My Favorite Star Wars Films (So Far!)

Hey, guys! Artemis here! I know I haven't posted in FOREVER, but since The Character Queen posted awhile back, I'd figure I'd help her in bringing this blog back to life. So today I've got a new post for y'all :)

Although Episode VII (which is now titled The Force Awakens!) has yet been released, I thought it'd be nice if I just listed my favorite Star Wars film so far. I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me because 1. Empire Strikes Back is not on the top (don't kill me! ;) and 2. A Prequel Trilogy movie is (again, don't kill me! ;) but I just want to remind all y'all that these are my opinions and I'm more than welcome to hear yours. Enjoy :)

1. Revenge of The Sith

This film had my favorite story out of all the Star Wars films. It also simultaneously broke my heart, but, you know, it's a tragedy...I loved the raw emotion of the story and Anakin's struggle and just the overall fear and overcoming it - or letting it take over completely. Palpatine was hands-down the greatest in this film; we barely saw him in the Original Trilogy, and here we see him just being that manipulative selfish megalomaniac that we love to fear. To me, this was also the most character-developed prequel. It may have its flaws (Anakin's general naivety, the Jedi's less-than-stellar judgement, and Padme dying of a broken heart...), but overall I LOVED the story. It's very close to heart to me, personally, in words I may not be able to explain, but something that you can just feel, you know?

2. The Empire Strikes Back

This is most definitely my second favorite and arguably the most well-made Star Wars film to date. The stakes have raised, and the drama intensifies, and you just are on the edge of your seat for the whole ride. I loved seeing Luke's training to become a Jedi and the challenges he struggles, Han and Leia on the run from the Empire and simultaneously falling in love with their epic romance, Vader's incredible scare-factor and Lando Calrissian's hotness (I mean, coolness...) It's probably the most exciting Star Wars film. My only complaints would really be about the C-3PO character (who's almost always annoying, I guess), and Luke isn't the most interesting hero, but overall it was a really good film. It doesn't surprise me that people consider ESB to be their favorite Star Wars film.

3. A New Hope

It was definitely fun, and I guess I just liked how ROTJ was more serious and mature, but ANH was loads of fun. No part of it felt too boring, and I just loved the ride. Of course, I guess you could say that I preferred a more serious tone, which I do, but A New Hope was really fun and enjoyable. I liked getting introduced to the new characters and following into the wonderful world of Star Wars for the first time. It was a great beginning to a film.

4. Return of The Jedi

This is probably my next favorite. It's pretty awesome seeing how Luke has grown and matured over the films - plus, he gets to be a kickbutt hero now! ;) Han and Leia's epic romance finally takes off, secrets are revealed, Darth Vader is redeemed, and the galaxy is saved again. I do think they spent too much time at Jabba's palace (I wasn't a big fan of the whole sequence), and I wasn't too fond of the Ewoks. Vader's redemption felt too quick, but I do like how he was redeemed, and I do think it can make sense in the grand scheme of things. Overall, ROTJ was a pretty good movie.

5. Attack of The Clones

This wasn't a favorite Star Wars film of mine - the story was everywhere at times, there was too much unrealistic romantic dialogue between Anakin and Padme, and there was more focus on the story than the protagonists - but it was decidedly better than TPM; in this one, there is more character focus, in my opinion, and who doesn't love the Geonosian battle scene nearing the end? ;) Plus, I liked how we saw a side of Anakin's growing darkness, even if he is whiny at times.

6. The Phantom Menace

Although I like the Prequels much more than most people, I have to agree with fans and critics on this one. To me, there was too much plot going on that it started getting convoluted, and there wasn't enough character focus. I would have changed the story to make things simpler. Anakin was the main character, but he didn't show up until later in the film, and I think that it would have been better it they focused on him and had him unintentionally getting involved in the Jedi action, similar to Luke in ANH. (And I really didn't care for Jar Jar Binks)

Well, those are my favorite Star Wars films and a little explanation to all of them. To all the Star Wars fanatics (like me!) out there: What are yours? Do you feel like a story was better (like me) but that another film was better well-made on the whole? If so, what would that order be like? Feel free to let me know in the comments below!

