The Sequels' Curse

Just came back from the movies where i watched the 3rd mummy movie - "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor".
I have to say, altough i enjoyed the first one, the second and especially the third left me wondering why almost every sequel i could remember, while driving back home, failed the fans' expectations which were created after watching the original movies?

I mean, the producers know what it takes to make a successful movie right? The recipe of success is obviously the first movies which introduce the characters and the plot. Then why don't they use the same formula to make another good movie based on the first one?

Well they actually do! They do use the same characters (almost every time) and a different but similar plot (again almost every time). Well where is the problem then?

While reading some dos and don'ts of sequels i started wondering? Is it maybe the loss of the element of suprise that makes the audience to yawn while watching the new mummy? Is is the feeling "I have seen this again, I know what is going to happen" that makes us not laugh while watching a sequel of our favourite comedy?

I even googled it to see if there was a study conducted about this issue but i was disappointed with the returned results. I guess i have to spend some more time searching for finding something that could satisfy my curiosity.

What do you think?What are the reasons that make us hate sequels so much?

p.s The only sequel i liked more than the original movie was Terminator 2: Judgment Day which i believe was a significant improvement from the first one. How about you?

The Dark Night

Yesterday i watched the latest Batman movie called The Dark Night.
I was waiting for this movie since i first saw the trailer some months ago..
Some exciting news also made it more attractive compared to all previous Batman movies...

First it was the reaction of Jack Nicholson when found out that another actor was selected to play the role of Joker. As revealed, Jack was furious when Heath Ledger was given the role of the famous villain, the Joker, in the new Batman movie.

Secondly, it was the tragic news of Ledger found dead in his appartment before the movie was released, caused from a possible drug overdose...

Surely, that initiated some reactions from the public. How is it possible, with such a huge success waiting around the corner, the actor to commit suicide in such a 'stupid' way?

Well i got my answer yesterday!

A brilliant performance from Ledger, overshadowing Christian Bale who played the Batman role. Ledger brought a new level in the villains category offering a range of emotions to the audience. An outsdanding, hate-to-love or love-to-hate (which one are you?), performance that, i am sure, has marked the Batman era!
I wouldn't be suprised if Ledger gets an Oscar nomination, or even win an award, especially when, rumour has it, his death was caused due to his 'deep-acting' commitment to the role of Joker.
You can see it in the big screen, Ledger was turned to something else...He wasn't Casanova anyomore nor that confused guy in Brokeback Mountain. He was something else...Fear, pitty, admiration, anger, you name the emotion, Ledger delivers it in the movie!

A 9/10 from me and definetely added on my list of best movies ever, along with Seven, The Devil's Advocate, Forrest Gump and Two for the Money