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Rating:  - #3 is a great movie as well as a great book!
Both the movie and the special features are so excellent, so full of creative genius and fun, that we have watched them many times. In fact, my daughter had requested that I rent it so many times that I decided we should own it. The scenery is stunning, the filming is inventive and draws us into the scenes, and the plot retains the best elements of the really excellent book. Cuaron's direction inspires these great actors to be authentic to the beloved characters of the book. Some of the DVD games are a little squirrelly, but that is no surprise, and there are plenty more features to entice us, including a warm interview with the author, JK Rowling, and the director, Alphonso Cuaron(who also directed Y Tu Mama Tambien). Clearly everyone on the set is enamored of Ms. Rowling. Lots of detailed looks at set and scene construction are included...we were truly impressed with the effort and talent that went into this film. Plus it is funny, has a super interesting plot, and the acting/directing is marvelous. Of all of the (5) HP movies out as of this writing, this one is the one I will be happy to watch repeatedly, simply for its cinematic genius.
Rating:  - HP & the prisoner of Azkaban
JK does it again! She has created a ongoing story that we all hope doesn't end. Full of exciting pictures & words.
Rating: - Becoming more adult oriented
This movie serves many purposes, and one I see is a transitional period between the first two Potter films into the next two currently out. The three main characters (Harry, Ron & Hermoine) have quickly grown up, both in terms of physicalness and intelligence. Each film has also become inreasingly darker, and the Dementors alone in Prisoner give this a very creepy tone that surpases anything we've seen yet. The story, took me a few viewings to figure everything out. It contains a bit more depth and detail than previous films, and younger children may not be able to pick all of it up immediately. What I loved most about the first two films, seems to be a bit lacking in Prisoner. While there is an interesting story, it takes itself more seriously, thus eliminating some of the great action, humor, and time spent on typical Hogwarts characters.
Lack of tight pacing is the biggest reason I don't like Prisoner as much as the other Potter films. There are smaller details that bothered me as well. Quidditch is one of my favorite things to watch in the Potter films, however there is only a very small scene of a game in this film, seriously lacking compared to the previous two films. Draco is still up to no good, thinking he's a teeange villain, but he comes off as a complete wuss in this film. His father, Lucious, was missed in this film after a nice performance in Chamber. Valdomort, is not in the story either, though the events of Sirius Black do relate to him.
Things I do like though are also smaller matters. I enjoy the hippogriff in the film, who actually plays a role in the story, and isn't just there for the cool flying scene we first see with he and Harry. Though the Quidditch game is very short, it was neat while it lasted, taking place in a heavy thunderstorm, displying some impressive effects. I even enjoyed the map that Harry receives that shows who all is walking Hogwarts at present. And then there is Professor Snape, who is played as good as ever by Alan Rickman. As for Dumbledore, no longer played by the late Richard Harris, the new Micahel Gambon seemed unfitting, at first. After watching the next Potter films in the series, I feel he fills the role quite well.
Overall, this is a great film, just my least favorite in the Potter series to date. Remember though, things begin to get very dark in this one and the story takes some patience to follow. This is a transitional film in the series, leading to the very much improved and solid Goblet of Fire.
Acting - 4.5
Action - 3
Characters - 4.5
Story - 4
Overall - 4
Rating: - dvd
great service! First dvd lost in mail, contacted seller and had a replacement immediatly. Will do business again! Thanks
Rating: - Amazing HD DVD movie. Get all the Harry Potter on HD DVD, they are great.
The picture quality & audio quality is amazing on this HD DVD release of Harry Potter. I have them all, and I am very happy with them. Much better than the SD DVD version by far.
The movie itself is great, just like when I seen it in the Theatres. A must own for anybody.
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