1. Empire Strikes Back
2. Star Wars
3. Rogue One
4. Revenge of the Sith
5. Return of Jedi (Ewoks)
6. The Force Awakens
7. The Last Jedi
8. The Phantom Menace
9. Attack of the Clones
10. The Cartoon one I didn't see.

As noted, the Ewoks dropped ROTJ to 5.

The new movies look great and offer nostalgic moments, but I dislike the overall direction to the point I would've preferred a remake or further in the future like Star Trek Next Generation,

I ranked Rogue One high to show I not just a crotchety old man.

Flame Away.

Pretty solid order. I might swap Revenge of the Sith and Return of the Jedi.

I'm not sure why Empire Strikes Back seems to be the fan favorite of all of them. Dont get me wrong. I think it is great but I think all of them are about equally great actually. Not sure why that stands out Star Wars fans. Is it because the big reveal cliff hanger ending?

PartyBear said:

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I'm not sure why Empire Strikes Back seems to be the fan favorite of all of them. Dont get me wrong. I think it is great but I think all of them are about equally great actually. Not sure why that stands out Star Wars fans. Is it because the big reveal cliff hanger ending?

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My reasons why I like ESB the best:

1) Yoda. Not just the introduction of Yoda, but the best of Yoda. The best Jedi wisdom and the least amount of backwards grammar that was exaggerated in later movies.

2) Better acting/directing. The interactions between Han and Leia, the subtle humor, etc. The mood also wasn't geared towards children. It's certainly PG, but there are no cute Ewoks, Jar Jar and young Anakin, etc.

3) Yes, the big reveal cliff hanger ending is still considered one of the most famous movie reveals of all time. In my opinion in a lot of movies, plays, etc. the 2nd act is often considered the best.

JETHRO said:

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1. Empire Strikes Back
2. Star Wars
3. Rogue One
4. Revenge of the Sith
5. Return of Jedi (Ewoks)
6. The Force Awakens
7. The Last Jedi
8. The Phantom Menace
9. Attack of the Clones
10. The Cartoon one I didn't see.

As noted, the Ewoks dropped ROTJ to 5.

The new movies look great and offer nostalgic moments, but I dislike the overall direction to the point I would've preferred a remake or further in the future like Star Trek Next Generation,

I ranked Rogue One high to show I not just a crotchety old man.

Flame Away.

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I'll endorse your top 3. Empire Strikes Back is still my favorite. The original Star Wars (what did they later subtitle it? A New Hope?) could be No. 2 just because it was so original at the time. And I was a little surprised at how much I liked Rogue One and still do.

Read an interesting story about the original. George Lucas showed a rough cut (special FX not yet inserted) to a bunch of his USC Film School/director buddies. When the credits rolled almost everyone in the screening room panned the film. After they were finished, Steven Spielberg, who hadn't said anything to that point, said, "This movie is going to make $100 million dollars."

I only saw the first one. Once. In a theater. It was ok. Never cared enough to see another one.

Guess I never understood what was the big deal.

Rogue One is my favorite.

It's the only one I've ever seen.

Any movie with Jar Jar Binks forfeits due to unwatchability.

In terms of the quality of the movie, I have a hard time arguing with your order.

Still, I just like #1 and RotJ better than Empire. They are just more fun movies to watch.

The new one would have to rank pretty high -- possibly just below the top 3.

Stranger said:

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I only saw the first one. Once. In a theater. It was ok. Never cared enough to see another one.

Guess I never understood what was the big deal.

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This was me until a few years back. Then I got strep throat and figured what the hell. I can't go to work for two days, so I watched them all--in the order they were released. Then I went and saw Rogue One at the dollar theater when it came out.

I don't get it either.

I loved Last Jedi.

Top Tier:
Empire
A New Hope
Rogue One

Solid Second Tier
Return of the Jedi
The Force Awakens

Had its moments:
The Last Jedi

I'll Watch if its on TV:
Revenge of the Sith

Not a good movie:
Attack of the Clones

Garbage:
Episode One

1. Return of the Jedi
2. Empire Strikes Back
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. Rogue One (although not part of the series)
5. A New Hope
6. Attack of the Clones
7. The Last Jedi
8. The Force Awakens
9. The Phantom Menace

We are currently 2/3s of the way through what will be considered the worst Star Wars trilogy ever. Episodes 7 and 8 have been beyond putrid and terrible.

Revenge of the Sith.

My nose is held at Disney Star Wars until they, well, evolve instead of rehash.

