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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 161 minutes, DVD, 2002; found on Amazon for $12.99. This is a presentation of the second book of the series as a feature film. The New Yorker reviews: “Like its predecessor, the movie is overlong and devoutly faithful to the book: the director Chris Columbus does everything but film J. K. Rowling's semicolons. Most of the original cast returns-a good thing-but so do many of the limp visual ideas. Kenneth Branagh, in a hammy role, makes for a welcome addition to the Hogwarts faculty, and it would have been fun to see him mix it up more with Alan Rickman. But all of the what-ifs matter little, as Columbus's film won't disappoint an eager audience that often calls out Harry's next move before it happens.” This film won nine awards.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 157 minutes, DVD, 2005; found on Amazon for $12.99. This is a presentation of the fourth book of the series as a feature film. The Los Angeles Times reviews: “With the fantasy kicked up a notch and a new director, Harry Potter catches 'Fire.'It's taken them long enough, but the movies have finally gotten Harry Potter right. Despite the reported $2.7 billion earned by the series' three previous attempts, it's not until "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" that a film has successfully re-created the sense of stirring magical adventure and engaged, edge-of-your-seat excitement that has made the books such an international phenomenon.” This film won eight awards.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 139 minutes, DVD, 2007; found on Amazon for $15.99. This is a presentation of the fifth book of the series as a feature film. Roger Ebert reviews this film: “These things said, there is no denying that "Order of the Phoenix" is a well-crafted entry in the "Potter" series. The British have a way of keeping up production values in a series, even when the stories occasionally stumble.” This film won six awards.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 142 minutes, DVD, 2004; found on Amazon for $12.99. This is a presentation of the third book of the series as a feature film. Roger Ebert reviews: “Is "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" as good as the first two films? Not quite. It doesn't have that sense of joyously leaping through a clockwork plot, and it needs to explain more than it should. But the world of Harry Potter remains delightful, amusing and sophisticated; the challenge in the films ahead will be to protect its fragile innocence and not descend into the world of conventional teen thrillers.” This film won ten awards.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 152 minutes, DVD, 2001; found on Amazon for $10.99. This is a presentation of the first book of the series as a feature film. The New Yorker reviews the film: “The movie is exactly what you would expect: spirited, efficient, glazed with effects, and almost servile in its fidelity to the novel. Harry is played by Daniel Radcliffe, who, though a touch too old for the part, fills it with unfazed amiability; more successful still, perhaps, are Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, enjoying themselves as his sidekicks. A roll call of British actors infests the staff at Hogwarts School: Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, and Alan Rickman, with the already well-built Robbie Coltrane finding fresh girth as the rumbustious Hagrid. The movie takes its time-the director, Chris Columbus, and his screenwriter, Steve Kloves, seem most interested in portraying good companionship-and yet the final half-hour feels rushed and unarousing. Even before the film opened, the grosses were assured, and yet, for all the magic-the broomsticks, the bank staffed by goblins, and the troll in the bathroom-the work itself remains oddly unmagical, grounded in mortal fun.” This film won thirteen awards.
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