Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

This second film in the Harry Potter series is a helluva lot better than the first. Harry and friends return for a second year at Hogwarts, and evil things are afoot. Rousing action sequences, good acting by the child stars (especially Radcliffe) and a darker storyline make this one a crisper, meatier movie. Kenneth Branagh is excellent as a new egomaniac teacher of wizardry, and Rupert Grint provides fantastic comic relief as Weasley. No Harry Potter bashing this year.