I saw Rogue One and the Last Jedi. Didn't have a clue what was going on in the Last Jedi.

tommie said:

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I saw Rogue One and the Last Jedi. Didn't have a clue what was going on in the Last Jedi.

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Luke Skywalker: The Apathy Years

Oldbear83 said:

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Any movie with Jar Jar Binks forfeits due to unwatchability.

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Jar Jar was a with lord

PartyBear said:

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I'm not sure why Empire Strikes Back seems to be the fan favorite of all of them. Dont get me wrong. I think it is great but I think all of them are about equally great actually. Not sure why that stands out Star Wars fans. Is it because the big reveal cliff hanger ending?

For me it's Han being frozen in carbonite.

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There was very little re-hashing in Last Jedi. The closest thing really was Snoke trying to turn Rey in a similar scene to Palpatine trying to turn Luke at the end of Return of the Jedi. But things not playing out quite the same for Snoke and Kylo. You might also note, that very same scene was played out at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith with Palpatine and Annakin with Dooku.

The Last Jedi sucked. The critical acclaim for the film really is astounding. Even putting aside what they did to Star Wars' most beloved character, it was a ridiculous and implausible plot with holes big enough to drive a truck thru. What's more, it answered few of the questions raised by the Force Awakens. May not be the worst of the films (although I think it's neck and neck between Phantom Menace and Last Jedi), but it was definitely the most disappointing.

If my theory is correct and the mystery is mind blowing they didn't want to answer anyhjng until episode 9 in the grande finale.

The Last Jedi has to be the worst Star Wars movie yet. They completely hosed Mark Hamill's character.

I enjoyed it. It was better than The Force Awakens but not as good as Empire or Rogue One. It did try to force some goofy moments in that didn't really fit. However it is nowhere close to being as bad as the Prequels. Those are just awful.

Mothra said:

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The Last Jedi sucked. The critical acclaim for the film really is astounding. Even putting aside what they did to Star Wars' most beloved character, it was a ridiculous and implausible plot with holes big enough to drive a truck thru. What's more, it answered few of the questions raised by the Force Awakens. May not be the worst of the films (although I think it's neck and neck between Phantom Menace and Last Jedi), but it was definitely the most disappointing.

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Part of what makes the Force Awakens so bad, it wrote all these mysteries into a movie but there were no actual answers planned for any of them. JJ Abrams just threw out a bunch of stuff for people to speculate over but never actually had a plan for any of it. Rian Johnson was under no obligation to answer anything raised in the Force Awakens because there were no actual answers to begin with.

Whichever one Carrie Fisher (RIP) is in that sexy outfit with Jabba the Hut!

BellCountyBear said:

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Whichever one Carrie Fisher (RIP) is in that sexy outfit with Jabba the Hut!

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That's 'Return of the Jedi', also known to fans as 'last Star Wars movie not to be polluted with Jar Jar or other obscenities'

The newest movies could not have been more disrespectful of the source material. All key characters are pathetic shells of their former selves.

They were supposed to be. Yoda and Obi Wan were as well in the trilogy you grew up with in th late 70s through early 80s. Frankly so was Anakin as well.

They're all pretty bad TBH.

PartyBear said:

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They were supposed to be. Yoda and Obi Wan were as well in the trilogy you grew up with in th late 70s through early 80s. Frankly so was Anakin as well.

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Very true. Going back to the originals, Star Wars was never about examining and developing characters. The characters were all there in the service of an adventure story/morality play. They owed more to Saturday afternoon "oaters" than to character studies like, say, Walter White in Breaking Bad.

Ironically, the one character whose development you wanted to understand how did innocent young Anakin Skywalker turn into Darth Vader? was horribly done. Partly, I think, it was the fault of scripts that were more about propelling a story than about giving much insight into character. And partly it was because Hayden Christopher wasn't nearly a good enough actor to pull it off.

Maybe the producers learned a lesson that the series works better when it sticks to plot and adventure and goes light on character development.

I think it did explain what happened to Anakin. In very brief summary. He had a fear of losing Padme and the Padme and the baby (he didnt know there were two) as well as feeling like he was disrespected by the Jedi Council. He felt Palpatine offered him more power and the ability to keep Padme and the baby and himself as well alive forever. Anyway the the even more brief version he could not let go of attachments and that was his downfall. Star Wars has alot of Eastern philosophy integrated into it.

