Order your Star Wars films

[Zaukrie]

I too experienced Star Wars in the theaters as a child back in 1977. I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Jedi and am looking forward to The Rise of Skywalker. So don't think dropping your lengthy experience with Star Wars indicates a trend.

Concur. I like the sequels. And I saw the originals in my teen year, give or take.

 

[Warpiglet]

I too experienced Star Wars in the theaters as a child back in 1977. I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Jedi and am looking forward to The Rise of Skywalker. So don't think dropping your lengthy experience with Star Wars indicates a trend.

A trend? Like how many people agree? I couldn't care less.

My point is that I have a lot invested and my level of disappointment trumps it.

I did not see anyone express an opinion in this thread and defend it with how many people agree or disagree. Hell, ticket sales alone tells you it is liked by someone. Just not me.

I stand by my assessment of the Last Jedi.

 

[Gradine]

Yeah, not so much. But, thank you for denigrating my daughters and presuming that they have no attention span or taste.

What plot does Star Wars, A New Hope have? I mean, we're not exactly talking a highly complex story here. It's pretty straight forward.

Also, I go to Star Wars for the rich characters and depth of world building, and I also loved The Last Jedi.

It didn't hurt that it was also the most subversive film in the series since the original.

Like, I can see there being legitimate reasons to dislike it, but it's a well-made film by a genuinely talented director.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Gradine]

I agree with everything you wrote, EXCEPT I would say it was the most subversive film in the series since ESB.

I mean ... that was amazing, and shocking (and would have been even more shocking if Lucas had kept his paws off of it, and avoided the anodyne ROJ).

Personal thesis and lukewarm take: Lucas's continued involvement has made everything go downhill since the original.

Now see, I loved Return of the Jedi too, because while the adult in me loves Star Wars for the rich characters and deep world building; the kid in me loves the super awesome spaceship shooty-shooty action pew pew! And RotJ continues to have the best space battle in the series.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[BookBarbarian]

Also, I go to Star Wars for the rich characters and depth of world building, and I also loved The Last Jedi.

It didn't hurt that it was also the most subversive film in the series since the original.

Like, I can see there being legitimate reasons to dislike it, but it's a well-made film by a genuinely talented director.

There are things I disliked about TlJ, but on the whole I'm with you on this one, and having just seen Knives Out it further cements my opinion that Johnson is one of the most clever directors out there.

I agree with everything you wrote, EXCEPT I would say it was the most subversive film in the series since ESB.

I mean ... that was amazing, and shocking (and would have been even more shocking if Lucas had kept his paws off of it, and avoided the anodyne ROJ).

Personal thesis and lukewarm take: Lucas's continued involvement has made everything go downhill since the original.

I was just reading an article about The Phantom Menace being the movie Lucas made with practically no oversight, and having read his qoutes on his plans for followups to RotJ I agree with you.

Now see, I loved Return of the Jedi too, because while the adult in me loves Star Wars for the rich characters and deep world building; the kid in me loves the super awesome spaceship shooty-shooty action pew pew! And RotJ continues to have the best space battle in the series.

While I have some quibbles about RotJ I just flat out love every scene with Luke, Vader, and Palpatine aboard the deathstar. They are so wrought with emotion backed by fantastic scoring.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[Celebrim]

What plot does Star Wars, A New Hope have? I mean, we're not exactly talking a highly complex story here. It's pretty straight forward.

So the plot of Star Wars, 'A New Hope' is this:

Once upon a time there was a farmer boy living with his aunt and uncle, dreaming of going off to do deeds of daring. A chance encounter, if chance it was, causes him to realize that a Princess is endangered by a Black Knight. He soon meets a wizard, who tells the farmer boy that he is no ordinary farm boy, but the heir of a powerful warrior. The wizard gifts the farmer boy his birthright - a magic sword - and the two set off together to rescue the princess. Meanwhile, we learn that the Dark Lord is in control of a powerful Dragon called The Death Star, which has the power to destroy whole worlds. The Princess is forced to watch the destruction of her people. The farm boy meanwhile encounters a Lovable Rogue and a Monster That is Not What He Seems, who join the quest on the promise that there is treasure in it. However, they party is captured by the forces of the Dark Knight. In order to ensure the survival of his young charge, the Wizard sacrifices his life to allow the young farmer boy to escape, along with the Princess, and the secret of defeating the Dragon. The farm boy goes to the castle of the Princess, and fights along with her brave knights in a seemingly doomed effort to defeat the forces of the Black Knight. Just when it seems all is lost, the Lovable Rogue reveals his Heart of Gold and distracts the Black Knight at a critical moment, and the Wizard speaks to the Farm Boy from beyond the grave, allowing the Farm Boy to fulfill his destiny, thus winning the admiration of the Princess and the Kingdom. But will he live happily ever after? Stay tuned for more thrilling adventures.

In it's basics, it's a very common plot, but Star Wars delivered on it elegantly and creatively, while referencing a host of mythic archetypes from Fantasy, Westerns, and Space Operas. I mean, I say that it is a common plot, and almost archetypal, and when I put it like that above it seems reasonable to say that it is a 'common plot', but having said that, how many successful movies can you think of that had that plot? So what Star Wars is for me is the quintessential adaptation of one of the great metaplots to film, a classic - maybe the classic - fairy tale/bildungsroman/Campellian monomyth in cinematic form. Despite the fact it got an Oscar for film editing, I have some problems with the original cut that I think leaves to much character arc out of the story, but I have to admit that despite perhaps not being perfect, there hasn't been a better story of this sort in the movies before or since. Just look at how elegantly all the major figures are introduced into the story with their character intros. It's a masterpiece of sparse but evocative character building and story telling.

Compare with how poorly pretty much every major player but Rey (whose intro was pretty good) was handled in 'The Force Awakens', or how badly 'The Force Awakens' handled pretty much all of the same plot points, managing to be both derivative and incoherent at the same time.

 

[billd91]

ROJ is fine; its'a good kids' movie. It's right there with, you know, the prequels.

It's more than just a good kids movie. It is the payoff for the entire first trilogy and completes Luke's Campbellian Hero's Journey and that appeals to us as adults just as much as ewoks may appeal to kids.