L(ive) D(osage) 50: Live in Peoria

Starring:Mudvayne
Studio: Sony
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

justin sucks
As moving as watching a snake shed its skin
Chains of Redemption
Oh, Grow Up...
"I aim to cure you of your wickedness"

Black Snake Moan
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson , Christina Ricci , Justin Timberlake , S. Epatha Merkerson , and John Cothran Jr.
Director: Craig Brewer
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000PY52EU
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

The lurid scenario--a nymphomaniacal white trash nymphet (Christina Ricci) is held prisoner by a bitter bluesman (Samuel L. Jackson)--gives way to an affecting tale of redemption in Black Snake Moan, writer/director Craig Brewer's follow-up to the acclaimed Hustle & Flow. Lazarus (Jackson, Jungle Fever, Pulp Fiction) finds Rae (Ricci, Monster, The Ice Storm) beaten unconscious on the road in front of his backwoods house. After bringing her inside, he learns of her wanton ways and decides to exorcise his own demons by curing Rae of her sexual compulsion. Black Snake Moan could have been terrible, but Brewer takes his story seriously enough to dig into the genuine emotions of such a situation (though along the way he certainly flirts with sexploitation overtones--several scenes look like they were plucked straight out of a hitherto unknown 1970s trash classic). Ricci, Jackson, and the supporting cast (including pop star Justin Timberlake, giving a surprisingly good performance as Rae's boyfriend) treat the characters with respect, honesty, and humor. The result is off-kilter and maybe a little too fond of its sleazy cinematic forbears to truly hit the emotional notes it's after, but Black Snake Moan has considerably more substance than its marketing would suggest. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Black Snake Moan

The Soundtrack
More Music Stars on DVD
More DVDs with Samuel L. Jackson

Stills from Black Snake Moan (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

justin sucks.......2007-07-08

If you want to watch this movie simply becuase J.T. is in it, you're making a big mistake. He has a maybe 20 minutes of screen time 15 of which he is crying. he is simply a pretty boy in a tough guy role and I didnt believe his performance for one minuete.

As moving as watching a snake shed its skin.......2007-07-07

Let me say up front that I love Samuel L. Jackson's movies as well as Christina Ricci's. However, this is not one of them. Black Snake Moan had potential, but the film seemed content only to slither toward the tall grass of absurdity.

First, Black Snake Moan failed to deliver the goods due to cartoonish characterizations, particularly Ricci's over-the-top portrayal of a nymphomaniac. Second, the obvious mismatch of social, cultural and historical realities in this film was just too distracting for Black Snake Moan to be taken seriously.

Third, although Jackson did his best to sing the Blues, he just doesn't have what it takes. This wannabe Blues film would have been much imporved if Jackson's singing was dubbed over with the Bluesman Alvin Youngblood Hart's voice. After all, Hart was already contributing to the film, anyway. Last, Son House was shown in two short film clips imparting earthy wisdom, but sadly not a bar of his powerful, soulful voice resonated in this psuedo Bluesy film. What a gaffe.

Chains of Redemption.......2007-07-06

This had to be a marketing nightmare for the execs at Paramount. The image most people had that I spoke to at the time of it's release was that this was a film about a black man who chains a white girl to his radiator. Lurid bondage images ensue. I can imagine this tag would repel black audiences as well as white. Though I've been a fan of both Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci for years my wife refused to see the movie with me when it was in theatres. Paramount doesn't help it's cause by reinforcing this image in it's cover art. This will probably turn out to be one of the best films of the year. Let's put things in context. Lazarus (Jackson) is experiencing a personal crisis because his wife recently left him for his brother. Rae (Ricci) is a young woman with deep psychological wounds whose G.I. boyfriend Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) is shipping off. Lazarus salves his sadness with booze. Rae also engages in self destructive behavior not the least wanton promiscuity. After a night of loose behavior with a bunch of rowdies Rae is picked up by Ronnie's best friend and subsequently beaten and left for dead on Lazarus' farm. Upon finding a semi-conscious Rae, Lazarus attempts to nurse her back to health. Lazarus, a god fearing man, subsequently finds out about Rae's reputation and in a drunken fever chains Rae to his radiator. It is Lazarus' feeble attempt to reform Rae. Not to give anything away Lazarus' eventually has an epiphany and realizes you cannot enforce morality but you can set an example. It is then that the true bond between Lazarus and Rae grows. There is a real love between the two and they have a redemptive influence on each other. In other words they heal each other's wounds. The film also emphasizes the healing influence of the polar opposites, religion and music, mainly the blues. You won't find a more beautiful scene than the one where Rae sings "Let it Shine" at the knee of Lazarus as he strums his guitar. "Black Snake Moan" is one of the more daring and provocative films in years. Though it's rough going at times there is a morality at it's center. Credit director Craig Brewer for tackling challenging material and making it work. Jackson, who I always admired for taking ambitious roles, may have given the performance of his career. This isn't hyperbole. You have to see it to believe it. Ricci is just as good here. Timberlake also gives a sympathetic turn here as the anxiety-ridden Ronnie. "Black Snake Moan" is a film that should not be forgotten.

Oh, Grow Up..........2007-07-04

It's like a bright 12th-grader, having read a little Welty, O'Connor and Faulkner, somehow snagged a budget for a Hollywood film. The images are all there, but there's no feeling for what they really mean, so it's all surfaces, explicaton and cliches. We get Nobody Grows Them Butterbeans Like Ol' Lazarus, Who Don't Play Them Blues No More, and a gaggle of characters wanting to seem deeper than they really are.

Just for starters, Samuel L. Jackson is a foot taller than Christina Ricci. One of his button-down shirts would cover her up, but that doesn't happen for more than an hour, because this is a film, landscapes only go so far, and there needs to be some eye candy to set against all that preachin' and standin' around. Okay, fine, it's a fable--I mean, after all, that chain is over the top, and it would never, ever happen that way--but then in the extras, Craig Brewer, the writer/director, asserts that the radiator is a metaphor for basic values that ground us.

Um, no. Mixing fable with dirty realism isn't new, but it doesn't work here, because Brewer hops lazily between the two genres rather than fusing them together. Brewer might have wanted more, but to the viewer, the radiator is just the radiator, and for all the staging, the attempt at a story of love and redemption really doesn't lift beyond a fairly creepy madonna/whore redemption fantasy. For better examples of what Brewer was trying to do, take another look at two Jim Mangold films: Walk The Line, which merged fable and biopic, and Heavy, which essentially takes Black Snake Moan north to New York state, and packs a bigger punch.

Lots of aspirations in Black Snake Moan, some good acting, and very good cinematography, but immature writing kills the film.

"I aim to cure you of your wickedness".......2007-07-04

Read it an weep, and with that one line of absolution spoken by Sam Jackson, Black Snake Moan takes you on a journey of faith, salvation, redemption and forgiveness of the two main characters Lazarus and Rea, two people who have suffered and endured hard times throughout their lives. Lazarus is trying to come to terms with his wife of 12 years leaving him for his younger brother. Rea is a woman who has suffered unmentionable sexual abuse since her childhood and therefore acts out the part for others to prey upon her. One night after a night of hard, careless partying she is beaten and left for dead on the road near Lazarus's house. Not knowing what to do but help her, Lazarus takes it upon himself to bring Rea back to health, only to discover that she has far deeper scars and problems than the physical ones left on her face. He is then determined to make her well, and through his faith,and belief that "God saw fit to have us cross paths" he does so the only way he knows how. The two ultimately develop a friendship under unusual circumstances, and through music which Lazarus has sworn off for so long, the two heal one another while unknowingly shedding their demons. The cords struck by Sam Jackson playing "Black Snake Moan" will resonate through you and send chills down your spine, which also turns out to be the turning point between the two characters in the film. This was a fantastic film I thoroughly enjoyed with Sam Jackson and Christina Ricci. My only disappointment was that Justin Timberlake was cast in this film, but fortunately with his roughly 10 minutes of screen time I can tolerate it. The soundtrack is phenomenal, and if you are as big a blues fan as I am, both the soundtrack and DVD are well worth purchasing. Sam Jackson is one of those rare actors that his on screen presence demands your full attention.Truely a tallented actor, Jackson took it upon himself to learn how to play guitar for this very film.The music in this film tells as much about this story as the dialog does,almost as an additional character playing alongside everyone else.Ricci is another tallented actress with a bright future by taking roles that get her noticed while graduating out of the kiddie roles she is most remembered for.Black Snake Moan delivers superb acting both by Jackson and Ricci, a fantastic and originally written story with a soundtrack to carry it every step of the way. I highly recommend this film, seeing is believing.

