Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald embodies everything wrong with the continued expansion of the Harry Potter universe. The Harry Potter prequel could have explored a whole new corner of the wondrous world Rowling once built. Instead Grindelwald plays like a cash grab. Rowlings script tries to connect just about every new character it introduces in some forced, hackneyed and occasionally racist way to the characters we know and love from the original Harry Potter films. But the revelation that one character will eventually become a snake or that another is a long-lost relative of Albus Dumbledore only muddles the canon.
Magic Aside The Values Taught Are 100 Per Cent Human
It’s wonder might be in the magic, but the values that the book instill knuckles down to intrinsically human qualities. There’s bravery on multiple scales, from facing bogarts to killing Voldemort, there’s loyalty – Snape’s actions are the very definition of the word – and the plot focuses closely on the importance of trusting both your own instincts and those in your inner circle.
The Eight Harry Potter Films Ranked From Worst To Best
Let me start by saying this, I love Harry Potter.
But while I’d love to tell you that I read all the books first followed by the films, I would be lying. I was born a little after the Harry Potter universe exploded onto the scene and because of that my film and book experience is a little muddled. I couldn’t honestly tell you which film or book I saw first.
That aside, I have throughout the years read and re-read all of the books and spent hours watching and re-watching the films. I even listen to the Stephen Fry audiobook to go to sleep, much to the dismay of my boyfriend.
Because of this, I think I am qualified to put together this definitive ranking of all the Harry Potter films. While I have sorted them from worst to best, I honestly would be happy to sit down with a cup of tea on a rainy day with any of of them. In other words, don’t get too mad if you don’t agree with me.
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‘harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince’
The sixth movie in the series sees a brilliant balance of light-hearted comedy as Ron and Harry start to discover the opposite sex with hilarious consequences, and drama as we discover more about Snape’s backstory. Tom Felton is outstanding as Malfoy as his role within the Death Eaters steps up a gear, while actor Jim Broadbent delivers a goofy Professor Slughorn to perfection.
This is also the film where Harry shares his first kiss with Ginny, and Dumbledore meets an untimely end after Snape’s shocking “betrayal”. The only thing missing is Voldermort’s back story, which stands out as some of the more important parts of J.K Rowling’s sixth book which has been oddly left out of the film.
The Tale Has Shaped A Generation
If you’re in your teens, you’ve never known a world without Harry Potter. Millennial lives have been enriched by this humble tale. It’s no secret that our generation love a nostalgic throwback and for many the story of the boy who lived is the ultimate childhood pillar. We’ll insist our children read the books and no matter what time of year, mood or age, nothing could ever beat a Sunday afternoon HP binge.
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Harry Potter Movies Ranked
All theatrically released films set in the Harry Potter universe ranked by IMDb user rating
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PG|130 min|Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery
Harry, Ron, and Hermione search for Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts.
PG|142 min|Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.
The 8 Best Harry Potter Movies Ranked
Trans rights are human rights. Since JK Rowling revealed her harmful ideology about trans women on Twitter, any discussion of her work requires an unequivocal statement that trans lives are valid and matter. And then, theres her 3,700-word essay doubling-down on the rhetoric in her tweets and her latest Cormoran Strike novel centering on a serial killer who dresses as a woman. So, we feel fine letting JK Rowling spin-off into whatever bigotry fueled orbit she exists in now. That said, we know were not alone in our love for the Harry Potter movies.
So, were separating the Harry Potter movies from the views of JK Rowling. These films are about so much more than one person. They brought to life an immersive, imaginative world through spectacular movie talent. But not every Harry Potter movie had the same success showcasing that talent. Were ignoring Rowling and ranking the Harry Potter movies from best to worst.
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Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix 77%
Considering its earned a very respectable rating of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes , it seems a mite unfair to call The Order of Phoenixthe worst Harry Potter movie. Its even more unfair when you consider how many magical moments youll find throughout this fifth instalment, which should be nowhere near the bottom of the heap.
So why is it there? Presumably, its because many fans take umbrage with the fact that it condenses the longest of J.K. Rowlings novels into just 138-minutes, making it the shortest entry in the series and losing a lot of plot threads in the process. But theres no evidence of a hatchet job on-screen, as the talewhich focuses on the Ministry of Magics escalating smear campaign against Harry and Dumbledoreis beautifully paced and shifts effortlessly from fun and fantastical to sombre and, at times, downright scary. As the tyrannical new administrator of Hogwarts, Dolores Umbridge is so completely, utterly vile, she very nearly succeeds in supplanting the Dark Lord himself as the films big bad. I say very nearly, as the climactic battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort in the vault-like chambers of the Ministry of Magic is nothing short of epic.
