Richard Marquand (1937–1987)

The epic and thrilling conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi finds our heroes in their final clash with the villainous Empire. After rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the rebels venture to the forest moon of Endor to destroy the new Death Star and defeat the Emperor, Darth Vader, and their forces in a final battle to free the galaxy from their tyrannical grasp. Pretty much the same thing can be said for all three films in this trilogy: they are all amazing, and make up one of the greatest film trilogies of all time. Over the years, I have begun to develop a greater appreciation for this film especially and how it wraps up the story of both Anakin and Luke Skywalker, and it has honestly become my favorite of the three.

While arguments can be made concerning the pacing of the film with its picking up of the pieces of Han's imprisonment on Tatooine, that whole section contains so many classic Star Wars moments that it's worth the time taken to explore such a unique section of the universe. The Endor sequence introduces us to the furry Ewoks, the bristly Emperor, and so many fun action scenes, while the final battle has it all -- ground battles, a space battle, and, of course, an emotional lightsaber duel. The performances are standard for the trilogy (it suddenly dawned on me this latest rewatching how much more comedic Harrison Ford's performance of Han was than in previous films). Unfortunately, the version I watched most recently was the (I believe) 2011 version, which contained the baffling and awful decision to include Vader's "noooo" when *spoilers* tossing Palpatine down the reactor shaft, but that's really the only *bad* change with the film, as the Jabba's palace alterations are just meh to me and I honestly am a fan of the decision to incorporate Hayden Christensen as Anakin's Force ghost form.

Return of the Jedi is a cinematic classic and a solid ending to the original trilogy, with an even mix of action, emotion, and the storytelling that made this saga such a pop culture staple. Not much more needs to be said about it.

*Watched February 3, 2023*… (more)

Oddly structured film, the first half of which is a decent spy pursuit drama as ruthless German agent Faber (Donald Sutherland) tries to evade British forces during the Second World War. The second half is something of a deadly psycho-drama after Faber washes up on a remote Scottish island, where crippled ex-spitfire pilot David (Christopher Cazenove) and his lonely, frustrated wife Lucy (Kate Nelligan) are living out a bitter existence. Faber and Lucy embark on a sex-driven romance before the truth of the situation becomes clear. Director Richard Marquand plays out the first half of the film in an engaging if conventional manner. The second half, however, is full of tension and emotion as the affair between the lonely couple grows before turning into an edgy thriller. Donald Sutherland is both creepy and charming and always entertaining to watch. Kate Nelligan is excellent as she goes through the emotionally ringer before ending up in a desperate life-ot-death battle. Overall "Eye of the Needle" is a gripping thriller, with a set of interesting characters, a tightly wound plot and the oddest of doomed romances.… (more)