Rating: 
Summary: Star Wars Episode 1 - Awesome!
Review: Okay, I'll admit, It took me several minutes to understand what in the world Jar Jar Binks was saying...but by the end of the film I was more than content to see him included, as a comic relief/sidekick. Yes, we all agree that the special FX, the created enviroments and the actors were absolutly brilliant! I had no problem "getting into" the movie...something that other movies lately just haven't been able to do for me. And hey, once a Star Wars fan...always a Star Wars fan! I can't single out a scene for my favorite, because the entire movie had me on the edge of my seat. Okay, the pod race and the Jedi fight are your favorites...but what about young Skywalker flying off (completely by accident) and destroying the invading force (again by accident)? What about the final battle? I mean...this movie was great! Top-notch action and drama through-out the entire event. I am looking forward, with enthusiasm, to the next 2 episodes! I am going to buy the boxed set...even though I would MUCH rather have it included with my growing DVD collection (what's up with these companies not releasing blockbuster films on DVD?). This should have been DVD...just like other FX rockers like Matrix! You agree?
Rating: 
Summary: Mostly harmless ...
Review: Okay, it is Star Wars. Very cool. Great effects. Cool ships. Interesting story. The tale of young Anakin has probably been told in as many different ways as there are Star Wars fans to imagine it, so no matter what Lucas comes up with, it would be at least a bit of a letdown. Still, the tale of young Anakin's meeting with his mentor (and his mentor's mentor) is a fairly solid bit of preparation for what has to be young Anakin's coming of age in episode 2. But there have always been enough irritants in the Star Wars series to make them as annoying as a gnat at a picnic, and they seem to have come to a head with PM. First off is Jar-Jar (or Uncle Jar, or Steppin Jar-Jar). This poorly designed rastafarian alien with the pseudo Chinese accent and the barely hidden African American phenotype is annoying at best, and downright offensive at worst. Maybe it's me, but the story behind Star Wars is more than enough to engross and entertain children, there is no need for some Marketing-geek designed character whose sole function is to sell action figures and peddle breakfast cereals. This abominable trend that started with the Ewoks has got to END with Jar-Jar. Next, although I am not overly offended by it, I am becoming more distracted by Lucas' continuing appropriation and fascination with Asian culture. The influence of other cultures can be a very effective tool, but using such ham-handed Asiana in what is an "alien" world can be seen as a dangerous and ethnically tainted parallelism. You don't believe the Asian influence is there? Compare the costumes for Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul with anything seen in a Kurosawa film. Speaking of Maul, isn't it odd how his face looks remarkable like 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. Lucas has gone on record as naming Kurosawa as a major influence, but the costumes, names and accents are beginning to border on a psychpathic obsession. Not only that, but to have so much overt Asian incluence without including ANY Asian actors begins to just feel funny -- especially since it is a portrayal of that "alien" world. Still, this is a very entertaining and enjoyable movie. Hopefully the next one will focus more on story and character (like the 1st one), making all of the irritants just a little less intrusive.
Rating: 
Summary: If there was -5 stars, that's what I'd rate this movie...
Review: Okay, it's kinda hard to rate this film. If it were written and made 20 years ago, the screenplay would have been better(considering nowadays people don't make movies as well). But now that it was made in our present day, the graphics are better. Either way the plot was way too weak, it was boring, the cast was bad, the screenplay was bad, and it wasn't interesting. For some REAL science-fiction movies, check out the Abyss, the ORIGINAL Star Wars movies, Aliens, or the Matrix. If you ABSOLUTELY£MUST see this movie, I suggest renting it first.ñ
Rating: 
Summary: Has Lucas gone soft? Yeah, but its okay.
Review: Okay, it's true. I do believe that Lucas has lost a bit of his edge, but you can see that even in Return of the Jedi. Really I would normally have given this movie three stars, but in this case this movie is tied into a wonderful series, so though it wouldn't hold up alone being part of the series brings it up. Yes, Jar Jar is annoying. No this movie doesn't have the darker edge that made the original Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back so good. The major fault with this story, though, is that the characters aren't as enduring. There is no character as edgy as Han Solo. Anakin is cute, but you never doubt that he will pull off what needs to be done like you may have sometimes doubted the whiney Luke. Amadala does a good job, but doesn't have the snap back fiery wit of Leia, or her love-hate relationship like Leia did with Han. R2D2 is great and shows his heroic side, but we only got a short taste of the interplay between the heroic R2D2 and his cowardly counterpart C3PO. So, obviously the movie has its faults, but it does succeed where it is important. In the end it is a thoroughly entertaining space opera. Isn't that what Lucas's goal was originally when making Star Wars? Perhaps this movie alone is no classic, but it is part of a series that is.
Rating:
Summary: This is a great movie!
Review: Okay, let me say something to all of you who don't like "The Phantom Menace" for whatever silly reason or another. First of all, don't expect one movie to completely change your life, people. Episode I is only the beginning of the saga, and there are two more to finish the trilogy. The complete story is not told in Episode I, just as it wasn't told in the original "Star Wars". What Episode I focuses on is the beautiful times of the Galaxy before the rise of the empire, which will be explored in the next two movies. If you don't understand that, then leave your negative comments to yourself. The only movie last year better than Episode I was "The Matrix". I thought "The Phantom Menace" had a great storyline. If you didn't read the opening credits that explained the story, then that is why you got lost during the movie. All props to George Lucas for continuing to write the magnificent story of Star Wars.
