A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
The pitch black screen. Then the yellow title card. The booming John Williams score. The text crawl. The wipes. Ben Burtt’s sound effects. Ralph McQuarrie’s stunning visuals. Industry-changing effects work. The Jedi. The Sith. The Force. A new world.
No. A galaxy.
And the birth of a new era in cinema.
And the birth of a new era in cinema.
George Lucas injected so much creativity into his original 1977 film —simply titled Star Wars because Fox wanted to make sure one movie was a hit before ok’ing a second— that it’s almost hard to tell if he intended to change the way movies would be made for the rest of history.
Whether or not it was his intention, Hollywood has been emulating (or trying) what Lucas did with Star Wars ever since it first zoomed on screen that fateful May over 40 years ago.
Nothing will ever be like Star Wars except Star Wars. Even the new Star Wars movies, be it Lucas’ prequels or the Disney editions, are criticized for having the audacity to merely exist in the shadow of the original trilogy. Nothing will ever touch the original trilogy. I don’t mean in quality, because the original three are not strictly my top three Star Wars films. It can be done.
But nobody will ever be the first to do Star Wars again.
Perhaps it’s a generational, nostalgia-fueled thing. Perhaps. But there is no other franchise like the galaxy far, far away that has become a bigger fixture in our lives and the world of pop culture. (Although.)
My life is not excluded. Star Wars has been a passion of mine since being introduced to it at an age 11 birthday party premiere for Revenge of the Sith. (It coulda shoulda been earlier but neither of my parents have a sci-fi bone in their bodies.)
From there, I was all in. Outside of a comic book universe, is there anything as in-depth and inclusive as Star Wars lore? The movies. The books. The comics. (Dark Horse, not the new Marvel stuff.) The TV shows. The toys. The games.
And in this day and age, the commercials.
Star Wars has stood the test of time and is now in its early stages of Disney’s big chance to creatively control the property. Lucas retired from movies in 2005 and sold the company in 2012, perhaps because of the toxic reception to the prequels, or maybe because the man was just tired. Physically tired, or just tired of us nerf herders.
His life’s work cost him a lot, his marriage notwithstanding, but when it’s all said in done, he will be remembered as one of the most influential and important figures in entertainment history.
He is, without question, The Maker.
22. The Book of Boba Fett (TV series, 2021-please no more)
I always thought Boba Fett was a tad overrated (and dead) and his appeal was tied to his mysticism. He doesn't say much, always has his helmet on, and like his pa, is just a man trying to make his way in the universe. Still, there are cool stories to add to his legacy, as evidenced by Star Wars books and games.
But that takes effort. This show made none.
From the show's opening moments, when Boba bursts his way out of the Sarlaac Pit faster than Rey learned the ways of the force, I was worried. Several bacta tank fever dreams and dumb characters later, it seems the show itself realized how bad it was and decided halfway through to just make The Mandalorian Season 3.
The best, no, the only good parts of this "book" are chapters 5 and 6, where Boba Fett and Agent May have a TOTAL of two scenes.
The whole thing is just bizarre and even the fan favorite cameos can't salvage this Bantha poodoo. This show didn't need to be made, and in an egregious turn of events, the makers of the show agreed.
People wanted a peek under the helmet. Well, they got it. Boba literally refuses to wear the thing. Let's be honest, the helmet and voice IS Boba Fett, and not only does he not wear it, he's constantly carrying it around. Seems counterproductive.
I know Hollywood wants us to see actor's faces --the MCU takes every opportunity to have its heroes unmask -- but it doesn't fit here. That, and no offense, but it's Temeura Morrison, not Ewan McGregor.
In summary, this show sucked.
21. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
My publicly shared writing used to be sports exclusive. That was my previous life. After seeing The Last Jedi, I decided to start sharing some of my movie stuff, newly tabbed “CGI Fridays” and ready to go via google docs storage.
So, in a weird way, I guess, thanks Last Jedi?
