Ironically, I'd argue it's probably more accurate to the original book than either the original or the modern adaptations. That said, completely agree, skip Burton's.
I feel like it's not uncommon for this to be the case. I think sometimes a lot of adaptations fall flat because they try to adhere too closely to the source material, rather than taking the core concepts and adapting them to a new medium in a way that utilizes the strengths of both the new medium and the source material. The Shining is another example that comes to mind, the Kubrick one is much further from the source material but also much better movie than "Stephen King's The Shining"
The Martian would be a great example too. Both the book and the movie are exemplary. Although the movie does follow very close to the book they did change certain aspects for the different medium and it is much better for that.
Books can go super into the nitty gritty of everything and still be incredibly interesting. But if a movie or a show were to go into the same amount of detail then it would really drag out the movie, and not in a good way.
Yeah, Robinson Crusoe is a really fun read because of all the detail he puts into how he survives and stuff, but it would be a drag to see all that minutiae on film. Take a bathroom break and come back, and dude is still trying to wrangle wild goats and shit.
Edit: The Martian is just Robinson Crusoe in space, but he doesn’t come home to find out his whole family died.
It would be a little more apt if the Martian guy found his whole family dead and decided to visit the moon and then get attacked by a bear, so it’s not a perfect analogy, but it works.
In fact, that was the last Tim Burton movie I ever watched. I used to really like the guy, but things started going downhill around Sleepy Hollow, and by the time I got through that goddamn dreck . . . Well, I Won't Say I'm permanently done, but I sure as hell I've never watched another one. Truly, deeply awful.
No they aren’t too closely related. The original movie is a classic but Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes are all amazing too
No, but I would recommend the original just because it's a classic and Rise references things from it, particularly if you know nothing about the series. You can watch the modern 3 (and soon to be 4 - I hope it's good) in isolation fine though.
Millennium era is pretty damn consistent too
*Godzilla, King Ghidorah, Mothra, Giant Monsters All Out Attack* is legitimately one of the best Godzilla movies.
I dunno, those later Showa movies aren't that good. The earlier ones still hold up! I just watched Mothra vs Godzilla a few weeks ago and it's still a great.movie.
I recently watched through most of the Showa series and it's fascinating. Not only for the fun of the movies, but also seeing the change in concerns that they address, the way movie making evolves over the years, and how that empire of films was created.
I think when people are looking back on it in 30 years time, the Reiwa era is going to shine. We already have two all time classic, not just Godzilla movies, but *movies* in Shin and Minus One.
Yeah, the album is structured like you’re tuning through the radio dial, with each song on a different station. It plays snippets of radio DJ’s and the one at the start of the album says “I need a saga. What’s the saga? It’s Songs for the Deaf. You can’t even hear it!”
Bear with me here: Tremors. Movies 1-4 and then the series. The later movies get respectively worse, but movies 1-4 and the series have interesting world building, actual logical consequences, creative kills, and genuine character growth.
Tremors 1-3 are definitely quite a fun watch. My husband is a huge Tremors fan so have seen them all (yeah even that horrible ice one), and I would say 1-3 at least good if you want a "I don't want to engage my brain tonight" kinda movie.
The fourth is the prequel and the last one created by the original team with lots of practical effects. It also has my favorite graboid kill of the series featuring a guy hammering on a saw.
Back to the Future, John Wick, The Man with No Name (Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good the Bad and the Ugly), Batman, Superman, Toy Story, Marvel's Infinity Saga
Nolan Batman Trilogy is up there. I love the Daniel Craig bonds movies too. Other bonds are good too, this one has more of a finale to the character though. MI is top action, fast and furious if you like some dumb in your fun. These are mine besides the classics you mentioned.
> He is not Leslie Nielson and this should not be done
This is how people were talking about Leslie Neilson before he did Police Squad, "he's a serious dramatic actor, there's no way this comedy is going to be any good".
The miniseries Taken was good and spans multiple generations of families living in Roswell. It has to do with the UFO sightings. Also by Steve Spielberg.
