"THE BUCCANEERS" (1995) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "THE BUCCANEERS", the 1995 television adaptation of Edith Wharton's 1938 novel. Adapted by Maggie Wadey and directed by Philip Saville, the five-part miniseries starred Carla Gugino, Alison Elliott, Rya Kihlstedt, Mira Sorvino and Cherie Lunghi:




"THE BUCCANEERS" (1995) Photo Gallery

"THE HANGOVER, PART II" (2011) Review

"THE HANGOVER, PART II" (2011) Review

Two years after the success of the blockbuster comedy, "THE HANGOVER", director Todd Phillips followed up with a sequel about the lead characters' adventures in Bangkok, Thailand, following another disastrous bachelor's party. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis returned to star in this sequel.

In this sequel, Phil Wenneck, Doug Billings, and Alan Garner accompany Stuart "Stu" Price to Thailand to celebrate his upcoming wedding a woman of Thai descent named Lauren at a beach resort outside of Bangkok. Much to Alan's dismay, Lauren's younger brother, a medical student named Teddy, joins them. Despite disapproval from Lauren's father, who compares Stu to rice porridge, the wedding party goes according to plan. Unfortunately, the four friends and Teddy take part in a mini bachelor's party on the beach. Although Phil insures that the beer they are drinking had not been tampered by the infantile Alan; he, Stu and Alan awaken the following morning at a dirty Bangkok hotel. Apparently, Doug had left the party a little earlier to join his wife at their hotel room. They also discover gangster Leslie Chow (whom they first met in Las Vegas) and a chain-smoking capuchin monkey. Stu has a face tattoo and Alan's head is completely shaven. However, the three friends cannot find Teddy. They only find his severed finger. And as Chow begins recalling the events of the previous night, his heart stops after snorting a line of cocaine. Panicked, the trio dispose of Chow's body in an ice machine and begin their search for the missing Teddy.

In conclusion, I must admit that I found "THE HANGOVER, PART II" very entertaining. One, I loved the Thailand setting and cinematographer Lawrence Sher's photography of the locations. Two, director Todd Phillips did a great job in maintaining the movie's pacing, ensuring that I would never fall asleep. Three, the chemistry between the main cast seemed as potent as ever. I noticed that Phillips continued the chemistry between Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis from the first movie. However, I was a little disappointed that Justin Bartha did not take part in the trio's adventures in this movie. Instead of being the missing person (as he was in the first film), his character left the bachelor party before it all went to hell.

However, Phillips did find a way to bring back Ken Jeong as gangster Leslie Chow. And he was as funny as ever. In fact, one of Jeong's funniest scenes featured the trio and Chow's arrival at a high-class hotel restaurant to meet an American gangster (and undercover Interpol agent) named Kingsley. Other funny scenes include Stu's discovery that he had drug-induced sex with a Kathoey prostitute, Phil's reaction to getting shot by a Russian gangster, Mike Tyson's surprise appearance and performance at Stu and Lauren's wedding, and a crazy car chase through the streets of nighttime Bangkok.

But was "THE HANGOVER, PART II" funnier or just as funny as the 2009 movie? I can honestly say . . . no. The first twenty minutes of the film did not strike me as particularly funny, no matter how much humor Scot Armstrong, Craig Mazin and Todd Phillips tried to wring from the script. The ending seemed a bit too cheesy and sentimental at times. And why on earth did they include a scene in which the trio and Chow dropped off the badly wounded monkey (who had been shot in the stomach) at a veterinary clinic. The movie also featured an appearance from Paul Giamatti, who was from funny in his role as fake gangster/undercover Interpol agent Kingsley. And this was a major disappointment, considering Giamatti's talent for humor. And I wish that Nick Cassavetes' cameo as a Bangkok tattoo artist could have been a bit funny. I suspect that if Mel Gibson had been in the role, he would have garnered a lot more laughs. I could say the same for Mason Lee (Ang Lee's son), who made a less funnier missing person than Bartha. As for Nirut Sirijanya, he seemed downright humorless as Stu's disapproving father-in-law-to-be. I realize that his character was humorless, but so was Melissa, Stu's former girlfriend. But actress Rachael Harris portrayed the humorless Melissa with a great deal of comedic skill. I cannot say the same for Sirijanya.

