this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2025
89 points (94.9% liked)

movies

2135 readers
147 users here now

Matrix room: https://matrix.to/#/#fediversefilms:matrix.org

Warning: If the community is empty, make sure you have "English" selected in your languages in your account settings.

πŸ”Ž Find discussion threads

A community focused on discussions on movies. Besides usual movie news, the following threads are welcome

Related communities:

Show communities:

Discussion communities:

RULES

Spoilers are strictly forbidden in post titles.

Posts soliciting spoilers (endings, plot elements, twists, etc.) should contain [spoilers] in their title. Comments in these posts do not need to be hidden in spoiler MarkDown if they pertain to the title’s subject matter.

Otherwise, spoilers but must be contained in MarkDown.

2024 discussion threads

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 97 points 4 days ago (4 children)
[–] [email protected] 18 points 4 days ago (5 children)

While I do not think that Aliens was a bad film at all, I kinda wish it wasn't a sequel to Alien. It's a completely different film, far more action-oriented

Then again my view is probably significantly coloured by the fact that I enjoyed the first one a lot more

[–] [email protected] 21 points 4 days ago

That's one of the reasons it's so good. Alien is perfect space horror. Aliens doesn't try to match it but tells a different kind of story with some of the same characters.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I think that's the fun of the movie. It's not trying to recapture the suspense or tension of the original. It's a natural evolution in a world of monsters. In the first movie, the crew are just people trying to survive on a ship in space with a terrifying novel threat. Any other monster movie sequel, they find new victims and run it back, but the characters in Aliens react as one should to a new threat. Gear up and go at them with soldiers and weapons.

It's still terrifying because you and they know what lurks in the wet shadows. They are prepared to fight it which is why it's an action movie, but it's still very much an Alien sequel.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (3 children)

The same could be said about terminator 2

load more comments (3 replies)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago

Which (IMHO) is the reason it works so well. The first movie can't be topped because we've seen the Alien and the tension can't be repeated (see: the later movies which try this same formula and fail). Aliens takes that and ramps it up in a different way to make the desperation of escaping with firepower on your side still nerve wracking!

The 3rd installment also takes a new twist and different approach but doesn't succeed as well (I still found it enjoyable, and rewatch from time to time.

Everything since then has been a cash grab of hot garbage.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago

The correct answer. The perfect duology.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 days ago

Game over, man

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

Empire Strikes Back, Aliens, and Blade Runner 2049 would be my picks.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

The Empire Strikes Back

[–] [email protected] 48 points 4 days ago

The Dark Knight

[–] [email protected] 41 points 4 days ago

Empire Strikes Back.

And if you're into "it's so bad it wraps around and becomes hilarious" films, Troll 2.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Mad max 1 was a revenge cop story nobody watched outside Australia

Mad max 2 was the apocalyptic Mad max everybody know

[–] [email protected] 26 points 4 days ago (1 children)
load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 23 points 4 days ago

Godfather 2

[–] [email protected] 18 points 4 days ago

Wrath of Khan

[–] [email protected] 19 points 4 days ago (6 children)

Bending the rules a bit here. I know it is not a true sequel, but it's part of a trilogy. Hot Fuzz is better than Shaun of the Dead. Also, except for the second film, I think the Mission Impossible series just gets better with every entry.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Why do you think Hot Fuzz is better? Not arguing, I love both movies! I had never thought to compare the two

Shaun of the Dead is on my "perfect films" list but I'm sure it's at least in part because of its context in my life.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago

I just think the joke ratio is a lot higher and they're all excellent jokes as well. Plus there's tons of little moments which you can pick up on multiple viewings.

Shaun is still a great film, I just think they got better with Fuzz.

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (5 replies)
[–] [email protected] 19 points 4 days ago (6 children)

People who grew up with the original will probably flay me for this.

Bladerunner 2049 was a better movie than Bladerunner. It took everything that was great about the original and improved upon it.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (10 children)

The original is a masterpiece. That said, I loved the sequel and have rewatched it multiple times. However, I don’t know if it is because I love the film or just anything Ryan Gosling is in πŸ€€πŸ˜…

load more comments (10 replies)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Old school fan here, from the 80s. I'm just dandy with this take.

Probably never been more nervous about a sequel to a beloved movie. I was praying and praying, please god don't let them fuck this up. But how could they possibly follow one of the top 5 most popular science fiction movies of all time?