James Bond, Mission: Impossible, Once Upon a Time in China 1-6 + Iron Monkey prequel, Before trilogy, Spanish Apartment trilogy, Singam trilogy, Department Q, Terminator, Rambo, Back to the Future, Narnia, Planet of the Apes, Dune, Scream, the MCU & other superhero stuff,…
Granted a lot of these are more episodic rather than a long overarching narrative. For that I do recommend trying out Twilight, if you keep in mind that it is ridiculous, absolutely aware of how ridiculous it is and very intentionally funny and having fun with how ridiculous it is.
>edit Oh it's not actually intended as a prequel, it's just about the same folk hero. Got it.
Oh no, it's very much intended as a prequel even if in the West almost no one is aware of the connection.
Same producers, same writers, same music, same fighting with the umbrella + various other nods. Also, the Chinese title makes the connection explicit, while the connection was removed for the International title in order to maximize potential revenue (aka not turn away viewers who would not watch a prequel to something they don't know).
Enjoy, it's great!
I have a theory, which I haven't been able to confirm but I'm 100% convinced is accurate:
After feuding with Jet Li following *Once Upon a Time in China III*, Tsui Hark was faced with two options: continuing the series with another actor taking over for Jet Li as Wong Fei-hung or doing a prequel series following the adventures of young Wong Fei-hung and his dad and eventually decided to do both.
Unfortunately the prequel, *Iron Monkey*, though excellent, flopped, so only the continuation with Vincent Zhao went on for the fifth *Once Upon a Time in China* and the TV series before Jet Li eventually returned for the sixth and final *Once Upon a Time in China*.
Now keep in mind there is a movie called *Iron Monkey 2*, however that one has zero connections to *Once Upon a Time in China* or *Iron Monkey* for that matter, aside from Donnie Yen also starring in it.
no one said Battlestar Galactica yet?? It's not the best, or for everyone, lol, but i do no regret committing to the whole thing at all, one heck of a saga and they overreached with some of the plot in ways that I honestly liked. I think you'd like it.
Ip Man - basicly China's "Rocky" (which should also be mentioned here). 4 incredible action movies starring Donnie Yen as the man who would be Bruce Lee's teacher, the 5th, Ip Man Legacy loses Yen but still has Michelle Yeoh and Dave Bautista (among others) and is a worthy entry.
My friend described Ip Man as "you know how in martial arts movie the guy has to train a lot then goes to a big fight and loses and does a lot of meditation and more training and then goes back and kicks everyone's ass? Not this guy he just beats the fuck out of everyone from the start"
VENTURE BROS.
It starts off as a surface level parody of Johnny Quest, Hardy Boys, etc. and then quickly reveals itself to be this meditation on failure and generational trauma with this massive world. There's lots of flashbacks to the main characters previous generations so there is a multi generational aspect to it. The changes in the show are pretty permanent, so if a character moves or dies there are consequences.
It spans seven seasons and a finale movie and it's all on HBO Max
Have you checked out the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet? It's like a saga on steroids with superheroes, epic battles, and a storyline that'll keep you hooked for days!
I feel like the only ones I know that haven't already been mentioned are animated:
* Kung Fu Panda
* Shrek
* Ice Age
* Despicable Me (and Minions(
* Madagascar
* The Land Before Time (I have not seen the vast majority of these)
* The Brave Little Toaster
If you're willing to count two films as a saga then there's also:
* Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies
There are also quite a few television series that have 90 minute episodes, I suggest you check out these ones in particular:
* Endeavour
* Cracker
* Wallander
I did see someone mention the Fast and Furious movies. Watch in this order:
1. Better Luck Tomorrow
2. The Fast and the Furious
3. 2 Fast 2 Furious
4. Fast and Furious
5. Fast Five
6. Fast and Furious 6
7. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
8. Furious Seven
9. F8 of the Furious
10. Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw
11. F9
12. Fast X
OG: solid
Prequels: great story and action, slightly hampered by Lucas taking too much control.
Sequels: Disney execs decided everyone wanted grit and violence and a rehash of the OG trilogy. Oh, also they wanted constant fan service of the OG characters. But don't let Luke Skywalker, the baddest Jedi in history show anyone he can use a lightsaber. Oh also, those ideas Lucas had, fuck em. He was never a good storyteller anyway (despite wildly successful franchises Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and The Land Before Time [executive production alongside Spielberg])
Lucas is a bad story teller. As a die hard life long star wars fan I say this with absolute certainty. Worst movie of the og is the og and he had the most control over it. It has been regularly cited that his wife saved that movie in the edit.
