ハリー・ポッターとアズカバンの囚人 : Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban @ シネコン: CineMa Complex

/ 2005-12-17 I want to start off by saying this. I love the Harry Potter books. No, I take that back. I am OBSESSED with the Harry Potter books. A lot of my life revolves around the latest Harry Potter news and what is happening to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and the rest of my favorites. I think the original books are pieces of literature and that JK Rowling is one of the greatest writers of our generation. I know half the books by heart. With that said, I love this movie.

Let me bring you back to the Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. These are very good interpretations of books. They have the important elements of the story and also many of the sub plots that have endeared millions of readers to the story. However, they were not the best MOVIES ever made. They didn't merit any Academy Awards for anything but Special Effects, and even those weren't as good as the Lord of the Rings movies. Being such a great fan of Harry Potter, I wanted the movies to do really well. Now I have realized that the only way for the movies to do well is if they are good MOVIES. Good movies make some sacrifices for the sake of time and overall effect. The beautiful words JK Rowling uses cannot possibly be incorporated into a two hour movie. This is why I believe that the books and movies ought to be treated as two separate genres.

Then came movie three. Sure, it wasn't the best interpretation of a movie ever made. It left out many subplots, added some things, and changed some things. But it was definetly a good movie! This story is one of the most poignant in the Harry Potter series and the way Cuaron combined the mystery and darkness in this movie was very impressive. The effects were beautiful and deserved the Oscar. Dementors honestly send a chill through your bones and the Buckbeak really looks like the gentle beast he is. Everything flows so nicely. You can tell that the first things are being set into place for the plot of the series, the fight between Voldemort and Harry. The acting has raised in caliber. Rupert is still the best of the trio and he is such a funny character that lightens up some of the darker situations. Emma really brings out some of Hermione's spunk in this movie. Daniel on the other hand was pushed much more than either of his co-stars and he accomplished most of it very well. Sure, the crying didn't consist of real tears but the end was very emotional. The biggest complaint I've heard was the lack of the explanation of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. I'd like to add that if someone hadn't read the books and didn't figure out who Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were, then you need your logic skills rechecked because it was indirectly stated SEVERAL times.

So to recap, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban might not be the best interpretation of JK Rowling's grand novel, but it truly is a beautiful movie that ought to be treated separetly from the books. Go Cuaron!