Because I worked a while on one of my sick days and came in early this morning, I felt no guilt about leaving work at 3pm and heading straight to the movie theater to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
It was wonderful. I wanted to go back in and watch it again. It’s my favorite of the books and so I would have been quite disappointed if they’d done a drab job, but it’s the best of the films yet. Beautifully realized, particularly in the treatment of time. Sign me up to watch everything Alfonso Cuarón ever directs.
So, who wants to go see it tomorrow or Sunday? Or perhaps and Sunday?
MetaGrrrl 
Well, I watched another Cuarón film, A Little Princess, and despite knowing it’s a children’s movie, despite knowing it’s based on a sentimental book by the woman who wrote Little Lord Fauntleroy, despite the book being an old childhood favorite, despite loving the visual design and the way it was filmed (particularly the intense use of color), I found it a very irritating movie. The changes to the story annoyed me and the cloying nature (admittedly largely present in the original book) made many of the performances seem contrived. Oh and the “oh she’s fallen to her death, no wait, she’s hanging on by the fingers of one hand! Can she pull herself up?!” business was out of place and flat out laughable in its predictability once you see the stereotypical scene begin. I wanted to like it, but it set my teeth on edge. Recommendation: read the book, rent this film and then watch it with the sound off. I’m sure it will be much better that way.
However, after seeing this film and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban I now know exactly who could direct films that truly did justice to the Oz books. Imagine scripts by Philippa Bowens, direction by Alfonso Cuarón, and design & story consultation by Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman…
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The photo of the macaque (above) was heartbreaking at first glance, but when I go back to look again I see a glimmer of hope. Those seeking to open wider mind-expanses(teachers, librarians, civil libertarians…)need to remember that wide-open spaces can be terrifying — but freedom is appealing, even so.
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