3. Aliens
Aliens is simply further proof that James Cameron is at his best when dealing with dark material. Aliens has the tension, build up and intensity that recent fare such as Titanic and Avatar severely lack. Cameron's sequel, whilst spiritually connected to Ridley Scott's original is born from an entirely different place, as the violence levels are turned up in favour of intricate mystery. Aliens, despite the always worthwhile Sigourney Weaver in the lead, is fuelled entirely on macho testosterone as the bodies start hitting the floor in every way possible. Making the movie radically different to Scott's original was the key decision here. Whilst they will always be compared to each other, Aliens steps up the gore whilst also developing Ridley's character significantly. As a stand alone movie, Aliens still holds up as one of most chilling movies ever made, which is a sure sign that a sequel worked. It relates to the original just enough, but has spread out on its own to be an individually unique experience that features the ultimate female hero and some of the most memorable dialogue in action movie history.