'TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Baron Dave Romm
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
By Baron Dave Romm
Warning: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is not a children's movie.
However, any kid (or adult) who liked the first two Harry Potter movies will need to see the third one. For the second movie in a row, I thought the movie was better than the book... and I liked the book a lot.
The Harry Potter books are structured such that all the action takes place over the course of a year. The knock on the first movie was that it was too close to the book, and put everything in. The second movie assumed that the audience had seen the first, or at least knew enough background such that it didn't have to reintroduce all the characters and setting. Prisoner of Azkaban is a series entry. Very little is explained, and some major plot points rely on unstated background. I would not recommend seeing Prisoner of Azkaban first... but if you do you won't be disappointed.
Harry is now thirteen. He's been a wizard-in-training for two years and is beginning to understand his place in the world. Prisoner of Azkaban start off, as usual, with Harry having major problem with his muggle relatives. His aunt, uncle and cousin are a perfectly awful British family, made worse by a visit from the horrid Aunt Petunia. Harry gets mad, gets even, runs away and gets picked up by a magical bus that takes him to Hogwarts. Harry, and the audience, are dumped unceremoniously on campus.
Richard Harris' Headmaster Dumbledore was a Gandalf-like figure: Quiet, slow to action, all knowing, very powerful, friendly to Harry but with many secrets. Michael Gambon doesn't try to replace Richard Harris, he makes the role his own. He comes across as the only person in the school who knows what's going. He's in complete control. Moreso if you've read the book. Harris' Dumbledore always seemed on the verge of explosion, if the situation warranted. Gambon's Dumbledore will never get mad, but he'll get even.
When we get to Hogwarts, the movie turns dark. Scary. It's one thing for Harry to fight dragons, it's another to see him faint when the Dementors suck his soul. There are friendly creatures and unfriendly monsters, and sometimes it's hard to tell which is which. Much of the background detail is skipped over to advance the plot more quickly.
The name is a bit of a misnomer: The person in question, Sirius Black, isn't a prisoner but an escapee of Azkaban. No one has ever escaped before, and the mystery of how he escaped is added to the mystery of where he is now. As his story is told, the death of Harry's mother and father comes into sharper focus. Much of the story is touched on only briefly, if at all, and if you want to fill in the details you'll have to read the book.
Harry, Hermione and Ron are third year students. It's clear that the three are fast friends, but it's also clear that Hermione has chosen Ron. They are making adult decisions. Not all the decisions are easy, and not all of them are right, but they learn from their mistakes. The whole last section of the movie is a major learning experience for Harry and Hermione and we see their growth.
The first two movies were directed by Chris Columbus, who is a producer on the third. Prisoner of Azkaban is directed by Alfonso Cuaron. The gamble pays off. It's a different sort of movie, befitting the different sort of story. Like the Beatles, JK Rowlings' stories are growing up and taking her audience with her. Cuaron is more interested in telling this story, not repeating the others. Some have been disappointed that it was different. Hey, it wasn't that different, and I appreciated the slightly different take. If you want to see the Sorting Hat again, this is not the movie for you. Cuaron explores Hagrid's creatures and provides a glimpse of the wizard's world just outside of Hogwarts, and he carefully picks and chooses what to reveal. The familiar is glossed over to get to the new stuff. Mostly, this works.
The book was great, and the movie is a great adaptation. I highly recommend the book (read them in order) and I highly recommend the movie even if you haven't read the book. But if you haven't read the book or seen the other two movies, don't go unless you bring a kid who has. There are some points you'll want clarified.
On the Shockwave scale of 9 to 23, I'd give Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban about a 20. It's not a perfect movie, but it is very good. Few series last three great movies, and the only way it's accomplished is by advancing the characters. Compare Luke Skywalker from the beginning of Star Wars to where he is at the end of Return of the Jedi. Harry Potter is also searching for his father, and finds out more about himself in the process.
Baron Dave Romm is a conceptual artist and a noble of Ladonia with a radio show, a very weird CD collection and an ever growing list of political links. He reviews things at random for obscure web sites. You can read all his music recommendations from Bartcop-E here.
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from Mark
Another Bumpersticker
Reader Comment
Re: Kay's Letter to Joanie
Hi Marty,
I just felt 'compelled' to agree wholeheartedly with Kay about "the joanie letters".
I know you don't want to dwell on this particular topic (nut jobs out to 'save' someone) but I wish more people who find something of value in Jesus' words would speak up against the 'religious right' who are WRONG even when at their best, and the counterfeit xtians who 'put on the coat' of religion to further their evil agendas.
