Movies. Movies. MOVIES! Let's talk movies. Hollywood is notorious for milking good stories to death. If a film makes more than $5 every executive's next genius idea is to produce as many sequels as possible until the general public loses all interest.
And then they wonder what happened. They never seem to realize that if you're going to continue the story you have to have enough story to tell and you can't just throw money at all of it.
So most sequels tend to be crap and then blemish the legacy of the original. However, once and awhile, the stars align and a fantastic sequel is made.
And what is even more rare is a sequel superior to the original. It has happened. Let's discuss some.
Redditoru/Tall-Elderberry-3167wanted to share about some of film's greatest continued stories, by asking:
What movie sequel is actually better than the original?
I'm not big on sequels but, the new "Halloween" sequel from 2018 was brilliant. I've lost count on how many times I've watched it. And I'm counting down to "Halloween Kills" this October.
Better Dark
the joker film GIFGiphy"The Dark Knight."
"In every single way. The action is far better, story was much more interesting, better performances, script and direction."
Prosper
"Star Trek II, but I do love the first film, and I'm excited for the 4k release."
"I don't hate the first one, and II does recycle a lot of footage and props, but the story they tell and the fact that it felt like the first time the crew were in real danger that someone may not make it out alive (.......) made it pretty special feeling."
MAX!
"The Road Warrior."
"Had me confused for a second before I realized you're talking about Mad Max cause it was released in the US under that name. But yes. You're 100% right."
"I was a big fan of the Eragon novels, but was disappointed with the movie, especially with how the Urgals were portrayed. I'm a sucker for car chases and the opening sequence of Mad Max is one my favorites. However, The Road Warrior was a better movie."
DEUX!
"Hot Shots! Part Deux."
"The love scene from Hot Shots! where he puts an olive on her bellybutton and pops it into her mouth is the hottest scene in cinema history, so no."
Oh Mortica
the addams family m fangirl challenge GIFGiphy"Addams Family Values."
"I came here to say this. The first one wasn't bad, actually, but the sequel has all that social commentary Paul Rudnick added to the script, like the Thanksgiving dinner scene."
"The Dark Knight" for sure was superior to all the Batman films. And I completely forgot about "Hot Shots." That was a hilarious romp. I'm gonna check it out again.
He Came Back
terminator 2 film GIF by Lionsgate Home EntertainmentGiphy"Terminator 2."
"I'm still amazed how good the special effects were, comparable to today's CGI without the tech. The liquid terminator walking through the prison bars is a timeless scene."
More Wolverine...
"X-Men 2."
- J4CK64
"I really felt robbed when the first one ended. Even though it was a full length movie, when the credits started it felt like a tv episode ended, not a movie. Looking back I suppose it was always about the franchise and sequels and not about trying to tell the whole story with just one movie."
- avashad
Braver. Bolder.
"Empire Strikes Back."
- CMelody
"In retrospect, ESB may be the genuinely bravest sequel ever made. It would have been so so easy to just make "Star Wars II," repeating the vibe and feel of the original, and it still would have made swimming pools of money. Instead, they made a deeper, darker, and more complicated movie that openly deconstructs many of the tropes embraced by its predecessor."
"And they knew they were going to piss off some people by subverting expectations, but they still went for it. I honestly think that's why Star Wars is still going strong as a brand today. If it had stayed solely in the realm of rehashing Flash Gordon and samurai flicks, it would have gotten stale. ESB gave these silly movies about feuding space wizards actual depth."
Perfect
"Shrek 2. Obviously because of the Holding Out For a Hero scene."
"It's basically a perfect sequel. Takes everything great about the first film, steps it up, and improves the pacing, the heart and the depth. All the while it feels like the natural progression to the first film, expanding on themes from the first film. Really couldn't ask for much more from a sequel tbh."
Webbed Stories
Spider-Man Reaction GIFGiphy"Spider man 2."
