Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Horrible Bosses 2 - The first was brilliantly funny and comedy sequels don't have the best track record. Not to mention, how can you bring back the OG cast and keep it fresh and not be completely preposterous? I dunno, but they pulled it off.

22 Jump Street - Lord & Miller pulled off a helluva thing making 21 Jump Street work so well, so how could they possibly match the magic of the first? Who knows, but it's just as funny all the while poking fun of themselves for even going back to the well.

Hands down the best looking Pixar film to date. However for me, the movie is not only the worst Toy Story movie, but easily bottom tier Pixar.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Back to the Future II

It went back in time and went to the future and took the time travel element to new levels and had all kinds of interesting elements like Biff becoming rich with the sports almanac,

Maybe it exceeded the original?

Much better than part 3.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Psycho II Is surprisingly good, but it can't compare to the original. It's like 2010 vs. 2001. Both sequels are much better than they have any right to be, but the originals are transformative works of cinema. Pretentious af sounding, but true. The sequels are, comparatively, just very good movies.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

House of 1000 Corpses is a fun throwback for people who like a very specific genre of horror. The Devil's Rejects is a modern day horror classic.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Wow really. Interesting take. Worse than Cars 2+3? Good Dinosaur? Monsters University?

Beyond the visuals I really liked the story. It was almost existential in nature. Asked some big questions in the context of toys. IMO It really let the characters explore who they were beyond just existing for the plot. Character development. And while the ending of Toy Story 3 is incredibly well done and emotional I think the ending of Toy Story 4 is just as good is not better since it actually separates Woody and Buzz.

.....only for them to be together again for Toy Story 5 -rolleyes-. Toy Story 4 really surprised me but I really don't think they can do it again with 5. Especially recent Disney and all their half assed cash grabs. I don't know, Pixar still has some magic left in it so we'll see.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

I haven’t seen it since it was originally in theaters so my memory is the best with this one but I remember finding the whole thing kind of cringey. None of the jokes landed at all for me. Granted, I was only about 15 when I saw it and or janky didn’t have the understating of The Brady Bunch that I do today.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Which is pretty impressive considering I recall hearing that they basically wrote themselves into a corner with the ending of the original BTTF where they fly off into the future. They did a pretty great job of taking that goofy throw-away gag and making an interesting and creative movie out of it.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Jurassic Park World - maybe it's more like a reboot than a sequel but it still surprised me as the second best JP movie IMO. Or maybe it was just far enough removed from the original. I was just disappointed with JP 2&3 but maybe that's because the original was just so amazing.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Carrie 2: The Rage is way better than it has a right to be.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

That’s fair and I can totally see preferring the original. I just think the sequel brings some interesting elements to the table and is a bit more rewatchable. I love the original Hitchcock film too though don’t get me wrong.

I just remember having never seen the sequels and thinking they must suck but they’re surprisingly good. Psycho II being the best of them by far, but Psycho III is actually decent too (a clear step down from the first two though). Psycho IV is probably my least favorite.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

I really loved the lead actress as well. Too bad we didn't get more of her.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

I've really grown to appreciate Psycho III, largely because it so firmly set in time as a mid-80s movie (all that punk, neon lighting), and enhanced by learning Perkins' was largely inspired by the Coen's Blood Simple (even going so far as to get Carter Burwell to do the score). I think it's a real shame Perkins only directed on other movie, as Psycho III shows he had the talent for it.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...8ed893c479.jpg

My teenaged self used to tell me that this is quite likely, and always will be, the greatest sequel of all time.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Back to the Future II was a master-class in storytelling organization! There's a lot of moving parts and timelines and yet manages to keep the audience up-to-speed with the plot mechanics. It doesn't have the heart or sense of wonder the original movie had but it was fun and unpredictable.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

This is a good one. And as someone else said, every one of these sequels was kind of threatening to undo the quality of what came before it and yet all four are good movies. Let's see what 5 brings.

I was really young when Wrath of Khan came out but I did watch the original and there's no way I would've expected that to be the sequel considering I pretty much fell asleep during the first one.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

She was on the show Shameless for a couple of seasons, that's the only other thing I saw her in.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Yeah, same ballpark as the films you mentioned, well Cars 2 and M:U at least. I never saw the other two.

I'm posted before but TS4 is just a flawed movie. First the entire gang is relegated to bit parts and completely wasted. Part of why TS works is that it's an ensemble. Buzz was reduced to a punchline instead of an actual character. Forky was annoying and did nothing for me. But the biggest problem is with Woody whom we've spent 3 movies with where he always preached "be there for your kid," "be there for your kid" and "be there for your kid." He would relentlessly save every "lost" toy so that they would continue to be there for their kid. Getting bagged up for the attic? Stay strong folks, "be there for your kid." Once Bonnie leaves Woody in the closet once...just once, he fucking bails. That's not Woody. I don't care if he wasn't technically Bonnie's toy, but he was part of the gang. He couldn't be a supporting player like he preached to every other toy. I get they wanted a road trip to find Bo Peep but betraying your main character to do it was the wrong way to go. I know it was to teach some new ham fisted lesson that I don't even remember at this point, but at that point I didn't care.

And yes, I know I stand alone with this sentiment. :lol:

But again, hands down it's is the most gorgeous CG animated movie to date, not just Pixar's. There's no denying that.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Maybe it is nothing revealing or groundbreaking but Godfather II and Empire Strikes Back were better than the originals though I bet in the 70's and 80's people probably did not have high expectations before they saw those movies.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Not sure about Godfather II but I'm pretty sure people had huge expectations for Empire. Anyone care to comment that was there? I guess I'm considered a youngin' 'round these parts. :D

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

I’ll include prequels and reboots remakes of franchise films etc.

Prey
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Dead or Alive 2
Saraband
Halloween III
Rambo 4 (second greatest pure action film of this century imo)
Rocky Balboa
Fury Road
Evil Dead 2013

Up until I saw these movies, I thought they would be a let down. But I love all of them.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

^ Rocky Balboa quickly became my favorite of all the Rocky movies. It had so much heart that most of the other movies are missing. And the fact that the whole thing centers around an exhibition fight proves that the story is more about the character than it is around the results of a big event.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Stallone redeemed himself with that to make up for Rocky 5 and probably led to the greenlighting of the Creed movies.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

Young Guns II

I don't remember that much from the 1st movie but the sequel was way better.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

You're not alone.

After three movies of Woody trying to get back to Andy because toys belong with their kids, TS4 Woody gave us
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...adaffabee3.jpg

It was out of character and nullifies his entire motivation across the earlier films. I left the theater angry.

Re: Sequels that were way better than you were expecting
 

I was there, 12 years old at the time, and absolutely had HUGE expectations for Empire. I was not the least bit disappointed. :)