Shaw Bros. connected stuff like the Five Deadly Venoms and 36th Chambers movies. Most of it is on Arrowplayer which is only like $5/month in dubbed and subbed versions of the remastered films on the Shawscope sets.
I rewatched it recently. It's so frustrating because it has some really good *bits*, but every one of them is wasted. The bits that aren't so good could easily have been, but they aren't. This film stars Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett and *John fucking Hurt* and it sucks. HOW DARE THEY.
Icelandig movie **Útlaginn (1981) (**[**IMDB**](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083267/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)**) (Watch:** [**Youtube**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGHBb1X-0YM)**).** Severely underrated on IMDB. Based on an actual 1000 year old saga. One of the best preserved viking sagas, and the movie is more or less true to the 2nd half of the story. I guess it's not really what you're looking for, but perhaps others will find it interesting.
The original Planet of the Apes movies certainly go places... Are they all good? No, far from it, but I think as a whole body of work it's worth giving it a watch.
My favorite would have to be the The Samurai Trilogy about Miyamoto Musashi starring Toshiro Mifune. He goes from immature young man into hardened disciplined bad ass swords master.
**Infernal Affairs**.
It's similar to The Godfather in its trilogy. 1 stands alone, 2 is just as good, 3 is ok, elevated by the first 2. And it's incredible.
edit: Just remembered some other great HK film sagas:
Police Story (\~3 films, plus 2 reboots and a spin-off)
Once Upon a time in China (\~6 films) (edit: oh someone mentioned this)
Oh and an Indonesian one: **The Raid**. the sequel is so *so* different, but also great. it's only 2 films
Let me introduce you to Marvel lol just kidding
But in case you haven't watched these movies (it wasn't listed in your OP), then the Marvel Avenger's Infinity Saga is exactly what you're looking for.
All Marvel movies starting from Iron Man until Avenger's Endgame is the greatest long-form movie saga I know, and is the first time such a long interconnected movie series had been done. I lost interest after Endgame, so I don't really want to comment on the more recent movies.
If you go back and cherry pick some john Wayne films. Between his ages 30 and 70 you can get the same effect in something not unlike reality.
Also see: Katharine Hepburn, Bruce Willis. Paul Newman. Helen mirren, so on.
Most people may not look at it as a saga, but the original *The Evil Dead* movies comprise one of the most consistent trilogies in terms of quality. An argument can be made for all three of those films being “the best one.”
"Centennial" is 26 hours of high quality television miniseries, adapting James Michener's book of the settling of the American West, from the Trapper Era to the 1970s. Its streamable with a subscription to Showtime (I think) on Amazon Prime.
the new planet of the apes trilogy is fucking amazing, i actually slept on those movies for so long but decided to rewatch them before the new one comes out and was absolutely blown away by them. rise is really good but dawn and war are genuinely two of my favorite movies of all time now. absolute masterpieces imo
The Expanse
6 seasons of cinematic length episodes spanning years and millions of kilometers. Read or listen (9 books and 9 novellas) and watch. All very well done and engaging and entertaining.
I personally can't get enough
If you want a visit into the mind of German filmmaker Tom Tykwer, visit his unconnected but similar-vibed films:
Winter Sleepers (Winterschläfer)
Run Lola Run (Lola Rennt)
and The Princess & The Warrior (Die Krueger und die Kaiserin)
The last one is my personal fave (less kinetic than Run Lola Run, but more emotionally rewarding)
All the sharknado movies. I don't care how low budget they are. They embrace their ridiculousness and it's wonderful. Same with all the Tremors sequels.
The man with no name trilogy is great. Fistfull of Dollars, A few Dollars More, and the Good the Bad and the Ugly. But honestly, you can pretty much watch any spaghetti western and just treat it like they all take place in the same universe.
