Can movie sequels surpass the original?

 

    Seeing many movies, some of them end up having sequels. Some good...some...not so good. But can a movie sequel surpass the original that it becomes better than its predecessor. Here are some of them that are better than the original. So much better...that some movies, I don't even see the first.

  Shrek 2- The first Shrek was about an Ogre saving a princess who also was an Ogre. They fall in love and....

 ....in the sequel Prince Charming (voiced by Rupert Everett) finds Fiona not there. His mother, who is the fairy godmother (voiced by Jennifer Saunders) turns Shrek (voiced by Mike Myers) into a human and well...it was great. The story was good, we had new characters and it should have ended there. The third movie was fine.... but it should not have made a fourth; and there's a fifth coming. NOT WORTH SEEING. But the second is the best of the Shrek Movies.

    Terminator 2: Judgement Day- If you remember the first Terminator movie, you will remember Arnold Schwarzenegger wanting to kill Sarah Conner (played by Linda Hamilton) in the sequel, he wants to save her son. It was amazing. Robert Patric played another Terminator sent to kill the young boy and Sarah Conner breaks out of a mental ward when the evil Terminator comes for her.

    ...After that...they started making more sequels to milk in money. They should have stopped at this one. Because after that...they started getting worse.

  Paddington 2- A couple of years ago, Paddington, based on a book, became a movie starring Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Bowen and many more. Nicloe Kidman was the antagonist who wanted Paddington stuffed.

   It was ok. The sequel was better. Hugh Grant frames Paddington and he is in prison where he makes friends, a mess and creates marmalade sandwiches for everyone. He finds a way out and tries to stop Hugh Grant from stealing jewelry. They made a third recently...it was fine, but the second one was better.

   Addams Family Values- I don't feel like talking about the cartoon or the sequel. Because both movies aren't worth it. 

    I want to talk about the 1993 version. The first movie came out in 1991. It was fine, funny, and the acting was good. The sequel, they have a baby. You think the baby would kill the movie. It doesn't...it makes it funnier. Wednesday and Pugsley are sent to Summer Camp; Fester falls in love with the nanny...and all hell breaks loose. I loved it from beginning to end. RIP Raul Julia...the best Gomez ever.

   The Rescuers Down Under- This movie is sadly underrated. It great from the voice acting to views of Australia. 

    A young orphan boy ends up in danger while saving a rare eagle. Bernard wants to marry Binaca, but never to gets a chance to propose since things get in the way. They meet another mouse while dealing with a villain (voiced by the late George C. Scott) capturing the young boy and stealing the rare eagle. It's a great movie and it's worth seeing. Sad it is not seen much, but it's worth it.

   Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back- The best Star Wars movie ever made. Better than the first, the prequels and sequels. Why? A dark truth is found out about what happened to Luke and Leia's father. The iconic quote: "No I am your father." still is true that is amazing writing finding out Darth Vadar is your father.

    When I saw it the first time, I already knew about the twist. It didn't surprise me. Obi Wan was protecting Luke from evil. This movie is worth the watch. It is better than the sequel trilogy with Rey...already knowing she is related to the dark side as well.

  Indiana Jones and the last crusade- Indiana Jones already had a sequel beforehand, but it wasn't worth it. This one concludes the whole Indiana Jones series (event though they made two more after this) This is worth the ending of a true great series.

   Sean Connery portrays Indiana's father. He knows something about the Holy Grail that contains everlasting life. A few bad guys that are considered Nazi's want to know as well. They kidnap Indiana's father and Indiana saves him. They go through an amazing adventure, almost die, and ride off into the sunset.... concluding the series.

  The Dark Knight- Christopher Nolan takes a crack at the Batman series. First off, Batman Begins is ok.... but I think Dark Knight was amazing. 

   Heath Ledger had to be one of the top three best Jokers next to Mark Hamill's voice and Jack Nicholson. Portraying a psychotic mastermind that wants to see Gotham burn. It was rumored Heath Ledger was going to be in the third, but he sadly passed away.

