I find my rankings shifting lately in the lead up to The Rise of Skywalker. At the moment I think I’d say …
Skywalker Saga:
A New Hope
The Empire Strikes Back
The Phantom Menace
Revenge of the Sith
Return of the Jedi
Attack of the Clones
The Last Jedi
The Force Awakens
Spinoffs:
Rogue One
Solo
Andrei Rublev’s an excellently crafted movie, but it didn’t give me the static shock so many others seem to get from it. I dunno why. It’s very long, but so was Stalker, and I love that film. I also like Christian films with actual intelligence behind them. Yet I could only give it 8/10.
I can certainly understand that but also don’t give up on only one viewing if that’s all you’ve seen of it. If I’ve learned anything in watching his films is that the more you watch them, the deeper meanings you’ll find and new ideas and layers emerge. The biggest example I’ve found of this is Zerkalo. It’s personally his best work to me. Stalker was my first and I love it too. It’s truly an incredible film. I especially love Stalker’s Prayer about when we are born that we are soft but as we grow old we become hard. Truly one of my all time cinematic moments. I think while Andrei Rublev is certainly a Christian film in a lot of ways, I’d say try looking at it as an artist trying to keep their integrity during a difficult time. I think greater meaning will open up. The only film from his that I’ve struggled with so far is Solaris. I still need to watch it, Ivan’s Childhood, Nostalghia, and The Sacrifice. I owe a lot to Andrei and feel his presence often.
Andrei Rublev. It’s truly an incredible film. Words can’t give it the due it deserves.
The 1966 version? (I am not sure if they have remade this - like so many others?)
It is a film I have been meaning to view for a long time, yet have never quite got around to it. I think I really must rectify this as many people say good things about Tarkovsky’s film.
Yes indeed. There were two cuts. But I watched the preferred cut of Andrei.
I don’t think you’d be disappointed by doing so. Andrei Tarkovsky is a truly incredible filmmaker and artist. I feel a very deep spiritual connection with him. Ever since I saw Stalker earlier this year my life has changed in ways I never thought were possible. Stalker has left me scarred and haunted for reasons I don’t understand and don’t want to know. Andrei Rublev only adds to that feeling but in a different way. For me it has a way that makee the viewer feel hopeful and potency despite the tragedies. I don’t want to spoil anything but highly recommend it.
Andrei Rublev. It’s truly an incredible film. Words can’t give it the due it deserves.
Carrie Fisher’s brother reveals new details about Leia’s ‘Rise of Skywalker’ role: ‘She was going to be the last Jedi’:-
It aligns with what Mark said about her being trained by Luke as a Jedi in George’s Treatments for Episode IX before Luke passes on. That was a big theory of mine that it would be her children who bring Balance of the Force on a place like Mortis with Anakin while she’s left as the one to carry on the legacy in this realm. I wonder if they’ll repurpose this by making Finn the last Jedi.
Either way it’s really tragic and sad we will never see Leia’s true potential. I’m grateful though that we’ll see Leia in some compacity in The Rise of Skywalker. I hope it’s as satisfying conclusion as can be for her.
About The Young Idea: The Very Best Of The Jam
Paul Weller has such great lyrics.
Album: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band
Song: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da or Her Comes the Sun or In My Life
Edit; Wrong Thread.
TPM - No potty humour.
AOTC - Include the scenes at Padme’s parent’s house and have it written in ROTS that it would be too dangerous to leave Leia on Naboo with them.
ROTS - Include the deleted scenes of Padme and the Rebel Alliance. She deserves more.
ANH - The lightsaber fight.
TESB - No siblings kissing. Find another way to make Han jealous.
ROTJ - Have Boba survive on screen and track down the heroes on Endor. A final confrontation between Han and Boba to enter the shield generator would’ve been amazing.
TFA - I guess no Starkiller Base superweapon.
TLJ - Cut out the ‘Godspeed Rebels’ or at least find another way to wish the Resistance well, ‘Bastard’, Luke’s wonky walk after tossing the lightsaber, and the your momma humour.
Mirror/Zerkalo directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. It’s truly stunning and beautiful. By far one of the best films I’ve ever seen. I really hope Criterion releases it soon on Blu Ray but I’m very glad I found an original mono mixing DVD of it. Although the picture isn’t as pristine as Criterion it’s still a wonderful piece of art to own and have as part of collection.
This video explores so much of why I love the parallels between the PT and OT. Honestly it’s one of the aspects I enjoy about Star Wars the most. I don’t think these things are accidental. I truly do think it’s intentional. The parallels are in there I feel to show how history repeats itself and it’s about overcoming the sins of what came before us. I personally think also the PT did a great job at showing how society evolves and changes. That’s exactly what we got. We saw the corruption in the Senate in TPM, division and war begin in AOTC, and the rise in ROTS. It builds to the darkness and doesn’t happen all at once.
George said as much:
" If the first trilogy is social and political and talks about how society evolves, Star Wars is more about personal growth and self realization, and the third deals with moral and philosophical problems. The sequel is about Jedi Knighthood, justice, confrontation, and passing on what you have learned."
