Top Ten: Sequels

April 26, 2011 Top Ten 195 Comments

Sequels…Hollywood is filled with them and for better or worse they are here to stay. This week’s Top Ten Tuesday looks at the Top Ten Sequels (prequels count too) in the history of the Motion Picture business.

>> My Selections

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Jackson, 2003)

2. The Wayward Cloud (Tsai, 2005)

3. Before Sunset (Linklater, 2004)

4. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Cameron, 1991)

5. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Tarantino, 2004)

6. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Leone, 1966)

7. The Dark Knight (Nolan, 2008)

8. The Empire Strikes Back (Kershner, 1980)

9. Love on the Run (Truffaut, 1979)

10. Sanjuro (Kurosawa, 1962)

>>Your Selections

1. The Dark Knight (Nolan, 2008) 79%

2. The Empire Strikes Back (Kershner, 1980) 76%

3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Cameron, 1991) 67%

4. The Godfather: Part II (Coppola, 1974) 67%

5. Aliens (Cameron, 1986) 58%

6. Toy Story 2 (John Lasseter,1999) 42%

7. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Jackson, 2002) 33%

8. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Spielberg, 1989) 33%

9. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Jackson, 2003) 33%

10. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Tarantino, 2004) 21%

Top Ten: Science Fiction Films
>> Our Selections 1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick, 1968) 2. Stalker (Tarkovsky, 1979) 3. Blade Runner (Scott, 1982) 4. Artificial Intelligence: AI (Spielberg, 2001) 5. Me...
Top Ten: Best Picture Winners
1. Unforgiven (Eastwood, 1992) 2. The Bridge on the River Kwai (Lean, 1957) 3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Jackson, 2003) 4. Casablanca (Curtiz, 1942) 5. Ben-Hur (W...
Top Ten: Gangster Pictures
>> My Selections 1. City of God (Meirelles, 2002) 2. White Heat (Walsh, 1949) 3. The Public Enemy (Wellman, 1931) 4. Goodfellas (Scorsese, 1990) 5. The Godfather: Part II (...
Top Ten: Westerns
>> My Selections 1. The Searchers (Ford, 1955) 2. Unforgiven (Eastwood, 1992) 3. Brokeback Mountain (Lee, 2005) 4. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Leone, 1966) 5. Shane (St...
Top Ten: Comic Book Movies
>> My Selections 1. Oldboy (Park, 2003) 2. Unbreakable (Shyamalan, 2000) 3. The Dark Knight (Nolan, 2008) 4. Akira (Otomo, 1988) 5. Road to Perdition (Mendes, 2002)

By Next Projection

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http://twitter.com/steveblank Steve Blank

How can you have Kill Bill: Vol. 2 on your list, but not Aliens?
http://twitter.com/anima_tk Anima Tamara

Yay for Before Sunset!
http://cinema-fanatic.com/ oldfilmsflicker

glad to see Before Sunset on your list! also I totally forgot The Good, The Bad and the Ugly was a sequel or I’d've had it on my list, too.
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

I almost forgot The Good The Bad and The Ugly was a sequel as well. Had to double check which one came one first.
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

Everybody must watch Before Sunset! Of course, only after watching Before Sunrise!
http://twitter.com/aHealthyDisdain Julian Carrington

Does 2046 count? Because I adore that film.

That, and Hamlet 2.
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

It was tough, believe me. Tarantino’s ode the western genre was just too hard to keep off. In my attempt to a well balance list, I really only wanted to one film per filmmaker; in this case choosing T2 over Aliens, as well as Return of the King of The Two Towers.
http://twitter.com/steveblank Steve Blank

Come to think of it, isn’t Silence Of The Lambs technically a sequel?
http://twitter.com/steveblank Steve Blank

I like the idea of one film per filmmaker. Had you chosen Aliens over T2, I would have commented on T2 omission instead.
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

I guess in a way, Silence of the Lambs is a sequel. I mean it could be argued either way. Hannibal is definitely a sequel, but no body voted for that one.
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

I don’t really think 2046 is a sequel. I do adore the film, as well. What do you think, sequel or not?
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

I don’t really think 2046 is a sequel. I do adore the film, as well. What do you think, sequel or not?
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

Given the choice between T2 or Aliens, which would you chose as the better sequel?
http://twitter.com/steveblank Steve Blank

They’re both really great sequels, but since I like Aliens as a film better, I’d give it the edge.
http://twitter.com/aHealthyDisdain Julian Carrington

I’ve seen it described as a “loose sequel”, and I’d agree with that. In the sense that it refers strongly to both In the Mood for Love and Days of Being Wild, and that a viewer won’t get nearly as much out of 2046 without having been privy to Chow’s history with Su Li-Zhen, I’d say you could characterize it as a sequel, though certainly not a “strict” one.
Bensower

how is Godfather II #4?? that’s a disgrace.
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

I agree it’s definitely close between the two. Cameron is one of the few who gets sequels right. That’s why I’m not worried about Avatar 2.
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

I guess I had to the draw the line somewhere. But, if we did count 2046, it would have definitely made an appearance above. What about Old Boy, would have classified that as a sequel?
http://twitter.com/aHealthyDisdain Julian Carrington

Oldboy? To Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance? Or does it have a more obvious precursor that I’m overlooking? In that case I’d say no, because although it’s obviously a thematic continuation, it doesn’t share characters in the way that, say, Chow appears in those three films by Wong Kar Wai.
Lancemccallion

I don’t see how The Wayward Cloud would count as any more of a sequel than 2046. Also, Kill Bill Vol. 2 definitely isn’t a sequel. Filmed and intended to be distributed as one film. Only a money-grabbing decision by the Weinsteins to break it into volumes in the first place.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=48905784 Vakeesh Velummylum

Home Alone 2. There are some cold blooded people who follow twitter. Home Alone 2 is easily top 3!
Franchesca

surprising The Godfather II is not on your list. though i’ve not seen it myself, it’s generally well regarded, especially as a sequel. haha. but the main point of this post is: HOORAH FOR BEFORE SUNSET ON THE LIST!!!! one of favourite movies ever (and of course Before Sunrise).
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

I was surprised Home Alone 2 didn’t receive a single vote!
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

I love finding out great films like Before Sunset have a strong following!
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

The Wayward Cloud is a direct continuation in narrative. It’s a sequel, no question.
http://twitter.com/steveblank Steve Blank

It occurred to me that when people talk about sequels that are better than the original The Bride Of Frankenstein and Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan get mentioned a lot, yet neither are listed above. They didn’t make my list, were they close to making either list?
http://twitter.com/NextProjection Christopher Misch

The Wrath Of Khan came very close on the readers list. Just fell short.