Reviews

This is no knock on "The Lion King", "Beauty and the Beast", "Fantasia" or "Snow White and Seven Dwarfs", but "Grave of the Fireflies" has done something very few, if any animated features (I feel) have ever done. The film has an emotional power, which is drawn from its serious topic of war and the human spirit. Plus "Grave of the Fireflies" is rich in animated detail and human feeling, which towers this film above most animated films.

Perhaps one of animation's few downfalls is its simplicity. Animation for the most part is viewed as a child's medium. There are many reasons for this, but "Grave of the Fireflies" proves without a doubt that this is a falsity. Director Isao Takahata shows that animation has all the capabilities of approaching difficult issues (like war and its consequences) with a personal heart and creative touch.

The story is about a brother (Seita) and a sister (Setsuko) who deal with a great tragedy and struggle after a bombing during World War II. Yet this film has so many moments of beauty to respond to the moments of horror. The moments of Seita and Setsuko swimming or of Setsuko burying the fireflies are absolutely wonderful in their subtlety. There's not a ton of action going on in those scenes but they're so richly detailed in the animation and narrative that your eyes stay glued to the screen.

This film is a testament to the human spirit and living life to the fullest. I will not lie, this film is fairly hard to swallow, it deals with difficult issues. Yet it is because of this challenge that this film stands above about every other animated films. It proves that animation is not just for children, but for everyone. This film made me smile and almost brought me to tears at the same time. "Grave of the Fireflies" is truly one of the greatest animated films of all-time. A 10 out of 10.

Reading the advertisements or listening to the commercials for "The Banger Sisters" is extremely promising. The names: Susan Sarandon, Goldie Hawn and Geoffrey Rush pop up right at you. All three of those actors possess a world acting talent and (of course) Sarandon and Hawn do not disappoint.

The story starts out fairly fast. Suzette (Hawn) gets let go by the club she was working at and needs money and hopes to rekindle her past friendship with former groupie Lavinia (Sarandon). So Suzette hits the road to track down her old friend, she picks up a suicidal writer (Rush) along the way. The problem is Lavinia is now settled down and has a family who knows nothing of her past.

Watching Sarandon and Hawn is a treat to behold. Hawn has a true ability to combine facial gestures with her dialogue to create moments of laughter without much noticeable effort. The scene at the dinner table with Lavinia's whole family and Suzette as their guest is a perfect example of this. The moments where Hawn and Sarandon are together on screen are by far the most effective and enjoyable piece of the picture. Perhaps the funniest scene in the film is where Sarandon and Hawn are together in the basement. They are down there smoking a joint and remembering their past with the help of some interesting (to say the least) pictures.

Aside from Sarandon and Hawn's comedic abilities, the film tends to be weighted down by unrealistic and rapid changes of emotions in the characters. The feelings of the characters change so quickly and conveniently a person gets the sense that the screenwriter is trying to rush us to the happy conclusion. Rush's character Harry seems almost like a throw-away, added in only to supplement Suzette's zesty personality. In one scene, by sheer coincidence, Suzette finds Lavinia's daughter, Hannah (Erika Christensen) after she's overdosed on acid. Suzette takes care of her that night in her hotel room while Harry watches. All of sudden, like a bolt of lightning, this cures Harry's writer's block and suicidal thoughts and completely changes him for awhile.

This isn't the only place in the film with this sudden character adjustment. Near the end of the movie, watch how quickly the family goes from accusatory and narrow-minded at the hospital to one big happy family a few minutes later at Hannah's graduation. It would be one thing if the situation resolved itself on screen, but it doesn't. Hannah delivers a honest, but sappy graduation speech and we see the big joyous family of Lavinia and Suzette together all easily wrapped up with few explanations.

There's no doubt that Sarandon and Hawn are wonderful actresses and it's a real treat seeing them together. Overall though, "The Banger Sisters" tries almost too hard to please, without showing how it got there. A 6 out of 10.

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is little kid's eye candy. Funny, crazy and weird creatures and backgrounds appear around every corner, which is fun to behold until a point. This film, directed by Chris Columbus and based on the popular J.K. Rowling novel, comes in at around two and half hours and feels at least that long, if not a little longer. Little kids will probably enjoy it, but after awhile, eye candy can only do so much. Children will enjoy the visual imagination in front of them, but anyone over the age of 13 may be looking for a little more substance behind the characters than this. A 5 out of 10.

"Road to Perdition" seemed to have greatness written all over it before even reaching theaters. The film has more Oscar winners (Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, director Sam Mendes) than you can shake a stick at. And perhaps this is where the film falls just short. Mendes tries his hardest to deliver a gangster film of an epic quality and achieves mixed results. "Road to Perdition" is about family, loyalty and morality. Mendes and screenwriter David Self weave a compelling, but ultimately simplistic and perhaps too easy a story.

Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is a hit-man for John Rooney (Paul Newman). Rooney treats Sullivan like the son he never had, to the obvious envy of his son, Connor Rooney (Daniel Craig). Connor and Michael go on a mission, which goes bad when Connor loses his temper and kills a man. One problem, Michael's son Michael, Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) snuck along unbeknown to his father and witnesses the whole ordeal. Which eventually leads to tragedy for the Sullivan family because Connor Rooney wants both Sullivans out of the picture after that.

The rest of the film follows the father and son Sullivans on their mission of revenge. And this is where the picture never quite could tie the strings together. Mendes spends little time developing the Sullivan family relationships at the beginning, so Sullivan's ultimate goal lacks some of the heart it needs. Plus, a few of the characters seemed be rather one-sided as well, especially Jude Law as hit-man Harlen Maguire. The only side we see of Maguire is of a clumsy killer and a man with a (odd to say the least) photography fetish.

Despite some minor flaws though, "Road to Perdition" is very good, with excellent acting, solid directing, wonderful cinematography by Conrad L. Hall and terrific art and set designs. The film takes place in the early 1930s and is as realistic as it gets, from the rainy city streets to the grassy plains.

"Road to Perdition" seems to have two meanings in this film since the city the Sullivans are headed to is literally called "Perdition". The other, obviously, being Michael's path to hell because he is a hit-man. Which is where the film seems to be too easy and uncertain. The film portrays him as a hit-man, but one who finally is just out to avenge his family, so he is a kind-hearted killer and that is just a little too simplistic. A 8 out of 10.

Okay, you knew it was coming, I knew it was coming, everyone knew it was coming. Michael Myers is back (and I don't mean the "Austin Powers" star). He is back home again, killing teenagers in the eighth Halloween film, "Halloween: Resurrection". Anyone who saw the seventh one, "Halloween: H20", might remember that Myers supposedly had his head cut off by his grown-up sister Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) at the end of the film. But since, this is the eighth film, the writers conjured up a way to have Myers slicing his way through yet another picture.

Surprisingly enough the director Rick Rosenthal ("Halloween II") and the screenwriters do create a fairly effective show down early on between Michael and sister, Laurie, who has been put in a mental hospital. After the opening few minutes though, the film becomes a mixture of the cliche and predictable. The plot revolves around having six teenagers spend a night over in the old Myers home as part of an online publicity stunt for a website. And surprise, surprise... Michael Myers is home.

The one trait "Halloween: Resurrection" lacks is tension, an obvious key ingredient to so many horror or suspense flicks. What made the first "Halloween" by John Carpenter so effective was a mood of genuine terror and tension based upon the unknown. Myers (in that film)appeared, then disappeared, he was basically a ghost and you waited and wonder when he would pop out of the darkness. This film as with virtually all slasher films now, possess none of that terror. Each killing in "Halloween: Resurrection" is telegraphed way ahead of time. So either Myers can stare at his victim for hours before he kills them or there will be a small meaningless chase before Myers shows his knife cutting abilities.

The film has a few other low points, especially in the plot. No one seems to notice the cameraman go missing for hours after being killed and despite a loud scream not a sole hears Bill (Thomas Ian Nicholas) meet his doom either. Although, this doesn't matter too much, since plausibility and the slasher film just don't go together. Then, there is rapper Busta Rhymes. I didn't know whether to laugh or cringe at some of the dialogue he spoke, which was just plain awful and silly at the same time.

The interesting aspect of this series as a whole, is how little things have changed in terms of the basics of the plot. Sure, some minor details are fixed. The teenagers in "Halloween: Resurrection" play on computers and e-mail rather than riding around in cars. There's even a mention of the TV show, "The Osbournes" in this movie. Despite the updating in visual and verbal references, little of substance has been added since the original. Michael Myers is still that unkillable boogeyman, and there are still teenagers waiting to be butchered. At least until movie executives stop seeing dollar signs next to the word, "Halloween". A 3 out of 10.

"Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones" is downright amazing entertainment. Lucas held no punches back in this all out assault on the senses. This film is filled with enough imaginative images and sounds to fill a summer's worth of movies. From the computer generated characters to the different planets to the lightsaber duels, Lucas has created a terrific and entertaining blockbuster.

Star Wars films have never been about Oscar caliber acting, rather they are more like an experience; dropping you into a world and taking you for a ride. I saw in several reviews by major critics, that some are attacking the script and even going so far as to say the film has no "heart".

All that can be said is this film has a heart, a child's heart. I'm 22 and this film gave me the same chills as I had as a little kid watching, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", "Star Wars: A New Hope" and "Jurassic Park". AOTC reminded me of what it was like to sit in wonderment and awe at the world on the screen.

The film begins with Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) meeting up with Senator Padme (Natalie Portman) after someone tries to kill her. The events unfold as Kenobi and Skywalker split up as Anakin is assigned to protect Padme, while Obi-Wan is investigating the situation. The film packs a punch of both humor and visual splendor along the way. "Attack of the Clones" is like a firecracker with a long fuse, slowly burning at the beginning and eventually exploding at the end into a dazzling treat.

This film also has a deep connection with the other films in the series. (For example, Darth Vader and Boba Fett's histories become more complete, yet complex.) Lucas gives a film that the fans of the series can laugh at (especially the scenes involving C-3PO) and cheer for, while the average filmgoer can still appreciate the originality of the world before them.

I have always wondered about the critical harshness for films such as this one. Since when have science-fiction or fantasy or even action films had truly daring, creative and original scripts and dialogue? These genres have been and probably always will be visual genres as opposed to verbal ones. "Attack of the Clones" explodes with a creative visual awe that surrounds you and leaves you begging for more. A 9 out of 10.

David Fincher's "Panic Room" traps and eventually buries itself under cliche and familiarity. Jodie Foster plays Meg Altman, who recently divorced from her husband and moves into a new house with her daughter (Kristen Stewart). Of course the first night in their new home, three burglars brake inside in pursuit of a missing fortune located in the panic room. Meg and her daughter, Sarah, hide in the panic room after the three men break into the home. Thus begins the cat-and-house game between the mother and daughter and the burglars.

The definite highlights of the film are the camera movements and Foster's performance. The camera is extremely mobile, moving all around the house, through walls and along the ground. This adds to the sense of dread around the situation along with the claustrophobic feel of the house and panic room itself. This style perhaps allows the audience to get an even better idea of the surroundings than any of the actual characters in the film. Jodie Foster does a great job in a difficult role. She switches from a confused and weak protagonist to a smart and creative heroine in a split second and does it with the utmost ease imaginable.

David Fincher films have always featured intentive camera work and dark source material and this is no different. The problem though relies in the fact that while Meg is a strong lead, the script allows for no other memorable roles only cliches. Forest Whitaker, a vert gifted actor, plays the bad guy with the noble intentions. Jared Leto (who was terrific in "Requiem For A Dream") is the over-the-top psychotic one and (country singer) Dwight Yoakam plays the evil one that never dies. Throughout the course of the movie Raoul (Yoakam) has his hand crushed in a metal door, and is bashed in the head and still keeps coming back for more. Foster's acting in "Panic Room" shows why she is one of Hollywood's best actresses and Fincher adds some dark touches. The film, however, bogs down under cliche to point where the whole film, especially the ending, leaves an empty feeling inside. A 6 out of 10.

John Dahl made a stylish intense thriller before with "The Last Seduction". So, his new film "Joy Ride" came with some hope that a filmmaker could actually produce a quality horror/thriller starring a young cast. Lewis Thomas (Paul Walker) and his brother (Steve Zahn) are on a road trip when they play a cruel prank on a stranger they talk to on a CB radio. When the prank goes awry, the heat turns on them as the stranger starts hunting his pranksters. Eventually, Paul's friend Venna (Leelee Sobieski) joins them on their trip and the mystery man stalks all three by leaving them verbal and visual messages to follow.

