kiss my Azkaban

The new Harry Potter movie was an entertaining and visually stunning show. It is not, however, a movie for the casual Potter fan. No muggles should see this film. If you haven't read the book, then don't bother. You won't get much enjoyment out of it. And the Potter fans in the theater will resent having to hear you mutter that you don't understand the rather complicated plot.

Much darker and moodier than the previous movies, this one foreshadows the true darkness to come. John Williams music is never intrusive and does a good job providing texture for the film.

The most wonderful cameo was by French of "French and Saunders" fame. She plays the singing painting lady who guards Griffindorf tower. It's especially funny to see her in this campy, over-the-top context since she parodied the movie so wickedly.

I missed spending time with some of the characters that I love so much. But I enjoyed getting to know Professor Trelawney. She has the best bitchy line of any Harry Potter film so far when she scolds Hermoine by saying, "Your heart is as dried and shrivled up as an old crone's. It's as bitter and brittle as the pages of the old books that you so desperately cling to!" Ouch. I know you didn't, Professor Tre'! Oh, but she did. (As an afterthought, I should mention that I had absolutely no idea that the frizzle-haired Trelawney is actually the gorgeous Emma Thompson. They had to lay that ugly makeup on thick to hide her! I only read it was Thompson after I saw the movie.)

The actress who plays Hermoine is turning into a lovely young woman. Ron's face is stretched out like a horse's, though. Sorry about that. The actor who plays Harry is aging quite nicely. He has the most perfectly manscaped eyebrows. I'm going to have to aim for Harryier (not hairier) eyebrow shaping.

Oh -- the special effects were grand... Seeing a hippogriff for the first time was amazing. The creature was absolutely beautiful. It moved very realistically and actually managed to have some character. I don't think I've ever felt like a CGI creature in a movie has had a sense of character before. They managed to in this one. One of the CGI characters is a very moody tree. The Womping Willow really sets the mood for the piece. It is dark, moody and a little bit quirky. Just like the tone of the film.

I'm so glad that I got to see the sneak preview. It was totally worth it. Lying about wanting to buy a house has never been so profitable. If the realtors who put on the show ever harass me about seeing a new house, I'll just laugh and tell 'em to kiss my Azkaban!

There.

As Harry says, "Mischief managed."

Sample of John Williams' soundtrack: