Film series where the 3rd or even 4th film, is better than the first two.

[hermitical]

I've got your back, bro. It's watchable, the tumultuous production history is fun to read about, but that's about it. I can understand *preferring* it to Aliens if you disliked the direction the latter took the series in, but struggle to imagine why anyone would prefer it to the first, and it's no great shakes as a film.

I've seen them multiple times, we just did a rewatch of the lot in preparation for the new one, and yep I prefer Alien 3 (Assembly Cut) to the first. Sorry!
I love the relentless bleakness, the apocalyptic religious aspects and the actors do great work.

[Shit Good Nose]

I love the relentless bleakness, the apocalyptic religious aspects and the actors do great work.

Agreed.

'Nam in space with grunts, a bad script and patchy acting?  Not so much into that.

As I've said many a time on CaB, I think the only thing of real value Aliens brought to the series was the confirmation that the aliens were intelligent creatures and not just hunter/survivalists.

[asids]

Rocky 3 is the best one. And Rocky 4 is also better than the first 2.

Agreed. I'll take Clubber Lang or Ivan Drago over Apollo Creed any day of the week.

[Crabwalk]

Agreed.

'Nam in space with grunts, a bad script and patchy acting?  Not so much into that.

As I've said many a time on CaB, I think the only thing of real value Aliens brought to the series was the confirmation that the aliens were intelligent creatures and not just hunter/survivalists.

But Ripley in Aliens (and Alien) is just one of the greatest characters in the history of action, sci-fi or horror cinema. The third film is an interesting failure and I can see its appeal as the underdog, but the first two films blew apart entire genres.

[Shit Good Nose]

And Star Wars Episode 1 has Darth Maul.  Doesn't make it a great film.

[Mr Brightside]

I always thought Darth Maul was a bit shit.

[Shit Good Nose]

I agree, but he's a fan favourite and, probably, the most atypical character Lucas has ever created.  I'm just using it as an example to say that one good character doesn't make a brilliant film. 

I would also argue that Ripley develops even more in Alien 3, given that she's thrown in with a group of dangerous all-male prisoners and a group of all-male prison staff, most of whom clearly hate women.  All of which makes the respect she has to earn and the acts to prove herself in Aliens seem like a piece of piss.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

'Nam in space with grunts, a bad script and patchy acting?  Not so much into that.

As I've said many a time on CaB, I think the only thing of real value Aliens brought to the series was the confirmation that the aliens were intelligent creatures and not just hunter/survivalists.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QPJoRWz8Sc

[hewantstolurkatad]

Would Charlie Chaplin's Tramp character count?

[Mini]

Nobody's favourite Friday the 13th movie is Friday the 13th and I don't hear Part II mentioned nearly as much as the ones that came after.  Parts IV and VI are generally regarded as the best and VI is almost a precursor to Scream in its self-aware treatment of horror tropes.  III is good for having the best soundtrack & introducing the hockey mask, V is great for being a ridiculously campy murder mystery full of cartoon characters, VII is fun for being an unofficial version of Stephen King's Carrie Vs Jason, VIII is great for Jason winning an impomptu rooftop boxing match by punching his opponent's head off straight into a bin.

I've only seen the first 3 and have great affection for 1 & 2. I didn't realise people like any of the ones after that but now I'll have to catch up with them. Thanks Avril Lavigne!

[Bhazor]

Life of Brian is surely the best Python film.

[samadriel]

I agree, but I wouldn't call that a film series.

[Golden E. Pump]

Die Hard With a Vengeance may actually be my favourite Die Hard. Hard to argue with the original though.

[Howj Begg]

Sue this has been said already, but I'd rather watch Exorcist III than the others.

[phantom_power]

Army of Darkness?? Superman 3??? What the shit!

Logan and Captain America: Civil War are good shouts as well, and I would add Iron Man 3 to that list as well. And I predict Thor: Ragnarok will be the best of the Thor films.

Side Note: Why are Marvel so lazy about naming the Iron Man films when all the other sequels get different names?

[studpuppet]

How about a film series where the 10th, 11th, and (especially) the 12th are better than the previous nine put together, and then the 13-16th are better than the 10-12th?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carry_On_(franchise)#Filmography

[notjosh]

Lethal Weapon 3 is the funnest Lethal Weapon movie.