My only major criticism for the ST is how the story sometimes feels so tied to the OT and doesn’t fully acknowledge what occurred in the PT. I truly believe that if we had answers to why Sifo-Dyas ordered the Clone Army and Anakin’s origins it would go a long way towards bridging the gap between the trilogies of trilogies and interconnect them as a nine part saga. One unpopular opinion I have is I also wouldn’t have been opposed to George’s microworld he spoke to James Cameron about. I feel it would’ve at least brought clarity and understanding. There’s a quote from Steven Spielberg from the 90’s where he said part of George’s concept for the PT involved the ST. I think the PT was very much an introduction that was going to be told in his ST story but instead it appears as of TFA and TLJ we are getting familiar in terms of look, feel, and certain storybeats. I love everything to do with Rey and Kylo, Luke, and nearly every character but I wish the other subplots could’ve been developed more into something that doesn’t so closely resemble that of the OT. I would rather see the full Jedi Knighthood theme and rebuilding of the New Republic. This isn’t to say I don’t enjoy the subplots but the one thing the PT has going for it that the ST doesn’t is it tells a story that is new and fresh within the parallels. It doesn’t feel entirely like the same exact cycle again but an extension and expanding of. We shall see though as maybe TROS will bring clarity in the form of Palpatine and show some of these themes.
A bit unrelated but I think you’ll enjoy this science Star Wars documentary.
I’ve added Andrei Rublev and Solaris to my collection. Really looking forward to watching them. I greatly enjoyed The Steamroller and Violin which comes with Andrei Rublev. It’s so cute and really a contrast to Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker.
I thought Rose’s saving what we love quote was based on this bit from Irvin Kershner during the making of Empire?
I think Rian has said something to the effect of he wrote it before he read that book, but took Kersh’s words as some sort of validation he was on the right track. But I can’t find that tweet right now so maybe I’m making it up.
That does sound familiar. I’m sure you’re right. It’s interesting how things like that happen. Nothing happens by accident.
I thought Rose’s saving what we love quote was based on this bit from Irvin Kershner during the making of Empire?
This from Russian folk band Мельница or in English, Mill. They have lots of beautiful music.
The Phantom Menace - I honestly love everything about this film apart from the potty humour, so picking a moment is incredibly difficult for me. I would say off the top of my head though the whole sequence of when Anakin is preparing and leaving home. There’s so many layers to it from happiness, cynicism, hope, sadness, innocence, fear, child like wonder, and more. I especially love when Shimi tells Anakin “You can’t stop the change any more than you can stop the suns from setting.” Equally Qui-Gon’s gentle touch of Shimi’s shoulder is a subtle way to point out how flawed the Jedi became in the decades that followed. ‘Anakin is Free’ is equally an incredible piece of music.
Attack of the Clones - Easily Anakin’s search for his mother and the aftermath. The Slave I versus Jedi Starfighter is pretty cool too.
Revenge of the Sith - The opera house scene. I truly enjoy how it adds even more layers and depth to things like Anakin’s origins and tells a tale that may or may not ultimately have merit to The Rise of Skywalker. I am very much looking forward to hopefully knowing who Palpatine was speaking of when he told Anakin a bit later in the film “To cheat death is the power only one has achieved but if we work together I know we can discover the secret.”
A New Hope - Binary Sunset. It has so many layers and meaning. Are the twin suns to symbolize father and son? The Light Side and Dark Side? Our hope and longing? There’s so many ways to look at this scene.
The Empire Strikes Back - This is the hardest one. Either everything with Yoda or Cloud City. I do like when Luke falls down the pit and reaches out to Leia. The music and sorrow is so beautiful. So that.
Return of the Jedi - Could I just say any and all scenes with Luke and Vader? From the moment they confront to the very end. It’s some of the best in the whole saga.
The Force Awakens - When Rey pulls the lightsaber out of the snow. It still gives me all of the feels and something I’ve always wanted but didn’t know just how much I needed. A girl kicking butt with one in live action. Equally when she finds the Force is very moving. I love any and all scenes with Rey.
The Last Jedi - It’s pretty tough. I suppose I could say the Throne Room. It hurt like hell the first viewing as I wanted Snoke to be Plagueis and her to be a Skywalker or Solowalker so much but now I see a very layered scene that I think holds truth to The Rise of Skywalker. It’s going to be very much about learning from the sins of the past and how it doesn’t define us but is important to how we act now. This is very much reflected in the lightsaber and Kylo’s mask being repaired. Runner up is the hand touching in the hut.
Rogue One - The introduction of Chirrut and his character. So spiritual. I love all the Jedha scenes.
Solo - I really don’t know as I’ve only seen it once all the way through. I need to watch it again. Off the top of my head I suppose I’d say Qi’Ra and Han’s reunion as there’s lots of depth between the two of them in that moment.
