<languish> It's hot. But at least the xmas tree's up and decorated now, strangled with tinsel. : ) That's my boys...

Goblet of Fire opened today and I was at the first session. <silly grin> I enjoyed it, a lot. True, there were minor characters and plot bits that had been cut or shifted about, and a lot of nuances were trampled in the stampede to get the story told in under 3 hours but it followed the book more closely than Prisoner of Azkaban did and that was bonus points as far as I was concerned. It probably helped if you'd read the book, though - there were points I would've said 'WTF?' if I hadn't known beforehand what was going on. But overall I was impressed. The story more or less hung together in a logical sequence and the darker feel of the book wasn't played down. It's a more grown-up movie from a more grown-up book. I'll be going to see it again; probly next TA Tuesday.
Anyway, here follows a random list of noted points in no particular order. Sorry if it's a bit spoilery but I don't think I'm giving away anything pivotal.

I want that tent! And - ooooh! - pavilions!

Visual effects were superb and didn't detract or distract from the plot. Industrial Light and Magic was involved again, I see...

The World Cup sequence was fabulous but there wasn't nearly enough of it.

And it goes without saying there wasn't enough Snape! What there was though was nicely played. He and McGonagall get some of the best lines. <g>

The mermen looked like they were modeled on pike! Or am I thinking of sticklebacks? Anyway, I enjoyed that sequence, too...

Pooh. We didn't get to meet Charlie Weasley. On the DVD perhaps?

The entrances of the Durmstrang boys and the Beaubaton filles made me roll my eyes. Show-offs, the lot of 'em, though the striking sparks on the flagstones was better than bloody bluebirds!

There was a lot of the Weasley Twins. This is a good thing.

Yay, Neville! He's not in Gryffindor by accident.

Draco looks good in a suit, and his father, well, he looks good in anything, let's be honest. The incredible bouncing ferret was very funny. <smirk>

Is it just me, or is Hogwarts getting bigger? I'm sure there were more buildings this time. And is it customary for the prefects to bathe together? That bath is huge! I know Scotland is a wee bit wetter than Australia but I couldn't help wincing at the amount of water used...

Ah yes, the soon-to-be-infamous bath scene. I sniggered through a lot of that. Poor Harry, the bubbles don't last for long...

Now, Daniel Radcliffe is an attractive boy up close but from a distance it looks like the lower half of his face is too small for the top half, not helped by the Bay City Rollers bouffant. And, alas, he's not the best actor in the ensemble, which is a shame cos he does give it his best, that's obvious, but he's not a patch on the far more natural and charismatic Rupert Grint. Pretty versus talent? I know who'd I rather watch. (Snape, Snape, Snape...)

I love the Durmstrang ship. I like sailing vessels (magical or otherwise) about as much as I like pavilions.

... I'm sure there was something else I was going to mention.
Ah yes.
25 minutes of commercials and previews before the movie started. Tch. Including one weird car ad where 2 black bulls, a diving man in black pants and a black car all converge at the intersection of what looks suspiciously like an enormous black crucifix stretched out along the floor. I don't pretend to understand advertising wanks any more.
But, did get to see a preview for the new King Kong movie. Looks better than I thought - it's got dinosaurs! I might go and see that now.

Chapter 30's finished and there's possibly only another 4 chapters to go. I'm teetering on the edge of the final Event... : )