The Film Series poll

[Harpo]

At the risk of dumbing down this forum, here is an obvious poll (I had a search but could find no trace of it having been done before, books yes, but not films)

Which of these film series (some are trilogies, some are longer) is your own favourite?

edit:
Gah! I forgot about Jurassic Park!

 

[Overread]

you FOOL
and why are alien and predator in the same block?
more explinations comming shortly::
Batman: always dark and gothic = but it’s a far from perfect past. Some of the films stand as great productions, others are rather less than so. On the whole though its an action hero tale, but with more darkness than the rest which helps to make it more realistic.

Harry Potter: early films were better, the newer (and the latest) are starting to suffer from the cuts and changes in the previous films- bits are missing. The last transition from films felt, to me, that I had missed out a film - lots of new characters with no introduction. A sever case of too much cutting and not enough building. Good films, but starting to suffer. I do like the change to a darker world - but I hate the transition from the early to later films - it’s rather a big jump

Lord of the Rings:

The Matrix: fist film was total and complete - it set the scene, played out the story and answered enough questions whilst answering enough to be satisfying. Films 2 and 3, whilst many consider then poor, I think are good films - they certainly need to be seen together. However their failing is by raising rather too many questions and not answering those that need to be answered. This leaves a little too much down to the deductive work of the viewer and leaves them rather in the dark a little too much.

Spiderman: (not seen the third) this is a strong and generally well adapted take on the original source material. Enough action and story building (for this kind of film) whilst retaining the story from film to film. Not bad - it’s not sitting at the top, but its far from the bottom

Star Trek (films only); well it’s another blast of hits and near misses with this lot - though I have to say that the earlier films were -generally- better. The newest two have been somewhat less than awe-inspiring - with the Genesis film carrying the feeling of an extended episode as opposed to a film. The rumours of the up coming film have, for me, tolled the death bell for the time line coherency - it’s now films for the title and not for the fans - a shame and undeserving end to a great legacy

Star Wars - like Star Trek, yet even more so; the first (original) 3 films stand as favourites of mine and always will - but the latest offerings have destroyed the magic of star wars - in three fell swoops George Lucas destroyed a dream. Ignoring the recent efforts of George – this is a top quality series – a classic that will be hard pressed to be ever beaten

Terminator - (there is a pattern here!) early films with the unstoppable monster from a nightmare - one that no matter how far you ran, or how much you fought against just kept coming for you - and there was no waking up. Newer films have focused on the action side of the tale - rather than the light horror. A shame that change - but it’s still watchable - if now predictable

X-men; ignoring timeline and character changes from the comic (not read) and the animated TV series (old original one - and have seen) this is one of the best comic to film productions. The third was a bit of a let down - but the other two still retain quality. An interesting trio of films and there is space for another - though as in all things it would have to be directed well.

 

[Harpo]

Because if they were separate then which one do the AVP films belong to?

Also, we can only have ten options in the polls, so something else would have to be left out - If I'd remembered to include Jurassic Park I'm not sure which would have been left out (possibly Star Trek or Batman?)

 

[HoopyFrood]

Hmm...from those choices I don't know whether I could pick a favourite. I can definitely say the ones I wouldn't pick, starting with Harry Potter and, as good as the Star Wars films are, I doubt they would be a favourite either. Or Spiderman. With The Matrix and Jurassic Park (if it were there) it's a case of the first films being awesome, but then trailing off a little in the following films, and with the Terminator the same can be said in regards to the second film. I love the Predator and Alien films, especially Predator, although I'm yet to see the films in which they come head to head (I keep meaning to). Lord of the Rings is a fantastic, epic series and visually stunning; I do love these films -- so I guess if I had to pick one from those choices, that would be it.

 

[kaelcarp]

My opinion is that the strongest series as a whole is LOTR. However, I'm not sure I'd count any of the individual films of the LOTR series, wonderful as they all were, among the best individual films of others.

So while the best series as a whole may be LOTR, the highest peaks are reached elsewhere. I would say that the first Matrix is probably the best individual movie, followed by Empire Strikes Back and maybe Spider-Man 2. However, the Matrix was followed up by two sup-par (though not as bad as they're reputed to be) movies, Spider-Man 2 was followed by the perplexingly bad Spider-Man 3, and Star Wars had ROTJ and, more importantly, the first two prequels to drag it down.

 

[Tillane]

I think I'm with Hoopy on this one.

Harry Potter: well, I hate the books and still don't think any of those kids can act, so it's out.

Star Wars: The first 2 1/2 films are great, but from there it seems to have been all downhill - and no one should allow Lucas to direct again. Or write dialogue, for that matter.

Star Trek: While there have been two or three good films, the series as a whole has been too patchy. Nemesis was, not to put it mildly, abysmal.

The Matrix: Sigh. Why why why is it a series? The first film was simply brilliant, but Reloaded and Revolutions were just pointless money-making exercises with no soul or originality to them.

Terminator: I love the first film. I really, really like the second, in spite of Edward Furlong. The third...nah.

Alien/Predator: Hmm. Alien - excellent. Aliens - excellent, for very different reasons. Predator - schlocky, but great. Alien 3 - flawed, but interesting. The rest...forgettable tosh.

Spiderman: All of it is forgettable tosh. Good fun in places, but still tosh.

X-men: X-men is decent. X2 is a really cool film. X3 is rubbish.

Batman: There's really three sets of films here rather than a proper series. Burton's, both of which are good comic/gothic movies (with an indifferent Batman), the two awful ones with Kilmer & Clooney, and the new series with Bale, which on their own may well be the makings of a great series.

Lord of The Rings: epic, visually stunning, well-acted, well paced... There's really nothing much wrong with the series, and on that count it has to get my vote.

