This is a rather complicated proposition.
You know, a lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what-have-you's. And, uh, lotta strands to keep in my head, man.
After some deliberation, I have settled on an admittedly vague and arbitrary framework, coloured by my subjective taste. So take it with a grain of salt.
But this isn’t Vietnam, this is Quora. There are rules here.
So, here are the ground rules:
- How exactly do we define a ‘movie series’?
More than two films? Trilogies? I’m going to go ahead and assume that ‘series’ is a stand-in for ‘franchise.’
To simplify, I’m going to borrow Metacritic’s rubric and set a minimum criteria of four movies.
- The operative word here is 'consistent,' not 'best.'
Since we're scanning for consistency, several franchises that have striking, and at times, unparalleled highs (X-Men, Die Hard, Terminator, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean) are eliminated because they have proportionately shallow lows.
- Just to elaborate on the 'consistency' factor:
If a franchise has two exceptional films and two outright bad films and another has one exceptional film but three good-to-mediocre films, I’m going to give preference to the second franchise.
Of course, what is good or bad is entirely based on my subjectivity, your mileage may vary.
(Note: Two notable omissions that may or may not have found their way onto the list but are uneligible because I haven’t seen all the entries - James Bond, Mad Max)
Honourable Mentions: The Indiana Jones Series, The Hunger Games, The Bourne Series.
6. Ocean’s Series
The first three films in the Ocean’s franchise are characterised by Steven Soderbergh’s inventive and stylised direction, the mesmeric interplay between its incredible ensemble played by immensely charismatic stars, crisp writing and sprightly pace.
And while Ocean’s 8 doesn't quite match up to Soderbergh's earlier efforts, it's still a pleasant romp that sustains the series' sense of low-stakes light-heartedness and revelry.
This is a franchise that has Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Bullock, Blanchett and Hathaway flexing their considerable charisma. And that, among other factors, results in a riotously entertaining series, and consistently so.
High Point: Ocean’s Eleven
5. The Middle-Earth Series
As a trilogy, The Lord of the Rings is close to perfection.
It's an awe-worthy achievement – all three films are exceptional and the trilogy was a formative film experience for me.
It's my favourite trilogy of all time, and I consider the three movies to be among the greatest of all time. They bow to no one.
And then there’s The Hobbit series. But for as much as they frustrated innumerable fans, they're not bad films per se.
The movies were weighed down by heightened expectations, overabundant CGI, and most crucially, the decision to make the series a trilogy.
And while they don't hold a candle to the LOTR trilogy, they are reasonably enjoyable in their own right.
High Point: The Return of the King
4. Mission Impossible Series
Talk about a tale of two halves, eh? The first three instalments of the Mission Impossible franchise are solid films – an old school spy thriller, a John Woo-infused frenzied actioner (heavily stylised, but perhaps the series' nadir) and JJ Abrams' firm directorial debut (buoyed by a fierce and frightening Phillip Seymour Hoffman performance. You are missed, PSH).
But with 2011’s Ghost Protocol, the franchise scaled new heights, and it hasn't looked back since, with each new instalment improving on the former.
At a time when Jason Bourne has tumbled off the map and James Bond's output is woefully inconsistent, Ethan Hunt headlines what is now undeniably the premier ‘spy-action’ franchise.
High Point: Mission Impossible: Fallout
3. Marvel Cinematic Universe
Masterminded by Kevin Feige, the MCU's output is mostly consistent in quality, as well as structure and tonality.
All of the 23 movies feel a part of a larger whole, another cog in the ever-expanding wheel.
In my opinion, the franchise only has one outright ‘bad’ film (Thor: The Dark World). And while a fair few of them are rather formulaic and uninspiring, there are several standouts of the genre in there as well.
The MCU has shaped the blockbuster landscape over the past 12 years, and its consistency over 23 movies is laudable.
As a result, the MCU is, by some distance, the highest-grossing film franchise of all time.
High Point: The conclusion of the Infinity Saga – Infinity War and Endgame.
2. Toy Story Series
I still maintain that Toy Story 4, despite its apparent quality, was superfluous.
Toy Story 3 provided a near-perfect resolution to the series, bringing to close the stories of Woody, Buzz and gang in typically heart-warming fashion.
That being said, Toy Story 4, while being a few rungs below the genius of the three films that came before in a storytelling sense, was a wonder of animation; an utterly gorgeous film.
It capped off a series that was consistently funny, charming and emotionally resonant.
It tackled some weighty themes while being engaging and entertaining for children and adults alike.
High Point – Toy Story 3.
1. The Wizarding World
In terms of consistency, the Harry Potter series is rather remarkable.
Every single one of the eight films was met with good to great critical reception, and all of them cleaned house at the Box Office.
The series began steadily, peaked at the right time, and ended with grace. There isn't a bad film in the bunch.
And while the decision to split the final book into two halves meant that Deathly Hallows Part 1 was slightly underserved in the storytelling department, it was nonetheless a gorgeously shot and ruminative film, a fitting companion piece to the grandiose finale.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them proved to be a charming follow-up.
The franchise made its most significant misstep with the overwrought and soulless Crimes of Grindelwald, but on the whole, that’s one lapse out of ten.
That’s mighty impressive, and more pertinently, mighty consistent.
High Point: The Prisoner of Azkaban
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