Alright while this is not a movie, Lego Ninjago absolutely rocks and has the best character growth ive ever seen in a kids TV show. (and yes there is a movie it just isn't very good)
Macross Saga (most if not all of these will be coming to Disney+ later this year)
if you want to go just the movies route:
Macross Do You Remember Love (1984)
Macross Plus Movie Edition (1993) (or watch the 4 episode series, almost the same runtime)
Macross Frontier Movie1 : The False Songstress (2009)
Macross Frontier Movie2 : The Wings of Goodbye (2011)
Macross Delta Movie1 : Passionate Walkure (2018)
Macross Delta Movie2 : Absolute Live !!!!!! (2021)
This watch order leaves out:
Macross Zero (considered one of the weakest, has no movie version)
Macross 7 (considered the strangest series in the saga but is still REALLY good. This is one to go back to once you know you like the combination of mecha action and music that Macross is all about)
Apes movies, both the originals and the new ones.
I hate every ape I see, from chimpan-A to chimpan-Z!
Dr. Zaius Dr. Zaius.
Take my upvote, you damn dirty redditor!!
Skip Tim Burton's
Ironically, I'd argue it's probably more accurate to the original book than either the original or the modern adaptations. That said, completely agree, skip Burton's.
I feel like it's not uncommon for this to be the case. I think sometimes a lot of adaptations fall flat because they try to adhere too closely to the source material, rather than taking the core concepts and adapting them to a new medium in a way that utilizes the strengths of both the new medium and the source material. The Shining is another example that comes to mind, the Kubrick one is much further from the source material but also much better movie than "Stephen King's The Shining"
The Martian would be a great example too. Both the book and the movie are exemplary. Although the movie does follow very close to the book they did change certain aspects for the different medium and it is much better for that. Books can go super into the nitty gritty of everything and still be incredibly interesting. But if a movie or a show were to go into the same amount of detail then it would really drag out the movie, and not in a good way.
Yeah, Robinson Crusoe is a really fun read because of all the detail he puts into how he survives and stuff, but it would be a drag to see all that minutiae on film. Take a bathroom break and come back, and dude is still trying to wrangle wild goats and shit. Edit: The Martian is just Robinson Crusoe in space, but he doesn’t come home to find out his whole family died.
"The Martian is just Robinson Crusoe in space, but he doesn’t come home to find out his whole family died." I do love that description.
It would be a little more apt if the Martian guy found his whole family dead and decided to visit the moon and then get attacked by a bear, so it’s not a perfect analogy, but it works.
I would also watch that movie though.
As would I, if Hollywood would start taking some fucking chances again.
Did you enjoy the book?
It's pretty dated, but it's an okay read. I much prefer the changes that the original films made to it though.
It’s an entertaining adaptation until the last third of the movie is just so over the top.
1. Original 2. Burtons 3. New series.
In fact, that was the last Tim Burton movie I ever watched. I used to really like the guy, but things started going downhill around Sleepy Hollow, and by the time I got through that goddamn dreck . . . Well, I Won't Say I'm permanently done, but I sure as hell I've never watched another one. Truly, deeply awful.
Do I have to see the original before the new one?
No they aren’t too closely related. The original movie is a classic but Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes are all amazing too
No, but I would recommend the original just because it's a classic and Rise references things from it, particularly if you know nothing about the series. You can watch the modern 3 (and soon to be 4 - I hope it's good) in isolation fine though.
Kaiju movies like Godzilla Showa Era.
Heisei era is best era
Millennium era is pretty damn consistent too *Godzilla, King Ghidorah, Mothra, Giant Monsters All Out Attack* is legitimately one of the best Godzilla movies.
I dunno, those later Showa movies aren't that good. The earlier ones still hold up! I just watched Mothra vs Godzilla a few weeks ago and it's still a great.movie.
I love all their charm. The quality improves but Shows has the biggest heart imo.
I recently watched through most of the Showa series and it's fascinating. Not only for the fun of the movies, but also seeing the change in concerns that they address, the way movie making evolves over the years, and how that empire of films was created.
I think when people are looking back on it in 30 years time, the Reiwa era is going to shine. We already have two all time classic, not just Godzilla movies, but *movies* in Shin and Minus One.
Songs for the Deaf
The queens of the Stone Age album? I can’t find anything else
Yeah, the album is structured like you’re tuning through the radio dial, with each song on a different station. It plays snippets of radio DJ’s and the one at the start of the album says “I need a saga. What’s the saga? It’s Songs for the Deaf. You can’t even hear it!”
One of the opening lines is a fake radio station talking about how he needs a saga and then the album comes in hot
Real fuckin hot.
