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quasigeostrophySaw Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban this afternoon. First impressions/opinions:
- Alfonso Cuarón is a more appropriate director for these stories (although he's not doing the next one, I understand). Not saying that Chris Columbus is a poor choice, but he's very straightforward in his style. Given the subject matter, Cuarón runs with it, using more interesting cinematography and editing. I particularly liked the Whomping Willow shots for the changes of seasons. Camera angles were more interesting, lighting seemed higher contrast, and the color balance even seemed different, like different filters or even cross-processing was used.
- Emma Thompson was an inspired casting choice for Prof. Trelawney. She loses herself in the role.
- Michael Gambon is a worthy Dumbledore. No one is Richard Harris, but Gambon is good.
- I really liked David Thewlis as Lupin, and I'm glad to see him carrying a major character. Gary Oldman works well as Sirius Black, too.
- It's been a long time since I've read this particular book, or even Goblet of Fire, so I'm sketchy on details, but given that it was the first one to show obvious signs of thickening (in terms of page count, before they started getting extremely long with number four), I'm impressed that this one still told what I can recall of the story. It stands on its own as a film rather than retelling the book as the first two films did more closely.
- Buckbeak was terrifically done - very seamless. Lupin's transformation to werewolf was good, as well. I like the spindly werewolf style, rather than having him looking more like a regular wolf.
- I was disappointed at two things (I'll have to check the books re the first one - not sure if it was here or in Goblet of Fire) that were missing: the explanation of the four names on the Marauder's Map, and Harry receiving written permission from Sirius to go to Hogsmeade.
- I also thought the stag patronus could have been a little more obvious - it was in that shape only briefly, a little too brief, IMHO, as that was a lasting impression reading the book.
- Alfonso Cuarón is a more appropriate director for these stories (although he's not doing the next one, I understand). Not saying that Chris Columbus is a poor choice, but he's very straightforward in his style. Given the subject matter, Cuarón runs with it, using more interesting cinematography and editing. I particularly liked the Whomping Willow shots for the changes of seasons. Camera angles were more interesting, lighting seemed higher contrast, and the color balance even seemed different, like different filters or even cross-processing was used.
- Emma Thompson was an inspired casting choice for Prof. Trelawney. She loses herself in the role.
- Michael Gambon is a worthy Dumbledore. No one is Richard Harris, but Gambon is good.
- I really liked David Thewlis as Lupin, and I'm glad to see him carrying a major character. Gary Oldman works well as Sirius Black, too.
- It's been a long time since I've read this particular book, or even Goblet of Fire, so I'm sketchy on details, but given that it was the first one to show obvious signs of thickening (in terms of page count, before they started getting extremely long with number four), I'm impressed that this one still told what I can recall of the story. It stands on its own as a film rather than retelling the book as the first two films did more closely.
- Buckbeak was terrifically done - very seamless. Lupin's transformation to werewolf was good, as well. I like the spindly werewolf style, rather than having him looking more like a regular wolf.
- I was disappointed at two things (I'll have to check the books re the first one - not sure if it was here or in Goblet of Fire) that were missing: the explanation of the four names on the Marauder's Map, and Harry receiving written permission from Sirius to go to Hogsmeade.
- I also thought the stag patronus could have been a little more obvious - it was in that shape only briefly, a little too brief, IMHO, as that was a lasting impression reading the book.
