8. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
The Empire Strikes Back is the movie that enhanced Star Wars to mythical levels of worship. After the overwhelming success of the original, a sequel was inevitable, but nobody expected a sequel quite like in the mould of Empire Strikes Back. Compared to the rather harmless fun of the original, Empire Strikes Back is dark, bleak and full of threat. The shocking revelation and unresolved ending add only add to the more worrisome tone of the first sequel. The introduction of iconic characters such as Yoda and Lando Calrissian only adds to the brilliance of Irvin Kershner's masterpiece. Empire Strikes Back is still the best looking of all the Star Wars films. Even after the advances in special effects, the prequel trilogy just cannot match The Empire Strikes Back for landscape beauty. The sights on Hoth and Cloud City are wonderful and the grimy atmosphere of Dagobah is the majestic work of cinematographer extraordinaire, Peter Suschitzky. People forget just how bold The Empire Strikes Back was back in 1980 as for a kids film it was daring, innovative and at times scary, which is exactly why it is still beloved many decades later.