Latest & Greatest

[#1]

It’s a very special week for anyone with even the slightest interest in geek culture- Star War: The Force Awakens comes out this Thursday! Because this is such a highly anticipated movie, millions of people across the world are reliving the experience by watching all 6 episodes of the series. If you are looking to get in on this action, feel free to check out all the Star Wars movies and merchandise we have available. This week I will be uploading my reviews of the entire series from episode one to six.

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace

When this movie came out, I was only in 9^th grade. Having grown up with the original trilogy, I was so excited to see a brand new Star Wars in the theaters. Unfortunately the movie failed to live up to my expectations. While not a terrible movie by any stretch of the imagination, the movie felt sterile and missing the charm of the originals. The plot didn’t seem to have anything serious at stake, the characters were not very likable, and the heavy use of CGI seemed pretty fake. I remember questioning the decisions the characters made on a regular basis- not a good sign if you are looking for the audience to get invested in the story. I will say the pod race scene was pretty great, so were the lightsaber fights- but in the end it was not enough to win me over. I will not even mention Jar Jar. I will give this movie a 6/10- watchable, but not all that great.

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

After the disappointment of Episode One, I was quite cautious with the excitement on Episode Two. I thought, “Ok, The Phantom Menace was not that great- but maybe this one might be better.” Boy was I wrong. Attack of the Clones ended up being my least favorite movie of the series. With wooden acting, cringe worthy dialogue, and extreme over-use of CGI, this movie failed on almost every level. Being the first of the series to be shot completely digitally, the movie just does not look right. It was clear that the filmmakers were trying to push the envelope of special effects- unfortunately the technology was not there yet. This movie was supposed to be a love story about how Anakin and Amidala get together, but they have no chemistry and Anakin actually comes off as a creepy jerk. I don’t think any part of this movie works. I will give this movie 4/10- an unfortunate requirement for hardcore fans.

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

Arguably the best of the prequels, Revenge of the Sith is not a movie without its flaws. It seems that the producers knew how to better handle the pacing in this movie and to use the darker tone of this movie to their advantage. This is the movie where the dark side of the force finally takes control of Anakin Skywalker and he becomes Darth Vader. One issue I have with this the overly elaborate fight scenes- especially at the end of the movie. The fights go on so long they almost become boring. Besides that, this movie managed to keep me entertained- especially with dialogue between Anakin and Amidala (ugh). 7/10- worth checking out.

Star Wars: A New Hope

Quite obviously the spark that ignited the firestorm is this film- one of the all-time classics in film history. Looking back on this movie, it might not seem all too impressive by today’s standards- but at the time there was nothing else like it. This is the quintessential heroes’ story that has existed as long as human history. By combining the ancient story with future tech and mysticism, it struck a nerve in people all over the world. It is interesting to hear about how George Lucas had other plans for this movie, but luckily for us all the final version is what we have. I say this movie is required viewing for any person. I give this one a 9/10.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

My personal favorite of the Star Wars Saga, this movie hits hard and does not miss a beat. Every part of this movie is perfect, from the attack on the rebel base all the way to Luke’s confrontation with Vader. This movie was the initial introduction of Master Yoda and takes a deeper look into the Jedi and the force. I can only imagine seeing this movie when it first came out when it is revealed that Vader is Luke’s father; even though I have seen it dozens of times it still gives me goosebumps. This is also the first time you feel some sort of humanity from Vader- setting up his redemption in the future. 10/10- flawless victory.

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Growing up, I used to think this was my favorite movie of the series- I know now that it was because it had Ewoks. This movie is not perfection, but it is still really darn good. This movie is definitely the biggest of the original trilogy in terms of the battles and conflict, but it is a little bit silly to think about trained imperial troopers being defeated by a bunch of tiny bears. I love the choices made with the design of Jabba the Hut, as well as his entire palace setup. This is a really fun movie and serves as good end to the original trilogy. I’d give this an 8/10- fun for almost everyone.

That's all I have for now. The only thing that's left is for me to go see the latest installment!