Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Robert Pattinson, Ralph Fiennes

Directed by Mike Newell

Rating: A-

The Triwizard Tournament is the big news of whats happening at Hogwarts this year. Students from Beauxbatons and Durmstang wizarding schools are brought to Hogwarts to enter their name in the Goblet of Fire. This magical goblet will choose one student from each school to participate in this dangerous tournament. Harry (Radcliffe)'s name comes out of the goblet, making him the fourth contender when only three are supposed to be chosen. The headmasters of the two foreign schools are upset since Hogwarts has two contenders to win the cup. Only, Harry didn't enter his name and he has no idea who did. The tasks prove to be challenging and come the last task, Harry may not make it out alive.

Personally, I like to call Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire the Year Of Good Hair. This is particularly because almost everyone is having a very good hair year. Harry, Ron, the Weasley twins Fred and George all have long hair which looks good from Azkaban's awkward hair cut. Director Mike Newell successfully got the movies back on track with this film.

The opening scene captures your attention upon seeing Voldemort's plan to rise. Wormtail (Timothy Spall) is helping Voldemort get his body back while another unknown Death Eater gets instructions for his mission. Newell continues the trend Cuaron started with the darkness of the film. Goblet of Fire was not a light film to watch as it begins the trail of deaths Voldemort leaves behind. However, dark is balanced by light with the help of the Weasley twins and Harry's first crush on Cho Chang (Katie Leung).

It was disappointing that Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) didn't have much of a role. He finally meets Harry in Azkaban and you'd think Harry would talk to someone who is like family to him more. The Yule Ball was entertaining and brought light to a challenging situation Harry is in with the tasks. Goblet of Fire was well made and deserved an A- because it brought back a little more magic that the previous movie had lost.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, David Thewlis, Gary Oldman

Directed by Alfanso Cuarón

Rating: B

Harry Potter (Radcliffe) returns to Hogwarts for a magical third year. He's prevented He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named from obtaining the Sorcerer's Stone, saved Ginny (Bonnie Wright) in the Chamber of Secrets, and now he has a notorious killer who broke out of a high security prison after him. Not Voldemort but Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), his godfather. With yet another Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year, Professor Lupin (Thewlis) teaches Harry how to produce a Patronus Charm. Dementors (cloaked figures that guard the wizarding prison and tend to suck the happiness from people) have been affecting Harry especially. Can Harry survive another year at Hogwarts?

A new director for a new Harry Potter movie. Out of all the movies, Cuarón was one of the worst directors for this series. While the main scenes were kept in this adaptation from the book, the movie was not satisfying.  With a new headmaster in place after Richard Harris' death, Michael Gambon was recruited. Gambon portrayed a exceptional Professor Dumbledore but he lacked the finesse needed. Harris portrayed a wise Dumbledore while Gambon took on a more energetic role.

While six-second scenes of the Whomping Willow was significant in portraying the changing of the seasons, I feel like Cuarón could have used those seconds more wisely. The changing of the seasons did not further the plot so why not use the extra time for something else? Perhaps comedic relief or some suspense. One may have noticed that Prisoner of Azkaban has a darker feel to it than the two previous movies. The lighting isn't as bright as seen in the first two movies. Harry himself looks different with shorter hair and I believe his hair looks browner than the darker shade shown previously.

The acting was slightly better as Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint have by now got accustomed to the art of acting. I thought this movie deserved a B because of all the movies, it was one of the weaker ones. Prisoner of Azkaban was one of my favorite books so I was disappointed with this one. However, I did enjoy this movie when I looked past the differences. I've accepted by now the fact that the books are genius on their own so the movies should be looked at in a different light. On the contrary, this movie should not be skipped because it is good and how can you miss the introduction of two marauders?

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Bonnie Wright, Tom Felton, Jason Isaacs

Directed by Chris Columbus

Rating: A

Another year older, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) returns for a difficult year at Hogwarts. When Dobby the house elf (Toby Jones) warns Harry he must not return to school, Dobby goes through great lengths to try and get Harry to leave. Hogwarts is his home, so Harry does not want to leave. However, on a few occasions he is caught at the wrong place and the wrong time. A bloody message is left on a wall alerting students that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Half the school believes Harry is the heir of Slytherin and it didn't help his case when he unknowingly spoke Parsteltongue (snake language). Students are afraid for their lives as fellow students get petrified. It's up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione to figure out who opened the Chamber and how to save the rest of the school from Slytherin's "monster".

Another brilliant film from Chris Columbus, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets brought the magic back for another year. You can see that the young actors are improving. A chilling scene for instance is near the end when Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs) tells Harry something like, "Let's just hope Mr. Potter will always be around to save the day." Harry replies, "Don't worry. I will be," which was chilling because the scene had been improvised and Radcliffe was not aware that was going to happen. Again, the cinematography was similar to the first movie. The Chamber of Secrets was really neat looking and Slytherin's "monster" was just as realistic looking. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets did not disappoint.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane

Directed by Chris Columbus

Rating: A-

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) spent ten years of his life living under a cupboard in his relatives home believing he was just a normal boy. However, he is far from normal. Harry is a huge celebrity in the wizarding world for vanquishing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, a very evil wizard who was taking over. Upon his eleventh birthday, he finds out from a friendly half-giant named Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) that he is a wizard. His aunt and uncle had kept this a secret in hopes that he would grow up to be "normal". This is the happiest moment of his life, for Harry gets to leave the Dursley's (his relatives) home to go to a magical school. Upon Harry's arrival at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry he easily makes friends and an enemy on the first day. While Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry soon becomes home to Harry, trouble still lurks around the corner. Professor Dumbledore (Richard Harris) is hiding something at Hogwarts for protection but one of the teachers is after it. Harry and his friends spend the year trying to unlock the secret and find a way to get to the sorcerer's stone before it can be stolen.

Who wouldn't want to receive an acceptance letter to Hogwarts by owl? Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone does immense justice to the book. It's one of the movies that is most like the book and for this reason, it makes the movie feel a little too lengthy. However, it doesn't stop it from being a great film. Looking back to where it all started, all the young actors (Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint) look so tiny! Their acting was very convincing for ten- and eleven-year olds; though in the movie scenes had to jump to the next one since they had trouble with their lines. Part of what makes this movie such a success is the cinematography. This movie makes Hogwarts look so legit. Gringotts, Hogwarts castle, the Great Hall, everything looks so real. It makes the movie so much more believable, it takes you away to a whole new world. Another contributing factor that adds to the success of the movie is the screen writing. Steve Kloves (the screen writer) kept in touch with J.K. Rowling, the author of the celebrated series, to make sure he was on the right track. The movie has some memorable scenes from Harry and Ron saving Hermione from the troll to one of the most popular quotes from Dumbledore upon eating a Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean, "Alas, Earwax!" Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone brings the magic to life and is definitely one of the better movies in the series.