North Texas Daily

You might have lot of time to watch movies, and now is a great time to invest in (or re-watch) some of the best cinematic trilogies of all time. I am doing top five, plus an honorable mention, so for all my math majors out there, here are 18 movies to indulge in. 

Honorable Mention – The Indiana Jones Trilogy

The Indiana Jones trilogy is one of the funnest trilogies of all time. Each installment, arguably, got better. With Steven Spielberg at the head of the table and Harrison Ford playing the witty protagonist, nothing could go wrong. A lot of praise for a nearly perfect trilogy, and I bet you are wondering why it didn’t crack the top five? That is quite a simple answer — in the wonderful year of 2008, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” came out. I could write a whole story about how this movie nearly ruined the perfect trilogy, but instead, I just act like it doesn’t exist.

5. The Spider-Man Trilogy

There seem to be a lot of arguments about whether “Spider-Man 3” is a good movie or not, and I am here to put the argument to rest. There are no doubts that “Spider-Man” and “Spider-Man 2” redefined the superhero genre. Without those movies, we would have no “Avengers: Infinity War” or “The Dark Knight,” but I watched “Spider-Man 3” on repeat as a kid, and it seems the more time passes, the more people have felt the same way. Director Sam Raimi constructs one of the most wacky trilogies ever, while also keeping all the characters centered. There are so many crazy things going on, but then we have so many scenes of characters going through real emotions, and I would recommend this trilogy if you just want to sit down and have the time of your life.

4. The Evil Dead Trilogy

In the world of horror, there are very few times where horror franchises take off and have constant success. Sam Raimi, once again, makes a terrifying trilogy, while also keeping those wacky elements intact, especially as the trilogy progresses. If you are a horror fan and want to take a break from the psychological heavy-hitters, I would recommend this. Just like the Spider-Man trilogy, the second movie is by far the best one.

3. The Cornetto Trilogy

Edgar Wright is one of my favorite directors of all time. So many of his movies crack my favorite movie list, and I will play his movies on repeat when I can’t decide what to watch. The story behind the name of the trilogy might be its most fascinating feature. In each of the three movies, the Cornetto ice cream brand makes an appearance. While it is odd to have a trilogy where the three movies have no connections outside of ice cream, it still makes for some of the best comedies of all time. “Shaun of the Dead” is the best zombie movie of all time, and any problems the other two movies “Hot Fuzz” and “The World’s End” have are carried by how great “Shaun of the Dead” is. I am not saying the other two movies are bad. I am just saying one movie has the potential to redeem a trilogy, and I would recommend all three of these comedies to anyone who needs a laugh, which is honestly something we all need right now.

2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

There are so many things I can say about what some consider to be the greatest trilogy of all time. Growing up, I never got into the fantasy genre. I was much more into Star Wars (I bet you can guess what number one is now) and I did not watch the trilogy until my senior year of high school. I watched all three movies in one sitting, and it was one of the most unique experiences I have ever had. To have perfect characters is one thing, to have a perfect script is another, but what blows my mind to this day is how well the special effects hold up. In a time where we were watching the terrible effects of the Star Wars prequels, we had the jaw-dropping and revolutionary effects of some of the best movies ever made. I always go back and forth as to which movie I like the most, and they are all three perfect 10s for me. They are long movies to watch, but for anyone looking for good movies, I would say this trio is the most essential.

1. The Original Star Wars Trilogy 

The trilogy of all trilogies. George Lucas saved pop culture, and these three movies single-handedly got me through getting my tonsils removed when I was 6. “Star Wars” sets the foundation for this world people are still building on in 2020. George Lucas built one of the most creative universes ever, and I completely forgive him for almost ruining it in the early 2000s. “The Empire Strikes Back” is argued to be the best movie of all time, and I can certainly see why. It is the best middle chapter of any story line ever. It takes all the amazing elements from the first movie and transcends even further. The world gets bigger and the characters get more depth. It is the perfect setup for a final chapter. I look at “Return of the Jedi” the same way I look at “Avengers: Endgame.” It is by no means the best of the saga, but it has some of the biggest emotional highs in the franchise. All the holes are patched up, and the story comes to a satisfying end. Unfortunately, the two trilogies that followed were so bad, the Star Wars fandom has turned into a complete war zone, but if there is one thing they can always agree on, it is the original trilogy is one of the greatest cinematic accomplishments of all time.

Featured Illustration: Jae-Eun Suh