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
Its no surprise that Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón directed the best of the Harry Potter flicks. Some might call Prisoner of Azkaban more adult than the first two movies. And while were of the philosophy that anyone can enjoy and appreciate Harry Potter, its certainly fair to say that Cuarón made a more atmospheric movie. He clearly has a talent for working with child actors: The director allowed them to style their school uniforms however they liked, adding a realistic and lived-in feeling to the film. His eye for detail also brings Hogwarts truly to life for the first time, from the candles that look like spinal columns floating in Professor Lupins classroom to the reimagined Whomping Willow, which marks the passage of time by huffily shaking off its leaves in autumn.
There are a few choices to quibble with: Deciding not to film a flashback scene featuring Harrys father and his friends prowling the Hogwarts grounds as Animagi was a missed opportunity. And Cuarón may have unwittingly given away Snapes allegiance when he directed Alan Rickman to throw his arms across Harry and his friends to protect them from a werewolf, an impulsive act of selflessness that seemed uncharacteristic for the snarling professor. And the Time Turners introduce thousands of questions and plot holes. But all those choices serve a final time traveling sequence that, with the giant clock ticking away in the background, is pitch perfect.
Correction, Nov. 3
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‘fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them’
Featuring a slew of new characters to the canon, the first spinoff brings wizarding to America for the first time in a charming narrative, set in 1926, that doubles as a buddy comedy featuring Newt and his non-magical pal Jacob Kowalski . There’s a lighthearted adventure vibe as Newt and Jacob track down a whole bunch of crazy critters that get loose, though the film also explores heavier themes of tolerance and inequality.
How To Watch Harry Potter Movies In Chronological Order
But youre a card-carrying Potterhead, right? So youre keen to watch these films properly, and in their chronological order. So heres how you can do that, and heres where to stream each film.
Netflix and Disney Plus subscribers might be disappointed that none of these films is featured on either service, but they can be found elsewhere.
The good news for Potter fans is that theres no need to spend ages searching for each film on different streaming services. All the Harry Potter films are available on Sky as a boxset now. You can be lining up Harry, Hermione and Rons best scenes quicker than you can say accio! Well, almost.
Sky Cinema currently costs £11 extra a month, but Sky is fond of a TV package, so we would always suggest you check Sky deals before signing up for anything. Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 are on Sky Cinema now. If you are not a Sky customer, you can also watch on NOW TV.
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Harry Potter And The Sorcerers Stone
Though its probably the truest book-to-movie adaptation, the Sorcerers Stone, with its Matilda-esque tone, doesnt live up to the power of the rest of the series. In retrospect, the CGI is clunky, and the one-liners are too cute by half. Still, Christopher Columbus was also able to capture, well, the magic of that first introduction into Hogwarts. As soon as those owls begin to invade the Dursleys neighborhood, the Wizarding World suddenly seemed more accessible than it ever did on the page.
At the time of its premiere, Sorcerers success was no guarantee. Throughout the 2000s, fantasy adaptations like The Golden Compass and Eragon flopped at the box office. But Columbus movies managed to do right by the books: Hogwarts awed quidditch looked exactly as fans had imagined it and the school uniforms became instantly iconic. Columbus team also made some fantastic casting decisions that would pay off years later, like recruiting Alan Rickman to play Severus Snape and Maggie Smith to tackle Minerva McGonagall. And they found a trio of child actors who would, over the next decade, hold their own in scenes with some of Englands most talented thespians.
We Know So Much But There’s Still So Much More To Find Out
While the story of the second wizarding war has been tied up neatly, there’s still so much potential to explore the follow up or even delve into a more detailed prequel – just as The Cursed Child play and Fantastic Beasts have done. Will Rowling pick up her Potter pen once more? Only she knows, but what is a certain is that the appetite is undeniable.
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How To Watch The Harry Potter Movies In Release Order
There are no complicated interweaving timelines to deal with if you watch the Potter movies in release date order. Its two distinct series, with an incomplete set of prequels following on from the parent franchise.
That means theres no need to introduce any kind of Star Wars-style ‘Machete Order’ just yet. But, if we get some massive revelation in Fantastic Beasts 3, 4 and 5, that may change.
