They got it right

Rating: 10/10 (22 February 2010)

After all these years since it was released, this has become one of my all-time favorite movies. It took a while to grow on me. I appreciate the artistry and detail that Cuaron and Kloves brought to the adaptation of Rowling's book.
The opening of the film establishes the importance of light, a visual theme that carries through the whole film. It's a metaphor for Harry's own search for clarity about his past, a search that ends with the ultimate light of the patronus. Harry grows up over the course of the story. He discovers that he must be strong and self-reliant.
Another visual theme is the passing of time, which becomes an important plot device. There are repeated shots of the huge clock and its gears in Hogwarts' castle. There are lots of ticking sounds and the deep ringing of the clock bells, ominously signifying the fleeting hours as they slip through Harry's grasp.
John Williams created one of his most impressive musical scores for Azkaban. Buckbeak's flight is one of the emotional high points of the film, a soaring exuberant theme that perfectly enhances Harry's feeling of freedom and release. I also really liked the little harpsichord motif that signaled the presence of Peter Pettigrew, a motif that cleverly sneaks back in at the very end of film's credits.
All of the actors are in top form. Daniel Radcliffe really came into his own and showed a strong command of his character. Emma Watson and Rupert Grint also grew tremendously as actors. Alan Rickman, as always, showed masterful control of Snape. The only actor that I still am ambivalent toward is Michael Gambon. As others have mentioned, Richard Harris really captured that "twinkle in the eye" that Dumbledore needs. Although I appreciated subtle techniques that Gambon incorporated (a slightly stuffed sound to reflect Dumbledore's broken nose and a slight Irish lilt), I never got that sense of Dumbledore's mischievous nature. Gambon's character certainly looked eccentric, with a bow in his beard and sporting a tam. And there were a few nice moments near the end with Harry and Hermione where he seemed more relaxed. But I wish he had taken that further.
I also agree with others who say that to fully capture the nuances of the book, the movie would have had to be a mini-series. Rowling writes with such attention to detail, that a single movie could never capture the beauty of her prose. I think Cuaron and Kloves came as close as they could to maintaining the spirit of the book while creating a unique and beautiful two-and-a-half hour movie. It's one of the few movies I can watch over and over and enjoy even more than the first time I saw it.