The best of the bunch by far.

Rating: 8/10 (13 December 2005)

I've never read any of the Harry Potter books. In fact, I hadn't even heard of the series until the fourth book, The Goblet of Fire, was published. My first trip in to the world of wizards, muggles, and Hogwart's was through the film adaptation of The Sorcerer's Stone, the first book/film in the series. I had no expectations going in. The previews looked no more than cute, and when the film premiered on HBO I tuned in, and for two hours I lived in Harry's world. It's not always a pleasant one for little Harry, who was only 10/11 at the time, but I enjoyed the trip.
The Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of Azkaban are the second and third books respectively in the Harry Potter series, and therefore the second and third film adaptations. I watched these when they premiered on HBO as well, but wasn't as impressed with either as I was with the first theatrical installment. It seemed that Rowling, or perhaps the folks at Warner BrothersI still haven't read any of the booksseemed to have found a "formula" in the first tale and stuck with it, but to a less satisfying end each time, not to say that stories as quirky as these could be condensed in to a formula. Don't get me wrong, I liked all three, but none matched the novelty of the first film for me.
Well, another year another Harry Potter film, and as with each installment Harry is one year older, 14 this time. And this one garnered a PG-13 rating. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the first Harry Potter book I heard of, and since I liked what they had done with the first three, and since this one is "darker," "more mature," I thought I'd pony up for the price of admission and see it in the theaters, a trip that was well worth it.
The Goblet of Fire usurps The Sorcerer's Stone as my favorite, and in my opinion is the best of the Harry Potter films to date. Yes, it lives up to its PG-13 rating; this one will scare the kids. But it is still a Harry Potter film. A new teacher arrives at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We are suspicious of him. Professor Snape still lurks in the shadows. We are still suspicious of him. News paper headlines still read themselves to you, ghosts still roam the halls, and quidditch is still played (but kept to a minimum, thank you). But the kids are growing up. Dare I say that sexual tension is a theme? It is.
I won't bore you with a detailed rundown of the plot, but this year there is a "Tri-Wizard Competition" in which three schools compete. Hogwart's hosts the event, and one student from three schools is to be entered in to the competition, one student over 17. Mind you that Harry is only 14. But someone drops his name in to the Goblet of Firethis person isn't identified until the end of the movie, but we all know who it is from the starta magical goblet that selects the students to take part in the tourney, and the movies namesake. Of course, Harry's name is selected.
There are three death defying challenges that Harry meets with his usual reluctance and courage. But something's not right at Hogwart's, again. Not only is Harry having nightmares involving Wormtail (from The Prisoner of Azkaban), Voldemort (the murderer of Harry's parents, and the heretofore unseen in all his glory arch nemesis of Harry), and a mystery man. There is something amiss indeed.
This 2½ hour flick is worth is for the truly suspenseful conclusion alone, but you get more than just build up to that conclusion. The characters start to come alive in ways they haven't in the other movies. Yes, they're growing up and discovering the opposite sexes, but that's not all. The actors seem to be growing in to their roles. I can't wait for the next installment. Harry Potter just may be able to live up to all the hype before all is said and done.