Ranking the Star Wars Films Again!

[Poe Dameron]

Most recent previous edition found here. We've had two movies since. So here's mine.

 

1. A New Hope

2. The Empire Strikes Back

3. Revenge of the Sith

4. The Phantom Menace

5. The Last Jedi

6. Return of the Jedi

7. Rogue One

8. The Force Awakens

9. Attack of the Clones

 

The only two easy ones are the top 2 and the bottom 2. The other five are somewhat interchangeable based on my mood as highly enjoyable films with some flaws that might irritate me more or less that day along with virtues that I might value more or less.

 

The Last Jedi finds itself right in the middle, which seems right. In some ways its as introspective about the Force, the mythos, and the characters as any of the movies which I love. Rey and Ben's scenes together were a huge bright spot. But the slow-motion chase scene and Finn mucking things up just keeps it from its proper place as a solid #3. It's a real shame.

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

1. TESB

2. ANH

3. ROTJ and TFA tie (Will have to process TFA more to determine which I like better)

4. ROTS

5. TPM

6. AOTC

My list changes from time to time, and has changed since the emotion of TFA settled. This is how I currently rank them:

 

1. TESB

2. ANH (though, it technically ties with TESB, I am placing this at #2)

3. ROTJ

4. Rogue One

5. TLJ (just barely edges out TFA. Overall they are pretty equal)

6. TFA (actually ties with ROTS, also has fallen in ranking for me. Last time I ranked it as well as ROTJ)

7. ROTS (far and away the best of the PT. Barely edged out by ST films, due to handling of Anakin, and too much General Grievous....but there are sometimes I do rank it higher than the ST!)

8. AOTC ( I always have trouble ranking these last 2. Sometimes I like AOTC better than TPM, and vice versa. Depends more on how I feel at the moment.

9. TPM

[captainbleh]

If I don't think about it too much

 

The classics:

 

1. TESB

2. ANH

 

The hard to separate:

 

3. ROTJ (yeah, nostalgia, not sorry)

4. R1

5. TFA

6. TLJ (pretty much for the same reasons as Poe)

 

Poodoo:

 

7. TPM

8. AOTC

9. ROTS

[Zerimar Nyliram]

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. A New Hope
3. Revenge of the Sith
4. Return of the Jedi

5. Rogue One
6. Attack of the Clones
7. The Phantom Menace
8. The Clone Wars
9. Ewoks: Battle For Endor
10. Ewoks: Caravan of Courage


Infinities (non-canon)

11. The Force Awakens
Never saw The Last Jedi and never will.

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

I know how you feel on the Disney Star Wars movies, but if not in the theater, I would recommend TLJ at least once on Netflix or something. Now the Han Solo movie, the jury is out on that for me, still.

[captainbleh]

Yeah, even if you hate everything else in it, I still think it's worth seeing because of one shot

[Lucas1138]

1. Empire Strikes Back

2. Return of the Jedi

3. A New Hope

...

4. The Force Awakens

5. Revenge of the Sith

6. Rogue One

...

7. The Phantom Menace

8. The Last Jedi

...

9. Attack of the Clones

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

Yeah, even if you hate everything else in it, I still think it's worth seeing because of one shot

It's worth seeing because of Mark Hamill alone. He really did a great job acting in this one, IMHO. I might not agree with how Luke was written, but I can and do separate how Luke was written from how Mark Hamill played Luke. And Luke did have some badassery, too. Carrie Fisher was great too, especially the bridge scene.

[Zerimar Nyliram]

I've actually heard from multiple sources that they did a great injustice to Luke's character, including from Mark Hamil himself. I hope Carrie Fisher did a better job in this one because she just didn't seem with it in The Force Awakens. For as much as he protests, the only one I felt did a decent job was Harrison Ford.

Yeah, even if you hate everything else in it, I still think it's worth seeing because of one shot

Or I could just watch watch that one shot on YouTube.

In all seriousness, if I go to a party or something where they are showing the movie, I will not leave the room or demand they turn it off. I will watch it in such a situation. As for seeking it out myself, it's not that I hate it but rather that I have no interest, just like I have no interest in Twilight. It's a different franchise to me.

[Tank]

I've actually heard from multiple sources that they did a great injustice to Luke's character, including from Mark Hamill himself.

This is a misnomer Legends fans seem to cling to. His words were taken out of context. He said it took him buy surprise, and he struggled with it, but after talking with Rian and seeing all the moving pieces said it made sense.

 

THAT said-- there's no doubt in my mind people in your camp will fully DETEST Luke in this movie because he's not the happy go luck infallible hope and love wizard from the EU.

 

BACK ON TOPIC--

 

My previous ratings:

 

1. ESB

2. ANH

3. TFA

4. ROTJ

5. ROTS

6. TPM

7. AOTC

 

I guess I didn't update it after R1.

 

So, despite my desire to still defend TFA, it has dropped as I don't think it holds up. And in some odd way, which I'll babble about in the TLJ thread, TLJ sort of made TFA worse.

