This reunion show pretty much encapsulates everything we've loved about the magical world of Harry Potter. Through candid conversations and interviews featuring the franchise's brilliant ensemble cast and directors, the 1h 43m special is indeed a wholesome nostalgic treat. I've read all the books and watched all the films but never held the universe too close to my heart as many friends and peers did. That being said, I am a massive fan of the third installment (directed by Alfonso Cuaron) as well as the last one (directed by David Yates) - and I'm glad the show dug into the lesser-known details of both films. Azkaban took a pretty dark turn thematically and stylistically, and it was also when the child actors came of age. Deathly Hallows 2 was an absolute beast of a film, relentless in its action and gratifying in its emotional closure.

Since the show tackles events chronologically, the weepy finale was really no surprise. But it is such a joy to see the wonderful camaraderie between the actors who played characters we still adore and relate to on so many levels. The lead trio even happily admits that these films literally made them. The franchise saw the birth of several talents both on and behind the screen while offering seasoned performers unforgettable roles. After seeing this, I'd happily sign up to see something similar with the cast and crew of MCU's Avengers in the future. These pop-culture franchises will always occupy a distinct space in our heads!

If you've watched the special features on all the DVDs you'd still find out nothing new in this its actually shocking I thought at the end they were gonna get the actors and directors all together in the great hall and talk but no you just get little snippets of information nothing you haven't heard before and of course stock footage of jo Rowling from 2019 heck you could of used the stock footage for most everyone and it wouldn't have made a difference this was lacklustre.

I'm no Potter-head, so to speak, by any stretch of the imagination. I've read all the books once, watched all the movies once--and that's about it. As such, I'm often a bit overwhelmed or overmatched by some of the more intense Potter fandom properties. Fortunately, I found this 20th anniversary celebration to be perfectly calibrated to my sort of HP experience!

For a very basic overview, this special is equal parts nostalgic retrospection on clips from the films, and recent interviews with some of the main (most recognizable) cast members. The triumvirate of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, & Emma Watson are the most frequent contributors, with Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter, basically the entire "Weasley clan", and others popping by to chat about their experiences both on and off set during the making of the films.

Even as a more casual fan of the property, it is clear that Harry Potter books/films have had a tremendous impact on popular culture. In that sense--and along the lines of the Friends TV show reunion that drew up the template for this sort of thing--the actors and participants (and fans!) very much deserved this retrospective. In other words, it has the gravitas to pull it off.

It's obvious right away that Warner Brothers spared no expense when putting this together. The sets are immaculate (mirroring settings from the films) and the whole thing has an extremely high production value, from the clips to the interviews to the music and the voiceovers. First-class all the way.

The hallmarks of this reunion special, though, are the sometimes-emotional, sometimes-hilarious interviews! The leading trio have some wonderful moments together, but then each interact with others from the cast in unique ways. Moments with some of the films' directors are especially well-done in this respect. There were times I found myself belly-laughing; other times trying (and failing) to hold back tears.

The only notable absence here is original author J. K. Rowling, almost certainly due to her political spats of late. Though not present in the flesh (almost certainly a good thing if only for the distraction her presence would have caused), she is mentioned frequently and archived interviews seen numerous times. Rest assured, her presence was not entirely removed or anything like that. A good balance considering the circumstances.

Overall, I was a little worried about being overwhelmed by Potter minutiae from "Return to Hogwarts". But instead I found a delightfully entertaining little trip down memory lane, while at the same time catching up with the present-day actors/directors/filmmakers who made it all possible. Whether you are a novice Potter fan or can win HP trivia contests, I think you'll enjoy this!