Movie Review: STAR WARS I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

Hello, everybody!
I am so sorry that I have been so absent. I had a lot of posts planned for last week, but I had to suddenly go out of town and am finally back.

Anyway, as this is a movie review blog, I should review at least once movie a month, eh? (My minimum is supposed to be three, but that didn't happen). As you can see from the post title, I'm doing a STAR WARS review, and since I only do those on rare occasions, today, March 31st, must be a special day! You are correct in thinking that: it is Ewan McGregor's birthday! He plays Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequels. Also, for some reason a lot of the reviews I've done this year have included him. Huh.

I am reviewing the STAR WARS movies in the way that they are made. If you haven't seen them, I cannot stress enough how important it is to watch them this way!! If you don't, some of the best moments in movies are spoiled. If you are to watch them, do it in this order: IV: A New Hope (1977), V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), I: The Phantom Menace (1999), II: Attack of the Clones (2002), III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), VII: The Force Awakens (2015), & VIII: The Last Jedi (2017). You don't have to watch I, II, & III, because they are not the best, but it is interesting to know the back story.

Enough blabber, I'll get to it! This review today will be a bit longer because I have a lot to say.

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

STAR WARS I: The Phantom Menace (1999):

"A long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away..."
With trouble on Naboo, two Jedi Knights take Queen Amidala away from there to plead the Senate to help her. Their ship being damaged, they land on Tatooine to get supplies. There Qui-Gon Jinn meets Anakin Skywalker, a nine year old slave who is great with mechanics and offers his friendship to the Jedi. Qui-Gon gets himself into a trading agreement that all depends on whether or not Anakin can win a pod race. All the while there is a mysterious figure that seems to be controlling the Senate, who are they?
"You Jedi are too reckless."

Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy.

Length: approx. 136 minutes.

Costumes: 8, there is nothing bad, but (and I think this is the first time that this has happened on this blog), they are a little over the top, but in the wrong places! I would love to see less CGI, but Amidala doesn't need fifteen different crazy outfits, see?

Script: 9,

'"Do you hear that?"

"Yeah."

"That is the sound of a thousand terrible things coming this way."'

Crew:

Directed by: George Lucas.
"There's always a bigger fish."

Written by: George Lucas.

Starring:
Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn.

'"I have a bad feeling about this."

"I don't feel anything."'

Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Natalie Portman as Padmé.

Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker.

Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks.
Hugh Quarshie as Captain Panaka.
Ian McDiarmid as Senator Palpatine.
Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker.
Anthony Daniels as (the voice of) C-3PO.
Kenny Baker as R2-D2.
Frank Oz as (the voice of) Yoda.
Oliver Ford Davies as Sio Bibble.
Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu.
Ray Park as Darth Maul.

Peter Serafinowicz as Darth Maul (voice).
Terence Stamp as Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum.
Silas Carson as Nute Gunray, the Viceroy.
Keira Knightley as Sabé.
Richard Armitage as a Naboo pilot. (He isn't credited, but he's there!).
I was reading the credits and it said: "Jabba the Hutt as Himself". What does this mean?

Cinematography: 6, ugh, there is so much CGI! And it really isn't that good. I get so tired of it. The race is fun, though.

Cinematography by: David Tattersall.

Music: 10!! Oh, I love it!!

Music by: John Williams.

Quotes: 7, "What, do you think you're some kind of Jedi, waving your hand around like that?"

Storyline: 8, there is fighting, and death.
"Greed can be a powerful ally."

Age Range: A 6 year old boy that I babysit loves this movie. Seriously, he watches it all the time. So, he is fine with the violence.

Overall Score: 7.5.

Bonus thoughts:

"Are you brain dead? I'm not going in there with two Jedi." (This cracked me up!)

First off, I want to talk about Jar Jar Binks. I know that a lot of people really criticize him, and I understand that, but it is not Ahmed Best. He does a great job, the best he could have done with Jar Jar (I actually talk in his way a lot, mostly when I'm tired). I don't like Jar Jar Binks, because of the way George Lucas wrote him.
I usually like back story, but these prequels make me so sad! I just know all of what is coming. Speaking of, I hadn't seen this all the way through since the first time, which was in 2015 (and I was sick so I didn't remember a lot). When you rewatch it you cringe because you can see everything that is going to happen, it is so obvious! I know that I couldn't believe that I didn't see it the first time (but, as I said, I was sick, so I was a little foggy).
All in all, there are parts that I like, but I could just cut a lot out because it takes too long. And, I love seeing Ewan McGregor as a young Obi-Wan! He does such a good job.

Thank you so much for reading! Do you have a favorite of the prequels?

MovieCritic

Book vs. Movie Review: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

Hello!
Welcome to the first day of my Blog Costume Party! Today I will be reviewing one of my favorite books. And, this is my favorite costume I have ever had!

