Star Wars: Why Blu?

Let's face it: You're going to buy the Star Wars saga when it comes out on Blu-ray. You can piss and moan about how the original films are only available as the wretched "Special Editions" (where Greedo shoots first and ill-advised CGI inserts reign supreme), but it really doesn't matter: You're going to buy it anyway. And there's really no reason to concentrate on the negative aspects of one of the most highly anticipated Blu-ray releases of all time. Here are but a few reasons why you're going to be glad you shelled out the cash for this baby.

Dude, you're going to get to see old friends like Boushh (who's actually Princess Leia, pre-slave bikini) in HD! In, like, your own home! You know the Blu-ray treatment is going to look and sound amazing, even if the content itself might be less than desirable. Want to show off your home theater system? Star Wars on Blu-ray will deliver the audio-video ka-boom. We're especially looking forward to revisiting the following moments in glorius high-def...

What's arguably the weakest of the Star Wars movies also contains the best live-action lightsaber fight ever put to film. Darth Maul (Ray Park), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) are three Jedis in their prime, doing battle with the Jedi weapon of choice with passion and fury (and some impressive if inexplicable martial arts moves). One could argue that a Jedi would never fight two-on-one, but whatever -- this will look and sound awesome on Blu.

"Begun, the Clone War Has" is Master Yoda's wise observation after the climactic battle of Attack of the Clones, which might be the most bizarre action sequence of the six Star Wars movies. It begins in a gladiator arena, where it looks like it's curtains for Anakin and Padme (they profess their love to each other while they're in chains) as they're forced to take on a series of nasty CGI beasties. Then what we like to refer to as the "Jedi SWAT team" shows up, and from there it's all swinging lightsabers and decapitated droids. Assisting the Jedi are the Clones of the title, dressed in uniforms that look a little too familiar for comfort. We still can't make much sense of the convoluted political intrigue of the prequel trilogy, but damn, it's a fine battle scene even if you don't really know who's fighting who and why and for what -- and it (and Natalie Portman's exposed midriff) should look mighty sweet on Blu.