Sequels and Trilogies

Sequels and Trilogies

 We have all gone through that one moment while the credits are rolling on an amazing movie we just watched, thinking to ourselves, "Wow. I hope they make a second one!" But are they as good as we hoped they would be?

Well, unfortunately not all of these flicks meet our expectations. But some of them rise above their predecessors and make us believe in the magic once more! 

So with that being said, what are your favorite movie sequels or trilogies? 

As you may already know, my favorite movie franchise is the Paranormal Activity films (if you didn't know that already, check out my previous blog, "My All Time Favorite Movie Genre"). But I'm going to talk about a different movie franchise that comes to mind when I think of sequels and trilogies. 

And that movie is...

                                               "Scream" 

Directed by Wes Craven

 

When I was young, I remember staying up late one night, surfing through the television channels when I came across "Scream 2". I couldn't watch anything else. That night was the first night I actually watched a slasher flick, and it's the movie that got me to become a fanatic of Horror flicks. 

 

  The story follows Sidney Prescott, who is at first a young teenager coping with the murder of her mother. Then, one year later, she and everyone around her is terrorized by the person who claims 

to be the one that killed her mother. 

 As the movie became a sequel, the sequel quickly became a trilogy. Now, we have a fourth "Scream" that is speculated to be the first of three more Screams!

 If you haven't seen any of the Scream films, check out the trailer for the original "Scream": 

But yet another franchise that comes to mind, and I'm sure almost all of us know what I'm referring to, is...

"Star Wars" 

Directed by George Lucas

We all know what Star Wars is about. But what's amazing with this immensely successful franchise is that the first trilogy actually takes place years after the second trilogy. This story is so beautifully put together that it shows you what has happened, then explores how it became that way.

  

 This was a truly different style of film-making than most others. It was science fiction at its finest, and still remains a legendary saga to this day. 

But if you had to pick 
just one movie franchise, 
whether it be a sequel or a trilogy, 
what would that flick be?

Share your thoughts!

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The Highest Grossing Box Office Hits of All Time

What is your favorite movie?

We all have one particular movie that comes to mind when we ask ourselves this question. Is yours an older classic, or is it this year's hottest summer blockbusters? For many flick fanatics, they will even see a movie more than once while it's still in theaters! And with today's movie ticket prices, that shows commitment! 

So when we want to think about what the most popular movies are, a great way for us to gain some valuable insight is to take a look at the highest grossing box office hits of all time--this just in, from Box Office Mojo:

#3: "Marvel's The Avengers"

 Lifetime Gross: $623,357,910

Having a lifetime gross of over $623 million, this movie was explosive! Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D (a superhero group composed of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, The Incredible Hulk, and Hawkeye) must lead the group into saving the world against the threat of Thor's brother, Loki). Packed with action and superheros galore, this movie will have you itching for more.

 #2: "Titanic"

 Lifetime Gross: $658,672,302

 

Yes, you guessed it: "Titanic" has made the top 3. A James Cameron film, Titanic tells the remarkable story of the famous sinking of the Titanic. It follows the story of two people, who share differing standards of life, yet they fall madly in love with one another. Little do they know, their time spent with one another may be short-lived.

...and the highest grossing box office hit of all time goes to....

 #1: "Avatar"

 Lifetime Gross: $760,507,625 

When Jake's (a papraplegic marine) brother is tragically killed, he is enlisted to take his brother's place on a mission in Pandora, a distant planet full of wildlife and a clan called "The Navi" who are connected to Pandora through their senses. While on an intel-gathering mission, he grows accustomed to the Navi's ways, and falls in love with a Navi woman. As the humans move towards demolishing the Navi's land and thus, their entire existence, Jake and Neytiri must lead the Navi in a fight for their survival.

Are these movies in your top 3?

Share your comments!

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The Best Romantic Movies of the Past Decade

When it comes to movies, there are some many different genres to choose from, whether it be horror, comedy, drama, mysteries,thrillers...the list goes on! But there's one movie genre that gets the best of us all--the romantic ones.