Average customer rating:

The case of the defense lawyer that skirts the law
Childhood memories
Can we get these released faster please?!
TIMELESS TV
Perry Mason --- Second Year

Perry Mason - Season 2, Vol. 1
Starring: Ray Collins , and Karl Held
Director: Francis D. Lyon , Gerald Mayer , Jerry Hopper , Jack Arnold , and John Peyser
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Perry Mason - Season 1, Vol. 2
Mission: Impossible - The Second TV Season
Perry Mason - Season 1, Vol. 1
Ironside - The Complete First Season
Columbo - Mystery Movie Collection, 1989

ASIN: B000O59A52
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

There's something about Perry! Perry Mason, as a canny 14-year-old remarks in the episode "The Case of the Pint-Sized Client," is "the best lawyer in town." Here's the evidence. In 15 chronological second-season episodes from the classic series by which all lawyer shows are judged, Los Angeles attorney Perry Mason successfully defends a host of clients so seemingly guilty that Nancy Grace would have had them incarcerated by the first commercial break. Created by Erle Stanley Gardner, Mason was already a popular character in books, films, and radio before coming to television in 1957, and Raymond Burr, usually typecast as a heavy in feature films, did Mason justice (Mason was ranked 28th on the Bravo network's list of television's 100 best characters). Punctuating his sentences with that dramatic intake of breath, Burr's Mason exudes gravitas and expertise. He gets capable support from Barbara Hale as his secretary, Della Street, and William Hopper as private detective Paul Drake.

In what may be television's most thankless role, William Talman costars as district attorney Hamilton Burger, who nearly every week loses what looked to be an open-and-shut case, usually as the result of some dramatic surprise witness (in one episode, a parrot!), an unorthodox legal maneuver, or a cross-examination courtroom confession ("I didn't mean to kill him, your honor"). There is no delving into Mason's private life, although one episode hints at Mason being something of a ladies man. When Della suggestively tells him a new client is in his waiting room, he replies, "Blonde or brunette?" Cleverly plotted, and infused with a palpable noir sensibility , Perry Mason holds up as more than TV Land nostalgia, although it is fun to see such familiar faces as Jesse "the Maytag Repairman" White, Edgar Buchanan (Petticoat Junction), and Joseph Kearns and Herbert Anderson from Dennis the Menace. No extras, but these entertaining episodes will definitely please the court. --Donald Liebenson

Customer Reviews:

The case of the defense lawyer that skirts the law.......2007-07-08

This is a series of programs based a character in the writings of Erle Stanley Gardner. The CBS TV series stretched form 1957 through 1966.

Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is a defense lawyer who is always thought of after it is too late for him to save the defendant from being accused of murder. Supporting Perry is his trusty more than friendly but professional secretary Della Street (Barbara Hale). And their trusty and sneaky privat investigator Paul Drake (William DeWolf Hopper, Son of the actress-turned-gossip-columnist Hedda Hopper). On the other side of the courtroom is the district attorney Hamilton Burger (William Talman) assisted by the not so neutral Homicide Lt. Arthur Tragg (Ray Collins).

You wonder how they get away with manufacturing evidence and the defendant usually has foot in mouth. Then there are the signature courtroom demonstrations.

Be sure to re-watch these programs as you can then see at even in TV programs they can sprinkle in subtle clues.

The was a mad magazine mock that had a boy scout immediately confess from the back of the courtroom upon seeing Perry mason.

Many of the subsequent programs allowed many TV actors of the time to become different characters and even replace the Burger and Tragg characters. You find yourself not only trying to outguess Mason but also saying "Hey I saw that actor in..."

Even though the characters are from Erle Stanley Gardner the actual programs are written by many different TV writers of the day.

I have on occasion read some of the Erle Stanly Gardner Mason's and they are closely related. The TV version has a few less characters and has to write in some of our favorites.

The DVD's themselves usually have four episodes with a glaring lack of the extras that are so popular nowadays. The plus is that there are no advertisements.

Childhood memories.......2007-07-04

Growing up I enjoyed Perry Mason and still watch the Hallmark movie series. Even though the shows are black and white, you don't really notice as you watch how Perry solves some of the most bizarre cases on record - like the one of the perjured parrot.

Can we get these released faster please?!.......2007-07-03

I waited for years for "Perry Mason" to be released on DVD and I'm ecstatic that Paramount Home Video has finally begun to do it! These box sets are beautiful and the remastered picture and sound quality of the show is so much better than the episodes that are broadcast on my local TV station. Now, my only request is that PHV speed up the releases. If they're going to continue with the 2 volumes per season sequence and release only 1 season per year it's going to take 9 whole years to completely release this great series. I can't wait that long! Please Paramount, how about releasing two box sets at a time, meaning two seasons per year? Universal did this with Seasons 3 and 4 of Miami Vice and it was great.

TIMELESS TV.......2007-07-02

With all of the cast excepting Della now dead, it is pleasant to return to those times. I began watching Perry Mason on TV when yet in high school and after military service and college he was yet on TV!

After purchasing the first two DVD sets can still feel happy about purchasing them, and will get this one too. I not only watch the shows but read the books, just recently finishing The Case of the Caretaker's Cat. The Persian cat of that book was named 'Clinker' but none of the TV shows, however, can be called that!

Great TV from long ago, and for me growing up in the 1950's, it's fun to revisit a world of cars, clothes, and people that other than in these shows, no longer exist. Perry and the gang are than actors and in many ways seem to have become our welcome friends.

Semper Fi.

Perry Mason --- Second Year.......2007-06-27

My wife's favorite and she can't wait until the second half of year 2 comes out. Good production values and the programs have aged well. Outstanding entertainment IF you are a fan of the series.

Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Star Wars Rocks!
"So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause."
STAR WARS It's Best.
An EPIC end to the Star Wars EPIC
Star wars Fanatic

Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Ahmed Best , David Bowers (II) , Silas Carson , Keisha Castle-Hughes , and Hayden Christensen
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JLXH
Release Date: 2005-11-01

Amazon.com

Ending the most popular film epic in history, Star Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the Sith is an exciting, uneven, but ultimately satisfying journey. Picking up the action from Episode II, Attack of the Clones as well as the animated Clone Wars series, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), pursue General Grievous into space after the droid kidnapped Supreme Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).

The Star Wars Family Tree (click for larger image)

It's just the latest maneuver in the ongoing Clone Wars between the Republic and the Separatist forces led by former Jedi turned Sith Lord Count Dooku (Christopher Lee). On another front, Master Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz) leads the Republic's clone troops against a droid attack on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. All this is in the first half of Episode III, which feels a lot like Episodes I and II. That means spectacular scenery, dazzling dogfights in space, a new fearsome villain (the CGI-created Grievous can't match up to either Darth Maul or the original Darth Vader, though), lightsaber duels, groan-worthy romantic dialogue, goofy humor (but at least it's left to the droids instead of Jar-Jar Binks), and hordes of faceless clone troopers fighting hordes of faceless battle droids.

But then it all changes.

Star Wars Time Line (click for larger image)

After setting up characters and situations for the first two and a half movies, Episode III finally comes to life. The Sith Lord in hiding unleashes his long-simmering plot to take over the Republic, and an integral part of that plan is to turn Anakin away from the Jedi and toward the Dark Side of the Force. Unless you've been living under a rock the last 10 years, you know that Anakin will transform into the dreaded Darth Vader and face an ultimate showdown with his mentor, but that doesn't matter. In fact, a great part of the fun is knowing where things will wind up but finding out how they'll get there. The end of this prequel trilogy also should inspire fans to want to see the original movies again, but this time not out of frustration at the new ones. Rather, because Episode III is a beginning as well as an end, it will trigger fond memories as it ties up threads to the originals in tidy little ways. But best of all, it seems like for the first time we actually care about what happens and who it happens to.

Episode III is easily the best of the new trilogy--OK, so that's not saying much, but it might even jockey for third place among the six Star Wars films. It's also the first one to be rated PG-13 for the intense battles and darker plot. It was probably impossible to live up to the decades' worth of pent-up hype George Lucas faced for the Star Wars prequel trilogy (and he tried to lower it with the first two movies), but Episode III makes us once again glad to be "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away." --David Horiuchi

DVD features
Say what you will about the new Star Wars films--and plenty has been said already--but the DVDs continue to set the standard for technical excellence. From the opening of the first scene, the Dolby 5.1 EX sound is thrilling, and the picture, transferred directly from the digital source, is fantastic. A commentary track is again provided by a combination of people, including George Lucas, producer Rick McCallum, animation director Rob Coleman, and ILM visual effects supervisors John Knoll and Roger Guyett. Lucas admits that the film is political and that he was influenced by Vietnam, but makes no mention of the Bush administration, as is widely speculated.

The main documentary on the second disc is probably the most granular DVD feature ever. "Within a Minute: The Making of Episode III" takes 67 minutes to deconstruct one minute of the film, an excerpt of the duel on Mustafar. The idea is to cover all the aspects that go into creating that minute, from writing to set construction to accounting. Fortunately, many of the concepts such as costumes apply to the movie as a whole, but having producer Rick McCallum tell us the importance of food seems a bit overkill. Two other featurettes are "It's All for Real: The Stunts of Episode III," an 11-minute discussion focusing mainly on the lightsaber duels, and "The Chosen One," a 14-minute examination of Darth Vader's evolution over the six films.