20. Star Wars: The Bad Batch (TV series, 2021-present)
As much as I love The Clone Wars (see #11), Dave Filoni's breakthrough animated series was not prone to filler. Like most shows, some episodes just didn't do it for me. The "Bad Batch," a rogue group of mutant clones, were introduced in the final season, and they weren't for me.
An interesting premise, but a story and characters aimed at a young audience. They are basically the "Star Wars stooges." Nevertheless, I stuck with the show because this is Star Wars and I love this franchise.
My patience through season one was not rewarded. The show has no clear narrative purpose, instead it's a series of wacky adventures and a plot revolving around a new character, Omega. Her story, like the overall story of a galaxy that has just been taken over by the Empire, has potential. But the show hasn't taken advantage of it yet.
19. Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV series, 2022-Let the Past Die)
When they announced an Obi-Wan Kenboi show, I was of course excited. But I was also cautious. I love Star Wars, I love Obi-Wan, I love Ewan McGregor. The storytelling potential was strong with the force. However, I have long lost trust in Disney's handling of this once-great franchise and didn't want them to besmirch such an important character like Obi-Wan or Anakin Skywalker, AKA Darth Vader. Sorry - spoiler.
My worst fears were quickly realized. The lack of a plan has been Disney's Star Wars story. It killed the Sequel Trilogy, required Boba Fett's show to be saved by the Mandalorian, and Kenobi fell apart just as soon as it started.
This show had a gold mine of source material to work with. Literally years and years of content from other films and shows, novels, comic books, video games, heck even toys! And what we ended up with was Leia playing tag, multiple search-and-rescue missions in a short six episode limited series, and the worst sin this show committed: Reva.
Reva, a new character introduced as one of the Inquisitors, is a waste of time and space. She is not interesting, her motivations make no sense, her character development is boring, and she ends up as basically the main character of this show called Obi-Wan Kenobi.
There has been plenty of discussion about Reva online because if you don't like a character, the internet wants to cancel you. Yes, there are countless idiots online, but any attention paid to them and their (lack of) insight is too much. The character isn't disliked because of race or gender. She is not a lightning rod for political discussion. She is a bad character who shouldn't have and didn't need to be in this show. It's the same conundrum as Rose, a poorly written character in The Last Jedi that has nothing to do with the actress.
Reva even lets loose a "Light 'Em Up!" which is one of the worst lines in entertainment history. (See: John Cena in Bumblebee.) They didn't need her anyway as they already had the Grand Inquisitor, who is used sparingly with extremely poor... execution. He's written as a witless oaf, like many of his co-stars.
The supposed star of the show, Obi-Wan, is treated like a rag doll and is given the same pathetic treatment that Luke Skywalker received in The Last Jedi. Tearing down characters to build them up doesn't necessarily work when they have been around for 45 years. That's not to say it can't work, but feel free to make it plausible and/or interesting. His decision making is just --ugh-- terrible.
Which ultimately brings us to the story. The writing. The script. It's shallow, it doesn't care about canon, and uses absurd character decisions to get us from plot point to plot point. Looking at you, Darth Vader (puny wall of fire) and Bail Organa (brainless hologram message), two more legacy characters who are made out as fools in this forgettable series.
The production of Kenobi is also a bad joke. The action in the show, even lightsaber duels, is so shaky and cut up that it makes the slow-motion speeder chase in The Book of Boba Fett look slick. Natalie Holt's score is uninspired and generic, a surprise after her spectacular work in Loki. The sets are mostly lifeless CGI backgrounds. "Does Disney not have the budget?" He asks, obviously knowing the answer.
There are fleeting moments of promise, and they all involve Anakin and Obi-Wan. You know, what everyone wanted this show to actually be about. Their duel in Episode 3 ends in awkward, puzzling fashion, but at least their duel in Episode 6 is the best moment of the entire series.