PartyBear said:

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I think it did explain what happened to Anakin. In very brief summary. He had a fear of losing Padme and the Padme and the baby (he didnt know there were two) as well as feeling like he was disrespected by the Jedi Council. He felt Palpatine offered him more power and the ability to keep Padme and the baby and himself as well alive forever. Anyway the the even more brief version he could not let go of attachments and that was his downfall. Star Wars has alot of Eastern philosophy integrated into it.

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I'm not saying they didn't give you insight into his motivations. They did, in all the ways you mentioned. And I would add his anger over the kidnapping and death of his mother to that. I'm just saying they did all of this poorly. To me, Anakin was by far the most interesting character in the whole series. So it's a shame they didn't have better scripts and a better actor to help us see how he went from plucky kid to Darth Vader -- the way a great actor like Bryan Cranston (and great scripts) showed us how Walter White went from Mr. Chips to Scarface.

Ironically most of the character development occurs in the third episode of the trilogies so far. Keep in mind these are actually movies for kids and the over all story is a rather simple one (as opposed to the Harry Potter movies which i've found hard to follow from movie to movie) that have been done so well they appeal to kids of all ages. I noticed in Episode 8.more complex themes were introduced however, quite subtley. That not everything is so dark or light. There is alot of gray in the universe. The arms dealers who do business to arm the First Order also do business with the Resistance. Luke acknowledges that the Jedi Order we knew of from Episodes 1-3 were arrogant and full of hubris (not very Jedi like). Ironically something Anakin was trying to call them on near the end of Episode 3. (SPOILER ALERT HERE) in the scene after Kylo once again tries to get Rey to turn after someone is killed in the film. She refuses and Kylo says "that is your problem, you wont let go of things" This is what caused Anakin to drift to the dark but is keeping Rey in the light. (I have my own theory as to who Rey really is and I think that scene is another clue and actually that scene where the person was killed I'm not sure the viewer of the movie got it right as to who actually killed that character) anyway alot of gray in this one. Then you see alot of self sacrifice and misunderstood good guys who seem shady in episode 8. Other than Anakin's sacrifice of himself for Luke in episode 6 (ultimately again Anakin's flaw of not letting go actually bringing him back to the light) and Obi Wan in 4 no one willingly gave their life for any cause in any episode of Star Wars like what was occurring in episode 8.

Ironically you brought up Breaking Bad, the story of Anakin Skywalker is a science fiction version of the Walter White's story. Both started something to help his wife and son they got too far in and lost everything they were trying to save and provide for.

PartyBear said:

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Ironically most of the character development occurs in the third episode of the trilogies so far. Keep in mind these are actually movies for kids and the over all story is a rather simple one (as opposed to the Harry Potter movies which i've found hard to follow from movie to movie) that have been done so well they appeal to kids of all ages. I noticed in Episode 8.more complex themes were introduced however, quite subtley. That not everything is so dark or light. There is alot of gray in the universe. The arms dealers who do business to arm the First Order also do business with the Resistance. Luke acknowledges that the Jedi Order we knew of from Episodes 1-3 were arrogant and full of hubris (not very Jedi like). Ironically something Anakin was trying to call them on near the end of Episode 3. (SPOILER ALERT HERE) in the scene after Kylo once again tries to get Rey to turn after someone is killed in the film. She refuses and Kylo says "that is your problem, you wont let go of things" This is what caused Anakin to drift to the dark but is keeping Rey in the light. (I have my own theory as to who Rey really is and I think that scene is another clue and actually that scene where the person was killed I'm not sure the viewer of the movie got it right as to who actually killed that character) anyway alot of gray in this one. Then you see alot of self sacrifice and misunderstood good guys who seem shady in episode 8. Other than Anakin's sacrifice of himself for Luke in episode 6 (ultimately again Anakin's flaw of not letting go actually bringing him back to the light) and Obi Wan in 4 no one willingly gave their life for any cause in any episode of Star Wars like what was occurring in episode 8.

Ironically you brought up Breaking Bad, the story of Anakin Skywalker is a science fiction version of the Walter White's story. Both started something to help his wife and son they got too far in and lost everything they were trying to save and provide for.

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Anakin's story is a good one and is fantastically told in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It is just so poorly written and acted in the Prequels that leaves a bad taste in Star Wars fans' mouthes.

Empire Strikes Back
New Hope
Return of the Jedi
Rogue one
Phantom Menace
The Ewok movies (bet you didn't know about the Ewok movies huh)
Revenge of the Sith
Attack of the Clones
Force awakens


Holiday special
The Last Jedi