A Long Time Ago In a Galaxy Far Far Away, Star Wars Fans Continue To Begin Articles With Those Words
With the next (and last) Star Wars movie less then two weeks away, us Star Wars geeks have been granted diplomatic immunity. Yes, from now till the next few months, we will be allowed to openly discuss our love for the series without people drenching us in red paint, screaming "NERD!" No, it's quite the opposite. For now, WE are the cool people!
Geek Kid: Hey, so let's take bets! Which characters are going to lose what limbs in Episode III?
King Dork: Oh! ooH! I bet Jar-Jar Binks is going to lose his two ears to Obi Wan!
(Snicker**Snicker)
Cool Kid: Hey STAR WARS NERDS! The only people who lost limbs is you two GEEKS when your mother CASTRATED you when she took you too see STAR WARS!! HAHAHA!!
(Silence)
Maximus Doofiness: He's a HATER!
Nerdstrom: Get him!
.....
Yes, this is what's going on in the playgrounds now.
Anyway, I'd like to take advantage of this golden time to reflect onto you my personal feelings on the individual films of the series. So, in commemoration of the last Star Wars movie, join me in remembering the ones that came before.
Star Wars Episode IV- A New Hope
Usually the inaugeral film for people getting into the series, ANH (A New Hope) was actually the last of the original trilogy (more on that later). Despite that, i feel it's the only one of the entire series that stands well enough on it's own. Sure, Empire is better, but Empire really does need Jedi for that satisfying ending. ANH stands well enough on it's own.
When I saw ANH, I felt like I was retreading old ground, having been introduced to all the characters in Empire. There's really not much happening here that isn't later implied or way easy to figure out when watching the rest of the series. That's not to say that this movie isn't important or great. Far from it. This one is the masterpiece. Since it holds up so well on its own, this is the one everyone is going to remember in a hundred years.
The question remains though: What makes this movie so great? In answering that question, one would look at the casting, and they would be going in the right direction. The casting was pitch perfect. Want an example of a movie like this cast horribly wrong? Look no further then the Star Wars-rip off "Space Mutiny". I actually watched this movie with my good friend Juan, and everytime we looked at the screen we couldn't help laughing. Not just from the pitiful sets, horribly dialogue, and everything else that can go wrong in a movie. The cast was just so horribly wrong. From the muscle-bound hero wearing a wife-beater (IN SPACE!!), to the mentor who looked laughably like Santa Claus, or the villain with greasy hair and sniveling smile (Darth Vader he ain't!), it seemed like the casting director went out of his way to sabatoge this movie. Watching "Space Mutiny" made me appreciate just how right Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and, of course, Alec Guinness were in their star-making roles.
What really made this movie so great was the grave seriousness of everything. There was nothing tongue in cheek here. The key word was authentic, even in the fantasy setting. George Lucas took everything way seriously and, though everyone on his set thought he was nuts, it may be the reason this movie was so successful. It's easy to imagine youngsters, teenagers and even adults wishing to live an idealized youth (The reason Harry Potter is so successful BTW), found validation in this fantasy. This was a living, breathing world and ANH was just so good at immersing us in it.
Watching the series lately, I've found ANH has a slightly different tone then the rest. I couldn't put my finger on it till recently. ANH feels more like Raiders of the Lost Ark then the rest of the Star Wars movies. Not a criticism, merely an observation. Since, as i've noted, ANH contributes little to the overall story, I see it as a fun, balls-out, action-packed adventure. One that brings out the kid in me everytime I watch it. It's a testament to a nearly 30 year old movie that it still excites this cynical 21 year old male.
One final note: I've seen the ORIGINAL original ANH and the Uber-SPecial edition version on the dvds. Which do I prefer? Before I answer, let me impart to you my feelings on spicing up older movies. In short, horrible idea. And, believe me, i was very vocal about my protest of releasing the dvds in only the special, suped-up versions. After watching it, though, I quickly shut up. Not only is the video quality cleaned up to the point where it's nearly as sharp as the new Star Wars movies, but the special effects were well integrated and did well to melding the two trilogies. Though I still wish the original versions were available, I'm very happy with the dvd version.