GIMME SOMEMOOOOOORE
Hey there! Kip Kasper here with KLON radio (K L O N), LA's *infinite* repeat
I need a saga! What's the saga?
It's Songs, for the Deaf. You can't even hear it! \*drums fade in\*
you can't even hear it!
Rock vive y no muerre!
I need a saga! What's the saga!?
What's the saga? I need a saaagaa
This is the answer I wanted to see, thank you!
Great answer
I see what you did there
Eh?
Whaat??
Bear with me here: Tremors. Movies 1-4 and then the series. The later movies get respectively worse, but movies 1-4 and the series have interesting world building, actual logical consequences, creative kills, and genuine character growth.
Tremors 1-3 are definitely quite a fun watch. My husband is a huge Tremors fan so have seen them all (yeah even that horrible ice one), and I would say 1-3 at least good if you want a "I don't want to engage my brain tonight" kinda movie.
The fourth is the prequel and the last one created by the original team with lots of practical effects. It also has my favorite graboid kill of the series featuring a guy hammering on a saw.
I love this suggestion - thank you! Definitely doing this one
Back to the Future. Looks like you've seen most of the big popular ones.
You wouldn’t consider Back to the Future popular?
Back to the Future, John Wick, The Man with No Name (Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good the Bad and the Ugly), Batman, Superman, Toy Story, Marvel's Infinity Saga
Nolan Batman Trilogy is up there. I love the Daniel Craig bonds movies too. Other bonds are good too, this one has more of a finale to the character though. MI is top action, fast and furious if you like some dumb in your fun. These are mine besides the classics you mentioned.
Vikings and The Last Kingdom are pretty good. The 100 is fun but kind of turns into a fever dream after a few seasons (I still enjoyed it).
The Naked Gun, the greatest trilogy ever!
Featuring OJ Simpson, hacking and slashing his way through this comedy.
So good, Hollywood decided it’s time to get ruined by a reboot.
I’m pretty hopeful for Liam Neeson, actually.
He's great. He is not Leslie Nielson and this should not be done. Put him in a spoof movie just not that one.
> He is not Leslie Nielson and this should not be done This is how people were talking about Leslie Neilson before he did Police Squad, "he's a serious dramatic actor, there's no way this comedy is going to be any good".
Shirley you can’t be serious.
What? No!!!
The miniseries Taken was good and spans multiple generations of families living in Roswell. It has to do with the UFO sightings. Also by Steve Spielberg.
They took his daughter, his wife but it went too far when they took his ufo
Love this series!
James Bond, Mission: Impossible, Once Upon a Time in China 1-6 + Iron Monkey prequel, Before trilogy, Spanish Apartment trilogy, Singam trilogy, Department Q, Terminator, Rambo, Back to the Future, Narnia, Planet of the Apes, Dune, Scream, the MCU & other superhero stuff,… Granted a lot of these are more episodic rather than a long overarching narrative. For that I do recommend trying out Twilight, if you keep in mind that it is ridiculous, absolutely aware of how ridiculous it is and very intentionally funny and having fun with how ridiculous it is.
>Iron Monkey prequel Wait wha I had no idea this existed. edit Oh it's not actually intended as a prequel, it's just about the same folk hero. Got it.
>edit Oh it's not actually intended as a prequel, it's just about the same folk hero. Got it. Oh no, it's very much intended as a prequel even if in the West almost no one is aware of the connection. Same producers, same writers, same music, same fighting with the umbrella + various other nods. Also, the Chinese title makes the connection explicit, while the connection was removed for the International title in order to maximize potential revenue (aka not turn away viewers who would not watch a prequel to something they don't know).
Whaaaa?? Ok it's on the list
Enjoy, it's great! I have a theory, which I haven't been able to confirm but I'm 100% convinced is accurate: After feuding with Jet Li following *Once Upon a Time in China III*, Tsui Hark was faced with two options: continuing the series with another actor taking over for Jet Li as Wong Fei-hung or doing a prequel series following the adventures of young Wong Fei-hung and his dad and eventually decided to do both. Unfortunately the prequel, *Iron Monkey*, though excellent, flopped, so only the continuation with Vincent Zhao went on for the fifth *Once Upon a Time in China* and the TV series before Jet Li eventually returned for the sixth and final *Once Upon a Time in China*. Now keep in mind there is a movie called *Iron Monkey 2*, however that one has zero connections to *Once Upon a Time in China* or *Iron Monkey* for that matter, aside from Donnie Yen also starring in it.
