Echo Base

Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back is widely regarded as the best of all the Star Wars films. My personal favorite is A New Hope, (gotta love the original) but I love Empire too. This diorama from markus19840420 looks like a movie set, in fact it's got my juices going for some Hoth stop-motion action. Too bad I'm away from the studio this month. Click through for more pictures of this fantastic diorama.

The Practicality Of Practical

No, this isn't an elaborate MOC, but it's something near and dear to me. It's also a statement in a single image. This is the great Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker and Peter Mayhew of Star Wars fame. This image is to celebrate practical effects, or really in this case actors in costumes. If you look in the background you'll see Maz and Jar Jar, both CGI characters, seemingly wishing they had some humanity. As incredible as CGI is, it's still better to just have something in front of the camera.

We Love Practical Effects

A fun little bit of irony though. That chrome sphere being held by Tony? It is actually used to improve lighting on CGI.

First Order Stormtrooper Blaster

Like Star Wars fans all over the world I'm captivated with the new Stormtroopers. I was never a huge fan of Clonetroopers, and like a great many fans was cautiously optimistic about what Episode VII might have in store for us. But my doubts quickly evaporated the first time I saw the trailer. They have some pretty cool hardware too, like this new blaster by builder willgalb. I was also a proud owner of a toy blaster as a kid, back when you could buy one that looked like the ones in the movie. Then they got really weird colors for safety reasons. I guess that won't be a problem this time around.

F-11D Stormtrooper Blaster Rifle
SONN-BLAS F-11D Blaster Rifle

Darth Vader Car

These little Star Wars inspired Hotwheels hit the shelves a couple years ago, and while I've never purchased one (I really need to control myself, too much stuff at my house already) I always stop and look at them. This is one of my favorites, Darth Vader. Seeing it as a full size car at SDCC was a thrill, but I think seeing it built in brick form by Don't Talk to Robots is even better.

LEGO Darth Vader Car
LEGO Darth Vader Car

Poe's X-Wing In Midi Scale

Midi scale is a tricky but wonderful thing. The size needs to be between minifigure scale and mini, with enough detail to be worth it, but not so much it gets cluttered or messes up the proportions. When done right the results are irresistibly swooshable, like Poe's X-Wing here by Rogue Bantha. Those intakes are inspired genius,

Poe

Battle Droid

I'm no fan of the prequels, that's no secret, but there are a few things I like from those three flicks which I usually try to pretend didn't happen. Despite being dumb as a crate of blasters and comically easily dispatched, I kinda like the battle droids, especially brick-built battle droids and this version by umamen is one of the best I've seen.

LEGO: Battle Droid [2/12]
LEGO: Battle Droid [10/12]

Starspeeder 1000

Ever since it opened in 1987 Star Tours has been thrilling millions of travelers. When it reopened as Star Tours The Adventures Continue it had a new speeder, the 1000, with a spiffy new red color scheme as seen here in this MOC by nobu_tary. The ride makes me super barfy, but I still have to get my Star Wars fix from time to time. And it just has a special place in Disneyland, which already has a special place in my heart.

STAR SPEEDER 1000
STAR SPEEDER 1000

Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base

If you haven't seen it, and you've a fan of Star Wars (or corporate inspired pseudo dramas) you have to check out Saturday Night Live's brilliant parody of Under Cover Boss: Starkiller Base. Adam Driver reprises his role of Kylo Ren, and goes under cover while he tries to get a feeling for how things are going in the company. But if that's not funny and charming enough, how about a recreation in Minifigures by Powerpig In his typically pitch perfect style? This is just screaming to be animated.

'Matt' - Radar Technician
Zack - Lieutenant Colonel
Tim - Stormtrooper 501st Legion
You guys like working here?

BB-7

Droid development is an incremental process. Sometimes what seems like a good idea turns out to be a bit problematic. Take for instance BB-7 here. As baffling as it may be, the designers decided a cubic form factor would be worth exploring. Eventually as you all know things got more spherical, but this one is pretty much just as cute. Leave it to MacLane to find the corners of everyone's favorite new droid. Check out the video to see how he works.

BB-7 Trading Card
BB-7 in action

Rogue, Smuggler, Scoundrel.

This guy was perfectly happy (well, as happy as a guy can be with a price on his head) smuggling and hopping planets before he got mixed up with the rebellion. Then it was nothing but shoot and run, shoot and run. At least he ended up with a pretty spiffy medal. Finally builder Luc Byard's brilliant Leia has her love interest and eternal frustration, Han Solo.

Han Solo (Episode IV)
Han and Leia (Episode IV)

Whole Lotta Pizza

This is all kinds of clever. When builder koffiemoc accepts a challenge, he goes all out. These were all build for a revamp contest on lowlug.nl. He decided to build interpretations of LEGO 6350 Pizza To Go, and did so in the styles of City, Friends, Pirates, Wild West, Roman, Castle and my personal favorite, Star Wars. Yes, that sign is in Aurebesh.

Pizza chez Albert
Yoho! An' a barrel o' pizza!
Pizza Romanum
Best Pizzas Forever
Great Western Pizza
The Pizza Queen
Mos Eisley Pizzeria

Build A BB-8

If you've seen Star Wars The Force Awakens you've no doubt fallen in love with everyone's new favorite droid BB-8 (and if not, what's wrong with you?) Well now thanks to builder DanSto you can build your very own BB-8! He's made a video of a step by step instructions, so break out the bricks, limber up your pause finger and get building.

BB8+R2-D2_C-3PO