Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Released 2004
Stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, David Thewlis, Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, Emma Thompson, Tom Felton
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón

The kids are back at Hogwart's for another year, but things have changed. The kids have grown considerably since Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, and things have become darker and more menacing. I suppose that's why this story is my favorite of the three. It's also the first one to not have a mystery to solve. Instead, Harry is hunted by Sirius Black, the escaped prisoner of Azkaban, who had a hand in the death of his parents. By the end, Harry and his friends (and others) have resolved some mysteries, but this is the first movie that didn't feel like a Nancy Drew episode to me.

Summary by Bill Alward, December 13, 2004