Many people had complained that "THE HANGOVER, PART II" more or less followed the same plot formula as "THE HANGOVER". And they would be right. Like in the first film, the characters experienced the following:

*a hangover from drugs fed to them by the socially challenged Alan
*a missing person who is locked in some space at the hotel they had awaken
*Stu experiences a physical impairment (a tattoo in this film, a missing tooth in the last)
*Stu becomes involved with a prostitute
*theft of someone's pet animal (in this case, a monkey)
*Phil is hospitalized
*a red herring situation regarding the missing person
*Stu sings
*Phil is forced to admit not knowing the location of missing person
*Stu figures out the location of the missing person

Well, you get the drift. The only reason I am willing to tolerate this lack of originality on the screenwriters' parts is due to the fact that I still managed to enjoy the movie. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis not only proved that they were still funny, but could also be an effective comedy team. Thanks to the movie's humorous story and performances, and the exotic Thai locations, I am certainly looking forward to the DVD release of "THE HANGOVER, PART II".

"HORRIBLE BOSSES" (2011) Photo Gallery

Below are images from the new black comedy, "HORRIBLE BOSSES". Directed by Seth Gordon, the movie stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis:


"HORRIBLE BOSSES" (2011) Photo Gallery

"Defense of the Realm" [PG-13] - 8/14

"DEFENSE OF THE REALM"

CHAPTER 8

During the four years since Piper's departure from Quake, the restaurant had not changed much - aside from the menu and the food's quality. Cole had never visited Quake before, but judging from Phoebe's reaction to their appetizers, apparently the food was not what it used to be under Piper's rule.

Cole reached for his glass of Cabernet Sauvignon wine and took a sip. "Perhaps we should have went to another restaurant." He fell silent, expecting a reply from Phoebe. She said nothing. Cole added, "Or perhaps I should have prepared dinner at home. Marbus had pointed out that we've been going out to dinner on a regular basis, lately." He chuckled slightly. "I think I may have come close to spending half of my paycheck, during the past two weeks."

Phoebe responded with a dim smile and reached for a dinner roll.

Realizing that Phoebe might still be distracted by his quarrel with Leo, Cole decided to confront the matter than pretend everything was fine. "Okay Phoebe," he muttered, "what's wrong? Other than criticizing the food here, you've barely said a word."

"Nothing's wrong," Phoebe quickly replied. "I'm fine."

Cole sighed. "Right. And that's why you're looking as if your favorite pet had died. Or you're about to flee for your life. I really can't tell which."

"Cole . . ."

"What . . . is . . . wrong, Phoebe?"

A silent moment passed before the dark-haired witch finally answered, "It's about tonight. Your fight with Leo."

Cole cast his eyes downward, now that his suspicions had been confirmed. "I see. Look Phoebe, I'm sorry that I had lost my temper, but I'm getting sick and tired of Leo treating me like an outsider every time I show up. I realize that I have a past that would make any sane person flee for his life; but who is he to judge, after the shit he had recently pulled?"

"I understand how you feel, Cole," Phoebe said. "Really, I do. And you're right. Leo can't really look down his nose at you, anymore." She sighed, and glanced up at Cole. "But you really need to keep your temper in check."

One of Cole's brows shot upward. "'I' need to keep hold of my temper?"

"Okay, maybe I can be a little temperamental also," Phoebe conceeded. "But Cole . . . you have to consider your powers. What if . . . what if you completely lose your temper and decide to use your powers? Who would be able to stop you?"

Cole smiled derisively. "Well, Olivia for one. I'm sure that she still have some of that potion . . ."

"Cole!"

A sigh left his mouth. "Look, I'll try to control my temper, Phoebe. I swear. But Leo has to learn to do the same. And he needs to stop acting as if I'm plotting to murder all of you."

"I know. But . . ."

Warily, Cole stared at his ex-wife. "But what?"

Again, Phoebe hesitated. "Have you ever thought about . . . you know, stripping away your powers?"

Shit! He should have known. From the moment he and Phoebe had started dating again, Cole suspected that sooner or later, she would bring up the matter of his powers. Phoebe obviously wanted him back, but only as a mortal.

"Cole?" Apprehension crept into Phoebe's voice. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

Not mad, Cole decided. Just disappointed. He could imagine the 'I told you so' expression on Olivia's face. "No Phoebe. I'm not angry. It's just . . . considering the last two times I had lost my powers - disaster followed."

