Cinema Consults: HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN

This film, which can be rentedfrom your local video store, israted on a scale of 1 to 4 caducei:

Harry

Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the

Sorcerer's Stone

HARRY POTTER AND THEPRISONER OF AZKABAN(2004): It is arare thing in thisday and age tohave children (andadults) lining upfor a book. Thanksto the talents of J.K. Rowling andher beloved Harry Potter series, childrenof all ages have focused theirenergy on reading books and attendingthe subsequent films as activeviewers, criticizing and questioningthe choices of the directors andactors. The third in the series, ,certainly gives Potter-followers plentyto talk about. Under the directionof Alfonso Cuarón, the series takeson a very dark undertone. Little detailsof decay, which were not includedin the previous installations, areadded, tarnishing the magical andthrilling world that director ChristopherColumbus gave us in the firsttwo films. The location of certain setsis also altered, disrupting the familiarityviewers had come to expect.These sacrifices of consistency, however,are worth the new, more maturevision we are given; as the charactersare growing up, so is their worldview, so be aware that very youngchildren may not appreciate thesomber and scary tones. Overall Ienjoyed this film, though my heartwill always ache for the innocentworld of .

Rating: 3

Lisa A. Tomaszewski, managing editor

of Physician's Money Digest, is currently

working on her PhD in literature at

Drew University in New Jersey. She is

an avid fan of film and has taught a

summer film course at Fairleigh

Dickinson University. She welcomes

questions, comments, or suggestions for

future film reviews at 732-656-1140

ext 195 or ltomaszewski@mwc.com.