Thanksgiving: overcooking turkey, falling into a food coma, and Black Friday shopping. Even if you’re not celebrating next week, UW has graciously gifted students with a four-day weekend to procrastinate before finals.
Long weekends are also the perfect opportunity to get some much-needed rest…or to stay up late watching movies. While there isn’t enough time to binge all of The Office for the 5th time (at least for most of us), movie trilogies are the perfect length to enjoy over a four-day break. Here’s a list of the best (and most entertaining) movie trilogies to watch over Thanksgiving weekend:
1. Toy Story
Before you yell at me, yes, I know Toy Story isn’t exactly a trilogy anymore. But that doesn’t stop the first three movies from constructing a perfect, heartwarming tale of childhood and growing up. This trilogy is one that both adults and children can enjoy equally, and each film introduces unique perspectives and thematic content. By watching all three movies in a row (and fourth if you’re feeling up for it), we can witness the improvement of breathtaking computer animation by Pixar over the course of 15 years and experience the entertaining – and tear-jerking – adventures of Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), and the rest of the toy gang.
2. Back to the Future
Many great film trilogies begin with a classic. The first Back to the Future film follows the time-travel adventures of Marty McFly, played by the charismatic Michael J. Fox, and the slightly mad Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) as they find their way back from the 1950s without interfering in the past. The charming friendship between the two leads and the novel premise produced one of the most beloved films of all time. The second and third films bring new life to the original idea by transporting the duo to the future (more specifically, 2015) and to the Wild West, respectively.
3. Original Star Wars
When it comes to Star Wars, nothing beats the original trilogy (sorry, prequel fans). The films spawned a world-wide pop culture phenomenon that captured the imagination of an entire generation, with references to the space opera deeply embedded in everyday life. The second film, Empire Strikes Back, is often cited as one of the greatest movie sequels of all time (closely tied with a few other films on our list). And of course, the trilogy introduced us to countless iconic actors/actresses, including but not limited to: Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and Mark Hamill. There are almost no words to describe a set of films that produced an entire franchise of entertainment, from video games and television series to theme park attractions.
4. The Lord of the Rings
Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential film series of all time by critics and fans alike, The Lord of the Rings trilogy follows Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship as they seek to destroy the One Ring. All of the films were shot simultaneously in New Zealand, all with amazing casting, music, and visual effects. Clearly, critics agreed with the widespread acclaim – the films were nominated for a total of 30 Academy Awards, winning 17. If you’re going to watch this series over Thanksgiving weekend, it’s going to take you around 9 hours (these are looong movies).
5. The Dark Knight
Ever since the bat-credit card from Batman and Robin, I think all Batman fans were looking for grittier, more realistic take on the hero. Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy has since become the definitive version of the Batman, with Christian Bale providing a memorable, grounded take on the man in and behind the mask. And of course, the trilogy is incomplete without one of the best superhero movies of all time, The Dark Knight (sorry, Marvel fans). You’ll find me next weekend watching this trilogy with an idiotic grin plastered on my face as the main theme plays (seriously, give it a listen).
6. Spider-Man
Ah, the rollercoaster ride that was the Spider-Man trilogy. Tobey McGuire played the slightly goofy, nerdy (and emo) version of the web-head from Queens. Not only did we get the iconic upside-down kiss from the first movie, the second movie gave us an unforgettable performance by Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius. And the third movie, of course, gave us this. Without the success of this trilogy, we might never have gotten to see more big-name Marvel superheroes on the movie screen. If you’re looking for a film series with heart and unintentional humor, give Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy another watch.
7. The Matrix
The Matrix is another film ingrained in popular culture and science fiction. The movie is responsible for popularizing wire-fu action, bullet-time, virtual reality sci-fi in modern Hollywood. Not only are the red vs. blue pill and bending spoon still referenced today, the trilogy also made us fall in love with Keanu Reeves (with whom we are still obsessed today). The far-reaching film and its two sequels are worth a watch this Thanksgiving – remember, the Matrix is only telling your brain that the food you’re eating is delicious.
8. The Hangover
Dealing the misadventures of “The Wolfpack” after a night of debauchery, The Hangover is still one of the funniest and most-quoted movies from 2009. All three films were directed by Todd Philips (yes, the person who just directed Joker), and have amassed a large following since their release. In total, the three films have made over 1.4 billion dollars. The second film is basically the first one but set in Thailand, while the third ditches the premise completely and gives audiences an action-comedy film. If you’re looking for a trilogy of epic proportions (just kidding) and jokes that have not aged well, give The Hangover trilogy a shot!