Her dark eyes now shinning brightly with hope, Phoebe leaned forward. "But those incidents were accidents!" she exclaimed. "You had lost your powers the first time, because that witch's girlfriend had thrown a power-stripping potion on you."

"Which you had left in your dresser drawer."

Phoebe ignored the dig. "And you had lost them the second time," she continued, "because Barbas had tricked you into asking Paige to strip them, so he could steal them. Cole, this time we can control the whole process. Make sure there are no unforeseen problems."

Cole wanted to shout, "Hell no!" He had no desire to re-experience the trauma of adjusting to complete mortality, again. Or feel like half a person. But he did not want to clash with Phoebe. Not again. Not after the last fifteen months of estrangement between them. And he simply could not bear to see the fear in Phoebe's eyes, whenever he lost his temper.

"All right," he finally said with a sigh. "I'll do it."

A bright smile lit up Phoebe's face.

---------

Elder MacKenzie Grant sat inside his private chambers, as he examined reports from various whitelighters throughout the mortal realm. So far, no one had been able to track down Natalia Stopanova - who was last detected in one of the demonic dimensions.

An impatient grunt escaped his mouth. How could the Russian-born whitelighter have escaped from their detection so quickly? And so effectively? She had first been spotted in the Gimle dimension. Before the Council could retrieve her, she had moved on to the mortals' realm - namely the San Francisco area. And that is where she had disappeared. Vanished from their radar, as the mortals would say.

MacKenzie contemplated on who or what could have shielded Stepanova from the Council's detection. He eventually came to the conclusion that she was no longer on Earth, and that she must be hiding . . .

A bell signaled the arrival of a visitor to his chambers. "Yes?" MacKenzie cried out.

A voice replied, "Johann Bauer. I have the tea that you had requested from the kitchen."

MacKenzie waved his hand, allowing the door to slide open. The newly initiated Elder entered the chamber, carrying a tray with an earthen teapot and cup. "Johann, you did not have to bring me tea. Someone from the kitchen should have sent a whitelighter. You're an Elder, now."

"Oh, I don't mind, MacKenzie," Johann replied in his soft, Austrian accent. "Besides, I had to send the whitelighter on an errand for me."

Smiling, MacKenzie said to his colleague, "Well, you can place the tray on my desk. If you don't mind."

After Johann had done as he was asked, he stared at the senior Elder. "Is there anything else you need, El . . . MacKenzie?" The other Elder shook his head. Johann continued to stare. "Are you feeling well? You seem a bit exhausted. Perhaps you should drink your tea, now."

"Oh, I'm fine, Johann." MacKenzie sighed and picked up the teapot. "Just a little shaken by the latest events."

Johann nodded. "I understand. I'm . . . a little overwhelmed, myself. Especially after I had joined the Council." He paused. "I'm curious. Why did the Council select me to replace Elder Sylvester?"

MacKenzie stared at him, recalling the anonymous warning that the Council had received about Mathilda's plans regarding Belthazor. The Council knew that Johann had been one of the former Elder's protégées, and immediately guessed who had been the informant. MacKenzie opened his mouth to reveal all of this . . . but instead replied, "The Council simply believed that you would make an excellent Elder. Despite being a whitelighter for only five years."

The Austrian blinked. "Oh. Well . . . enjoy your tea."

Smiling at the junior whitelighter, MacKenzie poured tea into his cup. He then took a sip. Not bad. "I must commend Jodhi on her brewing." He drank the rest of his tea.

"Oh, Jodhi did not make the tea. I did." MacKenzie stared at Johann, who added, "I knew that it was time for your tea and prepared a pot."

Curious, MacKenzie asked, "Why?"

A wide, sinister smile curved Johann's lips, raising the hackles on the back of MacKenzie's neck. "So I could add poison from a darklighter's arrow into your tea." His smile widened. "And watch you slowly die."

---------

Johann strode into Artemus' spacious library and bowed before the demonic CEO. "Your Eminence. I have some news."

The demon cast a wary eye at the darklighter. "I do believe you're being a little premature in calling me 'Eminence', Herr Bauer. I'm not the Source, yet."

"But once the Whitelighters Council is destroyed and you have assumed control of the . . ."

Artemus interrupted, "That particular incident will not make me the Source, Johann. Only the Grimoire can make me the Source. Or Belthazor's powers. And I doubt that he will be in the mood to hand them over. However, the idea of the Elders Council's destruction is rather appealing. It will also impress certain demonic circles and give me a little extra credibility . . . and power." He paused. "You were saying something about news?"

