Top 25 Countdown - No. 22


Today I continue my countdown with my favorite chapter of one of the greatest cinematic sagas in film history.

No. 22 - Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Starring: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams, and Peter Mayhew
Director: Irvin Kershner
Quote: "Ready are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph! Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless!" - Yoda
About: The Force is strong with this film. We are just over a week away from the continuation of this epic tale, so it seems fitting that we've arrived at my favorite of all "Star Wars" films in my countdown. There have been six "Star Wars" films, two trilogies, and there is plenty of debate about which is the greatest film. I will say that I think "Star Wars" as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That being said, it's not hard for me to put them in an order of favorites. While some in the middle shift from year-to-year, the one at the top never has. "Empire Strikes Back" is my favorite "Star Wars" film, and I'd argue it's the best. The narrative ends in a darker place. There's no resolution. It is a middle film. We don't spend time introducing the characters and building the world, and things don't get wrapped up neatly, but that's OK. If we never got another "Star Wars" film, I think I would still be OK with where "Empire" ends. It's hopeful, but not resolved. It drives the story and characters forward, has some iconic moments, and builds the drama. This, to me, is the film that all other "Star Wars" films will be measured against.
Rating: PG for sci-fi action violence

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No. 23

Image
Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films. Henry Hill : [Narrating] As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. Goodfellas (1990) Original List Position : 94 Starring : Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci Director : Martin Scorsese About : Scorsese has been a fixture on this list. We've seen him deliver masterpieces in different decades and genres. That's the case with Goodfellas, which is another of his signature films. It was No. 94 on the original list, moving to No. 92 just 10 years later. I have it significantly higher, and I have it as my highest of his films on this list. It's a very different kind of mafia movie than The Godfather , and yet it feels like the c...
Read more

2026 Broncos' Season, Week 5

Image
Week 5: Denver Broncos 23, Los Angeles Chargers 17 Season Record: 3-2 (2-0 Home) Key Play: In the fourth quarter, with time winding down and the Broncos leading 20-17, Justin Herbert threw and interception to Brandon Jones on fourth down. The play allowed the Broncos to milk the clock and kick a field goal to push the lead to six points. Recap: Sean Payton took over the playcalling because there was "meat left on the bone" with the offense. It didn't look like an improvement on Sunday. The team looked lost for most of the game, then used some Special Teams and defensive intensity to manage a comeback and a win. I'm not sure winning is the best thing for this team. Don't get me wrong, I like to win. But this team played badly. They look bad. And getting a win feels like a reward for bad behavior. That's not the kind of football that helps you get to and win in the playoffs. This team feels lost and the offense feels like a mess. A Thursday matchup with the Sea...
Read more

1991 Rewind: City Slickers

Image
It's hard to believe, but 1991 was 35 years ago. Over the next few weeks I'm going to be looking at some stand out films from 1991 that are turning 35 in 2026. Today, it's a classic comedy. Mitch Robbins : Value this time in your life kids, because this is the time in your life when you still have your choices, and it goes by so quickly. When you're a teenager you think you can do anything, and you do. Your twenties are a blur. Your thirties, you raise your family, you make a little money and you think to yourself, "What happened to my twenties?" Your forties, you grow a little pot belly you grow another chin. The music starts to get too loud and one of your old girlfriends from high school becomes a grandmother. Your fifties you have a minor surgery. You'll call it a procedure, but it's a surgery. Your sixties you have a major surgery, the music is still loud but it doesn't matter because you can't hear it anyway. Seventies, you and the wife r...
Read more