the phantom menace

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Doesn’t Really Get What It Means To Be A Star Wars Movie

When the eighth word of the first Star Wars movie is “taxation,” you know there’s going to be a problem. Welcome to our Star Wars movie rewatch! George Lucas’s 1999 film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace has long been a lightning rod for hatred, and for plenty of good reasons. However, revisiting the…

Movies Germain Lussier Nov 12

Little Golden Books Go Galactic With New Star Wars Editions

Little Golden Books are those iconic illustrated books that just about everyone read and owned as children. They’ve covered everything from Grimm’s Fairy Tales to other classic stories. Now, they’re adding a new set of classics to their collection: Star Wars. In September, Random House will release six books, each one adapting each of the…

io9 Andrew Liptak Jul 18

The ‘Star Wars Tipping Point’ Is At Hand

Are you feeling old this morning? Here, allow xkcd to make you feel old. The passage of time. So predictable. Slow, sneaky, unrelenting, and indifferent, yes. But predictable. [xkcd]

io9 Robbie Gonzalez Jan 24

Finally, a Star Wars Special Edition where Jar Jar Binks dies

The Phantom Editor has doctored a deleted scene from The Phantom Menace to give Star Wars fans an early holiday gift — a gift that will keep on giving every time we watch it. Thank you, Phantom Editor. I feel so bad I didn’t get you anything! [Updated to include the original creator.] Here’s the…

io9 Rob Bricken Nov 6

Spinning This Giant Lego Diorama Also Plays the Star Wars Theme

Designed and assembled with the assistance of professional Lego builder Rene Hoffmeister, this giant Star Wars-themed barrel organ was created to celebrate the 3D re-release of The Phantom Menace in Germany. The barrel is covered with four large Star Wars dioramas including Hoth, Tatooine, Endor, and the Death Star, and as it’s spun the taller…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski Apr 14

This Video on How Awful the Light Saber Battles in The Phantom Menace Are Will Ruin Star Wars for You

It’s easy to pick on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace because of Jar Jar. And well, everything else too. But you know what’s always fun about Star Wars? The light saber battles! This video, however, hilariously points out how silly they look like on closer inspection. There are waltz steps! Aim somewhere not…

Tech News Casey Chan Mar 19

Why the lightsaber battles in The Phantom Menace were the safest fight scenes ever

Blame the 3D re-release, but The Phantom Menace is now undergoing a new golden age of withering scrutiny. In this Jedi tutorial by YouTuber First Man on the Spoon, proper lightsaber safety is meticulously broken down. Remember, a good lightsaber battle has more in common with The Electric Slide than any preexisting form of sword…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Mar 19

What if The Phantom Menace was a really, really good movie?

Dig if you will a motion picture about a vengeful Obi Wan Kenobi, an unkillable Darth Maul, and a forbidden Jedi romance that doesn’t involve the kid from Jingle All The Way. This movie could’ve been The Phantom Menace, if only the plot was super-streamlined. In a critique similar to that of Mr. Plinkett, the…

Movies Cyriaque Lamar Feb 24

Star Wars: The Clone Wars will bring Darth Maul back from the dead

Killing off Darth Maul in the The Phantom Menace probably wasn’t the best idea, especially when Lucas and Co. spent the greater part of the film building up the Sith, only to have him sliced in half. But true Star Wars fans know that this wasn’t really the end of Darth Maul. And now the…

io9 Meredith Woerner Oct 12

Compare the new CGI Yoda from the Blu-Ray Star Wars Episode One with the original puppet

