Every wonder where I think every Harry Potter movie should be ranked? It should come as no surprise, that I am a huge Harry Potter fanatic! I’ve read the books and watched the movies countless times.

The first book was published when I was in elementary school, and the final book was released during my senior year of high school. I was the generation that literally grew up with Harry… These characters and stories resonate with me deeply.

“Happiness Can Be Found Even In The Darkest Of Times, If One Only Remembers To Turn On The Light.” – Albus Dumbledore.

I remember going to see all the movies at the midnight releases with my best friend. We would drag my mom along, who mostly yawned and tried not to fall asleep. It always felt like I could never get enough!

“It Takes A Great Deal Of Bravery To Stand Up To Your Enemies, But A Great Deal More To Stand Up To Your Friends.” – Albus Dumbledore

All I wanted was to be a small part of the magical world! I wanted to be sorted into Gryffindor, ride on the Hogwarts Express, eat all the yummy treats from the trolley… That is the beauty and wonder of books and movies – they transport us.

“We’ve All Got Both Light And Darkness Inside Us. What Matters Is The Part We Choose To Act On. That’s Who We Really Are.” – Sirius Black

In honor of this love affair, I decided to list my favorite Harry Potter movies ranked from best to… well, I love them all so, not best….

Here’s the list of all eight Harry Potter movies ranked best to worst:

• 1. Prisoner of Azkaban

  This is the only movie without an appearance from Voldemort. We meet Sirius Black, a central character to Harry’s world. Plus wacky Professor Trelawney. And, it’s the last movie before things head in a darker direction. On a technical note, Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuaron directed this movie, and I absolutely love his style. There are so many little details of this movie that make me chuckle and make the viewing experience that much more magical. Oh, and Buckbeak. Who could forget Buckbeak?!

• 2. Deathly Hallows Pt. 2

  The end all be all! We see the destruction of Horcruxes. The Battle Of Hogwarts. Forever changing the lives of characters we love. We learn about the true meaning of “Always” with Severus Snape’s iconic line. And of course, who could forget that very last scene on Platform 9 3/4! I’m pretty sure I cried from start to finish when I saw it in theaters. Now I only cry 85% of the movie….

• 3. Sorcerer’s Stone

  The O.G!! Our first visual interpretation and introduction to this amazing magical world that changed our lives forever! Can we talk about how that music score from John Williams still brings me chills?? We take a stroll down Diagon Alley. We find out if we’re Ravenclaws or Gryffindors. We learn the rules of Quidditch. Being a muggle has never seemed so boring….

• 4. Half Blood Prince

  After a little darkness with movies 4 and 5, the 6th film in the franchise brings us back to a little humor. As our magical friends enter the throes of puberty, they deal more and more with typical teenage problems such as love, anger, and heartbeak. This is a pivotal moment in the series and the start to the fervent quest to find and destroy Horcruxes in order to defeat Voldemort.

• 5. Deathly Hallows Pt. 1

  “The ministry has fallen.” What a line! Right out of the gate we know this movie will be intense, lives will be put on the line, and that the fate of the magical world is on the shoulders of our 3 heroes. For once, our movie does not take place within the grounds of Hogwarts. The majority of this film is outside in various locations, which brings another dimension to our characters and the idea that this magical world is “real” and coexists with ours. It helps bring a more realistic tone to the story and shows the famous trio outside of a school/student setting.

• 6. Goblet of Fire

  The wizarding world is expanded beyond Hogwarts and we now meet students from two other schools – the Lovely Ladies of Beauxbatons and the Proud Sons of Durmstrang. I love the tasks in the Triwizard Tournament and how the event brings different cultures together. Hormones are raging and friendships are put to the test. We see Harry and Ron have their first real fight. We meet the handsome and cool Cedric Diggory. But, sadly, our villain Voldemort makes his return and is once again in human form, stronger than ever.

• 7. Chamber of Secrets

  The flying car! The powder blue Ford Anglia! The Whomping Willow! The Howler sent by Mrs. Weasley to Ron for taking the car in the first place! Within the first 30 minutes of the second installment to the franchise, we’ve already cried from laughing with memorable moments. Something about the Weasley’s house in the burrow feels like comfort and home. Like you know you’re safe and loved. Harry finds himself as the hero once more saving Ginny Weasley and the school from the Chamber of Secrets. A cute film, but to me, overall not the most memorable.

• 8. Order of the Phoenix

  My least favorite book and least favorite movie. Harry is the literal definition of angsty teenager. His connection to Voldemort is now undeniable, and his anger issues become problematic and on full display. Dolores Umbridge just absolutely grinds your gears, it’s almost painful to watch. The saving grace of this movie is how the students band together and fight against those abusing their power.

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