     The Dark Knight Rises wasn't that great either. The Dark Knight is the crowning winner of the Christopher Nolan Batman movies.

     There are so many good sequels that surpass the original. Puss in Boots had a sequel called the last wish which was amazing as well. Toy Story 2 and 3 were good. Spider Man 2 with Octoman as the villain was great. 

    Many movies like to have sequels, and when you find one that is better than the original...you know that the people writing them really do care about the original and want to make it better. Mission Accomplished on a few

Top 10 WORST live-action Disney movies

 

      Disney has had some hits and misses when it comes to certain movies. They used to have a renaissance when it came to the late eighties/early nineties with their animated movies from Little Mermaid to Last Emporer's Groove. Now....they decided to make most of their animated movies live action.

    Why? I don't know maybe because they want to milk more money. But it doesn't help when most of the live action movies are longer and doesn't follow the story. Here are some of them that I think might be salvageable.

    In 1994, They started their live action movies with a rare look at Rudyard Kipling's Jungle book. Mowgli is an adult and living in the jungle after his father was killed by Shear Kahn. I don't remember much of this movie...but it's pretty good and based on the book. 

   Not 100% accurate, but ok. 

   Pete's Dragon came out in the 70's that starred Mickey Rooney and it was more a musical. It was fine, and the dragon was a cartoon character.

   In 2016, another adaptation of Pete's Dragon happened. It was ok Not great but compared to about the worst ones.... it's in the middle. No singing or dancing. More about Pete trying to save a dragon that only he can see. Both are worth seeing

  The movie Christopher Robbin stars Ewan McGreggor as a grown-up Christopher Robin who goes into the hundred acre woods. Winnie the Pooh and his friends wonder if Christopher Robin is a changed man.

   He still a kid at heart as he's trying to find his childhood again while having a wife and two daughters as well. It was pretty good. But that's all I have to say about good live action movies based on Disney. Now....my top 10 WORST live-action Disney movies

10. Aladdin- First off, I love the original cartoon movie. Robin Williams will always be the Genie to me. He was replaced temporarily when the first sequel came out but came back for the second and last. Those were worth the watch. 

    This....is a train wreck. I don't want to say anything negative about Will Smith's performance, but it wasn't good. The actor that played Jafar...sucked. It just.... was too long and too boring. I just think it's skippable

 9. Mulan- The cartoon came out in 1998. It was great; Eddie Murphy voiced a side character and the music was great.

    The sequel...not so great. Eddie Murphy is replaced; there's no consistency on having any story plot happen...but at least it isn't as bad as the live-action Mulan.

     Mulan is already a warrior. She has a sister who is a bland character and well...it's hard to explain but it's not worth it. On the plus side, there are rare on this, the sword fighting is not bad, so hit and miss...but still not worth the watch.

 8. Cinderella- Ok....first things first, the cartoon was better. Lady Tremaine...in the cartoon, frightened people. The actress portraying her cannot carry a torch to the original. Even in the sequel Cinderella III: a twist in time.... Lady Tremaine is evil in there.

    That was a cartoon. Plus, Cinderella loses her father when she is about grown up. She can leave the house whenever she wants and Helena Bodama Carter as the fairy godmother.... oh lord. This movie is like sandpaper on a rice cake. Bland and boring.

 7. Pinocchio- Oh Tom Hanks. Sometimes I wonder if you'll say yes to any movie. The Benecio Del Toro Pinocchio was better than this.

    In the original, that came out 86 years ago, that Pinocchio knew how to get into trouble and end up in danger. This Pinocchio is like the Jesus version of a puppet. Always nice and cares. That isn't what Pinocchio is. I think this worth a don't bother on my list.

     

6. The Lion King- I saw this in theaters. Yes, they had the late James Earl Jones voicing Mufasa like he did back in 1994.

    This movie....will never capture the magic of the 1994 movie. Scar, voiced by Chiwetel Ejiofor, is not as threatening as the other one was. Simba is not great...but on the plus side...the adult Simba was voiced by Donald Glover. The songs were forgettable...the breathtaking views of Africa looked like a toilet...it was not...worth it. I'm sticking to the original.