Well, Villeneuve knocked it out the fucking park. I was sold from the first scene with Bautista. Sold. Enough call backs and fan service to put us in the world without being obvious and ingratiating. Damned fine line to walk.

Entire cast rocked out, too many props to write down. Yes, Leto was a little over-the-top, but he was supposed to be. Richest man in the world, totally disconnected from his humanity, and humans. And they got Olmos and Ford back! Perfect.

Got to see it with my ex-wife, no one else in the theater. What a grand experience. If it ever comes back to the big screen, I'll not skip it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

Do you frequently go to the movies with your ex-wives?

load more comments (1 replies)
load more comments (4 replies)
[–] [email protected] 20 points 4 days ago

Evil Dead 2, though it’s arguably a re-telling vs a sequel.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 4 days ago

Paddington 2

[–] [email protected] 18 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I don’t think there’s a better movie sequel than Terminator 2. It’s the reason why it’s still an ongoing franchise today.

Would people still watch the first Terminator if it wasn’t for Terminator 2?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

I like Terminator 1 a lot more than T2.

It's much more grim-dark with horror elements. I would even go as far as saying there are subtle cyberpunk motifs in T1. There is also a modicum of character development. Michael Biehn (Kyle Reese) does a great job.

T2 feels more like a teen's summer action movie in comparison. It lacks that edge and is overly sentimental.

I will note that growing up I liked T2 a lot more than T1.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 days ago

The first one is still a great movie. It's biggest hindrance is the low quality stop frame animation when Arnold is just the skeleton. I wish they would re-release it with the fan made improvements to the stop motion that have been done.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I wouldn't say they are better, per se, but these are some sequels I think are on the same level, when compared to the original film in the series:

  • Austin Powers 2

  • Die Hard With a Vengeance

  • Operation Condor 2

  • Back to the Future Part 3

  • Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

This one right here, officer.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

The Two Towers?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago

Los locos kick your ass.

Los locos kick your face.

Los locos kick your balls INTO OUTER SPACE!

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 days ago

Godfather II. The first is honestly kind of hokey and people are really stupid when they are trying to be clever. GF II has higher levels of tension and the execution of everything is smarter. And Robert DeNiro just slays playing young Marlon Brando.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

I won't go so far as to say this is better than Terminator 2, but Gremlins 2 is such a great sequel. Some people are turned off by the zaniness, but I love how it's basically a parody of unnecessary sequels and that they just swung for the fences with it.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)
  • Empire Strikes Back
  • Star Trek II
[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago

Nailed it! I'd add Aliens, not as a better movie, but as a worthy sequel.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago

I saw another comment that spurred my thinking. There are (how many?) sequels in the Terminator series that have only been increasingly worse all because Terminator 2 was so good.

The same goes for Star Wars. Empire Strikes Back is a damn good movie by any measure. I’m confident none of the Star Wars movies since have managed to even come close, and I’d even say the only ones really worth watching are the first, the second, and the immediate prequel (Rogue One)

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago

Hate on Michael Bay and his Transformers movies all you want, but there is only one movie with more robots that turn into more things than cars, more explosions, more ridiculous destruction, more awesomeness, more movie than 2007’s Transformers, and that movie is Transformers: Age of Extinction.

A giant robot that turns into a semi-truck painted with red flames, wielding a sword while riding on the back of another giant robot that turns into a flame-breathing T-rex robot. It’s unparalleled in the stupid dumb action movie genre.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago

I qualify a good sequel as a movie that can be enjoyed without having to watch the previous. Not that the previous isn't important, just not required.

Terminator 2 clearly fits into this category. As do a lot of sequels. Here is my short list:

  • Terminator 2
  • The Dark Knight
  • Finding Dory
  • Toy Story 2
  • Spider Man 2 (Toby Maguire)

Do Casino Royal or Rogue One count for anyone?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I was going to say terminator3 but then I realized you were serious.

I'll have to say Escape from L.A. It is not usually mentioned and I think it is better than the first part

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago

I can't think of any. It's hard to be a better sequel than the greatest action movie of all time is.

If I had to pick, I would say The Empire Strikes Back.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago

Hot shots! Part deux.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

cars 2. Nothing better than a spy movie where the protagonist is literally a car

load more comments
view more: next β€Ί