Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)

"Search your feelings, father. You can't do this. I feel the conflict within you! Let go of your hate!" Luke Skywalker

Once you get past the silliness at the beginning, this film is freaking amazing. The original Star Wars films were so good at expanding the universe every chance they got. Three films in and we're still seeing new planets, new species, and new ways of living. I think that this film is so well done. The pacing is great and the story is all coming together and we've still only hit the tip of the iceberg with how large this universe is. My favorite thing about this film is Luke. He's such a strong-willed person. It is his strong will and his belief is what's right that bring Anakin back from the Dark Side. I think that Anakin truly admires his son and who he grew up to be. He admires his ability to stand up for what is right and to keep true regardless of the adversity presented to him. I think that's what ultimately brought Anakin back. Not seeing his son tortured and almost killed, but seeing his son stand back up despite being tortured and almost killed. Luke also teaches Anakin that things don't have to be all about hate. He teaches him that you can be angry because of your love for someone, and that love is what actually makes a person strong. (Basically, Anakin was the biggest pessimist ever and Luke taught him that the glass could be half full.) Let's also talk about how brilliant everything on Endor is. The visuals are lush and bright. The battles are well conceived, effective and easy to watch. Han getting all emo and telling Leia that he'll step aside was pretty frustrating and felt very middle-school, but of course everything ends happily. This is my favorite film in the Star Wars series to date, and I definitely think that everyone should watch the original trilogy at least to see this film and how brilliant it really is.

Rank: 52