#1- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 

This is the fourth movie in the franchise and arguably the best one. In the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter is faced with extreme challenges in the Triwizard Tournament, friendship issues with the ones close to him, a mystery person trying to kill him, finding out more about the Wizarding World, and an unexpected death. Plus, at the very end, we finally get to see Voldemort for the first time as he becomes a real person and Potter narrowly escapes his clutches. As for the whole Wizarding World, we find out that there are three schools, Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons, that are filled with students capable of incredible spells. Overall, this movie checked all the boxes of keeping viewers entertained and on the edge of their seats.  

#2- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 

This movie is ranked so high because it is the end to a fantastic trilogy of movies and books that take fans plummeting into a world full of magic. The movie consists of the final battle at Hogwarts, Potter being killed by Voldemort but coming back to life, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger becoming a couple, finding all the horcruxes, and destroying Voldemort once and for all. One of the most memorable scenes out of the entire movie was the epilogue at the end. Seeing all the characters grown up and sending their own children to Hogwarts was the perfect way for the series to end.  

#3- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 

The third movie in the franchise takes viewers on a journey that is much darker than the first two movies. The storyline immediately starts when the movie begins with a wanted murderer on the loose trying to find and kill Potter. Toward the middle, everyone learns that Sirius Black, the wanted killer, is actually innocent and is Potter’s godfather. Granger has major character change while taking too many classes, Professor McGonagall gives her a time turner to travel through time, which ends up saving Black’s life at the end of the movie. Another interesting part of this movie is the fact that viewers discover a great deal of information about Potter’s parents and the back story to how they died.  

#4- Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince 

The sixth movie in the series is packed with teen drama and the start of new romances for many of the students. As it is the group’s last year at Hogwarts, Voldemort is rising in power, Potter finds unknown spells written in his textbook from the “Half- Blood Prince” almost forcing Potter to use dark magic, and the shocking ending with Professor Severus Snape killing Professor Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore’s death leads to Potter and his friends going on their own to search the magical world for ways to stop Voldemort and not coming back to Hogwarts until they are ready to fight in the final battle. 

#5- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the first book and movie ever created by the author J.K. Rowling. This movie is so special because it introduces everything in this new world to viewers and starts the roller-coaster of a ride through Potter’s adolescent years. It is very different to watch this movie after you have finished the whole series because all the characters are so young and new to the magic that they eventually learn to perfect.  Because the movie was released in 2001, the graphics and the computerized magic is outdated and can easily be seen as not real, but it captured the experience for that time in movie- making capabilities. 

#6- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 

The fifth movie in the series is the longest book where so many crucial details took place. Although the movie is a normal length so many elements were left out. That is why it is a smart decision to read the books and watch the movies, so you are completely caught up with the events taking place. In this movie, Potter starts his own army of students, Dumbledore’s Army, to help protect themselves and others who might need it. Also, during the fight scene at the end against Dumbledore’s Army and the Death Eaters, Black was killed by Bellatrix LeStrange. The death has a huge impact on Potter’s view on life because he was becoming close to Black, as he was the only family he had left.

#7- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 

The mood of the seventh movie is very dark, as Granger, Weasley, and Potter are living on their own, trying to find horcruxes to kill Voldemort for good. This movie is different from the ones before because the friend group is not at Hogwarts anymore and are by themselves in the real world where wizards are trying to murder them. This film is often forgotten as it leads to the finale. However, it does include a dance scene, Potter and Weasley getting into a heated argument, destroying horcruxes, and the group getting captured and given to Voldemort.

#8- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 

This movie is ranked last because it is the longest movie out of all 8 which I feel makes the plot overdone and dragged out. Plus, throughout the movie, Granger does not appear because she is cursed, and things are not the same without her. Nevertheless, the movie does include some important facts that reappear later in the series. The plot was mostly Potter getting warnings that bad things were coming at Hogwarts, students getting cursed, and destroying Tom Riddle (young Voldemort) in the Chamber of Secrets at the very end. Even though this movie is my least favorite, it is still worth a watch to help understand the concept of the series.