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What are the 10 best movie sequels?

After seeing a great movie, it's always exciting to see a film that continues the exploits of the characters and expansion of the first film's world. Though many sequels fail to live up to the original, many have met or even exceeded expectations. In honor of this week's Jurassic World, here are the top ten best movie sequels.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

This classic western served as the final installment in the "Man With No Name Trilogy," following A Fistful of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More. The final film follows Clint Eastwood's infamous bounty hunter and his eventual team-up with an honorless thief in order to capture a lost treasure of gold.

Director Sergio Leone uses these iconic stereotypes of the western heroes and villains to play upon the genre, and uses great stylized action sequences to set up incredible tension. As a sequel, it furthers the legacy and development of "The Man With No Name" while still keeping up the character's mystery.

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Terminator 2: Judgment Day

The original 1984 The Terminator was a classic of the sci-fi genre, and topping the achievement of that film would be a difficult task for any filmmaker. However, director James Cameron cleverly switches up the style of the film; while the original was more of a horror/thriller film, T2 takes on the style of a hardcore action movie.

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By keeping up the cerebral plot of the first film while creating some of the most inventive action sequins to date, Cameron crafted a sequel that both supersedes the original and stands on its own.

Toy Story 3

Pixar has always been at the pinnacle of animated filmmaking, and the original Toy Story and it's 1999 sequel stand out as some of the most influential films in cinematic history. The third film in the trilogy not only continues the legacy of the previous two films in its remarkable animation and creative storytelling, but also told a more mature story that gave a natural progression of the characters and events of its predecessor.

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Toy Story 3 stands out as a creative and emotional film on it's own, but for fans of the original films it's a welcome conclusion for the beloved characters.

Skyfall

The James Bond film series is the longest running franchise in history, and Skyfall stands out as the best installment to date. The film pays respect to the past installments of the series, including many winks and nods to past films, but also modernizes the character and takes him on the most emotional and action-packed 007 adventure we've seen yet.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the original Bond film Dr. No, Skyfall is the pinnacle of the Bond franchise.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Similar to James Bond, Indiana Jones is an iconic cinematic hero. While it's nearly impossible to live up to the 1981 original Raiders of the Lost Ark, the third film in the franchise Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade succeeds in bringing the character back in an interesting way.

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The banter between Harrison Ford's titular hero and Sean Connery's Henry Jones Sr. adds more humor and heart than the franchise has ever seen before, and the quest for the Holy Grail brings back the series to it's mythological roots. Steven Spielberg gives a non-stop adventure, but don't forget why the franchise was initially successful: the power of the Indiana Jones character.

The Bourne Ultimatum

Next to the original Die Hard and The Matrix films, the Bourne films stands out as some of the most influential action films of all-time, both for their intelligently crafted storyline and creatively directed action sequences.

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The franchises's third film The Bourne Ultimatum stands out as the best of the original trilogy, giving the franchise it's most intense adventure yet by delving into the origin of Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) and revealing the conspiracy behind the Treadstone program. It's a great installment in the franchise that wraps up the first trilogy while still giving a hint toward the future.

The Dark Knight

The superhero genre of films has become increasingly popular over the years, but the pinnacle of the genre was reached with 2008's The Dark Knight. Following 2005's Batman Begins, The Dark Knight follows the continued adventures of Batman and his conflicts against The Joker. Christopher Nolan expands the mythology of the Batman universe by making relevant political and social commentary while still keeping up the development of the Batman character in a gritty crime thriller.

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Health Ledger adds a brilliant performance as The Joker to match Christian Bale's Batman, but it's Nolan's screenplay that makes the film one of the greatest sequels of all-time. With fleshed out characters and relevant moral topics, The Dark Knight is a masterpiece of a sequel.

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings trilogy stands out as one of cinema's greatest franchises, and its epilogue Return of the King gives an epic conclusion to the characters and events of the series. One of two sequels ever to win the Oscar for Best Picture, Return of the King provides some of the most extensive action sequences and sets ever put to screen while still providing an emotional punch for all the characters.

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Though it's been given flack for its long ending, it's remarkable that Return of the King stands out as more than just a third act of a larger story, but a complete film full of action and intrigue, as well as a worthy conclusion to an epic trilogy.

The Godfather: Part II

When its predecessor is one of the greatest films of all-time, a sequel will naturally have a hard time living up. However, The Godfather: Part II not only expands on the world of the first film but also improves on it.

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The Godfather: Part II continues the narrative of Michael Corleone's rise as the new Don while also giving a flashback exploring the backstory of Vito Corleone and his rise to prominence in the '20s mob scene. The film serves as the perfect complimentary piece to the original The Godfather, expanding on the diluted take on the American dream and giving a fascinating look at one Don's rise and another's fall.

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

The original Star Wars was an incredibly influential film, and following up such an enormous cultural event would naturally be challenging. However, The Empire Strikes Back not only stands out as a worthy sequel, but a great film in general that set the template for all future sequels.

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Director Irvin Kershner improved upon the original in every way, giving more development to the characters, having a darker tone and giving the film more dramatic tension in the struggle between good and evil. The Empire Strikes Back doesn't skip out on spectacle -- it's got a large-scale land battle on Hoth, a thrilling asteroid chase and an emotionally=charged lightsaber duel -- but it's the characters and emotion that make Empire the world's greatest sequel -- and greatest Star Wars film.