Star Wars Ep IV ANH Score- 10 out of 10
Star Wars Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back
If ANH brings me back to being a kid, ESB is the natural maturation of that. This is how you make a sequel. This is what made the Star Wars movies Epic, expanding the universe with many new characters and that same sense of adventure from the first one, but with much more at stake.
This was the first Star Wars movie I saw, and what made me a die-hard fan. Maybe it's because these characters and story have become such a big part of our society and popculture, but I didn't have a hard time figuring out what was going on and who was who and what was what. Maybe it's more an insight in how simple this story really is. Regardless, ESB has that fairy tale quality retained from the first one, very much pick-up and go. This is something the prequals have lost touch with.
The story of my first viewing goes as such. My brother came home one day from delivering pizzas, a job I would eventually take up myself. This was on a friday and that was the night we usually go to the video store and rent a movie, more often then not, renting whatever new release came out that week. This particular week, none of the new releases interested me. My brother, looking elsewhere, came to me and asked, "Have you ever seen Star Wars?"
Me: Star wars? Yeah...I think so
Brother: Really?
Me: Not really...
Brother: Ok, we're renting it.
Star Wars was just one of those movies everything thinks they've seen, even if they haven't seen it. Most everyone knows the basics: Luke becomes a Jedi, Vader is his father, The Death Star is destroyed, There are Teddy-Bears going to war for some reason, Yoda talks Backwards, Han Solo is the Man. Therefore I was reluctant, I at the time, was like most of the movie-viewing public of today. Meaning, I only liked watching new movies, old movies did not interest me.
The original Star Wars movie was rented out, but my brother reasoned "Empire and Jedi were the good ones anyway" so we rented those two. Great brother huh?
So anyway, I watched Empire, and I was so into it, I almost kinda forgot about the Vader-Father thing. It was on the back of my mind, but when Vader tells Luke, "No, I am your father" I was almost like " OH yeah!" and, for the first time, i thought he was lying. It's not the same, I'm sure, to what the 1980 audience must of thought when that scene came up and it hit them like a ton of bricks. Still, I was only 8 or so at the time, and the true enormity of the situation was starting to sink in. Luke had chosen the easy route to save his friends! He was becoming like Vader! OH MY GOD!! ED, PUT IN RETURN OF THE JEDI RIGHT NOW!!
Star Wars Ep V- ESB Score: 10 out of 10
Star Wars Episode VI- The Return of the Jedi
That fateful night pretty much went as such. It was 1230 and Empire had ended. We would usually go to sleep after that, but my cousin Rudy had come over, and I was pumped so we popped in Return of the Jedi, and I would finally be inducted into the Star Wars Geek Club. Right away, things had... winded down. Maybe it was the fact that the second half of Empire was going along at a breakneck pace and I expected Jedi to be action packed to the bitter end. Instead it started up with the Jabbas Palace scene, and I found it ultra lame. And this was BEFORE the horrible inclusion of the song and dance number that would find its way into the special editions and remain undeleted for the uber-fuck-you-buy-me-editions of the dvd. The whole place just reminded me of fraggle rock. THe first two had done such a good job of immersing me into the world, and Jabba's Palace all but pulled me out. When I saw Yoda, I didn't see a puppet. When I saw half the creatures in Jabba's Palace, I thought of all the people who had their hands up their asses. I was a young kid, and I didn't think about the pleasantries of suspending my disbelief. All I could think about was, wow, that's a lot of muppets.
Anyway, things picked up when Luke showed up, all clad in black. This only made me worry though "Was he turning to the dark side?". Still, I couldn't help but think how cool he was when he showed up. And the action of the scene! Lando, redeeming himself. Chewbacca, throwing gaurds around! Han, Returns! Leia, in underwear, choking Luca Brasi... er... Jabba! And Luke, flinging the coolest weapon of all time with the skill and elegance of a Arthurian Knight. Finally, the movie had picked up.
Or so I thought. What followed next was more boring. Sure the chase through the forest in Endor was awesome, but come on. TEDDY BEARS?! I knew what Ewoks were before I saw this movie, but after the dark and seriousness of Empire, I just didn't know what to do with them. I had stated before that the reason Star Wars and Empire work so well is because they take themselves deadly serious, and Ewoks took some of that away. I don't hate them, they completely redeem themselves come battle time, but did they have to be so cute?
