Favorite Harry Potter Books & Movies

July 2007

It's the summer of Harry Potter, and Simmons is nothing if not an HP fan—the proof, perhaps, in the photo below: Simmons as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. So here is Simmon's list of favorite Harry Potter books and movies, from most to least favorite. For the record, Simmons loves them all, so we're talking about minor degrees of difference here.

Ranking the Harry Potter Books

1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6)
   This is J.K. Rowling's most literary book, from the stunning second chapter, "Spinner's End," to the intricately evolving characters, to the emotional end.
    
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
   Rowling's third HP book set the dark tone for future entries, exploring fear and family lineage in the world of magic.
    
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4)
   Goblet of Fire seems to be the favorite of many HP fans, and it provides both a wonderful adventure and excellent plot twist.
    
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
   It may be too early to rank this book here—I need to reread (and listen to it on CD) over the coming years to truly decide its place. Rowling certainly does an excellent job of bringing the series to an end, and it is hands-down the most intense book of the collection.
    
5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2)
   Perhaps the quintessential Harry Potter adventure, Chamber of Secrets builds on the wonder of Hogwarts and the wizarding world.
    
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5)
   The first read was long and frustrating, meaning Rowling did a superb job of helping us feel Harry's teen angst and the heavy hand of the Ministry of Magic. I like this book more and more with each read, and some day's it's my second or third favorite.
    
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Book 1)
   The classic that started it all, but when the writing is compared to others, it is the least strong of the collection. Still a dandy, of course!

Ranking the Harry Potter Movies

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
   Alfonso Cuarón does an amazing job on this film, injecting new depth and texture, making it not only the strongest of the series so far, but one of the year's best films in any genre.
    
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
   A close second, Order of the Phoenix is directed by David Yates, who darkens the series wickedly, and to great effect.
    
3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
   Two of the movie series' best characters—Gilderoy Lockhart and Lucius Malfoy—plus Ruper Grint's faces (as Ron Weasley) make this movie fly, in a Ford Anglia, no less.
    
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
   My expectations for Goblet of Fire were so high that I suppose I had no choice but to be disappointed. While the settings and action scenes were excellent, many of the characters, especially Albus Dumbledore and Hermione Granger, felt over- and often wrongly acted. Plus the scene transitions disappointed me.
    
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
   A strong start for the series, it sits last on the list simply because the young actors haven't had the chance to develop. Still, the cinematography is compelling: Who can forget the wonderful night scene with the boats full of first-year students crossing the late to the Hogwarts Castle? That scene is my computer desktop, in fact!

 
Be sure to check back for more favorites, as this list is updated periodically!