The subject of trilogies

[gymkatarules]

All right, Beaker started this on the Ninja Turtles thread, and I thought it would be fun to make this a new topic for everyone cause I'm bored and curious. Let's start up some real debate. Okay, the question is: what is the best/worst film in any of these given trilogies?

We're going to go ahead and count some series of films (like the Star Wars films, which used to be a trilogy...and should have stayed a trilogy...), but we're staying off the topic of James Bond and Halloween movies and such. The Muppet films can count as a series, or a trilogy of the films Henson worked on personally (up through MTM). I'm sure I'll be missing some, so put your two cents in about whatever you like. Okay, here goes:


The Muppet Films
best: The Great Muppet Caper
worst: The Muppets Take Manhattan (just...uninspired...not bad)

Star Wars films
best: The Empire Strikes Back
worst: Attack of the Clones

Back to the Future
best: the first
worst: the second

Indiana Jones
best: Raiders of the Lost Ark
worst: Temple of Doom (though it's not quite as bad as its rep)

Ninja Turtles
best: number two, The Secret of the Ooze, man
worst: number three (though it's really not that bad at all)

Batman
best: Batman Returns (Burton's most personal film next to Edward Scissorhands...watch it again sometime)
worst: do I have to say it? Batman & Robin

The Evil Dead films
best: The Evil Dead
worst: Evil Dead 2 (though it's not bad in the slightest)

Godfather trilogy
best: Godfather Part II
worst: Godfather Part III

The Alien films (almost a trilogy)
best: Alien
worst: Alien Resurrection

Problem Child trilogy
It's a joke, it's a joke.


There are other less famous ones, you know:

Scream trilogy
Don't like any of them so I won't comment.

Die Hard trilogy
Don't like action movies, but 3 was probably best, actually.

Anyway, I'm sure to be missing some, so get to it.

-Chris

 

[Buck-Beaver]

My trilogy picks:

Star Wars (Orginal) - Empire Strike Back

Star Wars (Prequels) - Episode III (I'm hoping, if not then "Attack of the Clones")

Back To The Future - Part 1 (but I love part two too!)

The Original Muppet Movies - The Muppet Movie

The 90s Muppet Movies - Muppet Treasure Island

Ninja Turtles - TMNT: The Movie

Batman - "Batman" (the first one)

 

[Skeeter Muppet]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned this yet...

Then again maybe I'm not. I'm not sure how many people know about the old-school PoTA (as in, not the one made by Burton).

Planet of the Apes Series:
Best: Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Worst: Hmmm... I'm torn between either Beneath or Conquest.


-Kim

 

[beaker]

Well to clarify, there are "trilogies" within series.
For Star Wars there is the clear trilogy. For Muppets there is the clear trilogy. I dont consider MCC or MTI films to be in the Muppet canon at all, and MFS is a stand alone piece. I first want to address your picks:

>>>The Muppet Films
best: The Great Muppet Caper
worst: The Muppets Take Manhattan (just...uninspired...not bad)

For me its reverse. Trilogy wise I didnt like GMC, but consider MTM one of the greatest films I have ever seen. Outside the trilogy MTI is the weakest.

Star Wars films
best: The Empire Strikes Back
worst: Attack of the Clones<<<

Well AOTC isnt in the trilogy...but again, to me Empires was the most depressing, not unlike AOTC. I find it funny fans seem to think Empires is the greatest, Jedi the worst...and MTM the weakest of the Muppet trilogy. Heck, Empires even ends on a sour note. Nothing in the Star Wars world comes close to Return of The Jedi. That is on my top 5 films of all time(along with MTM, Matrix, TMNT one, and TOYS)


Back to the Future
best: the first
worst: the second<<<

Its funny, as maybe its my '1989' thing, but by far the second IMHO is the best. IT was at the end of the 80's and was able to reflect and parody the decade(with the future sequences) The first one is ok, but man that third one was quite a stinker.

Indiana Jones
best: Raiders of the Lost Ark
worst: Temple of Doom (though it's not quite as bad as its rep)<<<

Temple of Doom went nowhere, and was quite disturbing.
Last Crusade I think is the best.

Ninja Turtles
best: number two, The Secret of the Ooze, man
worst: number three (though it's really not that bad at all)<<<

Yeah I cant even acknowlege that piece of poo thrid one. But TMNT one...definately up there with MTM and Dark Crystal as films JHC should be DARN proud of!

Batman
best: Batman Returns (Burton's most personal film next to Edward Scissorhands...watch it again sometime)
worst: do I have to say it? Batman & Robin<<<

Yes, Batman and Robin is a sheer horrid abomination. I really hated Batman Returns though...theres a reason, it was a mess, and they knew it. They even changed the script so many times because they were going nowhere. I like the third one better.
The original Batman as it stands(once again, 1989) is the best darn comic book film ever, and the one that started the modern comic book film adaptation craze.

The Evil Dead films
best: The Evil Dead
worst: Evil Dead 2 (though it's not bad in the slightest)<<<

Not into Bruce Campbell or these films, though I did have to sit through the third one.

The Alien films (almost a trilogy)
best: Alien
worst: Alien Resurrection<<<

best: aliens by far. worst...well everybody rips on alien 3 but I liked it(Im a huge David Fincher fan) but Alien Ressurection was pretty bad. I'd love to be able to write a Alien 5 or PRedator 3 script though.

Scream trilogy
Don't like any of them so I won't comment.<<<

yeah never seen em never will.

Die Hard trilogy
Don't like action movies, but 3 was probably best, actually.<<<

YES!!! Die Hard 3 was the niznat! Ive seen all 3 and really liked the New york one the best.

I want to add:

Never Ending Story. The first one is one of the best films ever...two was unbelievably bad, and the third one...ugh.

 

[gymkatarules]

Batman Returns is the completely misunderstood work of a cinematic genius at the top of his game. There's a few out there who agree with me. Seriously, watch it. It takes major guts to make a film like that. It's horrific, it's beautiful, and it's intensely personal. Burton was saying something. Take an in depth look at his whole body of work and then really give Batman Returns a good look and you'll see what I mean. It's easy to blow it off as a bad sequel cause that's what everyone does. No one saw it for what it was, only for what it wasn't. Is that what makes a movie bad these days, for not being what we thought it should be? Film is entertainment, yes, but its a form of art and self-expression when used appropriately. A filmgoer can't be self-centered when watching a movie. That's the reason we have all the crap we have today. Really watching and comprehending a film is getting outside of yourself and trying to understand what's being said and why. Batman Returns, honestly, isn't escapist entertainment. It's a challenging, complex film that gets better with multiple viewings, just like all good films are and do.

Okay, I'm sorry to ramble on. I've had to stick up for myself more than a few times on that one. Does it show? Okay, goodnight. Sorry again.

-Chris

 

[beaker]

>>>I've had to stick up for myself more than a few times on that one. Does it show?<<<

Oddly enough your above defense for 'Batman Returns'(a film that got a lot of news about how even the script was in shambles and their was major plot problems) makes it strange that you would dislike the films I picked.

For instance, my top five films all got booed by critics and fans(except Matrix) Toys(1992) is the single most astonishing, visionary, and greatest work of cinema I have ever seen.
TMNT(my second fave film) beautifully captures the era of 1989, and the true coolness of the original comic, with lots of JHC goodness and martial arts thrown in. MTM and Jedi, the third in their respective trilogies...are the most epic of the three films theu represent. Jedi alone blows the new Star Wars films away anyday. Seeing that was one of the single greatest movie theatre experiences ever...just a shame to see em rip it apart with that lame special edition.

 

[gymkatarules]

Just rereading my last post, and sorry if my posts seem preachy and "I'm the only one that's right." I don't mean to be overbearing. Everyone's got their own opinion and that's important. So, sorry if I'm pushy. Don't mean to be.

Anyway, no joke about the Special Editions. Lucas needs to quit it, like, five years ago.

I've never seen Toys, so I'm not sure what to say.

Since you gave yours, here's my five favorite films for future reference...well, it's really difficult to pick just five, but here's the best I can do:

The Hill
2001: A Space Odyssey
Broadway Danny Rose
Sherlock, Jr.
and...ah...geez...it's so hard to pick a fifth, you know? There's so many. any Marx Brothers film, The Wind Will Carry Us, Tron, The Manchurian Candidate, Head, The Shining, The Palm Beach Story, The Insider...see, I could go on and on.

Talking about movies sure is fun. Not as fun as talking about music, though.

-Chris

 

[beaker]

>>>Just rereading my last post, and sorry if my posts seem preachy and "I'm the only one that's right." I don't mean to be overbearing. Everyone's got their own opinion and that's important. So, sorry if I'm pushy. Don't mean to be.<<<

Hehe, dont worry about it. Over in another thread, I guess stating basically what everyone is saying will get you flamed.

It's odd, Im like a huge movie buff, but have not heard or seen most of your fave films listed. 2001 I still havent seen...and The Insider, one of my top picks for best of 1999 for sure. Love Michael Mann's style on that.

 

[pezbalubah]

I'd have to agree about Batman Returns the Penguin is so cool! While I like the original Batman closely behind it, Batman Returns truly is more of an emotionally filled film, the Catwoman transformation scene is amazing with Danny Elfman's brilliant score playing as Selina Kyle trashes her apartment.

I also like Muppets Take Manhattan best of the Muppet films and Return of The Jedi best of the Star Wars films.

 

[towels]

I too love Toys! Fantastic sets, visuals, etc.
Incredible movie, awesome soundtrack... I love it!

And I grew to love Batman Returns the best too...(well, except for the point where Bruce ripped off his cowl in front of Shrek who he hoped to put in jail...way to blow your biggest secret. That plus the cowl appears to be as tough as fruit roll-ups)