Being the third of seven, this chapter took a whole different direction from the world established by the first two directed by Chris Columbus. Some might criticize the different style but I was entertained. And the chemistry between the main characters worked nicely. I don't care what anyone else says; this was one of the better Harry Potter films. It may have skimped on some of the scenes but it was entertaining for those who wanted a darker tale. It might be like The Empire Strikes Back of the Harry Potter franchise, but this is modern fantasy plain and simple.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was directed by the very talented Alfonso Cuarón and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Michael Gambon (recast from the late Richard Harris), and follows our three heroes at a third year at a (different-looking) Hogwarts during a time where an apparently dangerous serial killer escaped the Wizard Prison of Azkaban and is for some reason heading towards Hogwarts.First and foremost, Alfonso's direction and gorgeous cinematography alone are both masterclass. When I rewatched this film recently, I was blown away by that alone. Some of the most unique direction and cinematography I've ever seen in the genre, and definitely THE most unique of such in the entire franchise. I will be remembering certain shots and how they were pulled off for years to come, probably more so than any others in the series. I recommend this film just for that.Fortunately, the film still has lots of likable characters, great world-building continuing from the previous installments, and a highly interesting story to top if off. There are some new characters in this movie, including the likable but suspicious Remus Lupin, played by the talented David Thewlis, and some new ideas and themes that are really well done. (SPOILER) What I really like about this film is the "grey area" theme, where at the end even though you learn that Sirius Black, the apparent serial killer played by Gary Oldman, is innocent and was framed, you still don't know to fully trust him, but Harry and his friends still are able to do the right thing and save his soul from the Dementors (basically ring-wraith ripoffs). The development of Harry and his friends is done especially well too, it does a fantastic job showing their turmoil as growing teenagers. I like how they aren't fully in control of both their magic and their emotions, I thought that was an interesting touch.If I were to name one single, solitary problem, it's that the set and costume designs, while good, are completely inconsistent with the previous two films. Hogwarts looks completely different on both the outside and the inside, and some characters (this is excluding the recast Dumbledore, which I can overlook) look different too in terms of their costumes. I can somewhat forgive it because the series changed directors after Chris Columbus, but it is distracting nonetheless.I adore this movie, and thanks to the direction and cinematography as well as the characterizations, this is easily one of the best of the entire franchise.RATING:9/10

Chris Columbus did an excellent job setting up the world of Harry Potter and Hogwarts with two exciting kids movies which adults could also greatly enjoy. Alfonso Cuarón manages to capture the same sense of magic while taking things to the next level in various ways.The kids are given more individuality in the way they wear their school uniforms and also get to wear more casual clothes. Apparently much of the filming was moved to Scotland and there are lots of gorgeous landscapes, some beautiful views. Overall, more time is spent outdoors, showing things we have yet to see. The cinematography is very creative. There are many impossible shots, including some which pass through mirrors. They make you pause and think, wait, how'd they do that? You can't just say "cgi" because you can see the actors clearly and the camera seems to move smoothly. However it's done, it's impressive, draws you in and makes the movie much more fun.The story is just as good as the first two movies, giving us some more insight into Harry's parents and what happened leading up to the fateful night he received his scar. One of the new characters is Lupin (David Thewlis) who becomes a kind of paternal figure for Harry, helping him develop useful skills and understand his own emotions. Gary Oldman is excellent as always, in this case a crazed murderer but entwined in a mysterious past which we gradually learn more about. There are plenty of twists and turns in the plot. One popular device is made use of, perhaps better than in any other movie. There are a number of nice details which enhance it greatly.There is a theme of light in the movie. Finding light in the darkness. Finding hope and inner strength at the right time. Lifting yourself up by your bootstraps. This movie is in many ways more personal than the previous two. It is less epic in scope and more focused on betrayal, lies and finding the truth. And also about inner conflicts. It's hard to say much else without giving things away.This movie touches on themes of sadness and fear more directly than most movies ever do. They're universal emotions that everyone can relate to. Our childhood might not be the same as Harry's, but most of us can relate to distant happy memories which we can't even tell are real. We all yearn for some lost golden age from the past from time to time. Many of us have times when we realise we'd falsely judged someone, not knowing the full truth.HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban is also full of humourous moments, clever details which are easy to miss in the background, multiple seasons and cool transitions between them, creative ways of filming scenes and moments of true pathos. John Williams' music is great as always with two stand-out parts being when Harry rides Buckbeak and the theme Window to the Past. This is one of the best fantasy movies of all time - I wish Cuarón got to direct more of the HP movies!

The best movie I ever seen, because of the knight bus! When I see the Double Trouble song in this movie, that's my favorite song in this movie! Harry is now a teenager (like a middle school student) and in his third year at Hogwarts. His friends are Ron and Hermione, and this movie is better than Studio Ghibli. I see this movie in a TV channel named HBO Hits.