Star Wars

Title: Star Wars (a.k.a. Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope, 1977)
Director: George Lucas
Starring: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
Rank: 13

To all of you out there who are over twenty-five and still get a rush of glee at the thought of adding another piece to your action figure collection, to anyone who makes electronic sounds as they mime swordplay, to anyone who has ever been called a scruffy-looking nerf herder- you owe a debt of thanks to George Lucas.

I know there are several people out there who would throw out AFI's list without hesitation had Star Wars not been included. Of course, it's on there, and in the top 15 nonetheless! And with good cause, too. Any self-proclaimed film buff, sci-fi fanatic, or cultural history major would be mocked if they had never seen at least one (often times, if they had not seen ALL) of the films from the Star Wars franchise.

But what makes Star Wars such a cherished piece of cinematic history? Several things, actually. It could be the epic battle scenes in space, the hot princess, the clever dialogue, or the memorable characters and special effects. Really, though, Star Wars is great because it's a story about the underdog defeating a monster much bigger than himself by just having faith.

Underdog stories are always a hit, especially when the underdog comes out on top, because we all feel like we are the underdog at times. The world is big, and we are just one person, and sometimes it may feel like we make no difference. Get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, get up, go to work, come home, pay taxes, go to bed. Lather, rinse, repeat. We are just one little, replaceable cog in the wheels of the world. But when we see someone who is, as we often feel ourselves to be, an unlikely hero stand up for what is truly right and come out ahead, we feel hope, and a deep satisfaction that someone was able to "stick it to the man." I know I don't need to tell any of you what happens in Star Wars (and if I do, then it's time to take a day off work and watch the films, but don't worry I won't tell anyone), I'm sure many of you are more familiar with the details that I am.

Not only is it an underdog story, but Star Wars also has a political consciousness. The Rebels fighting against the Empire is essentially the "everyman" fighting against the corrupted government. Especially with the current state of things, the government has always taken criticism from the citizens. The government is big and powerful, and often it feels as though we just have to sit back and take whatever they decide to dish out. But, like Luke, Leia, Han Solo, and the rest of the Rebel Alliance, we do have power. Binding together and standing up for what is right is one of the most amazing things a group of people can do. Even the little things can make a difference in morality, and encourage us to never give up.

Star Wars also deals a lot with faith in oneself, in the form of the Force. Luke cannot defeat the Death Star with the computer, but when he closes his eyes and takes that leap of faith, he is triumphant! It isn't until we believe in ourselves that we can accomplish anything. If you believe you can do it, then you can, regardless if anyone else believes you can. As Yoda said "Do or do not; there is no try."

Star Wars is a legacy to film and fandom. No other series has been admired, parodied, or referenced in other films as much as Star Wars films have. I could list pages of projects that have taken inspiration from the Star Wars franchise (Spaceballs, anyone? Or how about FanBoys?), endless arguments of Star Wars vs. Star Trek, and hundreds of thousands of people out there who share the hero's name that have constantly heard the line "Luke, I am your father" throughout their lives.

Thank you, George Lucas, for making it cool to be a nerd. And to all my readers out there, may the Force be with you!




Movies to Go: 79

Network

Title: Network (1976)
Director: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall
Rank: 64

There is a great debate on whether people are naturally good and turn evil, or are inherently bad and must over come it to become pleasant and kind. In Network, all of the characters seem to have an easy enough time doing evil deeds. Extra-marital affairs, cheating others for profit, and even murder, all because of television ratings.

It is interesting to see the lengths people will go to gain something for themselves, whether they want power, money, fame, or all three of them. Some people will do anything for success, without regard for the feelings and well-being of others. At one point or another, everyone gets selfish and does things that aren't the most honorable to benefit themselves. It is tempting to do mischievous things to get what we want, and people willing to do those things are not in short supply. Especially with the economy in the state it is right now, there are people who are doing some pretty sleazy things for money, scamming defenseless people who still have trust in humanity.

Lying, cheating, stealing, and all those other sinful doings are, sadly, not uncommon in this world. We tend to not trust others until we get to know them because of personal experiences and stories we hear from others and on the news. It is hard to know who to trust and who not to trust, especially since it is so easy to lie these days- people can become anyone on the internet. (How do you know I am really a 23-year-old woman living in Southern California? For all you really know, I could be a 97-year-old man living in Scandinavia, or even a purple horse who has been given fingers to type and the ability to speak English from a old wizard who owed him a favor. You never really know!)

In Network, everyone speaks with such an eloquent quality and in educated language, even when the scene is intense. There is a scene in which Max Schumacher (played by Holden) tells his wife (played by Beatrice Straight) that he is having an affair. Mrs. Schumacher gives this speech to him, ever so eloquently, and the final line is this: "I'm your wife, damn it. And, if you can't work up a winter passion for me, the least I require is respect and allegiance. I hurt. Don't you understand that? I hurt badly." If I had just found out my husband was cheating on me, I would use much harsher words towards him than "winter passion" and "respect and allegiance." This use of vivid language makes it that much easier for people to do deceptive things. Hitler, for example, was a very good speaker and very convincing of his points, even though the things he did were absolutely appalling. We must be cautious of falling victim to people like this, because it is these people who can sway the most followers and do the most damage.

It often astonishes me to hear about the deceitful things that people do to each other. Sometimes it is hard not to completely lose faith in humanity when we see stories like Network or watch the evening news, but there are still plenty of good people out there. Unfortunately, they don't always get as much attention as the ones who do dirty deeds. Perhaps we need to shift our focus and praise more of the good and leave out a little more of the bad. Think positive, be positive.

Trivia: (source: IMDb)
•Won 4 Oscars (1977): Best Screenplay (Paddy Chayefsky), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Faye Dunaway), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Peter Finch), and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Beatrice Straight).
•Peter Finch became the first actor to receive an award in an acting category posthumously.



Movies to Go: 92

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