But he looked more like his Force Phantom self in the TLJ flashbacks than he does here. Unless he’s interacting or guiding Rey through visions similar to what she had involuntarily in TFA? The possible wrinkle here is everyone percieves Luke as they last saw him?
That’s what Mike Zeroh said apparently. I don’t buy anything he says but hey!
I think it’s more just a mock up. Even The Last Jedi photography had Phasma without her helmet on. We only saw her eye in the final film. I don’t think these things are meant to be taken literally but do feed into story context in subtle ways. If that makes sense?
https://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2015/05/gwendoline-christie-star-wars
Here’s their story for The Force Awakens about Captain Phasma. These pictures don’t typically tell much in ways of the story. They do tend to tell us subtle bits of the stories I’ve found though. Like an example this one of Phasma seems to be the rubble of Maz’s castle. There was another of Kylo without his mask and snowtrooppers. So I think there’s bits of truth within the pictures but it’s not absolute truth.
I think this new one shows Luke on location where the Jedi Temple burned. I think we’ll be getting more to the story.
At least this confirms that the Knights of Ren will play a part in Ep. IX (not that there was much doubt about that to begin with);
Vanity Fair released a few other set photos as well, but this one was the only one that really stood out. The rest is mostly stuff we’ve already seen in the trailer, plus some new alien designs.
The most curious part about the Knignts of Ren article is it confirms the person Kylo smashes in the red forest is one of the Knights of Ren. It really makes me wonder. I certainly think there’s more of them than we’ve seen as of yet.
I equally found the picture of Luke compelling. Could we get more knowledge of the Jedi Temple massacre?
I really think there’s more to the story as I remember during the mind reading in TFA we hear a womsn screaming before Kylo tells Rey that Han would’ve disappeared her. We hear this same scream when Rey is trying to resist the Dark Side cave and when Luke is reading Ben’s mind.
The things that make you go hmmm!
I have so much nostalgia playing The Phantom Menace video game. Such a fun game even though albeit challenging at times due to dodgy textures and never getting off of Naboo. I also loved Battlefront, Podracer, Revenge of the Sith, and some X-Wing and TIE Fighter aracade game I can’t remember the name of but would play at the mini golf course.
It reminds me of this gem of a review.
There isn’t any precedent as it’s brand new. But I would never assume something on there is slated for physical release.
Thank you for clarifying that for me. I suppose I could always sign up for the free trial and watch it. I really hope they release it in physical form soon too. It’s the one film I want to purchase the most.
Does anyone know if the Criterion Channel ever releases films online before releasing them in physical format soon after? As I just saw they’ve added The Mirror. I’ve been craving seeing it for a long time now but would prefer to wait on seeing it on the big screen.
I’m not sure if this has been posted but it’s one of my favourite Star Wars videos. It really puts a lot of things in perspective, especially Luke in The Last Jedi.
FILMS
- Alucarda (1977)
Andrei Rublev (1966)- Andy Colby’s Incredible Adventure (1988)
- The Believer (2001)
The Birth of a Nation (1915)- Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984)
- BrightBurn (2019)
- Broken Blossoms (1919)
- Camelot (1967)
- Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter (1974)
- Death and the Maiden (1994)
- Decasia (2002)
- Destiny (1921)
- Destiny to Order (1989)
Downfall (2004)- Eyes Beyond Seeing (1995)
- Faust (1926)
Galaxis (1995)- Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984)
- Glass (2019)
- The Green Fog (2017)
The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001)- The Heretic (2018)
Hyperspace (1984)Incredibles 2 (2018)- Intolerance (1916)
- Italian Spiderman (2007)
- James Batman (1966)
- The Last Dragon (1985)
- The Lighthouse (2019)
- The Lost Skeleton Returns Again (2009)
- The Lost World (1925)
- Macbeth (1961)
Mandy (2018)- Miracle of Marcelino (1955)
- The Mirror (1975)
- Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (1924)
- Die Nibelungen: Kriemhilds Rache (1924)
- Nostalghia (1983)
- The Old Dark House (1932)
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)- The Sacrifice (1986)
- Secret Beyond the Door (1947)**
- Shame (1968)
- The Silence (1963)
Spellbound (1945)- Star Whackers (2011)
- The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
- To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
Triumph of the Will (1935)- Up (2009)
- The War of the Worlds (1953)
SERIES
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (original series)
Earth 2- The Fugitive
- Intruders
- Just the Ten of Us
- The Kingdom
- Kolchak: The Night Stalker
- The Lone Gunmen
- Millennium
- Night Gallery
- The Outer Limits (original series)
- Round the Bend!
- Space Command (uncoming series)
- Thriller
- The Twilight Zone ('80s series)
Stalker is amazing. So much beauty and so much horror. I watched it months ago and it’s still with me to this day. Be sure to get the Criterion Collection version. I’m about to purchase Andrei Rublev from them today hopefully. Do you happen to know the best place to purchase The Mirror and if any offered on Amazon are good? I want to make sure I get the right sound mix and as best of picture as I can find until hopefully the collection releases it.
