The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

[10] After deciding directing wasn't his favorite thing to do, George Lucas enticed his former film school teacher Irvin Kershner (Eyes of Laura Mars, Return of a Man Called Horse) to helm the dark second act of his historic Star Wars trilogy.…
Star Wars (1977)

Star Wars (1977)

[10] Writer/director George Lucas (American Graffiti) surprised the world with this unassuming and unheralded matinee-style fantasy adventure that, by all industry standards, would be dead on arrival at the box office. But then word-of-mouth catapulted Star Wars to the highest echelons of…
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

[7] After the mediocre Episodes I and II, Star Wars creator George Lucas finally kicks his prequel trilogy into high gear with Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The film opens with the Galactic Republic at war with a growing separatist army,…
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)

[5] Part two of George Lucas' Star Wars prequel trilogy is cluttered and over-produced like the previous installment, but it's a modest improvement over part one, thanks in large part to an action-packed final act. Everything before that final act is long,…
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

[4] George Lucas's much-anticipated return to the Star Wars universe after sixteen years affords the writer/director the advanced technology needed to bring his vision to life, yet there's little life to be found in the story or characters of his Episode I:…
The Land Before Time (1988)

The Land Before Time (1988)

[7] Five young dinosaurs are separated from their tribes during an earthquake in this animated adventure from Don Bluth (The Secret of NIMH, Anastasia). The unlikely band must square off against a ferocious 'sharp tooth' (Tyrannosaurus rex) while searching for a lush…
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

[7] It's best to go into The Rise of Skywalker knowing that this third Star Wars trilogy has never had a strong guiding hand. It's not the result of a carefully premeditated creative effort. Creator George Lucas was not there watching over…
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)

[7] J.J. Abrams (Lost, Super 8) takes the directing reigns from creator George Lucas and delivers a better film than any of the prequels. Original core cast members join new players in a script co-written by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, who penned…
Howard the Duck (1986)

Howard the Duck (1986)

[6]

This may be a guilty pleasure, but I also think it inherited an unfair reputation, too.  George Lucas wanted to produce a comic film noir.  No matter how well it was done, it would never be a huge hit.  His name proved cancerous to the movie, unintentionally promising universal appeal for what is really a niche movie. The critics took their best shots and Howard the Duck went down as one of the most famous flops in movie history.

Labyrinth (1986)

Labyrinth (1986)

[8] After impulsively wishing her baby brother away, a teenaged girl must brave a dangerous labyrinth and rescue the tot from a nefarious Goblin King in Labyrinth, the product of a bizarre but winning combination of creative talents. Director Jim Henson reunites…