Customer Reviews
Good, but not for little kids. 
2008-05-07
I loved all the books and most of the movies. Big Harry Potter fan, but my 6-year old son enjoyed the 1st movie but was scared of the 2nd, 3rd, the end of the 4th, and the 5th. This and "Goblet of Fire" is my favorite of the Harry Potter movies so far. This movie tells more about Harry's parents and how they died. Cute, funny, and sad all at the same time.
The order of t he Phoenix 
2008-04-24
I like the speed and promptness of the delivery. I also really love the movie.
Not as good as the book but entertaining just the same 2008-04-16
I enjoyed this installment of HP first in the theater and have relived it on DVD several times since. The plot thickens as new charectars from Harrys past emerge despite his friends attempts to stop them. The visuals were good and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first 2. I would highly recommend reading the book after to see what you missed!
Cuaron's Potter Rules! 2008-03-11
As the first director change in this series, Alfonso Cuaron had big shoes to fill. Not only did he fill them, but he has delivered a fantastic film that is not only as good as the previous two, but surpasses them.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets immensely. I just happened to enjoy Prisoner of Azkaban immensely-er. The acting continues to get better and better, as Daniel Radcliffe turns in a very good performance. The movie stays true to the book, without repeating it exactly. It's the same, and fresh at the same time.
The SFX team nailed the dementors. They really provided the most terrifying effect they could without actually coming off the screen and sucking happiness out of the audience.
And then, the final sequence with the time-turner was executed to perfection. Buckbeak was awesome, Gary Oldman was casted perfectly. Lupin was played well, too.
I just can't say enough good things about this film. I don't even think five stars does it justice.
An adaptation that could actually be better than the book...? 2008-02-06
In the 7 book Harry Potter series, PoA remains my favorite book. I have probably read it more than any of the others in the series.
The third movie is not line for line a video copy of the book. There would be no conceivable way to make that a realistic reality.
I was quite pleasantly surprised and delighted at this adaptation. The overall ambiance and storyline was preserved. Yes, many details are lacking, if you go line to line from the book. Take this movie as an entity on itself, and you have a solid, incredibly enjoyable movie.
This is one of very few movies created from published books that I can say is as good or better than the original work. To date, this remains my favorite HP movie (and yes, I have seen all five released movies).
And I must salute Michael Gambon. To have to step into the robes of Albus Dumbledore, after Richard Harris- wow. He is NOT the same, and I do not believe that he ever planned to play Dumbledore as Harris did- thank goodness. He played him his own way, while still keeping the spirit of Dumbledore intact. Kudos to Gambon!
Not the book 
2008-01-28
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
Movie 2008-01-15
Another great movie in the series. This one is my twin daughters favorite so far!
#3 is a great movie as well as a great book! 2008-01-08
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.
Becoming more adult oriented 2008-01-04
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
dvd 2008-01-02
great service! First dvd lost in mail, contacted seller and had a replacement immediatly. Will do business again! Thanks
