Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the best of the franchise because it is the first that feels more ‘grown up’ and complex whilst also having a fantastic storyline. The film is the first time that the audience meets Voldermort in his full form. The previous three films had all been leading up to this moment. Voldermort and Harry have their first epic duel, foreshadowing more of what we should expect in the following films. The introduction of Voldermort in all his glory makes the film feel darker and more ‘grown-up’, maturing from the previous three which is clear through the ratings as it was the first film to be rated a 12 rather than PG. Goblet of Fire also focuses on the Triwizard tournament. The tournament makes for a brilliant storyline as it is thrilling, enchanting and allows the viewers to meet other wizards and wizarding schools from across the globe (providing interesting insight into the wizarding world). The tournaments keep the viewers on edge as they witness the beloved characters fighting dragons and mystical mermaids. The tournament provides a narrative that is better than those seen in other films. The film also includes the famous Yule Ball which emphasises the beauty and enchantment that the wizarding world can create. It shows a happier and sociable side of the school which is not seen in some of the other films that purely focus on the darkness of magic. It is also the first film where the audience are given some indication that the characters are developing deeper emotional growth. At the Yule Ball, Hermione expresses frustration at Ron for not asking her to be his date, whereas Harry experiences his first crush on character Cho Chang. There is a sense that the characters are developing from innocent children into young adults who are ready to explore more complex emotions. This contributes to more interesting storylines than the previous films as more mature themes are addressed. Lastly, one of the main characters of the film is Cedric Diggory, who is quite arguably one of the most handsome and charming characters that we meet from the wizarding world. He is also the first serious death of the franchise, clearly marking the film as one which is a transition from childhood innocence to the darker and terror of the wizarding world. It is the film that provides most intrigue for the viewers.

I think Goblet of Fire is great, but I Prisoner of Azkaban is the best! It's the first movie that moved away from the more childlike magic of the first two films, into a more realistic vision of Hogwarts. The tone to match this is much darker, both in themes, music and the colour-grading of the film. It feels like it's the only one in the series to fully embrace the tone that it's going for in every aspect. It stands really well as just a great mystery on its own, without relying too much on the shock and awe of being at Hogwarts and a magical place, and instead focusing on Harry's relationship with Lupin and his place in this world. Through that relationship we learn a lot about Harry's parents, and see a sort of mirroring in James' life to his. It's also just a great piece of film-making. Some of the shots are really well done; the one-shot in the pub where Arthur is telling Harry about Sirius, continuously isolating him as the scene goes on until the final moment of the shot he is completely alone, reflecting how he feels in that moment. The film then continues to have shots where Harry is isolated, and I love that it's the first film to flip the whole "boy who lived" idea from an exciting positive thing, to actually being a threat to Harry and those he loves, because now he's a target. I also love when movies play with time, and I think it was done really well here. Although there is definitely a question of why Dumbledore decided the best use of a time turner would be for a student to do extra lessons and not something a little more...good for the world? The main issue I have with Goblet of Fire is the looseness of it's plot. Placing the hopes of Voldemort being born again on the caveat that Harry wins the tournament so he can get his blood seems unnecessarily complex, and in my opinion damages Voldemort's image of a master schemer. The scene with the death eaters was pretty cool though, and I loved that the tone of the film takes a complete 180 in that moment.

I loved the Goblet of Fire, it is one of the best Harry Potter movies. But I choose Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I as the best Harry Potter movie for me, and not only because it is part of the climax of the epic war with Voldemort's powers, but also because we witness how grown-up the characters actually are after everything, and the sacrifices they had to endure. The movie starts with the characters preparing for war and setting off to fulfill Dumbledore's wish to destroy the Horcruxes. Hermione's spell 'Obliviate' on her parents is one of the most touching scenes ever, because it really shows the scale of Hermione's sacrifice and pain for what she has to do. All the pain that this movie unfolds is interspersed by beautiful moments of joy, as is Bill and Fleur's wedding, which brings the characters with their loved ones only to tear them apart a minute after that. All three characters, cut out from their loved ones, go on a grim journey of pain, loss, frustration, chased by the Death-Eaters (Snatchers) and even captured and threatened by the Malfoy family. One of the moments that really shows how the movie takes the suffering of the characters to a whole new level is when Beatrix tortures Hermione for information. Luna is kidnapped, and Dobby dies, which is the most touching scene in the whole Harry Potter movie series, I believe. It is a movie that is a true testament of how the whole storyline has been developed and moved from the relatively 'innocent' early movies (one and two, mostly), to how consolidated the relationship among the three characters is, and how other characters like Draco Malfoy become more complex and conflicted, shaped and moulded by background and expectations. Also, the music is the best! Alexandre Desplat has created pieces for this movie that really set the atmosphere and captures the emotion and intensity of each moment in a movie that is turbulent and changes settings more than any other Harry Potter movie, as the war becomes an actuality. The music is beautiful, touching, suspenseful, and captivating. It is a huge part of the movie's effect on the viewer. Last but not least, I really enjoyed the backstory of the Deathly Hallows and how the fairy tale has been integrated in the plot. The tale ties everything together smoothly and clarifies even further what Voldemort's really after. The introduction of the Deathly Hallows is key to how the story will go up to the end, and all the Hallows have a role to play. I keep re-watching all the Harry Potter movies, but this one in particular holds a special place for me.

Although the Goblet of Fire is a great Harry Potter movie, my favourite is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. This movie is the best one in my opinion because it is so light hearted, funny and can be watched by people of all ages, including small kids. Most of the Harry Potter films made after the Goblet of Fire, have a darker, more adult plot-line and dynamic as the war against Voldemort begins to increasingly materialise. These movies are aimed at an older audience and so aren't as inclusive as say, the first HP movie. I love watching the Philosopher's Stone because it feels almost like watching a taped childhood play starring Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe ,who now are all quite serious actors. In this movie these beloved actors who we watched growing up through the Harry Potter series are small kids drowned in their new uniform cloaks, who wave their wands, fight a big dog thing and Hermione says funny things like "Ron, it's leviOWsa not leviosAAAA! *sighs*" and "We could have all been killed, or WORSE...expelled!". The other movies in the series draw far shorter on the charm scale compared to this movie, and nothing compares to the excitement that is infectious of Harry and the squad boarding the Hogwarts express for the first time.

Prisoner of Azkaban, hands down.