Review: Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
This is when the books went from medium to large. So from now on, it is going be quite tricky for the team creating the movie to cover the territory completely enough to satisfy an audience that in some cases tends toward the obsessive. What I will say is that they have made a good start of it. Yes, things get left out, but the core of the book is there, and enough of the periphery is covered to not require too much backtracking through the rest of the series. What gets left out is detailed explanation of some things, such as the workings of the pensieve; there is an extent to which the film relies on the audience being able to fill in the blanks for themselves.
Some of the criticism I have seen talks about the pacing of the movie, and it is true that some parts feel rushed. But it doesn't really detract from the story. We also get a darker tone, but considering the direction of the series from this point forward, it has to be dark. The effects are fluid and generally integrate well into the live action shots. And the casting is spot-on all the way through.
It's pretty much a given that any fan of the books will see this movie, so this review is less about making a recommendation than simply acknowledging that this is a worthy addition to the series, in fact the best so far.
Side note: the kids at this showing were very well behaved, and there was about a half hour's worth of commercials and previews prior to the start. Preview highlight: King Kong. Preview lowlight: Cheaper by the Dozen 2.
Rating: four of a kind.