Harry Potter : Years 1-3 - The Special Editions Box Set (6 Discs) [DVD]

So the box set itself is more important, great value for money! Each film is in its own two-disc set, with lots of interesting and fun extras. Definitely worth buying!

I approached "The Chamber of Secrets" with hopes that they'd get it right this time - the reviews and hype were all about it being "darker and funnier", and this emphasis on darkness excited me. But actually, it's not really a dark movie. It's darkER than the first one, but not dark in itself. In fact, it feels like a carbon copy of the first movie, but with the lights turned down and more Hollywood cliches, more awful writing, and more flat directing. The child actors were a lot better in this movie than the first one, but they were let down by the direction. The movie was full of the sickening hyper-sentimentality Columbus is famed for, something that is not found in the books - this is Harry Potter, cheap-trashy-Hollywood style. The ending is a perfect example - probably one of the most sick cases of audience manipulation I've ever seen in a movie, and it just doesn't make sense. Overall, "Chamber of Secrets" is probably even weaker than the first movie, and at least 20 minutes two long - and this is coming from an obsessive fan of the books. 3 stars.

However, with "The Prisoner of Azkaban", everything is redeemed, and all the mistakes are corrected. When I heard that Columbus would not be directing, I jumped for joy. I didn't know Alfonso Cuaron, but given his reputation for visual flair combined with focus on character-stories, I was very excited about this movie. He seemed like the perfect choice to direct a Harry Potter movie - and so it proved. "Prisoner of Azkaban" was always my favourite book, and of all the movies, I was hoping they'd get this one right most of all - and I was so relieved when they did. The movie is just wonderful, and has that thing the first two lacked - magic. The visual flair of the movie is stunning - the use of lighting, camera moves and editing is quite beautiful. This movie is TRULY dark - they've finally worked out how to do it. It's emotional without ever being sentimental. Cuaron has clearly though carefully about the themes and meanings in the story, and his visual imagery compliments them perfectly. As JK Rowling herself (who rates this the best of the three movies) has said, this is the perfect marriage of the right director for the right material. John Williams' score, which in the first two movies seemed to be portraying emotion and grandeur that just wasn't present on the screen, is perfect this time. The story is much tighter, and all scenes that were not important to the plot have been edited out. Some fans have complained about the lack of background for the Marauder's Map, but if you just stop and think about this story and what it's about, it doesn't need to be there. The story is about Harry sarting to let go of his parents emotionally, and becoming his own man - it's Harry who saves himself, not his father. He doesn't long for them as he used to. He's grown up. "Prongs!" doesn't have to be there, and would take away from Harry's true heroism in this moment. It's still thinking of his parents that enables him to become more powerful and use his Patronus - but having that "prongs" moment would be overkill, when the moment really needs to be about Harry. Good edit. The dialogue and writing is much better this time, as is the acting - the three leads have grown into accomplished young actors, and there are quite brilliant performances from Gary Oldman, Timothy Spall, the wonderful Michael Gambon (THE perfect Dumbledore - the late Richard Harris, as great an actor as he was, simply played a "stereotypical wise old wizard" - Gambon IS Dumbledore), Robert Hardy, Emma Thompson, and the usual cast including the great Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane. Special mention goes to David Thewlis, who is truly the heart of the movie. Overall, "The Prisoner of Azkaban" isn't just a great Harry Potter film, the first HP film that lives up to the title Harry Potter - it's also a great film in its own right. Alfonso Cuaron gave great freshness and magic to the story, and the experience of seeing this movie will live long in my memory. This one has truly wonderful moments that you will actually remember - Buckbeak flying above the Hogwarts lake, the first appearance of the Dementors, the wereworlf transformation. As an individual movie, this gets 5 stars.

So overall, this package contains two average movies, and one great one. The first two are worth watching as a fun introduction to the world, but they're not the real deal, and they're not the true essence and brilliance of Harry Potter. They're not films you'll be watching over and over again. On the other hand, "Prisoner of Azkaban" as sheer bliss from start to finish, and will be stuck in my DVD player for weeks after its release. Thank you for saving my favourite series, Alfonso!