[Tax-chick]

young/old Anakin couldn't act his way out of a paper bag in first two films

That's the truth! To be honest, the first time someone called him "Ani" and he didn't knock them unconscious, I lost all respect for him!

[Sofa King]

I blame the directing and the writing in the second movie- Anakin was written to be an anoying little crap, and he was played as such.