I still believe that the mark of a good sequel is when you can walk into it cold, without having seen its predecessor, and pick up the story.

That’s the case with classics like The Godfather series, and even mediocre ones like Father of the Bride and Rush Hour. Even the Beethoven dog movies make this possible.

But Harry Potter is a different story. For one thing, who hasn’t seen at least one Harry Potter movie? Or read at least one book? And if you haven’t, why are you bothering now to get on the bandwagon of this amazing literary and cinematic franchise?

 If you’re lost, it’s not because you didn’t have a chance to get hip to Hogwarts. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, now on DVD, is the fifth film about the young wizard and it is by far the darkest and most violent. It is also a remarkable movie. However, I can’t imagine letting a young child see this film, although I’m sure many parents will disagree.