Anyway, halfway through the movie, Luke has some heart to heart with Vader, Lando comes with the millinium falcon (GREATEST. SHIP. EVER.), and Han and friends go about to disable the shield generator. Heaven! And the confrontation with the Emperor. I remember thinking when I saw the Emperor in Empire, that Vader is so badass and evil, who can HE possibly answer to? And, though we saw the Emperor for a short time in Empire, he left an impression on me. When I saw him again in Jedi, he seemed so weak in the chair. This only made him more creepy to me, as if they were hiding something. I was never afraid of Vader, he had become such a part of popculture he was almost MY father. But the Emperor, man... what a villain.
Once the action started happening in Jedi, it was pure Star Wars nirvana. It was all just so awesome. I'll always remember the lightsabre battle between Luke and Vader. When it was happening on screen, my cousin, Rudy, remarked, "Man this never gets old, huh?". It just made me realize, this is the first time I'm seeing it, but the umpteenth time my cousin and brother had seen it. I think I realized then what a "Classic" really is, and these movies were it. Though Jedi was flawed compared to the near perfect experiences of ANH and ESB, it's still a classic that holds up beautifully. To this day, I almost consider ESB and Jedi to be one movie. ESB is the "Shit gets real" part, and Jedi is the satisfying, tie all loose ends together ending.
Star Wars Episode VI- Rotj Score 9 out of 10
....
The Prequal Trilogy.
I've said more then my fair share of nasty things about the Prequal Trilogy (or PT). Upon my latest viewing of The Phantom Menace (PM) and Attack of the Clones (AotC) I found a lot of redeeming factors. I hope my review of the Original Trilogy (OT) helps people understand where I'm coming from. The OT was just so perfect. The PT, not so.
Star Wars Episode I- The Phantom Menace
I was 15 when this came out, and I was as hyped as everyone else. I saw it the second day it came out, because I didn't dare fight the lines of Day 1. I saw it with my friends Jeff and Shane. My first viewing was the best viewing of it. I was so hyped for Episode 1 that if it were 2 hours of Ewok Fucking I think I would have been happy. My excitement sustained me through the first hour or so of mostly boringness ( with the cool Pod Race to pick me up) until the end with the awesome space battle and Darth Maul Duel. Oh man, was I in heaven, as were all Star Wars geeks across the land.
My second viewing came almost a week later, and the flaws began to settle in. Why was everyone talking like a lawyer presenting a case? The Jedi, who were once the cool, rebellious people, were now the boring grown-ups, the people they were rebelling AGAINST in the OT. Something was hitting me right. The special effects, good as they were, weren't believable. They were distracting. I didn't feel like I was there. I still loved the movie, after all it's Star Wars, and the action of the climax just couldn't be beat.
As I grew into a cynical movie lover and critic, more of its flaws became apparent. Ironically, for some reason, during my latest viewing, I was able to slip into child-like mode and appreciate it like one. That's when I started to realize. The OT was made for teens and young adults, the PT was made for children as well as teens and young adults. Considering that, it's easy to find fun in PM. When taken as it's own movie, it's a lot of fun and honestly, very awesome. When taking into consideration the possibilities after watching the OT, it becomes harder to appreciate it.
In the end, I've said a lot of nasty things about this movie, and for the most part I was wrong. Sometimes, though, I hit the target. A flawed Star Wars movie is still a Star Wars movie and a Star Wars movie is a Star Wars movie, period.
Star Wars Episode 1-PM Score 8 out of 10
Star Wars Episode II- Attack of the Clones
So much to say. Even though I was still going through PM rage when AotC was coming out, I was still hyping it. Hell, I was more hyped about AotC then I was about PM. Epic Love? Yoda Lightsabre Battle? Clone Wars?! I'm there! However Epic Love = Horrible Dialogue with little to no romantic chemistry. Yoda Lightsabre Battle = about 27 seconds. Clone Wars = Videogame graphics. By the time AotC came out, i had become a full blown movie geek, and it's faults were just that much more apparent. Maybe theres a system to this, the more grown up you get the less interested you are in Star Wars movies? Yeah, good theory EXCEPT I can still be excited by the OT and remain just as entranced :P.
