Just some background: so I don't read the books prior to seeing the movie. It's just, for me, I enjoy the movies more if I don't know anything about it. I like to be surprised. And after having seen it, if I then go and read the books, I still enjoy them. So if I read the book after watching the movie, I get two times of enjoyment. It seems to me that people who read it first frequently get disappointed by the movie, because it can't match up what was in their mind. I'd rather have the twice enjoyment.

Anyway, I'm rare, I think, at least among my friends, in not having read the books. So my experience of the movies is decidedly different. Anyway, here's how I rank the movies.

1. Sorcerer's Stone - I dunno, everyone, especially, the critics, seem to slam the first 2 movies, but I absolutely loved them, and I think I've explained why elsewhere; they just have a sense of wonder to them, of discovering this brand new world. I really jived with that. And nothing can compare to the wonder of the first experience. So yeah, I loved how the first movie introduced us to this whole new world.
2. Chamber Of Secrets - Totally loved this movie, possibly even more than the first, because of two reasons. One, it kept surprising me, and that was fun. And it was clever in how it did it. I liked that a lot. Two, it had fortune cookie wisdom. That line Dumbledore says at the end about it's not our abilities who determine who we are, but our choices, that's some good stuff.
3. Goblet Of Fire - So lots of people who read the books say the last couple movies, since they have too much material to draw upon, drop stuff that makes it hard for people who haven't read the books to follow. But I dunno, I've been able to follow it all right. It's not really confusing. There is something missing though, and that's the sense of surprise that was in the first and second movies for me. Lots of stuff happens, and pseudo-surprises, but it's not really that surprising. It's just plot. That said, I enjoyed the plot of the movie but at the end, it felt awkward, no sense of closure, almost like nothing had really happened. I mean, stuff happened, but what did Harry learn about himself? What life lesson was there? So yeah, kind of mixed about it.
4. Prisoner of Azkaban - Liked this least of the three. Everyone else raves about it. I almost hated it. Main reason is, for some reason they kind of went with a feeling of realism in the movie, like in the way they dressed. That's like counter to the spirit of the story, isn't it? Shouldn't it be about magic and wonder? Not realism? Anyway, that whole feeling permeated the movie to me, and I just could not get into it. Least favorite.