Favorite Male Characters

Okay, so I know I did favorite female characters a day ago, so today, I'm doing favorite male characters :) There are so many characters to choose from, but I tried to narrow them down to my absolute favorites. So, ladies and gentleman, here are the ones that came to mind:

Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Star Wars

Explanation: Anakin is such an interesting character to me. Most remember him as Darth Vader, the heartless, coldblooded robot who has no compassion. He's creepy because he seems so inhuman, so emotionless, and I think this is why I, among many others, find him so appealing. But as Anakin, I also see him as a man who's extremely conflicted. Deep down I believe that he wants to do the right thing but he struggled with his inner demons, his greatest weakness, which, I think, was fear. He was such a passionate, driven person and very emotional--once he found someone he connected to, he felt the emotions for the person very deeply. But he couldn't control those emotions and that led him to darkness--it led him to letting go of everything and becoming one of the most dangerous, emotionless villains we know today. And that's why Anakin is such an interesting character to me. Rarely do you see a hero who falls into darkness, and even rarer do you see such an evil side to them that seems so far away from who they used to be, but also so very close. I can see the selfless, loving person he truly is. I know he's not even real, but I relate to that, and that is why I love him so much.

Loki Laufeyson, Thor

Explanation: Okay, Loki's so awesome in so many ways that it's hard to narrow down. Put simply, Loki's got swag to the max. He's cunning, snarky, power hungry, attention-seeking, but manages to pull it off in a cool way. Anything he says can sound logical, even if he's saying something that doesn't make any sense. But at the same time, Loki is also very vulnerable. He feels unloved, unwanted, and is envious of Thor, whom he feels is more loved by their father than him. He's so insecure that he can't see that Odin loves them both, and after Loki discovered that he wasn't related to Odin biologically in the first film...it broke his heart. To Loki, this proved that he wasn't loved, that he really was the "unwanted" child. And to me, that's extremely painful, but also meaningful. The fact that Loki can pull of superiority and also vulnerability is what makes him so compelling to me. Kudos to Tom Hiddleston for playing Loki so well. He's definitely my favorite character in Thor. I'm not crushing on the guy, but I will gladly join his army of fangirls who praise his awesomeness ;)

Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Spider-Man

Explanation: Spider-Man is just awesome. He's sweet, goodnatured, kindhearted, and, most importantly to me, tries to do the right thing. He doesn't always do it, and he struggles with it, which I find even more compelling and relatable. Because we don't always do what's best. Most of us try, but there are times when we fail. And I think that's what Spider-Man encompasses. His conscience is very strong. I also think he's filled with so much pressure to do justice, and if he fails he blames himself, and you can't help but feel his pain if you were in the same situation. There is no doubt that Spider-Man is one of my favorite superheroes.

Jack Sparrow, Pirates of The Caribbean 

Explanation: Jack just has SO much swagger (for lack of better words), and it's so hard to explain why I like him. He's just COOL. He's very laid back and extremely funny, and he just carries himself off as a cool guy. I guess coolness for me often equates to confidence, and I do see it in Jack. He can be a coward at times-usually for selfish reasons or fear of his life-but he's never really unsure of himself or insecure. In fact, he KNOWS he has swagger, but it's not a rude acknowledgement; just if, someone criticizes him, he tells them that he is awesome-because he is. Jack is defiantly one of my favorite characters (oops, I believe there should've been a "captain" in there)

Tobias "Four" Eaton, Divergent

Explanation: Tobias (or Four, whichever you prefer) is just an interesting character to me. His past wasn't all daises and flowers, so he can come across as hard in strict. He does so further by pushing the initiates to do their best. But he's not cruel like Eric; he's pushing them because he has faith in them. He also is very protective of Tris, but he doesn't show it by saying, "Don't hurt Tris!" or "Leave her alone!" He tells off Peter, for example, for bullying Tris as an act of immaturity and fear of her power-ouch! Plus, he CAN get romantic with Tris and does so in a romantic way. Unlike many male love interests in female-centric stories, I feel like Four has more personality and flaws. He may be my favorite character in the Divergent series. And he's very swoon-worthy. Trust me ;)

