FEATURED FILMS
THE BOURNE IDENTITY (2002), THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004), THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (2007)

CAST
MATT DAMON, BRIAN COX, FRANKA POTENTE, JULIA STILES, JOAN ALLEN, DAVID STRATHAIRN

DIRECTED BY
DOUG LIMAN, PAUL GRENGRASS

The Bourne Trilogy changed how filmmakers approached the action genre. While first instalment The Bourne Identity saw director Doug Liman create a solid espionage thriller and transformed Matt Damon into a kick ass action star, it was the shaky cam theatrics of director Paul Grengrass featured in sequels The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum that raised the bar in action thriller filmmaking, as Damon’s amnesiac super-agent Jason Bourne breaks ribs, jumps across rooftops and crashes cars in his quest for the truth.

FEATURED FILMS
THE EVIL DEAD (1981), EVIL DEAD II (1987), ARMY OF DARKNESS (1993)

CAST
BRUCE CAMPBELL, ELLEN SANWEISS, ANNIE KNOWBY, EMBETH DAVITZ, TED RAIMI

DIRECTED BY
SAM RAIMI

What began as a low budget splatter-fest became one of the most versatile and entertaining horror franchises in The Evil Dead Trilogy, filmmaker Sam Riami’s calling card to the movie biz before breaking box office records with Spider-Man.

With trusty B-grade king Bruce Campbell starring as groovy hero Ash much zombie dismemberment, slapstick madness and flat out crazy shenanigans take place, as Raimi proves his worth as one of the most innovative directors in genre filmmaking.

FEATURED FILMS
BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985), BACK TO THE FUTURE II (1989), BACK TO THE FUTURE III (1990)

CAST
MICHAEL J. FOX, CHRISTOPHER LLOYD, LEA THOMPSON, THOMAS F. WILSON, CRISPIN GLOVER, MARY STEENBUREN

DIRECTED BY
ROBERT ZEMECKIS

With the original Back to the Future film such a phenomenal success, it only made sense that director Robert Zemeckis and producer Steven Spielberg would continue the time travelling adventures of over his head teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and eccentric scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd).

The result was two distinctly different comedy adventures shot back to back with Part II having fun with a tech-crazy future filled with flying cars and hover-boards, and Part III giving us the type of wild-west adventure Will Smith could only dream of. As a whole The Back to the Future Trilogy features the best kind of sci-fi adventure entertainment you can find, with characters worth caring about and a story worth investing in.   

FEATURED FILMS
A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS (1964), FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE (1965), THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966)

CAST
CLINT EASTWOOD, LEE VAN CLIFF, ELI WALLACH, GIAN MARIA VOLONTE, MARIO BREGA

DIRECTED BY
SERGIO LEONE

There is no denying the impact the three films known as The Dollars Trilogy had on the landscape of movie making: the introduction of the mighty Clint Eastwood, the revival of the western, and most importantly the arrival of Sergio Leone whose spaghetti western operas influenced countless filmmakers.

Although not officially a film series, the ties that bind the opuses in The Dollars Trilogy are apparent. Most central is the presence of “The Man with No Name”, the quiet anti-hero played with burning intensity by Eastwood who is fast with a gun and doesn’t suffer fools lightly. Although masterful when watched separately, when viewed back to back to back is an experience unlike any other.   

FEATURED FILMS
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981), INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984), INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989)

CAST
HARRISON FORD, SEAN CONNERY, KAREN ALLEN, KATE CAPSHAW, ALISON DOODY, DENHOLM ELLIOTT, JOHN RHYS-DAVIES

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

What happens when two of Hollywood’s brightest minds come together? You get the Indiana Jones series, the brainchild of George Lucas (producer) and Steven Spielberg (director) whose love of adventure serials from the 1950s led them to create Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, an archaeologist with a taste for danger and fear for snakes, perfectly portrayed by Harrison Ford.

It was Raiders of the Lost Ark that introduced Indy and as a first of three was a tough act to follow, with Spielberg creating a masterful action adventure packed with memorable moments. It’s follow up …The Temple of Doom – although itself a thrilling and fun movie – lost some of its predecessors charm thanks to a much darker edge. …The Last Crusade would end the trilogy on a high note, with Lucas and Spielberg striking gold by casting James Bond himself Sean Connery as Indy’s father. Some 20 years later a fourth instalment would be released, yet it is the first three Indiana Jones adventures that everyone fondly remembers.

FEATURED FILMS
THE GODFATHER (1972), THE GODFATHER PART II (1974), THE GODFATHER PART III (1990)

CAST
AL PACINO, MARLON BRANDO, ROBERT DE NIRO, ROBERT DUVALL, DIANE KEATON, TALIA SHIRE, JOHN CAZALE

DIRECTED BY
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA

It is well known that The Godfather Parts 1 & 2 are masterful films worthy of all the praise bestowed upon them. After all these are films of immense craft, engrossing story and filled with career defining performances from the likes of Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro and many others.

