[Chris]

I know it gets kicked around all over the place, but The Phantom Menace is my fourth favourite Star Wars movie and I absolutely love it. Here is why:

* People have said it features too heavily on the politics and the initial trade federation dispute. I think this is really necessary. Think of Star Wars as one 12 hour movie. That depth of information and background is not excessive. It's essential grounding for the events that follow in the next 5 films. I liken it to the hour spend in Lord of the Rings before Frodo even leaves The Shire. How cool is seeing Palpatine pull the strings at the earliest level... Calling for the vote of no confidence, plotting to reveal himself to the Jedi, after only seeing him before as The Emporer.

* Darth Maul. A totally cool sith, with a kick ass lightsaber.

* The Pod Race sequence is the coolest race sequence ever put on film. The CGI rules in this.

* Little Anakin. How cool is this little kid? Highest mediclorian count of anyone ever - conceived by the mediclorians and the religious conotations that surround that. Also the way it sets the seeds for his problems (and ultimate fall) in later life such the jedi not discovering until his attachment to his mother could not be easily left behind. Was Palpatine behind that? Did Darth Plaigus actually create Anakin from the mediclorians, placing him in the outter rim so The Jedi wouldn't discover him? The whole concept of the prophecy and the chosen one kicks ass. "Clouded this boy's future is."

* The Gungans, even Jar Jar binks rules as far as I'm concerned. I found him amusing, not annoying. Threepio annoys me. Jar Jar rules.

* The light saber fights knocking seven shades of shit out of those in the original trilogy

*The Padme/Hand Maiden twist. Total ruleage.

* Mace motherfuckin' windu and his purple saber.

* The meeting between Anakin and padawan Obi Wan. "You're a jedi too? Pleased to meet you." Threepio and Artoo meeting up also.

* Ewan McGregor as Obi Wan just fucking rules period. I think he's even better than Alec Guinness.

* The John Williams soundtrack, especially the duel of the fates track.

* Palpatine's line to Anakin at the end. "We'll watch your progress with great interest and the sence of satisfaction the knowledge you share with Palpatine and him alone. There's a wonderful/awful sense of foreboding in his words."

So that's why TPM, for me, is only outdone by Sith, Hope and Empire