Welcome to the Monthly Ten! Top-Ten Lists are fun to read and to write, and depending on the subject, they allow the writer to examine film in new and different ways. Each month, I'll pick a topic and then rank the ten best entertainment-related things that fall under that topic.

Sequels are, more often than not, entirely unnecessary. And often, they pale in comparison to their predecessor. But when I hear critics shout out praise like "the rare sequel that outdoes the original!" I always have to scratch my head in wonder. Rare? Sure, many sequels are mediocre or downright bad, but there are plenty of sequels that truly deserved to made, and more than a handful that do exceed the first film's quality. If a sequel is made for the right reasons (i.e. the creators wanted to continue the story, rather than make boatloads of money), and they focus on ways to improve the movie, than the sequel will be better than the original. This month, we're celebrating sequels with a list of my top ten favorites. Almost all of these are as good as or better than the original, and there are more like them that, sadly, didn't make the list. I had a few rules in compiling this list: first, the movies in question didn't have to be the #2 movie (threequels can join in too). Furthermore, I narrowed it down to one film per franchise. With that, let's take a look at my top ten sequels.

10. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

No, I don't think this is a better movie than Raiders; but it does a damn fine job of capturing all of the first movie's fun, excitement, and tongue-in-cheek narrative complexity. It really does feel like the perfect sequel to Raiders. While Temple of Doomlacked any of the first movie's supporting cast, Last Crusade features fan favorites Marcus Brody and Sallah, which is one of my favorite elements of this sequel. The action is incredible, showcasing Spielberg at the height of his career. Adding Sean Connery into the mix was a brilliant move, and he and Harrison Ford have phenomenal chemistry on screen. Ford himself is in top form as the title character; after playing Indy as a Han Solo clone in the second film, he truly takes the character back to his roots this time around. In the end, we can all pretend Temple of Doomdidn't happen, bump this one up to the second film, and call Crystal Skull the third film, making for a great trilogy.

9. Rocky Balboa (2006)

A lot of people dismissed this film because it was separated from Rocky V by such a huge gap. In truth, it's easily the best of the Rocky sequels, most of which are, in my opinion, utter garbage (number 2 is okay). Rocky Balboa channels the spirit of the classic first movie, and serves as a perfect bookend to the series. The first movie was about a man who hasn't ever had anything and is hoping for his shot at glory, but in the end learns that winning wasn't what he needed. This one shows Rocky as an old man whose glory days are far behind him, a man who has found joy in life's simpler pleasures, but is starting to feel like an old, unnecessary third wheel. Like the first film, it's really just a reflection of Sylvester Stallone in real life, an actor who hadn't had a hit since the eighties. Rocky Balboa was his way of showing that he still could apply his craft wonderfully; it's as good, if not better, than the first film and wraps up the entire series perfectly.

8. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

I'm a huge Potter nut, but you'll be hearing more about that in July. Very quickly, I'll sum it all up by saying I'm crazy for the books and less so for the films. The first movie was a wasted effort, full of bad acting, terrible effects, and slow pacing. The second film was a step in the right direction, though that's really a reflection of improvement in the source material rather than any newfound talent by director Christopher Columbus. Then, for the third movie, Alfonso Cuaron took over the franchise and holy crap did he do a great job. As much as I love the books, I don't go to the movies to see the book projected on screen verbatim: I go to see a good movie, and that was Cuaron's philosophy. He took a much more aggressive approach to the adaptation, cutting plenty of great material in favor of the central story. In doing so, he found the true heart of the series' best book and, combined with his absolutely flooring visual style that brings Rowling's vision to life more vividly than anyone else has, made a film that reflects the books much better than the previous, more 'accurate' adaptations. It's too bad Cuaron had to leave the franchise, but they have found a suitable replacement with David Yates ( Order of the Pheonix).

From this point on, this list gets, really, really, obnoxiously hard to organize. Seriously, I could put these movies in a hat, draw them one my one, and be perfectly content with the order. Anyway, here goes...

7. Toy Story 2 (1999)

Whenever I watch the Toy Story, I think to myself about how it's a perfect slice of cinema that had no room for improvement. When I watch Toy Story 2, I realize that there really were bigger, better places to go. This sequel really did pull off an astounding feat in being better than its predecessor, because the first one is amazingly good. But with great new characters, an emotional and poignant story, and highly improved animation and action, this sequel easily outpaced the first film. This was Pixar's third film, and I think it established much of what the studio is known for today. Hilarious comedy mixed with deep, emotional drama and deep, layered characters. Year after, Pixar churns out a masterpiece; going back to Toy Story 2, it's easy to see why. If they can make a sequel this good, then churning out original stories must be a walk in the park.

6. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

The first Trek film, released in 1978, was long, slow, and talky, and didn't really catch on with audiences as it was expected to. Wrath of Khan is a total 180. This movie will kick your a** into next week while still retaining all the intelligence and brilliant character design of the first film and the TV show. There's not a whole lot to say about it that hasn't already been said, but my favorite element of the film is the thematic arc Kirk goes through. At the beginning, we're shown the Kobiyashi Maru test and learn that Kirk doesn't believe in no-win scenarios; at the same time, he's having a mid-life crisis. Khan, the villain (Trek's best antagonist ever) has all of Kirk's brain and brawn but is younger (sort of...I won't go into it) and more fit. He's both a literal and symbolic antagonist, and simultaneously presents Kirk with a no-win situation, the only answer to which is Spock's sacrifice. These experiences make Kirk confront his own character flaws, but also give him a new sense of youth. It's just a cool story. And Spock's death scene still remains the single most powerful scenes in the Trek canon; I know Spock comes back later, I know the entire scene word-for-word, and I still tear up when I reach that part. I'm not ashamed to admit it.

5. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

A lot of people would call this the best sequel ever made; I wouldn't go that far, but holy cow is it epic. The first film really boils down to a simple slasher flick with heart, while T2 is a grandiose, sprawling story; each of the three acts could be a separate film, but the whole huge story is contained in one movie, and that gives it a sense of scope few films have ever achieved. The action is terrific and thrilling, but what really makes the movie work is the characters, each of whom go on a different journey. The most fascinating, heartfelt part of the movie is the relationship between John Connor and the Terminator. This could have turned out so hokey, but they really do pull it off; the debate about how human a machine is rages on in film today, but T2 did it best and even with all the knock-offs released over the years, it still feels fresh and original.

4. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

This movie holds a special place in my heart for a number of reasons. It was the first press screening I ever attended as film critic for the Colorado Kids, and it blew me away. It was one of those cinematic experiences that just defined, for me, everything I love about movies. To this day, it remains one of my favorite films and definitely one of my favorite sequels. This was before Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, so the concept of doing a deep character study while staying accurate to comic-book roots and having fun was truly revolutionary, and Sam Raimi pulled it off wonderfully. There are lots of powerful moments, and the movie finds an absolutely perfect balance between drama, action, and humor. Plenty of time is spent simply focusing on Peter Parker and his internal struggle-much more time than on actual set pieces. And that's a great move. When we see how hard being a superhero is on Peter, the action has more weight to it. Spider-Man 2 blows away the good-not-great first installment, and simply demolishes the mediocre third film. It's a good trilogy overall, but Spider-Man 2 is in a class of its own, within the series, within the genre, within sequels, and with cinema itself.

3. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Nearly every great sequel made after 1980 needs to get down on its knees and thank The Empire Strikes Back. This movie revolutionized popular sequels by taking the characters and plunging them into a much larger, much darker, and much more intense story. This movie isn't afraid to be bleak, and in the end, the heroes actually lose. It's a brilliant change of pace that shocked and awed audiences everywhere, and it's the reason why many consider this one of the greatest sequels ever. I agree. With Yoda, the "No, I am your father" revelation, and Harrison Ford's best line ever ("I know..."), this is truly a masterpiece in the realm of sequels.

2. The Godfather: Part II (1974)

For the record, I like the first Godfather more; it just feels like a more interesting and compelling story, but in no way does that stop Part II from being an awe-inspiring piece of cinema. The sequel tells two huge stories; the main one is about Michael Corleone and his dealings with politicians while he tries to build the family business, ultimately destroying the family and losing his soul. The other is about his father, Vito, creating the family and building an enterprise from the ground up. It's an incredibly powerful juxtaposition that still stands as one of the greatest cinematic strokes of genius. The movie makes a bold move by making Michael, a heartless, evil villain, the protagonist; he's hard to root for, but Al Pacino's great performance allows you to follow the character with interest, if not sympathy. Ultimately, it's a very dark, depressing movie, but a powerful one that absolutely demands to be seen. While I still like the first movie just a little bit more, parts I and II do come together to form a masterful story.

1. The Dark Knight (2008)

Empire Strikes Back was the birth of the modern sequel and Godfather II mainstreamed the entire idea of sequels, but when all is said and done, I have to go with Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight as cinema's greatest sequel. When making this list, it came down to a three way tie between these three movies, and the tiebreaker, for me, was whether or not these sequels were better than the originals. Of the three, Dark Knight is the only sequel I feel truly improved on the original, and Batman Begins was no slouch; it reinvented the character's cinematic persona in brilliant ways, but The Dark Knight took that character development as a springboard to go to new heights.

The movie is absolutely non-stop from beginning to end, and I'm not talking about action. Sure, the set-pieces are there and are incredible, but the intensity comes from the stark realism of the world and its characters and the absolute terror Heath Ledger's Joker inspires. It's a deep, layered examination of Batman, a fascinating character, but also of modern society and the true meaning of a hero. When the characters debate about the morality of Batman and his relationship with the Joker, they're not just talking in literal terms-there's a very real, very relevant subtext there that illustrates the modern issues of terrorism and torture as much more complex and less black-in-white than politicians tend to think. But at the end of the day, I really love the film because of how well it does capture Batman-a fascinating comics character whose true complexity hasn't ever really been brought to light in cinema.

And you know what? The Dark Knight couldn't have pulled it off without Batman Begins; nothing in this film works unless you know Batman's motivations, which the first film so expertly illustrated. Batman Begins, conversely, feels a little empty unless you have The Dark Knight there to take the story to the next level and show you the results of Batman's heroism. The two films can't exist without each other. It's a perfect two-part story (in my opinion no third film is needed). As much as I love Empire Strikes Back and Godfather II, I can't call them superior sequels because, in truth, they were both unnecessary. Do I feel incredibly blessed that they were made? Absolutely, but if you take them out of the equation the first film is still just as strong, and the same doesn't hold true for Batman Begins and Dark Knight. Thus, I have no choice but to crown Dark Knight the winner.

But remember, this isn't an official list. It's just my personal feelings, and everyone else will have different picks. What are your favorite sequels? Use the comments feature and tell us about them!