Rating: 
Summary: AMAZING!
Review: I've been A HUGE Star Wars fan since i was a little kid when i saw jedi in the theaters twice and like many kids went to Burger King afterwards for the classic and collectable glasses. I've witnessed the emotional return to the theaters for the re-releases and all the updates on video and was there opening day for Ep.1 and when it came to video. Now George finally gives us a Star Wars film on dvd and it looks amazing! Thsi Film looks so amazing that Jar Jar actually looks pretty darn good and that says alot right there! This is what dvd's are for and finally we have Star Wars film on dvd. Now let me get to what bugs me and it has nothing to do with the actual dvd. The people who call themselves fans are greedy! Of course they've re-released the orginal trilogy quite a few times (the 1st time was with new sound and picture quality-the box set with yoda/vader/s.trooper covers)then they released a box set of the special editions and then they re-released the special editions just to clean some of the stuff up, add a ep.2 teaser (which had many complaining but still had people whining) and put it back into print (the special editions were out of print as was the original trilogy)there are so many box sets because the movies continue to go out of print (it's like disney films...they go out of print and are hard to get a hold of until the re-release-dumbo is being re-released once again soon)george has nothing really to work on with all the re-releases and has been focusing on ep.2 full time since the end of ep.1 so it's not like he's sitting in front of a t.v. each day watching soaps...the guy is busier than most of the complainers! it really makes me mad to hear people complain about the original films on dvd and want them now but george plans on taking his time with those and adding all the cut scenes...which will take time (the special editions took a few years themselves)george can't do everything at one time and it makes me mad to hear people and see people acting so foolish and imature over this. If you want a rushed dvd without good looking bonus stuff (trust me the original trilogy dvd's will blow this one away because so much stuff from those films has yet to be seen in on a screen)you'll be mad when you get it and still complain that george didn't put any effort into it! it takes him over 2 1/2 years to make 1 film and he's busy 24-7 for those years so it's not like he has the free time (of course when he does it's with his family)plus...george really didn't have much to do with the ep.1 dvd. Sure he threw in his input but it's not like he focused on this one 100% (that's why i'm sure there will be a even better ep. 1 when in 2005-2006 when the original trilody hits dvd!)Be happy he gave us this and didn't wait until after he was finished with ep.3! George has gave us more than any other filmmakers have ever have given us and still people want more and more! It's sad! Be happy with what this guy has given us because for a while there he didn't want to do Star Wars anymore and we msy have never been blessed with 3 more films or Star Wars on dvd!
Rating:
Summary: just like the others..great!
Review: i've been a star wars fan since i was a little kid(i was born in 1978 and saw jedi twice when it was in theaters! )i collect star wars stuff(figures mainly).i like millions of people were looking forward to ep.1 for the longest time and when the the week before it came i like millions of star wars fans were so excited! the midnight sales of toys/merch. the long ticket lines made the summer of 1999 the best summer ever in many people's lives! when the day finally hit i was so excited and knowing of the bad reviews it had been getting i was nervous! i knew though when the 20th century fox logo came to the screen the waiting was over! finally george gave us what we wanted! the whole movie made kinda tingle inside! i was full of emotion(as i was when the special editions came out-jedi the most! )knowing what i was watching would probally be one of the biggest events ever! the critics were wrong! this movie has the same feel as the previous 3! all the people out there saying the acting was bad(it was worse in the originals! )jar-jar was a dumb addition(i' willing to bet if star wars was made in the 90's like it was in the 70's people woule say the creatures were not needed and were so fake looking! )everyone who loved it saw it again and again and didn't let the bad press ruin their fun! the people who were expecting more were let down! we all knew this would be different from the 1st 3! no han solo..so what! it's not supposed to be a re-make of the 1st 3! all 4 are different! the fx is amazing and beautiful! the charcters are amazing and what you want in a star wars movie! i can't wait until it comes to video in april! i really can't wait until 2002 for ep.2! (way too long to wait! )star wars is back! the force is with us all again...finally!
Rating:
Summary: Starwars Universe in a DVD!!
Review: I've been patient and calm about the release of the Star Wars DVD and when I finally got it, the tension building up to it finally busted through and I now know why Lucas waited so long for this gem to come out.
First off, the actual movie has some extended scenes which fit perfectly with the book detail. Secondly, the deleted scenes, while few, are some of the best deleted scenes I've ever seen on a DVD. If your a fan of the book, you'll find that most of the added stuff is right out of the book. Such as an extended "Pod Racer" scene and little bits and pieces elsewhere in the movie. But it just blows me away to see all this new stuff added to an already huge movie. It was worth the wait as they say.
