Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban


I went to see the movie today. How was it?

I didn't start reading the Harry Potter books from the beginning. I had heard of them but I hadn't done any reading outside of graduate school and work for some time. Sometime after the fourth book was published, I started reading the books. I found the first part of the first book rather difficult to read. I had a hard time believing the torture Harry was put upon by the Dursleys. Ah, but the book got better and better the more I read until I was hooked.

What the heck does all of that have to do with my watching the third movie?

Movies based on books are never as good as the book. Watching a movie tends to be a passive act. You sit there, eat, drink, and allow it all to flow over you while you try to take it all in. A book is a very active process mentally. You have to work to read it and your mind works creating images and scenes as you progress through the book.

All of this was to state that I'm not trying to compare the movie to the book. It's foolish, in my opinion.

Did I like the movie? Yep. The first two movies established the Harry Potter universe and the third movie gets to play in it. I do wish I could have seen the movie from the perspective of someone who hasn't read the books. But, I like 'em too much. :)

If you liked the first two movies, I think you'll like this one more. If you didn't like the first two movies, give this one a shot. The tone is different (it's darker) and I think they did a good job adapting the book. There's just too dang much going on in a Harry Potter book to be able to fit everything into a movie.

The effects are very nice. The hippogrif (you've seen the commercials) is very well done. The scenes in the castle convey some of the wonder that one might feel living in a castle filled with ghosts, talking pictures, and other magical fun. Gary Oldman is a good pick for Sirius Black and seems to take the role seriously while having some fun.

I went to a matinee and had fun. I think you will too.

Posted:
Sun - June 6, 2004 at 10:30 PM      


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