Amazon.co.uk Review
Some movie-loving wizards must have cast a magic spell on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, because it's another grand slam for the Harry Potter franchise. Demonstrating remarkable versatility after the arthouse success of Y Tu Mamá También, director Alfonso Cuarón proves a perfect choice to guide Harry, Hermione, and Ron into treacherous puberty as the now 13-year-old students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry face a new and daunting challenge: Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison, and for reasons yet unknown (unless, of course, you've read J.K. Rowling's book, considered by many to be the best in the series), he's after Harry in a bid for revenge. This dark and dangerous mystery drives the action while Harry (the fast-growing Daniel Radcliffe) and his third-year Hogwarts classmates discover the flying hippogriff Buckbeak (a marvelous CGI creature), the benevolent but enigmatic Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), horrifying black-robed Dementors, sneaky Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall), and the wonderful advantage of having a Time-Turner just when you need one. The familiar Hogwarts staff returns in fine form (including the delightful Michael Gambon, replacing the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and Emma Thompson as the goggle-eyed Sybil Trelawney), and even Julie Christie joins this prestigious production for a brief but welcome cameo. Technically dazzling, fast-paced, and chock-full of Rowling's boundless imagination (loyally adapted by ace screenwriter Steve Kloves), The Prisoner of Azkaban is a Potter-movie classic. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
A fun movie to watch.......2007-10-05
I have enjoyed the Harry Potter series. And hope to see them continue the movies. This was a fun movie to watch. But I was surprised that it was so short. This is also the darkest movie yet. As would be expected from director Cuaron. Though they do stick close to the plot of the book.
The movie starts off with Harry at home with the Dursley's. And as usual they are making his life miserable...but we see that Harry is not only older, but has some power. For his uncle seems a little scared of him. But they still manage to get him to run away from home. He takes a ride on a triple-decker bus for wayward wizards; and we follow for a ride of our lives. Harry soon learns that Sirus Black has escaped from prison and is coming to kill him. The guards of the wizard prison are scary dark-robed Dementors that suck out your soul until you are dead. And they are searching for Black, but for some reason they seem to feed on Harry's soul every chance they get.
Once he and the gang are back in school we watch as they go on their adventures of mischief. The classes seem harder and we get to see a real nice rendering of a hippogriff. And once again we have a new professor for the Defense Against Dark Arts class. Who has a secret of his own. Where we depart from the other movies, is that we get to see the outside of Hogwarts. The full layout of Hogwarts, the surrounding landscape and get a feel for where it is located. You can almost get a feel for what it would be like to be there. The scenery is breath taking, showing that filming on location in Scotland was the correct choice.
I would have given the movie five stars, but it left too much out. I think that this movie needs to be 3 hours long. They glossed over some things and are missing some important details. Making some parts of the movie seem to not flow smoothly. But the movie is good and should be in every Harry Potter fans library.
great.......2007-07-08
this depends on you taste but i think this is quite good
its hasnt got much missing from the book either.
the best feature is that its got the secound disc which has;
games
sing alongs
interview
bloopers
behind the scenes
special effects
and more
its worth the price! get it now!!
Different Director; Great Adaptation.......2007-07-02
The third movie in the Harry Potter franchise brings us a new director in the form of Alfonso Cuaron. While there are some obvious stylistic changes to the movie, it still expertly captures the third book in the series.
This year finds Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) facing a personal threat from day one. Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from the wizard prison of Azkaban. His betrayal led to the deaths of Harry's parents years ago. Everyone assumes that Black is heading to Hogwarts to kill Harry and avenge You Know Who's death. Is he out to get Harry? Will he catch up with our young hero?
Naturally, as the books get longer in the series, the films have to cut more out. This one does a decent job by cutting out most of the Quidditch matches and streamlining the plot. The plot loses some of the twists and bumps, but it certainly works. I first saw it without having read the books and really enjoyed it. Only now that I've read the books do I know the details I was missing. While they help, they aren't necessary to enjoy the film.
Having watched the first three films in such close proximity, I really noticed the difference in the films this time. If you are paying attention, it's obvious they've changed the setting for Hogwarts. Even the insides of the castle look different with the Great Hall being less ornate but the halls have many more portraits. These are minor things and didn't hamper my enjoyment of the film at all.
The cast does their normal great job. All three of our leads are growing into fine young actors. Michael Gambon takes over the part of Headmaster Dumbledore, and he does a great job. There is a little difference, but not much. The special effects are once again amazing.
Book purists may be disappointed by the changes made to the story. But I think you'd hard pressed to find a better film version of this book no matter who was involved.
got the abra kadabra.......2007-06-29
Rather than focusing on the actual movie (which for reference i thought was absolutely brilliant and well worth watching again and again), i thought i would mention about why to spend that extra bit on the two disc edition rather than the 1 disc edition.