The rest? Well, it's a gut punch to the stomach. Or should I say a lightsaber to the stomach? Because they both apparently do the same amount of damage unless your name is Qui-Gon Jinn.
18. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
The most frustrating part about Episodes 8 and 9 is that Episode 7 was so promising. The Sequel Trilogy ended up feeling so disjointed, inconsequential and poorly planned that by the time Rise of Skywalker came around in 2019, there wasn't really anywhere to go.
The character arcs of Rey and Kylo Ren are redeeming qualities in a crowd of poorly written faces, but even those are handled so carelessly, and the script is so full of holes and things pulled out of Star Wars lore just for the force of it, that it's hard to care about anything that "concludes" in the supposed end of the Skywalker saga.
Even ifThe Force Awakens played it safe, The Last Jedi definitely crippled the narrative arc of Episodes 7-9 and Disney's lack of a plan resulted in the return of J.J. Abrams to try and salvage the mess created by Rian Johnson, who was inexplicably given complete control (writer-director) over Episode 8.
It might seem like a copout, but I will only remember the Skywalker Saga as Episodes 1-6.
The character arcs of Rey and Kylo Ren are redeeming qualities in a crowd of poorly written faces, but even those are handled so carelessly, and the script is so full of holes and things pulled out of Star Wars lore just for the force of it, that it's hard to care about anything that "concludes" in the supposed end of the Skywalker saga.
Even ifThe Force Awakens played it safe, The Last Jedi definitely crippled the narrative arc of Episodes 7-9 and Disney's lack of a plan resulted in the return of J.J. Abrams to try and salvage the mess created by Rian Johnson, who was inexplicably given complete control (writer-director) over Episode 8.
It might seem like a copout, but I will only remember the Skywalker Saga as Episodes 1-6.
17. The Mandalorian (TV series, 2019-present)
Season 1, 2019: When Disney+ launched with The Mandalorian as its flagship title, people lost their minds. Baby Yoda is surely worth your memes and is both an adorable character and an intriguing plot device. But the first season of the show, after starting strong with hope of presenting some new stories in the post-Return of the Jedi galaxy, goes nowhere fast.
Season 2, 2020: Season two was a semi-mixed bag with some more filler, especially early on, but the last half of the season is epic. The Mandalorian loves to handle its narrative on a week-by-week, serial basis, but once the show committed to the main story, the fireworks went off Endor style.
Season 2, 2020: Season two was a semi-mixed bag with some more filler, especially early on, but the last half of the season is epic. The Mandalorian loves to handle its narrative on a week-by-week, serial basis, but once the show committed to the main story, the fireworks went off Endor style.
Season 3, 2022: The Star Wars insult doesn't just continue, it has now infected the OG Disney+ show. I gave up on this season (and show) after just a couple episodes, frustrated with the stupid, meaningless stories and disgusted with the way Lucasfilm chickened out and retconned Grogu/Baby Yoda's arc in The Book of Boba Fett.
The Mandalorian isn't cool anymore. He's not a bounty hunter and he desperately wants to be part of a cult of galactic idiots who don't even take off their helmets to eat. (Do they sleep in them?) Baby Yoda is reduced to pure merchandise and the future of this show --like the rest of Star wars-- looks bleak.
16. Star Wars Rebels (TV series, 2014-2018)
After Disney acquired Lucasfilm, they had no plans to continue the fan favorite Clone Wars TV series. Anything to do with the prequels no longer existed. (Until it did again.)
Star Wars Rebels is by no means bad, it’s just not that good. The Clone Wars, as a cartoon, walked the tightrope of relating to its many different audiences. Rebels was more in tune with its younger viewers, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's just not my thing.
I’m here for good characters and good stories. I really like Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla, and would recommend the novel A New Dawn if you want to get to know them better. I wish I could recommend the show for that purpose.
Rebels seems to be constantly stuck in a trash compactor, never really pushing the narrative needle. The series pivots heavily after season two to focus on the young Ezra Bridger, who practically begs to be disliked.
