Sequels

People always talk about sequels not being quite as good as the original thing. In some cases, yes, that's true. But there are certain examples which make me disagree.

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - it may be just that the 2nd film in the series features a bit more Draco, and a bit more grown-up one at that. Still, I think the actors really began honing their skills in this one, and I like the musical score better than the first movie's. Not only that, but the extra disc from the 2nd movie is infinitely better than the extra disc for the first one (... though it must be said that the extra disc for the third one is the best by far).



• U.S. Marshals - a sequel to The Fugitive, I think this one has more going for it. No, it doesn't have Harrison Ford or Julianne Moore in it, but it's a better film even still. Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Downey, Jr. and Wesley Snipes - the action is better, and the twist at the end is more grabbing.



• Scream 2 - *so* much better, even though I still liked the first one very much. Scream 3, though? SUCKS.



• Toy Story 2 - I'm really not a huge fan of either of the Toy Story films, but if you are going to make me watch them over and over (as I've had to do in the past), I'd rather be watching the second one.



• Die Hard 2 - it *is* lacking Alan Rickman (a travesty in itself), but it does have the uber-cool icicle moment. THAT scores enough cool points to rock the scale its direction. The taser victim reporter and a follow-up of "Yippie kai-ay..." make two more good reasons to watch it as well.

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* I will note that I left out those movies which are third or later in a series, even though there are some which I would say are much better than the 2nd (sequel) - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, anyone? ;-)