We have finally made it to Star Wars weekend! With The Rise of Skywalker coming to theaters this weekend to conclude the 42 year journey of the Skywalker saga. As our hopes rise for this weekend for a thrilling conclusion, we assembled our top 10 movies that also had “rise” in the title.
What if all of the action figures you played with as a kid came to life and made a movie? That’s the wish fulfillment with have here with Rise of Cobra! Movies of this silliness level typically get a junk cast and go straight to home streaming. Not this one! We have a great cast, a bunch of action and all the fight scenes you could want for a rough em up time. (Blake Hodges)
300: Rise of an Empire is the 2014 follow up to the highly successful 300. Rise of an Empire takes place before, during, and after the events of the aforementioned 300 and sets its eyes on the battle of Battle of Artemisium and the Battle of Salamis. While this film doesn’t quite live up to 300, it’s not all bad. The score by Junkie XL is amazing, the battle sequences are beautifully stylized, and the visual effects are stunning. The big stand out, though, is Eva Green as Artemisia. She’s a stone cold killer in the role and commands the screen with a dominating presence. If you’re a fan of the original and wanna see the rest of the story, this is just interesting enough to be able to entertain and satisfy you. (Ben Davis)
Seth Rogen is 1000% underrated. I don’t think people understand how difficult it is to be funny and how much harder it is to be funny consistently. Rogen has a pretty good batting average and Bad Neighbors 2: Sorority Uprising is one of the movies helping his average. Honestly both of the movies in this franchise are great. This is one of the few sequels that is just as good as the original. Maybe I’m bias because Rogen liked my tweet at him when I told him the movie was good but I truly think this is one heck of a good time. In fact, I think it is time we get the third installment where the gang is trapped in the suburbs. (Blake Hodges)
What does it mean “In theory?” “Today… it means yes!” Alright, time for a quick round of terrible movies that Aaron loves! The first Pacific Rim is an all-timer for me and I don’t think I’m on an island on that one. I got what I was promised: Godzilla vs Transformers. But then I got more because it was original, way too smart for its own good, had my favorite score of 2013, and was the best theater experience for me that year. I was hoping and praying for a sequel and then they finally announced it. The pieces started lining up: John Boyega, Steven S.DeKnight, Del Toro returning as writer/producer, daylight fights, etc… It came to theaters and no one saw it and no one had a good time… except for me! This movie goes very bonkers very quickly. It tried to be smart and there were a few moments that it really worked. Even though it was bonkers, it tried something original and opened up the doors of Sci-Fi a bit farther than I had experienced recently. The cast leaves a lot to be desired, but who really cares about the humans anyways? I still really want to see a sequel to this movie because I had a blast! Was it the best movie of 2018? Far from it! But at the end of the day, isn’t it just about our experiences watching the movies? This one made me giddy for most of it and for that reason, it is worth at least checking out! It is one that I have visited several times and is one of the coolest looking 4K discs I own! (Aaron Schweitzer)
In 2006, Scott Glosserman directed a little film in the now saturated found footage sub-genre called Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Leslie Vernon is an up and coming psychopath Slasher who is allowing a film crew to document his horrific exploits in the small town of Glen Echo. The unique aspect of this film is the way in which is a satirical, almost mockumentary dressed horror film. It deconstructs the genre of slasher films as a whole with intelligence and great detail. The way that they show Leslie’s daily routine, his cardio training to keep up with his victims and the way he scouts his victims is highly entertaining. The film also boasts some great cameos to anyone familiar with slasher films with the likes of Robert Englund (Freddy Kruger, Nightmare on Elm Street) and Kane Hodder (Jason Voorhees, Friday the 13th Film Series). Robert Englund plays Doc Halloran who is dubbed Leslie’s “Ahab”, a Dr. Loomis like figure who has a past with Leslie and is looking to stop him by all means. The cat mouse game that is being played between the two is very reminiscent of John Carpenter’s Halloween. (Joseph Vargas)
When someone thinks of the great animation studios, what do they think of? Pixar or Disney Animation or Dreamworks or Laika or Cartoon Saloon? But when it really comes down to it, Studio Ghibli is one of the most respected studios around the world as they created some of the greatest fantasy films of all time. Their greatest muse was 100% Hayao Miyazaki who has created a whose who of legendary animated features (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, etc). But Miyazaki’s work does not stop at the fantastical or wonderous. He was also able to really capture the human spirit in the most inspired way through his work. Miyazaki’s last big hurrah came in the form of The Wind Rises, a look at the life of airplane designer Jiro Hirokoshi. The Wind Rises is a mature and elegant film that uses the animated medium to create a gorgeous and beautiful drama that engrosses the audiences into the life of Jiro. This film proves that animation is not just for children and can work well beyond the realm of creatures and adventures. The quiet maturity of an older Miyazaki lends itself to this emotionally satisfying drama worth the viewing.(Shane Conto)