The show always felt like a missed opportunity, particularly given the backbone of this saga (episodes IV—VII) has to do with rebel… scum.
15. Ahsoka (TV series, 2023-Present)
You know the old adage "show, don't tell?" Well, Ahsoka makes the... um... interesting decision to neither show nor tell audiences much of what's going on throughout the inaugural season of this show following Anakin Skywalker's apprentice.
The show is an absolutely brutal drag at times and, at others, it's the best Star Wars content Disney+ has delivered since its inception nearly four years ago in 2019. For every scene that wows you with a galactic dogfight or "member berry" cameo, there are three more scenes of actors staring at each other and talking slower than a Hutt.
The show criminally underuses its big guest star, although the de-aging and overall CGI in the show are wonderful. His scenes are as unclear and purposeless as most of the show, but man that Clone Wars flashback was epic. Episode four through six are very strong while one through three and seven and eight will put you to sleep faster than C-3PO reading you a bedtime story.
Many have said it's Dave Filoni disguising an Ahsoka show as Star Wars Rebels season 5. They would be correct. The main character is Sabine Wren, written as a bratty, smug, lightsaber-proof (ugh) adult woman acting like an annoying teen. Disney continues to think arrogance in women is a likable trait, no matter the franchise.
Grand Admiral Thrawn's live action debut is entertaining until he opens his mouth. The music, done by Clone Wars and Rebels alum Kevin Kiner, is great. So is Lars Mikkelsen's acting. But Thrawn, the famous tactical genius who is always one step ahead, is portrayed as an absolute imbecile in the show. As are many characters like Ezra and Ahsoka.
The star of the show is the late Ray Stevenson, who plays a rogue Jedi because apparently Order 66 left about a thousand more survivors than we thought. Wasn't the purpose of that executive order to get the Jedi into a military kill zones? Too many have survived in these new Disney shows. His story is left jarringly incomplete, as is his apprentice's.
He LITERALLY ends the show hanging off a cliff, yet another cinematic finale in a streaming show that isn't an ending at all.
14. Andor (TV series, 2022-Present)
A few years ago when Star Wars announced their upcoming Disney+ slate, a show about Cassian Andor from Rogue One generated the least fanfare in comparison to names like Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi. I’d be lying if I said Obi-Wan’s show wasn’t the one I was most looking forward to, but if you’ve scrolled to this point, you know how that turned out.
Ever since George Lucas finished telling his six-episode Skywalker Saga, Star Wars nerds like myself have been clamoring for content that filled in the gaps between the movies. The first taste of this were the two Clone Wars shows (see below) and it was clear that there was a market for (good) content beyond the main films in the galaxy far, far way.
The narrative real estate with the biggest potential was the 19-year gap between Episodes III and IV. Only books and video games had cultivated this fertile ground until Rogue One. For some, Rogue One is forgettable. For me, it’s anything but. So when it was announced that Cassian Andor, a secondary character from that spinoff was himself getting a spinoff, reactions were Luke-Skywalker-warm.
I was excited because it would slot right into that era of so much storytelling potential. Based on my own preferences, I was less enthused it would be a series rather than a movie, but I was nevertheless looking forward to seeing Diego Luna’s character back on screen and getting a real look at what life was like under the Empire in Star Wars.
When it comes to showing the imperialistic world that was inspired by the Nazis, the show fulfilled its promise. It’s a serious show written by adults for adults, a level of mature content that has been sorely missing from the science-fiction genre in recent years. The acting is great, the music is fantastic and the visuals are beautiful.
My only big hang-up with Andor is exactly the reason I prefer film to television. There is so much extra fluff added to this 12-episode run that could have been cut out. Each arc could have been condensed, characters could have been completely eliminated from the script with no consequence (Syril, Bix, Cassian's sister, Cinta, Tay Kolma) and the story would have gotten to its same destination in a much more efficient way.
