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I want a hippogriff!
Jul. 18th, 2004 10:11 pmI saw "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" today. There will be spoilers down below, so avert your eyes or prepare for selective reading if you're not a spoiler ho.
Okay, don't say I didn't warn you!
I cheerfully agree with everything I've read that says PoA is better than the previous films. The acting was better (not that Daniel, Rupert, and Emma have ever been anything other than good, but they were all excellent here), I really enjoyed the darker, more dangerous atmosphere, and I'm in love with David Thewlis as Lupin and Gary Oldman as Sirius. They were the first adult actors in this kid-focused franchise, outside of the late great Richard Harris, to make a real impression. Especially Oldman--he didn't have much screen time at all, but he was indelible. In one scene, he went from deeply scary to heartbreakingly sad between one breath and the next.
Did I mention that I want a hippogriff? Because I do. Buckbeak was *beautiful*. All the special effects were good without being overdone. The dementors were scary, Harry riding Buckbeak made my heart leap, and the Patronus effects were exactly as I'd pictured them. My one quibble is that Lupin is a werewolf, not a wolfman. He should have turned into a true wolf, not a hybrid. But, minor quibble.
And yes, I saw the subtext. The subtext was jumping up and down in its efforts to become text. I now understand why so much SB/RL fic has been proliferating. *fans self* Between that, and Hermione alternately grabbing Ron's hand and being protected by Harry, this was a much more grown-up movie. And one thing I noticed with interest--when Lupin transformed and threatened the kids, Snape *immediately* interposed himself. No hesitation at all. I choose to read meaning into that, but then, I'm a Snape apologist. :-)
Okay, don't say I didn't warn you!
I cheerfully agree with everything I've read that says PoA is better than the previous films. The acting was better (not that Daniel, Rupert, and Emma have ever been anything other than good, but they were all excellent here), I really enjoyed the darker, more dangerous atmosphere, and I'm in love with David Thewlis as Lupin and Gary Oldman as Sirius. They were the first adult actors in this kid-focused franchise, outside of the late great Richard Harris, to make a real impression. Especially Oldman--he didn't have much screen time at all, but he was indelible. In one scene, he went from deeply scary to heartbreakingly sad between one breath and the next.
Did I mention that I want a hippogriff? Because I do. Buckbeak was *beautiful*. All the special effects were good without being overdone. The dementors were scary, Harry riding Buckbeak made my heart leap, and the Patronus effects were exactly as I'd pictured them. My one quibble is that Lupin is a werewolf, not a wolfman. He should have turned into a true wolf, not a hybrid. But, minor quibble.
And yes, I saw the subtext. The subtext was jumping up and down in its efforts to become text. I now understand why so much SB/RL fic has been proliferating. *fans self* Between that, and Hermione alternately grabbing Ron's hand and being protected by Harry, this was a much more grown-up movie. And one thing I noticed with interest--when Lupin transformed and threatened the kids, Snape *immediately* interposed himself. No hesitation at all. I choose to read meaning into that, but then, I'm a Snape apologist. :-)
