Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

World wide Harry Potter hysteria met the 3rd installment of the Harry Potter film franchise. The Harry Potter trio were the most famous teenagers on the planet and were all over the world. Every girl was in love with Daniel Radcliffe and they all wanted to look like Emma Watson. The Prisoner of Azkaban has always been a fan favorite book and the people had high expectations for the film and every expectation was met. 

After almost successfully blowing up his uncle's detestable sister during summer break, 13 year old Harry Potter is facing expulsion instead of returning to school. However, due to being The Boy Who Lived, Harry is cleared of charges and sent along to start term 3 at Hogwarts. Unlike previous years, Hogwarts is on high alert now that Sirius Black, a notorious war criminal and follower of Voldemort, has escaped from the heavily fortified Azkaban prison. Harry doesn't think too much on Black, seeing as in the last two years he's already had two showdowns with Voldemort and survived. What harm can one crazy prisoner really do?

However, when Harry discovers long kept secrets of his past that link him close to Sirius Black, everything he thought he knew abut his life takes a bitter turn. With the aid of the kindly Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin and forever supported by his friends, Harry faces down Black only to be met with more secrets, lies and unchangeable truths. 

• This movie came at the absolute height of my Harry Potter obsession. Watching interviews, TV specials, looking for BTS photos and always on Harry Potter fansites. What a great time it was.

• Daniel Radcliffe and Tom Felton were peak perfection at this time. I was so crazy in love with the two of them!

• Prisoner of Azkaban really focused in the aesthetics of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World. The little details that made up what The Leaky Cauldron, the Common Rooms, the schoolrooms and Hogwarts and the surrounding grounds. Nature is also heavily emphasized in this film.

• Prisoner of Azkaban had the best soundtrack.

• The casting in this film for Lupin, Sirius and Trelawney were absolute perfection. 

• This is the most emotionally driven out of the Harry Potter series. Harry is learning about his life, the good and the bad and how to fuel those intense emotions into something good.

• Remus Lupin is such a loved character and David Thewlis did an excellent job at exceeding everyone's hopes for him.

• This film is very Hermione heavy, which when I saw it as a 13 year old I thought was awesome, but now that I'm older, I'm beginning to see Hermione as a Mary-Sue that can do no wrong.

• Harry and Lupin's scenes on the bridge and learning the Patronus spell in the classroom will always be my favorite scenes in any Harry Potter film.

• And don't anyone forget that this was the first film where Hermione got to wear jeans!

When you're a gawky, bookish 13 year old who has a difficult time making friends, watching and reading Harry Potter really became a lifeline for me. The movies lined up perfectly with my age and so I was fortunate to be the exact same age as the kids in all of the films. I believe that Prisoner of Azkaban is a favorite for several reasons. Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, Hermione's year in the sun, Harry is at his happiest, but also his loneliest and at as his point of self discovery. Harry is learning through the people put in his life, both good and bad, of the person that he is meant to be.