Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Empire Strikes Back takes the "leave your hometown" thrills of its predecessor and adds an adult sensibility and thematic through-line that gives George Lucas' galaxy far, far away from a real depth. While the phrases "dark" and "stylish" are often overused when discussing filmmaker Irvin Kershner's part in the series, it is certainly the darkest and most stylish of the series.

Han Solo's uncertain fate, Luke's dreadful epiphany about his father, Lando's betrayal, the Rebels' defeat on Hoth... these were all gut-punch moments that left us reeling back then and still does in some ways, even if Return of the Jedi's soft-pedaling undoes so much of Empire's hard work. That, however, is a topic for a distinct list.

Director: Irvin Kershner
Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Runtime: 124 mins