Star Wars
Reviews
Cat Ellington
(As I'm writing this review, Darth Vader's theme music begins to build in my mind...) Well, it actually has a title, what the Darth Vader theme. And that title is "The Imperial March", composed by the great John Williams, whom, as many of you may already know, also composed the theme music for "Jaws" - that legendary score simply titled, "Main Title (Theme From Jaws)". Now, with that lil' bit of trivia aside, let us procede with the fabled film currently under review: Star Wars. It had been at a drive-in theater in some small Illinois town or other where my mother, my older brother, and I had spent our weekly "Movie Date Night" watching this George Lucas directed cult masterpiece from our car in the parking lot. On the huge outdoor screen, the film appeared to be a silent one, but thanks to an old wire-attached speaker, we were able to hear both the character dialogue and soundtrack loud and clear. We even had ourselves a carful of vittles and snacks - walked back to our vehicle, of course, from the wide-opened cinema's briefly distant concession stand. Indeed, it had been a lovely summer evening that July. From the time the film started, with my brother and I following along as our mother sped-read the opening crawl, I began to feel rather antsy, thinking that this movie, the first in a franchise that would soon be world-renowned, was going to be boring, due to its genre being Science Fiction: A respectably likable, but not a passionately lovable genre of mine DURING THAT TIME. I just didn't believe I was going to like Star Wars all that much ... But I soon found myself intrigued ... And awed. George Lucas is a man with a phenomenal, and I do mean phenomenal imagination. Apart from his human characters (Han, Luke, Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, among others), the droids: C-3P0, R2-D2, R2-series, and IG-88, not to mention those unusual characters like Jabba the Hutt, Yoda, and Chewbacca, just to name a few, are all creations of Lucas's phenomenal imagination. And I was completely in awe of each one of these strange beings. Then there was Vader ... And the evil Emperor ... And the Stormtroopers ... And the Spacecraft ... And the galaxies (I'll admit that I am a huge lover of the Universe in all its Celestial glory) ... And the magnificent planets ... The Lightsabers ... And so on. Star Wars is a gorgeously shot space opera; it is truly an epic masterpiece. We enjoyed this film tremendously. And my brother was a die-hard fan from that night onward. He, my brother, had even received for Christmas that year, nearly every Star Wars action figure that my mother could find, including two of the spacecraft: The Millennium Falcon and Star Destroyer. The Death Star space station had too been wrapped beneath our Christmas tree - tagged with his name. It was totally crazy, what the new Star Wars era. Frenzied! But it was great ... Even still, to this day. I don't personally know anyone whom has yet to see Star Wars, but that certainly doesn't suggest there are still a few people out there who haven't. And if you're one of the latter, then you should know that this classic space opera comes highly recommended. The entire series is told backwards, so you'll definitely want to see Star Wars first, followed by its two sequels: The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi ... In that order. I trust that you'll too discover yourself to be a lifelong cult fan in the wake. 😊
John Chard
A long time ago in a childhood not too far away... Princess Leia is captured and held hostage by the Imperial Army as it seeks to rule the Galactic Empire. An old Jedi Knight by the name of Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi may just be hers, and the rebels only hope. Teaming up with farm boy Luke Skywalker, scoundrel Captain Han Solo, and a couple of quirky droids, Kenobi sets off on a mission that could well shape the destiny of the Galaxy, and all who dwell within it. Back in 1977 I was but a wee 11 year old boy, weened on films from all genres by my movie loving parents, I had no idea that Star Wars was to have the same impact on me as Jaws had two summers previously, where yet again I found myself queueing around the block for two whole hours to see a film in a one screen theatre. My love of cinema firmly cemented, Star Wars was the start of a love affair that lasts to this very day. As the years have rolled by and my love of cinema has taken on more in-depth and serious tones, I have come to realise that Star Wars proves to be a far from flawless picture. Certainly its detractors do point to some frayed acting and call the plot structure a jazzed up good versus evil axis, while the charge of George Lucas referencing many prior pictures most assuredly stands, but really do those things matter? No they do not, because Star Wars opened up a new world of cinema, something of a portal to youngsters such as I, it got people talking and debating about the merits of model work in films (which is of an extraordinary high standard here), it nudged film makers to explore being bigger and bolder in their approach, and crucially, above all else, it got film goers hungry again, a hankering for more please if you may. Now it has to be said that all that followed 20th Century