Watch all 6 Star Wars movies, in order, on one day.

When I first set out to accomplish this goal I wanted to do it because it sounded like something fun to do for a day. I didn’t expect to have as much fun as I did. Watching all six films in order is an amazing experience that makess every film in the series that much better by tying them into one another as they were intended to be.

There is still good in him.

Episode VI ends the streak of each Star Wars movie being better than the last, but expecting this to be better than Episode V is probably asking too much. That’s not to say there isn’t a lot to like or this isn’t a good movie. The effects are outstanding and the movie is appropriately dark (although the infamous cheesy dialogue is back). What makes the film even better now is how it ties in to the prequels. Suddenly, things that weren’t as satisfying as they could have been back in 1983, such as Obi-Wan’s speech to Luke about Anakin, make sense now and create a fine conclusion to the saga. After a dazzling rescue of Han from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, Luke returns to Dagobah to learn the truth about Darth Vader and his father, and using his keen perception realizes that Leia is his sister, the same keen perception that failed him in the last movie by not screaming at him “Dude, get your tongue out of her mouth, she’s your sister!” Convinced there is still good left in his father, Luke allows himself to be captured and confronts both Vader and Sidious as the rebels plot a final battle at the second Death Star to destroy the Empire forever.

FAVORITE PART: What the climactic duel between Luke and Vader is missing in excitement it makes up for in pure raw emotion.

(3 1/2 out of 4 Stars)

Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.

Episode V has been my favorite Star Wars movie since I saw it for the first time back in 1980. I had to drag my sister to see it because she didn’t want to go on an opening night. We stood in line for close to four hours actually missing the showing we went to see. It was well worth the wait. Everything about this movie is brilliant as we see what everyone can do with decent dialogue. As the opening scrawl explains, it is a dark time for the rebellion. After the destruction of the Death Star, the Empire has relentlessly chased the rebels across the galaxy with Darth Vader, further away from Anakin than he’s ever been, obsessively hunting Luke and his friends. After seeing the spectral image of Obi-Wan, and after the rebels get a huge spanking by the Empire on Hoth, Luke travels to Dagobah to continue his training as a Jedi with the exiled Yoda before being drawn into a rescue of his friends on the mysterious Cloud City and a showdown with Vader who drops the emotional bombshell of all-time.

But the story isn’t over yet. No, there is another…

FAVORITE PART: The Battle of Hoth is the Death Star trench only ten-fold, and have those Walkers, the single coolest vehicle in the Star Wars universe, but without the feel good moment of the rebels winning. It’s the first battle sequence I’d ever seen where I was just happy to watch the good guys lose, but survive.

(4 out of 4 Stars)

I want to learn the ways of The Force and become a Jedi like my father.

No film before or since has impacted my life more than this movie. My love of movies exploded and my desire to make them came from here. I have the dialogue memorized front to back, left to right and sideways. It was my all-time favorite movie for a number of years. Watching this one after the prequels, however, is both interesting and different. It puts greater emphasis on the little things like Obi-Wan’s hesitation when Luke asks about Anakin, everything Vader says about Obi-Wan, and the peck on the cheek that reminds us brother and sister will play tonsil hockey in the next movie. Taking place 20 years after Episode III, we are shown the Galactic Empire at its evil peak, but about to have the chinks in its armor revealed by a rebellion against its tyrannical rule with the aid of a young farm boy from Tatooine.

But things are about to get darker in Episode V . . .

FAVORITE PART: You expect me to pick one??? Fine. Who made up these rules anyway? The race down the Death Star trench is exciting, thrilling, and tense even when you know the outcome.

(4 out of 4 stars)

Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth . . . Vader.

I don’t think I’ve ever anticipated a movie more than Episode III. Would it be what I wanted it to be? Would all of my questions be answered? Would it be, to quote myself, Star Wars good?? The answer to all three questions is a resounding yes! Yes, this is Anakin’s story, but this is Darth Sidious’ movie! Ian McDiarmid is nothing short of amazing. Everyone else improves as well, but yes, the clunky lovey dovey dialogue is back. There is so much to like about the movie aside from the improved performances: General Grevious, yet another kick ass badass; great effects; even the Super Battle Droids that sound like mechanized chipmunks are kind of cool this time around. As for the movie, again I’m amazed how much better each of these is when taken in one full dose. This is the one where all hell breaks loose. Anakin is now a full Jedi Knight due to his heroics during the Clone Wars, side-by-side with Obi-Wan, and is much more self-assured with his skills if not who or what he’s fighting for. Both men have been sent on a mission to rescue the “kidnapped” Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The rescue doesn’t go off quite as planned, but is successful as it serves Sidious’ purpose of beginning Anakin’s downward spiral throughout the movie toward the Dark Side of the Force, culminating in the creation, literally and figuratively, of Darth Vader as well as the final fall of the Jedi and the Galactic Republic.

But fear not as A New Hope looms in the distance with Episode IV. . .

FAVORITE PART: The epic lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan is exactly what everyone had hoped it would be—long, spectacular and emotional.

(3 1/2 out of 4 stars)

Dangerous and disturbing, this puzzle is.

Episode II is probably the most fun of the three prequels. There’s more action (and fewer meetings) than in Episode I. Sure, the love story is weak and the dialogue is probably the worst of the series with all of that squishy romantic stuff (I slipped and fell on one of Anakin’s declarations of love), but it looks great. CGI Yoda is awesome, Padme looks hot, the clones are actually very cool and Jango Fett is another great badass (I’m detecting a pattern). As with Episode I, Episode II improves dramatically when taken as part of the whole. The movie moves the story along well, and we get our first glimpse into Anakin’s darker side as Darth Sidious’ plan comes into better focus, ending with the most ominous moment in the series as the Galactic Republic begins it’s first transformations into the evil Galactic Empire.

FAVORITE PART: Yoda kicking Count Dooku’s ass so severely the geezer has to cheat to get away

Playtime’s over. On to Episode III . . .

(3 out of 4 stars)

You refer to the prophecy of the One who will bring balance to The Force.

I admit, like most people, I was disappointed with the first prequel film. As I explained to my sister, it’s good, but it’s not Star Wars good. An unfair comparison to be sure, but an inevitable one. I’ve watched Episode I a number of times since then and have come to accept it for what it is—an entertaining start to the saga. Today, however, I saw the movie in a totally different light. Today I enjoyed the hell out of it because I was taking it as part of the whole, not a whole in and of itself, and that makes a HUGE difference! Hints of things to come are more evident. Clues missed the first times around are now obvious. Even the dialogue isn’t . . . okay, I won’t go that far. I’m having fun, but I’m not delusional. =D

FAVORITE PART: Darth Maul, baby, hands down the biggest red face-tattooed badass in the galaxy!

On to Episode II . . .

(3 out of 4 stars)

I’m 30 minutes through Episode I on my way to an all-day marathon.

Anyone who has picked up Episode III on DVD: go to the options menu, highlight the THX logo, press 11, wait for the pause, press 3, wait for the pause, then press 8 and wait to see what happens. =D

Picked up my DVD of Episode III completing my collection. I’m waiting for a friend of mine, though, because I told her it would be cool if we did that together so probably closer to Thanksgiving.