The six deleted scenes were no great loss from the film but are all worth watching. Natalie Portman in particular gets some much-needed screen time as one of the co-plotters of an anti-Palpatine movement, and an early action scene ties in to the Clone Wars animated series. There's also a 15-part series of 5 to 7 minute Web documentaries on topics such as the creation of General Grievous and Ewan McGregor, and an Xbox sampler of Battlefront II (if you're lucky, you can play as Obi-Wan Kenobi cutting through an army of droids) among other supplements. --David Horiuchi

The Complete Star Wars Saga

Episodes 4-6 Trilogy (widescreen)
Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Episde II: Attack of the Clones

Star Wars: Clone Wars Vol. 1
Star Wars: Clone Wars Vol. 2
The Star Wars Store

Stills from Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (click for larger images)

Anakin turning to the dark side
When Wookiees attack

Yoda, Jedi master
Mr. and Mrs. Vader

Saber training with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen
The cast

Product Description

The Star Wars saga is now complete on DVD with Episode III REVENGE OF THE SITH. Torn between loyalty to his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the seductive powers of the Sith, Anakin Skywalker ultimately turns his back on the Jedi, thus completing his journey to the dark side and his transformation into Darth Vader. Experience the breathtaking scope of the final chapter in spectacular clarity and relive all the epic battles including the final climactic lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan.

System Requirements:
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee
Directed By: George Lucas
Running Time: 140 Min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Star Wars Rocks!.......2007-07-07

I saw Star Wars III this morning. I enjoyed it a lot. The most frustrating thing about the movie was knowing what was going to ultimately happen and to watch Anakin make choices that led him that way not being able to stop him. Another thing I find frustrating at times about the Stars family of movies is that it makes the Dark Side look stronger and better. You think Yoda is invincible and then he is defeated by the Emperor. It is kind of dis-illusioning.

Anakin starts the movie out on pretty good terms with Obi-Won, which surprised me given how they left the last episode. I expected a lot more conflict. I don't really buy the acting from Palpatine in the rescue scene. It is too obvious that he is controlling things. Even if you don't know, the acting is poor. He improves throughout the movie, but I think he is the weakest actor throughout.

Overall though, I was very please. You get a lot of Star Wars background theory and you get to see what drove Anakin to become Darth. It also gives you some insight into the human spirit and the lengths we go to for the ones we love. Treachery and deceit are highly present throughout the film. It becomes difficult at times to tell if people are acting on their own or if they are being manipulated by Palpatine. The story I think flows very smoothly and the you can see all of the plot and story lines weave together. The writing is really well done.

The acting is as good as you might expect from a sci-fi movie. Visually and audialy (sp?) the movie was phenomenal. The music is always very good in Star Wars and it is often described as a musical drama. The pictures and special effects are all very good. In the first fight scene, it is a little hard to follow the fighters. The light sabers also looked a little different than the first 2 movies. As always, the sword fights are a little tough to follow because of the speed, but they are fun none the less.

I was very excited when General Grievous busted out the 4 light sabers (although we were confused why he had a cough.) And you get to see Palpatine work with the saber. It is odd to think that Windu and Obi-Won would have just actually finished there fights without hesitating then the whole affair would be taken care of. But Windu stops to wait and Obi-Won just assumes Anakin will die.

I also liked the way that Padme & Anakin's lives become intertwined as they die. You can see very clearly, as the movie ends, that when Obi-Won says to Luke, "Vader killed and murdered your father," that Vader really is reborn out of Anakin. Also they way the battles between Yoda & Palpatine and Obi-Won & Anakin are intertwined together is very nice.

I really like Star Wars. The stories work well together and the movies are visually impressive. Most importantly, I think, is the way the music tells a story. The way the death march plays at the right times, and in the final light saber battle, the theme from the last battle in Phantom Menace starts to play.

I have more thoughts that I will share later but it is late.

"So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause.".......2007-07-05

Taking place some five years after STAR WARS EPISODE II: THE ATTACK OF THE CLONES, STAR WARS EPISODE III: THE REVENGE OF THE SITH is the final act in the transformation of Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader.

As SITH opens, the Battle of Coruscant is raging. The Separatists, led by Count Dooku, along with a droid army led by the mechanical General Grevious, have finally penetrated to the heart of the Galactic Republic and taken Chancellor Palpatine hostage. The dwindling Jedi Order has assigned Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christiansen), now a full-fledged Jedi Knight and secretly married to Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman), to rescue Palpatine.

What the combatants on neither side know is that Palpatine is secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious and that Count Dooku is his Sith apprentice, Darth Tyranus. Sidious and Tyranus are working together to undermine the Republic. And in fact, the Republic is dry-rotting away from within: The Galactic Senate has become a rubber stamp body almost completely controlled by Palpatine, who, unopposed, continually and unilaterally extends his term of office as Chancellor "for the duration of this crisis"; more remote solar systems are acting independently; there are even the first faint stirrings of the Rebellion---"Maybe we're on the wrong side. Maybe the democracy we think we're supporting is already gone," Padme tells her young husband. Anakin, who has developed a close relationship with the Chancellor, is appalled to hear his wife's words.

His rescue gives Palpatine the opportunity to order the death of Dooku, now a potential rival and the only other man in the galaxy who knows the truth behind the Clone Wars; Dooku is neatly dispatched by Anakin, who decapitates him with crossed lightsabers. This killing of a literally unarmed man (Anakin had just cut Dooku's hands off at the wrists in their lightsaber battle) troubles Anakin profoundly: "It's not the Jedi way."

Perhaps not; but Anakin is universally lauded for his heroic rescue of the Chancellor, who is not the only man to tell him that Dooku was too dangerous to be left alive. Skywalker's star is rising, but as it rises it is drawn further and further into a sky dominated by Palpatine, who is already grooming him as the next Sith Lord.

George Lucas has returned once again to his underlying structure of archetype and myth to show us Anakin's downfall. Steeped in Judeo-Christian (primarily Christian) metaphor, REVENGE OF THE SITH is the story of the Prodigal Son, the Fall of Man, and Milton's PARADISE LOST. Anakin has become Lucifer, brightest of all the angels, doomed to be expelled from heaven. No longer an apprentice, and recognized to be the most gifted of the Jedi, Anakin has become arrogant, and indeed "pride goeth before the Fall," never more so than in the cinematic life of Anakin Skywalker. Ironically, it is the Jedi themselves who initiate the slow cascade that destroys Anakin. Placed on the Jedi Council by Palpatine's request (a previously unheard-of act), the Jedi consider Anakin to be a spy for the Chancellor and unwisely attempt to marginalize him by refusing him the rank of Master. At the same time however, the Council asks Anakin to spy on the Chancellor. These two acts in quick succession convince Anakin that Palpatine's blandishments are correct, that the Jedi mean to overthrow the government.

Palpatine, the serpent in the garden, also plays on Anakin's fears. Having seen in a vision that Padme dies in childbirth (she is carrying the twins Luke and Leia), Anakin is frantic to do anything to keep this vision from becoming reality, including studying the Dark Side arts which Palpatine falsely assures him, include the arcane power to defeat death. Anakin's soul stands upon a knife's edge, and most bitterly, it is his love for Padme which drives him finally into the darkness. At the same time, Anakin wants more than anything to live up to his brilliant potential as a Jedi. He reconciles with Obi-Wan and reports to the Council that Palpatine is the hidden Sith Lord they have been seeking. When the Jedi come to kill Palpatine, it is Anakin who demands that Master Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) spare his life for trial. Momentarily distracted, Windu is caught unawares as the Chancellor blasts him with Force lightning, killing him. Although the young Jedi screams, "What have I done?" he also falls to his knees and does obeisance to the revealed Darth Sidious, who gives him a new name: Darth Vader.

This handsome, young Darth Vader is far different and far more frightening than he later becomes as the black-clad armored giant of the second trilogy. Without questioning his Sith Master, he goes to the Jedi temple and slaughters all the occupants, including the youngling students. The unwary Separatist leaders, having outlived their usefulness to the newly-declared Emperor, are slain. The Jedi are decimated. Only Obi-Wan, Yoda and a very few others escape with their lives. The Sith have their revenge. They are triumphant.

Drunk with the power of the Dark Side, Anakin offers Padme the chance to rule the galaxy side by side with him, the selfsame offer he makes to Luke much later in RETURN OF THE JEDI. Like her not-yet-born son, she refuses, and her refusal enrages him. Convinced that she and Obi-Wan have conspired against him, he uses the power of the Force to choke the now very pregnant Padme into unconsciousness. Occurring at the very beginning of his existence, this venial act is, in it's own way, the worst evil that Darth Vader ever perpetrates: The infliction of pain on his own beloved Padme marks his deepest descent into the abyss of the Dark Side.

Darth Vader is in hell, both figuratively and literally. The climactic lightsaber battle of the first trilogy takes place between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader on the planet of Mustafar. Very much like Earth at its birth, Mustafar is a barely-formed planet of steaming lava oceans, boiling magma geysers, and flame. In his defeat, Darth Vader is burned beyond recognition.