 

That lands me here as of today:

 

1. ESB

2. ANH

3. R1

4. ROTJ

5. TFA

6. TLJ

7. ROTS

8. TPM

9. AOTC

 

ESB and ANH will forever be untouchable. I think ESB is a better film, but technically, ANH is a better SW movie, so they are interchangeable.

 

The new car smell of TFA has faded, whilst the always flawed, but nostalgia tinged ROTJ had moved back up. On an equal playing field sans nostalgia I think it, TFA, and TLJ are all about the same. The nostalgia saves ROTJ

 

TFA vs TLJ... hard to call. Like ANH and ESB, I think that TLJ is a better film... slightly... but TFA feels more like Star Wars.

 

R1 is my favorite of the new crop. The combo of modern FX and filmmaking and a fun story, added to the OT aesthetic makes it a win every time for me.

 

Obviously, as any right-thinking human with a lick of taste would agree, the PT remains hot garbage on the bottom of the list.

[Zerimar Nyliram]

THAT said-- there's no doubt in my mind people in your camp will fully DETEST Luke in this movie because he's not the happy go luck infallible hope and love wizard from the EU.

 

He isn't that in the EU, either. He is, however, much smarter and not so prone to giving up.

[Darth Wicket]

 

Never saw The Last Jedi and never will.

Well then you are lost.

[Zerimar Nyliram]

Lost in greatness, yes.

[The Choc]

So hard to place a movie you've seen once or twice with movies that have been part of your life for your entire life. It really is. But I'd go for now:

 

1-The Empire Strikes Back

2-The Force Awakens

3-Star Wars

4-The Last Jedi

5-Revenge of the Sith

6-Rogue One

7-Return of the Jedi

8-Attack of the Clones

9-The Phantom Menace

 

This morning after only seeing it once I'd have had TLJ lower, but I loved the 2nd viewing.

[DANA-kin Skywalker]

Just saw TLJ for the first time. I'm not in love with it as much as most everyone else. I have tickets to see it again with family Saturday evening; maybe second viewing might help.

 

I usually list ESB first, but I'm feeling ANH more this time around. Those two are always a close call for me.

 

ANH

ESB

...

TFA

ROTJ

...

TLJ

ROTS

...

R1

TPM

...

Giving myself a 5 finger enema

...

AOTC

[ShadowDog]

11. The Force Awakens

Never saw The Last Jedi and never will.

You ran to a defunct message board to talk about it the second it came out ... but we're supposed to believe you haven't seen it.

 

Of course, running here to talk about a movie you haven't seen would be even worse so maybe you ARE telling the truth.

 

Either way, I'm curious what the appeal of that conversation is for you? For instance, I bailed on Gotham because it just got bottomlessly terrible and I can't imagine having a conversation with an ongoing fan about whatever the hell is happening in whatever the hell season they're in. I'm curious what you get out of it.

[Zerimar Nyliram]

So you believe I'm lying about not having seen the movie? There is seriously no interest there, chief. I've never watched any trailers. I actually didn't even know it was coming out this week until a co-worker mentioned it on Tuesday.

I did not "run" here. Yesterday was my day off, and I was perusing Nightly. I saw this thread and posted my list. Problem?

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

Yeah well, while it's hard to think someone might have no interest in seeing TLJ, but I can understand that.

 

I have ZERO interest in the upcoming Han Solo movie (I may catch it on Netflix, or see it if someone gives me free tickets, but not actively seek it out) and Star Trek Discovery (GAWD I wish I could go back in time and erase the birth of all involved on that show!), and I still come to this defunct message board to piss and moan about them. Nobody listens to me or a gives a crap abut what I have to say (even I know this!), but it's therapeutic, nonetheless. Sometimes that is all you can do to express frustration when someone takes a franchise you loved for many years in a direction you hate!

[ShadowDog]

That's a much better example than Gotham, actually. I have zero interest in the Ham Solo movie so I can't imagine running here the second it comes out and posting in that thread. Why?

[Guest El Chalupacabra]

That's a much better example than Gotham, actually. I have zero interest in the Ham Solo movie so I can't imagine running here the second it comes out and posting in that thread. Why?

Good question. Unless one reads a spoiler thread, and posts "Gawd, I can't I believe they made Han Solo such a douche," Or, "I can't believe they didn't have Han rescue Chewie from the Imperials and swear a life debt." You might hear that from me if that is the case!

[Zerimar Nyliram]

Again, I did not "run here" and post in a thread. I was sitting at my computer on a day off and decided to rank my Star Wars movies in a relevant thread. Learn to listen.

The mention of the Disney movies was not the focus of my post; the focus was the movies ranked.

[Zerimar Nyliram]

On topic: I also have no interest in the Han Solo film, though I am intrigued by this Rian Johnson series set apart from the rest of the saga.

[DANA-kin Skywalker]

No offense ZN, but your likes and dislikes confuse me. They are all over the place.

 

Not that they have to make sense to anybody. Opinions are what they are.

[Guest]

ANH

ESB

ROTJ

TFA

R1

TPM

ROTS

AOTC

TLJ

[Poe Dameron]

You're missing one Fozzie.