In the film, Harry Potter, played by Daniel Radcliffe, learns more about his parents, their deaths, and he saves Buckbeak the hippogriff, and Sirius Black, played by Gary Oldman.
When it comes to comic relief, fans will most certainly be laughing. A few of the funnier parts were: Draco Malfoy, played by Thomas Felton, being "attacked" by Buckbeak the hippogriff; the Defense Against the Dark Arts class learning how to face boggarts, which are creatures that take the form of someone's greatest fear; Harry dragging Draco and two fellow Slytherin friends around a snow-covered hill; and Hermione Granger, played by Emma Watson, angrily confronting Malfoy by punching him in the face.
Despite the fact that the movie has its comical moments, it also has its serious ones, such as when Harry finds out Sirius Black is his godfather, and when he learns of Black's innocence. Ronald Weasley's rat was really the one that turned Harry's parents into Voldemort, except his real name is Peter Petigrew, and he is an Animagus, which is someone who can willingly change into an animal.
The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Remus Lupin, was a friend of Lily and James Potter, and is a friend of Sirius Black. He teaches Harry how to ward of dementors, who are the guards of Azkaban, with the Petronus Charm [Expecto Petronum]. Dementors are creatures who suck out all the happiness in a person, and eventually suck out their soul. Lupin, however, is a werewolf, and nearly kills Harry and Hermione, but Buckbeak saves them by scaring Remus away.
Hogwarts has another new teacher as well this year. The school's very own gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, has taken over the position of the Care of Magical Creatures professor. Hagrid is the one who introduces the class to Buckbeak, and is quite upset after the hippogriff is sentenced to death by the Ministry of Magic.
Unfortunately, Richard Harris, who played Albus Dumbledore in the first two films, passed away in 2002, and the part was taken over by Michael Gambon, who did the role of Dumbledore great justice. Although movie roles can be replaced by numerous actors, Richard Harris cannot be.
James and Oliver Phelps return as the Weasley twins, Fred and George. They help Harry sneak to Hogsmeade by giving him the Marauder's Map. The map shows everyone in the castle, where they are, and what they're doing every minute of every day. It was also used by Harry's father James, Sirius, Remus, and Petigrew.
When it comes to Hermione and Ron, played by Rupert Grint, it seems as though they like each other, but nothing remotely romantic happens, so Rupert's undying fans can put down their hate-mail toward Emma Watson now.
Professor Severus Snape, played by Alan Rickman, is also back again with the same animosity as before. Snape follows Lupin into the Whomping Willow, which leads to the Shriking Shack, where Sirius had Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Snape had never gotten along with Remus or Black, even when they were in school together. Harry uses Hermione's wand to use the disarming spell [Expelliarmus] on Snape, then discover's the truth about Wormtail (Petigrew). Although he does have bitter hostility toward Harry and his friends, this doesn't prevent Snape from sort of shielding them when Lupin turns into a werewolf. This should easily put Snape on Harry Potter fans' good lists until the next movie.
There is a bit of a confusion element in the Prisoner of Azkaban, though. Hermione and Harry travel back in time and go through events that had happened earlier in the movie, but in their perspective. When they return to Ron in the hospital wing, they see themselves going back in time. It seems as if they are now stuck in a time loop, although it really isn't meant to be.
I stand by my comment that fans will not be disappointed, and I would most definately suggest to anyone interested that they should see this film. I myself have seen it three times, and intend on seeing it atleast a couple more. I am also sure that I am not the only one anticipating the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
--Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is scheduled for realease in movie theaters around November 18, 2005.