5. Alice in Wonderland/Through the looking Glass- This is a two for because both movies are worth talking about.

   Johnny Depp portrays the Mad Hatter. I'm amazed he still has a career after that nightmare. Both movies focus on Alice as an adult. Going into an imaginary land called *ahem* Underland. Yes... Not Wonderland; Underland. Oh for the love of god.

   The Sequel doesn't help either. Sadly, it was Alan Rickman's final voice roll before his death. Tim Burton created both Alice movies. If I were you...I stick to the original cartoon.

 4. Dumbo- Another Tim Burton Failure. I tried to give it a chance. The acting was ok. The story.... that's another thing.

   The original Dumbo was the shortest cartoon movie. This one was almost two hours. Dumbo is found by two kids and their father. Michael Keaton portrays a villain who wants to buy the circus that Dumbo is a part of.

   I somewhat enjoyed it...but it's not great. The story feels weak and the actors are trying their best. I would say, if you wanna see it...go ahead, but the cartoon is better.

3. The Little Mermaid- There are problems with this movie. I have no problem with having an African American woman portraying Ariel. Some people did.

   What I didn't like about this movie is how long and boring it was. The plus side, Halle Bailey can sing and she's got a powerful voice. The problem is more the story. Ariel's father, portrayed by Javiar Bardem, is bland and forgettable. Melisa McCarthy is supposed to be Ursala.

     I'm sorry it's just...this movie is too long and forgettable because these actors can't portray a father figure or an evil witch like the original voice actors did. I'd skip this, but songs are good.

  2. Beauty and the Beast- When I was young.... I fell in love with Beauty and the Beast. The cartoon was great. The story was amazing and the songs...well you get the idea. Everything about the cartoon was spot on perfect.

   Then.... they decided to make a live action one and sucked everything I loved about that movie out of it. The songs...forgettable; Emma Watson, who is an ok actress, is auto tuned when she sings....and if the last pedal falls...everything in the castle DIES!

   I just.... what the fuck, Disney?  I have no desire to see this. But at least it isn't as horrible as the last one.

  1. Snow White- Wow. I've already mentioned a lot of hatred for this movie. The original, which was Walt Disney's first animated feature...is better than this trash they created.

   The story is so bland, it makes the live action Cinderella look better than this. Rachel Zegler, who I think is an ok actress, was wrong for the part of Snow White. The seven dwarfs...which are just magical creatures, are just horrid to look at. Everything about this film is wrong that IMDB made it lowest rated Live Action Disney Movie. NO SHIT! It deserves to be number one. Another reason this is number one...  way too many songs.

     See the original and skip this garbage.

    I'm glad I didn't mention all of them because it would take forever. I guess some people like this. However, I am not one of them. Yes Christopher Robin, Cruella and a few others aren't horrible but.... they weren't worth making. I guess this trend is going to stay since they are making a live action Rapunzel and Moana just came out. God save us. If you cherish the true Disney magic, stick to the cartoon and leaves these live action movies to a garbage can if you find one.

Earth Day....Forgetful?

 

As each year passes

there is something that keeps becoming

forgetful

do we know 

that every 22nd of April

is Earth Day

When I was young

Every Earth Day

we celebrate in school

cleaning up trash

planting a tree

doing stuff,

to make our planet,

much greener

Earth is our only home,

our planet

and yet,

we forget,

the most important thing,

to keep it green

We try not to use plastic,

but we have no other uses,

for other tools,

we throw most recycles,

in the garbage,

are we bad,

no,

forgetful maybe

The Ozone,

gets bigger,

as our Earth,

gets hotter,

as well,

as colder,

we are losing,

valuable resources

Getting older,

I've less cared,

about mother earth,

she never lets me forget,

every month,

I suffer

The rain,

the sun,

the sky so blue,

Earth is suffering,

sadly,

I am a cause,

like many others,

by forgetting,

Earth Day

Earth can sound like

Birthday

wondering if I

wonder

is every April 22nd

the Earth's birthday,

no,

a miscommunication

Today is Earth day,

A day,

that many,

like myself,

are forgetting,

and soon,

Earth Day,

the day,

will be no more,

celebrate while youcan

Are tv shows good enough to become movies?