I've yet to see everything this DVD has to offer but the mere fact that I can state that makes me wish more DVD's could add up to this awesome release. But in the end all I can say is that this could be the best DVD release yet. Star Wars fans (such as myself) bring a towl to the TV, you'll need it to wipe the drool from your watering mouth after you see this movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Lucas Shakes Off the Dust, "Phantom" Survives Shaky Start
Review: I've had no desire to watch this episode with the frequency as the beloved originals. It doesn't ring with the boldness and tangible excitement the classic trilogy flaunted. The first quarter of the film is almost painful, as viewers witness Lucas getting his directorial chops back. The Trade Federation are my biggest gripe, they are painfully benign villians that are shadows of their imperial descendants. There is little to no character development, the Jedi's seem vaguely interesting, but no effort is made to endear them to us. Naboo is a generic, courtly world. I wince when reminded of the flatuating beasts. But, in spite of itself, the film begins to breathe with the pod race, which captures the rebel spirit of the first films. Lucas then tantilizes with the enigmatic Darth Maul, truly the only evil presence in the film. The lightsaber duel that concludes the film is poetic violence. Finally, the mysterious clues provided by Mace Windu and Yoda point to a much darker, more engaging second film. Perhaps then the Star Wars pedigree can be restored to its previous distinction.
Rating: 
Summary: beh
Review: I've heard people complain and say that this movie is too much of a kids film, but that's being unfair to kids films. If you want to see a more creative kids film then watch "The Neverending Story" or "Labrynth". This movie's trailers hyped up the podrace, but if you want to see an exilarating ride watch the magic carpet ride from "Alladin". Finally if you want to watch a kids film with good characters then watch "Goonies".
Rating:
Summary: Star Wars, or a John Birch propaganda film?
Review: I've just watched TPM again, and felt compelled to re-write my original review of it.You see, when I saw "Star Wars" in 1977 as a kid, I was hooked. I bought the soundtrack, posters, action figures, and models. When "Empire" was released, I was a teen, but was still enthralled by the characters and universe that Lucas had created. With "Jedi", I felt that the tale had begun to really take on it's epic mantle, even though I was now beginning to get a bit more mature in my criticism of the plot holes, poor dialogue and one-dimensional characters. With the release of "Phantom Menace", I can no longer even watch the original "Star Wars" on video. And that is sad. There have always been irritants in the "Star Wars" series as annoying as a gnat at a picnic: "cute" Jawas who capture R2 and C-3P0, comical and "cute" robots, the hatefully demonically smurfoid "cute" Ewoks, questionable acting, poor writing, and (except for Billy-Dee's turn as Landau) a lily-white view of humanity in the future. Any of these is bad enough, but the irritants and annoyances of the first three movies have come to a head with PM. First off is Jar-Jar (or Uncle Jar, or Steppin Jar-Jar, or Tom-Tom). This poorly designed rastafarian alien with the pseudo-patois accent and the barely hidden African American phenotype is annoying at best, and downright offensive at worst. And for anyone who is naïve or blind enough to not see the obvious sambo characterization let me enlighten you: dark skin, raggedy clothing, big lips, a watermelon-eating grin, pale color on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, immediate subservience to the obvious masters, comic relief and childlike behavior, and a shuffling gait. It does not matter if the parallel was intentional or not, IT IS THERE. And when the final battle is over what happens? The entire Jar-Jar species begins to savagely chant, beat on drums, and dance like some "mau-mau" tribe in a bad parody of a 1930's anthropological film strip about the "dark continent" while the humans (who coincidentally happen to be white) look on in paternalistic indulgence. You can almost hear the strains of "Mississippi Mud" in the background. And that is sad. Next, comes the full-frontal assault on Asian culture. The traders who open the film are little more than a throwback to old Hollywood portrayals of the Chinese. The syrupy speech patterns with the drawn-out syllables, the satiny gowns and headdresses, the expressionless "inscrutable" faces, and the effeminate manner. These are all characteristic of the propaganda and stereotyping of Asians that has long been disseminated, and which is as offensive as portraying African Americans as shiftless buffoons (aka Jar-Jar) or Latinos as theiving bandits who "don't need no steenkeeng badyez". Yet here it is, right in our faces! Not only that, but after actual Asians are mocked in this way, Lucas goes on to appropriate Japanese and Chinese culture, art, and philosophy, while conveniently omitting actual Asians. You don't believe the Asian influence is there? Compare the costumes for Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul with the attire seen in samurai films. Speaking of Maul, isn't it odd how his face remarkably resembles a Kabuki-actor in devil make-up? And what about the names Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan? If you are still not convinced, just check out the Queen Amidala outfit again. Finally, all you need is a brief introduction to the philosophy of Shinto, Buddhism and Zen to see exactly where Lucas stole the idea of the force from. Now, old George has gone on record as naming Akira Kurosawa as a major influence, but the overabundance of Asian costumes, names and accents are beginning to border on a psychopathic obsession. Integrating elements of other cultures can be a very effective tool, but using such ham-handed and "orientalized" Asiana in what is an ALIEN world can be seen as a dangerous and ethnically tainted parallelism. Not only that, but to have so much overt Asian influence without including any Asian actors begins to just feel funny -- especially since it IS a portrayal of an ALIEN world. This unintentionally results in the only subtlety of the movie: That while we (read: white people) may appreciate the culture of Asia, the total absence of any Asian humans from the landscape suggests that they are fundamentally alien to us. And that is sad. As if all that wasn't enough, the writing in this movie is, if possible, even more offensive than all the crude racial characterizations. Overly clichéd dialogue infests the flick like a bacterial infection, and the blatant "borrowing" from other successful films is not only laughable, but indicative of a weak story. Lucas should have just named this The BEN-HUR Menace and have been up front about the whole thing! Not only that, but the whole Anakin/Jesus parallel is ridiculous and delivered with the subtlety of a 10 pound sledgehammer to the back of the head. The only positive aspects of this movie were the masterful special effects and the final battle between Darth Maul and Qui-Gon. Unfortunately, these two elements were buried under an avalanche of horrid writing, insipid acting, and ethnic caricatures bordering on racist, leaving a movie only slightly better than "Show Girls". The worst part is that so many people will refuse to acknowledge the obvious shortcomings because of their blind allegiance to "Star Wars", and that there will be yet another movie coming soon. And that is sad.