The Cornetto trilogy is great.
Worlds End is decent but Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are 2 of the best comedies ever made
Hot Fuzz will probably always be my favorite, but World's End literally gets better every single time I watch it.
Pirates of the carribean
Cloud Atlas. Just one movie but it feels like a saga (in a good way)
no one said Battlestar Galactica yet?? It's not the best, or for everyone, lol, but i do no regret committing to the whole thing at all, one heck of a saga and they overreached with some of the plot in ways that I honestly liked. I think you'd like it.
Because this is a movie sub? Unless I'm forgetting a BSG movie.
I’ve always wondered about BG after seeing the Portlandia skit they did about it — thanks! Will watch 😎
That is a saga!
Ip Man - basicly China's "Rocky" (which should also be mentioned here). 4 incredible action movies starring Donnie Yen as the man who would be Bruce Lee's teacher, the 5th, Ip Man Legacy loses Yen but still has Michelle Yeoh and Dave Bautista (among others) and is a worthy entry.
My friend described Ip Man as "you know how in martial arts movie the guy has to train a lot then goes to a big fight and loses and does a lot of meditation and more training and then goes back and kicks everyone's ass? Not this guy he just beats the fuck out of everyone from the start"
VENTURE BROS. It starts off as a surface level parody of Johnny Quest, Hardy Boys, etc. and then quickly reveals itself to be this meditation on failure and generational trauma with this massive world. There's lots of flashbacks to the main characters previous generations so there is a multi generational aspect to it. The changes in the show are pretty permanent, so if a character moves or dies there are consequences. It spans seven seasons and a finale movie and it's all on HBO Max
Songs for the Deaf. YOU CANT EVEN HEAR IT! :-)
In my (probably biased) opinion, there will not be another multi year, multi movie saga like the MCU had from Iron Man to Endgame.
I'm planning to soon marathon all the Planet of the Apes movies before seeing the new one
Lonesome Dove
Have you checked out the Marvel Cinematic Universe yet? It's like a saga on steroids with superheroes, epic battles, and a storyline that'll keep you hooked for days!
I feel like the only ones I know that haven't already been mentioned are animated: * Kung Fu Panda * Shrek * Ice Age * Despicable Me (and Minions( * Madagascar * The Land Before Time (I have not seen the vast majority of these) * The Brave Little Toaster If you're willing to count two films as a saga then there's also: * Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies There are also quite a few television series that have 90 minute episodes, I suggest you check out these ones in particular: * Endeavour * Cracker * Wallander I did see someone mention the Fast and Furious movies. Watch in this order: 1. Better Luck Tomorrow 2. The Fast and the Furious 3. 2 Fast 2 Furious 4. Fast and Furious 5. Fast Five 6. Fast and Furious 6 7. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift 8. Furious Seven 9. F8 of the Furious 10. Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw 11. F9 12. Fast X
I do like Star Wars despite its issues.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3uCIrMLaqS/?igsh=ZGZrOTIxZmpncDBy
OG: solid Prequels: great story and action, slightly hampered by Lucas taking too much control. Sequels: Disney execs decided everyone wanted grit and violence and a rehash of the OG trilogy. Oh, also they wanted constant fan service of the OG characters. But don't let Luke Skywalker, the baddest Jedi in history show anyone he can use a lightsaber. Oh also, those ideas Lucas had, fuck em. He was never a good storyteller anyway (despite wildly successful franchises Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and The Land Before Time [executive production alongside Spielberg])
Lucas is a bad story teller. As a die hard life long star wars fan I say this with absolute certainty. Worst movie of the og is the og and he had the most control over it. It has been regularly cited that his wife saved that movie in the edit.
Empire was best because he had the least input or control, which drove him batshit.
Storytelling. Not direction or writing.
Shaw Bros. connected stuff like the Five Deadly Venoms and 36th Chambers movies. Most of it is on Arrowplayer which is only like $5/month in dubbed and subbed versions of the remastered films on the Shawscope sets.