Johann nodded. "Yes. Two other Elders have been dispatched. One of them was," the Austrian whitelighter smiled, "Elder MacKenzie Grant." Artemus frowned. "He was one of the senior Elders, who had served on the Council for nearly 500 years, and has been a whitelighter even longer."

"Well, I'm sure that his colleagues will mourn him." Aretemus picked up a file from his desk. "And who will replace this MacKenzie?"

Johann shook his head. "The bodies of both MacKenzie and young Kevin have not been discovered yet. And the Council has not been able to replace the last three Elders."

"When the Elders finally decides to re-organize, you should suggest that Mathilda be accepted back on the Council." Aretemus opened the file.

Frowning, Johann asked, "Why? She's the only veteran whitelighter who is permanently out of the way."

Aretemus glanced up and stared at the darklighter. Who squirmed under his master's direct stare. "I do not want Mathilda out of the way. I want her dead. I want the Council destroyed. And since Mathilda is a veteran, she is the only one capable of re-organizing the Council." Artemus leaned forward. "I want Mathilda back on that Council, when you, Belinda and the others finally attack. Mathilda may be an arrogant bitch, but she is also a wily one. She will make sure that she has company, once the attacks begin. That way, no one will connect the murders to her. But once she is back on the Council, her guard will drop. And that is when you will kill her. Understand?"

The intensity of Artemus' eyes caused Johann to shiver. "Yes Artemus. I understand perfectly."

---------

Phoebe descended the manor's staircase, her mouth stretched into a yawn. Expecting her family inside the kitchen for breakfast, she was surprised to find them gathered in the living room. Along with Chris. Everyone wore a tense expression - except for Chris, who looked grim. "What's going on?" she demanded, as she settled in one of the chairs.

Piper rocked Wyatt in her arms. "Apparently Chris has some bad news." She stared at the young whitelighter. "Which he has yet to tell us."

Chris hesitated. "Two more Elders have been killed." The Halliwells gasped with surprise. Leo looked as if his world was falling apart. "One back in the Whitelighter Realm and one here on Earth."

"Oh my God!" Leo exclaimed. "Natalia! Why haven't . . .? I mean, how was she able to kill an Elder in the Realm, when she was last reported on Earth?"

Shooting the older whitelighter a contemptuous look, Chris retorted, "First of all, Miss Stepanova is only a suspect. No one knows for certain that she's behind this. And if she was, she probably used her followers to commit . . . uh, to kill the Elders." Chris paused. "Just as Mathilda had used you to get rid of Belthazor."

"Okay! Just a damn minute!" Piper began angrily. She seemed upset at Chris' potshot at her husband. "Leo had made a mistake. There's no need to rub it in his face."

"Sorry," Chris muttered. Yet, Phoebe noticed that his expression remained unrepentant.

Leo asked, "Who had been killed?"

"Elder MacKenzie Grant," Chris replied. "Someone had added poison from a darklighter's arrow to his tea."

Paige added, "Just like that Elder who was killed in Paris."

Leo seemed shocked by the identity of the victim. "My God! Elder MacKenzie? He, Sylvester and Mathilda were the premiere Elders on the Council. MacKenzie had been around for nearly 600 years. Who was the other Elder?"

Chris answered, "He was a younger Council member. From the ticket that was found in his pocket, he must have just left a movie theater in Sausalito, when someone with a darklighter's weapon . . ."

"What was his name?"

Glaring at the other whitelighter, Chris mumbled a name. "Who?" Phoebe demanded.

"Kevin James," Chris said in a louder voice.

The name produced gasps from the Charmed Ones. "No!" Phoebe cried. "He can't be dead!"

Chris added, "The police had found his body in some alley, earlier this morning. The Council sent a whitelighter to claim his body."

"Oh my God! Kevin!" Paige shook her head in disbelief. "He was just a boy! Only thirteen."

"He was an Elder."

Frowning, Leo said, "That means there are only two original members of the Council left. Two out of seven."

"Two out of four," Chris corrected. "The Council hasn't replaced Elders Pivet, Davis and Kulle. They now have five members to replace."

Leo's blue eyes grew wide with shock. "There are only four members on the Council? With two of them, newcomers?"

Still grief-stricken over the news of Kevin's death, Phoebe said, "We have to help. We have to find out who's responsible for killing Kevin."