Unfortunately "Joy Ride" is one of those films, which asks us to leave our brain at the door after awhile. The implausibilities pile up faster then you can blink an eye. The mysterious stranger seems to know where they are at every point, and can even find them in one scene in a maze of cornfields. The stalker even finds the CB radio they threw out the window (how he miraculously knows where they are at all times is beyond me). This isn't a terrible film by any means, there are a few convincing and creative scenes. The scene near the end with the cops and raiding the hotel doors has nail-biting intensity. The ending though, which of course I will not give away is rather disappointing and unconvincing considering all the events which led up to that point.

(The DVD of "Joy Ride" features several alternate endings. One of which, the conclusion focusing more on Venna, which was not finished and is partially shown through storyboards, I felt was the most effective ending of all. Including, the denouement left in the film.)

This film gets a 4 out of 10.

"Ice Age" falls into one of those vague areas of film criticism. The animated movie makes you want to like it so much, despite not being perfect. The film pours out creative energy and slapstick high jinks for the entire 90 minutes. This computer animated movie doesn't miss a beat in terms of visual style. A ice sliding sequence is especially impressive. The story, meanwhile, revolves around a sloth (John Leguizamo) named Sid, Manfred the mammoth (Ray Romano) and Diego (Dennis Leary) a tiger. The group of animals are trying to return a baby to its tribe after he ends up away from them following a Sabertooth tiger attack. "Ice Age" reminds one of the classic Warner Brother's Wile E. Coyote cartoons. Scrat, a wide-eyed, prehistoric squirrel provides some truly funny moments in a desperate attempt to open up a nut. Despite, the strengths of some funny slapstick comedy and solid voice characterizations, the film does feel tad too familiar. Computer animation provided cinema with some terrific films the past two to three years including: "Toy Story 2", "Monsters, Inc." and "Shrek". The animation, while still impressive, does have that "been there, done that" touch to it. The film contains moments of obvious sappiness and overall is not quite as original as the wide range of humor displayed in "Shrek". Yet, all that being said, "Ice Age" delivers the goods. It's a solid family film, even if the style and script reek of familiarity. A 7 out of 10.

Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge!" explodes onto the screen. The camera starts off moving around never truly settling down on one particular person. The musical sequences (and there are many) play right to the MTV music video generation including many popular songs from the last 20 years sung by the characters. The editing, though, jars the viewer to the point of eye soreness. The story revolves around a writer (Ewan McGregor) and a performer (Nicole Kidman) who fall in love despite a few obstacles. The acting is very good, but this musical just feels a little too stylish and never lets you fully into its fantasy world. A 5 out of 10.

Richard Linklater's "Waking Life" is one of a kind. Reportedly made for $100,000, the animation seems to float before the viewer like a painting come to life. The visuals alone would be enough to see this picture, but the film features more than pictorial side of cinema. "Waking Life" delves into philosophy and discussion. The film wraps itself in a dream world and comes out the other side as perhaps one of the most intellectual, entertaining and certainly thought provoking animated films ever. A 9 out of 10.

The title, "Ghost World" fits the mood of the film amazingly well. No there are not any ghosts or supernatural creatures flying around on screen. "Ghost World" plays like a city so familiar that it seems to have been in a dream and features characters with enough personality and wit for several films. Enid (Thora Birch) has just graduated high school but is not quite sure what to do with life other than move in with her best friend Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson). Enid responds to a personals ad placed by a loner, record collector Seymour (Steve Buscemi). While her intent was cruel, she soon becomes fascinated by Seymour and his quirks.

The film knows its target and hits the mark with sharp, satirical accuracy. The film has a familiarity and knowledge for life and situations. Some of the bit characters and places reminded me so much of my neighborhood, I couldn't stop laughing. Writer-Director Terry Zwigoff and co-writer Daniel Clowes know exactly where the story leads and don't miss a beat. Sometimes one person's life, provides a catalyst or inspiration for someone else. A truly honest and funny film about moving on. A 9 out of 10.

There are so many films like this every year, that after awhile they become indistinguishable from one another. "Ransom", "Along Came A Spider", and the list seems to grow monthly. Thrillers, with some mystery and suspense whipped together into a Hollywood money maker. Now, don't get me wrong some thrillers can be quite good ("Seven" for example) which take you into exciting and frightening worlds. "Don't Say a Word" isn't one of them. An injuried wife, a kidnapped daughter, a mental patient with a hidden secret... sounds like a mystery, thriller right? The film though follows the typical path of many thrillers past. Few surprises await, just a slow descent into ridiculous action by the climax of the film. The film is not terrible, by any means, but certainly not memorable either. I do have one question for the director and make-up artists though, did it occur to anyone that if the kidnappers spent ten years in prison, they might age just a little? "Don't Say a Word" gets a 4 out of 10.

