Lisa Wrote:Hey Blake, what did you think of the first two movies when you saw them? Just curious. I thought they stunk so I'm very cynical about this new one.
I actually quite like both of them, but my opinion probably needs some clarifying. When I first saw Episode I, I'm not sure what I expected, but it wasn't that. I have to admit I probably felt disappointed when I first saw it. I had to warm up to it. One of the things that I really like about it now, though, is that I've realized it's a dark film in disguise as a happy film. (Notice the bad guy actually wins at the end.) I think its more upbeat tone was deliberately designed to offset the much darker tone of III.
With Episode II, I took a different approach. I read the script (and probably the novelization) before I saw the movie, so I already knew what to expect. I wasn't likely to be disappointed, and I wasn't. My perspective is probably also colored by the fact that I saw that one with George Lucas himself sitting fifteen feet or so to my immediate left.
Basically I'm saying that I really enjoyed the movie (still do), but you should recognize my biases for what they are. I was willing to pay for charity tickets to the premieres of II and III, so I'm obviously a fan.
With Episode III, I also read the script beforehand and knew what to expect story-wise, but the visuals and the acting that went with it completely blew me away in a way that the first two didn't. The very first shot after the camera pans down from the scroll-up is nothing short of astonishing, and my jaw hit the floor during parts of the Anakin/Obi-Wan duel. And I'd say this film has emotion and heart that was comparatively lacking in the last two. I damn near cried twice!
I would also say that Episode III paints Episodes I and II in a new light. There are seeds planted in those two episodes that flower here and, I daresay, make them better films than they might seem as standalone pieces.
Again, your mileage may vary. I can't say everyone will like the movie, but I loved it, couldn't stop thinking about it after I saw it, and can't wait to see it again this week.
Blake