Post Solo Video Release SW Film Ranking

And a great post by another of my fave Cantina-mates, thanks @The Hero With No Fear …. no shame in your opinion about SOLO. I fell deeply in love with that movie from the first time I saw it......now that I got it on 4K with the digital download it is great having it here on my laptop. I must have watched certain scenes 50+ times now - Corellia Chase, both Sabacc Games, when Chewie takes his seat in the Falcon (tear-jerker for me every time). Plus I just listen to hear Powell's amazing score. I am hoping against hope that the new Cassian Andor series has a meet-up with Alden as Han, that would be superb......

 

1.) Episodes I-III, Solo, R1, Episodes IV-VIII.
11.) The Clone Wars

 

Here's an interesting ranking for you all. This is my girlfriend's ranking after I gave her a chronological Galactic Civil War-era viewing as her big re-introduction to Star Wars. We avoided the prequels because she'd actually seen them before as her only original introduction to Star Wars and had actively hated them. She said she'd never be a Star Wars fan (and luckily I've changed that), so we watched them chronologically; Solo, Rogue One, Hope, Empire, Return, Awakens, Last Jedi and here's the final ranking she gave as a total neutral party (and bear in mind, she really enjoyed them all, but I told her she had to rank them)...

1. Solo - her absolute favourite, she loved it, full of fun and adventure and she loved seeing Han and Chewie become friends.
2. A New Hope (Adywan Revisited)
3. Return of the Jedi (original Despecialized version)
4. Rogue One and Empire Strikes Back (Adywan Revisited) joint - but she didn't like the fact that both have sad endings
5. The Last Jedi - her only major complaint was she said it dragged a bit and could have been shorter... and would have been fuming if Leia died
6. The Force Awakens - because Han died and he's her favourite character

Anyway, she said she really appreciated seeing Solo and Rogue One first and giving her the backstory, she said they were incredibly well done but didn't like that everyone died at the end of Rogue. She prefers the fun spirit of the more light-hearted entries (which was surprising given she's a massive horror fan) but enjoyed the whole experience. She was devastated when L337 was destroyed. She still has no idea Tarkin was recreated with CGI in Rogue One, her only comment was "wha... how did they do that???" regarding young Leia at the end (probably because she saw Rogue One first and wasn't really familiar with Peter Cushing as an actor or that he was dead). She loves Kylo Ren as a twisted, damaged villain - she enjoys reading about psychopaths and serial killers, he felt very realistically nuanced to her and loved the rivalry with Hux... but HATED that he killed Han, simply because Solo's her favourite character. Oh and didn't actually notice that Luke had died until I mentioned it... not sure how, but there you go.

So to sum up her feelings; Solo is the best and seeing his backstory was very much a vital part of the saga, L3 was hilarious, Peter Cushing is alive, downbeat endings suck, Kylo is awesome, Han shouldn't have died and TLJ is fine just a bit long (and was so glad Leia lived, she said she'd have stormed out if they killed her in the movie).

Her comments about her experiences with the prequels was that she said they were boring and didn't understand what on earth the overarching plot was, that they were confusing and didn't make sense, but with the films I showed her she was delighted to finally "get" Star Wars. Seeing Solo first without the magnitude of "saving the whole galaxy" first I think really helped her viewing experience, as opposed to seeing it last and it not being an 'event' movie.

 

This is very interesting for a newbie, as I was thinking what is the best way to introduce the movies since the standalones are part of the story? Do you introduce 4,5,6 and then Solo and R1 as Prequels/Backstories? Or the order you decided with Solo, R1, and then 4,5,6?

I was also thinking of a marathon for diehards like us as I have an interesting order:

1. Episode 4

2. R1

3. Episode 5

4. Solo

5. Episode 6

My reasoning is more to mix it up as I'm sure we've watched 4,5,6 a zillion times. By watching R1 after ANH, you get that quick backstory of how it all setup for the plans regarding the Deathstar. Then by watching Solo after ESB, you are exploring Han's backstory while he lays in Carbon Freeze, and then ROTJ is a true ending for that particular story that brings the whole arc full circle.

Would be interested in what you guys think of alternative/different ways to mix up the movies?

 

I try to be a positive Star Wars fan. I really love the sequel trilogy so far and Rogue One. I even love the prequels for what they are. I

I saw Solo once in theaters, liked it, and have never seen it again. When TFA came out, I was there the first day it came out on Blu-Ray to get my copy. I was almost as excited as I had been in the theater. Every time I think of buying Solo or renting it, I just feel like I have better things to do with my money and time.

Solo lands squarely at the bottom of my ranking, even beneath all the prequels. When the prequels fail, they still at least attempt something wildly fresh and bold and original. Solo was the first Star Wars movie to just feel bland and corporate, which is really the great fear with Dinsey Star Wars.

So my ranking:

1. A New Hope
2: Empire Strikes Basck
3: The Force Awakens
4: Return of the Jedi
5: The Last Jedi
6: Revenge of the Sith
7: Rogue One
8: The Phantom Menace
9: Attack of the Clones
10: Solo