Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - #1

Empire top 301: #1

IMDb top 250: #12

Rating 10/10

Director: Irvin Kershner

Writers: George Lucas, Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Alec Guinness, James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams, Frank Oz & David Prowse

"Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf herder."

The Galactic Empire, under the leadership of the evil Lord Darth Vader, is in pursuit of Luke Skywalker and the rest of the Rebel Alliance. While Vader chases Han Solo & Princess Leia Organa aboard the Millennium Falcon across the galaxy, Luke travels to the Dagobah system to learn the ways of the Force under Jedi Master Yoda. But when Vader captures Luke's friends, Luke must decide whether to complete his training and become a full Jedi Knight or to confront Vader and save his comrades.

How do you top a film as good as A New Hope...that's easy, you make The Empire Strikes Back. The best instalment of the Star Wars saga and in my opinion the greatest movie ever made. Set three years after the destruction of the Death Star, The Empire Strikes Back is straight into the action with an amazing battle sequence on the planet Hoth. This is beautifully done with some amazing special effects. The AT-AT walkers are genius and one of my favourite vehicles from the Star Wars universe. 

The writing in The Empire Strikes Back is fantastic, especially for the Han and Leia scenes. The on screen chemistry between Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher is great, both during the arguing and romantic scenes. The story also gives the characters and cast more to do, and separating Luke from the group to begin his training on Dagobah is perfect as it allows for more character development for everyone. 

In addition, to the already great list of Star Wars characters another three where added in The Empire Strikes Back. Lando Calrissian an untrustworthy, ruthless charmer who makes a deal with the Empire to ensure his dodgy dealings will fly under the radar. Billy Dee Williams is perfectly cast as Lando, all smooth yet conniving. Yoda, the Jedi Master who taught Obi-Wan. You're expect some sort of large warrior but instead, you get a tiny green being who lives on a swamp land. But it really works! This is puppetry at it's best and Frank Oz is amazing, when you watch The Empire Strikes Back Yoda isn't a puppet, he's real! You feel everything he says, this puppet has emotion and he is better here and in Jedi than his CGI form in the prequels. 

Finally, there is the coolest  guy in the galaxy, Bounty Hunter Boba Fett. Boba Fett has the best Star Wars costume, hands down, he has a jet-pack and the design of the helmet is just AWESOME! In addition, he has the second best ship, after the Millennium Falcon. Slave I is a beautiful design! Boba Fett isn't afraid to stand up to Darth Vader and is just a general bad ass! Unfortunately, in the re-releases Lucas decided to change Boba's original voice - provided by Jason Wingreen - to that of Temuera Morrison who portrayed Jango Fett in Attack of The Clones and this was a silly idea. It just doesn't sound right! 

The beauty of The Empire Strikes Back is it's gut punching finale. First Han is frozen in carbonite and given to Boba Fett leaving his fate unknown. That's not before delivering one of the greatest movie moments ever with just two words "I know". Brilliant! Then we get one of the greatest movie twists ever with the reveal that Darth Vader is Luke's father. There's no happy ending here!

Mark Hamill really delivers in The Empire Strikes Back, he is much improved from A New Hope and his performance is nothing short of amazing, considering for most of it he was acting to a puppet or a tin can (R2-D2). Harrison and Carrie are both equally fantastic in Episode V from their opening scenes on Hoth right through to their final moments together at Cloud City. They're arguing scenes are so well written and funny and played brilliantly, you can feel the sexual tension. I often wonder if it boiled over away from the camera's! I think it probably did. 

It's here in The Empire Strikes Back that I also really fell in love with C3-P0. When I was a kid I always found him to be rather annoying, but now I absolutely love him and genuinely believe the films wouldn't be what they are without that character. He's the comic relief that's needed when the rest of the story is so dark. 

The Empire Strikes Back is my number one favourite movie of all time! Love, Love, Love It!!

Raging Bull (1980) - #69

Empire top 301: #69
IDMb top 250: #102

Rating 9/10

Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Paul Schrader & Mardik Martin
Starring: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty

"You didn't get me down, Ray"

As a film lover it shocks even myself that I have never seen Raging Bull. A film so highly regarded by anyone who has seen it. I think probably the main reason I haven't seen this movie is I'm not a huge fan of sports movies! I'm not a huge fan of sports, period! My dad recently bought the 30th Anniversary Blu-ray addition and last night I decided to watch and kick off this blog.

Going into the movie I knew nothing about Jake La Motta or boxing, turns out I didn't need to. Whilst a boxing movie there isn't a whole lot of boxing scenes, but what boxing scenes they are! They are so beautifully shot and edited, I felt every punch. I loved the shot after La Motta takes a beating from Sugar Ray during their final fight and the camera pans to show the blood dripping from the ropes whilst the real life commentary from that fight plays over it. It's perfect.

This is more a character piece than a boxing movie and the acting from De Niro, Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci is truly amazing. In fact to me De Niro isn't acting, he is his character. A character I actually routed for yet found completely unlikeable. His performance is so layered, a violent and confident man in the ring but one consumed with jealousy and insecurities outside of a it. I felt the emotions behind his eyes! His physical transformation is also unbelievable, to put on all that weight in the name of art! Maybe, his greatest performance ever!

The subtlety in which Cathy Moriarty plays Vickie with is superb and all the more impressive when I learnt she was only 19 when playing the role and this was her first film! The looks Vickie gives to Jake, it seems as though she liked pushing his buttons, she liked making him jealous. There were times during the movie I wanted her to explode and play it loud and over the top but thinking about it now, that wouldn't have worked, she played it just right.

It's a disgrace to the Academy that this movie lost out to Ordinary People (?) at the Oscars in 1981 in both Best Director and Best Picture category's. Robert Redford was obviously Hollywood Golden Boy at the time! However the Academy did get it right by having enough sense to give De Niro the Oscar for Best Actor. It was fully deserved.

This is a beautifully shot and acted movie and kept me entertained throughout it's 2hr running time. A must see!