So. I'm starting this second installment by retracting a statement in my post prior to this. Upon further nitpicking of my criteria, I am putting the Bourne Trilogy back in the mix. They have made a fourth movie, true. But the main character is no longer the same, and the story arc although similar to the first ones, will ultimately need to take a different path for Aaron Cross than Jason Bourne's did. If this had been a fourth Bourne film, with Jason Bourne again as the featured protagonist, it wouldn't be a trilogy anymore.
This distinction will come in handy later on down this list. Trust me. If additional films are added to a trilogy but have an ancillary story arc, even if some of the supporting players are the same, UNLESS the story is about the same main character AND meant to advance or preface the intial trilogy storyline, I do not count it against the trilogy. Indiana Jones, sadly still misses this cut as does Jack Sparrow in the Pirates movies. Now. On to the list.
10. Spiderman: Sam Raimi applies his formula and heavy-handedness in certain spots with varying success in this franchise. Sometimes this really works, when campy meshes with comics or when the symbolism of Peter's reluctant hero has to sacrifice so much of himself and what he wants for a greater good; Alfred Molina being a nice choice for Doc Oc, though it is murky on why he developed the Octo-suit. (Really? You couldn't just get some lab assistants to help with your work? You had to create something that punctured your spine so you could operate all the equipment with 10 limbs simultaneously?) And when it doesn't work, it realllly doesn't. Willem Dafoe is, not at his best (was that a nice way to say it?) as Green Goblin, nor Thomas Hayden Church.
Sadly, we had to endure Kirsten Dunst in all three films which is the biggest stain working against the trilogy. Tobey Maguire however plays a subtle, but powerful performance and I was not expecting him to be as good as he was. It really stands out too, against the difficulties of the others in the cast. The soundtracks are also quite well done. If we're giving out letter grades for these three films, B, B, C+. It will withstand the test of time, I think, too. So there's something to be said for staying power beyond a movie aficionado as the main viewer. That's where The Man With No Name Trilogy sadly just misses this list. In today's market, Sergio Leone's films wouldn't last 10 minutes before the average filmgoer...got up and left.
Side note: Spidey got an overhaul with a "reimagining" this summer. This doesn't fit into the other 3 films. It's a separate story arc, and it doesn't happen in chronology or in conjunction with any of the other films. Although Andrew Garfield plays Peter Parker a bit too doofy in spots compared to Tobey Maguire's surprisingly stellar work, everything about The Amazing Spiderman film (2012) is FAR superior. The romance, the relationship with Uncle Ben and Aunt May, a darker villain. Bravo.
9. Austin Powers: Gross? Yes. Silly? Yes. A loving and well made parody the 007 Franchise? You betcha. Some of the most memorable moments actually belong to the "villains." Dr. Evil's idioms, Mini-Me, Fat Bastard threatening to eat Mini-Me. Mike Myers did a great job making Austin the anti-James Bond, who somehow still manages to save the day and get the girl. If the gags (and some of them do really make you gag) are too much or are overdone, don't worry. Myers knows it, and they end about three seconds later than your comfort level holds your patience. Elizabeth Hurley and Beyonce Knowles are bright and beautiful leading ladies, whereas Heather Graham is merely the latter. Ultimately, it is great to see how he brings it all around with Michael Caine being incorporated as his father, and Austin feeling like he lives for his approval.
8. X-Men: I know what you're thinking, "Didn't they make a prequel?" Well, yes. It's called X-Men: First Class, but as I wrote earlier, the distinction is that First Class' main characters are not the same, and the story arc is about our introduction to Professor Xavier and how Eric becomes Magneto. When we meet these two in the trilogy, this is already established and it's no longer just their story. And I tell you this now, it is one heck of a story. If the third film didn't just kind of exist to try and tie it all together, this would be even higher on the list. That happens a lot. It's because as writers, we may find perfect beginnings or perfect endings. Seldom both, and if we do, we lose the reader/audience somewhere in the middle installment. It's hard to conclude a series that has as much going on and going for it as the X-Men, too. I don't think it really was a concluding piece. As I said, it tied things up, and that's about it. And sometimes this can pay off. In this case, I wanted more.
