Author Topic: Star Wars: Rank the films from best to worst (Read 730 times)

Wanker · « **on:** May 06, 2003, 08:06:58 AM »

Please include your reasoning for each film's rank. Here's mine:

1. The Empire Strikes Back Far and away the best of the bunch. Not only has the most menacing atmosphere, but the battle scenes are still nothing short of spectacular. Add to that the lack of any cute, fuzzy critters or kids, and IMO the best film soundtrack(courtesy of the legendary John Williams) in movie history. *This* is the way all the films should've been made. What a lost opportunity!

2. The Attack of the Clones Yep, I've thought this from the first time I saw it in the theater. If you can look past the wooden acting from Hayden Christensen, this is the closest to "Empire" in atmosphere and action. Many great scenes, some really good belly laughs involving C3PO during the final battle. I was very impressed by how Ewen McGregor has transitioned his character into what will grow up to be Sir Alec Guiness. Also, the casting was excellent. You just can't beat the great Christopher Lee as Count Dooku, and Samuel L. Jackson has a field day as Mace Windu. Natalie Portman! Schwing!

3. Star Wars The one that started it all. Perhaps it's impact is dimished today, but at the time of it's release, *nothing* like it had ever been seen before. The first scene with the giant imperial cruiser going by for what seemed like minutes, was amazing. And that first laser battle! Add to this a very charismatic Harrison Ford, sexy yet fiesty Carrie Fisher, fine support from Chewbacca, C3PO and R2D2....and the voice of James Earl Jones as Darth Vader, the unforgettable Sir Alec Guiness....I could go on and on. If only they would've left out the Cantina scene with the stupid hokey quasi-disco music.

4. The Return of the Jedi The biggest film f*ck-up in recent film history, IMO. What should've been the most intense, dark action-packed film sequels in movie history is let down by the inexcusable decision to introduce the Ewoks to kids in stores everywhere. At times brilliant, hokey, rousing, irritating, sentimental, frustrating....this film "could been a contenda". And what the hell kind of ending is that? I was like the cast of a sitcom lining up on stage and waving goodbye to their fans!!

But then again George Lucas was in charge. Go figure.

5. The Phantom Menace Jar Jar Binks, nuff said. Even the ever reliable Liam Neeson is cringing as he goes thru the motions. Ok, there are two decent scenes. The pod race, and the final light saber fight with Darth Maul. Other than that.....ugh.

Swag Abroad · « **Reply #1 on:** May 06, 2003, 08:08:48 AM »

5
4
6
1
2

Dowding · « **Reply #2 on:** May 06, 2003, 08:12:32 AM »

56421

narsus · « **Reply #3 on:** May 06, 2003, 08:57:33 AM »

Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars
Attack of the Clones
Return of the Jedi
The Phantom Menace

Saurdaukar · « **Reply #4 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:15:47 AM »

Empire: Come on... what self respecting SW fan doesnt have this at the top of his list?

Hope: Cant argue with a classic. The special effects might not have been very special, but what an atmosphere.

Clones: Even though they could have done better, the last half of the movie had the "feel" without annoying sea creatures talking in strange, studmuffingy dialects.

Jedi: I hated this movie. Ewoks are cute - great for your girlfriend - but sucks for you. I want to cut off their furry little heads with a lightsaber. Luke is a studmuffin in this movie. Han is a studmuffin in this movie. Hell, even Chewy smells of catfood and ass. Bad acting, bad script, bad movie.

Phantom: I hated this movie more. 20 minutes worth watching. The rest is crap... and by crap I mean the large deposits of solid waste that sit in your intestines before you "evacuate" the system. Great fight at the end... the rest might as well have been put out by Disney. JJB was/is/always will be the worst charectar in a film... EVER.

Dowding · « **Reply #5 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:25:38 AM »

Quote

Bad acting, bad script, bad movie.

lol you could say that for every Star Wars film! Star Wars is for kids - always was, always will be.

gofaster · « **Reply #6 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:28:34 AM »

1. "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" - opens with a bang, ends with a bigger bang (I never really considered the medal ceremony to be the ending, just a way to lead into the credits, like in a video game). Great dialogue, ground-breaking SFX, wonderful acting by a group of unknowns (except for Alec Guiness, who turns in a wonderful performance, all of the others were fairly new to the scene, including Harrison Ford). "Episode IV" was the one that started it all, and the one against which all of the others will always be measured.

2. "Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" - Once you get past the distraction of the walking teddy bears and the ridiculousness of the final celebration, you'll see that the characters' issues get resolved fairly well, though we all knew the plot before the movie even got started. And Princess Leia as a slave girl is one of the more common fantasies shared by men now.

