My least favorite is probably the first one. My wife and I tried to watch it a few months ago, and it's a really poorly directed film - not only in performances, but in shots. Everything is so boring (and Cuaron and Yates really upped the game directing-wise). I'll give Columbus credit for some excellent casting, though.
It's very anodyne isn't it? Calculated to be family friendly. Still, I guess the intended audience was 12yr-olds -- sorta -- and if nothing else if brought Hogwarts and Quidditch to life. Was pretty impressive on the big screen.
My recollection is that not much got cut from the film that was in the book. I found the first to be more about establishment of a world than of a strong narrative.
