what's new at hogwarts?
american filmgoers shall be able to find out first-hand tomorrow as the anticipated sequel opens in theatres nationwide. i've been looking forward to it since i learned, not only that columbus (yawn) wouldn't be directing, but that cuarón (of y tu mamá también fame) would. i knew he'd understand the requirements of translating harry to the medium of film in terms of not becoming unnecessarily bound and stiffled by the novels and the expectations of the masses that the films become "documentaries" and not what they should be: adaptations, if faithful, of the great stories created by the brilliant j.k. rowling. i'd been looking forward to this installment also because azkaban has been my favourite volume in the series so far.so yes, what's new? as most of us know by now, there's a "new" dumbledore: the late richard harris has been replaced by michael gambon, who reportedly looks, and sounds, almost exactly as his predecessor. there should also be some new teachers: beginning his first term as the defence against the dark arts instructor is professor lupin, played by david thewlis. also making her first appearance is professor trelawney played by one of my favourite actors, emma thompson, who teaches the art of divination (and quite badly, we hope!). we shall also find hagrid teaching care of magical creatures.
there's a new creature, buckbeak the hippogriff, a half-eagle-half-horse creature, who is very particular about who can and cannot approach him (hint: it helps to bow first) and some new villains: the dementors. these are the floating, wraith-like guards that patrol the wizards' prison of azkaban. rememeber to resist their killer kisses... if you can!
and last, but not least, there the prisoner of azkaban himself: sirius black, played by gary oldman, the first wizard ever to escape the prison.
meet me at «the uptown»!
