The Phantom Menace

I have very vivid memories of seeing The Phantom Menace with my friend Tony on opening day when it was first released.  We were able to get advance tickets but, because seats were not assigned back in the day, we decided to go really early to make sure we got good ones.  When we got to the theater the line was already stretched out to the parking lot (we still got good seats) but it was so much fun because the anticipation and excitement were palpable!  I remember how thrilling it was to hear the instantly recognizable fanfare while watching a new opening crawl!  I almost couldn't contain myself!  Tony and I (and the rowdy crowd we saw it with) really liked it and we were surprised by the critical response because it sets up the characters Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Palpatine to become who they are in the original trilogy in a really intriguing way and it is dazzling to look at (there has been a big reassessment of the prequel trilogy in recent years but I always liked them).  Episode I is now back in theaters in honor of its 25th Anniversary and it was so much fun to see it on the big screen again last night with a large crowd!  Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) are assigned to negotiate the end of the Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo but are unable to prevent the invasion of the planet.  They eventually rescue the young queen, Amidala (Natalie Portman), and escape but are forced to land on Tatooine for engine repairs.  There they meet a young slave named Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) who helps them get the parts they need.  He also makes a big impression on Qui-Gon who arranges for his release.  They travel to Coruscant where Amidala and Palpatine (Iam McDiarmid), the senator from Naboo, hope to plead their case to the Senate only to discover that the blockade is just the beginning a sinister plot by the long dormant Sith to control the galaxy.  This is a movie that definitely should be seen on the big screen because the worldbuilding and visuals are so spectacular, especially the architecture on Naboo, the underwater world of the Gungun, and the senate chamber on Coruscant, and the sound design during the podrace is absolutely epic.  The action sequences are impressive, particularly the aforementioned podrace, the battle against the droid army, the gunfight in the throne room, and the starfighter battle against the droid control ship.  It also features what is widely considered to be the best lightsaber duel in the entire series when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan fight Darth Maul (accompanied by "Duel of the Fates" which is one of my favorite pieces from all of the Star Wars soundtracks).  Neeson has a suitably imposing presence as the Jedi Master and I think McGregor is an entirely believable younger version of Obi-Wan as portrayed by Alec Guinness.  Lloyd's performance as Anakin has been much maligned but the farewell scene with his mother is genuinely heartbreaking (and really sets his path to the dark side in motion).  Some of the characters are still problematic (although Jar Jar Binks isn't as annoying as I remember him) and the dialogue is really clunky but it is definitely worth seeing while it is back in theaters (especially if you have never seen it on the big screen).