Maybe a good part of the horrible things I said about this movie comes from being dissappointed after the monumental hype AGAIN. THe first time i saw it i thought it was awesome, the second time I realized I hated it. Again, recent viewings have allowed me to enjoy it for what it is, but in the end, it still doesn't come close to making me feel part of the world, like the OT. Maybe it's because these stories are nowhere near as interesting as the stories in the OT. Maybe it's because I'm a huge fan of love stories and this one just bit bad. THe action scenes weren't all that exciting, and the Yoda fight way too pumped up. The biggest saving grace was Ewan Mcgregor as Obi Wan. His imitation is just so spot on, when he's onscreen it's almost like being back to the OT. It's eery how well he channelled Alec Guinness and even began to look like him.
Ironically, PM and AotC came really close to being kids movies and yet don't make me feel like a kid like the OT. On their own they're competent fantasy/action movies that have their own sense of fun and epic storytelling. But they are part of a series, and I can't help but compare to them and consider what could have been. Still, they do have a chance at relevance and their own unique place in movie history, and that all depends on the redeeming quality of one movie...
Star wars Episode II- AotC Score 7 out of 10
Star Wars Episode III- The Revenge of the Sith
Very soon, I will have seen the final chapter in the series that started it all. I will be at the Jersey Gardens Digital Projection presentation of Episode III on May 19th, 11:00 A.M. Again, I have allowed myself to get swept up in the hype machine, despite the past two dissappointments. Again, I remain optimisic that this chapter will validate the last two chapters and bring this trilogy into the realm of epicness of the first trilogy. No matter how RotS turns out, Star Wars was and will always be one of the greatest movie series of all time. And despite the shit I say about Eps I and II they are still Star Wars movies through and through and I will watch them probably many more times then movies I have seen recently that I call masterpieces or that I enjoyed infinitely more. In a couple of weeks, it will become uncool to talk about Star Wars anymore, once the hype and talk of RotS dies down. But even still, I'll be able to pop in the dvds to any (ANY) chapter of the franchise, and revert back to my 8 year old self, enamored with the characters and story.
"Man, this never gets old, huh?"
I couldn't have said it better myself, Rudy.
Geek Kid: Hey, so let's take bets! Which characters are going to lose what limbs in Episode III?
King Dork: Oh! ooH! I bet Jar-Jar Binks is going to lose his two ears to Obi Wan!
(Snicker**Snicker)
Cool Kid: Hey STAR WARS NERDS! The only people who lost limbs is you two GEEKS when your mother CASTRATED you when she took you too see STAR WARS!! HAHAHA!!
(Silence)
Maximus Doofiness: He's a HATER!
Nerdstrom: Get him!
.....
Yes, this is what's going on in the playgrounds now.
Anyway, I'd like to take advantage of this golden time to reflect onto you my personal feelings on the individual films of the series. So, in commemoration of the last Star Wars movie, join me in remembering the ones that came before.
Star Wars Episode IV- A New Hope
Usually the inaugeral film for people getting into the series, ANH (A New Hope) was actually the last of the original trilogy (more on that later). Despite that, i feel it's the only one of the entire series that stands well enough on it's own. Sure, Empire is better, but Empire really does need Jedi for that satisfying ending. ANH stands well enough on it's own.
When I saw ANH, I felt like I was retreading old ground, having been introduced to all the characters in Empire. There's really not much happening here that isn't later implied or way easy to figure out when watching the rest of the series. That's not to say that this movie isn't important or great. Far from it. This one is the masterpiece. Since it holds up so well on its own, this is the one everyone is going to remember in a hundred years.
The question remains though: What makes this movie so great? In answering that question, one would look at the casting, and they would be going in the right direction. The casting was pitch perfect. Want an example of a movie like this cast horribly wrong? Look no further then the Star Wars-rip off "Space Mutiny". I actually watched this movie with my good friend Juan, and everytime we looked at the screen we couldn't help laughing. Not just from the pitiful sets, horribly dialogue, and everything else that can go wrong in a movie. The cast was just so horribly wrong. From the muscle-bound hero wearing a wife-beater (IN SPACE!!), to the mentor who looked laughably like Santa Claus, or the villain with greasy hair and sniveling smile (Darth Vader he ain't!), it seemed like the casting director went out of his way to sabatoge this movie. Watching "Space Mutiny" made me appreciate just how right Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and, of course, Alec Guinness were in their star-making roles.
