Results: Film sequels as good as or better than the original

The Dark Knight with Heath Ledger as the Joker surpasses Batman Begins. Despite inspiring countless bad impressions, Ledger's performance remains an undisputed triumph; he is simultaneously hysterical, frightening, charming, off-putting, and completely unforgettable from the moment he appears onscreen. Have you ever seen The Dark Knight?

Paddington 2 in just 104 minutes, the movie takes you on an adventure that is equal parts heartwarming and action-packed (and includes nearly every great British thespian currently living). But don't just take my word for it because Paddington 2 is one of the most well-reviewed movies ever made. And among the film's most prominent supporters is Nicolas Cage, who espoused his sincere love for Paddington 2 in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Have you ever seen Paddington 2?

Perhaps the most famous sequel of them all, The Godfather Part II. The Godfather (1972) was Francis Ford Coppola's Oscar-winning masterpiece. Somehow, he managed to top himself and win even more Oscars with The Godfather Part II. In fact, the movie was the first sequel to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Thank Robert De Niro. Al Pacino delivered stunning performances in both films, but the addition of another legendary actor in flashbacks helped elevate the mob movie. Those flashbacks give context to the Corleone family and delve deeply into the psychology of power-hungry men. Have you ever seen The Godfather Part II?

Technically a sequel to 1986's Manhunter, Jonathan Demme's Silence of the Lambs feels like a completely new film. Anthony Hopkins replaces Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecter and develops the sort of eerie repartee with Jodie Foster's Clarice that hadn't been seen before—or arguably since. Though he's only in the film for a few scenes, Hopkins made a terrifying enough impression to earn an Oscar for the performance. In fact, the movie swept the big categories that year: Foster won Best Actress, Demme Best Director and the movie Best Picture. Have you seen Silence of the Lambs?

Terminator 2 Judgement Day stands out as one of the best action movies of all time, with director James Cameron improving every aspect of this franchise in his second outing. Brilliantly, he turned Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator into the good guy, protecting Sarah Conner and her son John from an even more terrifying android. The once-cowering Sarah Connor evolves into a tough warrior in the sequel. He set a new high bar with the special effects. But it's really the relationship among the three good guys, and the family that they form, that gives the movie the sort of heart its predecessors—and its sequels—don't have. Have you ever seen Terminator 2?