When a prequel-reboot to “Planet of the Apes” was first announced, it was hard not to be skeptical. After Tim Burton’s misguided remake of the original, did we need anything else from this series? As it turns out, the answer was “yes,”thanks to director Rupert Wyatt’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” which has strength in its cast, story, and marvelous visual effects and is a thrilling first chapter in a trilogy that would get better with each movie, with the second installment being “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” and the third being “War for the Planet of the Apes.” “Rise” follows the story of Dr. William Rodman (James Franco), whose potential cure for Alzheimer’s disease is tested on a chimpanzee, Caesar (Andy Serkis). Soon, Caesar begins to display an increase in intelligence, which leads him to starting an ape rebellion. While the performances from the live-action cast are all of fine quality, the true star is Serkis’ in his breathtaking motion-capture performance as Caesar, doing a perfect exhibition of facial expression and bodily movements that bring his character to life. Everything moves towards an action-packed finale on the Golden Gate Bridge, a sequence that sets us up for the increasing scope of the trilogy. It’s hard to believe that “Rise” would spawn one of the best movie trilogies in quite some time, but it led to three films that would give us one thrilling surprise after another. When it comes to this trilogy becoming an achievement of sci-fi storytelling, there wasn’t any monkeying around. (Vincent Abbatecola)
Moonrise Kingdom is a movie you look at and can tell that the creator took time to make sure it would stand out just by it’s visuals alone. Looking back this is one of the best films of the decade that Director Wes Anderson brings us. After a pair of two young lovers run away, the boy’s scout master played by (Edward Norton) organizes a search party for the town to find the couple three days before a storm hits or before they wind up in trouble. This film has such a great cast (Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Francis McDormand, and Bruce Willis) they all flow great and make for some very hilarious scenes when put together. This is a coming of age story many should get the chance to see at least once. Usually kid acting can be hit or miss, and luckily all of the kids do a great job for their prefomances. If the writing isn’t your thing, then you’re guaranteed to have some enjoyment with it’s unique visuals for sure. (Alex Henderson)
When someone asks what are the greatest trilogies of all time, what do you say? Could it be the original Star Warstrilogy? What about The Lord of Rings trilogy? But one that is incredible and might only be mentioned by real cinephiles is The Before Trilogy! Richard Linklater along with his two muses, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, created one of the most inspired indie films of 1990’s with a little film about two strangers falling in love across one day. One might see that description and think “that sounds really contrived, doesn’t?” In actuality, Linklater is able to create one of the most natural romances on screen. The natural dialogue and chemistry between Hawke and Delpy make the audience feel like they are following these two young lovers around all night. The two young actors have wonderful charisma and it pours out all over screen as they learn about each, have their first kiss (a wonderfully romantic sequence on a lift ride), their first time together in a park, and ending with a hard goodbye at the train station. Before Sunrise is one of the most naturalistic films of all time and the start of one of the most inspired and humanistic trilogies put to film. (Shane Conto)
Many people did not like this movie. It’s an indisputable fact. After the highs of the Dark Knight, they found this one messy, over the top and ridiculous in the way it wrapped up Bruce Wayne’s story. I would heartily disagree with these judgments. I think it’s a great wrap up to a fantastic trilogy! The story is dark, and tumultuous always keeping the audience on the very edge of their seats. The addition of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman was some truly brilliant casting as she expertly toes the line between villain and anti-hero, and to top it off, Tom Hardy gives a truly memorable performance as the mask-ridden, over-muscular Bane. Many an impersonation has been birthed from this villain, with quotes often coming up on social circles with his strangely British yet muffled voice at the helm. He is a caricature, he is formidable, and most importantly he’s interesting to witness. I know, I find myself constantly going back to witness this epic whenever I get the niggle for it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if others do too. Director Christopher Nolan knew what he was doing when he strung this together, and I for one am thrilled with the end result. (Alice-Ginevra Micheli)
Also See:
Rise of the Guardians, Risen, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Deep Rising, Valhalla Rising, High-Rise, Rising Sun, Hannibal Rising, Mercury Rising, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer