Think Lucinda Williams & it's the fifth out of seven...what do you think it means?!

Rating: 7/10 (13 August 2007)

Ahhh... got to be the only schmuck with a subject line like that for a 'Harry Potter' movie - but think of the intent behind "Joy" and you've captured much of the feeling of the audience's reaction walking out of the latest 'Harry Potter.' Though it's madly efficient and quite often exciting, squeezing in 850 pages of text into the shortest Potter yet, less than 140 minutes, this fifth installment is decidedly more dour and grim than the previous installments. A recurring theme of the past films has been the teamwork that has made Harry, Hermoine and Ron such a formidable trio. The later two take a backseat in this story so that the depiction of Harry's melancholic internal struggle can be front and center. Thankfully, the prevalence of the book's most devious and clever creation, the fascist middle-manager Delores Umbridge, has remained intact. Imelda Staunton, her family name quite appropriate for such a niggling squat character. Gosh, how I adored the emittance of her high-pitched squeal - intended to be friendly...instead such an assault. Also, like always, the film makes grand usage of its exemplary all-star British cast - everyone getting an opportunity to interact within the rich Hogwarts universe. Especially noteworthy are watching Branagh's old flames mug it up under heavy makeup. Never dull, the film flies by... but by the end of a special effects laden climactic battle we realize how unimportant this story in the grand scheme. In effect, I felt a bit used, and my urgent desire to want more from Rowling waned.