Iron Man 3 was my favourite Iron Man movie (the funny Shane Black bits, not the boring, contractually-obligated big exploding fight bits)

[Dr Rock]

Films starring The Beatles
1   A Hard Day's Night
2   Help!
3   Magical Mystery Tour
4   Yellow Submarine
5   Let It Be


Is Yellow Submarine the best? I'm not a huge fan of the first two and the third is shit.

[Ignatius_S]

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, if it is considered a sequel to Fistful of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More.

As mentioned it's a prequel (albeit inferred) but even if not, it would count as Eastwood, to all intents and purposes, is playing the same character.

However, personally, I would say it's better than the first film (although an excellent film that I love, I think it suffers from comparison with the one that it's essentially a remake of) but not the second.

Carry on Cleopatra
Carry on Up the Khyber
Carry on Screaming

That's a good one but think it depends on personal preference – I know some who prefer the Huddis-scripted films. Personally, my favourite is Constable, which was the fourth; however I'm hesitant to say it (or any of the others, for that matter) is 'better' that Sergeant.

I agree, but he's a fan favourite and, probably, the most atypical character Lucas has ever created.  I'm just using it as an example to say that one good character doesn't make a brilliant film....

Also, I feel that Lucas being surprised that Maul was a popular character, rather than one safe to kill off, was an illustration of poor creative choices that was endemic to the film(s).

[Mini]

War for the Planet of the Apes?

[greenman]

Hong Kong actioners would probably have a few, In The Line of Duty 4 with Donnie Yen in it comes to mind if only for this scene...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IOdJ3BTN8Q

[Jerzy Bondov]

I like old movies like Godfather 3. It's not considered the best one, but that's just me.

[Replies From View]

Strikes Again is the peak of the series for my money.  Pretty much everything that we now think of when we think about Clouseau comes from Strikes Again.  It all just slots into place.  Having said that, the hotel scene in Return of with Barry from Summer Wine is one of the greatest slapstick moments in cinema history.

Either way, sadly it's all downhill after Strikes Again.  Save for Roger Moore's amazing cameo in the otherwise woeful Curse of.

Never thought the first one was particularly brilliant - Sellers hardly in it, Clouseau not yet developed, ropey romance and lightweight thriller - and A Shot In the Dark, whilst good, isn't really a Clouseau film of course.  I think with Return of, they were only just starting to build Clouseau as a character, pinching quite a lot from Alan Arkin's interpretation (the hat and the coat appear for the first time).

Actually yes, I'll agree with you on all this.  Not just Return, but Strikes Again stands out.  It's deliriously insane and wonderful.  I especially love the dentistry scene with the laughing gas as Clouseau's disguise is breaking down.

Pink Panther wins the thread.

[thecuriousorange]

I like old movies like Godfather 3. It's not considered the best one, but that's just me.

+1 karma.

[Nobody Soup]

I've not watched the harry potters in a lot of depth but I'm pretty sure the first 3 were a load of shit from memory, it seemed like most of the cast was learning to act on the job, the others are a bit more watchable as they mature and have slightly darker themes and the threats seem more real.

[Gulftastic]

I've not watched the harry potters in a lot of depth but I'm pretty sure the first 3 were a load of shit from memory, it seemed like most of the cast was learning to act on the job, the others are a bit more watchable as they mature and have slightly darker themes and the threats seem more real.

No, the first two were CFF level rubbish. It was the third that saw them improve no end.

[Replies From View]

Nothing wrong with Children's Film Foundation thank you.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Harry Potter Part III is the only truly good one. The ones before are for babies and then it's diminishing returns. There's a good bit in Harry Potter 7even with all these animated shadow puppets. Rest of it is shite.

[Dr Rock]

Whatever number in the series Building Sites Bites is was better than the previous. The one about the dangers of still water must rank highly too. Haven't seen them all to be fair.

[Gulftastic]

Nothing wrong with Children's Film Foundation thank you.

True enough. I still fondly remember Saturday morning pictures. You must admit though that they are hardly the pinnacle of film making and some of them were bloody rubbish.