"This! This is the best Spiderman movie to date and no one can convince me otherwise. I am so stoked to see Spiderman: No Way Home because they are bringing back Dr. Octopus."
T2 forever. See sequels can be great with the right plan. But, for the love of God... when will Fast & the Furious end?!!
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Redditor onlyusemefeets wanted to hear about the worst of everyone's family, so they asked:
"When did you find out that someone in your family is evil?"
The Reddit community rose to the occasion to shed some light on their family skeletons.
Money Issues
Wild West Fighting GIF by Buyout FootageGiphy"When they ripped apart 3 generations of my family almost immediately after my dad died for a measly $37,000. He's a millionaire. That kinda money is pocket change to him."
Good Lord
"When my 11 year old cousin got cancer."
"Her mom and boyfriend were shooting up her pain medicine. My cousin was in so much pain, she told her Doctors. Thats when the doctors stopped giving her mom a prescription and the nurses dispensed her pain meds at the hospital. Unfortunately they could not keep track of medication while at home so they reported it."
"CPS removed her. She died shortly after in foster care. Parents were never charged."
dead-parrots
Death
"When my dad died of covid my Aunt tried to say she was entitled to some stuff of his since it belonged in the family. She even called a lawyer on us and it was big deal and my mom didn't need to deal with that trying to raise 3 kids on her own so f**k her. She still bothers us about stuff and all it is like plates and some pictures and some other things."
"Sunken Cost Fallacy"
"My brother's addiction has led to him spinning some ridiculous stories. I'm not sure if he is very convincing or if my father chooses to believe him because of some 'sunken cost fallacy,' or he genuinely refuses to give up. But my brother has told lies and stories about me and my siblings to the point that he's the only child who talks to my father anymore. He convinced my father that I forced him to do drugs."
"But I knew my brother was evil when scared away my sister with physical violence. Last month, he went missing for a weeks only to turn up after flipping his car high on pills. My father doesn't know it yet, but my mother is planning on leaving him because my father chooses my brother over her. No one can convince my father that he's enabling. No one can convince my brother to stop. Hard drugs really destroy entire families."
sleepypanda59
A New Family
Frustrated Skip Bayless GIFGiphy"When he purposely excluded his 4 year old son (from a previous relationship) from his wedding to his new spouse, deleted all photos of his son from his social media, and legally signed away all parental rights. He has since had 2 more kids with said new spouse."
FeminaCanadiana
How can parents act that way?
Failure...
"I don't know about evil, but my dad got remarried and has a kid and stepson with his new spouse. All of that would be fine if he didn't pretend that none of us (offspring from first marriage) exist so he can pretend this family is the first family and we never happened."
"Once this realization hit me, I stopped contacting him, and once I stopped putting in the effort, everything else dissipated. We haven't spoken at all. He does not care in the least. I honestly believe that he wishes we never even existed. He is a failure as a father and as a man."
Raindrops_On-Roses
Oh Brother
"When my husband's brother (1 of 5 siblings) said he couldn't make it to our house to plan their mother's funeral because he had to work. Meanwhile we found out he wasn't working because we caught him on ring doorbell entering the moms house to rifle through it while the rest of us were planning the funeral at my house."
Legitimate_Energy257
The End
"When my ex said 'you've been a godsend, I want a divorce.' I had taken time off from work to take care of her parents. She told me this right before her dad died, and she inherited. She found a boyfriend while I was with her parents. She got the house by declaring I had abandoned it. I was with her parents."
rollercoaster_5
Evil
Season 5 Nickelodeon GIFGiphy"When my dad tried to throw my 6 month old sister when he was drunk. That man is a monster in disguise"
iinattanii
So many people really need to be screened for their abilities to raise kids.
Redditor thunderchild10 wanted to discuss everyone's thoughts on the friends with benefits scenario, so they asked:
"What's your opinion of friends with benefits?"
I've never done FWB.
I feel robbed.
After a while...
Friends With Benefits Herkenbaar GIF by GoPlayGiphy"Fun, and fine for a while, but less fulfilling than a relationship. Also, you both need to be good at compartmentalization, otherwise one of you will likely end up catching feelings."
Akiram
Be Clear
"My FWB caught feelings even though we were always clearly communicated as FWB. We were both in a big but really close friends group. I got a gf (she had recently had a bf as well) and she got mad. I ended up losing all my friends. It’s been 4 years, and she actually successfully managed to get 20+ ppl to forget I exist."
"Wouldn’t recommend."
sadbudda
The Rule of Three
"I had 3 throughout college. Two ended in us dating and then breaking up. The only one that worked and lasted two years was me and an ex from high school. We never hung out but were cool after our breakup. Didn’t speak for like three years and then when we were in college we saw each other at the bar, hooked up that night, then like two days later she asked if I wanted to meet up and I said sure."
"Then it just continues for two years. We rarely spoke outside of the bedroom other than like ‘pick me up from the bar’. Overall it was cool but I think it’s very rare. You have to find two people who just don’t have any desire for each other other than when horny, which a lot of times is not the case in one side"
InternationalMouse56
Confusion
"I honestly don't understand it at all. Having any sexual relation with a person whom I don't love and who doesn't love me seems pointless and even scary to me. I guess I am over-sensitive or something, because the thought of being so close to somebody without actually having a connection, an exclusivity, without knowing if this will ever happen again, is genuinely horrific to me."
"I don't care what others do in the bed and with whom, but this kind of relationship is just not for me."
ZidanSufuzki
For Life
Corona Snap GIF by INTO ACTIONGiphy"If they can provide Medical, Dental, Unemployment, and Retirement benefits then they’re a friend for life."
Stupify_Me
Benefits are benefits. I'm in.
Forever
married single ladies GIFGiphy"It didn't work out. We couldn't keep it just friends once we started the benefits. We will celebrate our 19th wedding anniversary in 2 weeks."
dirtysecretsofmine
Hey Buddy
"Very messy. You gotta either be f"k buddies only, dating, or friends only. Trying to keep feelings out of FWB is too difficult."
MarthaTheTRex
"That's a great point. I agree that it's tough to keep feelings out of the equation. I think it's best to just be honest and open with your friend so that you both know the boundaries of the situation and can stick to them. That way, both parties can be sure that they're getting what they need out of the relationship."
Professional-Help114
Taking Chances
"Seems iffy to me if you want the friendship to lay long term. Doesn't someone usually catch feelings, so after the FWB finds a partner they want to keep, it leaves the other party out. Especially if the new bf/gf doesn't want you to be friends with someone you've had sex with."
"Yes? No? I'm not into casual sex for myself, so am I off base?"
lifehappenedwhatnow
Developments
"A lot of people are saying 'someone always inevitably develops feelings' and that it ends badly, but that's not been my experience. I'm still friends with a few of my FWB's that I'm no longer sleeping with over the last couple of years and I'm genuinely happy for them that they've found relationships that make them happy. And I know of quite a few others similar to me."
playswithf1re
In Sync...
Sacha Baron Cohen Thumbs Up GIF by Amazon Prime VideoGiphy"A great plan when both participants are on the same page. Whether that is 'stay FWB' or 'hey we caught feelings, let's give a relationship a try'. A mess when only one participant catches feelings."
Gwywnnydd
Don't get hurt...
"Terrible idea, someone always inevitably develops feelings and gets hurt."
"It can work sure, but in general, unless you're both 100% sure (which, how can you ever really be?) beforehand that you won't develop feelings for each other, I generally have seen it not work."
"In my personal experience, someone always had to break it off just as feelings were starting to arise. So yeah, be careful I guess."
PodcastingPodcastGuy
What have we learned?
Communication is key.
Do you have any WTF FWB experiences to share? Let us know in the comments below.
