If you take just the opening third on Tatooine and the final encounter with Vader, it’s the best Star Wars film. Everything in the middle with Ewoks, the second trip to Dagobah, and the second Death Star really knocks it down a few pegs.My formative cinematic/theatrical experience were the LOTR movies. It was the biggest thing I was ever a part of and it probably still is. After seeing the balrog on the big screen, I realised everything is possible in cinema. Like, I was kinda disappointed by every film for quite a while afterwards.
BTW, my favourite SW film is still Return of the Jedi, believe it or not.
I like retracing and recontextualising (both re-visiting the roots/the hometown in the beginning and recontextualising the second attack on the second Death Star, especially since it works as a background for the primary plot, which is Skywalker-centric), I like the redemption theme, I like it as the movie that brings it all to a closure. Always loved it the most, still do.
One of my ultimate movie what ifs is Steven Spielberg directing the last movie. George Lucas didn’t let go enough of control over Jedi and it shows.