The Star Wars Saga

Hey ya'll!

This is Helen from Star Wars Here & There and The Lifeof a Musician and Dancer. As you all know from Edessa's last post, Edessa is pretty busy this week, so she invited several bloggers to guest post on her blog while she was gone.Since I am also pretty busy, I thought I would post my reviews of the Star Wars Saga. :D

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

This movie is amazing and holds a special place in my love for Star Wars.  Some people complain that the movie is so old fashioned compared to the rest of the Original Trilogy, but I love it for that! You can see George Lucas is still figuring out his whole universe especially the lightsabers, characters, and the Force!

The characters are waaayyy to epic for their own good. I love Leia in this episode for all her pride and bossiness...and her buns! Han is awesome. Nuff' said. But many people think of Luke as a whiner.  I do think that George Lucas could have strengthened his character just a little at the beginning, but I don't think he is really a whiner.

"But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!"

The music is amazing.  John Williams is by far the best composer out there today. Most memorable pieces are probably Star Wars Main Title/ Rebel Blockade, Binary Sunset, Cantina Band, Princess Leia's Theme,and The Throne Room/ End Title.

If I was going to rate this movie, I would definitely give it a 10.  You couldn't be a true Star Wars fan if you gave this movie anything less. :D

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

The Empire Strikes Back is probably one of the most exciting, edge-of-seat, movies in the Star Wars trilogy.  You can't help but scream, "NOOOOO!!!!!" when Han is carbon frozen...even if you have watched it over and over again like I have. And then of course we get our first look at Yoda, the former master Jedi who we know nothing about until the prequel trilogy, and BobaFett! He is one of the most awesome, mysterious characters in the whole Star Wars series.

The romance in this movie was very classic and beautiful. I wish we could see more of that today! I just have to say that I love Princess Leia, not just for being the most epic and awesome character ever, but for her whole attitude to Han.  She did not see him and immediately think, "Wow! This guy is super super hot!" and then go and flirt with him. Instead, she kept her distance until she knew him for the true person he really was. Admit it! How many movies do we see now a days where they have women like that?!

"I love you!" 

"I know."

This soundtrack especially is very well done with a huge amount of emotion.  Even listening to the

 soundtrack as background music, I can feel the emotion when the rebels evacuate Hoth or when Leia kisses Han or even the betrayal when Han, Leia, and the rest are captured by the Empire.

The soundtrack and movie completely deserve five stars.

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

I remember when I watched this for the first time.  From the moment it started to the moment it ended, I was glued to the screen and did not see or hear anything else. This episode has the most action in the Original Trilogy, and George Lucas ended the whole story with one of the most satisfying endings I have ever watched.

I am not as impressed with the beginning in Jabba's Palace. I definitely think there could have been a different way to rescue Han, but as soon as Jabba's Sail Barge explodes, things begin to pick up speed.  We get our first real look at the Emperor, find out Luke and Leia's history, discover Ewoks, and so much more! I must say that Darth Vader's turn from the dark side is one of my favorite parts in the whole Star Wars Saga...besides the Anakin vs Obiwan fight. 

The music is awesome though not the strongest soundtrack. Some popular pieces are 

The Pit of Carkoon/ Sail Barge Assault, Luke and Leia, The Emperor's Throne Room, 

Parade of the Ewoks, and Victory Celebration/ End Title.

I would give this movie a ten and the soundtrack a ten!

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

This movie is definitely different from the Original Trilogy because of the animation, characters, and time.  I think of all the episodes, this is probably my least favorite.  I don't hate it like many people do, but I do think it is the weakest episode.  Still it does have some exciting concepts in it such as we meet the young Darth Vader or Anakin when he was a boy, Luke and Leia's mother, Padme, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is a character we already know from the Original Trilogy, the epic Darth Maul, Chancellor Palpatine, who is  the person behind the whole Galactic Empire, and then Jar-Jar Binks.

"Dissen berry berry bad!"

Many old Star Wars fans (by old I mean the people who watched the Original Trilogy in theaters 

when it was released) find Jar-Jar Binks extremely annoying.  I do think he is a somewhat strange 

sidekick for Star Wars, but he isn't half as bad as some people say he is.  In fact, I think some of the 

funniest scenes involve Jar-Jar Binks and his clumsiness. 

The music by John Williams is excellent (of course!) and exciting. Some memorable pieces are 

Dual of the Fates, Anakin's Theme, Panaka and and the Queen's Protectors, and Qui-Gon's Noble End.

Overall I would give the movie a nine and the soundtrack, a ten. 

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Attack of the Clones definitely has an interesting plot with romance, Sith, clones, and Anakin! Anakin is definitely a different person in this movie...mostly because he is so much older. I find him somewhat annoying in this episode (Anakin is not my favorite character) but I think he has a huge resemblance to Luke in A New Hope which is pretty cool. They both whine...a little XD...they both want adventure and excitement...they both fall in love with a girl...they both try to save the girl...yup. I think that is pretty cool.  

The romance in this one isn't as smooth a romance as in the Original Trilogy, but I think George Lucas did do an excellent job.  John Williams also contributed to the romance with the amazing theme, Across the Stars. I love this piece and play it a million times everyday. Some other memorable pieces are Anakin and Padme, The Tusken Camp and the Homestead, and Love Pledge and the Arena. 

Overall, I would give this movie a nine and the soundtrack a ten.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

This movie is probably the most intense, action-packed movie in the Star Wars Saga. This is one of my favorite episodes, and I must have watched the Anakin vs. Obi-Wan fight at least a thousand times.

General Grievous is really cool, but I have to admit that my favorite character in this is Anakin.  I think Anakin is annoying in the first two, but I think in this one, he is totally epic.  Padme has a smaller role in this one, and I find her annoying though I am not exactly sure why.  Emperor/Chancellor Palpatine is really awesome, and Obi-Wan is still my favorite character. :D Embarrassingly, another of my favorite scenes is when Obi-Wan is giving baby Luke to Owen and Beru. I want to cry, squeal, laugh, and cry again. Then I have to go and watch A New Hope just to make sure that it turns out alright in the end.

This soundtrack is AMAZING. I love it, love it, love it. I listen to this one so much. According to iTunes, I have played Anakin vs. Obiwan over 200 times since I got it some time last year. Some other top pieces are Star Wars and the Revenge of the Sith, Anakin's Dream, Anakin's Dark Deeds, and  A New Hope and End Credits.

The movie and soundtrack both get a 10