Today’s episode is dedicated to Trans Awareness Week and Mermaids UK, a group supporting transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse children and their families. We are running a fundraiser to benefit the group and encourage listeners to contribute. Please click here to donate.

Today – November 16th, 2021 – is 20 years to the day since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone arrived in American theaters, the first film adaptation of (noted bigot) J.K. Rowling’s worldwide sensation. Jonathan was a die-hard Harry Potter fan growing up, while Sean was a dedicated anti-Potter grump – but neither of us could escape the specter of this franchise even if we wanted to. For the 20th anniversary, we take a look back at this first film in particular – what it gets right in making this world feel special, and what it gets wrong in sticking too slavishly to source material that isn’t particularly cinematic. We talk the actors, the sets, John Williams’ music, and so much more – and reflect on how we see the film and Harry Potter’s legacy differently 20 years later. Before the Potter talk, though, you’ll also hear Jonathan’s thoughts on the outstanding Forza Horizon 5 for Xbox Series S/X, and Jonathan challenges Sean in a game to recap this week’s bottom-of-the-IP-barrel-scraping Disney+ news. 

Enjoy! And please consider donating to Mermaids UK to support trans youth if your are able.

Plain text link for our fundraiser: https://tiltify.com/@jonathanlack/weeklystuffpodcast

Time Chart:

Intro: 0:00:00 – 0:11:05

Forza Horizon 5: 0:11:05 – 0:29:08

Disney+ News: 0:29:08 – 1:02:15

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: 1:02:15 – 3:23:39

Harry Potter Memories: 3:23:39 – 3:40:38 

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