"And the other Elders," Leo added.

Piper said, "Then we should find this Natalia Stepanova. After all, she's the number one suspect."

"What about a warlock?" Phoebe asked. "Or a demon? Don't forget about that warlock who had managed to enter the Whitelighters Realm."

Chris shook his head. "Yeah, I heard about that. No whitelighters - other than the Elders - have been reported dead for quite a while. At least not during the last four months I've been here."

An uneasy expression appeared on Piper's face. "That would mean a whitelighter is responsible for the deaths," she said.

Leo nodded. "Natalia Stepanova."

"My bet is that your old buddy, Mathilda, is responsible," Paige countered.

As Leo opened his mouth to retort, Phoebe added, "I agree. C'mon Leo! You have to admit that she has the best motive. The Elders had kicked her off the Council."

"I have an idea," Piper said. "Why don't we check the area where Kevin's body was found? Maybe we can find a clue. Or Pheebs could get a vi. . .?"

Phoebe interrupted, "Uh, don't forget that Paige and I have jobs. Maybe we can do this on our lunch breaks." She turned to Chris. "Where was Kevin found?"

"Near a movie theater in Sausalito," the young whitelighter answered. "I'll meet you here at the house and orb you to the spot."

Piper snapped, "Just tell us where to go." Chris remained silent. She heaved an impatient sigh. "All right. I guess we can all meet here around noon. Okay?"

Everyone else nodded in agreement.


END OF CHAPTER 8

TIME MACHINE: First Battle of Bull Run

TIME MACHINE: FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN

Today marked the 150th anniversary of the First Battle of Bull Run, near Manassas, Virginia. Fought on July 21, 1861; the First Bull Run is considered to be the first major land battle of the U.S. Civil War.

About a month or two following the bombardment of Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, the public throughout the Union began clamoring for a march against the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia; which they believed would bring an early end to the war. Yielding to this political pressure, President Abraham Lincoln ordered Brigadier General Irvin McDowell to plan an advance across Bull Run Creek to face the equally unseasoned Confederate Army near Manassas Junction, under the command of Brigadier General Pierre G.T. Beauregard.

McDowell finally buckled under presidential and public pressure and formed an ambitious plan for a surprise flank attack against the Confederate left. Unfortunately, the inexperienced officers and troops failed to conduct a successful flank attack. However, due to the lack of experience of the Confederate troops, they initially found themselves at a disadvantage. The tide of the battle turned when Confederate reinforcements under the command of Brigadier General Joseph E. Johnston arrived from the Shenandoah Valley by railroad.

A brigade of Virginians under a relatively unknown colonel from the Virginia Military Institute (V.M.I.), Thomas J. Jackson, stood their ground and Jackson received his famous nickname, "Stonewall Jackson", accompanied by Colonel Wade Hampton and his Hampton's Legion from South Carolina; and Colonel J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry. The Confederate forces were able to assemble 13 guns for the defensive line, posted on the crest of Henry House Hill. And McDowell ordered the Union batteries of Captain James B. Ricketts and Captain Charles Griffin to move from Dogan's Ridge to the hill for close infantry support. Their 11 guns engaged in an artillery duel against the Confederate's 13. Unlike many other engagements in the Civil War, the Confederate artillery had an advantage in this battle. One of the casualties of the artillery duel was Judith Carter Henry, an 85-year-old widow and invalid, who was unable to leave her bedroom in the Henry House. When Ricketts began receiving rifle fire, he concluded that it was coming from the Henry House and turned his guns on the building. A shell that crashed through the bedroom wall tore off one of the widow's feet and inflicted multiple injuries, from which she died later that day.

At approximately 3 p.m., the guns from Captain Griffin's battery were overrun by the 33rd Virginia, whose men were outfitted in blue uniforms similar to those worn by Union troops. This caused Griffin's commander, Major William F. Barry, to mistake them for Union troops and to order Griffin not to fire upon them. Close range volleys from the 33rd Virginia and Stuart's cavalry attack against the flank of the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (the late Elmer E. Ellsworth's Fire Zouaves), which was supporting the battery, killed many of the gunners and scattered the infantry. Capitalizing on this success, Jackson ordered two regiments to charge Ricketts's guns and they were captured as well. As additional Union infantry engaged, the guns changed hands several times.