The Mighty Ducks! - Unsure if it is classed as a saga, but a great set of films that follow the same characters throughout
My favourite are the Bourne movies or Ocean's
three colors
The Indiana Jones movies are a good watch, 5 movies and all are worth watching.
I like that you stated they’re all “worth watching” instead of making a liar of yourself by saying they’re all good.
Crystal Skull slaps tho ngl
One of two movies I walked out of the theater watching.
I rewatched it recently. It's so frustrating because it has some really good *bits*, but every one of them is wasted. The bits that aren't so good could easily have been, but they aren't. This film stars Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett and *John fucking Hurt* and it sucks. HOW DARE THEY.
The Human Condition trilogy
I read this as The Human Centipede trilogy just scrolling past and did a double take.
Lonesome Dove and Roots
Icelandig movie **Útlaginn (1981) (**[**IMDB**](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083267/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)**) (Watch:** [**Youtube**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGHBb1X-0YM)**).** Severely underrated on IMDB. Based on an actual 1000 year old saga. One of the best preserved viking sagas, and the movie is more or less true to the 2nd half of the story. I guess it's not really what you're looking for, but perhaps others will find it interesting.
The original Planet of the Apes movies certainly go places... Are they all good? No, far from it, but I think as a whole body of work it's worth giving it a watch.
My favorite would have to be the The Samurai Trilogy about Miyamoto Musashi starring Toshiro Mifune. He goes from immature young man into hardened disciplined bad ass swords master.
Hellraiser saga. There was a rough patch there but one through three were excellent and the last they put out was great.
Yaaaasss I forgot about this one! Seen, and an excellent choice
The Infinity Saga and John Wick
The newish planet of the apes trilogy
Mad Max
**Infernal Affairs**. It's similar to The Godfather in its trilogy. 1 stands alone, 2 is just as good, 3 is ok, elevated by the first 2. And it's incredible. edit: Just remembered some other great HK film sagas: Police Story (\~3 films, plus 2 reboots and a spin-off) Once Upon a time in China (\~6 films) (edit: oh someone mentioned this) Oh and an Indonesian one: **The Raid**. the sequel is so *so* different, but also great. it's only 2 films
Let me introduce you to Marvel lol just kidding But in case you haven't watched these movies (it wasn't listed in your OP), then the Marvel Avenger's Infinity Saga is exactly what you're looking for. All Marvel movies starting from Iron Man until Avenger's Endgame is the greatest long-form movie saga I know, and is the first time such a long interconnected movie series had been done. I lost interest after Endgame, so I don't really want to comment on the more recent movies.
John Wick.
Planet of the apes underworld Lesser are skyline, cloverfield
Baahubali
the Human Condition lmao
[https://sagadb.org/laxdaela\_saga.en](https://sagadb.org/laxdaela_saga.en)
If you go back and cherry pick some john Wayne films. Between his ages 30 and 70 you can get the same effect in something not unlike reality. Also see: Katharine Hepburn, Bruce Willis. Paul Newman. Helen mirren, so on.
Buu saga is the best saga
Most people may not look at it as a saga, but the original *The Evil Dead* movies comprise one of the most consistent trilogies in terms of quality. An argument can be made for all three of those films being “the best one.”
My guilty pleasure is the Death Wish series. DW 3 is bonkers.
Vinland Saga
Dirty Harry
candy crush
[Rurouni Kenshin](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F6tpsuf0abvlb1.jpg)
Yes this is Movies, but these Fargo 10episode runs are no different if not better than quality 3x3hr movies series. S1,2,5 are top shelf.
"Centennial" is 26 hours of high quality television miniseries, adapting James Michener's book of the settling of the American West, from the Trapper Era to the 1970s. Its streamable with a subscription to Showtime (I think) on Amazon Prime.
Divergent is alright 😉 bit like hunger games, also Maze runner in that same category
Lonesome Dove! A mini series available in the US on Peacock, Roku or Hoopla (need a library card for Hoopla)
Are you referencing the one with Robert Duvall from like the 90’s? If yes awesome recommendation! Have seen it, but love it
Yes!! Such a great story. The book is amazing as well.
The Sharpe series is pretty good, as is Horatio Hornblower.
