Film Series

With the next "Harry Potter" film less than 48-hours away, I thought it would be a good time to continue my list of favorites with the category of film series. This is a tough category, but basically the ones I've picked fall under the old adage "the sum of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." Meaning, taken collectively, these films are better as a series than having any one individual film represent them.

Obviously there are many trilogies and film series, but some contain great films that stand out better on their own. Take, for example, "The Matrix." As a stand alone film, "The Matrix" is ground breaking. As part of a series, that luster gets diminished a bit.

The series on this list work better when they are thought of as one continuing narrative — it's like the film version of a TV show. Many episodes, one real story.

As with the other lists, films will appear only once. Here is the films I think work best as part of a series. As always, they are listed in ascending order.

5. Indiana Jones (1981-2008)

The most recent "Indiana Jones" film, which I dubbed "Indiana Jones and the quest for ridiculousness," diminished the franchise a bit, but still, "Indiana Jones" films remain iconic. You could make a case that "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is the best, but there are those that prefer "Temple of Doom" and "The Last Crusade," so it's really a toss up. The real focus is the character Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), and each film is a new chapter in his adventure. That's what makes it a fun series.

4. Lethal Weapon (1987-1998)

This is the prototypical buddy cop franchise starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. Again, it is nearly impossible to pick out one as THE best of the series. Personally, I would rank them 2-4-1-3, but they are all relatively close and formulaic. This is probably the closest we get to seeing a film franchise that's like a TV show. As much as I enjoy the movies, I am really hoping they don't make a fifth one now... I know Gibson and Glover need the work, but I can't imagine the movie being great. But you never can tell. One of the best aspects of this series is that it remained a progression. The characters always came back and the director was the same for all four films. Continuity counts!

3. Harry Potter (2001-2011)

I wasn't always fond of "The Boy Who Lived." I haven't read the books (I started the first one but gave up in tedium). I didn't really understand all the hype after seeing the first film either, which felt about 45 minutes too long and aimed at pre-teens. But I still went to the movies, because everyone went to the movies. Somewhere in the middle of the third film, I realized I actually wanted to see what would happen to Harry Potter and his pals. And, after an excellent fourth film, I was legitimately excited about the franchise. To this point (remember part seven begins Friday) I would rate the films in this order 6-4-3-5-2-1. The last installment was my favorite (probably because it was like watching an episode of "Dawson's Creek" if they practiced magic), but part of the reason it resonated with me so much was because of the history that I developed with these characters. These films are truly one long journey, and none of them would be as strong on their own as they are in a group.

2. Star Wars (1977-2005)

This is another group of films that has to be taken collectively. It would be even better if we could forget episodes 1-3 ever happened, but alas they did. "Star Wars" is a great part of American cinematic history. I would rate the films in the following order: "Empire Strikes Back," "Return of the Jedi," "Revenge of the Sith," "A New Hope," "Attack of the Clones," and, way back, "The Phantom Menace." A couple years ago I tried watching all six films in order on consecutive days. It was an interesting experience. The original trilogy is still much better, but it is interesting to see how the stories flow together.

1. Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)

For three years, I waited each year for the next installment of this series to come out. This is the ultimate tribute to the power of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Sure, you could argue that "Return of the King" won Best Picture, making it the best. But I believed then, and still believe now, that award was a recognition for the series as a whole. No one refers to the films by their book titles, they are collectively "Lord of the Rings." You have to take them together to fully appreciate the story and the artistry of the filmmaking, which is why this is the ultimate film series to me.