Everybody knows that George Lucas loves to change his movies, so it shouldn’t really surprise anyone that Lucas has yet again changed something else on the Star Wars Blu-Ray saga release. He’s scrubbed out Frank Oz’s Yoda puppet from The Phantom Menace and replaced it with a CG monster. But don’t panic, they didn’t do…

io9 Meredith Woerner Aug 24

It’s a trap! All six Star Wars movies getting 3-D theatrical re-release

First Lucasfilm announces a Star Wars box set on Blu-ray, and now they’re planning to re-release them theatrically in 3-D. But are you willing to sit through the prequels to see Empire in 3D? You may have to. http://io9.com/5612939/star-wars-blu+ray-boxed-set-coming-in-fall-2011 Lucasfilm has announced that 2012 will see the beginning of the 3-D conversion of the Star…

io9 Meredith Woerner Sep 29

Phantom Menace Reviewer Destroys Attack of the Clones In 88 Minutes

He annihilated The Phantom Menace in 70 minutes. He lamabasted Avatar in 18. Well, Mr. Plinkett is back, and he’s set his crosshairs on Attack of the Clones with this epic, nine-part review. May God have mercy on our souls. Mr. Plinkett, the insane, Pizza-Roll-loving alter ego of Milwaukee filmmaker Mike Stoklasa, has returned to…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Apr 4

The Real Problem With Midichlorians

Lately, when people ask Lost’s producers if they’re going to answer our questions, they bring up Star Wars’ midichlorians, as proof that some things are better not explained. But like so many people, they’re missing the real reason midichlorians sucked. Damon Lindelof told E! Online a while back: There are certain questions about the show…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Feb 26

70-Minute Review of Phantom Menace Is The Only Prequel I’m Ever Watching Again

This astounding Phantom Menace video review has been making the rounds, and for good reason. This wickedly brutal analysis splits the film wide open, with clever edits and behind the scenes footage including Lucas’ melt down at a PM screening. Part 1 Part 2 – And FINALLY Someone breaks down the horrible space taxes plot.…

io9 Meredith Woerner Dec 21

Epic 70-Minute Phantom Menace Review Justifies the Existence of The Phantom Menace

You probably don’t think there’s any way you’d ever watch a 70-minute-long YouTube dismantling of the first horrible Star Wars prequel. And you’d be wrong, because this is one of the best things ever. Seriously, just start watching the first one if you don’t believe me. And really, are you going to argue with Lost…

Movies Adam Frucci Dec 18

40 Unseen Moments From Your Favorite Movies

Just as you finish up your t(of)urkey leftovers, we thought we should share some movie leftovers with you. Say, 40 deleted scenes from movies like Star Wars, The Dark Knight and Star Trek? Click through for excised joy. Star Wars Whether it’s Han Solo’s unseen girlfriend, Anakin preparing for a podrace or a very human…

Movies Graeme McMillan Nov 29

Star Wars

Luke’s Original Intro from A New Hope: Biggs Tells Luke About The Rebellion from A New Hope: Meet Han Solo’s Girlfriend And Some Cockney Aliens In The Original Cantina Scene from A New Hope: The Original Jabba The Hutt from A New Hope: Han Charms Leia in The Empire Strikes Back: Luke Builds His Lightsaber…

io9 Graeme McMillan Nov 29

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Doesn’t Really Get What It Means To Be A Star Wars Movie

Little Golden Books Go Galactic With New Star Wars Editions

The ‘Star Wars Tipping Point’ Is At Hand

Finally, a Star Wars Special Edition where Jar Jar Binks dies

Spinning This Giant Lego Diorama Also Plays the Star Wars Theme

This Video on How Awful the Light Saber Battles in The Phantom Menace Are Will Ruin Star Wars for You

Why the lightsaber battles in The Phantom Menace were the safest fight scenes ever

What if The Phantom Menace was a really, really good movie?

Star Wars: The Clone Wars will bring Darth Maul back from the dead

Compare the new CGI Yoda from the Blu-Ray Star Wars Episode One with the original puppet

It’s a trap! All six Star Wars movies getting 3-D theatrical re-release

Phantom Menace Reviewer Destroys Attack of the Clones In 88 Minutes

The Real Problem With Midichlorians

70-Minute Review of Phantom Menace Is The Only Prequel I’m Ever Watching Again

Epic 70-Minute Phantom Menace Review Justifies the Existence of The Phantom Menace

40 Unseen Moments From Your Favorite Movies

Star Wars

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