 

   Some tv shows become movies; and some movies become tv shows. TV shows.... some are good enough to create a movie of their own and sometimes...it fails. Here are some shows that became movies. Some that worked...and some... well you be the judge.

   Charlie's Angels was a tv show that starred the late Farrah Fawcett had two movies. One that was...passable and the other.... just ok. I was never a huge fan of the show. I remember seeing both movies. One that had Drew Barrymore producing it. It wasn't great. Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu were in it as well.

   However, there was a falling out with her and Bill Murray who was Bosley. He was fired, and the late Bernie Mac became Bosley.

     The other version was ok as well. Elizabeth Banks produced it. Not as great as I thought, but Patrick Stewart as a villain...not bad. 

   Bewitched was another tv show I never got into. I saw the movie that had Nicole Kidman and Will Farrell. Not knowing the show that well, Nicole Kidman plays Samantha who is considered a witch and Will Farrel is either the husband or boyfriend.

    It was lackluster and lame.

   The Beverly Hillbillies is a tv show that would not made today. Back in 1993, the late Jim Varney and the late Cloris Leachman starred in this movie with Lea Thompson starring as a villain who wants all of Clampet's money.

     She finds a way to fall in love with Jim Varney's character while tutoring the daughter of the show. It is a strange movie. I never watched the tv show, but it was ok. Kinda dumb, but funny.

  Even Cartoon shows have movies. SpongeBob SquarePants had a movie that was supposed to be the show's series finale. But no... Nickelodeon wanted to keep SpongeBob going. The late Stephen Hillenberg left SpongeBob to Nickelodeon.

    I think it should have ended after this. They had two other movies that weren't great. The first one might have been ok. Now.... I feel SpongeBob has gone downhill. Even the new movie with Mark Hamill voicing the villain can't save it.

   I've talked about this movie before. Never seen the TV show Starsky and Hutch but enjoy this movie. Maybe I'm a fan of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson movies (Owen's younger brother, Luke, is still hotter). After someone is found dead, Starsky and Hutch go on the case.

    Vince Vaughn, who I'm ok with, portrays the villain and is created an odorless cocaine to smuggle to other villains. It's worth watching and I enjoyed it. You get a cameo from the original Starsky and Hutch near the end.

 21 Jump Street starred Johnny Depp before he made it big. The movie has Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum solving a mystery at a high school. I prefer the sequel to this. The Sequel, they were college students and a collage student ended up murdered.

   It's kind of similar to the tv show. Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise guest star in the first movie.

   The Simpsons are non-stop. Now, they're having another movie coming out twenty years after their first. The first one was ok. It's kind of like combining cartoons with Under the Dome. Homer does something stupid, he and his family run out of town and a villain (voiced by Albert Brooks) threatens to blow up Springfield.

   Homer is the only one that can save everyone, even his own family. I wonder the sequel is going to be.

    There are too many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies, so I'll stick to the one from the early 90s. They made three of them. The first two are watchable, and the third.... well not worth seeing. Four turtles in the sewers of NYC have to defeat Shredder and save the town.

   I think I remember the second movie. Vanilla Ice rapping at the end...now you know why it went downhill.

 Shredder is still threatening the turtles; Raph goes on his own and ends up in danger. Splinter saves them all. And it ends with Mega Shredder.

    Sometimes, tv shows shouldn't be adapted into movies. Bewitched is one of them; Wild Wild West is another. 

   Will Smith portrays one of the leads and well...let's just say he said no to being in the Matrix for this. Wrong move for his career. Kevin Kline portrays a double role as the other lead and Ulysses S. Grant. Kenneth Branagh is the villain and well.... it's the mess from the beginning. If you loved the tv show....don't see this movie.

