I Called In Sick Today

[CaneBrain 95]

I don't think LOTR counts in this conversation. It is basically One long 9 hour movie (12 with the extended versions). I guess the same could be said about Star Wars, but I don't really see it that way, since it spans such a large time spectrum.LOTR spanned a one year trek (if you don't count the time between when Gandolf first visits Frodo and the returns 17 years later) but that is only one chapter in the entire book).EDIT: Seeing MK's post, I think the 3rd Indiana Jones is the best, but that might just because Sean Connery was in it.

I agree that Last Crusade is the best of Indiana Jones movies but I think again it is one of those "resonates with me" things. Last crusade was one of the first movies I saw in a theater.....whereas I did not see Raiders of the Lost Ark until several years later. I think most people like Raiders the best though.I did not like Temple of Doom. I dont know why. Something about it just never clicked for me.I agree with whoever said Dark Knight is a sequel. That is a good, clear example of a sequel being better than its predecessor (though I still like Batman Begins a lot).JJJ, I think all the good nominees have been mentioned. It is rare to get three good movies in a series. I felt like Spiderman could come close but I did not like the third one much. A lot depends on how good Transformers 3 is (jk, threw that in for LLY if he ever comes around).

[vbnautilus 48]

Temple of Doom was awful. That little asian kid was basically a precursor to Jar-Jar Binks. I also like Last Crusade the best. I think it works best on a mythological level. The Ark of the Covenant just doesn't resonate as an object of desire as well as The Holy Grail. Better MacGuffen + Sean Connery = better movie. I still love Raiders though.

[gobears 0]

Empire Strikes back > Original although it's close, ROTJ was pretty bad.Raiders #1, then the Crusade, then #2Original Terminator > T2 although both are great.Aliens > Alien but only b/c I loved the actors in the 2nd one (great supporting cast)American Pie #1 was better then 2 and 3.

[speedz99 145]

American Pie #1 was better then 2 and 3.

Last Crusade is in my top 15 favorite films of all time...extremely re-watchable and full of enough quotes to annoy my friends and family with for the rest of my life. I refuse to even rate the American Pie movies.

[Tactical Bear 3]

we allowed ourselves one "degen night"

You only took one Degen Night? Jesus, what's wrong with you? We would only allow ourselves one Serious Business night.

You know, I think I'm with you guys now. I'm pushing Old School/Wedding Crashers down my list and replacing it with 40 Year Old Virgin/Knocked Up/Superbad/Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I know the last one is a stretch, but there's still a lot of overlap.

The Apatow movies are better than the Todd Phillips movies. Thank you. This is the point I'm most interested in debating.

Your Back to the Future opinion is clearly wrong. 3 was way better than 2. 1 and 3 were very good, 2 was a disaster.I thought the second one was too gimmicky.

One of my best friends in college was named Toby. Whenever we were ultra-hungover -- pretty much the entire summer of 2003 -- we would put on Back to the Future II and just scream "MORE! MORE OVER THE TOP!!" then giggle hysterically. I mean, Old Man Biff? Future Biff? The Asian Boss? Man, talk about... just horrible. Gimmicky doesn't even begin to describe it.

You can probably make an argument for Godfather II.The Empire Strikes Back > Star Wars A New Hope, but the original is so iconic that it probably receives enough bonus points to reverse that.Does The Dark Knight count as a sequel?Terminator 2? Toy Story 2?

The second of the Dark Night movies was better than the first, so that one counts for sure.

I happen to think that the original is the best of that series, but I think most people like T2 the best.

I'm with you, but we're in the minority, here, and always will be. Huh. I thought I had more to say. I suppose I'm allowed to bomb once in a while...

[Tactical Bear 3]

JJJ, I think all the good nominees have been mentioned. It is rare to get three good movies in a series. I felt like Spiderman could come close but I did not like the third one much. A lot depends on how good Transformers 3 is (jk, threw that in for LLY if he ever comes around).

The Spiderman movies fucking suck.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

I don’t know why we have to discount Lord of the Rings or even Harry Potter simply because they were working off of a series of books. It’s not like the movie version of a great book has never sucked.

[speedz99 145]

The Apatow movies are better than the Todd Phillips movies. Thank you. This is the point I'm most interested in debating.

The debate would boil down to which group you identify with more, loudmouth douchebags or quirky underdogs. But the Apatow movies really are more clever and funny, hands down.

One of my best friends in college was named Toby. Whenever we were ultra-hungover -- pretty much the entire summer of 2003 -- we would put on Back to the Future II and just scream "MORE! MORE OVER THE TOP!!" then giggle hysterically. I mean, Old Man Biff? Future Biff? The Asian Boss? Man, talk about... just horrible. Gimmicky doesn't even begin to describe it.

Is Toby's name of any significance here, or were you just putting a more personal touch on this story?

The second of the Dark Night movies was better than the first, so that one counts for sure.

Unfortunately, due in part to Ledger's death, the third Dark Night installment will not be as good as the second, thus hurting it in the "solid series the whole way through" discussion.

I'm with you, but we're in the minority, here, and always will be.

You know what really pisses me off? When people assume that I say I like the original better just to be edgy, or whatever the hell they think I'm trying to communicate through my movie choices. It was just better. Sure, the stop-motion terminator skeleton was a little hokey and it was in no way a perfect movie, but I love how dark and (relatively) realistic it is. No cartoonish violence, no humor to relieve the tension, etc. This is one of those times when we're in the minority but 100% correct.

Huh. I thought I had more to say. I suppose I'm allowed to bomb once in a while...

I'm sure Mexi would say that this is less of a bomb than a 1000 word post would have been.

[JubilantLankyLad 1,957]

batman begins was a reboot, and dark knight was a sequel.you could make the argument that aliens was better than alien, even though they're totally different types of moviestar trek II beats star trek: the movie (but what doesn't. veeegggeeeeer.....bah)the harry potter movies seem to be getting better as they go, although i haven't seen the latest one yet (like in the last 10 hours)and the first pink panther movie wasn't as good as the sequels. at least not until peter sellers had died and they made a sequel from outtakes, cutting room floor footage, fuzzy lensed actors in the distance, and steve martin. oh steve martin, how far you have fallen.

[mk 11]

The Apatow movies are better than the Todd Phillips movies. Thank you. This is the point I'm most interested in debating.

you're welcome

[speedz99 145]

I don’t know why we have to discount Lord of the Rings or even Harry Potter simply because they were working off of a series of books. It’s not like the movie version of a great book has never sucked.

I was just saying that Coughlin's Law doesn't apply here. I'm not discounting those series, just saying that they didn't end on a high point, necessarily, they ended because they had to...there was nowhere left to go. There was no Rocky V, no Indiana Jones IV, no Godfather III, etc, because that wasn't a possibility. Like someone said about LOTR, because it's working off of finite material, they could almost be counted as one continuous film. Then you have the Bourne series, which is different because there is no definitive end to the book series.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

I was just saying that Coughlin's Law doesn't apply here. I'm not discounting those series, just saying that they didn't end on a high point, necessarily, they ended because they had to...there was nowhere left to go. There was no Rocky V, no Indiana Jones IV, no Godfather III, etc, because that wasn't a possibility. Like someone said about LOTR, because it's working off of finite material, they could almost be counted as one continuous film. Then you have the Bourne series, which is different because there is no definitive end to the book series.

Oh, that makes sense. I liked all the Bourne movies.

[speedz99 145]

Oh, that makes sense.

But...aren't we supposed to argue more or something? You didn't even point out my awkward use of "necessarily".

I liked all the Bourne movies.

I like the first a lot, and thought the second and third were just ok. Definitely entertaining, but nothing too special. There are only so many times I can get excited about high pitched violin notes playing when someone realizes that Bourne is watching them RIGHT NOW!

[JoeyJoJo 18]

But...aren't we supposed to argue more or something? You didn't even point out my awkward use of "necessarily".

I’m a little rusty at foruming.

I like the first a lot, and thought the second and third were just ok. Definitely entertaining, but nothing too special. There are only so many times I can get excited about high pitched violin notes playing when someone realizes that Bourne is watching them RIGHT NOW!

Your argument seems to be that the movies got tired, not necessarily that they decreased in quality. If you reversed the order, would Ultimatum be your favorite and Identity just ok? Methinks it would. But I think the ability to stay fresh is a significant factor in determining the overall quality of a series.Oh wait, was I supposed to leave that point for you? Sorry, so rusty.

[speedz99 145]

Your argument seems to be that the movies got tired, not necessarily that they decreased in quality. If you reversed the order, would Ultimatum be your favorite and Identity just ok? Methinks it would.

That's an interesting question...and I suppose that the same might be said for something like the Austin Powers series. I'm sitting here, making a very puzzled face while trying to picture watching Ultimatum before Identity. Very puzzled indeed. But I do think the ability to stay fresh is a significant factor in determining the overall quality of a series.

Oh wait, was I supposed to leave that point for you?

You were.

