Off to See the Wizards

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
The girls and I saw the new Harry Potter movie and gave it three thumbs up. Best Harry Potter movie yet. The first movie looked picture perfect but we were distinctly disenchanted because it lacked heart and soul. Perhaps this was emphasized by the fact that the first Lord of the Rings movie came out at the same time and proved that the story didn't have to be told in every detail (no Tom Bombadil, I know, get over it) to capture the essence that made the book great. We didn't bother with the second HP movie for that very reason.

This movie, however, looked different just from the trailers. More real. More interesting. Different from the first two. What an improvement this was. Yes, this movie is missing some plot points but nothing that leaves huge holes in the story. Ok, it would have been nice to get the back story on the map, thus showing why Snape is so awful all the time, but big deal. The acting was better, the kids actually got dirty in their adventures, the scenery was fabulous and you felt as if this was a real place not just movie sets. The Leaky Cauldron especially felt like one of those British places that's been in use for 400 years. I'm actually looking forward to the next HP movie.

Just to add to my enjoyment, Rose found that Cleolinda had finished Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Fifteen Minutes. The perfect top off to the movie.