Two of the biggest phenomenons in pop culture, with a plethora of fans, and an unbelievable level of success are the franchises of Harry Potter and Star Wars. With 22 theatrically released movies between the two universes, they have received high praise and adoration over the years.
This praise has come in the form of a lot of critical reception and fan love, both of which can be easily accessed and gauged by a look at IMDb. The various movies have scored both bad and good on the site. This looks at the latter end of the spectrum. Here are the top 10 movies from the Harry Potter and Star Wars series' ranked, according to IMDb.
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE (2001) - 7.6
Sorcerer's Stone is the starting point of the saga and follows Harry during his first year at Hogwarts, where he finds his best friends as well as encounters with those who are and will become his biggest enemies, all while dealing with his newfound wizardry and life away from his adopted home.
The film had 593,692 reviews with a rating of 7.6/10. It has been received as a great, faithful starting point for the franchise, introducing the actors, characters, and the wonderful world of witchcraft and wizardry extremely well, child-centric or not.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1 (2010) - 7.7
Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is the first part of the main Harry Potter series' finale and shows us the beginning of our heroes' long, perhaps final journey to find the rest of the Horcruxes and a way to destroy them. It's the only way to stop Voldemort, who is only getting more powerful.
The film is rated 7.7 from 444,171 reviews. It is shot beautifully with a great ensemble of characters/performers, but a lot of critics and fans point to the fact the film is more of a setup and stepping stone to the second part, rather than a movie on its own. As a result it's not rated as highly as its peers, even if it otherwise deserves it.
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE (2005) - 7.7
Goblet Of Fire introduces fans to the Tri-Wizard tournament, which Harry is entered into when someone puts his name into the Goblet of Fire. As Harry navigates this life-threatening event, Voldemort rises to power.
The film earned its 7.7 rating from 509,227 reviews. The continuing growth of the performers, as well as the filmmaker's use of the dark tone, is the source of much acclaim alongside the action, characters, and usual great visuals, with the film delivering an emotional punch on top.
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (2016) - 7.8
The experiment of Star Wars stories kicked off with Rogue One, the story of the group of rebel spies who journeyed to steal the Death Star plans, leading directly into A New Hope.
The movie's well-earned 7.8 comes from 517,420 reviews. The action throughout is immense, especially in the flawless third act of the movie, and that iconic Vader scene. However, the movie does have issues regarding characters and their development, holding its score back slightly.
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (2004) - 7.9
The Prisoner of Azkaban sees Harry at Hogwarts and in danger with killer Sirius Black free from Azkaban and seemingly on the hunt for Harry. While The Boy Who Lived also deals with the Dementors surrounding Hogwarts, a source of much fear for the boy wizard in the only main Potter movie to never feature an appearance from Voldemort.
The film scored its 7.9 from 510,886 reviews. The direction of Alfonso Cuarón is credited for helping the franchise move to a darker place with a tone and look to match, ultimately shaping the future of the series, with everything else in the movie maintaining the high standards.
STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015) - 7.9
The Force Awakens was Star Wars' cinematic debut under the Disney banner and follows the rise of the First Order as they charge a superweapon that threatens the Galaxy, calling the Resistance and heroes both old and new into action.
According to IMDb, sitting at 7.9 from 825,015 reviews, Force Awakens is the best non-Original trilogy Star Wars movie. A lot of this has to do with the terrific cast of performers, along with the familiar, yet entertaining action, and for ultimately being a great return to the franchise for new and old fans.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART II (2011) - 8.1
The final entry in the main Harry Potter saga, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 follows Harry, Ron, and Hermione seeking out the last of the Horcruxes, leading them back to Hogwarts for their last battle with Voldemort and his army.
The movie's 8.1 rating comes from 717,133 reviews. Deathly Hallows: Part 2 has so much to digest, and is one of the fastest moving, action-packed franchise films of all time. It earned acclaim for all of the above while also providing an emotional and satisfying ending to the saga.
STAR WARS EPISODE VI: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) - 8.3
Return of the Jedi was the ending of it all in 1983, and it brings together our heroes again as they look to defeat the Empire once and for all by destroying the second Death Star and the Emperor, with a possible bonus of bringing Vader back to the light.
From 900,523 reviews the trilogy's end sits at 8.3. While the laziness of a second Death Star is still a point of critical and fan contention, the emotions evoked, satisfying nature, ever iconic characters, and the brilliance of the ending still keep Return Of The Jedi an iconic, exceptional Star Wars movie.
STAR WARS EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE (1977) - 8.6
The movie that started pop culture's biggest franchise, Star Wars became an instant global phenomenon when it hit on May 25th, 1977. It is a simple adventure of a group of heroes who battle the evil Galactic Empire in a bid to defend and liberate the galaxy.
It sits at 8.6 from 1,170,348 reviews. Acclaimed for its visuals, innovation, storytelling, characters, effects, and so much more, it is a legendary movie and one of the biggest in all of cinema and pop culture.
STAR WARS EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) - 8.7
The Empire Strikes Back is the sequel to the aforementioned iconic film and continues our heroes' journeys through battles with the Empire, while Luke goes on a different journey to train with Master Yoda to become a Jedi.
Sitting at 8.7 from 1,098,136 reviews, Empire is one of the finest sequels of all time. Its darker tone struck a chord with fans and critics alongside its brilliantly crafted story, engrossing nature, emotion, and of course the ever-brilliant characters and performers.