I saw the movie before I got into the books, so perhaps that's why I loved it. It was original, imaginative, funny, and... British. I've always been fascinated with the Brits, and I think the decision to have a British cast was the right one. It kept the feel of the books, and the actors were superb! Of course they left some things out, but there would be no way to have every single detail fit into a 2 1/2 hour film. Anyway, this movie led me to read all the books and I'm now a potter freak.