3. "Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" - a movie without a real ending isn't much of a movie, though the scenes between the start of the film and the credits were pretty good. Hoth and the giant walkers were the best part of the movie. Luke as a Jedi is coming along, and the Yoda character was creative genius. I didn't care for the bit about Luke sliding down the refuse chute and ending up hanging from an antennae. That whole bit seemed too manufactured and contrived. A better ending would've been the Empire blowing up the Cloud City as Luke escapes in the Millenium Falcon while being pursued by TIE fighters. Its sure more attention-getting than Luke hanging upside down from a trapeze.

4. "Star Wars: Episode I" - George Lucas made this one just for the licensing pay-off. From start to finish, I felt that I was watching a commercial for children's toys. The pod race scenes were cool, but Ben Hur did it first and was a much better film.

5. "Star Wars: Episode II" - Episode I was so bad that I haven't bothered to see Episode II. Maybe I'll see it prior to Episode III, if Episode III is any good.

Wanker · « **Reply #7 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:30:05 AM »

Quote

Star Wars is for kids - always was, always will be.

I disagree, Dowding. The first two films were good enough for kids and adults alike. There's no reason Lucas shouldn't have been able to make the rest of them in the same vein. Attack of the Clones was a good come back for him, and he has one last chance to redeem himself. I hope he doesn't blow it.

udet · « **Reply #8 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:34:40 AM »

1) The Empire Strikes Back:the first battle on the ice plante was amazing
2)Return of The Jedi: I was a kid when I first saw it and I liked the Ewoks. Also liked Carrie Fisher in that tiny bikini.Scru u all

3) A New Hope: Death Star!!!
4) Attack of the Clones: Not impressed
5)The Phantom Menace: Gaaaaay

Nifty · « **Reply #9 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:37:39 AM »

54261

I put 2 ahead of 6 just because Ewoks were annoying. Shoulda stuck to the original idea of it being Kashyyyk and the wookiees rising up to help overthrow the Emperor.

That woulda made it #2 or #3.

Empire was very good. Sinister and dark.

Lastly, I don't think I can blame any of the actors (except Amhed Best!) for the jobs they did in Ep I and II. I blame it on Lucas' asinine notion that the lines should be delivered in some 1930's theatrical style. He actually defended (poorly) his decision in some magazine last year. It might have been a Rolling Stone or Entertainment Weekly. He said he's going for the serial sci fi style mixed with the theatrical acting instead of your standard film acting. Anyways, that's the reason the dialogue is delivered so... rigidly I guess. There are very few fluid exchanges between the actors, unlike Ep V and IX (which were not directed by Lucas.)

midnight Target · « **Reply #10 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:39:26 AM »

1. The Fellowship of the Ring
2. The Two Towers

100. All the Star Wars movies.

Dowding · « **Reply #11 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:41:13 AM »

But it's not exactly meant to be Shakespeare is it?

It's meant to be light-hearted stuff. Didn't it have a universal rating when it came out (i.e. even young kids can watch it)?

The way people have deified the whole Star Wars thing is pretty funny. I like the films, don't get me wrong, but some people take it way too seriously and give it more credit than it deserves. Also, it has a serious following because of the merchandising that went with it in the early eighties; people remember playing with the AT-AT walkers in the garden and so it's comforting. And that's why there has been such a huge push on the merchandising aspect this time around - to get a new generation into the whole thing so that in 20 years time the Star Wars name will still be big and the latest installment/franchise succeeds. I bet they build a whole themepark before long including a cathedral where devotees can get married by an Alec Guiness impersonator, before spending the night in a romantic mock-up of an Ewok village.

I really wouldn't be surprised it that happens.

Curval · « **Reply #12 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:42:03 AM »

13245

Wanker · « **Reply #13 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:42:11 AM »

Quote

a movie without a real ending isn't much of a movie..

!!!!!!!!!!:confused:

I can't believe you didn't like the ending. Go watch it again(and this time listen to the music!). It is a masterful ending, paving the way for the Return of the Jedi. The music fits the culminating moments perfectly, as we see Han being loaded into cold storage, Luke being rescued, and Darth Vader sailing away in triumph. If you can watch the ending without getting goosbumps, then there's no hope for you!

High drama at it's cinematic best.

Nifty · « **Reply #14 on:** May 06, 2003, 09:57:46 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by midnight Target
1. The Fellowship of the Ring
2. The Two Towers
100. All the Star Wars movies.

as long as you don't compare The Two Towers to the book of the same name. However, since I did read the books, I just didn't enjoy the last 45-60 minutes of Peter Jackson's vision of The Two Towers. It was about as bad as David Lynch's Dune.