Keep on keeping on.
your pal,
laura
Thanks, laura - great comment!
Reader Comment
Re: Joanie
I usually don't get into arguments with religious fanatics but I must come
to Marty's defense on this on. Joanie my bible says "He who is without sin
may cast the first stone".
Joanie YOU are guilty of the sin of hubris or
pride. You assume that Marty is not a god fearing person because Marty doesn't
seem to believe as you.
You speak of love but you are speaking for a
man (yes Bush is just a man until proven otherwise) who has slaughtered
thousands with his actions.
You speak for a man who has presided over the
mass destruction of God's creation the Earth.
You speak for men who say
that God tells them things, well what he has told me is that these people
will burn in hell for their presumption. I have no doubt that Bush
believes God is speaking to him but so thought the Inquisition as they
tortured their way across Europe. So they thought in Salem as they hung and
burned the people they called witches.
By their works you shall know them, remember that phrase? George Bush had
the chance to become one of the greatest presidents of all time and he has
chosen to be the president of a select few.
By the way Joanie if you live
in a non-death penalty state John "The Moral" Ashcroft has decided that
your wishes are nothing and plans to ask for the death penalty in everyone
convicted of a federal crime in these states. What happened to "Go and sin
no more"?
Michael H
Dissent is not Terrorism
Freedom is not Legislated
Thanks, Michael - well put!
Reader Comment
Re: joanie
Hi Marty,
Your good Christian Monkey Mail today is another good
example of what I see as a huge election problem. Your
long (and accurate) list of facts will do nothing to
keep this person from voting for Smirk. Only exposing
him as the 'good Christian' impersonator I believe he
is, will do any good. Even that will have limited
effect. When these people have decided they know God's
will, near nothing can change their minds.
Tim
Thanks, Tim -
That's why there's a 'NO WITNESSING' sign on our front door!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sunny, breezy & pleasant.
Talked to dear old Dad - he & the Babe visited the casinos near Niagra Falls, and had a great time.
Heh - I can remember when he looked down his nose at gambling anywhere but Vegas.
South African jazz great Hugh Masekela, 65, plays his trumpet as he performs for the first time at the 26th annual Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood June 19, 2004. Masekela is best known for his instrumental 'Grazin in the Grass.'
Photo by Fred Prouser
The Information One-Stop
Moose & Squirrel
from Alex
The Best Or The Brightest?
good things adults are in charge, huh?
~ Alex
At Yale University, Jay Hallen majored in political science, rarely watched financial news stations and didn't follow the stock market.
All of which made the 24-year-old an unlikely pick for the difficult task of rebuilding Iraq's shuttered stock exchange. But Mr. Hallen, a private-sector development officer for the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority, was given the job immediately after arriving in Baghdad in September.
Mr. Hallen admits that he wound up in Iraq rather by accident. In 2002, he began pursuing a White House job, and though none materialized, he stayed in close contact with the man who interviewed him, Reuben Jeffrey. When Mr. Jeffrey went to Iraq last summer as a senior economic-development adviser, Mr. Hallen e-mailed to ask whether there were any job openings. "Be careful what you wish for," Mr. Jeffrey, who is now an aide to Iraqi administrator Paul Bremer, told him in reply.
The the rest, The Best Or The Brightest?
People fly kites at what is billed as the world's biggest kite festival, which is being held on the island of Fanoe, Denmark, Sunday, June 20, 2004.
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Moving Time Again
Golden Globes
One year after pushing the kudocast to the end of January, NBC and the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. have moved it back to the middle of the month.
Next year's Globes telecast will air Jan. 16 -- a full week earlier than this year's show, which fell on Jan. 25.
It's a return to tradition for the Globes, which usually aired the third Sunday of January -- at least until the NFL started moving around the Super Bowl.
For the details, Golden Globes
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Hundreds Flock to Kentucky Casting Call
Cameron Crowe
The chance to appear for a fleeting moment in a Cameron Crowe film generated enough buzz to attract hundreds to a recent casting call in Kentucky.
As many as 1,300 people showed up at a Lexington hotel Saturday in hopes of landing roles as extras in Crowe's new movie, "Elizabethtown," starring Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst.