What really made this movie so great was the grave seriousness of everything. There was nothing tongue in cheek here. The key word was authentic, even in the fantasy setting. George Lucas took everything way seriously and, though everyone on his set thought he was nuts, it may be the reason this movie was so successful. It's easy to imagine youngsters, teenagers and even adults wishing to live an idealized youth (The reason Harry Potter is so successful BTW), found validation in this fantasy. This was a living, breathing world and ANH was just so good at immersing us in it.
Watching the series lately, I've found ANH has a slightly different tone then the rest. I couldn't put my finger on it till recently. ANH feels more like Raiders of the Lost Ark then the rest of the Star Wars movies. Not a criticism, merely an observation. Since, as i've noted, ANH contributes little to the overall story, I see it as a fun, balls-out, action-packed adventure. One that brings out the kid in me everytime I watch it. It's a testament to a nearly 30 year old movie that it still excites this cynical 21 year old male.
One final note: I've seen the ORIGINAL original ANH and the Uber-SPecial edition version on the dvds. Which do I prefer? Before I answer, let me impart to you my feelings on spicing up older movies. In short, horrible idea. And, believe me, i was very vocal about my protest of releasing the dvds in only the special, suped-up versions. After watching it, though, I quickly shut up. Not only is the video quality cleaned up to the point where it's nearly as sharp as the new Star Wars movies, but the special effects were well integrated and did well to melding the two trilogies. Though I still wish the original versions were available, I'm very happy with the dvd version.
Star Wars Ep IV ANH Score- 10 out of 10
Star Wars Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back
If ANH brings me back to being a kid, ESB is the natural maturation of that. This is how you make a sequel. This is what made the Star Wars movies Epic, expanding the universe with many new characters and that same sense of adventure from the first one, but with much more at stake.
This was the first Star Wars movie I saw, and what made me a die-hard fan. Maybe it's because these characters and story have become such a big part of our society and popculture, but I didn't have a hard time figuring out what was going on and who was who and what was what. Maybe it's more an insight in how simple this story really is. Regardless, ESB has that fairy tale quality retained from the first one, very much pick-up and go. This is something the prequals have lost touch with.
The story of my first viewing goes as such. My brother came home one day from delivering pizzas, a job I would eventually take up myself. This was on a friday and that was the night we usually go to the video store and rent a movie, more often then not, renting whatever new release came out that week. This particular week, none of the new releases interested me. My brother, looking elsewhere, came to me and asked, "Have you ever seen Star Wars?"
Me: Star wars? Yeah...I think so
Brother: Really?
Me: Not really...
Brother: Ok, we're renting it.
Star Wars was just one of those movies everything thinks they've seen, even if they haven't seen it. Most everyone knows the basics: Luke becomes a Jedi, Vader is his father, The Death Star is destroyed, There are Teddy-Bears going to war for some reason, Yoda talks Backwards, Han Solo is the Man. Therefore I was reluctant, I at the time, was like most of the movie-viewing public of today. Meaning, I only liked watching new movies, old movies did not interest me.
The original Star Wars movie was rented out, but my brother reasoned "Empire and Jedi were the good ones anyway" so we rented those two. Great brother huh?
So anyway, I watched Empire, and I was so into it, I almost kinda forgot about the Vader-Father thing. It was on the back of my mind, but when Vader tells Luke, "No, I am your father" I was almost like " OH yeah!" and, for the first time, i thought he was lying. It's not the same, I'm sure, to what the 1980 audience must of thought when that scene came up and it hit them like a ton of bricks. Still, I was only 8 or so at the time, and the true enormity of the situation was starting to sink in. Luke had chosen the easy route to save his friends! He was becoming like Vader! OH MY GOD!! ED, PUT IN RETURN OF THE JEDI RIGHT NOW!!