Padme gives birth but dies of a broken heart. In her last words to Obi-Wan she presages Luke's words to Obi-Wan almost twenty years later: "I know there is still good in him." And there may well be. Rescued by the Emperor, Darth Vader is cloaked in the blackness which thereafter defines him. It is telling that the first words he utters behind the breath mask which will be his identity until the last moments of his life concern Padme. And the seeming kindness of the Emperor in saving him is exposed as an evil act when the Emperor lies. Palpatine's sardonic smile at this instant may be the most wicked thing to ever appear onscreen. Darth Vader must live with the guilt that he has killed the love of his life. In his guilt he becomes more pliable to the Emperor, more a prisoner to his own sense of hopelessness. With nothing to live for, he gives full rein to his worst impulses. Yet, even with his embrace of evil, Darth Vader is no longer just the faceless Sith Lord of the second trilogy, he is a profoundly impassioned, profoundly sensitive, and profoundly flawed human being.

Although we last see them together gloating over the spherical keel of the barely-begun first Death Star, it is the heart cry that Vader utters at the moment the breath mask is locked down and his bleak, "But I couldn't have!" which remain with the viewer. In the end, Darth Vader is a man consumed by his own loneliness.

As myth, REVENGE OF THE SITH is brilliantly conceived. The myth of Anakin is linked, thematically and in plotline with the myth of Luke. Many of the same lines of dialogue create echoes with the viewer. The loss of the hand---Anakin's to Dooku, Dooku's to Anakin, Luke's to Vader and Vader's to Luke---is a consistent unifying thread, the hand being the seat and instrument of action. And as each fallen Jedi becomes a Sith, there is a depersonalization process that occurs: Darth Maul is marked with Sith tattoos, obscuring his face; Darth Sidious's face is scarred in his battle with Mace Windu; Darth Vader's face is hidden; Darth Tyranus in fact loses his face entirely.

As a cinematic experience, it is less than brilliantly executed. Hayden Christiansen perfectly captures the superciliousness of the maturing Anakin. No longer trepidatious in the face of authority, Christiansen's Anakin Skywalker is rift with the fault lines that will produce Darth Vader in the end. Natalie Portman's Padme Amidala has grown from a beautiful teenage Queen into a lush woman who radiates intelligence, self-assurance, and compassion. The remaining performances are workmanlike but unextraordinary. Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi remains stentorian and immaculate, never exhibiting the humanity---flawed or otherwise---that motivates his fellow Jedi Knight and friend.

George Lucas takes yet another step toward convincing the world that he is a second-tier moviemaker who happens to employ first tier film technicians. His obsessive overuse of CGI and digital effects throughout the second trilogy, even to the point of altering the actors' expressions, prompted Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn) to make this complaint about his STAR WARS experience: "We are basically puppets. I don't think I can live with the inauthenticity of movies anymore." Lucas seems to have forgotten (if he ever knew) that plot, story and characterization are the underpinnings of any good movie. REVENGE OF THE SITH succeeds because the tale of the downfallen, unredeemed Darth Vader is a seminal story in our collective subconscious. Lucas's layers of computer-generated hoo-hah don't look as convincing as the relatively simple effects of the original STAR WARS, and in fact, they become distracting. The final battle on Mustafar is so heavily enhanced that McEwen and Christiansen (or possibly their digital equivalents) get lost against the background. Special effects can be wonderful. They allow moviemakers to do what would otherwise be impossible. But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Lucas's unwillingness to recognize this degrades this second trilogy badly. These films, as good as they are, lack the cultural impact of the first three STAR WARS films.

STAR WARS It's Best........2007-07-05

as aniken progresses through the jedi order, his ever growing taste for power increases. at the end of the clone wars he abandons the jedi and joins the sith under the mis-guided idea that his new power can save the ones he loves from death. after almost 30 years of fandom, movies, books and video games, the legendary sci-fi fantasy adventure has its secrets revealed and brings the saga to a close.

An EPIC end to the Star Wars EPIC.......2007-06-29

I did have a bit of a problem believing Anakin's change to the darkside. I realize that the Emperor was supposed to be very charismatic, but it seems Anakin's own lack of intelligence is what allowed him to turn as much as anything.

That having been said, I felt like the turn was still believable. Just not one I enjoyed.

Other aspects of this movie were simply incredible! The special effects were off the chart. The plot at its base was enjoyable and the characters were just wonderful.

Though it was a satisfying "conclusion" to the epic, this movie left me wanting more Star Wars!

Star wars Fanatic.......2007-06-26

I have the entire collection. Saw the first movie in 1977 in Toronto at the largest theatre on the first day. In the early nineties my friends and I used to have star wars marathon movie days where we would watch episodes 4,5 &6 back to back for 10 hours plus of Star Wars. A Genre that defined an entire generation of movie goers. Long live the empire. Long live Lucasfilm

Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

"I'm a person. And my name is Anakin."
hmmm...give my baby nephew this i will (smiles)
I've discovered something revolutionary!
Star Wars I
The best of the new

Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Pernilla August , Kenny Baker , Brian Blessed , Ralph Brown , and Anthony Daniels
Director: George Lucas
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Widescreen Edition)
Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition)
Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition with Bonus Disc)
Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition Without Bonus Disc)
Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

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Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
Star Wars Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast Collectors Edition

ASIN: B00003CX5P
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Amazon.com

"I have a bad feeling about this," says the young Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Ewan McGregor) in Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace as he steps off a spaceship and into the most anticipated cinematic event... well, ever. He might as well be speaking for the legions of fans of the original episodes in the Star Wars saga who can't help but secretly ask themselves: Sure, this is Star Wars, but is it my Star Wars? The original elevated moviegoers' expectations so high that it would have been impossible for any subsequent film to meet them. And as with all the Star Wars movies, The Phantom Menace features inexplicable plot twists, a fistful of loose threads, and some cheek-chewing dialogue. Han Solo's swagger is sorely missed, as is the pervading menace of heavy-breather Darth Vader. There is still way too much quasi-mystical mumbo jumbo, and some of what was fresh about Star Wars 22 years earlier feels formulaic. Yet there's much to admire. The special effects are stupendous; three worlds are populated with a mélange of creatures, flora, and horizons rendered in absolute detail. The action and battle scenes are breathtaking in their complexity. And one particular sequence of the film--the adrenaline-infused pod race through the Tatooine desert--makes the chariot race in Ben-Hur look like a Sunday stroll through the park.

Among the host of new characters, there are a few familiar walk-ons. We witness the first meeting between R2-D2 and C-3PO, Jabba the Hutt looks younger and slimmer (but not young and slim), and Yoda is as crabby as ever. Natalie Portman's stately Queen Amidala sports hairdos that make Princess Leia look dowdy and wields a mean laser. We never bond with Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson), and Obi-Wan's day is yet to come. Jar Jar Binks, a cross between a Muppet, a frog, and a hippie, provides many of the movie's lighter moments, while Sith Lord Darth Maul is a formidable force. Baby-faced Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) looks too young and innocent to command the powers of the Force or wield a lightsaber (much less transmute into the future Darth Vader), but his boyish exuberance wins over skeptics.

Near the end of the movie, Palpatine, the new leader of the Republic, may be speaking for fans eagerly awaiting Episode II when he pats young Anakin on the head and says, "We will watch your career with great interest." Indeed! --Tod Nelson

Description

Feature-Length Audio Commentary
The creators of Episode I give you insight into the film like no one else can. Hear from: writer/director George Lucas, Producer Rick McCallum, sound designer and film co-editor Ben Burtt, ILM animation director Rob Coleman and ILM visual effects supervisors John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires.

"The Beginning"
Making Episode I Documentary Film
Culled from over 600 hours of behind-the-scenes footage, this all-new hour-long documentary film takes you inside Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic during the making of The Phantom Menace. Sit in on the film's production process including: pre-production, casting, principal photography, editing, rough-cut reviews, visual effects meetings and other events that few people have had access to before.

Exclusive Deleted Scenes and Documentary
All-new documentary featuring George Lucas, Rick McCallum and guests discussing the painstaking process every director must go through in determining what scenes make the final cut. View seven exclusive deleted sequences that were created specifically for this DVD and learn why they were eliminated from the final version of the film.

Multi-Angle Animatics
Discover the amazing techniques used to create two memorable sequences (Submarine and Podrace Lap 1) from storyboards to animatics to final composites.

Featurettes
Five mini-documentaries give you an insider's look at The Phantom Menace's Storyline, Design, Costumes, Visual Effects and Fight sequences through behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the cast and filmmakers.

Web Documentaries
Originally released on starwars.com during the production of Episode I, this award-winning twelve-part web documentary series gives you a fly-on-the-wall perspective into the making of the film as it was happening.

Exclusive Production Photo Gallery
Scroll through a never-before-seen gallery of candid cast and crew shots, each with captions.

"Duel of the Fates" Music Video
One of the most popular music videos during its release in May 1999, the "Duel of the Fates" video intertwines live footage of John Williams conducting the London Symphony Orchestra with behind-the-scenes clips and dramatic footage featured in Episode I.

