Released: 11/18/05

Viewed: 11:59pm 11/17/05

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes, Brendan Gleason

Directed by: Mike Newell

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is like 3 movies in one. Part sports drama, part romantic comedy, and part "Ralph Fiennes is a bad ass". I mean sci-fi fantasy mystery. Each aspect works well and is intermingled well enough, surprisingly so since there was so much story to tell. With all that going for it, Goblet ranks high in the Potter films. It's not the best, I would even consider calling in a transitional film, but damned if I wasn't entertained.

Let me catch you up to speed. (Don't worry. Mild spoilers. Nothing you wouldn't learn in the first 15 minutes anyway) Hogwarts is hosting the tri-cup tournament where three schools come together to compete in a great competition. Three wizards, one from each school, are tested in three different events, to the winner goes a shiny cup and? I guess bragging rights. They never really discuss it. And no one really brags.

Harry is unable to participate due to age restrictions, yet somehow he is entered. Who did this becomes pretty obvious, but why ? not so much. Even if you think you've guessed it, in true Harry Potter style, they throw a spin on it. So don't try to crack the egg, let it hatch on it's own.

Harry is forced to compete with the three other chosen members, this is where all the action comes in. Two of the three events were really well done. Inventive, action packed, even a little frightening. But the third was a little blah. Lot's of possibilities but it just passes by quite quickly. It's used as a means to and end plot wise.

Even still the action is great, and the effects are still riding high from the last two movies. Although it would seem there were a lot fewer used here. Either that or they were less obviously used which is even better. It wasn't like I was constantly saying "Ok, that's a CG creature, how was that created??" Big monsters show up, and transformations happen, and it's all very natural.

Don't forget that the school is now filled with all these visiting students, including a school for young witches. So let the teenage hormones fly! About 40 minutes in this movie turns into Hogwarts: 90210. People start pairing off left and right and when the expected ones don't, it leads to some good old fashion Melrose style drama!

It's cute though. Harry has quite an obvious crush that they fumble around in a very 14-year-old way. But it's like ? Oh, Harry likes the cute Asian girl with the Irish accent? Everyone likes the cute Asian girl with the Irish accent. She's a cute Asian girl with an Irish accent, for Christ's sake! I only saw the movie an hour ago, and I'm already a member of her official fan club.

The romance stuff is fun, and I can imagine it read really well, but when Hagrid gets down with the giant lovin' I was ready for things to move on.

Ralph Fiennes is a complete and total bad ass, that much is true. When I heard he was cast, I was pleased. When he makes his entrance in this film, I wasn't so sure about the look they went with, but he owns it! He makes it all work, and totally embodies the ultimate idea of evil. He was so convincing that I wanted to kill Harry myself.

But he wasn't alone in being awesome. I loved Brendan Gleason as Madueye Moody. He's the first DatDA teacher that I would have liked to have in class. Seemed like a real decent guy who would be a lot of fun to have as a teacher.

The kids are all back and it's always interesting to see how much they've grown. Neville has got to be 6 foot 3. At least. Radcliffe is as good as usual. He definitely has embodied the role. Even though Harry's become a little more arrogant, and a little more sarcastic, Radcliffe still makes him relatable.

Harry potter isn't the first place you go looking for great acting (not that it's bad,, it's just not that sort of acting), but I was impressed with Emma Watson in a scene where she confronts Ron about possible feelings. It kind of took me off guard. Good stuff.

This is Michael Gambon's first challenge in the role of Dumbledore. Gambon had a couple of big scenes in Azkaban, after taking over for the late Richard Harris, but Goblet gives Dumbledore a lot to do. He's definitely got a presence, and I like his take on the character, but there is one thing that Harris did so well, that Gambon has never hit, in my eyes. I'll save that thought for the Azkaban review this weekend.

This is the first film that doesn't start with Harry at his aunt and uncles house. They aren't even mentioned. Things ended pretty badly between them in the 3rd movie, but I was still surprised to see no mention of them. Those that have read the book, where did Harry stay over the summer? There's a hint in Azkaban that he would stay with his Godfather Serious Black. Black is mentioned but it's not clear if that's where Harry was. I've got to admit, the curiosity to the finer details is starting to get to me. I may have to read one of these damn books at some point.

Even with all the stuff going on, I didn't feel same sense of urgency that was very much present in the past two movies. The pacing is fine, and tone shifts effortlessly from humor to drama to action, but there were only a couple of times where I was on the edge of my seat.

This movie was rumored to be the darkest of the lot. They say that every time, but so far it had been true. Not here though. Some moments in the challenges are pretty disturbing, and the moment right after the cup is won is pretty damn dark, but over all it was kind of tame. I think it was all the romance that sort of took away from the ever-present doom and gloom. Besides, you're not going to top the Dementors from the 3rd film.

Mike Newell Steps in as director, and he was good, but he didn't have close to the same amount of style as Alfonso Cuaron did in Azkaban. This movie felt safe by comparison.

I like the story better than the first two, but I felt it did lack in a few places. Even though so much does happen, it does feel like a transition story. Just something to set up future events. That's fine, I mean Empire was just set up for Jedi and that movie rocked. I just couldn't shake the feeling that this was just a taste of what's really going to happen. So be it.

7.5 out of 10 Really entertaining. I could have watched it progress for another 2 hours easily. It'll be interesting to see where they take it; I guess we'll find out in 2007. .

DVD worthy?:

For the die-hard fans ? definitely. For the casual fans it's a toss up. There's a lot of good stuff going on, but I feel like it didn't have the same urgent pacing as the others. I'm going to pick this one up I think. But there should be a letter writing campaign started to get a damn commentary on one of these movies.

If you liked this movie check out: ?

Recommending a movie from a Potter movie is impossible. There's so much going on that they're unique to themselves. The whole mythology of the Harry Potter world is so dense that if you're not thinking about Goblet when you walk out, you're thinking about one of the other three movies. My bet is you're thinking that Ron's hair is too long.

Trailer Hitch: Superman Returns

A nice little teaser for Superman Returns. It was all voice over and single shots of Superman and elements of the Superman world (the Kent mail box with a breathtaking sunset behind it. That sort of thing.), in posed inspirational hero shots. It's cool. It'll set of your geek boy radar. I gotta say I'm not convinced on Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. I'll give her the benefit of the doubt and wait for the movie to pass final judgment, but the look seems off.

I also feel like I'm over this origin story. The Kents are good people ? I get it. They're going to have to have a whole new spin on things for me to really be interested. Otherwise his blue and red ass better be in Metropolis in under 20 minutes.

Superman was one of three trailers before Goblet that were for movies coming out in 2006. Superman is in the summer, as is Shyamalan's next thriller Lady in the Water starring Paul Giamatti. Plugging those this far in advance I can understand. Both are gonna be big, and 6 months isn't to far to build a little buzz.

The third was a movie called Happy Feat where Robin Williams plays like? a gay penguin or something. I don't know, I didn't get it, but at the end it said "November 2006". A year away. And the movie doesn't even look that good. I don't know, it seemed weird.

Voting today will get you a piece of Hermione's mind. Enjoy. I don't get the appeal of Hermione. I mean, Emma Watson is a very pretty girl but she's only 15. That's weird, you know? Give it a few years before you start freaking out.

And I do apologies for Goblet going up before Azkaban. There's been a bit of a time crunch lately and I didn't want to half ass the review. It'll be up over the weekend. Most likely Sunday afternoon, as tomorrow I'll be switching my focus to Walk the Line.