List of Star Wars DVD reviews starting with M

Product: Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition)
Rating: 3/5

Nice DVD set but there will be another...

The Star Wars trilogy has been a part of world culture for almost 30 years now. Unfortunately, it's legacy has faded into commercialism. Lucas is a billionaire (yes, with a B) thanks to Star Wars and, as a result, has taken a brilliant franchise and turned it into a 6 part commercial for video games and merchandise. Remember all those versions that came out on VHS? There were at least 4 or 5: Original, Original THX, Special Edition, Original Collector's Version, etc...Well guess what? You are going to see more DVD box sets in the future, including one that (hold your breath) includes the original theatrical versions. Why do you think people are making $$$ hand-over-fist on Ebay and elsewhere selling DVD bootlegs of the original versions from Laserdisc? Because that is where the demand is. Fans want to relish in the nostalgia of the original versions. I realize that the special effects were crappy back in the 70's/80's, I realize that you can see bad puppets and matte lines and film gaffes. So what? This is what we grew up with and these versions are part of film history. How would you feel if Tarantino "updated" Pulp Fiction with a digitally inserted Jessica Simpson? Or if Morgan Freeman was digitally removed and replaced by Chris Tucker in the Shawshank Redemption? Hollywood would burn to the ground.

I will give 5 stars only for the restoration factor on these movies: superb sound, crisp image with no dust or specks. However, Lucas could have included the original versions. Period...no question...no "creative intent" excuses. Ridley Scott released both versions with Alien, Spielberg did it with ET and Sam Raimi did with Army of Darkness...why can't Luca$h?? I would have paid triple what I paid for this set if it contained restored (but unaltered) versions of the classic trilogy. The prequels are disposable. If the prequels would have been released as a 12-part mini-series on the Sci-Fi channel, they would be one of the great TV blockbusters of all time, like Shogun, The Thorn Birds or Wings of War.

There is "a new hope" however...sometime after the release of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, we will see a 6-movie box set and/or a collector's/deluxe box set of the classic trilogy with the original theatrical versions. Lucas will eventually get tired of seeing people cashing in on original theatrical bootleg DVDs and will release an "official" version "for the fans". Take that to the bank--I guarantee. Should you get these discs? Yes, only if you are curious about the changes and the restoration or if you could care less about the original theatrical versions of these movies. Should you wait for a future DVD box set? Definitely...because it is Lucas' "destiny". The same goes for THX 1138, but that is another review for another time....

I realize that many fans under 25 won't really care for this review nor really care for the original theatrical cuts. However, this goes beyond age and it is beyond being a fanboy or being a geek. This is an issue of film history and preservation. I wasn't born when Casablanca or the Seven Samurai were in the theatres but I appreciate those films as vintage works of art. Lucas refuses to let his films age gracefully and this is the point of this entire review. In the meantime, I will enjoy my Laserdisc copies and whole-heartedly thank George for single-handedly keeping the Laserdisc format alive.

Product: Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Full Screen Edition)
Rating: 1/5

There's a movie in there somewhere...

Well, I loved the first 3 prequels they were just plain fun. That was then, this is now however.I get the distinct feeling that the lack of technology during the first 3 movies, along with the need to invent so much of the effects technology as they went. Required George L. to have to do some doctoring when it came to the script. Providing humor, expanding character development. Stretching the premise out of necessity in order to compensate for a lack of viable effects that could be used for certain scenes. I feel this served him VERY well. It made the films more human.Flash forward to SW I and II. Me thinks the opposite has taken effect here. The effects are amazing, all encompassing and brilliant. However, there has been no need or necessity to polish and develop the script. To me it seems that the techie side is developed first, so many quiet character scenes in SWII were utterly laughable. No development, no charisma. Course who could have charisma enough to give convincing interpretations of those lines in the first place. sorry George. II was better than I, but something has been lost from the original trilogy. And I think its called heart for lack of a better word. These newer films have a dentist office coldness to them. Intriguing visuals and a bit off-putting even. But still cold wet porcelain overall. Can't recommend it...

Product: Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Full Screen Edition)
Rating: 3/5

OK for an ordinary movie, bad for THE SAGA

Director George Lucas has been testing the great many fans of
Star Wars patience by not releasing any of the films on DVD,but
now giving into fans on Tuesday,October 16 2001,Star Wars:The
Phantom Menace Episode 1 will be released.When a treaty signed
with the trade federation and the republic is met with a harsh
reaction Queen Amidalla(Natilie Portman),halts trade agreements
and sends in two Jedi to investigate Qui Gon jen(Liam Neesom) ,
and a very young Obi One Kenobi(Ewen McGregor)meanwhile they are
attacked by droids and find out a secret plan of the federations
to plan a full scale invasion. They pick up help along the way including one of r2d2 while
escaping a second attack of the fedration they land on the planet
Tatooine all the while the federation and Lord Sidius sends his
most feared foe Darth Maul to hunt for them.On the planet they
find a young boy named Anakin Skywalker:Luke's father who helps
them out by joining a race , all the while the two jedi's are
figuring out the mysterious Phantom Menace.
But not before an all out war with the trade federation , the
planets future lies with Anakin Skywalker but will the federation
destroy the republic , it eventually leads into a death duel for
the two jedi's what will be the outcome seven deleted scenes and
many interactive journeys seamlessly enhance this Star Wars DVD
experience it's worth the wait.