Posters and Print Campaign
Examine the Episode I theatrical posters (Teaser and Launch) and the International Outdoor advertising used to support the release of Episode I around the world.

Trailers and TV Spots
Watch the theatrical teaser and launch trailers, plus seven TV spots (including the five original "Tone Poems" along with "The Saga Begins" and "All Over Again").

"Star Wars: Starfighter-The Making of a Game" from LucasArts
This featurette offers insight into the making of the popular flight action combat game along with information on other Star Wars games from LucasArts.

Exclusive DVD-ROM Content
Your Episode I DVD is a key that unlocks exclusive Star Wars content only available through a special DVD-ROM website.

Customer Reviews:

"I'm a person. And my name is Anakin.".......2007-06-22

STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE would have had to have been beyond perfect to survive the almost twenty years of fan anticipation and the avalanche of hype it was met with. When released in 1999, reactions to THE PHANTOM MENACE were very mixed. Disappointed (even embittered) fans claimed that George Lucas had created THE PHANTOM MENACE merely to cash in on the STAR WARS franchise---as if he needed to "cash in" on what had already become a multibillion dollar enterprise. As a result, the whole "prequel" trilogy got a bad reputation, none worse than this film.

Revisiting it years later, after all the shouting has died down, THE PHANTOM MENACE seems far better than it did upon its release. It doesn't measure up to any of the films of the original trilogy. It may in fact be the weakest film of the sextet. THE PHANTOM MENACE suffers from the same mistaken approach that George Lucas has adopted toward his "improved" versions of the original films. THE PHANTOM MENACE has most of the same shortcomings, particularly the (very common) sci-fi bugaboo of using a film to showcase special effects. Lucas gave us a truly Shakespearean tale in the first trilogy, and incidentally set it "a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away." The spaceships, the ray guns, and the alien life forms propelled the story, but they were NOT the story.

Lucas wants to show us all kinds of new, colorful, and beautiful visions in THE PHANTOM MENACE, and he does, but at great expense to the storyline, which meanders all the way from Point A to Point A Prime in this installment.

There's even greater expense to the characterizations. We could relate to Luke, Leia, Han, See Threepio and Artoo Detoo in the first trilogy because they were like us in so many ways. Han Solo especially served to ground the STAR WARS universe in familiarity. Han's "scoundrel" energy was very central to the success of the original movies.

There isn't a lovable scoundrel in THE PHANTOM MENACE. Lucas does give us some truly interesting new characters, but they're alien (both literally and figuratively) and we hardly get to know them.

The young Queen of Naboo, Padme Amidala (played by Natalie Portman, one of the beautiful new visions in this film) is oft-times regally remote, and somewhat mysterious. Her lookalike decoy is played by Keira Knightley (another beautiful new vision), and it is truly difficult to tell them apart at times.

Although Portman's Amidala shows herself to be clearly a warm, open, and sympathetic character, by the end of THE PHANTOM MENACE we know much less about her than we do about her cinematic daughter, Princess Leia, in A NEW HOPE.

Young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) is a slave-child on Tatooine. An inventor and a gifted pilot even at the age of eight, he is so bright-eyed and kindhearted ("Someday, I'll come back here and free all the slaves") that it is difficult to reconcile this gentle little boy who cries for his mother with the horrific Darth Vader he eventually becomes.

The Jedi Council initially refuses to allow Anakin to be trained as a Jedi ("There is much fear in you, young one," says Yoda). We never really see his fear or feel it. Nor do we get much more than a glimmer of the rage and anger he must feel as a slave. Watto, his owner, is a straw boater wearing, comical-looking flying bumblebee/vulture who speaks with a vaudeville Italian accent. Simon Legree should not be doing stand-up. By making Watto a figure of fun, Lucas fails to either underscore the weaknesses of the Galactic Republic, or presage its descent into darkness.

Essentially, we have only the criticisms of the Jedi Masters to go on in consigning young Anakin to the Minus Column. It just isn't enough, especially when he wins the high stakes podrace that is the main act of the story (the stakes being his own freedom), and is eventually responsible for firing the well-placed shot that defeats the enemy in battle (like his cinematic son, Luke).

The oddly mismatched love between the prepubescent Anakin and the much older teenaged Padme comes out of nowhere, with hardly a forethought (Anakin's shy question to the girl at their first meeting---"Are you an angel?"---is the only indicator of what later blossoms).

Likewise, Lucas utterly wastes two of his most intriguing characters, the iconoclastic Jedi, Qui-Gon Jinn, and the truly satanic Darth Maul. Qui-Gon is wise. Qui-Gon is skilled. Qui-Gon should have been Obi-Wan's Obi-Wan and Anakin's ally. But although Qui-Gon is instrumental in freeing Anakin from bondage, he never develops a truly affectionate (Obi-Wan and Luke-type) relationship with the boy, seeming more interested in him as raw material for Jedi training.

The silent Darth Maul, (the evil lord of shopping centers) with his horned black-and-red face, twin-ended lightsaber, glowing sulfur-yellow eyes, kendo-style fighting technique, and flowing black robes is potentially a figure as memorable and frightening as Darth Vader, but both he and Qui-Gon die in battling one another; and so a fascinating second trilogy dynamic between good and evil dies with them.

Added to these missed opportunities are odd inconsistencies between THE PHANTOM MENACE and the original trilogy. See Threepio turns out to have been built by Anakin on Tatooine, but then why didn't the droid recognize Tatooine or the name "Skywalker" in A NEW HOPE? Although Ben Kenobi claims to have been trained by Yoda in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, he is clearly Qui-Gon's student in THE PHANTOM MENACE. Tatooine is ruled by the Hutts in this film, but not in the original trilogy. Although Anakin's mother references Tatooine's twin suns, they're never seen together in the sky.

Clearly, Lucas couldn't have reworked the original films after 20 years to fit all these elements in THE PHANTOM MENACE. Their inclusion here is a sign of his hubris. Why not just be true to the original? Clearly, his desire to make these changes overrode any considerations of film continuity and audience expectations. George Lucas isn't really trying to give us a better cinematic experience here, he's just totally into playing with his favorite toys. It's a form of selfishness.

Possibly the worst of Lucas's new ideas is the Social Darwinist/Nazi race theory concept of a high "midichlorian" count giving rise to greater Force sensitivity. Anakin has a mythic virgin birth due to the midichlorians, a bad twist to the tale when one considers that Lucas could have underscored the horrors of slavery by having Anakin fathered by a freeborn man who exploited Shmi Skywalker's position as a slave. Here, once again, the film fails to foreshadow the lawlessness and unethical evils of the rising Galactic Empire.

STAR WARS isn't sociology, but it's insistence on touching universal themes is what made it so wildly successful. The first trilogy was constructed entirely upon the foundation of our shared collective subconscious. Lucas loses that thread in this film.

The inclusion of the midichlorian factor means that the Jedi are no longer a highly-trained spiritual fraternity. They've become racially superior to the rest of us. If ever he re-edits THE PHANTOM MENACE, the midichlorians must end up on the cutting room floor. Sorry, but as ideas go, this one just stinks.

And speaking of stinks, Lucas also brought us the ridiculous Jar-Jar Binks and his race of Rastafari amphibians, the Gungans (Ganja, anyone?). Jar-Jar Binks is a technically interesting additional character, being primarily a CGI character; but he adds nothing (and detracts much) from the film with his distracting brainless chatter, clumsiness, and utter stupidity. If Lucas thought that this duckbilled dunce would provide comic relief, he was wrong. See Threepio and Artoo Detoo serve that purpose in the first trilogy and should have continued to do so in THE PHANTOM MENACE. Jar-Jar merely irritates the viewer, particularly given that he appears throughout the film, not just in a few scenes. He's merely filler. As filler, he's a sign that Lucas wasn't imaginative enough to use THE PHANTOM MENACE's screen time to its best advantage by progressing the storyline.

Binks may be the only character ever that inspired a website advocating his destruction, the aptly-named www.Jarjarbinksmustdie.com. What was George Lucas thinking when he gave us the jarring Jar-Jar?

THE PHANTOM MENANCE is uneven and inconsistent and suffers from some poor scriptwriting and too many missed opportunities. These reduce the film, but do not ruin it. Despite its weaknesses and flaws, THE PHANTOM MENACE is a solid THREE STAR effort. It is essential to the telling of the tale, and leaves us considering what's next?

In that regard, THE PHANTOM MENACE is as successful as any film can be. It finally gives us the entertaining and engaging introduction to that long time ago and far away galaxy we've come to know and love.

hmmm...give my baby nephew this i will (smiles).......2007-06-21

yeah its was ok but definetly for the younger kids. i guess it goes along with the theme of Aniken Skywalker is also a kid. the next 2 are much better. there's just too much comic relief in this one for an adult.