In one of my film classes, my professor told a joke that in the film world there is no such thing as a rip-off or copying, it's a homage. Well, if this is true than "Brotherhood of the Wolf" (Le Pacte des loups) makes a living in homages. The film takes elements from the slow-motion photography of martial arts films (ala John Woo) to the first-person POV camera perspective used in several horror films such as Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead". Because of these many traits the film covers a lot of ground from horror to action to romance. The action scenes grab your eyes, although director Gans does over use slow-mo too much. The scenes of horror and romance don't work nearly as well as action sequences. In the end the film, while not groundbreaking, provides a small fix for horror, action and fantasy buffs. A 6 out of 10.

One thing has become certain, many of David Lynch's films are totally confusing and lack logic. However, if for a moment a person can abandon their sense of reason, the film is a wonder to watch. A bizarre nightmarish dream world filled with both haunting and funny characters and surrealistic images. The film may ultimately be just a series of weird scenes loosely connected, but it's a fascinating dream world to watch. A 9 out of 10.

I have always thought the worst comment a person could ever make about a film is to call it "boring". Even if you thought a film was poorly made, disturbing, graphic, horrible, or whatever, then at least the film made you care. "Glitter" pours out boredom in lethal doses. Director Vondie Curtis-Hall and cinematographer Geoffrey Simpson pull out a few visual tricks to add some punch to the lackluster affair, but the effort is not enough. The script can easily be seen as a reflection of Mariah Carey and her life. Carey, though, has no range (as an actress) at all. The scenes of romance with co-star Max Beesley fall totally flat. Plus, her moments of anger play like an actress trying to be mad, rather than a person who's actually angry. Carey, if she wanted to act, probably should have either taken a tiny role around veteran actors in another film. She's just not a great actress. The one bright spot though is her voice, which gets some use in a few songs, none of which are all that memorable. Acting problems aside, the film is one painfully boring movie. A 2 out of 10.

Plain and simple few movies display the type of feelings and emotions this film does. The film is driven by the story and performances, especially by Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek. Director Todd Field creates some terrific sequences, especially a haunting car ride near the end and a conversation involving a lawyer and Wilkinson which makes wonderful use of sound. This is a powerful film with Oscar worthy performances and raw human emotion. Plus, the film contains small little touches to drive home the realism of the film. A 10 out of 10.

P.T. Anderson (along with Robert Altman) have basically developed the late 20th century large character study. What Altman's "Nashville" is for country, Anderson's "Boogie Nights" is to pornography. The film has a numerous amount of strengths. The extended takes moving from character to character give the film a visual energy and the performances feature the who's who of character actors (Macy, Moore, Reilly, Hoffman, Cheadle). The acting highlight though, comes from Burt Reynolds as porn director Jack Horner. For all of the acting power in the film the real treat is the realism of the mise en scene. The music, sets and costumes capture the feel of no consequences late 1970s. A 8 out of 10.

On the injustices one culture can do to another. The film is about an African woman who gets a job with a white family and agrees to follow them back to France, only to be disenheartened in the end. While, the production values were not great, the messages of this film are stronger than most major US motion pictures. The characters (especially the French) do seem to be a bit shallow, and don't have much depth to them. Yet, the theme of loneliness from displacement and cultural injustice ring powerfully loud in the end. An 8 out of 10.

David Fincher, Darren Aronofsky and Quentin Tarantino are all well-known for their intentive and creative visual style. Perhaps, it is time to add the Hughes brothers to this list of impressive visual stylists. Obviously, they already had a gritty realistic film ("Menace II Society") to their credit. "From Hell" is an equally terrific film in terms of camerawork and colors. The 1880 redish skyline of London is as dark, gritty and realistic in this film as any other film I can remember. It is not just the art and set direction which make this production so realistic and interesting; the editing and camera movement is intense and helps glue the viewer's eyes to the screen. Proof of the powerful mise en scene and editing of "From Hell" are in the murder sequences. These scenes are more creative and disturbing, yet gripping than anything in most the horror films made in the last few years. The performances are solid, but not all that memorable in comparison to the overall style of this film. A 7 out of 10.

