Laser Focused

Rating: 9/10 (4 May 2016)

What really stood out to me after watching The Force Awakens a couple of times and coming back to A New Hope was how focused it is. It's confident in the world it's building and it doesn't try to rush everything. It's not afraid to be weird. I mean it has robots, who aren't even the main characters, walking around in the desert for 5 minutes. Few, if any, blockbusters have that kind of confidence these days.
I'm amazed at how much the film expects you to accept in just a short amount of time, but it works because it allows the audience to take in the world. In comparison, TFA has ADHD (not that I hate it).
Yes, some of the special effects are dated and some of Luke's lines are cringe-worthy, but it is full of heart and that can be felt throughout the film.
People laugh at the poor choreography of Vader and Obi-Wan's final duel, but in my opinion it is still one of the best in the series. Not because of how they are fighting, but because of why they are fighting. Almost every line in that duel is classic.
Another good thing is that ANH can stand on its own. It's self-contained and it tells a relatively complete story. These days, a lot of movies that are meant to spawn franchises suffer from sequel-baiting. While the possibility of a sequel is hinted at, the film itself doesn't hinge of having one.
It's a shame we can't get a proper restoration of the original version, but despite all the additions, ANH still maintains its essence.
That I've watched it so many times and still haven't gotten bored of it is a testament to how good it is. Few films have ever left an impression on me like this one. I don't think it can just be nostalgia. Many films that I liked as a child I later realized weren't as good as I remembered, but not A New Hope.