Sorry I never saw you replied!
I can so understand what you mean! I honestly love TPM. It’s my favourite Star Wars film. I’ve posted on the rankings thread in great detail why it’s my favourite. AOTC is probably the weakest of George’s six films but it’s also really grown on me in a very big way the last year. I think seeing world building like Coruscant become more commercial, Anakin and Padme have to travel as refugees, Padme contrasting Palpatine by letting go her position of power, and other layered aspects really make for an interesting viewing when you consider the gradual change of tone in each entry. I’m firmly in the minority but I love Anakin and Padme’s romance. They’re both repressed and don’t know what love feels like. It’s not meant to be smooth and will be awkward. However their love overtakes all in the end. I really like when Padme tells Anakin: “Anakin, don’t try to grow up too fast.” It’s so simple yet it feels right. Even Anakin telling Padme: “The thought of not being with you - I can’t breathe.” is great foreshadowing. I do wish there were more clarity to the mystery of Sifo-Dyas. That’s probably the biggest thing I wish had been addressed further in the films. It’s one reason I loved the idea of Snoke as Plagueis. He would’ve influenced Sifo-Dyas to order the Clone Army and he and Palpatine would’ve built the Empire in partnership. Master and Apprentice. There’s always a bigger fish. Anyways, Revenge of the Sith is a great film. I only have minor nitpicks.
My rankings right now are: I, IV, V, III, VI, II, VIII, VII, and IX.
I actually like the romance as well. It’s mainly the fireplace scene that doesn’t work for me. Most of the dialogue matches the awkward/repressed angle that you talked about but in that scene it sounds more Shakespearean and it doesn’t really fit.
I can certainly understand what you mean. It’s certainly not my favourite scene but I think catching on to the breathing foreshadowing made the scene a lot better for me. It’s such a simple catch and you miss moment.
I was also mistaken. My thoughts (in part) on The Phantom Menace is here.
Out of curiosity, how do you rank the Skywalker saga films?