  Sometimes even successful movies become TV shows. Beetlejuice became a cartoon; Ferris Bueler had a TV show that failed. Same with Clueless. But with TV show becoming movies...you have to know the source material as well as every episode of a certain TV show to make a movie.... or maybe you don't.

Movies coming out this Summer

 

    With Summer inching closer, there are some things we need to know. One of them being the movies coming out this summer. Some movies that are introduced in the summer. Some good and some.... well ok. is a better way of saying it. This year... for 2026, here are some movies coming out this summer.

 

  The Odyssey- Coming out in Mid-June, The Odyssey will be coming out. Do I wanna see it in theaters? I don't know. It's a maybe. This movie stars Matt Damon in the lead role and it follows the story of Odysseus and is based on a book by Homer. If you've read the book, then this movie might be for you. It's being directed by Christopher Nolan. A pretty good director, but will it be one that hits gold... or will it fall apart like the ending of the book? 

    The Devil Wears Prada 2- This movie is based on a book as well. I never got into the first movie. Having a second... I guess it's ok. Not gonna see it. Not a huge fan of Anne Hathaway, but love Meryl Streep who plays the lead antagonist as Emily Blunt is trying to be a new assistant or something like that. The book was written by Lauren Weisberger, and the movie will be directed by David Frankle.

  Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning- Another Mission Impossible movie starring Tom Cruise. Will it be the last? I don't know...but I'm not seeing it. Never got into these movies, or the TV show that it was based on. It's another one where Tom's character, Ethan fights off an Assassin and tries to save everyone. Bruce Geller wrote the books. It seems every movie coming out in the summer is based on a book.

 Minions and Monsters- The Minions are those yellow weirdos from the Despicable Me Franchise that went and have their own movies. The first one was good, the second one... passible. This one... I don't know. I feel these yellow dots are marketable in any way even if you put them in a movie. Trey Parker from South Park as well as Jesse Eisenburgh are going to guest voice in this movie. Trey did voice a villain in Despicable Me 3 and well...he's ok. Might see it when it hits streaming.

  Supergirl- Woman of tomorrow- She was seen at the end of the Superman movie. What do I think of this? Looks interesting; Might see it in theaters. The only Supergirl movie I remember is the one that came out the year I was born. There have been other versions, but with James Gunn producing, who knows. It's a maybe on my book.

 Scary Movie 6- This movie is starting to anger some Gen Zers saying that it's inappropriate and downright horrible. Well...I don't give a shit what they think. I'm an early-stage Millennial. These movies are funny...when Shawn and Marlon Wayne are writing it. This time, they wrote it and are in it. (I think one of them might be), but ever since the downfall of Mockbuster movies, I wonder if this will be an advantage or a disadvantage for this film.

  Coyote Vs. Acme- This movie has been pushed back a lot to the point to the point on where it wasn't going to be made or even released. Something must have happened because at the end of summer.... August mostly, the movie might be coming out. Apparently, a Looney Tunes Character named Wylie Coyote decides to sue the ACME cooptation. Will Forte portrays the lawyer for Wylie. Will I see this? Maybe.

  Star Wars Mandalorian and Grogu- This movie is supposed to be the conclusion to the Mandalorian. Last time I remember, Grogu was given to Luke Skywalker to watch over. Now with the fall of the Empire happening, it seems the New Republic want Grogu. I guess the Mandalorian will find a way to save and protect him from any danger that lies ahead. Of course, I will see this... but when it's on Streaming not in theaters 

  Toy Story 5- Hopefully... it will be the final Toy Story movie. In my opinion, it should have ended after the 3rd. But...it's coming back. Voice casting will be changed for Mr. and Mrs. Potato head since the original voice actors passed away. This time, the toys have to fight off the evils of technology. A tablet is the main villain and Woody, and his gang are going to find a way to stay alive as technology is now taking over children's lives. Might see it when it goes to streaming.

   Summer used to be a great season to go into a movie theater.  Now with streaming, it's hard to get anyone into a movie theater, but it is still in business as some theaters are in operation today. Some movies are going straight to streaming about two weeks after being in theaters. Boy times have changed.