I've discovered something revolutionary!.......2007-06-13

Hey, folks! I don't know about you, but I've realized something extraordinary! Yoda is a HERETIC! How is this possible, you may ask? Well, here's how. You see, in this highly-anticipated prequel, Quack-Gonn Jinn explains the force to Anakin Snobbwalker. He explains how the force is really just a bunch of microorganisms (similar to sweat) that live in your cells and boss you around. However, in Episode V, Yoda (who in Episode I looks like a monkey) claims that the force is something that surrounds every living thing (something like that). If Yoda is a heretic, that means he's bad. If he's bad, then why do you see him with the good jedi at the end of Episode VI? Meeesa have bad feelzing about this. Can you guess who meeesa is? Youssa right! Issa meeesa, I'mgonnahityouovertheheadwithajellyjar-jar-Bonks.

I am Qui-Gonn Jinn. I am a stone-faced, mature Jedi Master, yet I enjoy the presence of my friend Jar-Jar-Binks more than my audience.

Jar-Jar - Exqueese me! You saved my life! Meeesa your servant for life!

Qui-Gonn - Yes, Jar-Jar. If I were in my right mind, I would slash you with my lightsaber until I could see the individual atoms that you're made of. However, I'm never in my right mind, so I will bear with your company. What's more, I'll even take you with me, so that everyone aboard my ship will lose their minds when you crack fart jokes every five seconds.

Obi-Wan finally meets Jar-Jar. He would also slash him to pieces; however, that would mean he'd lose Jedi points, because destroying an unarmed creature is against the jedi rule. It's bad enough that Padme likes snobby, most-horrible-actor-in-the-world Anakin, but she likes Bonks. How is that possible? I think Jar-Jar is a Sith! How else could anyone like him, than by using Jedi mind tricks? How else could he not die, when thousands of battle droids are around him and none hear his ridiculous screams?

Finally, we see the villain of the movie! Darth Maul, who is not in it at all! What does he do in the movie? Except for some incredibly awesome lightsaber moves, he rolls his eyes! Probably an addiction he developed when going through the movie's storyline with Lucas.

Who is the hero of the movie?

JOHN WILLIAMS!!!!!!!

Star Wars I.......2007-06-12

I think George Lucas has a wonderful imagination and not afraid to apply that imagination on screen. However, I find it hard to believe a boy that young (Anakin) could manuver a craft like that or for that matter, build one. None the less, I loved it and will watch it over again.

Rita

The best of the new.......2007-06-11

Of the 3 new episodes, this is by far the best one. It has a captivating storyline and never ceases to amaze with the fantastic CGI special effects at every angle. Many die-hard SW fans do not approve of all the CGI, but I believe that feeling goes hand in hand with the fact that they were around when the first SW came out, and that film was "theirs" so to speak and can never be duplicated. Something so magnificent as SW in 1977 must've captivated the mind and created such a frenzy that many opinions will be biased some 30 years later. I was not born yet when the first ones came out, but I'm a fan of all 6 and didn't really understand the SW buzz until I was able to watch the first 3 (newer ones) in succession followed by Episodes IV, V, and VI. Many fans have seen it the other way around, but I find the SW saga to still be enjoyable if you watch them in numerical order.

Of course, as a young buck myself, I will gladly say that Episodes I-III are great. A true treat to eye and a gem in fantasy/sci-fi land if you're in to that type of genre. Lucas could've not created anything better in my eyes. As I stated earlier, many old-school fans don't appreciate the new ones and that's completely understandable. For me and my generation, my Star Wars films were The Lord of the Rings trilogies. For me, I will go to my grave saying that LOTR was and is the best film of the genre. Hopefully they will make more as Tolkien wrote a lot, but I will not appreciate them as much as LOTR. That's just the way it is I guess.

Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

for my 7 year old
A step up from Phantom Menace
"My soul is in torment."
I've seen a LOT worse
Another piece of the puzzle...

Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Hayden Christensen , Christopher Lee , and Samuel L. Jackson
Director: George Lucas
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Star Wars - Episode I, The Phantom Menace (Widescreen Edition)
Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition)
Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition with Bonus Disc)
Star Wars Trilogy (Widescreen Edition Without Bonus Disc)
Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983 & 2004 Versions, 2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00006HBUJ
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Amazon.com

If The Phantom Menace was the setup, then Attack of the Clones is the plot-progressing payoff, and devoted Star Wars fans are sure to be enthralled. Ten years after Episode I, Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), now a senator, resists the creation of a Republic Army to combat an evil separatist movement. The brooding Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is resentful of his stern Jedi mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), tormented by personal loss, and showing his emerging "dark side" while protecting his new love, Amidala, from would-be assassins. Youthful romance and solemn portent foreshadow the events of the original Star Wars as Count Dooku (a.k.a. Darth Tyranus, played by Christopher Lee) forges an alliance with the Dark Lord of the Sith, while lavish set pieces showcase George Lucas's supreme command of all-digital filmmaking. All of this makes Episode II a technological milestone, savaged by some critics as a bloated, storyless spectacle, but still qualifying as a fan-approved precursor to the pivotal events of Episode III. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The STAR WARS saga continues on DVD with Episode II Attack of the Clones. Anakin Skywalker has grown into an accomplished Jedi apprentice, and he faces his most difficult challenge yet as he must choose between his Jedi duty and forbidden love. Relive the adventure the way it was meant to be seen in spectacular digital clarity, including the climactic Clone War battle and Jedi Master Yoda in the ultimate lightsaber duel. Experience this 2-disc set that features over six hours of bonus materials, and see how Episode II unlocks the secrets of the entire STAR WARS saga.

Customer Reviews:

for my 7 year old.......2007-07-09

I ordered this as a replacement for my 7-year-old son. His younger sister broke the original Episode II. Since we received it a few weeks ago, it has been watched at least 5 times.

A step up from Phantom Menace.......2007-07-05

I'm not a HUGE fan of episodes 1 through 3. However, I AM a huge star wars fan so I took that into account when viewing this movie. The fact is it's a better movie than part 1, plain and simple. You get to see Anakin becoming a jedi and taking his first steps toward losing himself. You learn about an impatient side to him that will ultimately be his undoing.

The movie itself focuses on Anakin's many relationships. That with his mother, with Padme, the Jedi Council, Obi-Wan and, of course, the man that would be Emperor Palpatine. For the importance of forwarding the plot, this movie was vitally important to the series. As a movie in general, I was not entirely impressed. I felt like Anakin was portrayed as way too immature for the man that would ultimately become Darth Vader. In episodes 4, 5 and 6, Darth Vader is ultimate Evil. Are we supposed to buy that ultimate evil was borne out of a whiney teenager?

On second thought, maybe that IS the source of the ultimate evil in the universe.

"My soul is in torment.".......2007-07-02

It is rarely remembered that the original title to the original STAR WARS novel was STAR WARS: BEING THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF LUKE SKYWALKER. Why George Lucas failed to subtitle his prequel trilogy STAR WARS: THE ADVENTURES OF ANAKIN SKYWALKER is a mystery, since that is exactly what he's given us. In point of fact, the six films together are the biography of the rise and fall and rise of Anakin Skywalker. After stretching twenty five minutes of storyline over 125 minutes of celluloid in STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, in STAR WARS EPISODE II: THE ATTACK OF THE CLONES Lucas has successfully returned to his original source material, Joseph Campbell's work on myths and archetypes.

Taking place ten Earth years after THE PHANTOM MENACE, CLONES gives us the late adolescent Anakin Skywalker, now a Padawan Apprentice Jedi, and his older (but still young) mentor and teacher Obi-Wan Kenobi. Mythologically, the two are not only The Mentor and Student (Merlin and Arthur), they are also The Twin Companions (Castor and Pollux, Romulus and Remus, Damon and Pythias), as well as being The Rival Brothers (Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Esau and Jacob). Lucas's decision to present these multiply-layered characterizations reflects the complexity of the plot in CLONES, by far the most ambitious of any STAR WARS film.

Anakin (Hayden Christiansen) is the most brilliant and talented Jedi ever, but he is immature, impatient, mercurial, and given to very typical adolescent bouts of angst and anger, all of which foreshadow his looming fate. Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) is fast becoming one of the most accomplished Jedi masters. He is stolid, foursquare, reasoned and ultimately unimaginative, being, in the last analysis, unable to restrain his young apprentice.

The conflict between them is reflected on a galactic level. Separatists, led by Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) are taking star systems out of the Republic by the thousand, and the Jedi are at the forefront of trying to reunite the Republic. An increasingly marginalized Senate has voted Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) vast emergency powers for the duration of the crisis. More Hitler-like than Lincoln-like, the ambitious Palpatine has no intention of relinquishing those powers.

The Separatists have massed a huge army of (less than impressive, silly-looking, easily-destroyed, duck-faced) battle-droids (where are the Stormtroopers in white?) and an even more tremendous army of clones. The outnumbered Republic forces are forced to adopt the Separatist strategy of using droids and clones as well, until the two sides are virtually indistinguishable. What no one but the leadership realizes is that the two sides ARE indistinguishable; in fact, there are no sides. Palpatine is secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, and Count Dooku is his apprentice Sith Lord, Darth Tyranus. Together, they have machinated the entire war to overthrow the Republic and establish Sith control of the galaxy.

