I just detached from the whirlwind of a conference submission—a rush both exciting and just a bit traumatizing. Guess a dose of rest and nostalgia wouldn’t hurt.
I was a very professional Harry Potter fan around age 14. A few years later then, I declared the whole wizarding world boring and moved on. But rewatching it now—especially Azkaban—I’ve come to appreciate the profound artistry hidden in plain sight. Turns out, I just didn’t notice before.
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Prisoner of Azkaban is, in my opinion, the best film of the series. For many reasons—Cuarón really made a cinematic masterpiece cleverly disguised as a children’s blockbuster. It’s dark and sophisticated, with intentional choices and rich atmosphere. John Williams’s score is as brilliant and emotionally resonant as ever. And visually—it’s a gala. Gorgeous long takes, purposeful camera movements and shifts. You feel the craft.
Eg. here’s an incredibly insightful analysis by Nerdwriter on why Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the best film in the series:
But what strikes me most is something subtler: the way the story lets the kids—Harry, Ron, Hermione—stand at the center, while just beneath the surface, there’s this gentle choreography of adults. Watching. Guiding. Failing a little too, in deeply human ways.
There’s a kind of dance happening—of protection and space. The grown-ups hover in the periphery, trying to let the kids believe they’re in control. It’s quietly moving. And the way everything connects—past and present, generations weaving into one another—is beautiful and a little haunting. Take the Marauder’s Map, an heir from Harry’s father. Or the quiet tension between Lupin and Snape. The cryptic meetings between McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Minister Fudge. The movie and the Harry Potter universe is surely a simplified world. But beneath Alfonso’s magic, it’s startlingly real.