I'm diggin' Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Universally, critics are saying, "DAYAMN, dos' Harry Potta movies jus' keep gettin' betta an' betta!" I guess I'm here to ruin their fun, but not how you'd expect----the first one (Sorcerer's Stone) was really good. The second one... naw. It was a good adaptation of a book which I never liked in the first place. As far as cinema goes, the third Harry Potter film, Prisoner of Azkaban, was the best----c'mon, people, it's Alfonso Cuaron. He's a maniacal genius----it's rough to beat a maniacal genius in today's world. Logically, it wins the pot. But emotionally, I do find myself overwhelmed by Mike Newell's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Leaves out too much of the book? Pish-posh. "Goblet of Fire" has all of the essentials and then some, which is effing amazing, seeing as it was originally intended to be released as two films. It's the first Harry Potter film to bring tears to my eyes. Incase you've been living under a rock and have no comprehension of the plot, 14-year-old wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is attending his fourth year at Hogwarts, a school for wizards and witches. This year, Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard tournament, which hosts contestants from two other wizardry/witchcraft schools, one being Durmstrang (basically a bunch of crazy male Russians) and other being Beauxbatons (essentially a group of blue-clad seductresses). One competitor is allowed from each school, and that lucky young man/woman is chosen by the Goblet of Fire, which he puts his name into. For safety, only kids of at least 16 are allowed to enter. The day comes where the names are churned out, those being Victor Krum from Drumstrang, Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons, and Cedric Diggory (Robert Pattinson) for Hogwarts. Everybody cheers----yadda yadda yadda, but then, mysteriously, Harry's name comes out of the Goblet. Confounded, the officials decide that they cannot "disagree" with the Goblet, and anxiously admit Mr. Potter. Of course, as is in every Potter film, the eeeeeeeeeevil former phantom Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) increasingly appears to be behind the scenes of it all.

You can bitch and moan all you want about the lack of book, about what was omitted and whatever, but it's useless to declare this a "bad movie." Newell's direction is impeccable in every one of the three challenges the Goblet competitors are given----the one with the dragon is tense and infinite, a warming feeling imbuing us once (spoiler!) our hero is triumphant (end spoiler!). Not quite as spectacular, but likewise amazingly handled is the second challenge, and its opening, where Harry catapults into the air and back into the sea, is resplendently ostentatious. I have to give the crown to the third challenge (and most particularly its succeeding events)----though it left out much, I was stalled in my seat. I could only focus on the film. The tragedy which occurs afterwards is precisely what gave me tears.

Forserious (no, that's not a real word) props go to the actors, and I must dedicate a small part of this review to Emma Watson, who most certainly owns some portion of my heart. When I saw her in 2001, I told everyone, "You just watch. That girl's going to be drop-dead gorgeous some day." I was right, of course. My balls hit the floor when I viewed the "Goblet of Fire" trailer. Seeing as Keira Knightley and Natalie Portman are a tad too old for me (Knightley only two years so, but you know these high-maintenance Hollywood women), I have my eyes set on someone new. She does a great job, too, I think----but I didn't really notice. I may have felt sorry for her during the ballroom scene simply because I practically feel as if she's already my girlfriend. I swear I need to find a poster of that girl...

Ah yes, onto smaller and worser things. When I heard that Ralph Fiennes was the man chosen to portray He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself, I was ecstatic. I told everyone about it, and he has lived up to my expectations. He's one of the most underrated actors in the business, and that's simply because he's not very attractive. I can imagine that he has difficulty creating salacious desire at the L.A. bars, but no matter----the man is a genius of acting. I will never forget his terrifying performance in Red Dragon. Haters on Michael Gambon's Albus Dumbledore can lick my toes as well----at least this guy won't die (he's 65), and he creates a substantially more vigorous aura for our favorite chief elder. The entire Potter series has been filled to the brim with tactful casting, and "Goblet of Fire" lives up.

Four down, three to go----thank God we moved my personal favorite out of the way. On a final note, I loved all of the innuendos---good to see that the films, as well as the books, are growing up.

Rating: A