First of all the extras contain a few extended scenes(when i say a few i mean a few, nothing to get excited about), however the interviews with the cast are good fun led by johnny vaughan, the other documentaries provide an interesting insight on the actors and their personalities aswell of course explaining the special effects, some of the models of buckbeak which you see are quite extrodinary. there is a preview of the game(which is also worth buying), and the usual trailers of the movies, also for a bit of fun it contains three different challenges which are to be honest not particularly hard work, but entertaining none the less.
A little mention of the actual film. I feel that the film is excellant so many twists and turns, of course if you have read the books, it never really surprises you, but the movie is well filmed, the actors have matured, as well as being exciting throughout it contains some moments of hilarity, mainly ron(rupert grint).
Overall this dvd is well worth the money, however if you are one of the people who never watches the special features, just buy the one disc edition and save yourself some money. if you do watch the extras, i would recommend buying this as there is enough extras to keep you occupied for quite a while.
directing poor, acting inconsistent and plastically special effects.......2007-06-19
I had heard lots about the dark scary world of Cuaron and the scary special effects, but looked in vain for them in the film. The werewolf is totally embarrassing- toe-curling to the point of dislocation-, the Dementors are laughable and poor Sirius is going to have to work pretty hard to metamorphosise into Harry's mentor of book 4. Rupert Grint still has only one facial expression (registering terror). As for Michael Gabon's twee and whimsical wizard- this was the only wizard Lord Voldemort ever feared? How come? Was he a film critic?
I am not a great stickler for following the books, but it would be nice if the director had maintained a storyline that could be understood without constantly referring to the book on my lap. I quite liked the talking head- I only wish it had eaten the werewolf!
The great actors are still great of course, watching Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane can never be regarded as a waste of time. As for Alan Rickman, he is a great actor, but my personal feeling is that he is miscast as Snape. He has too much authority, too much presence, too much maturity (precisely the qualities one would like to see in Dumbledore), which makes it hard for him to portray the immature, insecure and still fairly young man who was at school with Harry's parents. Someone professor MCGonagall and Hagrid knew when he was a spotty 13-year-old- no, that isn't really possible. And yet it is fairly crucial to understanding who Snape is.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Some movie-loving wizards must have cast a magic spell on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, because it's another grand slam for the Harry Potter franchise. Demonstrating remarkable versatility after the arthouse success of Y Tu Mamá También, director Alfonso Cuarón proves a perfect choice to guide Harry, Hermione, and Ron into treacherous puberty as the now 13-year-old students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry face a new and daunting challenge: Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison, and for reasons yet unknown (unless, of course, you've read J.K. Rowling's book, considered by many to be the best in the series), he's after Harry in a bid for revenge. This dark and dangerous mystery drives the action while Harry (the fast-growing Daniel Radcliffe) and his third-year Hogwarts classmates discover the flying hippogriff Buckbeak (a marvelous CGI creature), the benevolent but enigmatic Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), horrifying black-robed Dementors, sneaky Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall), and the wonderful advantage of having a Time-Turner just when you need one. The familiar Hogwarts staff returns in fine form (including the delightful Michael Gambon, replacing the late Richard Harris as Dumbledore, and Emma Thompson as the goggle-eyed Sybil Trelawney), and even Julie Christie joins this prestigious production for a brief but welcome cameo. Technically dazzling, fast-paced, and chock-full of Rowling's boundless imagination (loyally adapted by ace screenwriter Steve Kloves), The Prisoner of Azkaban is a Potter-movie classic. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
A fun movie to watch.......2007-10-05
I have enjoyed the Harry Potter series. And hope to see them continue the movies. This was a fun movie to watch. But I was surprised that it was so short. This is also the darkest movie yet. As would be expected from director Cuaron. Though they do stick close to the plot of the book.
The movie starts off with Harry at home with the Dursley's. And as usual they are making his life miserable...but we see that Harry is not only older, but has some power. For his uncle seems a little scared of him. But they still manage to get him to run away from home. He takes a ride on a triple-decker bus for wayward wizards; and we follow for a ride of our lives. Harry soon learns that Sirus Black has escaped from prison and is coming to kill him. The guards of the wizard prison are scary dark-robed Dementors that suck out your soul until you are dead. And they are searching for Black, but for some reason they seem to feed on Harry's soul every chance they get.
Once he and the gang are back in school we watch as they go on their adventures of mischief. The classes seem harder and we get to see a real nice rendering of a hippogriff. And once again we have a new professor for the Defense Against Dark Arts class. Who has a secret of his own. Where we depart from the other movies, is that we get to see the outside of Hogwarts. The full layout of Hogwarts, the surrounding landscape and get a feel for where it is located. You can almost get a feel for what it would be like to be there. The scenery is breath taking, showing that filming on location in Scotland was the correct choice.