Perhaps "Memento" is just a narrative trick after all. The trick works though. From the opening sequence, the viewer dives into a world of mystery and leaves much of the interpretation up to the spectators. In a year featuring dud after dud, a film like this restored my hope in entertaining film-making. Christopher Nolan (the director and screenwriter), along with the editor and actors deserve all the kudos for giving the public a film, which is entertaining and actually requires effort. When so many movies ("Jurassic Park III", "Tomcats", etc.) are having the audience leave their brain at the door, this is one notable exception. The performances are all first-rate, but the story is the star here. The film plays with narrative structure and has many scenes, moments and images which refer back to others. This film, like "The Usual Suspects", will have you coming back again and again to see what you missed before. A 10 out of 10.

There's no doubt that "Josie and the Pussycats" is attempting to be a light-hearted poke at today's pop culture. The trouble is the film becomes exactly what it is trying to satirize. The film evolves into a mindless commercialization of modern America. Images from the McDonald's logo to MTV come flying across the screen in not so subtle ways. Plus, the film suffers from an endless array of cardboard cutout characters. Alan Cumming does, however, offer at least some saving grace as a slighty over-the-top band manager. 3 out of 10.

The premise of "Shadow of a Vampire" is simple, what if Max Schreck was really a vampire posing as an actor playing a vampire in the Murnau's masterpiece, "Nosferatu?" Well, the result is both slightly scary and pretty funny. Director E. Elias Merhige and writer Steven Katz create a fairly creepy mood, and inhabit the picture with some real interesting characters.

John Malkovich plays famous silent film director F.W. Murnau. This is perhaps the funniest performance of the bunch, especially when he is giving audible instructions to the "actors" while the camera is rolling. Then, there is Willem Dafoe who plays Max Schreck/ the vampire. It is incredibly fun to watch an almost unrecognizable Dafoe play this oddball, Max Schreck. Unfortunately for Murnau, Schreck starts doing what vampires tend to do... bite people. The original photographer dies along with a few others at the mouth of Schreck. After seeing this movie, it is quite easy to see why Dafoe was nominated for best supporting actor at the Oscars. His performance is worth the price of admission.

This is a film which is hard to classify, sense it is a fictional account of an actual film with real people. Yet this horror-comedy does have its moments of wonderful macabre humor along with great performances to help make it an enjoyable movie. A 7 out of 10. I highly recommend watching this as part of a double feature. First, watch Murnau's original 1922 masterpiece, "Nosferatu", then watch "Shadow of a Vampire." You will appreciate "Shadow of a Vampire" a lot more (or maybe vice versa).

"Hollow Man" is one of those Hollywood movies which is all too familiar lately. The screenplay is just beyond words, it is so lame. The special effects are absolutely unbelievable, but there's no quality story to go with it.

It started out with an interesting premise about the possibilities of being invisible, but slowly turned into a disappointing stalk n' slash special effects movie. By the end of the movie, it was so stupid I was laughing out loud. So in a way it was fairly entertaining, but not enough to recommend it. 4 out of 10.

"The Empire Strikes Back" is not just the best installment so far in the "Star Wars" saga, it is arguably one of the best sci-fi films of all-time. This is what science fiction and fantasy films are all about.

I won't bother too much with the story line, since most people (especially film fans) know all about the "Star Wars" films. After watching the film again recently, I had to just sit and admire the other worlds brought before our eyes... Hoth, the frozen planet... Dagobah, the swamp planet, and of course Cloud City. This film is a feast for the eyes, like so many great sci-fi films such as "Metropolis" and "2001: A Space Odyssey". The skyline of Cloud City and the sights and sounds of the Dagobah and its creatures are enough to make you smile in awe of the other worlds brought before our eyes.

The other factor in the film which makes it such an effective piece of emotional entertainment, is the relationships. The audience is allowed to identify and feel for the characters through these relationships. The romance of Han (Harrison Ford and Leia (Carrie Fisher), the conflict between Luke and Darth Vader as well as the friendship formed between Luke and Yoda make for an enjoyable and interesting slice of entertainment. This film puts its characters in both complicated and tough situations and in many cases leaves them hanging (with responses coming in "Return of the Jedi"), but this is what gives the film its creativity and power. This is a great sci-fi film and the best so far in the "Star Wars" saga. A 10 out of 10.