Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Who decided a school mystery needed 161 minutes? Chamber of Secrets is the longest Potter movie, and it plays like the first one on repeat: a bad summer with the relatives, the train, the feast, a creepy mystery, a showdown underground. Dobby shows up to help by making everything worse, which is relatable, but his voice could peel paint. Kenneth Branagh is the reason to watch. His Gilderoy Lockhart is a celebrity author with perfect hair and zero skills, and Branagh plays him like he’s the president of his own fan club. The flying car is a blast, and the spider scene in the forest is still the worst thing you can show a kid who hates spiders. Families clearly loved it, with an A+ CinemaScore. A 6.4 because it’s cozy and well made, but it’s the same ride twice, just longer. $1,189 says you pull your feet up onto the couch during the spider scene like they can reach you there.

What works: Kenneth Branagh’s preening Lockhart, the flying car, and a mystery with a genuinely creepy edge.

What doesn’t: It repeats the first movie’s structure beat for beat and runs 161 minutes, the longest of the whole series.

Who it’s for: Kids who just finished the first one and want more of the same, and anyone who secretly loves a vain teacher.