Harry Potter is one of the world’s most successful and beloved movie franchises, inspiring books, comics, toys and theme park attractions alike.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter’s sixth movie in the saga, is a dark installment that delves into Voldemort’s past. Hailed as one of the best films in the series due to its stunning cinematography and powerful performances, this installment stands as one of its finest.
1. Final Destination
The Final Destination series is one of the most beloved horror movie franchises, known for its shocking death scenes and gory accidents. Since 2000, viewers have made these movies a must-watch.
The first movie of the series, “Final Destination,” follows a group of teens who have an audible premonition about a plane crash. Despite their efforts to prevent it, Death hunts them down one by one in increasingly graphic ways.
2. Scream
The latest installment of the Scream franchise picks up one year after Scream 5 left off, with sisters Tara (Melissa Barrera) and Sam (Jenna Ortega) having moved to New York City. This movie boasts some great new characters, a truly scary cold open, and plenty of insightful dialogue.
James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick write the movie, continuing the success of Scream 5 with some exciting new set pieces set in New York City; such as a creepy subway sequence for some intense scares or an unsettling bodega-shotgun scene that signals the first real shift in direction for the franchise.
3. Star Wars
Star Wars has been an iconic and beloved cinematic franchise, inspiring numerous TV series, books, comics, toys, video games and theme park attractions alike. However it also had its share of issues along the way – particularly its initial two prequels.
Star Wars was finally back on track with Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. This dark and action-packed entry marked Anakin Skywalker’s transformation into Darth Vader, featuring scene-stealing performances by Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine as well as five epic lightsaber fights.
4. The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is one of cinema’s greatest franchises. This epic fantasy tale follows a series of pivotal battles between good and evil set within Middle-earth’s fictional universe.
The story begins in The Shire, a hobbit-like land similar to the English countryside, but soon moves on to other parts of Middle-earth as it details the quest to destroy The One Ring. The Dark Lord Sauron desires to use the ring for his own gain.
Though the first two Lord of the Rings movies weren’t huge successes, New Zealander Peter Jackson quickly brought the books to life. Now fans can continue exploring Middle-earth in a series of new films!
5. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The Force Awakens is an impressive movie. It marks the start of a new trilogy of Star Wars films and boasts an adoring fan base.
The film showcases both practical elements and cutting-edge digital technology, serving as a testament to how modern filmmaking can draw inspiration from classic themes and storylines.
The film does not disappoint, however it also has some weaknesses. One of these is a lack of character development.
6. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a Middle-earth tale that unites loyal dwarfs, an illustrious wizard named Gandalf the Grey and an honest hobbit named Bilbo Baggins to reclaim Erebor from a dragon. Unfortunately, Smaug proves more of a hindrance than aid for them as he becomes increasingly difficult to work with.
Weta Digital used real-world lizards as inspiration when creating Smaug, giving him battle-worn features that Bilbo encounters deep within Erebor’s mountain. The outcome is visually stunning but highly challenging for its animators to create.
