

For a movie made for kids, these are truly adult themes to be grappling with. Not everyone who is imprisoned in Azkaban deserves to be there, and not everyone delivering so-called "justice" is on the right side of history. Thematically, while the Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets focus mainly on the friendships Harry is fostering, Prisoner of Azkaban delves much deeper into the overarching themes of oppression and justice within the series. Prisoner of Azkaban is not only a tonal shift from the first two movies but is deliberately more complex. The characters in Harry Potter's world are almost never as they initially seem, and the masterful casting work on this movie delivers actors who can live up to the challenge. Alan Rickman as Professor Snape still toes the line as a possible bad guy, while Gary Oldman's Sirius Black perfectly portrays Sirius' ultimate gentleness. The main characters, now largely costumed in street clothes versus school uniforms, are really coming into their own as young adults. This is where the stellar performances step in. Harry Potter is coming of age and realizing just how twisted the wizarding world is, what with a madman escaped from Azkaban supposedly tracking him down. As a viewer, you truly get a sense of how secretive the underbelly of the wizarding world is through narrow passageways, dimly lit rooms, and hushed conversations. While Columbus' style reveled in the whimsy of the wizarding world while introducing the darker and more complex themes in a subtle way, Cuarón takes Prisoner of Azkaban in a grittier direction. While Chris Columbus stayed on as a producer for Prisoner of Azkaban, Alfonso Cuarón took the reigns as director. With a new director than the first two movies, stellar performances, and a revelation of deeper themes, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban bring this movie franchise to the next level. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third installment to Harry Potter's story, reveals the complexity of Potter's past and the community his parents left behind. So whether you're watching them with kids or a group of adults rediscovering old favorites, here's a list of the best Harry Potter movies available on Amazon today.

Even if you weren't into Harry Potter in the early 2000s and want to delve into the series, these movies undoubtedly hold up over time. So it came as no surprise that, when the first movie was released in 2001, the franchise was going to become a symbol of the early millennium.įor those who grew up reading the books as they were released, it can be a whole new experience to watch the young people in your life discover these stories for the first time. Since the release of the first book in 1997, Harry Potter's wizarding world has captured the imagination of young readers.

"You're a wizard, Harry," is one of those movie quotes that echo through your mind at the mere mention of Harry Potter. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Twoįantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
