Picking your least favorite "Harry Potter" movie is like picking your least favorite child — cruel and difficult but still totally possible. Unlike the "Star Wars" franchise, Hogwarts houses no clear stinkers. Thus, your ranking might say more about you than it does about the series. Our take:
1. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" (2011)
The finale rose above expectations to desecrate Voldemort and our poor little hearts, collectively.
2. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004)
Director Alfonso Cuarón ("Gravity") pushed the series in the right direction as we met beloved (and ultimately doomed) characters with a more dramatic tone and a touch of mania.
3. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001)
Our heroes' film debut is campy and silly, just like the book.
4. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1" (2010)
How many movies devote this much effort to character and plot development?
5. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005)
This huge book is squeezed into an action-packed movie at a palatable run time.
6. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2007)
Everything in this installment pales against the pink terror that is Dolores Umbridge.
7. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (2009)
While riddled with dark and wonderful moments, this one also wanders too far away from its book counterpart.
8. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002)
Giant snake creature aside, this 2½-hour drone is the lowest valley in a "Harry Potter" marathon.
