1980 Directed by Irvin Kershner
The 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.
Mark Hamill Harrison Ford Carrie Fisher Billy Dee Williams Anthony Daniels David Prowse Kenny Baker Peter Mayhew Frank Oz James Earl Jones Kathryn Mullen Wendy Froud Jeremy Bulloch Jason Wingreen Temuera Morrison Clive Revill Marjorie Eaton Ian McDiarmid Alec Guinness John Hollis Jack Purvis Des Webb Julian Glover Kenneth Colley John Ratzenberger Michael Sheard Michael Culver John Dicks Milton Johns Show All…
Obi-Wan went to the other side. Luke is now a man. Leia is still a princess. Han is as cocky as ever. Chewie is still cool as fuck. The droids are still the droids. They all return along with a few new friends to battle that evil fucker Darth Vader in the motherfucker of all sequels. High-tech binoculars. Chewie's temper. Han's jacket. Leia's eyes. Even more obvious sexual tension. Hungry Wampa. A warm and stinky stank blanket. Fuckin' Zev. Wookie laugh. A Deliverance moment. Wookie hug. Luke's maturity. Hoth is intense as fuck. Snow war! Imperial Walkers. Dak ain't no Goose. Wedge is the motherfucker. 3PO's courage. Fuck the odds! SPACESHIP! R2's persistence. Master fuckin' Yoda. Droid cock-block. Voices from…
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The Empire Strikes Back takes the incredible foundation of the original classic and digs into its problems, insecurities, and emotional dilemmas that were left in the shadows previously. It's the equivalent of peering into an open wound, with every beloved character dealing with issues and trials that are both fascinating and startlingly introspective. It only helps that every scene is perfectly composed, wonderfully acted, amazingly scored, eerily shot, and mindbogglingly awesome. I get chills just thinking about Darth Vader waiting for Luke up on that platform, enshrouded in mystique and menace, ready to smother the light from Luke's soul.
The Empire Strikes Back is my favorite STAR WARS film and one of the finest works ever made. Fucking Shakespearean in its themes and scope, this mystical masterpiece enthralls again and again. It'll never age.
My all time favorite film. It doesn't get any better than this.
What I really paid attention to this time around was the pacing. It is astonishing how perfect The Empire Strikes Back flows, every single scene is exciting and memorable. I never really thought about it, but the Rebellion doesn't even leave Hoth until roughly 40 minutes into the film, which clocks in with a total running time of just over two hours. Think about how much iconic greatness is jammed into those remaining 80 minutes, yet it never feels rushed, nothing is glossed over.
I can't imagine ever been more entertained than I am during Episode V. It was the greatest achievement in the world when I was a child, and over 20 years later nothing has changed.
Most boys become men once they cut the apron strings and leave their mother's behind them and forge ahead to make their own mark in life!
Luke on the other hand had to lose more than just his pride in a lightsaber battle and uncover a truth that was so unbearable that his own untimely death looked warm and inviting!
Pain, betrayal and moral decrepitude the catalyst's to change and evolution are in the air! As our love affair with our hero's continues, they have their mettle tested over and over yet once again!
This sequel is the most introspective amongst the entire series and in my not so humble opinion the most genuine due to its refreshing approach to…
"I don't believe it."
"That is why you fail."
Space western in which the frontier rebellion struggles against the ever-expanding empire of intergalactic civilization. Vader just wants order, after all, and there's nothing more antithetical to the freedom of the Wild West than tyrannical capital-O Order.
Alice pointed out something fascinating that I never noticed: there's no real plot in any traditional sense of the word, the rebels just spend the whole movie trying to run away from the empire. There's only backward momentum. Even Luke, the one potentially progressive, propulsive figure, betrays what few advances he's made by ditching his training before he's ready and suddenly halting his potential right in its tracks.
If the original Star Wars is…
The force is with you, young Skywalker, but you are not a Jedi yet.
-Darth Vader
It's often said that The Empire Strikes Back is the greatest Star Wars film simply because it's dark. You've heard it before, people telling you it's the best because "the ending is so dark". While I do think this is the best film out of the series, I don't agree with that reason. I think the movie is dark as the result of what actually makes the movie so great. I will attempt to explain my point of view.
In A New Hope our heroes were part of a story that was bigger then them. It was about the Empire trying to wipe out…
This is not only my favorite movie, but my favorite piece of art. While the first is a complete masterpiece of the postmodern, this movie is really the first "Star Wars" movie, in the sense that it was made for its own sake. That isn't to say that it doesn't pull from its references as masterfully as its predecessor. In fact, the hawskian interplay aboard the millennium falcon is maybe my favorite collection of scenes in the entire franchise(it is of course no coincidence that Leigh Brackett wrote the first draft). The Empire Strikes Back feels like the movie that every great American director of the 30s and 40s wanted to make. Its a glorious blend of galactic slapstick and…
This is a breath of fresh air after enduring so many of George Lucas and Disney's other middling to just plain awful entries in the series. Lando! Yoda! Bounty hunters! Hoth! Cool space creatures! Peak Vader!
Love you, Irvin.
Also: "You'll find I'm full of surprises." Luke immediately loses his lightsaber and gets knocked to the floor. Oh, honey.
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These films don't get better than this for someone out there.
It's simple: Post your #1 ever (no runners-up or…
