Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

[hengcs]

Director: Mike Newell
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

I actually find it excellent!
;)
Highly recommended for entertainment value and some nice but important messages ...

PS: I am writing my review soon ...

[hengcs]

Director: Mike Newell
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint

The official website is here
http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/gobletoffire/index.html


My thoughts:
-- I especially like the themes about love, friendship and even racial harmony ...
e.g., there is old love, new love, those between lovers, those between parents and child, etc
e.g., the friendship between Harry and Ron, the friendship between the competitors, etc
e.g., compared to previous episodes, there seems to be a very conscientious effort to depict different ethnicity, and at the ending speech, there is a mention about harmony despite differences ...
-- Also, it probes at issues of sportsmanship, idol worshipping, news reporting, the judicial system, etc ...
-- Overall theme of transformations is also thought provoking too ...

Technically,
-- I like the pacing and atmosphere ... ;)
-- In terms of cinematography, it is nice too ...
-- I like the song in the ending credits (you have to be patient to wait for this ... it does not appear till much later ... ha ha ha) ... and the song by the "sirens?" ...
-- As usual, there is some humor ...
-- Teenagers and adults will likely like it ... but kids below 10 may get frightened ...


What could be better, if at all ...
-- Given the time,
... some might complain it did not include every single event in the book ...
... while others might complain it tried to include too much from the book ...
sigh ... people are difficult to please ... hiaks hiaks ...
-- It is a pity that the three champions scenes are not exploited enough ...
e.g., no depiction of the other three fighting with the dragons
-- Some people may find the acting occasionally exaggerated ...
-- Nothing personal ... but some people may not find Cho Chang compelling enough (even in terms of the scripting) to understand why Harry Potter likes her ...


Conclusion:
I actually find it excellent!
;)
Highly recommended for entertainment value and some nice but important messages ...

[cinemabon]

**********MAJOR HARRY POTTER SPOILERS***************




My son and I wondered how the general public would take Rowlings dark endings (four, five and six all end with main characters dying! Sorry...) These books started with only hints of darkness suggested by the main villain Voldemort (his name means death, by the way, vol de mort). As we read book six, we sensed that Rowlings took an even darker turn. We saw no chance how it could be filmed, believing that Warner Brothers will find it impossible to take the three cute and cuddly kids (Harry, Ron and Herminone) and turn them into killing wizards!

So the kids grow up in this film, and so does the subject matter. This is not a Disney or Pixar film. There is no happy ending. And for those not acquainted with the novels, its does not get any happier or funnier. In the next novel, a mean and wicked woman actually tortures Harry on a weekly basis in a way that permanently scars him. And there are other scenes even more horrifying than that.

Rowlings world has less to do with the Pippy Longstockings/Mary Poppins kind of English magic and more to do with the Brothers Grimm. Her ongoing tale is one filled with tragedy and heartbreak. Will the public and Warner allow her to have such literal control over the films made about her novels? Or will they break and make a "happier" version? If the public doesn't buy tickets this holiday season, you might have to buy the books to find out any more about Mr. Potter and the Hogwarts School of Wizardry.

[tabuno]

As with Star Wars, I am getting worn out with Harry Potter and personally, I think this most recent version attempts too much and produces too little. The transition into adolescence isn't proceeding smoothly in terms of the usual conflicts of coming of age movies nor in terms of believability.

I was practically shocked now that I've reflected on it, how little magic was used by our wonderous three and feel cheated by how very little they have learned during their four or five years at Hogwarts. The character development, the characters themselves seemed to have been submerged for the action, special effects, and the convoluted plot which perhaps would have been better served by a two-movie version (instead of likely the tremendous pressure to keep up with the published books and the demands of the public and profits).

Personally, I'm looking more to Naria than Harry this year.