Star Wars Ep V- ESB Score: 10 out of 10
Star Wars Episode VI- The Return of the Jedi
That fateful night pretty much went as such. It was 1230 and Empire had ended. We would usually go to sleep after that, but my cousin Rudy had come over, and I was pumped so we popped in Return of the Jedi, and I would finally be inducted into the Star Wars Geek Club. Right away, things had... winded down. Maybe it was the fact that the second half of Empire was going along at a breakneck pace and I expected Jedi to be action packed to the bitter end. Instead it started up with the Jabbas Palace scene, and I found it ultra lame. And this was BEFORE the horrible inclusion of the song and dance number that would find its way into the special editions and remain undeleted for the uber-fuck-you-buy-me-editions of the dvd. The whole place just reminded me of fraggle rock. THe first two had done such a good job of immersing me into the world, and Jabba's Palace all but pulled me out. When I saw Yoda, I didn't see a puppet. When I saw half the creatures in Jabba's Palace, I thought of all the people who had their hands up their asses. I was a young kid, and I didn't think about the pleasantries of suspending my disbelief. All I could think about was, wow, that's a lot of muppets.
Anyway, things picked up when Luke showed up, all clad in black. This only made me worry though "Was he turning to the dark side?". Still, I couldn't help but think how cool he was when he showed up. And the action of the scene! Lando, redeeming himself. Chewbacca, throwing gaurds around! Han, Returns! Leia, in underwear, choking Luca Brasi... er... Jabba! And Luke, flinging the coolest weapon of all time with the skill and elegance of a Arthurian Knight. Finally, the movie had picked up.
Or so I thought. What followed next was more boring. Sure the chase through the forest in Endor was awesome, but come on. TEDDY BEARS?! I knew what Ewoks were before I saw this movie, but after the dark and seriousness of Empire, I just didn't know what to do with them. I had stated before that the reason Star Wars and Empire work so well is because they take themselves deadly serious, and Ewoks took some of that away. I don't hate them, they completely redeem themselves come battle time, but did they have to be so cute?
Anyway, halfway through the movie, Luke has some heart to heart with Vader, Lando comes with the millinium falcon (GREATEST. SHIP. EVER.), and Han and friends go about to disable the shield generator. Heaven! And the confrontation with the Emperor. I remember thinking when I saw the Emperor in Empire, that Vader is so badass and evil, who can HE possibly answer to? And, though we saw the Emperor for a short time in Empire, he left an impression on me. When I saw him again in Jedi, he seemed so weak in the chair. This only made him more creepy to me, as if they were hiding something. I was never afraid of Vader, he had become such a part of popculture he was almost MY father. But the Emperor, man... what a villain.
Once the action started happening in Jedi, it was pure Star Wars nirvana. It was all just so awesome. I'll always remember the lightsabre battle between Luke and Vader. When it was happening on screen, my cousin, Rudy, remarked, "Man this never gets old, huh?". It just made me realize, this is the first time I'm seeing it, but the umpteenth time my cousin and brother had seen it. I think I realized then what a "Classic" really is, and these movies were it. Though Jedi was flawed compared to the near perfect experiences of ANH and ESB, it's still a classic that holds up beautifully. To this day, I almost consider ESB and Jedi to be one movie. ESB is the "Shit gets real" part, and Jedi is the satisfying, tie all loose ends together ending.
Star Wars Episode VI- Rotj Score 9 out of 10
....
The Prequal Trilogy.
I've said more then my fair share of nasty things about the Prequal Trilogy (or PT). Upon my latest viewing of The Phantom Menace (PM) and Attack of the Clones (AotC) I found a lot of redeeming factors. I hope my review of the Original Trilogy (OT) helps people understand where I'm coming from. The OT was just so perfect. The PT, not so.
Star Wars Episode I- The Phantom Menace
I was 15 when this came out, and I was as hyped as everyone else. I saw it the second day it came out, because I didn't dare fight the lines of Day 1. I saw it with my friends Jeff and Shane. My first viewing was the best viewing of it. I was so hyped for Episode 1 that if it were 2 hours of Ewok Fucking I think I would have been happy. My excitement sustained me through the first hour or so of mostly boringness ( with the cool Pod Race to pick me up) until the end with the awesome space battle and Darth Maul Duel. Oh man, was I in heaven, as were all Star Wars geeks across the land.
