Harry Potter 6. You've come along way baby. The first two were simple popcorn movies. Nothing special but enjoyable all the same. When Cuaron swiped the director's chair from Columbus to helm the third film, the series seemed to truly hit its stride. Too bad they couldn't convince Cuaron to stay on though. The next two, I thought, were rather drab in comparison and I began to fear that I'd seen the best the Potter movies had to offer.

WIth this latest installment my fears have subsided. This was due in no small part to the performances of Jim Broadbent and Alan Rickman. While Rickman has been in the previous installments he was blessed with more purpose than merely brooding in a corner and giving Harry the stink eye. I'd like to think that one of them would receive a nomination for supporting actor come Oscar time...but who am I kidding. This is a Harry Potter movie. - cf

Going in to this movie I'd been prepared to be grossed out, repulsed, and disgusted. I'd also been prepared to laugh hysterically and be entertained. Alas, very few laughs were to be had and I was barely entertained. Granted if I'd never seen Borat I'd probably have thought this was funnier. The jokes and scripts seemed run through the word processor with "funny looking foreigner from middle east" replaced with "ridiculous gay stereotype from Austria".

I will say that Sacha Baron Cohen's commitment to character is impressive. Regardless of what ridiculousness he puts himself into he never backs down from an opportunity to make himself or others look completely foolish. - cf