Fox's historic blockbuster didn't run with the baton, in fact most pale into comparison on impact value, but for better or worse (depending on the discerning viewers peccadilloes), Star Wars stands as a bastion of adventure laden entertainment. It is by definition one of the most successful films in history, George Lucas perhaps didn't know it at the time, but in what was to become an almost operatic anthology, he didn't just make a movie, he created a whole new world seeping with style and rich texture. Almost as amazing as the success of the series, is how it has become part of modern day pop culture, anything from religion to everyday speak has at some time or another referenced Lucas' baby. Ultimately, though, it's one single thing that made (and still does make) Star Wars so great, it's that it has the ability to lift the audience into a rousing united feel good cheer; and that is something that few films can ever lay claim too. In 1977 it was an awe inspiring event to watch in the theatre, now here in my middle age it's an event that is like hugging a dear old friend, a friend that I know will never ever let me down no matter how many times I turn to it. 10/10
gastyny
Star Wars (1977) is a true masterpiece of cinema, and is definitely one of the best films ever made. For me Star Wars (1977) is the best movie of all time,tied with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Star Wars (1977) it is for sure the most iconic film of all time everything in it is iconic. The direction, the script, the performances in this film are brilliant, all the characters are captivating and well developed. Anyway, this is a totally perfect film, I only have praise for it, it is certainly a masterpiece of cinema, and my grade for it is 10\10.
r96sk
A quality start to the franchise. I say start, I guess that depends on the (seemingly) controversial way of watching these films - I've decided on release order, so it's the beginning for me anyway. I've heard a lot about <em>'Star Wars'</em> so I am expecting big things, this didn't disappoint whatsoever. I unquestionably enjoyed this! If I didn't know this was released in 1977 I would never have guessed, it still holds up astonishingly well. The special effects are spectacular for the vast, vast majority; even the stuff that perhaps hasn't aged as supremely still looks superb. The cast are a joy. I actually wouldn't say any performance sensationally stood out, but all the actors and all the characters are so much fun to watch together. Mark Hamill is impressive as Luke, Harrison Ford is entertaining as Han and Carrie Fisher is super as Leia. Credit also to James Earl Jones and Alec Guinness, among others. Despite not watching until now, I literally already knew all of the character names - shows how timeless these are. The plot makes for top notch viewing, I found the pacing to be particularly spot on. And how about that score? Stupendous! I really have no negatives for this, I'm sure it isn't perfect but I had a very fun time with it.
GenerationofSwine
Everyone and their mother is going to write reviews about the Star Wars movies...and this one, this one actually came out before I was born. It breaks the heart. I had to wait until the re-release before I got to see this one on the big screen. This is the one that ruined my Star Wars opening night streak... ...Well The Force Awakens ALMOST ruined it further. I had to drive out to my parents house just to see it, for the sake of tradition, and when I got there they had already gone without me...twice. Some angry words later and I guilted my mom, pointing out the drive, to force her into a third go. But that is neither here nor there. This was the movie that started it all. And the first time I saw it, it was on Beta. Once upon a time my family had the movie in Beta. And then I had the trilogy in VHS. And then I had it on DVD. And it is going to repeat like that as the mediums change. Its one of those movies that you have to own, even as technology changes. It is actually one of those movies you want to buy right away when the technology changes, just to see it in better and better quality. That should be saying something right there. But for a lot of you its not. For the rest of you, it is a fairy tale in space, complete with knights and old wizards and a princess. Only its a fairy tale in space made for, well, made for nerds like me. It is a legend and the type of legend that stays with people and makes old Gen-Xers like me, cynical and grumpy, feel like little kids again. It, along with the Godfather, is the type of movie that breeds mental spousal abuse as generations of men force their wives at gunpoint to watch them...and then get confused and a little depressed when most of them don't see the fascination with them. Unlike the Godfather, however, its the movie that fathers force their children to watch and, then, their children carry the love for it into the next generation. Star Wars is an endless cycle, even the bad ones are good. And the fans create endless theories about them. They buy the t-shirts, the buy the toys, they do everything they can to preserve that love and pass it on. A New Hope, this is the film that started all of that, and though there are better installments, this will always be the first.
