“Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope”
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In the summer of 1977, during a time when most motion pictures were all about being rough and gritty, “Star Wars” exploded onto the scene with its fresh take on classic adventurism and epic storytelling. The immense popularity that followed ensured that it beat the odds against a skeptical studio that never saw the viability of the franchise, and ensured its resounding success for decades. It has since become the progenitor of all modern blockbuster films.
Whether you start the series here or with the modern prequel “The Phantom Menace,” you’ll be immediately submerged into a unique and original universe. Great care and consideration is placed into every person, place, and thing in the series, with an exceptional level of background and detail. Entering the “Star Wars” universe is one of the deepest and most lively franchises, even to this day.
The story kicks off right in the middle of a big space pursuit, and maintains steadily fast pacing throughout. The original special effects have always been impressive, with loads of quality models and matte paintings that still hold up. There are a number of added CGI scenes from the ’97 update, which haven’t aged that well. But what really matters is the spirit of the movie; whether lurking around the seedy underbelly of Mos Eisley, or storming the decks of the Death Star, the movie is loaded with action and comedy, and it takes itself seriously only when it has to. The resulting thrill ride is as lighthearted as it is exciting and memorable.
Borrowing directly from Kurosawa’s “The Hidden Fortress” (with some influence by classic sci-fi serials), the story for this is not terribly original, but it is a solid fresh take with a cast of fine characters. The biggest and most original contribution is Luke Skywalker’s journey from being a humble farm boy to being the hero of the Rebel Alliance (featuring themes that echo Lucas’ previous film “American Graffiti”). The film’s structuring allows for a steady introduction to all the characters and concepts, making it easily digestible and continuously iconic.
The film is competently-made, with solid photography and editing. Special effects are groundbreaking for its time. At times, I feel that the imagery with the given camera angles, lighting effects, costume and set designs, are like an evolution of “THX1138,” lending the film a slick futuristic appeal. Acting tends to be a bit hammy in all the “Star Wars” films, but are probably at their best here; Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Sir Alec Guinness bring the characters to life in a vivid and memorable way. Writing can be quite nutty, but the dialogue is memorable. All of the film’s sets, props, costumes, and special effects are swell, even if they do show their age a little. And the music is excellent; John Williams’ original score matches the movie perfectly, and is exceptional (this episode’s score is probably my favorite of the lot).
5/5 (entertainment: 5/5, story: 5/5, film: 5/5)
Recommendation: Yes!
“Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back”
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With the stage set in “A New Hope” with a cast of fresh likable characters in a vast galaxy, “The Empire Strikes Back” provides a follow-up that many consider to be the best “Star Wars” film in the franchise. The film definitely pumps up the stakes as the Rebels are driven away in a massive battle, before the characters become hunted, and ultimately entangled in a web of treachery. This film will probably always be memorable for its big reveal towards the end though; an epic twist of fate that undoubtedly surprised everybody back in 1981. Overall, this film is darker than its predecessor, much more serious than any of the other films, and has a certain theatric flair that could supersede every other film in the series.
Contrary to popular opinion, this has never been my favorite of the series. I’ve personally found myself growing tiresome of the constant chasing, which is often broken up by the slower scenes of Luke training and Darth Vader conniving. For some reason, I find this film less interesting. In the end, I think it takes itself too seriously, stripping away the lighthearted adventurism that made the other films enjoyable.
However, the story is decent. Characters remain as strong as ever, with a nice bit of added romance and plenty of added background to keep them fresh and lively. The plot structure is decent, and it is ultimately interesting to see the big plot the Imperials develop to trap the main characters. My only real complaint is that this is still only the middle part of the overall story arc; by the end of the movie, you can tell that the characters still have a ways to go yet.
The film is well-made, with good photography and editing. Special effects are as strong as ever. Acting and writing are still a little campy, but are mostly earnest. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, and everybody else are quite decent, and remain true to their respective characters. Writing is not bad. Production value features lots of excellent sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music is good.
4.5/5 (entertainment: 4.5/5, story: 4/5, film: 5/5)
Recommendation: Yes.
“Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi”
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Of all the “Star Wars” films, this one has always been my favorite. More critical viewers would probably admonish this film for showing an army of cutesy furry Ewoks turning the tide of the last battle.  But I’ve always enjoyed this film for its subplot featuring Jabba the Hutt, the cool speeder-bike chase, its epic space battle over Endor (which comes very close to being my favorite space battle of all films, second only to the battle of Coruscant in Episode III), and most importantly, for showing the final confrontation between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. All of the major conflicts are resolved in this film once and for all, and regardless of how unlikely it is for the Ewoks to overcome the Empire, I find the final fight between Luke and Vader to be very invoking, and the final space battle to be very awesome.
The story is quite straightforward, offering just a little more insight on the characters and the previous films’ loose ends, so as to answer any questions the audience may still have. It suffers just a little drag between the Jabba the Hutt scenes and the Endor scenes, but otherwise, the pacing is quite high. As it is with any major film trilogy, “Return of the Jedi” offers an excellent finale with excellent closure.
The film is competently-made, with decent photography and editing. I still enjoy the actors’ performances; Mark Hamill is probably at his most earnest here, while Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, and everybody else reprises their roles well. Writing is not bad. Production value features good sets, props, costumes, and special effects. Music is good.
5/5 (entertainment: 5/5, story: 5/5, film: 4.5/5)
Recommendation: Yes, mostly after seeing the last two movies first.
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I can't think of a better theatrical AQ than that). Great experience, even if Hamill was a no-show on our screening (he showed up during the later ones 
).
I think that's the best one (even if V is the most visually assured of all of them).
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