Star Wars V and VI are the movies out of the franchise that have a certain place in my heart. In Episode IV it felt like we only got a taste of what was yet to come as we didn't get very much of a variety of locations and though the performances of the actors and set pieces were definitely good they weren't quite up to the standards that would soon be set for the series.
Star Wars V starts off incredibly well with my favorite location in the entire franchise, Hoth. This place is so barren and bleak but so memorable at the same time just for the interactions that happen here between characters. Another one of my favorite locations and stories takes place in Cloud City where Han gets to meet up with an old friend named Lando who is in league with Darth Vader, if only to protect his friends. All of these locations are very memorable and very unique to each other. The fight scenes are also a lot more intense than in Episode IV. The invasion on Hoth and the confrontation between Darth Vader are both fantastically done. Hoth is fast and it feels important as they are not trying to take down the Empire but rather the Empire is trying to destroy the Rebel's base. It just feels very weighted and important. The Darth Vader fight is also amazingly written and performed. There is so much emotion built up to this climax and when the secret is revealed at the end of it you really feel the weight just as much as Luke does. And don't even get me started on how emotionally light-hearted the Yoda scenes are.
Star Wars VI is also a very well done movie, though it does suffer very minutely from just a couple of unnecessary scenes. The very beginning scenes, however, are just so memorable and enjoyable. When the audience sees Luke in his black cloak and hood for the first time as he intimidates his way through Jabba's Castle it sends chills down their spines. In fact the whole first half of the film is great. Some of the character dialogue on Endor in the last half isn't as strong as in Episode V and the whole scene where the group gets captured by Ewoks and C3PO is seen like a God to them is just kind of unnecessary. It's not bad as it provides a little bit of humor but it is overall just unnecessary. The final confrontation of Darth Vader and the Emperor is very well done as it does spend a fair amount of time on the relationship between Vader and Luke and the backstory of Vader. This makes Darth Vader's redemption and return to the Light Side all the more memorable.
Star Wars Episodes V and VI are both great.
Overall the entire Star Wars franchise is very great besides some God-awful films *cough* *cough* Episodes I and II *cough* *cough*. Honestly though, I recommend that a first-timer watch them in my version of the Machete method. My version is IV, V, III, then VI. Watching IV and V first preserves the reveal of Darth Vader being Luke's father and has III as a sort of flashback. Just don't watch I and II. They are dumb and worthless.