CinemaSerf
Thinking back to the films that define my generation; I recall queuing round the cinema as an excited 10 year old for two hours waiting to see this film. I wonder how many people could say that they have done that in the last 20 years? This film is a truly groundbreaking piece of formative cinema. Leaving aside the magnificent special effects; this is a film about good and evil; empire, freedom and democracy and of their true characterisations. It has a slightly stilted script (particularly from Sir Alec Guinness) but that is more than offset by a fabulous John Williams' score and the hugely engaging performances of Hamill, Fisher and Ford with undoubtedly the best baddie cinema has ever seen in "Darth Vader". Truly a wonderful watch.
Movie Recommendation
The Empire Strikes Back1980-05-20The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.More...
Return of the Jedi1983-05-25Luke Skywalker leads a mission to rescue his friend Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, while the Emperor seeks to destroy the Rebellion once and for all with a second dreaded Death Star.More...
Star Wars: The Force Awakens2015-12-15Thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire, Han Solo and his allies face a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren and his army of Stormtroopers.More...
Star Trek2009-05-06The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James Kirk, is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock, a Vulcan, was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before. The human adventure has begun again.More...
Star Wars: The Last Jedi2017-12-13Rey develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker, who is unsettled by the strength of her powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance prepares to do battle with the First Order.More...
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace1999-05-19Anakin Skywalker, a young slave strong with the Force, is discovered on Tatooine. Meanwhile, the evil Sith have returned, enacting their plot for revenge against the Jedi.More...
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King2003-12-17As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.​More...
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker2019-12-18The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once again as the journey of Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron continues. With the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the final battle begins.More...
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith2005-05-17The evil Darth Sidious enacts his final plan for unlimited power – and the heroic Jedi Anakin Skywalker must choose a side.More...
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story2016-12-14A rogue band of resistance fighters unite for a mission to steal the Death Star plans and bring a new hope to the galaxy.More...
Solo: A Star Wars Story2018-05-15Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo meets his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and encounters the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian.More...
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones2002-05-15Following an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala, Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi investigate a mysterious plot that could change the galaxy forever.More...
Thor2011-04-21Against his father Odin's will, The Mighty Thor - a powerful but arrogant warrior god - recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.More...
Forrest Gump1994-06-23A man with a low IQ has accomplished great things in his life and been present during significant historic events—in each case, far exceeding what anyone imagined he could do. But despite all he has achieved, his one true love eludes him.More...
LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales2021-10-01Poe Dameron and BB-8 must face the greedy crime boss Graballa the Hutt, who has purchased Darth Vader’s castle and is renovating it into the galaxy’s first all-inclusive Sith-inspired luxury hotel.More...
Captain America: The First Avenger2011-07-22During World War II, Steve Rogers is a sickly man from Brooklyn who's transformed into super-soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Rogers must stop the Red Skull – Adolf Hitler's ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a mysterious device of untold powers for world domination.More...
Alien1979-05-25During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.More...
Star Trek: The Motion Picture1979-12-07When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command.More...
Psycho1960-06-22When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where manager Norman Bates cares for his housebound mother.More...
The Matrix1999-03-31Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.More...
Similar Movies
Batman
1989-06-21Batman must face his most ruthless nemesis when a deformed madman calling himself "The Joker" seizes control of Gotham's criminal underworld.Batman Begins
2005-06-10Driven by tragedy, billionaire Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to uncovering and defeating the corruption that plagues his home, Gotham City. Unable to work within the system, he instead creates a new identity, a symbol of fear for the criminal underworld - The Batman.Seven Samurai
1954-04-26A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six others to help him teach the people how to defend themselves, and the villagers provide the soldiers with food.Alien
1979-05-25During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.Batman Returns
1992-06-19Batman must face The Penguin, a sewer-dwelling gangleader intent on being accepted into Gotham society. Meanwhile, another Gotham resident finds herself transformed into Catwoman and is out for revenge...2001: A Space Odyssey...
1968-04-02Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.Armageddon
1998-07-01When an asteroid threatens to collide with Earth, NASA honcho Dan Truman determines the only way to stop it is to drill into its surface and detonate a nuclear bomb. This leads him to renowned driller Harry Stamper, who agrees to helm the dangerous space mission provided he can bring along his own hotshot crew. Among them is the cocksure A.J. who Harry thinks isn't good enough for his daughter, until the mission proves otherwise.The Lord of the Rings...
