"After the first two films in the Harry Potter franchise were directed by Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaro n came in to helm the third, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which is often cited as the best of the series. Although it was early in his career and before his many Oscars for later films, Cuaro n displayed his typical artistry in fleshing out the series' world as established in the books and the previous films. Keating also examines how the director collaborated with others, from screenwriter to sound designer, to extend and enrich this world, evoking a creation that exists even beyond what is seen on screen. As the author says, "As a franchise film, as a work of digital cinema, as a work of collaborative authorship, and above all as a thoroughly engaging demonstration of the art of storytelling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is an essential work of 21st century cinema""--