At the center of this maelstrom (both personal and galactic) is Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman). Her crucial Senatorial vote is courted by the power-hungry Palpatine. Her life is threatened by Count Dooku. Her heart is in the keeping of Anakin, now assigned to protect her. At first resistant to his romantic attentions, the older Padme soon succumbs to the younger Anakin's overwhelming love for her. It is a tragic, jealous love which leaves Anakin's soul in torment and his thoughts consumed with the fear of losing her.

Despite his rigorous Jedi training, Anakin continues to be emotional and impulsive. Seeing his mother, Shmi, tortured in a vision, he returns to Tatooine to rescue her. When she dies in his arms, his rage explodes, and he kills the responsible community of Tusken Raiders down to the babies, his first true step toward the Dark Side of The Force.

Portman is the jewel of the piece as she was in THE PHANTOM MENACE, but Christiansen gives us a surprisingly powerful performance as the profoundly conflicted Anakin. Even his occasional stiffness fits the late-teenage character of Anakin, who like most adolescents does not know who he is or where he is going. Overly pressured by Jedi expectations to be "the Chosen One who will restore balance to The Force," Anakin lacks the maturity and insight to cope with this role thrust upon him too soon, and uses his powers too casually, too carelessly, and even destructively. He clings to the maternal Padme obsessively, and rages that "Obi-Wan is holding me back!" out of jealousy, but left to his own devices, accomplishes little but to confuse himself more. "Young Skywalker is in terrible pain," Yoda tells Master Windu (Samuel L. Jackson) but none of these wise and reverend Jedi seem to have the skill to help him. They can barely help themselves, needing to be rescued from Count Dooku in the end by the clones. Truly, their "ability to use The Force is diminished."

This, the middle, is the best installment of the second trilogy. In terms of story and action, it is on a par with THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, also the middle film of the first trilogy. ATTACK OF THE CLONES is also a crucial incremental step in the PARADISE LOST-like story of Anakin, who, like Lucifer, was the brightest of the angels but doomed to fall from heaven and become Satan.

Despite the fineness of this film it was not the critical success it should have been. This reviewer felt an inexplicable, vague sense of unease while watching it. Many others have said the same thing. It was not until a fourth or fifth viewing that the reason for this uneasiness struck home. ATTACK OF THE CLONES was created almost totally with digital filmmaking techniques. Although Digital and CGI have advanced technologically far enough along to give us an appearance of reality, they cannot substitute for reality. Thus, while most of the "inorganic" items in the film have a very real look, and the planetary city of Coruscant is absolutely intriguing to view, many of the "organic" backgrounds, the alien creatures, and sometimes even the droids and the sets, have an artificial feel to them, less seen than sensed, which disturbs we human beings on some visceral level. No matter how "natural" a computer can make a desert rock formation look, a computer is still a binary code machine, and it can only provide a "non-random randomness" to the scene. The stones are just an erg-fraction too sharp-edged, the mist is just a molecule too misty, the fall of the shadows is just a bit too angular, and it all lacks the subtle aliveness of an actual location.

At the end of THE RETURN OF THE JEDI, Lucas celebrated the victory of life over technology; by relying so heavily on special effects in ATTACK OF THE CLONES he undoes that victory.

I've seen a LOT worse.......2007-05-31

Between some of Lucas's questionable dialogue, not to mention the Geonosis C-3PO parts, and Portman's wooden performance, AOTC came way too close to being a disaster. I'm not sure what possessed George to hold back on showing Anakin as the powerful Jedi he was supposed to be but it was a bad decision. Anakin's duel with Dooku should've been better in content & directing. But again, there's few movies I'd rather watch than SW because of the good stuff.

Even though I still question the wisdom of killing off Maul in TPM, I love Dooku. He's the ultimate precise, smug second fiddle. And can you get a better henchman than Jango Fett? I loved the mystery surrounding him & Kamino as well as Geonosis. I get chills everytime I watch the first appearance of the future Stormtroopers. Anakin's first encounter with the Dark Side seemed very natural. It was nice to hear the `Imperial March' theme twice too. It was also a welcome scene to see Yoda go Jedi Master on somebody.

Another piece of the puzzle..........2007-05-25

Okay, I'm tired of all these people coming on here and complaining about how they hated this movie. The people who don't like the Prequel Trilogy are really missing out on the deeper and complete meaning of the Star Wars saga. They have to remember that this trilogy is set in a different era than Episodes 4, 5, and 6. This is the era of the Republic and the Jedi Order, which aren't present in 4, 5, and 6 because they were destroyed by the rise of Palpatine's Empire at the end of Episode 3. Episode 2 is very important because here we see Anakin's character development. Crucial events occur that will lead up to him turning to the dark side. The death of Anakin's mother, his marriage to Padme, and his friendship with Obi-Wan, as well as Anakin's strained relationship with the Jedi Council are all extremely important elements in the saga. Also present is Palpatine's manipulation and deception of politics in the galaxy and the guise of his grandfatherly-like relationship with Anakin. We need to see all these things in order to understand the story better. Star Wars is the story of Anakin Skywalker told in six episodes, and each one is important, because the story would be incomplete and not make sense if one episode was missing. This is a great movie, just like the other five. Any true fan of Star Wars would know that.

Average customer rating:

Emotionally Draining Effects Of Crime Fighting
A Mixed Season
Good time to call it a day
Miami Vice Rocked and Rocks ON!
Before Elvis there was nothing, and after Vice there has been not much either

Miami Vice: Season Five
Director: Stan Leither , Michael O'Herlihy , Harry Mastrogeorge , Gabrielle Beaumont , and James A. Contner
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Miami Vice - Season Four
Miami Vice - Season Three
The Fall Guy: The Complete Season 1
Miami Vice - Season Two
Magnum P. I. - The Complete Sixth Season

ASIN: B000OVLMKC
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Customer Reviews:

Emotionally Draining Effects Of Crime Fighting.......2007-07-08

I have been reading the reviews of Season Five, and can agree with the majority of reviews, but I particularly appreciated Mr. Heeringen's review the most! I own now, all five seasons of this show & have been watching selected & favorite episodes from all seasons, and would like to add my additional comments to the others to "add to the mix!"
Mr. Heeringens" review briefly touched upon what I would like to expand upon.
Take all of the episodes, and look at them as one large opus, which through drama, supported by music, fashion, and visuals, exhibited how draining and emotionally effecting; the job of fighting the tidal wave of crime, can be on a group of people dedicated to their jobs. This was mainly done with the character of Sonny; who started as a person who thought that right would always prevail, and who, then from betrayals, loss of loved ones, through divorce, death, and corruption of the system which he had dedicated his life to, became a tired, emotionally drained, shell of the person that he once was. He no longer cared about his looks; i.e. hairstyle, and clothing. The visuals, music, tones, and colors of this show ever so slightly changed each season, as each character was beginning to be effected by the rising wave of crime & corruption that was overtaking Miami. Sonny was the focal point of this, but all characters showed its effect. I don't think that the actors were "riding things out"; I think this was all to show how exhausting the job can be! How would you react to losing your wife through divorce?(though they still loved each other deeply); losing another wife through blatant murder, through a system which allowed a psychotic killer to manipulate it to his advantage. This also affects people who you work with day to day, and will change them too! I could go on to other examples, but I think these are some of the more "life changing" events, which Sonny experienced.
We have all seen the effect that wars have on people who have served in our Armed Forces, and I have known a few law officers affected & "burnt out", after years on the force.
I feel that Miami Vice did an excellent job of portraying the effect of the unending wave of crime, on people dedicated to fighting it, and this was excellently exhibited through its run! Try looking it as a "Five Act" show!

A Mixed Season.......2007-07-03

I'm a huge Miami Vice fan and I think season 5 was an improvement over season 4.I have to admit the first two episodes where Crockett has become Burnette was very interesting and they could've played out the story for another episode or two,I think it would've been cool to see Crockett actually complete his plan to take over and eventually Vice would bust him and then he would have remembered who he really is,instead the writers decide to do a complete U-Turn and the next thing you know he's back as Crockett.Honestly though,the moment in "Redemption in Blood" when Burnett/Crockett casually walks into the Police station and everyone draws their gun on him was one of the greatest moments in TV history,I totally wasn't expecting that and I was glued to the TV during that moment.It's obvious though as you watch the rest of the season that the show was falling apart and needed to end.I mean,there's a couple of episodes without Crockett,one or two without Tubbs and several back to back without Castillo,who was my favorite character.The strangest episode though was "Leap of Faith" which was an entire episode with a whole different cast,I mean,WTF?If this had been decided to be the last season why not dedicate yourself as writers and actors to making it the best season you possibly could.There was some good episodes toward the beginning of the season and then it just went off the rails,until the end episode "Freefall".This was a terrific episode and while watching this I had to think to myself,God,why couldn't the writers and actors put forth this much effort to make more episodes this thrilling and well written and directed,what a shame.I must admit I had very mixed feelings about the way it ended.For instance,there was no formal goodbyes said to to Trudy,Gina,or Swytech.And as great of an actor and character Castillo was they could've had a truly great emotional moment with Castillo,Crockett,and Tubbs expressing their respects for Castillo and vice versa.That seemed like the honorable thing to do for the character of Castillo and the fans.And the last scene where Crockett and Tubbs shake hands was way too short and weak.I mean cmon,all they say to each other is I'm going to miss you and briefly shake hands and that's it.These guys were like brothers and for the respect of the show and for the fans that scene should've been longer and more emotional than that.After all the great dramatic greatly written scenes of dialog from these two over the previous seasons(especially from Crockett),it just seemed that the ending scene was less than satisfying.Either way though,I was actually saddened to watch the end.