Okay, so that's my list of favorite male characters :) But it's just my opinion, of course. I'd love to here others' opinions on it, so feel free to comment below! :)

Favorite Female Characters

Hey, it's International Women's Day, so I thought this blog post would be accurate enough :). I have made a list of my favorite female characters in literature--which is quite a few, I must add! I know I probably missed some, but here are some of my absolute favorites that come to mind:

Mulan, Disney's Mulan

Explanation: Mulan's entire adventure is based off of a selfless wish; to prevent her father from going into war and being killed. She fights for the greater good of China and tries to do what's best-what her heart's telling her to do. She does wish that she can fit in with society's norms and feels ashamed at bring different, but she realizes near the end of the film that being herself is the best way to go. She also defies gender stereotypes and shows that women are more capable than what some men thought back then (and even now). Mulan is a totally awkward, relatable, selfless girl who can kick some major butt.

Chloe King, The Nine Lives of Chloe King

Why I like her: Chloe is EXTREMELY selfless-one of the most selfless characters I've ever met-and that is just extremely likable to me. She NEVER puts herself in front of others when they're in danger, no matter the cause. I also love her confidence, how she doesn't seem shy or worries, "Oh, I'm not pretty". She's also cute in her clumsiness, and she has little funny one-liners that make me smile. Oh, and Chloe can kick some major butt. That rocks.

Elizabeth Swann, Pirates of The Caribbean

Why I like her: Elizabeth is very spirited and independent, which l just love. Despite growing up in a time period where traditional gender roles were considered appropriate, Elizabeth breaks out of that mode. She's confident and doesn't care if she's not like other women-she's Elizabeth, and if you don't like that then too bad. She fights to be with Will and ignores the social class difference because it doesn't matter. Elizabeth will fight for her desires even if the cost is high. Plus, she can kick some major butt.

Kim Possible, Kim Possible

Explanation: Kim Possible is awesome because, as the characters on the show often say, she can do pretty much anything. She's like a modern day teenage superheroine who can fight crime just as well as the authorities. Kim also is a regular girl, though, and has her own adolescent issues. I think that's why I really like her. Kim is able to do all these awesome things, which is really cool, but she's not perfect and has her own issues to deal with, which I find very relatable and realistic. The inner girl in me also appreciates seeing a female character play superhero, which is still a rarity. But, even without this, I still love Kim, and her show was pretty darn awesome as well :)

Ariel, The Little Mermaid 

Ariel is so adventurous and dreams of exploring different worlds. She's very open minded about humans and is able to look past her father's prejudice/fear of them with her own curiosity. She's very stubborn and headstrong, giving her the ability to fight for what she wants rather than waiting for someone to do it for her. She also has the ability to be sweet and loving. 

Beatrice "Tris" Prior, Divergent

Explanation: Beatrice is a very relatable character for me; she can be insecure, hot-tempered, and wants to fit in with society. But she also wants to do the right thing most of the time, and that is very likable to me. There were times I actually felt like I could be Tris, a feeling I don't usually have while watching/reading literature. I'm fiery, so I do like the spiciness Tris carries. Tris can also be rather sarcastic, and some of her dry humor just cracks me up. She also has some butt-kicking moments, which of course I don't mind!

Gwen Stacy, The Amazing Spider-Man

Why I Like Here: Gwen is nice and sweet, but she's also confident and respects herself. I love how she can balance out the two emotions instead of being super passive or aggressive. Gwen is also very resourceful and was able to help Spider-Man in the film, which I thought was really cool. She is one of the few love interests in comic book movies who is helps the main character. A lot of props go to Emma Stone, who played Gwen wonderfully.

Those are the main ones I can think of that come to mind. I'm sure I have more, but we wouldn't want this list getting too long, now would we? ;) Haha, well, that's just my list, of course :) I'd love to hear others' opinions of their favorite female characters and why.