Rate Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (spoilers)

[kingpaul]

Frankly, I have no sympathy for people who would rather (notice this word "rather")watch the movies while refusing to or don't even make an effort to read the books.

I've gone to several movies with co-workers of a friend, and one of them in particular has basically told me that I'm an idiot because I didn't feel that neither Bourne Identity nor Clear and Present Danger lived up to the books. He said that I should be spending more time playing video games instead (and he was being serious about that).

 

[NeoSamurai]

Well, Kingpaul, don't ever change and play more videogames instead of reading.

While I agree that CP&D and Bourne ID were not as good as the books and were pretty much made on name recognition alone (especially Clear and Present Danger, bleh...) Bourne ID was actually a good movie, just nowhere on par with the cat and mouse game that the book was.

Movies are a different media than books, but they are for the most part an inferior medium. Changes are required and juciy tidbit scenes are cut out to make the movies. While I do like watching movies and movies based on books, I am starting to see the disturbing trends that have made many authors (especially fantasy writers) decide not want their books made into movies.

 

[barsoomcore]

Since there seems to be no further plans to actually discuss the movie...

Movies are a different media than books, but they are for the most part an inferior medium.

Are you sure you mean what you're saying, here? I mean, do you really mean to say that movies are categorically inferior to books?

Cause I'm going to want to some rationale for that one.

If you're saying that most movies made from books do not provide the same degree of artistic satisfaction that the book did, I won't squawk. But if you're just saying "Books are a superior art form to movies," I'll be asking you to defend that position.

 

[Kai Lord]

Frankly, I have no sympathy for people who would rather (notice this word "rather")watch the movies while refusing to or don't even make an effort to read the books. Those people should be spoilered on a regular basis for their laziness.

What a silly thing to say. I'm not saying you're silly, probably a great guy, but the sentiment of your post is just stupid.

Some people prefer the medium of films to books for the purpose of telling a story. God knows I do. A triumph in literature is one person's vision expertly transcribed to the page. A triumph in film is one or more people's visions expressed through many different art forms; photography, writing, music, acting, editing, animation, etc. There aren't any constraints in telling a story with a novel, but there are all kinds on film (budget, special effects technology, shooting schedule, conflicting creative ideas, and so on.) Seeing the LOTR brought to life on film in the manner it was was every bit as amazing as Tolkien's original works.

Your elitist attitude may keep you warm at night, but it certainly doesn't add any validity to your opinions. You're welcome to think so of course.

 

[NeoSamurai]

Hey Kai Lord, you completely missed the context of my post in your attempt at trying to be witty.

I in no way insulted the medium of film. Please keep in context. Notice in my example, I mentioned Star Wars (while debateable as art/good story, etc.--just not by me) but referred specifically to LotR and HP as having books as sources.

What I commented on was the film adaptions of books and people who would rather watch the film adaptions of books and do not want the story spoiled despite the fact that the source material (books) tend to be cheaper and more accessible.

Some stories can only be told on film to truly express the scope and epic style. Most of those stories, however, tend to already be stories originally on the screen.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Ok so according to the movie why did Snape hate Lupin? Since they never mentioned the Animagus stuff was it just becuase Snape is an evil git? There is nothing about the trick that Black played on Snape and Snape's reaction to it and J. Potters saving him. There was nothing to explain the animosity Snape had for Lupin and the rest of the crew. I don't recall them mentioning why Wormtail was living as a Rat for so long with the Weaslys. He was hiding from...? They don't give a reason. Why wasn't he just hiding as a normal guy, according to the movie?

 

[Pielorinho]

Ahem. Folks, the original offending post is now in spoiler tags. You're not beating a dead horse here, you're beating a friggin' extinct horse. May I suggest that, in the future:
1) Everyone try to give adequate warning before being the first person to post spoilers in a thread, and
2) If you're going to ask someone to warn about spoilers, you do it in a polite and friendly fashion, and
3) We drop this discussion in this thread, and continue discussing the movie?

Cuz I wanna talk about the movie.

I hated the first movie. Loathed it, despised it, sneered at it, dreaded seeing it the second time. (Stupid no-good promises made to my young cousins! grumble grumble). So I didn't see the second movie, got no desire to see the second movie.

I was delighted by this one. One reviewer said that it was the first one in the franchise to be an actual real live movie, and that encapsulated my feelings about it.

Sure, a huge amount of stuff was excised. Hardly any Quidditch, no Christmas feast, no end-of-year feast, etc. I was very glad about that. Whereas the first movie felt to me like a frenetic grocery-list of Scenes From the Book, this one, by ignoring the fifty bajillion mandatory subplots from the source material, was able to take its time in the telling of the central story. It was able to draw some senes out lazily, was able to luxuriate in particularly nice visuals, and was just a lot of fun.

Spoilers ahead.

I had two problems with this movie, which is why I only ranked it an 8:
1) Poor Daniel Radcliffe still can't act his way out of a paper bag. This wouldn't be so noticeable, except that his two young co-stars have gotten very good at their jobs, while Radcliffe is incapable of showing any intensity of emotion--like Keanu Reeves, he tries to substitute shouting for passion, and it irks me. I very much ope he improves, because he seems like a nice kid, and I want to like him; but his flatness in several key scenes removed me from the action.
2) I really wish they'd taken the time to explain about Daddy Potter's Patronus. It's a key scene in the story. I almost wonder if Radcliffe couldn't achieve the complex combination of joy, grief, pride, and wonder necessary for the scene, and so Cuaron nixed it rather than put an unsatisfactory version on screen.

Still and all, the movie was very entertaining.
Daniel

 

[Plane Sailing]

Several times in the film I found myself thinking "why isn't this called Hermione Granger and the prisoner of Azkaban?" because out of everyone she seemed to be the smart problem solving one... Harry just seemed to be there for bad things to happen to!

Cheers

 

[MaxKaladin]

FWIW, I have not read the Potter books, but I liked this movie. That said, I have to qualify it by saying that a number of things didn't make much sense until after the movie when my Potter-reading friends explained them to me. I can't comment on any subplots from the book because I haven't read it, but it seems a few critical points for the main plot were left out too.

Come to think of it, they never did tell me what the deal is with Snape and his dislike for Harry's dad and pals...

 

[DM_Matt]

Several times in the film I found myself thinking "why isn't this called Hermione Granger and the prisoner of Azkaban?" because out of everyone she seemed to be the smart problem solving one... Harry just seemed to be there for bad things to happen to!

Cheers

That's kind of like saying "Why's it called Inspector Gadget? Penny does all the work." Not every movie/tv show/book is named after the smartest/most skilled/most powerful character.


Also, part of HP's appeal is that hes an everyman. There is sorts of a contradictory thread about him being special for some reason, but for the most part, if he was overly smart/powerful he would lose some of his appeal. Thats why he needs friends who are better at this stuff than he is.