My second viewing came almost a week later, and the flaws began to settle in. Why was everyone talking like a lawyer presenting a case? The Jedi, who were once the cool, rebellious people, were now the boring grown-ups, the people they were rebelling AGAINST in the OT. Something was hitting me right. The special effects, good as they were, weren't believable. They were distracting. I didn't feel like I was there. I still loved the movie, after all it's Star Wars, and the action of the climax just couldn't be beat.
As I grew into a cynical movie lover and critic, more of its flaws became apparent. Ironically, for some reason, during my latest viewing, I was able to slip into child-like mode and appreciate it like one. That's when I started to realize. The OT was made for teens and young adults, the PT was made for children as well as teens and young adults. Considering that, it's easy to find fun in PM. When taken as it's own movie, it's a lot of fun and honestly, very awesome. When taking into consideration the possibilities after watching the OT, it becomes harder to appreciate it.
In the end, I've said a lot of nasty things about this movie, and for the most part I was wrong. Sometimes, though, I hit the target. A flawed Star Wars movie is still a Star Wars movie and a Star Wars movie is a Star Wars movie, period.
Star Wars Episode 1-PM Score 8 out of 10
Star Wars Episode II- Attack of the Clones
So much to say. Even though I was still going through PM rage when AotC was coming out, I was still hyping it. Hell, I was more hyped about AotC then I was about PM. Epic Love? Yoda Lightsabre Battle? Clone Wars?! I'm there! However Epic Love = Horrible Dialogue with little to no romantic chemistry. Yoda Lightsabre Battle = about 27 seconds. Clone Wars = Videogame graphics. By the time AotC came out, i had become a full blown movie geek, and it's faults were just that much more apparent. Maybe theres a system to this, the more grown up you get the less interested you are in Star Wars movies? Yeah, good theory EXCEPT I can still be excited by the OT and remain just as entranced :P.
Maybe a good part of the horrible things I said about this movie comes from being dissappointed after the monumental hype AGAIN. THe first time i saw it i thought it was awesome, the second time I realized I hated it. Again, recent viewings have allowed me to enjoy it for what it is, but in the end, it still doesn't come close to making me feel part of the world, like the OT. Maybe it's because these stories are nowhere near as interesting as the stories in the OT. Maybe it's because I'm a huge fan of love stories and this one just bit bad. THe action scenes weren't all that exciting, and the Yoda fight way too pumped up. The biggest saving grace was Ewan Mcgregor as Obi Wan. His imitation is just so spot on, when he's onscreen it's almost like being back to the OT. It's eery how well he channelled Alec Guinness and even began to look like him.
Ironically, PM and AotC came really close to being kids movies and yet don't make me feel like a kid like the OT. On their own they're competent fantasy/action movies that have their own sense of fun and epic storytelling. But they are part of a series, and I can't help but compare to them and consider what could have been. Still, they do have a chance at relevance and their own unique place in movie history, and that all depends on the redeeming quality of one movie...
Star wars Episode II- AotC Score 7 out of 10
Star Wars Episode III- The Revenge of the Sith
Very soon, I will have seen the final chapter in the series that started it all. I will be at the Jersey Gardens Digital Projection presentation of Episode III on May 19th, 11:00 A.M. Again, I have allowed myself to get swept up in the hype machine, despite the past two dissappointments. Again, I remain optimisic that this chapter will validate the last two chapters and bring this trilogy into the realm of epicness of the first trilogy. No matter how RotS turns out, Star Wars was and will always be one of the greatest movie series of all time. And despite the shit I say about Eps I and II they are still Star Wars movies through and through and I will watch them probably many more times then movies I have seen recently that I call masterpieces or that I enjoyed infinitely more. In a couple of weeks, it will become uncool to talk about Star Wars anymore, once the hype and talk of RotS dies down. But even still, I'll be able to pop in the dvds to any (ANY) chapter of the franchise, and revert back to my 8 year old self, enamored with the characters and story.
"Man, this never gets old, huh?"
I couldn't have said it better myself, Rudy.