I love going to the movies. Ever since my parents introduced me to “Bambi” on the big screen when I was six years old in 1975, it has remained one of my all-time favorite activities. The anticipation...the seemingly endless concession choices...the previews...and then that moment when those opening credits appear....I love it all! I even worked as an usher at a five-screen cinema for four years during college. Yes, it only paid $3.35 per hour...but I got to see every movie that was released during those four years...for FREE! (Can you say “private midnight screening of Silence of the Lambs the night before it opened to the public!”) Now THAT’s what I call a helluva perk!

In recent months, it seems like there has been a pretty big influx of sequels...which I also enjoy. It’s fun to see the new adventures of some of my favorite characters...though there are many who feel differently. Many will say that these movie companies are just out to capitalize on nostalgia for a quick cash grab...and I’m not here to argue that point. It’s extremely rare to catch lightning in a bottle twice. (Empire Strikes Back, Godfather II, Aliens, The Dark Knight, and Terminator 2 come to mind) What I WILL argue is that if you choose to check out a sequel...you need to go in with reasonable expectations and then enjoy it for what it is. Entertainment. Period. Full stop. If you’re gonna sit there and put every scene or character under a microscope, comparing it to the beloved original...then yes, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. That’s why Roger Ebert was always one of my favorite film critics. There were many times when he would say something to the effect of “No...this is not going to win any awards...but it’s just a lot of fun...so go see it.”

Now...with that being said...I AM holding out high hopes for the new “Joker: Folie a Deux” sequel which opens this weekend. I mean...Phoenix won the Oscar for the original...and now they’ve added Gaga. But even if it doesn’t live up to the original...I’m sure it will still be entertaining...which is the whole point, right Roger? If you’re just looking for some sequel fun...with some being better than others...here are a few that I have enjoyed recently. Now please pass me my Buncha Crunch...and caution: NSFW language.