I know writing for TV means meeting an episode quota, but there are moments in Andor when I feel like I’m watching paint dry. However, there’s a lot of great intrigue and tension and it was very fun to see a Star Wars story that takes us out of the stars and into the streets.
13. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Movie, 2008)
Before it went full television mode, The Clone Wars debuted in movie form. It wasn’t received well, but I actually think it’s really good and foreshadows some of the great stories that the TV series would tackle.
It kicks off the gist of the show, which would be the Republic and Separatists literally battling to secure allegiances in different galactic corners. The sinister Separatists and the noble Jedi fight to rescue Jabba the Hutt’s somehow adorable son.
It’s not perfect, and has two sorely out of place musical cues that I’ll always remember ironically. But it introduces an important new character to the franchise’s precious canon: Anakin’s apprentice, Ahsoka Tano, and dives way deeper into Count Dooku’s apprentice, Asajj Ventress, introduced in the 2003 Clone Wars show.
12. Tales of the Jedi (TV series, 2022-Hopefeully More)
The Star Wars prequel trilogy is not perfect. Sure, they are three of my all-time favorite films, with Revenge of the Sith earning pole position, but no film is perfect. With that said, the world that George Lucas built with Star Wars, and particularly in the prequel era, is so rich in stories, characters, settings, and intrigue, that it's no wonder an anthology series set in this time period is a huge hit.
Disney --and Disney+-- have struggled to fulfill its end of the deal with Star Wars (and Marvel) content, so they went back to the Dave Filoni well, The Clone Wars creator trained by Lucas himself. The results help devoted fans of the franchise relive the glory days, which feel like a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
Tales of the Jedi is a series of short, 15-minute episodes. Three follow Filoni's brainchild Ahsoka Tano, while three explore the untapped potential of Count Dooku's backstory.
Both have been covered in books, but there's always a difference when it translates to film or television. Inspecting these characters in the illustrious prequel era was a treat, and the stories brilliantly explore where the characters come from and where they ended up. Which, given Ahsoka and Dooku, is an extremely different but equally exciting place.
11. Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV series, 2008-2014, 2020)
The movie, which was panned, shows more of the kid-friendly side of Dave Filoni’s forthcoming show. For example, Ahsoka’s nicknames for her new Master and extensive droid dialogue. However, the pilot episode of the TV show starring Yoda is indicative of the more serious and grounded tone the show would often take.
The series only got better as it went, and if Lucasfilm isn’t sold, Cartoon Network would probably have run it for at least two-to-three more seasons. A season six was released on Netflix and plans were set to go at least as far as seven before the show was scrapped.
(NOTE: After Rebels ran its course and The Last Jedi bombed fanatically, Disney “saved” The Clone Wars and it is expected to resume scheduled programming in 2020 on the the streaming service Disney+. All is forgiven? *shrug emoji*)
(NOTE: After Rebels ran its course and The Last Jedi bombed fanatically, Disney “saved” The Clone Wars and it is expected to resume scheduled programming in 2020 on the the streaming service Disney+. All is forgiven? *shrug emoji*)
I was a middle school kid when The Clone Wars came out, elated for new Star Wars content after the movie saga concluded(*) three years earlier. Like any show, as great as TCW is, it’s not immune to a whole lot of filler. Droid arc in season five anyone?
But the show delivers on a whole bunch of incredible stories that we didn’t have time for in the movies. For as much as Star Wars is synonymous with Jedi, we don’t see a lot of the Jedi in the episodic movies. But, in the show, the Jedi Council is shown in full force.
The Sith are fleshed out as well, in the many forms of Palpatine/Sidious, Dooku, General Grievous, Asajj Ventress and another certain dark sider, the boldest move of all…
…bringing back the bisected Darth Maul. (No, Solo wasn’t the first to do so.) Maul’s return was a big risk, cause you know, but the Maul episodes are a huge highlight of the series. Whether it be him seeking revenge on Obi-Wan and/or his old master, his new brother Savage Opress, or his time on the throne of Mandalore. Mandalorians are awesome and are not just Fett exclusive. (2019 note: This became obvious with The Mandalorian...)