[speedz99 145]

I'm not really feeling anything from this extra strength vicoden (I had a gum graft done this morning). I was expecting it to be much more fun.Maybe tonight I'll drink a bit of booze and try it again.

[CaneBrain 95]

I'm not really feeling anything from this extra strength vicoden (I had a gum graft done this morning). I was expecting it to be much more fun.Maybe tonight I'll drink a bit of booze and try it again.

how many did you take? You will really not feel much from one vicodin or percocet. It will just take the edge off the pain but you will not really notice. If you take two vicodin with a beer, you'll feel it. Three and you are pushing it and will definitely have some fun but maybe too much fun.

[speedz99 145]

how many did you take? You will really not feel much from one vicodin or percocet. It will just take the edge off the pain but you will not really notice. If you take two vicodin with a beer, you'll feel it. Three and you are pushing it and will definitely have some fun but maybe too much fun.

I think I'll do two with a beer tonight, or maybe one and a half.

[El Guapo 8]

I don’t know why we have to discount Lord of the Rings or even Harry Potter simply because they were working off of a series of books. It’s not like the movie version of a great book has never sucked.

Again, I think LOTR is teh expection to the rule, especially go from Fellowship to the two towers. They literally stopped the movies as Frodo and Sam were walking off to the next leg of the journey. They are true extensions of each other over a relatively short period of time. Most sequels or trilogies extend over years and pick up at a much later date.In fact to show conguency, and I sure for budgeting, all the LOTR were shot in one long 18 month period of time.I too enjoy the Bourne movies, they can be put on anytime anywhere and I will be entertained. 1 was the best, by far.

[Tactical Bear 3]

I think Bourne Ultimatum, the third in the series, was the best. I really liked the first and second movies, too. The third one was just a dynamite action film, though.I'd read all the Ludlum books before seeing the movies, so I was really expecting something different when I went to see Bourne Identity in the theater. About 1/3 of the way through, I realized that they were just taking the very basic concept -- amnesiac spy -- and the names, then writing a new plot. I was disappointed the first time I saw the movie, since I was expecting a trilogy with David Webb and the Jackal, the redemption of Conklin, Bourne coming back with a vengeance and shipping off to Asia, etc. When that didn't happen, I immediately decided "this sucks." Upon a second viewing, though, I realized it was a great action flick. Second one was better than I expected, but not as good as the first. Ultimatum was one of the best action movies I've seen in years. Just a fantastic ****ing film. Anyway, that's very rare, that the third movie in a series would be as good as the first, let alone (in my opinion) better.

[JubilantLankyLad 1,957]

Anyway, that's very rare, that the third movie in a series would be as good as the first, let alone (in my opinion) better.

I think it happens a fair bit. One good example would be the Austin Powers movies.BOOM!

[speedz99 145]

You know what, here's the thing about Die Hard 4. Die Hard One, the original, John McClane was just this normal guy. You know, he's just a normal New York City cop, who gets his feet cut, and gets beat up. But he's an everyday guy. In Die Hard 4, he is jumping a motorcycle into a helicopter. In air. You know? He's invincible. It just sort of lost what Die Hard was. It's not Terminator.

[CaneBrain 95]

You know what, here's the thing about Die Hard 4. Die Hard One, the original, John McClane was just this normal guy. You know, he's just a normal New York City cop, who gets his feet cut, and gets beat up. But he's an everyday guy. In Die Hard 4, he is jumping a motorcycle into a helicopter. In air. You know? He's invincible. It just sort of lost what Die Hard was. It's not Terminator.

yeah, pretty much. The crazy thing is that I really enjoyed the performances of Bruce Willis, Justin Long and the head bad guy (whose name is escaping me) in DH IV and they just ruined it by going all wacky with the over-the-top action sequences.Die Hard is on the Fox Movie Channel all the time and I get sucked in usually. Such a classic. Die Hard II was ok....Die Hard III was pretty decent.

[Tactical Bear 3]

I think it happens a fair bit. One good example would be the Austin Powers movies.BOOM!

What's the score so far Ouchie? Like AP2 (5) -- AP3 (2)? I didn't realize I was giving 3.5 votes...Speaking of gambling, I didn't realize it until now, but I've got a pretty awesome WSOP sweat. Every year my buddy and I draft players for the WSOP, and I got Ivey with the first overall pick. He's got two bracelets, and we have a multiplier for the Main Event. I've already got him crushed, but if Ivey wins he'll definitely be buttressed up against our $2000 BOOM CAP.

[Piddle Duck 0]

Jon,http://guesshertits.blogspot.com/nsfw obv#4 ftw