The Final Destination (2009)
[5] If you saw the three that came before it, you know exactly what to expect from The Final Destination, and you'll get nothing more -- perhaps a bit less. It follows the same plot as the other movies --…
Ghostbusters II (1989)
[5] The gang is back for another outing, five years after the enormous success of the first Ghostbusters. But its a mediocre follow-up at best. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, and…
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
[9] In this sequel from director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In), the virus introduced in the previous film has obliterated more than 99% of the human population worldwide. In San Francisco, there is a small colony of humans focused…
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
[6] Another installment in the Marvel movie franchise is never going to excite me. But if you want to be distracted for a while, Captain America: The Winter Soldier isn't bad. The plot centers around conspiracy, betrayal, and assassination --…
Muppets: Most Wanted (2014)
[5] If you love the Muppets, this eighth Muppet movie won't disappoint you too badly, though it's far from their best effort. Director James Bobin (Flight of the Conchords) and writer Nicholas Stoller return for their second entry in the…
Force 10 from Navarone (1978)
[5] Robert Shaw and Edward Fox reprise the roles originated by Gregory Peck and David Niven in The Guns of Navarone for this matinee adventure sequel. Shaw and Fox are led by Harrison Ford as a U.S. Colonel and joined…
Aliens (1986)
[10]
James Cameron accomplishes a rare feat with a sequel that doesn’t shame the original and succeeds on its own merits. Aliens is so different in tone than the original Alien, I think of it as a sequel only in name (this goes for all the Alien movies). In a smart move, Cameron decided not to compete with Ridley Scott in the areas of horror and suspense. Aliens is decidedly a combat movie.
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
[10] After deciding directing wasn't his favorite thing to do, George Lucas enticed his former professor Irvin Kershner (Eyes of Laura Mars, Return of a Man Called Horse) to helm the dark second act of the famous trilogy. The Empire…