Blog Post 17: Isabel Bandoroff

Alright so I know several people in our English class (including Mr. Logsdon) will want to shoot me in the head for what I'm about to say, so here it goes...Before this weekend I had never seen Star Wars. I mean when I was little I remembering playing with my toys in the family room while my brother watched it, but I wasn't paying attention. So I decided that needed to change, and this weekend I watched episode 4 and 5 and will likely watch 6 today. I don't know if anyone is familiar with IMDb, but the critics on it are pretty harsh and anything about a 6.5 is a decent movie, 7 and 8+ is fantastic. To put it in perspective, The Shawshank Redemption got a 9.3 - and that is the highest score that has ever been given in IMDb history. Before or after every movie I watch, I look up the score on IMDb. Episode 4 got an 8.7 and episode 5 got an 8.8, so I'll be contrasting the two movies (episode 4 being directed by George Lucas and 5 directed by Irvin Kershner) trying to determine why one scored .1 higher than the other. Or if 4 is actually a better movie, why did it get a lower score? My theory is 5 got a better score because of the big reveal. "Luke I am your father" must have blown everyone's mind back in 1980, and continues to blow them today when kids (or 16 year old girls) watch them for the first time. Everybody loves a plot twist, possibly resulting in higher scores. Also, technology likely improved during the 3 year gap between movies, so maybe 5 has better, more realistic graphics. Han solo, Chewy, Leia, R2, C-3PO, and Luke get into more near death experiences during the second movie. Luke has a fight scene with Darth Vader and hangs off the bottom of his ship. Likely most girls were intrigued by Han Solo and Leia's romance, but it's so obvious that Luke likes Leia and she's kissed him before so we'll see who she chooses...Yoda is introduced (who is super cute). We are left with a cliff hanger of whether or not Han Solo will be okay. Episode 5 is, based on IMDb, the best Star Wars movie out of all 7. And it is due to those several small events: a plot twist, better graphics, more drama, a love triangle??, Yoda, and a cliff hanger. So thank you Star Wars, you did not disappoint.