Cameron Crowe
A group of Russian Neo-Pagans dressed in traditional costumes walk through a meadow on their way to celebrate 'Kupala', the day of the summer solstice, in a forest south of Moscow, June 19, 2004. Dozens of worshippers celebrated by erecting a huge fire and chanting ancient hymns, reading out poems about pagan deities and praying to holy relics made from wood and stone. Picture taken June 19, 2004
Photo by Viktor Korotayev
Set for 'Simpsons' Role
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the world's 70 million Anglicans and a self-declared devotee of the U.S. television hit "The Simpsons," could soon be paying Homer, Marge, Bart and Lisa a visit in Springfield.
Producers of the animated comedy have invited Rowan Williams, 54, to take part in an episode after he praised the program for its humor and humility, Britain's Sunday Times newspaper reported.
A spokesman for the archbishop said they had not yet received an invitation but that it would certainly be considered.
Williams, enthroned as archbishop last year and known for having a finger on the pulse of modern life, has called the show "one of the most subtle pieces of propaganda around in the cause of sense, humility and virtue."
Archbishop of Canterbury
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
Protesting Bonds' Walks
Rubber Chickens
The San Francisco Giants are tired of all the walks Barry Bonds is drawing this season. The club will begin selling orange rubber chickens named "Walk'er" on Monday, when the Giants open a four-game series against division rival Los Angeles.
The chickens - described as "your average fowl" - will sell for $10, with proceeds going to the Giants Community Fund.
Rubber Chickens
A worker adds the finishing touches to one of the elaborate floral decorations along the main street of Genzano, south of Rome June 20, 2004. The flower decorations, made by residents using flower petals, have been part of this festival celebrating the Corpus Domini (Body of Christ) feast for over 200 years.
Photo by Alessia Pierdomenico
Plays for 50,000 in Russia
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney kicked off his concert Sunday before an estimated crowd of 50,000 in St. Petersburg's Palace Square, making only his second appearance in Russia where fans once had to listen to the outlawed Beatles in secret.
The concert got off to a late start, delayed almost an hour-and-a-half as fans waited in long lines to pass through metal detectors and super tight security cordons.
But the mood was upbeat and Beatlemania was in full swing in the square outside the Hermitage Museum. Lucky ticketholders waved Beatle memorabilia and proudly wore their Beatles' T-shirts. Russia's train system added extra train service to take fans from Moscow to St. Petersburg for the show.
Paul McCartney
Hunts for Experts to Fill Olympics Air
NBC
NBC's staggering plan to broadcast 1,210 hours of the Olympics over six networks this summer left its executives with a real problem. Just where do you find somebody who can talk skillfully and colorfully about badminton? Or handball? Or tae kwon do?
NBC will have 99 on-air announcers at the Summer Olympics in Athens, compared to 67 in Sydney in 2000. Many are familiar - Rowdy Gaines for swimming, Dwight Stones for track and field, Doug Collins for basketball.
But 51 of the announcers will be working at the Summer Olympics for the first time. And with NBC on the air so much - more hours telecast than the last five Summer Games combined - they'll have plenty of on-the-job training.
NBC
Thousands of local and foreign revellers celebrate their 'Akelarre' (witch's Sabbath) in the cave of Zugarramurdi as part of a celebration to greet the summer solstice, in northern Spain late June 19, 2004. Every year people meet in the cave to celebrate the arrival of the summer in a festival that commemorates witches that used the cave in the 17th century to celebrate their 'Akelarre'.
Photo by Pablo Sanchez
North American Box Office
Top 10 Movies
Following are the top 10 movies at the North American box office for the June 18-20 weekend, led by "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," according to studio estimates collected on Sunday by Reuters.
1 (*) Dodgeball ................... $30.0 million
2 (*) The Terminal ................ $18.7 million
3 (1) Harry Potter ................ $17.4 million
4 (3) Shrek 2 ..................... $13.6 million
5 (4) Garfield: The Movie ......... $11.0 million
6 (5) The Stepford Wives .......... $ 9.2 million
7 (2) The Chronicles of Riddick ... $ 8.3 million
8 (6) The Day After Tomorrow ...... $ 7.6 million
9 (*) Around the World in 80 Days . $ 6.8 million
10 (8) Troy ........................ $ 1.7 million
NOTE: Last weekend's ranking in parenthesis. (*) = new release.
Top 10 Movies
Indah and her baby Cinta hang out in their favorite climbing tree at the San Diego Zoo's Absolutely Apes exhibit Thursday, June 17, 2004, in San Diego. Zookeeper's found out Thursday results from DNA tests that Satu, a rambunctious teenage orangutan is the father of Cinta, and not the older more dominant male Clyde.
Photo by Tammy Spratt
'The Osbournes'
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 5
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 4
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 3
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 2
'The Osbournes' ~ Page 1
