An overwhelmingly awesome space adventure

Rating: 10/10 (10 October 2013)

I, like so many others of my generation, grew up with this movie. I remember watching it on a scruffy VHS and being in awe the whole time. There are so many magical moments - how Luke escapes from the lair of the hairy beast, how Han realizes he flew inside a space monster's maw, how Darth Vader suffocates the admirals who keep failing him, how Yoda raises the X-Wing from the bog, how Han is frozen in carbonite, and of course the ending's Big Reveal of cinema history.
Though I love all the old Star Wars movies, this one really takes the cake. It has a perfect balance of whimsical adventure and darker moments (battles, betrayals, even torture). The dialog is really iconic, featuring the famous Yoda-speech and the quips between Han and Leia.
The remastered edition is absolutely gorgeous. The film is colorful and sharp and the special effects look fine, never really distracting you from the experience. I wish they used more of these practical effects (models, animatronics, costumes) nowadays.