Rating:
Summary: funny because so corny
Review: i've never been a star wars fan but i've always liked sci-fi. i wasn't expecting much from this movie and in that respect i was not disappointed. this movie is nonsensical, boring, corny, and childish. that said, i still enjoyed watching it (but i couldn't understand a thing jar jar was saying, and yes jar jar really is a silly, unecessary character). the movie was so bad it was funny. the parts i liked: lightsaber dual (didn't everyone), ewan mcgregor (just because i like him)and...that's about it. the DVD had some nifty extras where we got to see everyone working so hard to make such a bad movie. if you're not a star wars fan, beware, this movie [stinks]. but if you're not going to kill yourself because a movie is really dumb, take the time to rent it (don't buy it!) and spend two hours laughing at it!
Rating:
Summary: total and utter...
Review: i've never been so completely disappointed by a movie. Lucas let the special effects drive the story.. oh wait, what story? The only part of the movie which was even remotely well done was the pod race. maybe because it didn't really require too much acting. The characters were completely one dimensional, showing absolutely no passion whatsoever. Star Wars meets disney is what it was. Jar Jar Binks (or whatever his name was) was the most annoying characters i have ever had the displeasure of seeing in a movie. The movie was over before it even began: special effect, some dialogue, special effect, special effect some dialogue, etc.. movie over. If i were lucas i would have thrown The Phantom Menace out and started again from scratch. if i could, i'd rate it negative stars .
Rating: 
Summary: Spectacular special effects... and not much else.
Review: I've never been what one would call a Star Wars fan. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed Episodes 4, 5 and 6. However, I didn't garner much enjoyment from Episode 1. I was definitely wowed by the cutting-edge special effects, but special effects can't make up for poorly-crafted story and boring characters. The story mostly centered around politics and things of that nature. If I want to watch politics, I'll turn on the news. One word can be used to describe the majority of the characters in Episode 1: wooden. Most of the characters were so rigid and monotone that I wouldn't have been surprised if by the end of the movie they had all been revealed to be robots. Jar Jar Binks was the only lively character in the whole bunch, and it's a pity that such a lively personality was wasted on such an annoying character. Jar Jar was obviously made to appeal to the kids, and that's probably the only widespread audience he appeals to. Unfortunately, there was no Han Solo-ish character to breathe some much-needed life into Episode 1. Without characters that the audience can care about and without even a vaguely interesting plot, Episode 1 is, in my opinion, the worst of the Star Wars films to date. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is that it has awesome special effects and some fairly good action. Hopefully, Mr. Lucas will learn from his mistakes in Episode 1 and will make Episodes 2 and 3 into films which will have significantly more substance.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the others, but still good...
Review: I've never expected good acting out of a Star Wars movie. Heck, I was satisfied with the acting in "Attack of the Clones." However, it seems to me like everyone involved went completely out of their way to ensure this movie had the worst acting possible. But like I said, I've never expected good acting in Star Wars, so I'll gladly move on. The film is struggling to create an early Star Wars universe and for the most part does an okay job. While TPM is lacking in many places, the final battle is terribly exciting and well worth the wait of a little over an hour, during which there are peace talks, Jar-Jar Binks, and Samuel L. Jackson doing absolutely nothing interesting. But the final battle with Darth Maul is truly awesome and I even sort of liked the Gungan-droid battle. Sure, Jar-Jar and Anakin are very annoying, but so was Luke Skywalker at first, so stop whining. Sadly, this first episode isn't enough to be a good intro into the Star Wars saga. That job still lies with the fourth episode, "A New Hope."
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