Yet denying it the top spot in this list of trilogies is The Godfather Part III, released 16 years after the second (and best) entry so Francis Ford Coppola could pay off his debts. This is not saying Part III is a bad film. Far from it. In fact it’s exceptionally good, with Coppola’s eye for grand scale and the great performances from Pacino as aging don Michael Corleone and Andy Garcia as his successor Vincent Mancini equating to a film better than most that year.

While lacking when compared to its ground breaking predecessors, it works as a finale to what is essentially a family tragedy as epic as any opera. Simply out, The Godfather Trilogy is one with little equal and much greatness.

FEATURED FILMS
TOY STORY (1995), TOY STORY 2 (1999), TOY STORY 3 (2010)

CAST
TOM HANKS, TIM ALLEN, JOAN CUSACK, DON RICKLES, WALLACE SHAWN, JOHN RATZENBERGER, ESTELLE HARRIS

DIRECTED BY
JOHN LASSETER, LEE UNKRICH, ASH BRANNON

It say’s something when the third instalment of an animated franchise can make grown men cry like babies. Yet such is the power of the Toy Story films, three in total which not only made for wholly satisfying and entertaining viewing but also charged the landscape of animated movies.

Of course such genius is due to the brilliant people of Pixar, who with Toy Story took a big chance – introducing computer animation, the removal of musical numbers (a Disney tradition) – that payed off dividends and introduced the mighty duo of honourable cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) and heroic space man Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen).

The first Toy Story looked at how jealousy begat a strong friendship, the second threw the spotlight on self-identity and family, and the resounding third rounded things off with a story about how letting go of a chapter in your life can mark a new chapter for someone else. Every instalment is a thing of masterful genius, appreciated by young and old.

FEATURED FILMS
BATMAN BEGINS (2005), THE DAKR KNIGHT (2008), THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (2012)

CAST
CHRISTIAN BALE, MICHAEL CAINE, MORGAN FREEMAN, GARY OLDMAN, LIAM NEESON, HEATH LEDGER, CILLIAN MURPHY

DIRECTED BY
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

It is something of a miracle that the Batman franchise has been able to rebound from the Joel Schumacher debacles. Yet such is the power of The Dark Knight Trilogy, the brainchild of director extraordinaire Christopher Nolan who took the Batman comics and embraced its dark psychology while steeping this superhero world in a cold reality.

Batman Begins introduced this world with glorious aplomb, as new Batman Christian Bale cemented his position as a caped crusader both physically and psychologically in-tune with the part. Its sequel The Dark Knight upped the stakes, with a beast of a performance from the late, great Heath Ledge as homicidal clown The Joker. Yet it is the recently released The Dark Knight Rises which is the jewel of this Bat-crown, Nolan bringing the series to a fitting conclusion as Batman faces his greatest adversary in terrorist leader Bane (Tom Hardy) while saving his beloved Gotham City from destruction.

FEATURED FILMS
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001), THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (2004), THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING  (2007)

CAST
ELIJAH WOOD, IAN McKELLAN, VIGGO MORTENSEN, SEAN ASTIN, ORLANDO BLOOM, LIV TYLER, ANDY SERKIS

DIRECTED BY
PETER JACKSON

It is no surprise that J.R. Tolkein’s sprawling novel The Lord of the Rings had to be adapted into three epic films. The surprise came in the quality of those films, with director Peter Jackson accomplishing the impossible and creating films worthy of Tolkein’s vision, bringing Middle Earth to life in a mammoth tale of good vs evil and the powerful One Ring that corrupts the soul and will bring about tyranny if placed in the wrong hands.

With a stunning New Zealand backdrop, the movie making magic of WETA digital, and an ensemble cast (Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan, Elijah Wood) delivering career defining performances, Jackson created a trilogy that raised the bar with every new chapter, proving the bearded director to be a grand wizard of movie magic.

FEATURED FILMS
STAR WARS (1977), THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), THE RETURN OF THE JEDI  (1983)

CAST
MARK HAMILL, HARRISON FORD, CARRIE FISHER, ALEC GUINESS, DAVID PROWSE, JAMES EARL JONES, FRANK OZ

DIRECTED BY
GEORGE LUCAS, IRVIN KERSHNER, RICHARD MARQUAND

Could there be any other? The original Star Wars Trilogy still stands as the epitome of epic movie storytelling, created by one time wunderkind (recent projects has diminished his greatness) George Lucas whose idea of a battle between good and evil in a galaxy far, far away has spawned into a mammoth sized industry.

Yet outside of the toys, books, fan made films and those prequels, Star Wars is primarily about the three original movies – Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi – epics one and all filled with filmmaking ingenuity, memorable characters (perfectly portrayed by the likes of Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher) and a philosophy that resonated with viewers to such a degree, that a community was created to give praise (and latter criticism) to Lucas’ creation.

Movies hardly do such things, let alone three movies that make a complete whole worth the hype and the fanfare.