2003-12-17As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the Kings of Men. Yet, the sole hope for triumph over evil lies with a brave hobbit, Frodo, who, accompanied by his loyal friend Sam and the hideous, wretched Gollum, ventures deep into the very dark heart of Mordor on his seemingly impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power.​The Lord of the Rings...
1978-11-15The Fellowship of the Ring embark on a journey to destroy the One Ring and end Sauron's reign over Middle-earth.Princess Mononoke
1997-07-12Ashitaka, a prince of the disappearing Emishi people, is cursed by a demonized boar god and must journey to the west to find a cure. Along the way, he encounters San, a young human woman fighting to protect the forest, and Lady Eboshi, who is trying to destroy it. Ashitaka must find a way to bring balance to this conflict.Eagles Attack At Dawn...
1970-09-09Eli is an Israeli soldier who manages to escape from a notorious Arab prison. He makes it back to Israel, where he finds Beno, another soldier who had spent 2 years of horror in the same prison. They organize a rescue operation against the prison. The soldiers must use both cunning and boldness if they are to help their fellow Israelis regain their freedom.Star Trek: The Motion...
1979-12-07When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command.The Matrix Reloaded
2003-05-15Six months after the events depicted in The Matrix, Neo has proved to be a good omen for the free humans, as more and more humans are being freed from the matrix and brought to Zion, the one and only stronghold of the Resistance. Neo himself has discovered his superpowers including super speed, ability to see the codes of the things inside the matrix and a certain degree of pre-cognition. But a nasty piece of news hits the human resistance: 250,000 machine sentinels are digging to Zion and would reach them in 72 hours. As Zion prepares for the ultimate war, Neo, Morpheus and Trinity are advised by the Oracle to find the Keymaker who would help them reach the Source. Meanwhile Neo's recurrent dreams depicting Trinity's death have got him worried and as if it was not enough, Agent Smith has somehow escaped deletion, has become more powerful than before and has fixed Neo as his next target.Easy Rider
1969-06-26Wyatt and Billy, two Harley-riding hippies, complete a drug deal in Southern California and decide to travel cross-country in search of spiritual truth.The Wizard of Oz
1939-08-15Young Dorothy finds herself in a magical world where she makes friends with a lion, a scarecrow and a tin man as they make their way along the yellow brick road to talk with the Wizard and ask for the things they miss most in their lives. The Wicked Witch of the West is the only thing that could stop them.Pretty Cure Dream Sta...
2017-03-18A mysterious girl named Sakura escaped after her fox friend, Shizuku was arrested. When he managed to escape, she fell to the Human World only to be found by Ichika Usami. Sakura says she is from "Sakuragahara", a world based on ancient Japan that is in danger because a mysterious evil figure named Karasu Tengu has taken over and stolen all the beautiful things in her world. She is also looking for Pretty Cure that represents Sweet, Jewels and Keys. Ichika says that she found the KiraKira PreCure team, which represents sweets. As two Karasu Tengu servants arrived in the human world looking for Sakura, the other members of the KiraKira team were ambushed, only to be saved by Maho Girls PreCure! Team, which represented Jewel and Go! Princess PreCure Team, which represents Key. When they gathered together with Sakura, the three teams had to dare Sakuragahara to save Shizuku and free her world from the evil hands of Karasu Tengu.Space Battleship Yama...
2017-10-14Theatrical release of episodes 7-10 of Yamato 2202.Dances with Wolves
1990-03-30Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.My Hero Academia: You...
2024-08-02In a society devastated by the effects of an all-out war between heroes and villains, a mysterious giant fortress suddenly appears, engulfing towns and people one after another. Then, a man reminiscent of All Might, the 'symbol of peace', stands in front of Izuku and his friends...Fear and Loathing in ...
1998-05-22Raoul Duke and his attorney Dr. Gonzo drive a red convertible across the Mojave desert to Las Vegas with a suitcase full of drugs to cover a motorcycle race. As their consumption of drugs increases at an alarming rate, the stoned duo trash their hotel room and fear legal repercussions. Duke begins to drive back to L.A., but after an odd run-in with a cop, he returns to Sin City and continues his wild drug binge.