Good time to call it a day.......2007-06-05

This was an unbalanced season but still contained the emotional content I liked. I still would watch this season before I'd watch about all the stuff on tv nowadays. The blend of music and imagery was still there. Jan Hammer missing was a bit of a bummer but they still managed to use quite provocative music most of the time. I used to think season 4 was weak but after watching it now after a long time I found it way better than I remember... hopefully season 5 gives me the same!

Miami Vice Rocked and Rocks ON!.......2007-05-30

I didn't have to comment with anyone of the comments made about Miami Vice. MIAMI VICE is what it is, ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, THE BOMB, SONNY & TUBBS MADE SURE THAT WE WERE IN FRONT OF OUR TV's BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE WENT ON IN OUR LIVES ON "THEIR NIGHT." THE MUSIC WAS ON, SONNY WAS ON, CASTILLO WAS ON, RICARDO or RAPHAEL WAS ON & TRUDY (THE ORIGINAL MISS BIG BOOTY, read her name plate on her desk BigBootyTrudy) WAS ON and I don't say that to BE sexist to this critique, if you will...I am a very married straight woman and if I wasn't, SO WHAT! It is what it is! It's just true and I don't want to forget Gina who was always ON also. Miami Vice is the best thing that ever happened to television. The movie made with the WANNABEES portraying CROCKETT AND TUBBS WAS A SHAME! I HATED IT AND HAD NO INTENTION TO SEE IT, HOWEVER I WAS TRICKED BY MY HUBBY AND ASSOCIATES. It would have been nice to see the older Crockett and Tubbs handle the intrigue they wanted or should I say they tried to portray in the different situations in the movie however, they didn't ask fans of the the TV series what we thought and it was TERRIBLE!! If it wasn't one of a kind then special Television Shows, Movies, Innovative shows from the past would not exist in TVLAND, etc. If it wasn't one of a kind it would not be on at least 5 to 7 different channels at different times everyday of the week. I am thankful we can buy our DVD's and watch them anytime we wish. I look forward to the fifth season and I'll embrace it as if it were brand new. It's so good we have something to look forward to with the DVD's because everything on TV now that is even close to the Miami Vice format is a rip off of Vice. Watch very close, very close and you will see that Sonny and Ricco had already been there. SORRY, it is what it is and it's TRUTH. DON'T YOU MISS THE MUSIC. ROCK ON MIAMI VICE, ROCK ON FOREVER!!!!! Think about it isn't this why they have TV LAND? TV LAND is for classic television right. THERE IS ALWAYS GROUND-BREAKING TV. SEE YA OFTEN MIAMI VICE, YOU BROKE THE GROUND. I LOVE YOU ALL 4EVER! IT MEANT EVEN MORE TO THOSE OF US WHO WERE STATIONED OVERSEAS, SERVING IN THE U.S. MILITARY AT THE TIME IT CAME OUT, WE MAY HAVE STARTED WATCHING MIAMI VICE 1 1/2 to 2 years late but it was well worth it. WE HAD MIAMI VICE GET TOGETHERS, PIZZA NIGHTS, PARTIES, ETC. AND WE THANK SONNY, RICO, CASTILLO, ETC. FOR MAKING A WHOLE LOT OF OUR FAMILIES GOOD & FUN TIMES HAPPEN, THANKS AGAIN!!!! P.S. LOVED YOU TOO NASH BRIDGES, BRING IT ON! MAYBE TV SHOWS COULD TAKE ANOTHER HINT AND PLAY SOME DECENT MUSIC TO YOUR DRAMAS YOU HAVE ON NOW. MAYBE I'D WATCH..GOOD LUCK!!
SHOULD I DEFINE ON: ON IS ON TIME, ON BOARD, ON MY TV, ON IS COOL, ON IS THE BOMB, ON IS WHAT'S HAPPENING, ON IS SOLID, ON IS FUN, ON IS INTERESTING, ON MAKES YOU THINK, ON MAKES YOU NOT MISS AN EPISODE, ON IS THAT MIAMI VICE WAS THE BEST TV AND PURPLE RAIN WAS THE BEST MOVIE, ON IS HOT AND ON IS IF YOU WANT TO SEND A LOT OF NEGATIVE COMMENTS TO ME, SAY I'M CRAZY, SAY IM OUT THERE, GO AHEAD. I COULD CARE LESS. I'M ON AS YOU READ THIS...HAHAHA.

WITH ALL SINCERITY,
K.& E. ST. JAMES
30MAY2007

Before Elvis there was nothing, and after Vice there has been not much either.......2007-05-24

John Lennon said that before Elvis there was nothing. Of course, apart from a lot of teengroups, this was quite accurate. I would dare to say that after Vice there has been nothing on tv that could equal, let alone surpass it.
I do NOT agree with reviewers saying that Vice "overstayed it's welcome by becoming a trendfollower after having been a trendsetter in earlier seasons."
It is true that indeed, as a reviewer so eloquently put it, "the mood and feel of the show had shifted away from the pop-electric neon atmosphere of earlier seasons to a darker and edgier tone beginning with the two-part conclusion to the season four cliffhanger "Mirror Image" that ended with Sonny, believing that he is his undercover persona Burnett after suffering total amnesia in a boat explosion, races off in a speedboat after killing an undercover detective."
Of course when Vice as a series progressed in tv time, so did the real decade that Vice was all about (or to use a chiasm; were the 80s about Miami Vice just as well?). The glamour of the earlier part faded away as the 90's with grunge music and a more negative feel were slowly emerging. It might have been a reaction to the glamour of the 80's as is often the case; decades that follow eachother are often like waves. Times do change all the time and so did Vice. Not surprisingly in the 90s and therefore of course the latter part of the 80's (albeit more invisible) the atmosphere would have to reflect somehow in the episodes of Vice as well, and it justly did.
Yes, even Sonny changed to stonewashed jeans and I think it was cool, since it was fitting. I think by then his character and the rest of the world had seen almost every pastel Versace blazer ever made by then, so this more down to earth look still gave a cool answer to the question `what could have been cooler than Sonny in silk blazers?'Well, how about Sonny in jeans? Think of it this way: would it have been fitting, or would it have been almost ridiculous, to have shot season 4 and 5 in the same playful atmosphere as the first three? Come on, Jan Hammer had great soundtracksongs, but the music still continued it's quality. Gloomier atmosphere, gloomier music indeed, but it still was great music, even today, that fitted the shows themselves.
Maybe the reviewers, including myself, cannot get to terms with the fact that in time generations become less and less naive, or in other words, the world becomes more realistic. Something's gained, something's lost. The price for living in more no nonsense times like now is the loss of idealism. The fun in earlier seasons, with Sonny and Crockett making jokes in happy Florida was lost, but what was gained was a good timing in shifting the mood. Vice rightfully adapted to newer days without being trendfollowers and that clearly showed in the last seasons. What was gained as well was more excitement and action in the series, and I don't see how reviewers saw this as superficial or Vice becoming trendfollowers instead of trendsetters. Still even then, there was no better copshow or thrill than Vice.
The moodshift to more serious stuff to me was also that it seemed to act as a realistic mirror of the hopelessness of fighting the drug force, which it still is to this day. I mean, after so many seasons of fighting the 'vice', what did it amount to? A new episode with a new crime to fight. It had to end, or, the 'ennui' had to be shown in the series, as every good series develops, just like any story plot. It might be true the cast was, as reviewers said, 'riding things out' and things were coming to an end. Exactly, and fortunately this same development, or ennui, which reflected in the series themselves was fitting. Drugs is still impossible to fight, and cops like Sonny and Crockett that did their best in more than 100 episodes were likely to have become burne"tt" out. Vice had to end, the only question how.
Atmittedly, especially in the last season it spiralled alsmost to the absurdly cool, with enormous white empty villa's and drugbosses in clothes that would make a video of Bryan Ferry look l

Episodes 4-6 Trilogy (widescreen)	Episode I: The Phantom Menace	Episde II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars: Clone Wars Vol. 1	Star Wars: Clone Wars Vol. 2	The Star Wars Store

Anakin turning to the dark side	When Wookiees attack
Yoda, Jedi master	Mr. and Mrs. Vader
Saber training with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen	The cast