Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban

I can’t compare this to the two previous movies, or to the books for that matter, since this is exactly the sort of franchised entertainment that I would usually avoid, except that it is directed by Alfonso Cuaron, another one of my “10 Under 50.” This film does nothing to shake my faith in him as a young (or young-ish) director to watch. Damn scary in places, witty in others, visually stiking and emotionally believable, with a top-notch cast of adults and decent teens too, this stands on its own as a worthwhile movie quite apart from the mass appeal of the J.K. Rowling franchise. That Hippogriff was cool, and when it comes to shape shifting, catching Harry and Hermione on the cusp of adolescence makes me interested to see them another year older in the series’ next entry. (2004, dvd, n.) *7* (MC-81, RT-89.)