Satan's Luau

No one wants to hear about lines or finding a seat at a midnight SW show, so I won't write about it other than to say, I think the rain kept some people away, and also, theatres have finally wised up and add-on showing theatres to meet the demand ... I waited in line a total of 15 minutes, and yes, that is not newsworthy in the least

The movie, write about the movie, must focus LOL ... so let's write something

REVENGE OF THE SITH

In general terms, it is a very dark movie. It is bittersweet to see the last of the new movies end on such a dark and emotional note. In terms of providing closure and making it come around full circle, yes the movie does do that. Does it answer all of the burning questions, a truthful answer would be, no it does not -- However, it does place all of the key things where they should be to kickoff the Original Trilogy (OT)

Visually, this is one of the most unique uses of CGI and depth that I have seen, in fact, I cannot think of another example of using the CGI environment to create a feeling of space and depth. There are points in this movie where it really sucks you into the environment, and that technique is only successful because it has a natural feeling of depth to it ... 3-D is how I would best describe it, how Lucas got a movie to look 3-D on a flat 2-D screen, amazed the hell out of me ...

The downside, have you ever gotten nauseous from watching a movie (and no, not because it's bad)? I was pretty close at times, the use of depth in this movie is amazing, but I guess if you are prone to motion sickness or heights, there may be times where it gets you

If I had to describe the tone of the film, it is one of urgency, or desperation. There are so many serious things going on with respect to the overall story arc, there are so many things that the characters must go through. Instead of feeling put through the paces, this film has a nice rhythm to it, one that recalls the older OT films, one where you really don't look at your watch for the time, yet it passes by very quickly.

The action/drama mix isn't exactly primed to a perfect blend, but this is something that when I think about it is really quibbling down to the last two cents. Again, I think that if one wants to nitpick and quibble, you would pinpoint some of the usual suspects for wooden acting and "would a real person say that" dialogue. Lastly, I think that some of the reviews such as if the pre-logy (my term) could have been condensed down into one film, this is the one. I don't dispute that, in fact I can think of key plot points that could have been added from the first two ... but who wants to see a four hour movie, right? ... get Tarantino on the phone, I think he has ideas to solve this dilemma LOL

In the end, I think the word mindfuck comes to mind about this movie, but this is not to imply that it in anyway is cheap or cuts corners. This movie takes all your previous assumptions about who is good, who is evil, who is right and wrong in this whole SW thing tosses them in the air ... and reinvents the overall understanding of what truly SW taken as a whole is about

So here's my final words before I go nurse on the caffe. If you are an old time, or OT fan, this one I can recommend without reservation. Of course, you probably would go anyways. If you are a hardcore SW fan, there will be many instances where you will be hard pressed not to go holy shit, feel deep pain or sadness in your gut, or just be swept away by it ... even if you know the outcome as it unfolds in the OT, the movie is quite engrossing

This is a movie that as of now, I am scheduled to see three times at the theatre, so hopefully at the end of viewing three, I will have a concrete review

Did I fall asleep at any point during the film? Amazingly No, I didn't. This is despite the fact that I felt very tired at about 11PM last night.

Highly recommended ... my initial grade: B+

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To save me a separate journal entry, I was considering how I would grade out all films in the hex-tilogy (boy, master I am of nonsense words is he) and the overall story arc in general. I reserve the right to adjust my ROTSith score because I've only seen it once

Here is my basic ranking:
Empire Strikes Back: A++
SW: A New Hope: A+
Return of the Jedi: A
Revenge of the Sith: B+
The Phantom Menace: C
Attack of the Clones: C-

Some review notes:

Empire Strikes Back

Yes, ROTS is dark and urgent. This one is the meaning of desperation. All the plotlines, all the surprises, and the frustration that the rebellion were not ready to take the Empire head-on ... yet. I think it is my all-time favorite movie, period

A New Hope (or what we once called Star Wars)

This one is classic space opera, good vs. evil. The hopes of a budding rebellion rest on a ragtag team consisting of a naive farming kid, two droids, an old weathered Jedi, a rogue space smuggler and his first mate, and an upstart young female diplomat ... almost sounds like that other fellowship. The evil is amazing, palpable, and seemingly insurmountable.

Return of the Jedi

For those that pick on this film because of the presence of the Ewoks, to me are kind of missing the point. Again, like in Sith, the point is closure. And ultimately the redemption of the one thought long lost, Anakin Skywalker. The only reason why I don't think it's an A+ category movie is that some of the wrap-ups feel like wrap-ups and picky me wants them to be more plausible and smoothly worked in.

Revenge of the Sith

This movie is a mindfuck. It takes all your preconceived notions of morality, good vs. evil, and who is right and who is wrong and tosses them all to the wind. In many ways, there are times in this movie where you feel like Luke hanging desperately from the antenna at Bespin with hardly anything to cling to, as another deeply shocking thing has happened. There is such a great deal of emotion that underlies this movie, Lucas really sells out on Anakin's fall, the Emperor's rise, the death of the Jedi, the final installation of the Empire, and setting all things in their right places for the OT.

The Phantom Menace

People are 50/50 on this movie, and it largely relates to the Gungan. The return of SW to the big screen for the first time in sixteen years. I think TPM is underrated, and it contains a story that needs to be told. A story about the roots of the Empire, where Senator Palpatine/Lord Sidious orchestrates a quiet coup over the Galactic Senate that results in his insertion as the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, and the reappearance of the Sith. This movie is also important to shift the viewer's perception that the SW overall arc is about the Skywalker twins and their struggle against the Empire, is instead a story about their father's rise, fall, and his children's struggles to redeem him. Major problems that made the movie partially ineffective included the superimposition of the Gungan with no storyline impact whatsoever, abusing the cool villain technique, and some questionable explanation of key important plot points key to the overall SW mythology/continuum

Attack of the Clones

Good lord, there is a story in there, and it really should have been an interesting one about how the Emperor continued his rise to power, the whats and why fors about Dooku's Separatist Movement, the training of Anakin by Obi Wan (ala Yoda and Luke at Dagobah, yeah I wish ...) and the growing relationship of Anakin and Padme. This one feels bloated with all the talk talk talk, the CGI for eye candy and not much else, and the too many plotlines that feel like baloney thrown against the wall. Many good ideas, poorly organized equals hard to watch.