Product: Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition)
Rating: 4/5

Could have been amazing

This trilogy is amazing, Star Wars(not star wars the new hope, its just star wars), Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The thing that ruined the whole star wars thing was the new ones, Phantom Menace and Attack of the clones. Thats Complete B S, There are three star wars, and these last two were just for money purposes, they're horrible movies, thank god they are not in the collection. I mean, come on, who put Samual L. Jackson in a Star Wars Movie and Expects it to be god, bwahahahahahaha. But the trilogy itself is gonna be awesome, except for one thing. put the theatrical releases in there, nobody wants the special edition, it ruins the movie. The special editions aren't classics, the classics are the ones first shown. Who the hell like star wars and complains about the originals. Thanks George Lucas, you sell out. Other then that the DVDs are gonna be great. Oh yeah, and why do they say phantom mennace is the first star wars movie, its not. the first one is just Star wars, you know why, because it came out first, look at the copyright, thats the way it goes. Maybe it was writen first, which i doubt, but doesn't mean that it is the first movie.

Product: Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Full Screen Edition)
Rating: 4/5

The Moose Hole - Send in the 'Clones'

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away ...There once was a time when a Star Wars film was met with huge anticipation. The Empire Strikes Back became a huge hit three years after the original A New Hope surprised audiences across the country with amazing special effects and charming characters and story. After Return of the Jedi in 1983, the American public would be without another Star Wars film for sixteen years. It was no surprise that Episode I - The Phantom Menace had a huge opening in 1999. But it is because of that film that Episode II - Attack of the Clones is met with more doubt then anticipation. Sure, there are some things about the film to get excited about. Anakin Skywalker grows up and draws ever closer to his destiny of becoming Darth Vader, the end of the Republic and the formation of the Empire becomes more evident, and the actions that lead up to the events in A New Hope are revealed. But it was the weak dialogue and less then stellar new characters from The Phantom Menace that made fans' expectations of Clones pretty low. But will the film prove those expectations wrong or will this continue the trend of disappointment?The story goes that it has been ten years since the events of Episode I where the planet of Naboo was attacked by the greedy Trade Federation and the training of young Anakin Skywalker began. Since that time, the young Jedi has been under the teaching of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is still pretty young himself. Anakin soon meets an old friend, Padme, former queen of Naboo, after the two Jedi are called to protect her after a failed assassination attempt. Things go awry when Obi-Wan follows a bounty hunter named Jango Fett and Anakin falls in love with Padme during his absence, which is against the Jedi Code. The dialogue and the plot involving the romantic aspects of the film fall extremely flat but did anybody really expect it to be very good in the first place? This is Star Wars. The core audience is mainly geeks who are just waiting in anticipation to see Yodi with a light-saber. The plot does flow pretty well and doesn't contain as many cut up and forced action sequences as Episode I. Many pieces to the Star Wars puzzle are added which will lead to intriguing events in Episode III. Much of the cast from The Phantom Menace returns in Clones but there are plenty of new members as well. It can safely be said that the acting overall is much better then was presented in Episode I but still isn't at the level of the original Star Wars Trilogy. Hayden Christensen does an exceptional job with the crucial role as Anakin Skywalker. One can make arguments on how Anakin acts too whiny but that has to do with the script rather then Christensen's acting. Natalie Portman is much more mature in her acting then she was in the first prequel. Her constant costume changes do still seem a bit much but not like it was in Episode I. Ewan McGregor, who continues his role as the young Obi-Wan Kenobi, is much surer of himself in Episode II which is better then his flat version in the previous film. Samuel L. Jackson still has the kick butt attitude he gave to his character but this time we actually get to see him wield a light-saber. Frank Oz is still memorable as the voice of Yoda even though the character has become a digital creation rather then a puppet.Overall, Attack of the Clones continues one of the greatest sagas in Hollywood history. There is much improvement in this film from The Phantom Menace but as good as it was, there were plenty of flaws. As it was said before, the romantic aspect of the story does come off pretty flat but who really expects great romance from Star Wars? Though the action sequences involving Jango Fett were very well done, his character's death made the overall effect of the character come off as pointless. Lucas continues to astonish movie-goers with the amazing special effects from Industrial Light & Magic, though it seemed that there was too much CGI at times. The large amount of CGI made it seem more like a computer-animated film rather then a live-action feature film. Speaking of CGI, if you didn't hate him enough from the first prequel, you'll really want to tear Jar-Jar Binks apart in this installment, though his role is diminished a bit. And concerning the fight sequence between Yoda and Count Dooku, as good as it is, the sequence comes off early on as comical rather then dramatic as it is suppose to seem. Beside small mishaps, Attack of the Clones enlivens the Star Wars series with full-blown action sequences and tons of computer-graphic special effects. Episode II definitely doesn't live up to the greatness of The Empire Strikes Back but does make a close second.Star Wars Films of All-Time:
1) The Empire Strikes Back
2) Attack of the Clones
3) A New Hope
4) The Phantom Menance
5) Return of the Jedi

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