The capture of Rickett's Battery turned the tide of battle. At about 4 p.m., the last Union troops were pushed off Henry House Hill by a charge of two regiments from Colonel Philip St. George Cocke's brigade. To the west, two Confederate brigades from the Shenandoah Valley crushed Colonel Oliver O. Howard's brigade, which had been occupying Chinn Ridge. General Beauregard ordered his entire line forward. McDowell's force crumbled and began to retreat. The retreat was relatively orderly up to the Bull Run creek crossings, but it was poorly managed by the Union officers. Artillery fire overturned a Union wagon on a bridge spanning Cub Run Creek and incited panic in McDowell's force. As the soldiers streamed uncontrollably toward Centreville, discarding their arms and equipment; McDowell ordered Colonel Dixon S. Miles's division to act as a rear guard, but it was impossible to rally the army short of Washington. In the disorder that followed, hundreds of Union troops were taken prisoner. The wealthy and political elite of nearby Washington D.C. had come to picnic and watch the battle, expecting an easy Union victory. When the Union army retreated in disorder, panicking civilians blocked the roads back to Washington, attempting to flee in their carriages. Since the Confederate forces were also highly disorganized, Beauregard and Johnston did not fully press their advantage, despite urging from recent arrival Confederate President Jefferson Davis. An attempt by Johnston to intercept the Union troops from his right flank was a failure. Both Beauregard and Johnston squabbled with each other. Davis eventually called off the pursuit.

The First Bull Run was the largest and bloodiest battle in American history up to that point. Union forces and civilians alike feared that Confederate forces would advance on Washington, D.C., with very little standing in their way. On July 24, Professor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe ascended in the balloon Enterprise to observe the Confederates moving in and about Manassas Junction and Fairfax. He saw no evidence of massing Rebel forces, but was forced to land in Confederate territory. Northerners were shocked by the defeat of their army when an easy victory had been widely anticipated. On July 22, President Lincoln signed a bill that provided for the enlistment of another 500,000 men for up to three years of service. He also replaced Irwin McDowell with George McDowell, as the head of the Army of the Potomoc. There was little public celebration throughout the Confederacy, as Southerners realized that the war would be longer and more brutal than they had assumed. Northerners came to same conclusion.

The name of the battle has caused controversy since 1861. The Union Army frequently named battles after significant rivers and creeks that played a role in the fighting; and the Confederates generally used the names of nearby towns or farms. The U.S. National Park Service uses the Confederate name for its national battlefield park, but the Union name (Bull Run) also has widespread currency in popular literature. Below are links to more detail information on the battle:

Manassas - National Park Service

Civil War Home

"HARPER'S FERRY WEEKLY - August 3, 1861

Notes and Observations of "STAR WARS: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back"

The following is a list of minor notes and observations that came to me, during my recent viewing of “Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back”. I hope that you enjoy them:


Notes and Observations of "STAR WARS: EPISODE IV - A NEW HOPE"

*Exactly who was in command of the Rebel Alliance base on Hoth – Leia or General Rieekan?

*What was Leia doing on Hoth with the Rebel Alliance military personnel? Why wasn’t she with the other political Rebel leaders?

*Ah yes! The ”I’ just as soon kiss a Wookie!” dialogue between Leia and Han. Charming, although slightly . . . childish.

*How . . . or should I say when did Han and Leia reach the point in which they became attracted to one another?

*It was interesting to see how Obi-Wan’s ghost faded with the emergence of Han on a tauntaun.

*”Why, you stuck up,... half-witted... scruffy-looking ...nerf-herder!” - Another charming, yet childish exchange between Leia and Han.

*Jealousy and ambition seem quite obvious within the Imperial command structure, if General Ozzel’s glare at Piett is anything to go by.

*I find it interesting that the exchange between Luke and Han before the commencement of the Battle of Hoth would be the last between them for at least a year.

*Vader’s ability to strangle Ozzel with the Force from such a large distance seemed very impressive for someone whose strength with the Force has been weakened.

*The pilots’ point of view of the Battle of Hoth seemed like another cliché of a World War II dogfight . . . like the Battle of Yavin.

*Luke was made commander of the Rebel pilots because he had destroyed the Death Star . . . with Han’s help? What about Wedge, who was also a competent pilot and more experienced?

*The Imperial AT-AT Walkers remind me of the Oliphaunts from the ”LORD OF THE RINGS” saga.

*Wasn’t Leia taking her duty just a bit too seriously by delaying her departure from Hoth?