It also fell victim to a directorial change. I enjoy Brett Ratner's work, but in contrast to what Bryan Singer had begun with the first two movies, it doesn't measure up as well. The first film was very, very well done. The second film is one of the best comic book to movie conversions ever and Brian Cox as Stryker is sickeningly good. Hugh Jackman would not have been my first choice as the main hero, but he pulls it off big time. Ian McKellan is fantastic as Magneto and the tension between he and Patrick Stewart's Professor X is palpable and the same goes for Jackman as Wolverine and James Mardsen playing Cyclops. Plus, there's Rebecca Romijn as Mystique and Anna Paquin is a treat. Halle Berry and Famke Jenssen fall short of believable. Telling too much of the story undermines what makes them as characters, comics and as movies so entertaining. I'll just say this. It isn't some silly make-believe movie about mutants who have special powers. It's a pretty accurate look at humanity.
7. Jason Bourne: This trilogy is as even-keeled as any on the list as far as being treated with the same quality and vision. All of them are equally good in those regards and I cannot choose a favorite. Matt Damon is the right choice as the brooding amnesiac who finds out he may be a deadly assassin. Again Brian Cox is great as well as Chris Cooper. Julia Stiles and Joan Allen are there to appeal to a larger audience than the teenage boy demographic and they fulfill their purpose most of the time quite adeptly. Watching others from the "Program" chase Bourne and reveal their own self-loathing is powerful stuff. There is a crispness to how they merge together; all of the action is full throttle, absolutely electric and of all the trilogies listed here it is the easiest to sit down and watch all three installments back to back to back, simply for time's sake. Also look for Daddy Warbucks (Albert Finney) to turn in a sinister performance.
It suffers from two flaws in my mind. 1.) Since it isn't meant to tell a love story, no matter how good Damon and Franka Potente are, there just needs to be less of their time on screen implying what they mean to each other, or much more. Still I know what they were going for and truly, it works. Just barely. It's distracting at times. 2.) As I mentioned, it is easy to watch all three in a row, but it is also the hardest to come into it at any point other than from the beginning. Watching Supremacy (2nd film) first would leave a viewer scratching their head, and would undermine the story's compelling nature of watching them in order.
Obviously watching any of these on the list out of order would ruin certain aspects of the main story arc. But this one wouldn't shatter any big secrets, it would just be downright puzzling and easy to walk away from. What I'm saying is, these three don't stand on their own as well to tell a story. They need to be together, without a lot of time to think in between. The third one is so frenetic, especially the fragmented fight scenes, it can harm or enhance a viwership. It feels like you're in the midst of all the flying fists, and it's also confusing and a bit dizzying. Still, great films and I enjoy them several times a year.
6. Godfather: This is probably a few notches higher on other people's lists, but again suffers from a lack of solid 3rd component. It's a bit like having the best appetizer you've ever tasted, followed by the most savory cut of Filet Mignon you could ever imagine, and finishing it all off with a single scoop cone of vanilla ice cream. There's nothing wrong with vanilla ice cream, and in fact, if it is offered up, I don't know anyone who would turn it down. But. When you walk into an ice cream shop, and you have dozens of choices at your disposal, milkshakes, ice cream floats, sundaes, when was the last time you chose a single scoop cone of vanilla? And certainly not after the best meal of your life. I cannot get around it.
The Godfather is nearly perfect. Brando is flawless. The Godfather 2, impossibly, is just as good. DeNiro is phenomenal and the meat of the story makes Pacino better in the second film. The first film won Oscars for Best Picture, Actor, and Writing and had nominations for three of the male performers in supporting roles along with five other nods. The second won Picture, Director, Supporting Actor, Writing, Art Direction, and Original Score with five other nominations. The third? Nominated for seven. Won? None. And rightfully so. Andy Garcia is good. But not great. I think it suffered from trying to be relatable to a newer audience 17 years after the second was made, while still maintaining the "old country" family feel of the others. Ultimately though, it is the greatest portrait of the American Dream on camera, albeit a cautionary tale.
Stay tuned for the last installment of this series on trilogies.
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