Its also interesting to note that there are more Harry Potter movies than there are books, with final novel The Deathly Hallows split into two parts because there was so much story to fit in.
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
- Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets 82%
In his review of The Chamber of Secrets, legendary film critic Roger Ebert writes, The first movie was the setup, and this one is the payoff. And what a payoff! The longest film in the franchise uses its 161-minute run-time to delve deeper into the Hogwarts setting, while further fleshing-out its students and staff, who already have the warm familiarity of old friends. In this decidedly darker adventure, theyre tasked with an intriguing series of mysteries to solve, each one leading to the next: Who is trying to prevent Harry from returning to Hogwarts? What terrifying force is petrifying Muggle-born students? What is the Chamber of Secrets? Its a fascinating puzzle that maintains a breathless pace throughout. Although this is our last glimpse of Richard Harris as the definitive Dumbledore, its ultimately Kenneth Branagh who steals the show as lovably flamboyant fraud, Gilderoy Lockhart.
These silly Harry Potter jokes are sure to make you smile.
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‘harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows’ Part 2
It’s the climax of all the films, bringing together the story in one final battle for Hogwarts, and while we didn’t want the series to end, this has got to be the most fitting finish we could have hoped for. All the loose ends of the story are neatly tied up with a bow, and the moment fans have been waiting for finally arrives when Harry finishes off Voldermort in epic style.
Fans are also treated to a glimpse into the future as we see Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermionie back on Platform 9 and three quarters waving off their own children as they board the Hogwarts Express… we challenge any die-hard Potter fan to watch the end of this film without a tear in their eye.
All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Best To Worst
The Harry Potter film series, ranked from best movie to worst. Now that all eight films in the Harry Potter franchise have been released, we can look book on the complete collection to determine which were the best and worst individual films. Most fans agreed that the series got off to a relatively slow start, with the first two entries from director Chris Columbus – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – taking a somewhat juvenile tone. Later films from Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell, and David Yates expanded the mythology of the Potter Universe, took a somewhat darker and more realistic tone and expanded the scope of the films considerably, to great effect. Now it’s time to answer the question: “What’s the best Harry Potter movie?”
The film series spanned an entire decade the first entry, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was released in 2001, and the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 arrived exactly 10 years later in 2011. The talents of four directors were involved, with David Yates taking on the bulk of the series, everything from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on. Columbus and Yates are the only two filmmakers to return for more than one Potter film. Nonetheless, the movies’ acting cast, writers, and some crew members remained remarkably consistent. Steve Kloves wrote all the Potter films except for Order of the Phoenix, which was penned by Michael Goldenberg.
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The Links To The Real World
One of the most enticing things about the wizarding world is that it runs parallel to ours. There are subtle crossovers and references to muggle marvels throughout the books that help it seem somehow in reach and therefore all the more believable. One of our favourite historical crossovers is the Malfoy family and the quest for the British throne. In a Pottermore entry, Rowling explains that an ancestor of Draco “was an unsuccessful aspirant to the hand of Elizabeth I” and due to her rejections cursed her luck in love going forward.
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Deathly Hallows, Part 2 is all action. As soon as the movie begins, Harry, Ron and Hermione are breaking into Gringotts, riding on the back of a dragon and, finally, battling Voldemort. Thats not always a good thing: The audience is barely given a moment to breathe and consider the consequences of this final battle. Book readers will certainly miss some of the quieter moments of reflection, particularly between Harry and Dumbledore at Kings Cross Station after Harry dies.
But the film is able to pull off several crucial moments of character development amid the chaos, including Nevilles evolution into a bold hero, Ron and Hermiones first kiss and Molly Weasleys epic defeat of Bellatrix LeStrange. To that end, the film plays like a somber but satisfying reunion. Deathly Hallows Part 1, and even to some extent Half-Blood Prince, are films about loneliness and isolation. Some of the most beloved characters in the Harry Potter series are missing entirely from those movies. When Harry, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts, we get to enjoy Rowlings wide array of Dickensian characters once again.
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‘harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire’
The fourth installment of the Harry Potter franchise ramps everything up a gear once again, this time bringing us the Triwizard Tournament, the Yule Ball, and of course, Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory. This movie sees Harry in yet another impossible predicament when he is faced with a life-threatening hurdle that he has no choice but to embrace as he is selected to battle it out for the Triwizard Cup, but this time the scenes come with brilliant cinematography and the whole film feels like a more grown-up big brother to its predecessors.