Mark Steyn - Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

The Spectator ^ | June 1, 2005 | Mark Steyn

[RepoGirl]

http://darthside.blogspot.com/

Read and be amazed. The guy who does this site is a genius. Be careful, though, no drinking while at the computer--I had to clean diet coke off my screen and out of the keyboard.

[steve-b]

he recently choked an M and M

Well, there ya go. Obviously, Lucas is cementing the parallel to Dubya by parodying the pretzel incident. ;-)

[steve-b]

Yep. I particularly liked his voice work as the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series.

[RogueIsland]

One of the problems with ROTS was that Lucas apparently couldn't keep his philosophies straight. Anakin killing Dooku when told to because he was too dangerous was part of the path to the dark side. But apparently begging Mace Windu not to kill the Emperor even though he was too dangerous was also part of his path to the dark side.

I think you might have missed the point there. Anakin saw Mace was about to do the exact same thing Palpatine had goaded him into doing -- and which Anakin was clearly repulsed by when he did it. He was trying to stop Mace from engaging in the same act which was contrary to the Jedi code. Anakin, although deepley conflicted, did not turn completely dark until after Mace's death, for which he felt responsible and which, perhaps he also blamed on the Jedi code that demanded Palpatine be spared.

[steve-b]

One of the problems with ROTS was that Lucas apparently couldn't keep his philosophies straight. Anakin killing Dooku when told to because he was too dangerous was part of the path to the dark side. But apparently begging Mace Windu not to kill the Emperor even though he was too dangerous was also part of his path to the dark side.
He also alternates between "Only the sith deal in absolutes" and "the sith are evil!".

The former actually makes sense if you interpret his motivations as selfish (wanting to keep Palpatine alive to learn his secrets) rather than principled (wanting to avoid killing). The latter is just stupid, however.

[RogueIsland]

[Mark Hamill] is a personable, affable, genuine NICE guy who has never snapped back at the slaps he has gotten in the press

I've seen him in one of his convention appearances. He really comes across as a great guy who would rather talk about his comic book collection with you over a beer than rehash Star Wars for the ten-thousandth time.

[xp38]

Um no. He choked an animated M&M cartoon character like he did in the first Star Wars (now known as episode IV) using his force powers to constrict the victims windpipe not choked on an M&M like W choked on the pretzel.

[HKMk23]

"All movies appear stupid to me, although some manage to be entertaining dispite their stupidity."

Here are a few I found to be entertaining over the last 10 years or so:
The Incredibles
Finding Nemo
The Ring Trilogy
Braveheart
My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding
Bruce Almighty
Liar, Liar

Gibson's blockbuster "The Passion of The Christ" isn't on the list because it doesn't pretend to have the intent to "entertain".

I've seen a few more than just these, but most fail to do anything more than just give me a lame excuse to veg out on the futon for 90 minutes.

[HKMk23]

Hmmm. Groundhog Day. Never seen it; not once.

I have, however, seen Monty Python's "Quest for the Holy Grail" several dozen times.

[js1138]

If you liked MBFGW, you might like Monsoon Wedding. I think it's a much better movie, as wedding movies go. I generally hate them.

[Sofa King]

Anakin's motivations had more to do with Palpatine being his friend and having important knowledge. Your interpretation would make more sense if Mace was in danger of falling to the dark side.

The main point is that killing a defenseless opponent goes from being wrong to being ok just because it's necessary to the story. Sloppy witting.

[Cronos]

the movie was awesome. To hades with the soulless, irrelegious reviewers -- may the Yarrlacc have them for lunch

[Cronos]

Again, I'm probably one of the few who actually sided with the Sith. I thought it was as good as Empire, which for me is saying a lot

Yup -- plus VAder was / is

k¨µhl

[Cronos]

well R2 and C3P0 go with Princess Leia to Alderaan. They are with her when her ship is attacked over Tatooine and bail out and land in Tatooine where they are captured by Sanddune

[Cronos]

well R2 and C3P0 go with Princess Leia to Alderaan. They are with her when her ship is attacked over Tatooine and bail out and land in Tatooine where they are captured by Sand people

[Cronos]

Froggie movies are pretentious crap with the main theme running thus: character ponders, has sex, ponders, crys, has sex, rails against God/government/wife/tradition, has sex, story ends abruptly.

[Forgiven_Sinner]

“A lot of serious movies come under the heading of well made, but I don't want to see it again. Schindler’s List, for example. There's a Japanese Anime of the same tone — Grave of the Fireflies — that is great, but once is enough.”

“Grave of the Fireflies” (we own it) is the saddest movie I've ever seen. Even Schindler’s list had more hope than that one.
But it is a perfect description of post WW II Japan. We in the US were so busy defeating their government and military, that we forgot that a lot of civilians were caught up in the death of that time.

I like your Freeper of the day tribute in your home page to RadioAstronomer.