My relationship with The Clone Wars is tricky largely because of Maul. I think his return throws the movies' narrative for a loop, despite constant housekeeping efforts to maintain canon. I personally treat The Clone Wars as much as canon as a I do the amazing Force Unleashed video games.
Ultimately, with any material that isn't in Episodes I-VI, I don't look at it as critical canon. Even with my obsession of the prequel era and admiration for this show, there are just too many logistical problems introduced in the timeline.
My relationship with The Clone Wars is tricky largely because of Maul. I think his return throws the movies' narrative for a loop, despite constant housekeeping efforts to maintain canon. I personally treat The Clone Wars as much as canon as a I do the amazing Force Unleashed video games.
Ultimately, with any material that isn't in Episodes I-VI, I don't look at it as critical canon. Even with my obsession of the prequel era and admiration for this show, there are just too many logistical problems introduced in the timeline.
Back when animation didn’t exactly sparkle, you had to find an animation style to separate yourself in the field. Though the first of two Clone Wars TV series is much smaller in size than its successor, it had no room for dreaded TV “fluff” or time at all for wasted narrative space.
Star Wars, not unlike many movies, often skips over some time in-between installments. While the biggest gap in time is between Episodes III and IV, the main movies do gloss over the galaxy-changing war that divided the universe and crippled the Jedi Order between Episodes II and III.
A TV show was the next best option, and the first entry into it is definitely unique. Released in 2003 and finishing up in 2005, it picks up right after Attack of the Clones and literally feeds into Revenge of the Sith.
Episodes were short and sweet —sometimes only minutes long— and were surprisingly tailored to a more mature audience. Obviously there is no Sith nudity, but it isn’t as consistently light as the two TV series that followed.
9. Solo: A Star Wars Story
After The Last Jedi, my lifelong obsession with Star Wars had taken a hit. But that was that movie and this was this movie. Solo was a chance for things to get back on track.
Massive behind-the-scenes drama and a director swap ballooned the movie’s budget to nearly $300 million. It was the first Star Wars sinceThe Empire Strikes Back not to make at least $215 million domestically. (Yeah, Empire made almost $100 million less than the first Star Wars.)
What was eventually Ron Howard’s product was a bounce-back Star Wars effort. (Though the box office and critics didn’t echo that sentiment.) There are many rewarding moments and several canon name drops like Felucia, Aurra Sing and Lando mispronouncing Han’s name.
People were skeptical from day one about a Han movie without Harrison Ford, but Alden Ehrenreich is fantastic and the movie feels like a true Star Wars adventure… albeit with a laughably pointless cliff-hanging cameo.
8. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The remainder of the list are some of my favorite movies in the history of ever. Also, they’ve all been touched upon at length in other articles.
When Disney bought Star Wars, I was cautiously optimistic because Disney hadn’t done much meddling into Marvel’s worldwide success. The key difference however was Marvel had an existing creative team prior to the purchase. Disney was taking full control of Lucasfilm, and thus could do whatever they wanted going forward with Star Wars.
Relying on the original cast in Episode VI, then nuking the fridge in VII, was an odd game plan. But even ifTFA is a retread of A New Hope, that's no knock on the quality of the movie, the new music from John Williams, and, at the time, hope for the future.
7. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Another Death Star is a tough sell and the Han rescue plan is one of the most convoluted things ever, but Lucas didn't want the Death Star in A New Hope anyway. The resolution to Darth Vader’s incredible tale, coupled with a concluding hero’s journey for Luke, Leia and Han is bittersweet, the final credits indicating the end of something truly special.
To anyone who thinks the Ewoks were too cute... they eat people! They're also pretty cute, but they. eat. people.
6. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
My personal favorite of the Disney Star Wars films, it’s dark, gritty, risky, and certainly unexpected. Whatever issues the production had, it’s hard to tell. The Rogue One blu-ray release shows very little of director Gareth Edwards and is the only Star Wars movie without a director’s commentary. Whatever issues there were behind the camera, I wouldn’t have been able to tell.
It’s the first Star Wars movie to not feature John Williams as composer, though Michael Giacchino (who also replaced Williams in the Jurassic Park/World franchise) steps in and is worthy of his predecessor’s legacy. Modern CGI also makes for the best Darth Vader scene in the archives.
5. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
I think the prequels contribution to the total Star Wars narrative is some of the greatest storytelling in the history of cinema. Lucas has a flare for just about everything, but his biggest weakness was revealed to be writing romance. The love scenes bring an all-timer down a slight notch, but the true star of Episode II is McGregor’s Obi-Wan.
The prequel trilogy layers the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker, but Episodes I-III are just as much Obi-Wan's. At long last, we see the Jedi Council further fleshed out and the final act (and beginning of the Clone War) is epic on so many levels.
4. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
That’s no movie… it’s history. This film changed everything in the movie game and officially set the stage for the sci-fi cinematic revolution. I highly recommend the Empire of Dreams documentary to learn more about just how impactful Lucas and his team were to the industry. (Twice.)
All the cliche's apply to Lucas and Star Wars. Really - nobody wanted this movie made. And nobody took it seriously on set. And no studio cared to secure sequel or merchandising rights. This made George Lucas a very rich man, and allowed him to self-produce the first six movies.
3. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Jake Lloyd —and then Hayden Christensen— were fighting a losing battle from day one trying to play the part of future Darth. I happen to think both of them, particularly Lloyd and then Christensen in Episode III, ace it.
I like Lloyd and I believe in Anakin’s tragic tale starting with him. Liam Neeson’s one-off Qui-Gon Jinn is, for my credits, one of the strongest characters in all of the shows. (Shoutout to FX guru Dennis Muren, who called the movies “shows.”) Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan comes to life in Episode I and the pod racing sequence is about a million parsecs ahead of its time.
I thinkTPM is an exceptional movie and a ton of fun. Darth Maul is as good as it gets with a villain and the lightsaber duels in the prequels are extraordinary.
I will defend Lucas until the day I become one with the Force, but there is one decision not even I will fight for: If not for Jar Jar Binks, Episode I is probably in my all-time top 10.
2. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
Middle acts in a trilogy are some of the best movies. Empire, Spider-Man 2, Dark Knight, Winter Soldier. Infinity War is not in the middle but it's not the end. Sometimes, you just want to see the bad guy win.
Traditionally, they don’t. Obviously. And even all of these movies listed save Infinity War actually end in mostly triumphant fashion for the heroes. But, aside from the final, optimistic shot of Luke’s new arm and the assembling Rebel fleet, Empire Strikes Back truly belongs to Darth Vader and the Empire.
John Williams unleashes "The Imperial March" on audiences, still humming in our heads decades later. Luke's journey from burgeoning hero to Jedi Knight, with help from Yoda and the revolutionary puppet work from Frank Oz, provides the gem of a trilogy that changed movies forever.
1. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Not just my top Star Wars movie, but my favorite movie of all time. The Battle of the Heroes, aka the Duel on Mustafar, double-aka Anakin vs. Obi-Wan, is PEAK filmmaking. The knot in my stomach is still there after I watch ROTS for the billionth time. Just like in Empire, this isn't a happy ending.
Sometimes the good guys lose. But this is not the end. The fall of the Republic and birth of the Empire is (to me) the coolest overall arc in the history of entertainment.
The non-stop thrill ride of Revenge of the Sith, from the immaculate opening shot and battle above Coruscant, to Obi-Wan delivering baby Luke to his Aunt and Uncle before Tatooine's binary sunset... this movie continues to take my breath away.
(Sorry, Darth Vader, poor choice of words.)