I'm sure many of you are thinking, "Romantic movies are just cheesy and sappy". And yes, that is true for many of them. But some of these films can be so extraordinary that they bring back to life the magic of movies. 

Do you watch romantic movies, or are they just something to do with your significant other? For me, an avid horror flick fan, I still enjoy watching a romantic movie from time to time. In the past decade, there are a few romantic movies that caught my eye and stole my heart:

"The Vow"

" I vow to fiercely love you in all your forms, now and forever. I promise to never forget that this is a once in a lifetime love. And to always know in the deepest part of my soul that no matter what challenges might carry us apart, we will always find our way back to each other."

-Leo 

I saw this movie when I had gone on a date with someone. At first, before the movie started, I thought to myself, "Oh man, this is going to be the biggest chick flick!" Even though it was pretty much a chick flick, I actually really enjoyed the story and the message that the movie portrayed. It tells the story of a young couple, Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum), living in New York City, who have an undying love for one another. Then, one cold, winter night while they were driving, they got in a car accident and Paige lost her memory. It shows the struggles that Leo goes through trying to win her heart over again, one date at a time. 

"Crazy Stupid Love"

"I will never stop trying. Because when you find the one... you never give up."

-Cal 

I loved this movie. This is a romantic movie with an edgy side of comedy. Starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and Julianne Moore, this flick will surely have you laughing and loving. Cal Weaver has lost his manhood. And because of this, he is getting a divorce. However, one night while at a local club, he runs into Jacob (Ryan Gosling), a ladies man and ultimate bar star. Jacob and Cal become close friends, and Jacob helps Cal take back his manhood, one girl at a time. It's an incredible mixture of romance and comedy that will warm your heart with laughter.  

"The Host"

"It's not the face, but the expressions on it. It's not the voice, but what you say. It's not how you look in that body, but the thing you do with it. You are beautiful."

-Stephanie Meyer

"The Host" is a film adaptation of "The Host", written by Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight Series. It begins with Earth being taken over by an alien race who infiltrate the human bodies and live through them on Earth. The world is peaceful--there is no conflict. However, there are a few humans who have not been inhabited by a host, and they are fighting for the survival and revival of the human race. Melanie Stryder, the main character, is a teenage girl who gets inhabited by an alien. However, the alien who has inhabited her can feel her struggles and her pain, and the two bond with one another and lead the rebellion against the alien species. I thought the message behind this film was incredibly powerful: if you can grow to love yourself, no matter how many forms you may take on through life, you will be able to overcome all.

 What are your favorite romantic movies? 

Share your thoughts below!    

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The Greatest Book-to-Film Adaptations

The Greatest Book-to-Film Adaptations

As film history has shown us in the past, film adaptations are very popular amongst the movie buffs. I, for one, love watching a film that was inspired by or based on a novel or a series of books.

 There are even a few classics that come to mind—did you know that Steven Spielberg’s Jaws was based on Peter Benchley’s book “Jaws”, published in1974? Although the book incited a fear of sharks, the movie not only brogutht that fear to the big screen, but also brought with the most intense special effects of its time. Sink your teeth into that!

In the 21^st Century, there have been a few films that have been amazing adaptations from their successor books. What’s your favorite film adaptation? There are so many to choose from!

One movie franchise that is a huge success, and of course,  also a film adaptation, is “Harry Potter”.  The “Harry Potter” books was an extremely successful fad amongst kids, teenagers, and even adults. 

 Written by J.K. Rowling, the series of novels follows Harry Potter, a young boy who sets out to learn to become a Wizard, but along the way, encounters enemies of his past. The movies are a great depiction of the books, and are magical to the last wand.

 Check out the trailer for their latest and final installment of the Harry Potter franchise, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"!

Another book-to-film adaptation I thought was amazing

 yet is still to be seen (for the most part) is 

"The Hunger Games".

These books follow a girl who is living in a world where others view their survival as a hit television show. 

 It's a "last man standing" world out there, and no one is a match for Katniss Everdeen.

Watch the trailer for The Hunger Games 2: Catching Fire, coming to a theater near you November 22, 2013!

What are your favorite book-to-film adaptations? Share your thoughts!

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