The best movie franchises

When your kids watch Toy Story for the first time, they are going to want to spend more time with Woody and Buzz after it's over. Luckily, there are three more chapters, each of which is filled with the imagination of a director who sees the world as their toy box. There's really no limit to what these toys can do. 

Nothing against Dumbledore, but Harry Potter was the best wizard there ever was. If for some reason you don't know the plot, Harry is a child who gets transferred to a school for aspiring wizards. The result is magic — a collection of spellbinding scenes that see our hero become the main character. 

We assume by now you've seen the first two Alien flicks, but if you haven't... what are you waiting for? If you want to see some of the best science fiction out there, then you should watch Ripley grill these aliens like hamburgers. If you want to see even more, check out the sequels for another serving of barbecue.

Ahh, my heart. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy meet on a train to Vienna, spend the whole night wandering the streets and maybe even fall in love. In the Before trilogy, we watch two people meet, grow, laugh and learn, all while Richard Linklater's camera follows them in long takes over the course of 10 years. It's about as romantic as franchises get. 

Clint Eastwood plays a bounty hunter who... oh, we had you at Clint Eastwood? I reckoned as much. But what if I told you he was accompanied by Sergio Leone's direction and Ennio Morricone's score? Now I really have your attention. 

Okay, so the last one was fine and the third one sucked. But the first two are worthy of our list alone, as Arnold Schwarzenegger saves the human race (well, and tries to destroy it in the first installment) as the titular cyborg whose arms are made of steel. It's got a few decent sequels, along with a number of the best action sequences in movie history. 

Who knew a movie about a bunch of apes could turn into such a cultural phenomenon? The trilogy was so popular they decided to make even more movies starting next year. We say bring 'em on, as long as the franchise continues to inch closer to the (ape)x of the original. 

By far the most "artsy" series on our list, the Three Colours trilogy follows a number of people who intersect in peculiar ways. In the hands of another director, this could have been another Love Actually where everyone meets for a party. But this is Krzysztof Kieslowksi we're talking about. The director is like a puppet master pulling strings, making profound connections and mysterious allegories that mirror the colors of the French flag. 

Confession: I kinda like these movies. They aren't good, but they have a certain charm that wins me over. I'm a sucker for dance sequences and commited performers, which is what this series has to offer. Plus, it's cool to see Channing Tatum before he became a star. 

The Mad Max movies are relentless when it comes to action, violence and spectacle. So if you're in the mood for a good chase, then this is the series for you. It's also that rare franchise to see its best movie come out after the first trilogy. Mad Max: Fury Road pushed the pedal to the metal and zipped by its predecessors at max speed. 

The greatest trilogy of all time. The Apu series follows a boy in India who grows up and then returns to his roots. It's a series filled with poetic shots, profound insights, realistic characters and moments that stick with you long after the credits roll. There's a reason this has inspired every one of your favorite directors — it speaks to the way cinema can change lives both on- and off-screen, in front of and behind the camera. 

These movies took three huge books and made them interesting, action-packed and packed to the brim with characters and places. Not an easy task when most book adaptations are letdowns. Even more impressive is the story of Frodo, who has one of the best character arcs we've ever seen. 

These movies are really just a chance to hangout with some major stars. Sure, the heists are fun and the revenge is sweet, but how often do you get to see this much star power on screen? It's like hitting the jackpot for fans of great acting. 

Some of the best series are the most action packed. Jason Bourne keeps us on the edge of our seat for three installments (with some mixed results in the releases coming after the original three), each of which sees the man take on villains in an attempt to remember his identity. It's the mix between Memento and James Bond you never knew you needed. 

Tom Cruise runs! Tom Cruise jumps! Tom Cruise straps himself to a plane and flies a thousand feet in the air! It's the Tom Cruise show in Mission Impossible, the spy franchise devoted to seeing Cruise do impossible stunts. 

The Hunger Games stands out amidst the crop of YA movies. The mix between reality TV, The Most Dangerous Game and the Orwellian themes was one we couldn't get enough of. Jennifer Lawrence's character becomes the star of this fictional program, while the actress became a star in real life. 

Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride. The Fast franchise has had some ups and downs over the years, with some of the entries being total garbage. That being said, most of them are fun. Watching these drivers save the world has become a gift that keeps on giving, even when the drivers take their cars to space. 

Have there been some iffy sequels that have taken away from the original's charm? Absolutely. Does the original still hold up, along with the action sequences of the sequels? You betcha. Harrison Ford's archaeologist is better at dusting off bad guys than dusting off relics, but that doesn't mean you can't find some hidden treasures in this franchise.  

What's the best order to watch Star Wars? I'm glad you asked! We advise you start with the first trilogy and then skip the others altogether. That doesn't mean the others don't have their moments — the most recent iteration starts off with a bang. But once you've hung out with Luke Skywalker, taken down the Death Star and kicked into light speed, there's really nothing else in the franchise that can top it.