*I noticed that Han never seemed to follow the ladies first rule. When he, Leia and Chewie and Threepio had escaped both from Hoth and the exogorth in the asteroid field, he made sure that he boarded the Millennium Falcon first. Not exactly a man of the Old Republic.

*Han really revealed how much of a hot shot pilot he was in this movie.

*”Into the belly of the beast” - This metaphor seemed to fit the Falcon’s entry into exogorth even more than Luke, Han and Leia’s brief adventures inside the Death Star’s trash compactor.

*The audience got a brief glimpse of the price Anakin paid for his past mistakes – namely his scalded head.

*”Feel like what?” - Yoda’s first words in any ”STAR WARS” movie.

*”Great warrior? Hmmm . . . wars do not make one great.” - Ironic words from the very being who led the first attack, during the first battle of the Clone Wars. His words also revealed the true Yoda behind the comic façade. I think Luke may have been too impatient or full of himself to notice.

*”You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life.” - One can only assume that Leia’s age – 22 years – and limited experience with men would explain why she bought that bilge pouring from Han’s mouth.

*”He’s just a boy. Obi-Wan can no longer help him.” - Surely these words must have hinted to Palpatine that Vader had been aware of Luke for some time?

*I see that Clive Revill has been replaced by Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor Palpatine in this DVD version of the movie. Which makes sense, considering that McDiarmid is more identified with the role.

*”This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away . . . to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was.” - I believe that Yoda had just described himself and many other Jedi Masters and Knights of the Old Republic, nearly a quarter of a century ago. If he and Obi-Wan could learn to overcome this distraction from the future, why not Luke? Why was Yoda so reluctant to teach Luke? Is it Luke he doubts? Or himself as a teacher?

*”If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice.” - I hope that Yoda was trying to say that a person will always be affected by his or her earlier decision to take a dark path or commit dark acts. Because if he was trying to say that a person will always remain evil, after taking the dark path, I must say that I disagree.

*Han used a neat trick to evade the sensors of Captain Needa’s starship, after the Falcon left the asteroid field.

*”Luminous beings are we. Not this crude matter.” - A favorite line of mine.

*It was very clever of Han to attach the Falcon to an Imperial starship before disguising it as garbage to be disposed with the other. Unfortunately for him, Boba Fett had witnessed a similar trick pulled by Obi-Wan near Geonosis, some 25 years ago. Even worse, it is a shame that Han was so busy congratulating himself over his trick that he failed to realize that Fett was tracking him.

*”Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future... the past. Old friends long gone.” - I wonder if Yoda was thinking of Mace Windu.

*According to LucasFilm, it took the Falcon three months to reach Bespin without a hyperdrive. If only Lucas and the others had made this clear in the movie.

*The Falcon was practically escorted to one of the landing platforms on Cloud City. I wonder why.

*Great entrance for Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian.

*Was CP-30 really that dense in that he would be so easily distracted from the group by the sound of an R2 unit?

*”Stopped they must be. On this all depends. Only a fully trained Jedi Knight with the Force as his ally will conquer Vader and his Emperor”. - Did that mean Yoda had never intended for Luke to help Anakin find redemption?

*Apparently, the original deal between Vader and Lando did not include Han being turned over to Boba Fett. And later, Vader broke his word and insisted that Leia and Chewie accompany him. Interesting. It is a miracle that the Sith Lord did not renege on the deal even further by destroying Bespin and its population.

*And why did Han and Leia fail to understand the situation that Vader had placed Lando? Were they too blinded by anger?

*I find it interesting that not once did Vader set eyes upon C3-P0, his own creation. Why? Because Chewbacca had the droid strapped to his back.

*How stupid were Leia and Chewbacca? It was obvious that Lando had released them from Vader’s stormtroopers. Yet, all they could do was lose their tempers. Chewbacca immediately began to strangle Lando and Leia encouraged the Wookie. Because their temper tantrums, they prevented Lando from rescuing Han from Boba Fett.

*I must admit that I found the dialogue during the Bespin duel rather irritating. The most important thing about the duel seemed to be Vader’s revelation as Anakin Skywalker . . . after the fighting stopped.

*Vader’s reaction to Luke and Leia’s escape from Bespin was an excellent moment of silent acting on David Prowse’s part. With his use of body language, he managed to express Vader’s regret over losing Luke . . . and the beginning of Anakin Skywalker’s resurgence.