Viewed in
2004, 2005 (x2), 2006, 2007, 2011
Formats
Movie theater, DVD, Cable TV (w/ commercials w/ deleted scenes)
Premise
Adapted from the third book of the Harry Potter series, Hogwarts school is once again in danger as Sirius Black escapes prison.
Loved
Pretty much everything.
Thoughts
One of the best of the film series and my personal favorite.
Half the work was done because of the great story and the return of the same cast. While it would have been nice if the late Richard Harris remained as Dumbledore, I doubt he could pull off the more vulnerable and active moments that Michael Gambon could pull off in future films.
As usual, the special effects were well done. I liked how the actors were coming onto their own, and had developed great chemistry with each other. Kudos to the director Alfonso Cauron for shaking things up and giving the film a darker style. Chris Columbus did a decent job in the first two films, but they were quite plodding. Here, Cuaron mixed a perfect blend of danger, mystery and goofiness that reflected the book's subtle sense of magical humor.
Due to book size, it became necessary to make shortcuts to make the film feasible. I hope writer Steve Kloves stays for all the remaining films. He kept the main story intact, including the really cool and intelligent time-travel storyline. The hardcore fans would never be happy when their favorite little scenes were gone, but it's about the story, not the little scenes.
What I would change
Nothing.
