Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Top Twenty Sequels List Misses Mark

I may have to rethink linking over to TheMovieBlog. Their recent list of the Top Twenty Sequels of All Time list leaves a lot to be desired. In fact, some of the choices are just plain assy.

First off, it's rather lame having multiple sequels of the same movie on this list. If that's the case, it should have been the "Top Whatever Series" list. There should have been a "Choose Only One" disclaimer when the author set this up. Secondly, the "double sequels" chosen don't do much to move me: Return of the King had far too many endings while Star Trek IV gets more embarrassing with age ("Double dumbass on you").

I know it may be a little bit sacrilegious but I gave up my affection for Godfather II a while ago. Watching it again over the last few years left me rather bored with it overall. There are some great moments to it, yes ("I know it was you, Fredo.") but the flashback structure is wearisome. Army of Darkness - Same thing. Some great lines but not cohesive overall. For me, the Evil Dead series is all about Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn (and the original, of course).

I've already made my feelings about Indy Jones 3 known, as well as Return of the Jedi (I've written reams about the ways in which that film fails). And, um, Die Hard 3? That's another one I've shredded in the past.

I agree with some of the things on this list. Culling it down, I'd go with:

  • Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan
  • Aliens
  • The Empire Strikes Back
These are okay but not sure if they're the "Top of all time":
  • Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
  • Rocky 2
  • X-Men 2
  • Spiderman 2
Movies that should have been on the list:
  • The Road Warrior
  • The Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn
  • The Silence of the Lambs
  • Sanjuro
  • Lone Wolf & Cub 2
  • Drunken Master 2
  • The Bride of Frankenstein
  • For a Few Dollars More
  • Mr. Vampire 2
  • Cannonball Run II
  • Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

3 comments:

Ed said...

The Movie Blog list is a little too idiosyncratic. Your list makes much more sense.

Although I'm not sure I'd count Silence of Lambs and For a Few Dollars More as sequels.

I would add Magnum Force and Romero's Dawn of the Dead. I also think each Bourne movie has been better than the previous. However, they're too new for me to add them to any list.

But Mike, Cannonball Run 2?

Mike White said...

I'm just not a big fan of that second Bourne. Too shakey for me.

Cannonball Run 2?!? Dude. I always quote from those end credits...

washington said...

List needs more Babe 2: Pig in the City. Not to mention Gremlins 2.

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