Return of the Jedi (1983) is a good movie to herald in the New Year. Why? Because it is so positive.

Yeah, I could nitpick, but Return of the Jedi is so much more.

Return of the Jedi may not be as tightly written as the previous episodes in the trilogy, but it does have loads of life.

The power of life endures.  “The light shines in the darkness.”

The forces of good have reassembled in an armada in a location in space. After the Empire struck back in the previous episode, the Alliance [the force for good and life] has not given up in their quest to gain freedom from oppression in the galaxy.

Then there’s the story of Han Solo.

Luke Skywalker’s buddy Han Solo has plenty of friends. Han has been captured, but Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, Lando, R2-D2 and C3-PO are coming for him.

Han is better alive than dead so his friends attempt to get him back from the “vile clutches of Jabba the Hutt”.

By now we know that Luke’s father is Anakin Skywalker. Anakin turned from the good side to become Darth Vader, an agent of evil. “More machine now than man, Twisted and evil.”

The good man Anakin fell from grace and became the villain Darth Vader. Luke discovers that Anakin is his father and goes on a mission to bring Vader back to his real self.

It’s a mission of goodness and not self-seeking.  Luke’s mission is to reclaim the real person that has been hidden for more than thirty years.

Luke wants to bring his father back instead of punish him for the many wrongs he has done.

Then there are the lovable Ewoks, diminutive creatures from Endor, who help the Alliance force back the Empire’s clutch on the galaxy.

We know what happens, but maybe Return of the Jedi is the movie to see, again, as New Year’s is a time to focus on the good.