UPDATED : Harry Potter and the Critics

What do  these scores mean compared to recent best picture winners/nominees ?  Hint : it not only looks nomination-worthy based on these numbers, (on paper) it could even win...(probably won't). For now, I think it will be similar to Toy Story 3 : rave reviews + stunning Box Office + last chapter-factor, but the Academy still might not be able to take it seriously enough to consider it for the 'big one'. For what it's worth, the film received excellent - almost identical - scores compared to The Return of the King...and that's definitely a great start.

Updated analysis : The film ended up - for now - with a slightly better RT-score (96 vs. 97) and a slightly worse BFCA-score (95 vs 93)...oh, well, you win some, you lose some...

For now

better RT-score than 10 out of the last 10 best picture winners (beats 90%, equals 10%)

better RTT-score than 10 out of the last 10 best picture winners (beats 100 %)

better MC-score than 6 out of the last 10 best picture winners (beats 60 %)

better BFCA-score than 6 out of the last 10 best picture winners (beats 60%, equals 10%)

better RT-score than 57 of the last 60 (last 10 years) best picture nominees (beats 90%, equals 5%)

better RTT-score than 60 of the last 60 (last 10) best picture nominees (beats 90%, equals 10%)

better MC-score than 42 of the last 60 (last 10 years) best picture nominees  (beats 68%, equals 2%)

better BFCA-score than 44 of the last 60 (last 10) best picture nominees (beats 69%, equals 5%)

Although these are all remarkably impressive on paper, it is important to emphasize that all this does not guarantee a thing (it definitely helps, though). If it were up to the critics, films like Toy Story 3, The Social Network, Up, Sideways etc. would have been crowned in recent years. Critics can't secure a film – especially a fantasy – a best picture win BUT they can be crucial help when it comes to the campaign and all those shiny billboards...

RT = ROTTENTOMATOES

RTT = ROTTENTOMATOES (TOP CRITICS)

MC = METACRITIC-SCORE

BFCA = BROADCAST FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION (CRITICS CHOICE)

YEAR	TITLE	RT	RTT	MC	BFCA
	HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART II	97	100	87	93
2001	A BEAUTIFUL MIND	78	81	72	94
	GOSFORD PARK	86	97	90	78
	IN THE BEDROOM	93	90	86	77
	THE LORD OF THE RINGS : THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING	92	92	92	87
	MOULIN ROUGE!	78	66	66	84
2002	CHICAGO	88	92	82	98
	GANGS OF NEW YORK	75	67	72	86
	THE HOURS	81	78	81	86
	THE LORD OF THE RINGS : THE TWO TOWERS	96	100	88	90
	THE PIANIST	96	94	85	96
2003	THE LORD OF THE RINGS : THE RETURN OF THE KING	94	98	94	95
	LOST IN TRANSLATION	94	98	89	?
	MASTER AND COMMANDER : THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD	85	93	81	88
	MYSTIC RIVER	87	95	84	93
	SEABISCUIT	77	80	72	83
2004	MILLION DOLLAR BABY	92	95	86	90
	THE AVIATOR	87	82	77	94
	FINDING NEVERLAND	83	79	67	91
	RAY	81	85	73	92
	SIDEWAYS	97	98	94	96
2005	CRASH	76	77	69	88
	BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN	87	90	87	92
	CAPOTE	90	100	88	89
	GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK	94	95	80	95
	MUNICH	78	61	74	89
2006	THE DEPARTED	93	93	86	91
	BABEL	69	64	69	94
	LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA	91	93	89	95
	LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE	91	89	80	94
	THE QUEEN	97	100	91	95
2007	NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN	95	91	91	91
	ATONEMENT	83	88	85	87
	JUNO	93	100	81	93
	MICHAEL CLAYTON	90	95	82	87
	THERE WILL BE BLOOD	91	95	92	87
2008	SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE	94	95	86	92
	THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON	72	76	70	91
	FROST / NIXON	92	90	80	94
	MILK	94	95	84	92
	THE READER	62	54	58	87
2009	THE HURT LOCKER	97	98	94	93
	AVATAR	83	95	83	89
	THE BLIND SIDE	66	60	53	85
	DISTRICT 9	91	89	81	87
	AN EDUCATION	94	94	85	95
	INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS	88	74	69	91
	PRECIOUS : BASED ON THE NOVEL ”PUSH” BY SAPPHIRE	91	92	79	89
	A SERIOUS MAN	89	86	79	86
	UP	98	95	88	100
	UP IN THE AIR	90	90	83	97
2010	THE KING'S SPEECH	95	97	88	97
	BLACK SWAN	88	87	79	89
	THE FIGHTER	91	84	79	89
	INCEPTION	86	79	74	94
	THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT	94	94	86	85
	127 HOURS	93	91	82	90
	THE SOCIAL NETWORK	96	100	95	95
	TOY STORY 3	99	100	92	97
	TRUE GRIT	96	95	80	91
	WINTER'S BONE	94	94	90	85