HARRY POTTER 3: AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN(2004):
While not as deep as the first two movies, this one is still
a lot of fun! Back are the terrific trio, Harry, Ron and
Hermione! Also back are Hagrid, Snape and McGonagall!
And Dumbledore is also back, but, alas, as the great
Richard Harris passed away between films, he is now
played by Michael Gambon, who does a very good job
here, but still not of the caliber of Richard! All-in-all
a good film, with several laughs, and definitely worth
watching, especially if your going to watch the whole
series, just maybe a little step down from the others
so far! A-
From IMDb.com:
This third Harry Potter film is the best one yet. Director
Alphonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, A Little Princess)
has taken over from Chris Columbus and has stuck less
slavishly to the original JK Rowling Books.
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are
back as Harry, Ron and Hermoine, with Hermoine in
particular getting to do a lot more. There are less
Quidditch matches, and more menace, in keeping with
the improved complexity of Rowling's third novel.
Hogwarts is not safe, Draco Malfoy is no longer a
menace, but just a pain in the ass. And the new
CGI-scripted character Buckbeak the Hippogriff
(half eagle, half horse) looks fantastic and has
personality.The kids are all supposed to be thirteen
but look older - hey we'll forgive them. Neville
Longbottom has lost so much weight he's almost
unrecognisable.
Great performances from Emma Thompson hamming
it up as the ditsy professor of foretelling, Prof Trelawny,
Michael Gambon as the new Professor Dumbledore
(not as magical but good), David Thewliss as Prof Lupin,
and Gary Oldman as the Prisoner of Azkhaban.Thrilling,
complex, menacing, ****/***** stars. - Colette Corr