Welcome to our online chat with the J-W’s Jon Niccum about ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’.

The chat took place on Thursday, November 17, at 2:00 PM and is now closed, but you can read the full transcript on this page.

Moderator: Good afternoon and welcome to our chat this afternoon with Jon Niccum, the Journal-World’s entertainment editor and film critic.

Jon has agreed to take questions about the new Harry Potter film, “Harry Potter and the Goblet Fire,” which opens Friday in Lawrence.

Jon Niccum: Greetings fellow Potter-heads and Wiccan wannabes.

Moderator: Jon, thanks for joining us today. I’m Dave Toplikar, World Online editor, and I’ll give you some questions that have already come in.

And I’d like to invite anyone who has a question during the chat to send us one.

James, Lawrence: Does the new film look more like the first two in terms of color as opposed to the third movie, which seemed to be washed out?

Jon Niccum: It’s somewhere in-between. It’s not quite as peppy as the first two, but it’s nowhere as drab as the last.

Jon Niccum, entertainment editor and film critic, answers questions about 'Goblet of Fire.'

Steve, Topeka: How does this movie compare to the previous ones and to the book?

Jon Niccum: It’s better than the last two sequels — and they were pretty good. As for the books, I’ve only read the first two of them. I stopped reading them before I reviewed the third film so I wouldn’t spend so much time comparing the books to the movies in my print reviews. At some point I’ll go back and pick up reading them.

John, Lawrence: Good afternoon Jon,

I have a lot of friends that did not like the last movie (prisoner) because it did not follow the book as closely as the first two movies had followed theirs. How do you feel about the ‘artistic license’ taken with the third movie and how well do you think the current movie follows the book?

Jon Niccum: If you were to exhaustively follow the “Goblet” book and all its subplots — which is 700 pages or so — you would likely have a six-hour movie. Movies are always going to take artistic license, based mainly on time constraints. There certainly didn’t seem to be any budget constraints on this reportedly $140 million project, though.

Matt, Lawrence: I know the movie will be darker since the book surely is from the first three. But how is Mike Newell’s treatment of the Potter universe different than Cuaron or Columbus?

Jon Niccum: Newell explores more internal issues, such as the onslaught of adolescence that is affecting both the characters and the maturing cast. He isn’t as visually “artsy” as Cuaron. And he’s not as cutesy as Columbus. He seems to be more of an “actor’s director.”

Fifi, Lawrence: The dialogue in some of the past Harry Potter movies have been a bit stilted. How does this one compare?

Jon Niccum: Less stilted. But the principal cast is getting more secure in its acting abilities. So maybe the three are just improving at making stilted dialogue not seem so stilted.

Dan: How many evil spells will we be able to learn at this installment. I’ve got a few Voldemort’s of my own to do away with???

Jon Niccum: EVERYBODY has their own personal Voldemorts to contend with. Mine include Ashlee Simpson and the Kansas State Board of Education.

Steve, Topeka: How will muggles (non-Potter fans) feel about this movie, if they don’t read the Potter books and judge it on it’s own merits only?

Jon Niccum: I haven’t read “Goblet of Fire” and I liked the movie. So I assume they will like it also.

Lois, Lawrence: On a scale of 1 to 10 (one being awful and 10 being super), how hot is Alan Rickman as Professor Snape in this movie? And why?

Jon Niccum: Rickman doesn’t do a whole lot in this movie. But on my scale of Older Hot British Character Actors, I place him at a 7 — right between Jim Broadbent and that guy who gets murdered in “Gosford Park.”

Burnt: When you’re casting spells on your bosses at work, do you ever mispronounce one word and wind up turning someone’s desk to a wild boar? How many times can you get away with that before they fire you?

Jon Niccum: Apparently, I’ve been able to get away with A LOT before they fire me. Just look at this chat.

Hoosierdaddy: In your opinion is this movie’s PG-13 rating deserved. In other words is it safe to take my 10 year old to see it as he has seen all of the previous movies and is excited that there is a new one in the theaters.

Jon Niccum: Yes, the PG-13 rating is well-earned. This movie is palpably scarier and more disturbing. It even flirts with a few semi-naughty words. But I’m not the one to ask about what age kid should be taken. I only have a two-year-old — and I won’t be taking her. I’m ignorant as to what age might be the dividing line between going and not going.

Mr. Adams Class, SJHS: Who was your favorite character in the movie and why?

Jon Niccum: It was absolutely Alastor Mad-Eye Moody, played by excellent British character actor Brendan Gleeson (who earns a 9 on that scale we previously discussed). As I wrote in my upcoming review, “Gleeson rules every scene he’s in with a combination of intimidation and hilarity.”

Bobby, Lawrence: Because the book is so long, did the directors have to cut out many of the scenes?

Jon Niccum: I brought my co-worker Josh to the screening, who is a Potter expert, and he explained to me all the subplots that were cut. They were considerable, including everything having to do with Dobby.

Sophie, Mexico: I wanted to know what you think about the performance of the younger cast? Have they improved? Who has improved the most? About Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.

Jon Niccum: Radcliffe and Grint have improved the most. Radcliffe has gone from a wide-eyed moppet to a convincing leading man. Grint also gets to have some juicier scenes beyond just his typical comic relief schtick. However, Watson still seems to be rife with affectation, like she learned all the dialogue phonetically. She’s not quite up to the talent of the rest of the cast.

James, Lawrence: I’ve read that this movie is much more of a thriller. To me, and from the previews, it looks like much more of an action flick. Did you think it leaned heavily into either of these genres?

Jon Niccum: I actually thought it was less of an action flick than the first two “Potter” movies. It gains its entertainment value from tension moreso than action.

Ryan, Lawrence: Does this movie rock? Should I suck it up and go to the midnight showing tonight? (If I can get tickets)

Jon Niccum: Yes you should.

Moderator: Jon, thanks for taking all the questions. And not for revealing the ending. That will be all the time we have today for this chat.

Jon, any final words for our readers?

Jon Niccum: “Goblet of Fire” proves there is plenty of spark left in the series. See you next year.