Rank the Star Wars Movies (merged)

[Pants]

1. Empire Strikes Back
2. Star Wars
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. Return of the Jedi
5. Attack of the Clones
10. The Phantom Menace

 

[NiTessine]

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. A New Hope
3. The Return of the Jedi
4. Attack of the Clones
5. Phantom Menace
6. Revenge of the Sith

 

[Flyspeck23]

1. Empire Strikes Back - Better Director, Better Movie...Dark, brooding with a sense of lost hope
2. Star Wars (A New Hope for you non-purists) - The original, nuff said
3. Revenge of the Sith - Gives all the back story that is needed to enjoy the orignal trilogy even more
4. Return of the Jedi - Ewoks are a downer...though it has the best lightsaber fight out of all the movies, IMHO
5. Attack of the Clones - It just exists...better than Ep One
6. Whatever Episode One was called - Corny kid, Jar Jar Binks, Over-hyped pod race (granted still better than most movies out there, but not by much)

I'd rank the movies the same, and even agree with your reasoning (more or less). Although it could be that EpIII is only ahead of EpVI because it's brand new...


For the statistic, and some further notes:

1. The Empire Strikes Back (Great characterization, and the only SW with decent dialogue. And Boba Fett.)

2. Star Wars: A New Hope

3. Revenge of the Sith

4. Return of the Jedi (Main flaw (beside Ewoks): unnecessarily stupid death of Boba Fett.)

5. Attack of the Clones (Some great moments make an otherwise disappointing movie worthwile.)

6. Phantom Menace (Too "clean" and shiny.)

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

1. Star Wars
2. Empire Strikes Back
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. Return of the Jedi
5. Phantom Menace
6. Attack of the Clones

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

1. Star Wars : (A New Hope)
2. Empire
3. Sith
4. Second Half of Clones / first half of Jedi
5. First half of Clones / Second half of Jedi
6. Phantom Menace

Technically, I would concede that Empire was probably a better made film, but it suffers from being the middle movie, and frankly, the original Star Wars was such an amazing experience as a kid, the others just can't match it on an emotional level.

I waffle on placing Clones and Jedi. I hate the Ewoks more than I hate Jar-Jar, but the romance scenes in Clones are cringe-inducing. I think this weekend I'll rip my DVDs and make my own 'Director's Cut'

 

[Sammael]

1: The Empire Strikes Back
2. Star Wars: A New Hope
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. Return of the Jedi
5. Attack of the Clones
6. ...
99. Phantom Menace

 

[mojo1701]

I don't see what was wrong with the Ewoks. Besides, the cutesy-muppet feel of them, but have you ever looked at them up close? Ravenous.

Besides, they're great to the story, the "unlikely heroes."

 

[Psion]

After rewatching ep II last night, I think I have decided ep I actually beats it out.

No matter, even Ep III can't capture the essence of the original trilogy. It lacks the cameraderies, good acting, characters I care (much) about, and pacing.

1. Return of the Jedi - Who cares about the Ewoks. Had the most classic lines and moments, best confrontations, best space battle, good pacing, good dramatic tension. One of my favorite movies of all time.
2. "A New Hope" -- AKA "Star Wars" (I always found it strange they retroactively subtitled it.)
3. Empire Strikes Back -- Still some great classic lines, still some great scenes (the asteroid seqence and drifting away from the star destroyer were classic.
4. Revenge of the Sith -- Pacing better than the first two, the Emperor and Obi-Wan carry the movie. I was even a little let down by Mace.
   Spoiler

   (But I am excited by the "wiggle room" they left by not killing him "on screen."
5. Phantom Menace -- If you skip the scenes between when the Jedi get off the trade federation ship and Tatooine, it's almost a watchable movie. But perhaps my mind is too readily editing out Jar-Jar.
6. Attack of the Clones -- The dramatic scenes SUUUCKED. Though there were a few exciting action scenes, the space battles and many of the foot battles were weak.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Return of the Jedi - Who cares about the Ewoks. Had the most classic lines and moments, best confrontations, best space battle, good pacing, good dramatic tension. One of my favorite movies of all time.

Also had 1/3rd of the movie that was incidental to the plot, interminable 'give into your feelings' speeches, a completely unconvicing conversion, and 'oh, wow, *another* Death Star.' And Ewoks

You're the only person I've ever met that puts Jedi higher than 3rd. I've always felt that the pacing in Jedi was the worst - it felt like the wind got sucked out of it's sails after blowing up the sail barge. The space battles were cool, though.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

1: The Empire Strikes Back
2. Star Wars: A New Hope
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. Return of the Jedi
5. Attack of the Clones
6. ...
99. Phantom Menace

So, we start filling with:

6. Clone Wars tv show (now on DVD)
7. The Great Luke Ski
8. That cute bit in E.T. where Elliott plays with his Star Wars figs in front of E.T.
...
95. Ewok movie 1
96. Ewok movie 2
97. Ray Enright's "One Minute Star Wars" in his 2nd place in the nation After Dinner Speech (at AFA NIET, before he was disqualified and stripped of his awards)
98. Star Wars Holiday Special


Any other filler I've forgotten?