As the holiday season kicks into high gear, eager celebrators will not only be marking up their lists for what they wish to see under their Christmas Trees come December 25, but for what they ought to be binge watching before the fireworks go off on New Year's Eve to spell the end of 2016. For many, Christmas will be a time of sleeping in, eating insane amounts of turkey, and then sleeping in again. But for those content to just sit beside their windows with a mug of hot chocolate as they watch the snowflakes color their streets in a blanket of gentle white, it will be a time of reflection.
If you happen to be a film buff, who's feeling nostalgic and wants to take a break from all the TV shows going on on the Networks, Premium Cable, or being streamed on Netflix, then perhaps it wouldn't heart to go on a marathon of movie trilogies. These days, sequels, and sequels of sequels are often met with a certain skepticism since many tend not to meet the standards set by their predecessors. That said, it doesn't mean it can't be done, and since Hollywood's rise to prominence during the Roaring 20's, it's been accomplished on many memorable occasions with flying colors. In fact, many of the greatest movie trilogies are responsible for establishing, and redefining cinematic drama as the zenith of motion picture entertainment. Without further ado, here of five of the greatest movie trilogies of all time:
5. "The Before Trilogy"
Looking for a holiday romance in Europe? Then look no further than Richard Linklater's "Before" series that comprises of "Before Sunrise", "Before Sunset", and "Before Sunrise". A cinematic narrative told from a completely unconventional standpoint that runs counter to the generic Hollywood style of filmmaking, this trilogy features some heartwarming acting on the part of Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, whom together, flawlessly bring to life the philosophically, yet aphrodisiacally intelligent writing of Richard Linklater. Poignant, thoughtful, naturalistic, but dreamy, this sequence of films will make you imagine you are in a ballroom dance as you and your partner waltz your way into a realm that is both remote and timeless.
Overall, the trilogy has received two Oscar Nominations for Best Original Screenplay, and one Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress thanks to Delpy's efforts. Today, the "Before" movies are hailed together as one of the best love stories to ever told on screen.
4. "The Dark Knight" Trilogy
Let's also not forget the riveting work delivered on part of the actors. Everyone will always remember Heath Ledger's sadistically playful performance as the Joker. Even though action movies seldom score big in the acting categories, the deceased Australian star's portrayal as the iconic arch-nemesis of the Caped Crusader won him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. We should by no means discount Ledger's efforts, but the trilogy's ensemble cast featuring the likes of Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitts and Christian Bale also delivers in spectacular fashion. Along with being tabbed as one of the best movies made during the 2000's, Nolan's dark, grittily haunting interpretation of Batman has lead many critics to argue that its "The Dark Knight" installments are undisputedly the best the superhero genre of movies has to offer.
3. "The Star Wars" Trilogy (The Original)
Although it was released long before many of us were born, no one, especially a millennial, has ever grown up without being exposed to "Star Wars" and the original trilogy that propelled it to global renown. Spawning four different drafts before George Lucas finally decided he wanted to go ahead with the project in 1977, he had trouble finding a studio willing enough to green light the film until Fox finally decided to take a chance on it.
The gamble was a success. Not only did the film become the number one grossing movie of all time before it was surpassed by "E.T." in 1983, but quickly became a widespread cultural phenomenon. A technical watershed in large part due to its technical and visual effects which were considered groundbreaking for its time, while being able to adeptly link together several different genres of storytelling, "New Hope", "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" ushered in a new blueprint for high-concept genre that future filmmakers would build upon. Among the renowned filmmakers who's work the Original Trilogy of "Star Wars" has an impact include J.J. Abrams (who directed "The Force Awakens"), James Cameron, David Fincher, Peter Jackson, Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott and Peter Jackson.
From lightsabers, to tie fighters, George Lucas's finest work, along with Steven Spielberg's "Jaws", is credited for inducing the film industry's shift from more personal films to big budget blockbusters geared towards younger audiences. Of course, every boy who's seen "Return of the Jedi" will undoubtedly have an image of Princess Leia tattooed into their head long before they hit puberty.
2. "The Godfather" Trilogy
If it weren't for the blunders committed in the final movie, "The Godfather Trilogy" would be well on its way to the top of this list. Nevertheless, Frances Ford Coppola's masterpiece contains by far some of the most iconic films to be made to this date. With "The Godfather" and "The Godfather: Part Two" being selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress after being deemed culturally significant, it was one of the very first movies to depict the lives of Italian immigrants living in America, even though many of its critics blame the franchise for perpetuating the negative stereotype of portraying people of such ethnicity as mobsters.
That said, "The Godfather" has cemented its legacy in the annals of cinematic history as the golden standard for films made in the genre of organized crime. This renowned trilogy is responsible for inspiring films such as Martin Scorcese's "Gangs of New York" and "Goodfellas", Brian De Palma's "Scarface", along with David Chase's iconic HBO television series "The Sopranos" and Terence Winter's "Boardwalk Empire". In a survey conducted between 1996-2001, more than 300 movies about mobsters have been produced since "The Godfather", and that's only the number of films where Italian-Americans feature prominently as members of a criminal organization. So if you want to find out about organized crime, and where it all began on the big-screen, "The Godfather Trilogy" is just for you.
1. "The Lord of the Rings" Motion Picture Trilogy
Adapting a book series that spans 1000+ pages into nine hours of script is no easy feat, let alone being tasked with bringing the vision of JRR Tolkien to life -- one of the greatest writers of fantasy to have ever lived. But Peter Jackson did just that, and it's for this very reason "The Lord of the Rings" gets the distinction of taking the top spot on this list. Like "Star Wars", Jackson had trouble finding a production company to green light this project, and it nearly folded until New Line Cinemas decided Tolkien's epic high-fantasy was worth the risk.
On every facet, from cinematography, editing, and sound mixing to the writing, acting and directing, each instalment -- "The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King"-- delivers on a scale so profound and concerted that, emotionally, it inspires your greatest hopes, deepest fears and reopens wounds dealt by your greatest sorrows, while firmly keeping you captivated in your chair begging for more. Even though the trilogy has a happy ending in terms of plot, there is a bittersweet essence that lingers in the trilogy's backdrop that explores mortality and exposes within its audience that while hard times don't last, even ages of flourishing bliss are die off too.
During the 76th Academy Awards, "The Return of the King" captured Oscars in all 11 categories it was nominated for, even seizing the ultimate prize for "Best Picture". As a result of this accomplishment, "The Lord of the Rings" shares the distinction with "Ben-Hur" and "Titanic" for most Academy Awards won all-time. If you're looking for a fulfilling gift during the holidays, it doesn't get any better than this.
