[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

SEQUELS

1. Toy Story 2 – this is one of the few sequels which I would forcefully contend are better than the film they followed.
2. Dawn of the Dead (1978) – very different to Night of the Living Dead and a smart commentary on consumerism.
3. The Godfather Part II – one of the best movies ever made
4. The Bride of Frankenstein – I prefer it to the first Frankenstein film
5. A Shot in the Dark – the best of the Pink Panther films
6. Batman Returns – darker and busier than Tim Burton's first Batman movie, and better for it.
7. The Dark Knight – I was unsure about the recasting of Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes deciding to do Mad Money instead of this is one of the biggest career mistakes of all time) but it works very well because Maggie Gyllenhaal is a more accomplished actor, Heath Ledger is immense, and it feels more 'epic' than its predecessor.
8. X2 – probably the best of the X-Men movies with great storytelling, direction, and acting by the ensemble cast
9. Before Sunset – I love Richard Linklater's 'Before' trilogy, and this is better than Before Sunrise, as the characters are established, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are more assured as actors and, as they wrote some of the dialogue themselves, screenwriters. They also have an immediate rapport, leading to more emotional engagement from the viewer.
10. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse – an incredibly prescient piece of silent cinema and easily the equal of Dr. Mabuse the Gambler which is a brilliant study in villainy and a key influence on the writers of…

It was tough to leave from my list:

• Evil Dead II
• Terminator 2: Judgement Day
• Hellboy II: The Golden Army
• Blade Runner 2049
• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier
• The Bourne Supremacy
• 28 Weeks Later
• Addams Family Values
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
• Clerks II
• Halloween II
• Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
• For A Few Dollars More
• Star Trek: Into Darkness
• Gremlins 2: The New Batch
• Scream 2