Movie Review: ****Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

  In this movie the whole unierse descends into chaos.  The emperor AKA Darth Sidious, (Ian McDiarmid) thrives on chaos.  He uses his influence over Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) to bring about his transformation into a powerful Sith Lord.  Anakin does unspeakable things, including the murder of children and women, the Sand People in the last movie, and the younglings in training at the Jedi temple in this movie.  He also dispenses with Count Dooku.  Sidious gives Anakin bad dreams about the demise of his wife, Padme (Natalie Portman) in childbirth.  Anakin is determined not to let her die, and is willing to delve into the dark side to save her.  He is also part of the demise of Mace Windu (Samuel Jackson) who had Sidious, until Anakin intervened.  In the end, the clones turn on the Jedi, as Sidious had planned.  Yoda (Frank Oz) and Sidious meet in a great battle.  At the same time, Obi Wan (Ewan McGregor) faces Anakin in an epoch battle.  Anakin’s action do just the opposite of what he intended; he injures her instead of saving her.  The Jedi go into hiding, and the universe falls into the control of the Galactic Empire. 

I still don’t like the character of Anakin Skywalker, who is dead as Darth Vader emerges.  However I love Yoda, and Mace Windu.  And the line where Kenobi informs Anakin that he has the high ground, that further battle is pointless. 

Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones

This movie starts with an impressive explosion, and it doesn't let go.  There are the cloners, and Jenga Fett (Temuera Morrison) as the bounty hunter and gene supply for the clones.  Obi Wan (Ewan McGregor) continues in his roll of training Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen).  the most complex roll is that of Anakin, and I don't know if anyone could pull this off 100 percent, but Anakin has to go from a little boy, to Darth Vader in three easy steps.  Sometimes he comes off as a whining spoiled brat.  Padme (Natalie Portman) puts up with his antics, and in fact falls in love with him.  The wed secretly to end this episode.  Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) is here again.  He is leading the separatist, under the direction of Lord Sidious/Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).  He is such a manipulator, and in fact the Clone Army, which saves the empire, is just that, a big manipulation.  However the Clones are able to save our heroes from certain death at the hands of the drone army.  There is a cameo part of the owner of a cantina.  He is such a fascinating characters.  "Cloners!" is a line so well given.  I don't know if this character was computer generated or not but it was voiced by Ronald Falk.  After Dooku defeats Anakin and Obi Wan, we get to see Yoda in action with his light saber.  It is fun to see him bouncing around.  Story is again provided by George Lucas.

Movie Review: Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

In my opinion, the prequel trilogy is not near as good as the three originally made.  That being said, The Phantom Menace has lots going for it.  In this series, we are introduced to a whole new cast of characters,  The holdouts are Darth Sidious/Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker; later Darth Vader (Jake Lloyd) as a boy; and then Yoda (Frank Oz) in a smaller roll.  Two Jedi, Obi Wan and his master, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neesom) head to a planet to help with negotiations, and land in the middle of a droid army invasion.  Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) is able to escape with the Jedi.  They end up stranded on Tatooine, the Luke Skywalker planet.  Her they meet Anakin and his mother Shmi (Pernilla August).  they are both slaves.  However Anakin has a skill which leads to his freedom, and the Jedi being able to repair their ship.  This is a racing sport, unlike any we have seen, as big chariots, pulled by two engines each, race around the sand dunes.  This race is very dangerous.  To this cast of characters, we add Darth Maul (Ray Park), a Sith Lord.  He challenges the Jedi on a couple of occasions, and Tatooine, and then back on Naboo.  There are two people that live on Naboo.  Queen Amidala only represents half.  In the ocean lives another sentient culture, and it is only with their aide, that the people of Naboo can defeat the droids.  Both peoples must overcome pride to except help from the other.  Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) befriends the Jedi, but is not on good terms with his own people due to his clumsiness.  All tis leads to a classic battle involving Anakin, the Jedi against Darth Maul, and the people of Naboo against the droid army. 
This is a very creative film.  Especially with the sand  racers.  Star Wars keeps introducing us to new worlds and situations, and is always a good ride. 

Movie Review: ***Thor: The Dark World (2013)

This is the second movie based on the character Thor (Chris Hemsworth) not included "The Avengers."  This movie is two years after the original Thor.  Thor has not been back to see his love interest, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).  She has been sad.  However, when she sees what appears to be a break through in astro-physics, some strange phenomenon, she decides to investigate.  She gets pulled into some kind of a vortex, and in doing so a strange power of the dark elves enters her.  She also makes it to Aasgard, where she is considered an enemy because she possesses this weapon.
The dark elves feel she has stolen their power, and are determined to capture her.  They attack Aasgard, which is almost successful except for the queen, who sacrifices herself to save Foster.  Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor's adopted brother, provided key information to the attackers.
However it is Loki who holds the key to success when Thor, Foster and Loki go to confront the dark elves.  Loki appears to have sacrificed himself for Thor's benefit.  The fight ends up on earth, because of the alignment of the planets.  Foster and her astro-physics friends find a way to send the dark elves back to where they came from.  Thor has a big battle with the lead elf.
This movie is not my favorite in the Avenger series.  The astro-physics stuff is over my head.  The filming of battle scenes in the dark world were too dark to know what was happening.  In the end, most of it was a convoluted mess.  Even thought Tony likes most of the Avengers, he was not interested in Thor saying he doesn't like Thor.  After watching I can understand why.  However the first we saw at the theater, and it was more enjoyable.

Marvel Universe

Movie Review: ***^ Thor

"Thor" was entertaining.  It is interesting how the conflict in the world of Thor spills over to the rural community on Earth.  Chris Hemsworth stars as Thor, and Natalie Portman as the scientist who falls in love with him.  It is sad how he lost his girl in the end.  But wasn't that hammer something great.  I still am not sure if the brother was all evil or misguided or what.  Also the play of fish out of water, (Thor is cast out of Aasgard to Earth) and encountering the new fish was very entertaining.  Natalie Portman is always beautiful.

Marvel Universe