Also, I am posting photos from a few years ago and then we were just taking pictures and I didn't consider the possibilities so I had my face uncovered, therefor, I have had to blur these. Sorry about that!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe - by C. S. Lewis

"Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny."
A little girl is transported into the magical world of Narnia by going through a wardrobe. At first the snow all around seems beautiful, but the girl learns that it is cursed to always be snowy. It turns out that she and her siblings are who the people of this world have been waiting for, and things turn to war.
Genre: Fantasy.

Characters: 10! I am not being biased, these characters are so amazing!

My favorites:
Everyone! But, if I have to choose the top 5, they would be:
Aslan: So powerful, so kind, so loving.
Lucy: Her faith is just amazing.
Edmund: He is probably the most relatable.
Peter: He has so much responsibility, and he handles it so well.
Susan: "The gentle", and she is!
Mr. Tumnus: Don't we all love him?

Words: 10! 'It was a full moon, and shining on all the snow, it made everything almost as bright as day -- only the shadows were rather confusing.'

Quotes: 10! "Things never happen the same way twice, dear one."

Notes: It is said that C. S. Lewis based the Professor on J. R. R. Tolkien.

Storyline: 10! There is some fighting and death, but the most important thing about the storyline is that it is an allegory, and a beautiful one at that.

Good For: Everyone everywhere. If you haven't read this book please, please, do!

Overall Score: 10!!!!!

Bonus thoughts: Did I mention that this is one of my favorite books?

(I'm sorry that there aren't as many quotes as usual, I couldn't find the sheet I wrote them all down on! The ones you read here are off of memory. Once I finally find the sheet I will update this.)


VS.


The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (2005):

Based on: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe - by C.S.Lewis
Lucy finds herself in the world of Narnia after hiding in a wardrobe. She befriends a faun named Mr. Tumnus, and everything seems like it is perfect there, but she soon discovers otherwise. The land is cursed in eternal snow, and it turns out that she and her siblings might be able to help end it.

Genre: Fantasy.
Length: approx. 145 minutes.
Costumes: 9. They are all just perfect!
My favorite: You'll see more on Jadis's later, so I won't say any of those. Well, I like this:

Script: 9.

'"I'm just trying to think logically."

"No, you're trying to be smart, as usual."'

Crew:
Directed by: Andrew Adamson
Produced by:
Mark Johnson
Phillip Steuer

Screenplay by:
Ann Peacock
Andrew Adamson
Christopher Markus
Stephen McFeely
Starring:
Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie.

Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie.

William Mosley as Peter Pevensie.

Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie.

Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan.
Tilda Swinton as The White Witch.

James McAvoy as Mr. Tumnus.

Ray Winstone as the voice of Mr. Beaver.

Dawn French as the voice of Mrs. Beaver.
Kiran Shah as Ginarrbrik.
Jim Broadbent as Professor Digory Kirke.

James Cosmo as Father Christmas.
Michael Madsen as the voice of Maugrim.
Elizabeth Hawthorne as Mrs. Macready.

Cinematography: 9, look at this!!!

Cinematography by: Donald McAlpine

Music: 10!! I love it! I even listened to part of it while writing this.

Music by: Harry Gregson-Williams
Oscars won: 1: Best Makeup.

Quotes: 10,
'"Besides, we could all use the fresh air."
"It's not like there isn't air inside."'

Notes: Oh my word. This movie has such nostalgia for me. I have nearly cried several times while watching it.

Ah! My heart! I can't even...

Storyline: 8! As I said, there is war so fighting and death, but once again, this has a very powerful allegory.
There are only a few small differences from the book: they added some things, took one or two things out, but really not that much, and it would have all fit in the book. And the actors don't look as the characters are described, but they all play the parts so perfectly that it makes up for it.

Good For: EVERYONE!

Overall Score: 9.5!!

Bonus thoughts: A favorite!

The book wins!

"Bow down for the queen of Narnia!" - Thoughts on the Jadis, the White Witch.

From the book.

Played by Tilda Swinton.

Her preferred title: Her Imperial Majesty, Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands
Jadis is described as 7 feet tall and has skin as white as paper.
She is very greedy as she always wants more and more power. Whatever it takes, she will do it.
She is called the white witch because she cast Narnia into eternal winter. This really worked for my costume because I love snow!!

About my costume:

As I said above, this is my favorite costume I have ever had. And one of the things that is so impressive about it is that we (my mom and I) came up with it pretty much on the spot without any planning. It is kind of a combination of all of Tilda Swinton's outfits. Also, I had a cold that day so I was very pale.

What do you think? Who looks more like the White Witch?

Thank you so much for reading! Come back tomorrow to see who my sisters dress up as!

MovieCritic