. Some will see a great conspiracy and yes, there may be a danger that some children might become too interested in the occult through it. But it is a story about an imaginary world like Narnia or Middle-Earth. Children know that there is no school on earth like Hogwarts.

C.S. Lewis preferred fantastical settings as a vehicle for ideas. He maintained that the more 'realistic' genre of children's fiction is far more pernicious because it masquerades as truth. Fantasy gives children the opportunity to think through values.

And this film no less than the book not only ridicules the materialistic world view that has misled society for so long, it also has a clear moral framework in which the eponymous hero rejects the notion put forward by his arch-enemy, Voldemort, that 'there is no good and evil, only power'.

Later books and films may take a darker turn, but this film is a funny, exciting tribute to the importance of parental love and friendship. As Harry takes courage from discovering how significant and special he is, so should every child.

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