Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ***1/2
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, David Thewlis, Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, Emma Thompson, Tom Felton
Director: Alfonso Cuarón

It is year number three at Hogwarts, and Harry Potter (Radcliffe) and his friends are faced with a new menace: Sirius Black (Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison, and is supposedly looking to kill Harry. That has Hogwarts under the guard of the dementors, beings who bear an uncanny resemblance to the Ghost of Christmas Future). Also in the mix is a new professor of the dark arts by the name of Lupin, who also has issues of his own to deal with.

HP# has a very different look and feel to it than HP1 and HP2. A dampened color palette makes everything look gloomy and mysterious, even the once familiar Hogwarts. Alfonso Cuarón has replaced Chris Columbus in the director's chair, and tightened up the story. Where HP1 and HP2 tried to include everything from the books, HP3 is content to include only what director Cuarón deems necessary. Harry Potter fans should not be worried though, as some of the missing material will find its way into later movies. The three primary child actors seem more comfortable than ever in their roles, and have grown up a bit since HP2. Whether or not they will ride it out until the end of the series remains to be seen, but I think it would be difficult to see anyone else in their roles.

HP3 is also the first, and probably only movie to not have You Know Who in it, and that gives a nice breather before things to come. HP3 is an excellent movie that will not disappoint fans of the series. Now, only a year and a half to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but I am sure it will seem much longer.