Updated ranking after second TROS watch:
- Star Wars
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Return of the Jedi
- Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
- Rogue One
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
- Solo
- Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Having seen TROS a third time recently - and I only saw Solo once, 3 days before TROS’ release, so… that’s two movies I’ve had to allow to sink in.
- Star Wars
- The Empire Strikes Back
- Return of the Jedi
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones
- Solo: A Star Wars Story
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
- Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Might as well break it down since it’s not your usual ranking:
TROS is such a wild beast. I enjoy it, but… there’s nothing there. It’s so hollow. It’s dumb, fan-fic-y, and that’s fun, but at the same time that’s not really what this should be about. So it’s only above the two films I actually don’t really like at all.
It also hurts to put TLJ ‘last’, so to speak (it’s the last one of the ones I can really have a good time with), but what can I do. The less interesting part of the film is… well… I don’t really like it. And it feels like a different movie. And the more interesting part depends on some key things that just don’t work for me. They almost do, but they don’t. But it’s a bold and beautiful film, and I’ve grown to appreciate it a lot more recently, especially after TROS.
Solo was fun, even if there seemed to have something missing. But I liked it. Not much to be said I think.
AotC reminds me of TLJ in lots of ways. Out of the two stories going on, one is very good and the other not so much (for different reasons). I can excuse AotC’s stupidly cringy moments though, because the story the movie’s telling is just so interesting. TLJ’s story didn’t get me as hooked (mostly TFA’s fault) and so whatever felt off felt much more off than in AotC for example. AotC also makes the galaxy feel like such a huge and mysterious world. What I’m trying to say is that I see some redeeming qualities to this film and I just enjoy it for the most part.
Rogue One is a near perfect SW film to me: its faults are mainly in a couple of underdeveloped characters. Only reason it’s fifth is because RotS is also a near perfect SW film in my book and there’s more emotional investment to that one than to RO. And then, well, the OT’s above it as well because, well, it’s the OT.
Speaking of the OT, I sooo wish I could place RotJ higher. Maybe even first. But its first and second acts are just not on par with Star Wars or TESB. There’s also the sister thing, and the underutilized written-in-in-the-last-couple-of-weeks Han Solo… but, to me, Luke still manages to carry it fairly well. And what the heck it’s still Return of the Jedi, it’s still fucking awesome.
And TESB and SW are perfect.