HARRY POTTER
& THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
What can I say - third time is the charm for this sorecery series!
3-1/2 stars (out of 4) [(2004)USA/Rated PG] - (2 hrs. 21 min.)
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron
Screenwriter: Steve Kloves
Source: Based on the novel by: J.K. Rowling
Lead Characters/Cast
Harry Potter (3rd year) - Daniel Radcliffe
Ron Weasley (3rd year) - Rupert Grint
Hermione Granger (3rd year) - Emma Watson
Review:
Once again, fans of J.K. Rowling can mutter the fateful words, "it's still not as good as the book," BUT, what they can't say is that this film fails to take this series to the next level - the adult level. For the first time, the critics are unanimously praising Alfonso Cuaron's ("Y tu mama tambien") clever, if not entirely faithful, rendition of the third (of seven+) installments in the Harry Potter saga.
Seven years of schooling sounds almost as bad as med school and like med school there's a lot of body parts being either amputated (Pettigrew's finger) or injured (Malfoy's arm, Ron's leg). Cuaron has a lot of fun with Rowling's storyline and mixes things up for both readers and filmgoers alike. He also seems obsessed with talking shrunken heads, chocolate, and the mistreatment of small birds (re: the Whomping Willow).
Quibbles aside, this is a highly entertaining and suspenseful edition and well worth checking out ON the big screen, and though I was a latecomer to reading the stories I will wholeheartedly join in with Rowling-philes everywhere and say that you can greatly enhance your enjoyment of the series if you do one thing first - READ THE BOOKS!
Supporting Characters/Cast
Sirius Black - Gary Oldman
Professor Snape - Alan Rickman
Draco Malfoy - Tom Felton
Rubeus Hagrid - Robbie Coltrane
Albus Dumbledore - Michael Gambon (replaces orig. actor who passed away)
Peter Pettigrew (later as Wormtail) - Timothy Spall
Professor Lupin - David Thewlis
Professor Trelawney - Emma Thompson
Professor McGonagall - Dame Maggie Smith
Main Designers:
Production designer: Stuart Craig
Visual effects supervisors: Roger Guyett & Tim Burke
Music: John Williams
Additional characters
Vernon Dursley ("muggle") - Richard Griffiths
Petunia Dursley ("muggle") - Fiona Shaw
Mrs. Weasley - Julie Walters
Aunt Marge - Pam Ferris
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
& THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
What can I say - third time is the charm for this sorecery series!
3-1/2 stars (out of 4) [(2004)USA/Rated PG] - (2 hrs. 21 min.)
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron
Screenwriter: Steve Kloves
Source: Based on the novel by: J.K. Rowling
Lead Characters/Cast
Harry Potter (3rd year) - Daniel Radcliffe
Ron Weasley (3rd year) - Rupert Grint
Hermione Granger (3rd year) - Emma Watson
Review:
Once again, fans of J.K. Rowling can mutter the fateful words, "it's still not as good as the book," BUT, what they can't say is that this film fails to take this series to the next level - the adult level. For the first time, the critics are unanimously praising Alfonso Cuaron's ("Y tu mama tambien") clever, if not entirely faithful, rendition of the third (of seven+) installments in the Harry Potter saga.
Seven years of schooling sounds almost as bad as med school and like med school there's a lot of body parts being either amputated (Pettigrew's finger) or injured (Malfoy's arm, Ron's leg). Cuaron has a lot of fun with Rowling's storyline and mixes things up for both readers and filmgoers alike. He also seems obsessed with talking shrunken heads, chocolate, and the mistreatment of small birds (re: the Whomping Willow).
Quibbles aside, this is a highly entertaining and suspenseful edition and well worth checking out ON the big screen, and though I was a latecomer to reading the stories I will wholeheartedly join in with Rowling-philes everywhere and say that you can greatly enhance your enjoyment of the series if you do one thing first - READ THE BOOKS!
Supporting Characters/Cast
Sirius Black - Gary Oldman
Professor Snape - Alan Rickman
Draco Malfoy - Tom Felton
Rubeus Hagrid - Robbie Coltrane
Albus Dumbledore - Michael Gambon (replaces orig. actor who passed away)
Peter Pettigrew (later as Wormtail) - Timothy Spall
Professor Lupin - David Thewlis
Professor Trelawney - Emma Thompson
Professor McGonagall - Dame Maggie Smith
Main Designers:
Production designer: Stuart Craig
Visual effects supervisors: Roger Guyett & Tim Burke
Music: John Williams
Additional characters
Vernon Dursley ("muggle") - Richard Griffiths
Petunia Dursley ("muggle") - Fiona Shaw
Mrs. Weasley - Julie Walters
Aunt Marge - Pam Ferris
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++