9. Back to the Future Part II
Upon contemporary release, Back to the Future Part II was greeted with a large amount of disdain. The plot is intrinsically more complex than that of the first film with various time jumps and adventures in a parallel universe. It doesn't have the same fluffy box-office appeal of the original due to its edgier subject matter and a lack of jokes, but Back to the Future Part II is an ingeniously scripted marvel, and whilst it never quite hits the highs of the original, you can't fault it for trying. Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd are still an amazingly entertaining duo and Fox seems even more comfortable in the role than he was the original, showing growth as both a dramatic and comedic actor. The alternate 1985 is a marvel of surprise and horror with Biff controlling the town under his authoritarian rule. The alternate universe is a great bit of scriptwriting that allows Thomas F Wilson to turn into a full on sleazy sociopath as Zemeckis lets him off the chains. It will never live up to the original but Back to the Future Part II is mind-boggling brilliance that means a great deal to a lot of people of a certain age.