What Every Sequel Should Have

In my last post, I spoke about 10 sequels which were better than the original movie. The movies on the list vary in genres, and what made them better all depended on each movie, such as Mad Max 2: Road Warrior having more action, or The Evil Dead 2 mixing comedy into the horror elements. Despite that, there are things all the films I listed had in common on a substantial level, and what would make sense for a sequel to have in order to be considered a worthy part of a series of films. While reading the list, think about how each of them applied to the listed 10 movies, and can apply to others as well. The list includes:

• expand on what the previous entry established
• not ruin anything the previous movie was praised for
• fix any criticisms the previous movie received
• assume the viewer has seen the previous entry and have the pace match that
• make the plot something fresh and not recycle the previous story
• make sure it can stand on its own merits
• include anything that the creators wanted to put in the first but couldn't should be implemented

While movies don't work on a formulaic level, these tips are ones that were apparent in the previous top 10, and should be applied on any sequel. If not, there is a better chance the movie will be a bust. And no one wants that.

10 Sequels Better than the Original

Sequels are often seen to be cash grabs or uninspired for having to rely on an established film. Many movies which have sequels sometimes have the audience simply ignore the fact that the sequels even exist. Everyone has heard the phrase "only the first one was good". Today I am listing 10 movies which I believe to not only hold up to their predecessor(s), but surpass them to be the best in the series. These sequels are so good that even if you did not like the original you should give the sequel a chance. These films are so good, even if you never watched the original, you should just so you can watch the sequel.

1. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
2. Aliens
3. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
4. Silence of the Lambs (Most people aren't aware that this is a sequel to Manhunter!)
5. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
6. The Rescuers Down Under
7. The Bourne Ultimatum
8.  The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
9. The Evil Dead 2
10. Spiderman 2

Funny thing about this list is that two directors had their work show up more than once,  James Cameron and Sam Raimi. Perhaps they have a knack for working with follow ups?

Review: Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard is the story that many people in Hollywood live. It is about a woman named Norma Desmond who was adored by the masses until her age caught up with her. She faded into obscurity to live a life in which her only enjoyment is reminiscence of her younger days. She meets a struggling script writer and she shows him her own story she has written in which she will star in and re-launch her career. She asks him to touch it up since he has more experience, and the two of them partner up.

What follows is an amazing character driven story that is both engaging and emotional. As things unfold, we sympathize with what Norma has gone through, and how warped her mind has become. It makes us think about the people who have tasted glory only to be thrown to the floor, and how much it means to them that they regain that glory as if it has become their identity.

If I was to give one flaw about the movie, it would be that the ending is revealed at the beginning. It sets the tone and gives the audience an idea of what kind of events will unfold, though its a shame it couldn't have gone about this in another way to leave the end to be a grand reveal. Despite this flaw, the story is still gripping.

I consider this to be one of my favorite films, and instantly comes into my mind when I think about what a well written story should be like.

Final Verdict: Red. Make a stop on Sunset Boulevard.

Credit Where Credit is Due

I was reading up an article on Wikipedia for certain info on my next movie to be reviewed, Sunset Boulevard. Reading through, there was one section where it discussed influences this film had on the world. I noticed a show that I particularly liked which had one episode pay direct tribute to the film's opening was excluded, so I just went ahead and added it.

Before:

Television

• The film inspired a 1959 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine".^[48]
• The season five premiere of Columbo, titled "Forgotten Lady", also drew heavily from Sunset Boulevard.^{[citation needed]}

After:

Television

• The film inspired a 1959 episode of The Twilight Zone titled "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine".^[48]
• The season five premiere of Columbo, titled "Forgotten Lady", also drew heavily from Sunset Boulevard.^{[citation needed]}
• In the episode of American Dad, entitled "Star Trek", the plot revolves around the downfall of stardom and pays homage by replicating the opening scene of the movie.

Gotta love that internet.

Review: Rashomon

Many people have watched a television show in which something unknown happens and each character involved is questioned with each giving a different story usually to comedic effect. Rashomon (1950) is the film which pioneered this story telling device, though done instead to tell the tale of a serious crime from four different points of view.

The story takes place in a court. Four testimonies are to be heard from four members of the party involved. This includes the bandit who is on trial, a samurai, his wife, and a passerby woodcutter. Each story is contradictory to the others. As each person speaks, the viewer tries to find similarities between the stories to try and uncover the truth, similarly playing part of the court.

To compliment the interesting story, there is a great use of lighting and camera work to keep the visuals interesting as each person's version of the story is told. Audiences watching can wonder what parts, if any, of the stories are true. The motivation and reasoning behind why the stories being told are so different has the viewer question and maybe even sympathize with how or why the truth seems less appealing at times.

This is a fantastic movie that can be enjoyed by any adult. The plot is interesting and the ambiguity keeps a viewer invested for a very believable story.

Final Verdict: Red Light. Take time to stop and watch Rashomon sometime.

Batman vs. Batman

In 1989, Batman was released to great reception, with a followup of numerous sequels. In 2005, a reboot film franchise was green-lighted to total three films known as "The Dark Knight Trilogy". These sets of movies have been compared and many ask which are the better Batman films? Today I will do my own comparisons and give my own opinion as to which of the two films which started each line of movies is better, Batman (1989) and Batman Begins (2005).

Both films touch upon the origins of Batman, though Batman Begins goes much more in depth. The first thing to notice is the different atmosphere of the two movies. Batman has a much more unique take on the film. It is a blend of both an action movie with underlying dark comedy. While a person may not necessarily laugh, it is a much more easy going film despite intense scenes with people doing flips, kicks, and shooting bullets. Batman Begins takes a much more realistic and gritty interpretation. The characters are very serious throughout the film and at times feels more like a crime drama or mystery. The action scenes are more choreographed to show a life and death fight rather than a brawl.

Keeping this in mind, the atmosphere described affects the other aspects of the film. Take for example how Gotham City is depicted.

Batman (1989) Gotham City

Batman Begins (2005) Gotham City

Looking at these images, Batman is an imagination fueled city, with architecture that does not exist in our reality but instead puts the viewer into its own reality. Batman Begins looks like an actual location on the other hand giving a sense of realism. The story in Batman is much more eccentric and Saturday morning cartoony, while Batman Begins touches on realistic themes and ideas such as drug trafficking and organized crime. By this point it becomes obvious what type of movies these are and what audiences they touch. Words that describe Batman show how the film is a good representation of what a plot about a man in a costume fighting crime would be expected. On the other hand, Batman Begins was described numerous times as more realistic to represent how if Batman really did exist as non-fiction that this would be how events would play out. Both of these movies are very different, and which one would be better is mostly dependent on a person's taste entirely since they are both not just good Batman stories, but just good movies.

To choose one, I would pick Batman. It is one of the movies that is better as an adult despite being assessable to younger audiences. It doesn't take itself too seriously, but still can keep a viewer from finding it too campy. Like the original James Bond flicks, a movie like this is very rare to to be able to separate itself from the many other movies that are both imaginative and realistic and create a harmony between the two. If you haven't already, be sure to check out both movies sometime to see these points on screen.

Information

I've often recommended movies to people, and often those recommendations were appreciated. I have seen numerous movies from the silent era to the present blockbusters. I have a wide variety of favorites and know a lot about each movie's individual history and facts. Being in university, and currently working towards a Communication Degree, I hope to become a filmmaker myself. Due to this, I try and watch as many things as possible to find individual flaws and strengths of everything I watch. Following this blog you'll find new things to watch which have become timeless treasures, or learn to avoid something that was a product of its time and is no longer worth the view. Find out about hidden gems and classics all on this blog.

Introduction

There are many rating systems people use to review things. A percentage from 1% to 100%, 4 or 5 stars, X/10, or even letter grades. However most people can judge things with a simple "good" or "bad". I find this to be a better system due to the fact that the other systems usually are unreliable since most would not be able to discern the value difference in most cases. Who can really explain how one movie is an 84% and another is an 85% for example? What accounts for that 1% difference? What aspect did that extra 1% come from?

On this blog, movies will be judged based off a traffic light's 3 colors. A Red Light means you should stop and watch the movie, for it is highly recommended. A Green Light means you should keep moving, do not watch the movie. A Yellow Light is a cautionary recommendation, normally recommended under the circumstances of a person's personal likes or dislikes, and therefore whether you stop and watch or continue past it is up to you.