Every time I watch TPM, I get this feeling…

Can we just enjoy something without putting other stuff down?

The TPM screening is such a cool and exciting thing for Star Wars fans, disappointing to see people dragging negativity into it.

 

I think The Phantom Menace is better than the next two episodes.

However, comapred with TFA, it's Episode I which really shows that it doesn't know where it's going (other than the big strokes of Republic > Empire / Anakin > Vader). And Episode II makes this abundantly clear. The only thing that carries forward to AOTC is Anakin's conflict over leaving his mom. And those nauseating battle droids.

 

I actually like TPM more than the other two PT movies.

I disagree. TPM is a stand alone movie. You don't need it for the rest of the PT. But that's why it works on its own.

Exactly! While the OP dislikes TFA, I'm looking forward to its anniversary as well! I want to see the ST on the big screen again. Maybe next year for the 10th anniversary? Or will they wait for the 25th one?

 

No worries, friend.

I'm glad you enjoyed your TPM experience, though!

I wish one of our local theaters was playing it. I was about 7 or 8 when it came out, and I loved what a phenomenon it was. EVERYTHING was Star Wars themed, it literally took over the world. Would love to sort of experience that again.

 

I felt the same way back in '77 watching A New Hope at my local Gaumont.

Those were the days...

 

Don't be so hard on yourself. We can save this thread and I think it's a good question to ask now with the reissue. So here I go.

Every time I watch TPM I feel... Bittersweet?
My relationship with it is complicated. In 1999 I was 25 and the idea of a new Star Wars movie was the greatest thing. The excitement and the hype that summer was incredible. All the merchandise- tshirts, toys, fast-food promos... I bought 3 different versions of the novel! It was all glorious. One of my best stories from this time in my life, I had a friend who was a manager at a cinema and the night before the big premiere, a group of us "snuck in" and watched the movie. The next night we were all still in line with all the costumed crazies, news crews and general public for the midnight premiere. What an amazing experience. I've no idea how many times, but I saw TPM in the theatre several more times that summer and I can't remember the thrill ever diminishing. Maybe it's just me or maybe the fans just had a different mindset back then, but I don't remember any hate or discourse that I took to be valid. It was an amazing event during a great time in my life. Nothing can diminish those memories.

Now. Let's take off the rose-colored glasses. Over time the varnish wore off of the movie. There are some glaring problems in TPM. Of all the things that my mind glosses over and my selective memory, I really only remember a couple of the moments that the negativity surfaced. Patton Oswalt's bit about time travel to 1998 to stop GL from making TPM... I related. Also when Fanboys came out it resonated. Both those are fairly tame and honestly fair criticisms. I never gave any oxygen to any hate towards any of the actors or the more toxic stuff. Did I stop watching TPM? Hell no. I remember similar hype and excitement for AOTC and ROTS, I repeated my nerdy ways each time without much change, but the atmosphere as I remember, was one of a kind in 1999.

Lately, I'll be honest, I find TPM difficult to watch, especially in any focused undivided attention way. I can have it on in the background and enjoy it. Bottom line, it is an integral part of the story that I love and cherish. The Skywalker Saga needs the story told in TPM. I look back as a fully grown man now and, sure there are things that I wish had been done differently. I wish Georgie had made a fee different choices. But what we have is what we were given. For every shudder and eyeroll a fifty-year-old me has now, a twenty-five-year-old me had twice as many happy tears and fist pumps back then.

 

You know, your experiences with TPM are similar to how I felt with TLJ. I left the theater thinking it was a great film, enjoyed it for a few weeks... by January, my mood on it had soured. Not from any rewatches, but simply because the incessant fanboy complaining had kinda made me hate Star Wars for a while.

I'm glad I got over that. Don't listen to the haters, these movies all mean something to someone. I hope your inner 25 year old finds that passion again someday.

 

Personaly, I like TPM; it's my favorite PT movie. I wouldn't to so far as to call it a masterpiece, but it's a decent Star Wars and most of it functions well as a movie. There's a couple of things in it that I don't care all that much for, but that's the case with all SW movies, really, with the possible exception of TLJ. All in all, TPM is great SW, and I'm looking forward to seeing how The Acolyte will end up informing the film; exciting times, these!

 

I second this. The Phantom Menace is the first Star Wars movie I watched in theaters (for a total of 6 times), and even though I do acknowledge its faults I always find myself too absorbed on each rewatch to ever really pay them any mind.

 

Absolute pearls of wisdom.
I loved TLJ, saw it eight times at the cinema and I couldn't care less about the flak it got. I liked it.

Those who sneer at someone's tastes need to grow up. They're no better than the schoolkids who ridiculed me because I was a SW fan at 12. And as I have said before, 'fans' can sometimes be their own worst enemies.

 

I've usually felt that TPM feels like you're watching a movie whereas II and III feels like you're watching actors on a stage.