Empire, you have a contender.

Rating: 10/10 (12 January 2018)

I have loved the series as a kid, and more so now as an adult. The Force Awakens was a worthy opening act, resurrecting the franchise from the mess of the Prequels, so it was only expected that we should expect an even better second part.
And Rian Johnson, you delivered.
Much like Empire, The Last Jedi is the darker middle part of the franchise, which is also what has caused a huge divide between viewers. On one hand, many of us went into the theater expecting there to be a huge parentage reveal for Rey and for Kylo Ren to cement his place as the Big Bad of this franchise. And a part of us went in blind, expecting nothing really from it.
Remember what Luke said about this not going the way we think? That's exactly what happened, because this film subverts tropes, expectations, and takes the Star Wars franchise into a newer, uncharted territory, while maintaining so many similarities with the Empire Strikes Back that it's close to be a retelling of it.
We have our daring young hero journeying to an uncharted, unheard land to find a master long considered missing = Luke in Empire, or Rey in Last Jedi?
We have a shadowy, old figure guiding our villain to the Dark, while the latter has begun feeling the pull to the light stronger than before = Vader in Empire, or Kylo Ren is Last Jedi?
A city of prosperity and excess brings downfall and treachery to two of our leads, who kiss at the end of the film = Han and Leia at Bespin, or Rose and Finn at Canto Bight?
Our Force-sensitive hero ventures into a sketchy cave to seek answers to their questions, only to see themselves = Luke in Empire, or Rey in Last Jedi?
Our hero is the last remaining Jedi in the galaxy = Luke in Empire, or Rey in The Last Jedi?
And yet I'm hearing complaints that this isn't a Star Wars film.