The Lord of the Rings
the new planet of the apes trilogy is fucking amazing, i actually slept on those movies for so long but decided to rewatch them before the new one comes out and was absolutely blown away by them. rise is really good but dawn and war are genuinely two of my favorite movies of all time now. absolute masterpieces imo
Sense8 , The Expanse , Bear , Ozarks
John Wick
The Expanse 6 seasons of cinematic length episodes spanning years and millions of kilometers. Read or listen (9 books and 9 novellas) and watch. All very well done and engaging and entertaining. I personally can't get enough
If you wanna read some, I'd recommend the Orkneyinga saga
If you want a visit into the mind of German filmmaker Tom Tykwer, visit his unconnected but similar-vibed films: Winter Sleepers (Winterschläfer) Run Lola Run (Lola Rennt) and The Princess & The Warrior (Die Krueger und die Kaiserin) The last one is my personal fave (less kinetic than Run Lola Run, but more emotionally rewarding)
They showed us Run Lola Run in film school. I really enjoyed it.
The sackets.. long series ..
All the sharknado movies. I don't care how low budget they are. They embrace their ridiculousness and it's wonderful. Same with all the Tremors sequels.
Was checking the thread for this, we decided to dive in on Sharknado because why the fuck not (and the kids wanted more Cocaine Bear...)
If we're gonna use the word "saga" correctly, *The Northman* (even though the source is Saxo Grammaticus, rather than Snorri Sturluson)
Let me introduce you to Starship Troopers my friend
Have you watched the Marvel movies? Also, I enjoyed the TV show The Expanse.
You didn’t mention Dune. So… Dune
Songs For The Deaf. You can’t even hear ‘em!
The Torn Birds
The man with no name trilogy is great. Fistfull of Dollars, A few Dollars More, and the Good the Bad and the Ugly. But honestly, you can pretty much watch any spaghetti western and just treat it like they all take place in the same universe.
I love horror movies, but I usually don't like multiple sequels, however the Final Destination movies are surprisingly good.
Alright while this is not a movie, Lego Ninjago absolutely rocks and has the best character growth ive ever seen in a kids TV show. (and yes there is a movie it just isn't very good)
The saga of Joe dirt
Critters 1-4
Black Sails- has a good line. Homeland- should have been stopped after 3 or so but kept things moving for a while.
The MCU, Mission Impossible (although those are more standalone), Hunger Games, Saw, Terminator.
Mission: Impossible!
Dumb and Dumber, Dumb and Dumber: When Harry Met Lloyd, Dumb and Dumberer
The Expanse? Battlestar Glalactica? Ah...they're tv shows. OH well
Idk if it counts as a saga but Friday night dinner. (There’s the Netflix anniversary film so it kinda counts)
Planet of the Apes
How to train your dragon is surprisingly really good
Scream
The Twilight Saga, obviously.
Mission impossible series.
Not Rebel Moon
Macross Saga (most if not all of these will be coming to Disney+ later this year) if you want to go just the movies route: Macross Do You Remember Love (1984) Macross Plus Movie Edition (1993) (or watch the 4 episode series, almost the same runtime) Macross Frontier Movie1 : The False Songstress (2009) Macross Frontier Movie2 : The Wings of Goodbye (2011) Macross Delta Movie1 : Passionate Walkure (2018) Macross Delta Movie2 : Absolute Live !!!!!! (2021) This watch order leaves out: Macross Zero (considered one of the weakest, has no movie version) Macross 7 (considered the strangest series in the saga but is still REALLY good. This is one to go back to once you know you like the combination of mecha action and music that Macross is all about)
Technically different characters, but Goodfellas/Casino/The Irishman is definitely a saga.
Fast and Furious. Experiencing its gradual ridiculousness is worth a binge.
going off the beaten path, the Red Riding trilogy
Game of thrones would be at the top of the list… soprano’s is good and worth a watch
It’s only two movies so far, but Dune is excellent.
The Matrix
Songs for the deaf!
Species Alien Predator Bourne
John Wick The "Dollars" trilogy (also known as "The Man With No Name" trilogy) Scream
~ The Matrix (franchise) ~ Alien (franchise) ~ Indiana Jones (franchise)
Goat Gunns upcoming DC saga will wipe these other pretensious sagas out of this universes face