 

[Overread]

hmm me thinks we should leave LotR out of film votes -- it makes it too easy

 

[HoopyFrood]

Well, as I said, it was a difficult choice and I agree with Kael that if it was based on single movies, I might have voted differently. I love Return of the King, but it would be in a tough battle with Jurassic Park and The Matrix.

 

[Tillane]

Very true - and I think a poll like that would need 50-100 films on it, to cover everyone's personal favourites. However, if we were talking individual films from those above...I'd probably vote Matrix. It just blew me away when I first saw it, which only one of the others - ROTK - came close to.

 

[HoopyFrood]

It seems we have similar tastes, Mr. Tillane... (I definitely agree with you on Harry Potter and Batman, too).

 

[Tillane]

Heh. Who'd have thunk it, Hoopy?

 

[Joel007]

Alien/Predator: Fun, but nowhere near the best
Batman: Never really captured my attention
Harry Potter: Cringeworthy as films
Lord Of The Rings: The best adaptation of a book ever made
The Matrix: Should have stopped at one.
Spiderman: Interesting and well told, just not the best.
Star Trek: Great ideas, amusing to watch, but mostly so I can enjoy the parodies
Star Wars: IV-VI Some of the most innovative pioneering films, really showed what could be accomplished with great vision.
Terminator: A novel idea which sadly descended into farce quite rapidly.
X-Men: Good films, great cast, but hard to empathize with superpowered mustants.

 

[Wiglaf]

I actually picked Mr. Potter. There are more movies than LoTR and I have not over watched them. Of course that could mean they weren't as good. But I still credit the films with much of Rowling's popularity. Alexander got Disney's The Black Cauldron. Cooper is just now getting a film. Lewis is finally getting a series of big budget films.

 

[Lith]

You want me to pick ONE?

Can't be done.

 

[Connavar]

I voted for Terminator cause it had two good movies.

Star Wars was just like Matrix great the first movie since then it got only worse.

Same with Spiderman. Batman movies i dislike except Burton movies.

 

[biodroid]

I don't think you can compare LOTR to Star Wars as both are my fave series in there own genre

 

[DeepThought]

Aside from few changes; tom bombadil dropped, which is understandable IMO...Fraudo is rescued from the Nazgul by Elrond's son, if memory serves, rather than the daughter. Peter Jackson spent ten years of his life bringing Tolkien's timeless novels to the big screen and I for one admire his effort...its just a bonus that it was such a hit with the sheep/masses (mainstream) though I believe it was not solely his intention to cater to the widest demographic just to make more cash than what was originally spent to make them (which is what most Hollywood movies are about these days; Transformers, the last Superman etc. comes to mind). Transformers is just another boring Hollywood action flick (the director even had the gall to say he knew nothing about the popular series as if it was something to be proud/funny about ). I think its better to all parties concerned that Hollywood stay clear of Anime/Japanese animation, which they know nothing about...

Cheer's, DeepThought

 

[KJ Pixie]

edit:
Gah! I forgot about Jurassic Park!

What about it? There should have only been 1 movie in that group. "The Lost World" was what started the spiral into oblivion.

 

[Quokka]

I've gone with Alien/ Predator but I can't believe I actually thought about Harry Potter Here's my thinking (and of course this is all just my 2 cents)

Alien/ Predator: Alien, Aliens and Predator all great sci-fi, the first two alien films in particular for avoiding the sequel being just a remake and really changing the focus from hardly-seen suspense to intergalatic war movie. Predator 2 was suprisingly good considering they didn't have Arnie, nice bit of humour and it didn't hurt the series. Personally I dont think Alien 3 and 4 added much to the series but they were watchable. All AvP had to do was be mediocore and I probably would have loved it but instead it was a mess. Still enough good movies to top the poll for me.

Batman: loved the first movie and the recent restart but Batman Returns onwards wasn't great.

Harry Potter: One of the most even series, if you liked the first you'll like the series, in fact this series has gotten better, which has got to be unusual. Hardly my favourite movies but I have found them watchable (although I thought they added too much of the real world to the last one) which is a lot more than I would have expected and I can understand how someone more in its target audience would really enjoy them.

Matrix: Isn't a series it's a classic movie but they stopped there.... no dont message me.... They Stopped There... never was sequels... never needed to be

Spiderman: First two were ok though the last one hurt it a bit.

Star Trek: probably one of the most up and down series. Wrath of Khan and First Contact I think are actually decent movies, the rest are hit and miss.

Star Wars: Split them up and I think we have a winner but combined I just dislike the prequels too much.

Terminator: Love the first two movies but if Spiderman 3 hurt the series a bit then T3 killed it, buried it, dug it up, did unspeakable things and then killed it again.

X-men: Not sure on this one, would probably need to see X3 again but I liked the first two so at the least a good effort that used an esemble cast of superheros well.

Lord of the Rings: I'm not actually a huge fan though I did enjoy them and will probably watch them again at some point but I don't think I could sit through all 3 even in the space of a weekend. It probably is the strongest series out of the lot but the reason I didn't vote for it was that it was scripted/filmed etc pretty much at the same time so it's almost an extended movie that was released in segments which I thought meant it faced less issues then most of the other series.

For ones not on the poll how about Indiana Jones or Back to the Future

 

[Pyan]

Lord of the Rings:...I didn't vote for it was that it was scripted/filmed etc pretty much at the same time so it's almost an extended movie that was released in segments which I thought meant it faced less issues then most of the other series.

I agree, Quokka...the book is one long novel divided for publishing convenience, so really the films should be regarded as one superlong film with two intermissions.

Interesting that the three comic-book franchises have failed, at time of posting, to achieve a single vote between them.