Thursday Movie Picks: Long Awaited Sequels

This week's topic for Thursday Movie Picks hosted by Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves is a good one. You know that movie that was so good, you can't wait for the sequel, but you have to? The powers that be take years and years and YEARS before they finally release it. Just the news of it starting production makes you salivate. The first trailer sends you into a frenzy. Finally, the day it comes out, your practically leaping out of your own skin because it's finally here! We've experienced that en masse with the recent release of Incredibles 2, so I won't go there. I'll talk about some other long-awaited sequels.


Toy Story is a groundbreaking movie that I love. I also really enjoyed Toy Story 2. When I heard they were making Toy Story 3, I was all in. And I was not disappointed. I took my kids plus some nephews and nieces to see it opening weekend. I'm not ashamed to say I loved it far more than any of them. If you've been around here you know that I don't cry over movies. That incinerator scene? Close call. The knot in my throat was the size of a golf ball and I could feel the water coming, but I choked all that down. Yup, even my hardened heart has a soft spot. It just doesn't cry.


The movie before this was Revenge of the Sith, but it's technically a sequel to Return of the Jedi. Whatever. Point is, Star Wars nerds, like me, were eagerly awaiting Disney's first entry into the world's most beloved movie franchise. It had its shortcomings, but it much closer in quality to the original trilogy than the prequels.


This is the sequel I wanted badly to happen and to not happen. Let me explain. After Rocky IV rumors began swirling about the direction of the franchise. Naturally, most people thought that we would get a movie about Rocky's son. Rocky V gave us that movie and it was a disaster. People wondered would the franchise continue in that direction, if it continued at all. The other possibility we collectively entertained was a movie surrounding then unknown son of Apollo Creed. However, that got laughed off. Years went by and when we got another Rocky movie, it was Rocky Balboa, about the now-geriatric boxer trying to get back in the ring at age 60. Most people liked it, I rolled my eyes, and life went on. Sylvester Stallone couldn't quite let go of boxing and did the spiritual sequel and comedy Grudge Match with Robert De Niro. Meh. More years went by and a young director by the name of Ryan Coogler took the reins and went back to the tossed away idea of making a movie about Apollo Creed's son. And it was a winner.