I would have given the movie five stars, but it left too much out. I think that this movie needs to be 3 hours long. They glossed over some things and are missing some important details. Making some parts of the movie seem to not flow smoothly. But the movie is good and should be in every Harry Potter fans library.
great.......2007-07-08
this depends on you taste but i think this is quite good
its hasnt got much missing from the book either.
the best feature is that its got the secound disc which has;
games
sing alongs
interview
bloopers
behind the scenes
special effects
and more
its worth the price! get it now!!
Different Director; Great Adaptation.......2007-07-02
The third movie in the Harry Potter franchise brings us a new director in the form of Alfonso Cuaron. While there are some obvious stylistic changes to the movie, it still expertly captures the third book in the series.
This year finds Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) facing a personal threat from day one. Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from the wizard prison of Azkaban. His betrayal led to the deaths of Harry's parents years ago. Everyone assumes that Black is heading to Hogwarts to kill Harry and avenge You Know Who's death. Is he out to get Harry? Will he catch up with our young hero?
Naturally, as the books get longer in the series, the films have to cut more out. This one does a decent job by cutting out most of the Quidditch matches and streamlining the plot. The plot loses some of the twists and bumps, but it certainly works. I first saw it without having read the books and really enjoyed it. Only now that I've read the books do I know the details I was missing. While they help, they aren't necessary to enjoy the film.
Having watched the first three films in such close proximity, I really noticed the difference in the films this time. If you are paying attention, it's obvious they've changed the setting for Hogwarts. Even the insides of the castle look different with the Great Hall being less ornate but the halls have many more portraits. These are minor things and didn't hamper my enjoyment of the film at all.
The cast does their normal great job. All three of our leads are growing into fine young actors. Michael Gambon takes over the part of Headmaster Dumbledore, and he does a great job. There is a little difference, but not much. The special effects are once again amazing.
Book purists may be disappointed by the changes made to the story. But I think you'd hard pressed to find a better film version of this book no matter who was involved.
got the abra kadabra.......2007-06-29
Rather than focusing on the actual movie (which for reference i thought was absolutely brilliant and well worth watching again and again), i thought i would mention about why to spend that extra bit on the two disc edition rather than the 1 disc edition.
First of all the extras contain a few extended scenes(when i say a few i mean a few, nothing to get excited about), however the interviews with the cast are good fun led by johnny vaughan, the other documentaries provide an interesting insight on the actors and their personalities aswell of course explaining the special effects, some of the models of buckbeak which you see are quite extrodinary. there is a preview of the game(which is also worth buying), and the usual trailers of the movies, also for a bit of fun it contains three different challenges which are to be honest not particularly hard work, but entertaining none the less.
A little mention of the actual film. I feel that the film is excellant so many twists and turns, of course if you have read the books, it never really surprises you, but the movie is well filmed, the actors have matured, as well as being exciting throughout it contains some moments of hilarity, mainly ron(rupert grint).
Overall this dvd is well worth the money, however if you are one of the people who never watches the special features, just buy the one disc edition and save yourself some money. if you do watch the extras, i would recommend buying this as there is enough extras to keep you occupied for quite a while.
directing poor, acting inconsistent and plastically special effects.......2007-06-19
I had heard lots about the dark scary world of Cuaron and the scary special effects, but looked in vain for them in the film. The werewolf is totally embarrassing- toe-curling to the point of dislocation-, the Dementors are laughable and poor Sirius is going to have to work pretty hard to metamorphosise into Harry's mentor of book 4. Rupert Grint still has only one facial expression (registering terror). As for Michael Gabon's twee and whimsical wizard- this was the only wizard Lord Voldemort ever feared? How come? Was he a film critic?
I am not a great stickler for following the books, but it would be nice if the director had maintained a storyline that could be understood without constantly referring to the book on my lap. I quite liked the talking head- I only wish it had eaten the werewolf!
The great actors are still great of course, watching Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane can never be regarded as a waste of time. As for Alan Rickman, he is a great actor, but my personal feeling is that he is miscast as Snape. He has too much authority, too much presence, too much maturity (precisely the qualities one would like to see in Dumbledore), which makes it hard for him to portray the immature, insecure and still fairly young man who was at school with Harry's parents. Someone professor MCGonagall and Hagrid knew when he was a spotty 13-year-old- no, that isn't really possible. And yet it is fairly crucial to understanding who Snape is.
DVD:
- Horrors of the Black Museum [1959] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Intruder [1989] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Juliet of the Spirits [1966] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Lady In A Cage [1964]
- Las Muertas de Juarez [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Laurel And Hardy - Bogus Bandits [1933]
- Laurel And Hardy Collection - Vol. 3 [1925]
- Legends Of British Comedy - The Very Best Of Pete And Dud
- Lemonade Joe [1966]
- Let's Make It Legal [1951]
DVD List
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire [HD DVD] [2005] [US Import]
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