The Sci-Fi Masterpiece of Generation X

Rating: 10/10 (10 June 2004)

Personally, I really kinda' hate "Generation X" as the tag line for my generation. Nonetheless, it is the label that has been given to my age group and I shall use it as a frame of reference here.
GenXers are notoriously avid movie-goers. I would guess that most people between 27 and 33 (currently 2004, by the way) have seen more movies, per capita, than generations before us and those GenYers who are currently rising up through the ranks. Because of this deep love of cinema, most GenXers have seen most movies released between 1975 and today (by most, I mean roughly 80% of mainstream Hollywood releases).
We are also called the Star Wars generation - A title which I prefer. Why the Star Wars Generation? Probably because pop culture was so dominated (and still is to a degree) by the original Star Wars trilogy in the form of toys, games, video sets, etc., that it permeated every fabric of our American society. There is nary an individual who doesn't know Star Wars quotes such as Vader's famous "Luke....I am your father", especially after being so brilliantly delivered by the late Chris Farley.
But, enough with the GenX rhetoric and on to why Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is a true cinematic masterpiece.
Empire (as I will now refer to it) set a bold standard for movie making. Instead of it being full of cheesy SciFi stereotypes, the story is bold and dark, lending to the feeling that it is a quality piece of cinema and not typical SciFi crap. You empathize with the characters...you can feel their pain. Unlike Star Wars and Jedi, there is substance here. There are no F@#*$n' Ewoks and a very minimal amount of R2D2 and C3PO. We meet Yoda, but find his wisdom and seriously transcends the occasional silly scene.
The environments of Hoth, Degobah and Cloud City are all magnificent but never "fluffy". You have genuine suspension of disbelief with this film. The first Star Wars movie is also quality, but it can not match Empire. Jedi is not even in the same class.
I would have to say that Empire is in my top 5 movies of all time - and remains there as a permanent fixture. There are many others that come and go in my top five but Empire will forever remain.
Thanks for reading.
PS - Someone tell George Lucas NOT to finish directing Episode 3. Let Irvin Kershner do it and perhaps the 3 newer movies can be saved from certain resentment by GenXers and Star Wars fans around the globe.