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@JamesEpplerA journey that started ten years ago in theaters comes to a close this weekend with the release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2."
I've said for a while I think these films are a more impressive cinematic achievement than the "Lord of the Rings" series. That's blasphemy for some, and there are a couple reasons I think this is true, but the main one is there hasn't been a bad entry in the series - not one weak point. Each of these films has a personality all its own, and we watch these three young actors - Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson - mature into bona fide actors.
So before we get a look at the eighth and final film, let's rank the seven we've seen thus far.
1. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"Not only is this my favorite of J.K. Rowling's books, it's also the most well-directed installment. Alfonso Cuaron brought a dark, and yes, even sexually-tinged taste to the story. This is where the teenagers start really taking notice of each other with hormones kicking into gear. Time travel can also be a hard thing to communicate, but Cuaron handles it with great aplomb. The Dementors are wonderfully realized on screen, and I also love the casting of Gary Oldman as Sirius Black.
2. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"A PG-13 turning point in the series with the first glimpse of the impeccable Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort. A key character gets offed, and the climax featuring Harry's torture at the hands of The Dark Lord is a kind of frightening darkness the series hadn't really shown us yet. And yet, this is possibly the most fun chapter in the series with the Triwizard Tournament. "I love magic," Harry says at one point.
3. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"A lot of credit should go to screenwriter Michael Goldenberg for taking the longest of Rowling's books and paring it down to the shortest movie. Some of the deviations from the text are a little aggravating (that's NOT where Harry first kissed Ginny!), but I really loved the moodiness of this installment. I think it also features Radcliffe's best work as Harry, haunted by visions of Voldemort and wondering if he's losing his mind.
4. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"Director Christopher Columbus doesn't get as much credit as he deserves for introducing us to this vast magical world. He had a huge task to accomplish with this movie, and I felt he did it admirably. Rowling's universe is so complex with so many characters and things to learn. This was an excellent start to the series.
5. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1"If this film has a problem, it's perhaps that it's too close to Rowling's text. "Deathly Hallows" is arguably the most dense of the novels, but not all of it needed to be on screen. That said, I like the decision to split it into two movies. This is a gift for the fans who complained for years that the moves didn't do the books justice. It did here - but it wasn't always the best choice.
6. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"The crucial death that happens at the end of this installment really resonates. It's also Alan Rickman's time to shine as Severus Snape. The telling of Tom Riddle's back story is dark and creepy, and the climactic journey with Harry and Dumbledore to find a horcrux is one of the most frightening sequences this series offered.
7. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"What I like most about this second film is how much the tone changes from the often playful and innocent "Sorcerer's Stone." It's much darker, and it's when we realized these kids are in some serious danger. And bravo to Kenneth Branagh as the deliciously smarmy Prof. Gilderoy Lockhart.
That's how I rank the "Harry Potter" movies so far. Which is your favorite, and is there one you didn't like at all?
