Sequels are rarely viewed as being as good as the original, and the Academy usually agrees. However, 'The Godfather Part II' (1974) famously broke this trend by becoming the first sequel to ever win Best Picture. It managed to win more Oscars (six) than the original film (three). It took another 29 years for this to happen again, when 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' won in 2004. These two films remain the only sequels in history to take home the top prize. 'The Godfather Part II' is often cited by critics as one of the few instances where a sequel actually surpassed its predecessor in complexity and artistic ambition, masterfully weaving together the stories of two different generations of the Corleone family.