Thursday 13 - Favorite Movie Franchises - 5/22/08

My initial list had about 40 just off the top of my head, so I had to whittle down. I restricted the list to franchises that consisted of at least three films. That eliminated such favorites of mine as: Grumpy Old Men, Arthur, Clerks, Wayne's World, Ace Ventura, Bill and Ted, Meet the Parents, and Men in Black. Then I had to trim more so I reluctantly lost Superman (Christopher Reeves versions), Rocky, National Lampoon, Star Wars, Rush Hour, Star Trek, Alien, Oh God, James Bond (Sean Connery only), X-men, Death Wish, The Matrix, Austin Powers, Shrek, Oceans 11, Mission Impossible, and Batman (too many Batmen). So I ended up by choosing the ones I would want to watch right now. My favorite movie franchises in no particular order:

1. Monty Python – One of the greatest comedy ensembles ever. They made several great movies. My kind of humor.
2. The Terminator – Classic Arnold Schwarzenegger. Great story line.
3. Die Hard – John McClane is one of the best action movie characters ever developed. Just enough smart-ass for my liking.
4. Lethal Weapon – Characters much more important than plot. Joe Pesci was great.
5. Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Westerns – Loved them all. My favorite cowboy ever.
6. Dirty Harry – Some of the most memorable quotes ever: “Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?” Pretty obvious I love Clint Eastwood movies.
7. Back to the Future – Fun movies, Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown, no better character actor.
8. The Godfather – Amazing story, paved the way for the Sopranos.
9. Pirates of the Caribbean – Johnny Depp might be the best actor on the planet. He can make anything watchable.
10. Harry Potter – Captivating stories overshadow horrible child actors.
11. Lord of the Rings – My favorite story ever brought to life with fantastic on-location scenery.
12. Indiana Jones – Most unlikely action hero ever. Can’t wait for the new one to open.
13. Jack Ryan Movies – Written by Tom Clancy. Patriot Games, Hunt for Red October, Clear and Present Danger, and The Sum of All Fears. Harrison Ford was my favorite Jack Ryan.

I would like to hear yours.