Absolutely fantastic. But not 100% faithful to the book.

Rating: 7/10 (7 June 2004)

When I saw previews calling PoA one of the "best films of all time", I was worried. Since then, I've seen the movie twice, and could easily go a third.
There are those who will watch the movie and realize a lot was left out, and complain that the chronology was changed. And yes, it was, but the movie was beautifully streamlined and devoid of the plot-cramming that plagued Chamber of Secrets. This time around, the plot was coherent, although did move along at a good clip.
I'm continually impressed by the casting, I hope for big things from the main three. Even the new man for Dumbledore did a fantastic job. I can't complain in the least. Again, those overly faithful to the book will complain about this and that, but realize their complaints are not that the movie was bad, just not the same. On film, things need to change, and no crucial story elements were lost.
The mood change between the second and third films is stark. Whereas the first two had a very jocular feel to them throughout, PoA maintains a steady grasp on the darker side. And although it's a minor point, the small things such as scene transitions and the movements from location to location are beautiful (the scene in Lupin's class with the mirrored closet particularly). Even the smallest details were tended to.
Again, it doesn't follow the book exactly, which helps more than anything. Go see the movie, it's amazing.