Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

Quick heads up before the wizard fans come for me: the first Harry Potter movie is a very expensive guided tour. Chris Columbus points the camera at every candle, staircase and owl like he’s taking inventory, and the actual plot doesn’t kick in until the last act. It’s 152 minutes, and a good chunk is kids walking down hallways looking amazed. The young leads are still learning and you can see them hitting their marks. The grownups carry it. Robbie Coltrane’s Hagrid is a giant teddy bear who can’t keep a secret, Alan Rickman’s Snape talks like every word costs him money, and Maggie Smith could freeze a lake with one look. The magic still works on a rewatch, especially that first walk into the Great Hall. It made $1.03 billion worldwide, so the tour sold out. A 7.4 because the world is a total win and the movie spends a little too long admiring it. $606 says you still check the mailbox on your birthday in case a letter shows up late.

What works: Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith, plus a first look at Hogwarts that still feels like magic.

What doesn’t: The pacing is a slow museum walk, the real story starts late, and the young cast hasn’t found its footing yet.

Who it’s for: Families starting the series for the first time, and grownups who want to feel like a kid again for an afternoon.