”The Empire Strikes Back”

The sequel to the Star Wars, the 1977 sci-fi film that defined the genre and shaped a generation, is blasting its way onto the Plaza Classic Film Festival schedule this summer.

Jaime Mendez, a member of the film festival's advisory committee and an avid Star Wars fan, joins Lisa Elliott and Stephanie Valle to convince them -- and all of you -- that "Empire" isn't just the best film in the series, but one of the best movies ever made.

The Plaza Classic Film Festival runs from July 17-27, 2025. Find "The Empire Strikes Back" and other screenings on the festival schedule here.

The Plaza Classic Podcast is a production of the El Paso Community Foundation and is recorded on the El Paso Community College campus.

Check out this week's show notes here.

Get Plaza Classic Film Festival passes and more here.