Rating:
Summary: Why "Star Wars: TPM" is the perfect beginning for the saga.
Review: Okay, let me start off my saying that yes STAR WARS: EPISODE 1: THE PHANTOM MENACE is not the BEST SW movie ever to grace the screen. It has its flaws, yet then again so did the originals. As Randall on "Clerks: The Animated Series" pointed out how the hell do lightsabers know where to stop? But that's off the topic. The reason SW:TPM works well as the starting off point for the greatest cienmatic saga of all time lies in its ability to explain how everyone came together. In this film you learn how Anakin and Padme met. How Obi-wan became Anakin's master. How Palpatine began his rise to power, and how everything was his doing through the film. True there are some flaws in the fact that Obi-wan is trained by Qui-Gon, instead of Yoda and Anakin was supposedly a great pilot when Obi-Wan met him yet in the film he's just a boy. BUT Obi-wan is still under the guidance of Yoda, and Anakin is the only human that s good enough to PILOT a pod-racer. What TPM does it basically tell the viewers that it was here that everyone met, that this is how the entire saga's "cogs" were set into motion. And for the eagle-eyed fan, you'll notice that everything was planned by Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious. That the events of the film were all meant to bring about his rise to power. Now with the DVD. A moment to drool.... Oh yeah! Anyways, with the DVD's inclusion of the seven deleted scenes, which are wonderfully completed with full visual effects; storyboard to animatics to finished film; the "Beginning" documentary; audio commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Scott Squires, John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Rob Coleman; Five behind the scene featurettes; the music video; the twelve part "lynne's diary"; a gallery of poster and the like; and all the trailers, from tv to theater. this 2 disc DVD set is, well Drool-tastic. I can't believe they're doing it! Buy It! I've already preordered mine! Now we just have to wait for the rest of the series!
Rating:
Summary: Better than some think ...
Review: Okay, let's state it plainly. To those of you who think this is the greatest film ever made: get a clue. This was not a perfect picture. To those of you hailing it as the worst waste of film you've ever seen: don't overreact. It wasn't that bad. There's more to the plot of this film than many give it credit for. Why do we care about some dumb trade war over taxces and tarriffs? We don't. But that's not the point. The entire plot was simply a means to an end--the first step in the rise to power of the Empire. Palpatine orchestrates an otherwise unimpressive trade dispute to gain control in the Senate. Palpatine is also Darth Sideous, Sith. Thus, this film represents the beginning of the Sith's seizing of power, the first seeds of the evil Empire that dominates by the second/original/whatever trilogy. At the same time, Lucas introduces Anakin Skywalker, who also dominates the second trilogy--both thru his presence as Darth Vader, and thru his offspring, Luke and Leia. Thus, it is a more complex plot than it seems on the surface. Sure, there were midichlorians (lame!) and Jar Jar (lame!) and a horrible first 20 or 30 minutes. But the minute Qui Gon and Watto shake on the Pod Race bet, this film takes off, and becomes a pretty good space opera ... which is all Star Wars was ever meant to be.
Rating:
Summary: The Legend Lives On
Review: Okay, so George Lucas is dialogue-challenged. It ain't "War and Peace"--but you've got to give credit where it's due. He does epic better than anybody, and he's kept generations of fans hanging in there for over twenty years. I will be sorely disappointed if Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan doesn't inherit the mantle of Harrison Ford from the original trilogy. Give Obi-Wan a girl, for crying out loud! C'mon, George--he exudes sex appeal. Make use of it--not all of your fans are prepubescent!
Rating:
Summary: NEWS FLASH: LUCAS KILLED STAR WARS
Review: Okay, so maybe killed is a bit to harsh, but then again, you have to pay me to see the next one. I mean, pay me alot. First off and formost, I felt that this filmed used computor animation as an excuse so people will look over the bad side of things. Apparently the script was so bad that it seemed like Jar Jar was added in so people would be more concern about the how annoying he was than how bad the film was. George apparently forgot how old most Star Wars fans were, the first film came out in 77, that means like late 20's mid 30's. Even for a 12-13 year old, it seems more like a film for kids who still watch Barney. Then lets look at all the problems between the first film and this film. This film would've been so much better if it at least stay true to its sequal. Problem between 1 and 4 #1: HOW COULD ANIKAN BUILD C3P0 IF THEIR WERE OTHER TYPES OF THE C3 robots. #2: IF THE FORCE IS EVERYWHERE HOW CAN THEY MEASURE IT. What can I say, how many films are there that seems like the living things on the set were filler. To complete the headline, Lucas, don't think you are all that great, you killed your own series, and now, all we have is 2 hours of wasted time. Why don't you go back to making films that work with the original, heck, let's burn this thing. Make a new one, one that is not so kiddy. In the end, Lucas forgot that it's not only kids going to the movies, it's everyone. Perhaps people could forgive Jar JAr, if this film was any good, but instead, you get a film that's like Tresspasser {a computor game}. They both look beautiful, but all you get is an empty experiance. Well Georgey boy, you killed one of the greats.
Rating:
Summary: It was okay.
Review: Okay, so the movie wasn't all that great, and Jar Jar Binks was a pain in the but the movie. But you have to admit, seeing a jedi in his prime is pretty cool. Plus in this movie the lightsaber battles were awsome. They weren't two old guys going at. Hopefully the next two movies will be somewhat better.
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