As someone who is rather obsessive (read: anal) about watching a film series in its proper order, I almost never deviate from that approach. The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park/Jurassic World, Harry Potter, all viewed from the first to the last film. But wait. Did I say almost? There are two films from the middle of series that I often watch all by themselves, given their awesomeness. They are…
ALIENS
Slotted between the fantastic Alien (1979) and the disappointing Alien 3 (1992) is the James Cameron-fueled Aliens (1986), a 2¼-hour thrill ride of a “bug hunt.” While Alien gave us a “haunted house in space” (the ore vessel Nostromo), with a single xenomorph as the antagonist, Aliens ramps it up to another level. As much an action thriller as a sci-fi/horror film, it gives us countless xenomorphs pitted against a raucous squad of Colonial Marines, the latter featuring fine performances by Michael Biehn, Jenette Goldstein, and the late, great Bill Paxton.
The film stars Sigourney Weaver, reprising her role as Ellen Ripley from Alien, in an absolutely breathtaking performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination. Her actions in the last twenty or so minutes as she fights to save Newt—and herself—from the xenomorph queen are unbelievable. This definitely holds up as a stand-alone film.
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
There are nine feature films in the original Star Wars franchise. Ask just about fan which one is their favorite, and the answer will more than likely be Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980). It certainly is mine.
Originally the second of the first Star Wars trilogy, this one has everything a viewer could want. From the battle on the ice planet Hoth, to Luke’s training on Dagobah by Yoda, to the Imperial March (aka “Darth Vader music”), to the Cloud City, to Han being frozen in carbonite and taken by bounty hunters to Jabba the Hutt, and finally, the confrontation between Luke and Vader (“I am your father”), Empire deserves multiple viewings by itself, even though it is the connecting piece between Episodes IV and VI. It holds a 93% composite ranking on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences on CinemaScore (read: real people) gave it an A+. Wow! Maybe I’ll go and watch it right now! As noted, it wouldn’t be the first time.