Category: New Releases

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]With The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi making over $1 billion, things seemed to be looking up. On top of that, all three received generally positive reviews from critics, but things weren’t so with fans and audiences. While fans and audiences were satisfied with the first two, The Last Jedi was especially divisive for what it changed. Between this and the poor box office returns of Solo, it seemed any goodwill Disney had been tainted. For the next installment, Colin Trevorrow (Jurassic World) was originally hired to direct but was let go in 2017. While Trevorrow and frequent collaborator Derek Connolly received story credits, J. J. Abrams would return to co-write and direct. Much of the original cast returned, while unused footage of Carrie Fisher was incorporated since she passed away in 2016. On December 20, 2019, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker was released.

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Synopsis

Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) has returned following his downfall in Return of the Jedi and has spread a galaxy-wide broadcast. Supreme Leader Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) seeks a Sith Wayfinder, a device that will reveal Palpatine’s location, the planet Exegol. Palpatine and his followers have built a new fleet of Star Destroyers with firepower similar to the Death Star. Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley) is continuing her Jedi training with General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) acting as her mentor. Rey joins Finn (John Boyega), Poe (Oscar Isaac), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), and BB-8 in stopping Kylo Ren. Along the way, they meet up with Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), who agrees to fight alongside the Resistance. During the adventure, Rey discovers her true origins, Ren confronts his past, and the Emperor’s plans are set in motion. Will Palpatine be stopped, or will the Final Order reign supreme?

Review

While I know tons of people hated The Last Jedi, I enjoyed it wanted to see where things went. Unfortunately, though it has some good qualities, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker is a disappointment. To get into those good qualities, I’ll say first off that all of the acting here is great. Ridley, Boyega, Isaac, and Driver especially continue delivering great performances, while Williams and McDiarmid return to their characters enthusiastically. Also, given the unfortunate death of Carrie Fisher, the way they handled her scenes was done very respectfully. Also, as to be expected with any Star Wars film, the action set pieces and visuals are all done beautifully. Granted, there’s plenty of shots recreated from scenes in previous films, but this whole sequel trilogy has already done that. As a pure sci-fi spectacle, this film more than exceeds at providing blockbuster entertainment.

However, great performances, action scenes, and visuals can’t make up for a poor story that ends on a resounding thud. Much of this can’t be discussed without spoilers, but suffice it to say the story is a complete mess. Not only does this fail as a finale to this new trilogy of films, but the entire nine-film saga. While Avengers: Endgame felt like a worthy conclusion to those films, this feels more like an average Star Wars film. The biggest problem is that in trying to appease those who disliked The Last Jedi, they ended up disappointing everyone. Even the added fan service doesn’t help, as it just feels like manipulation to try and win over audiences. That being said, if you’re just looking for a fun spectacle and exciting Star Wars action, you’ll have a good time. Overall, though, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker is a letdown.

Buy Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AszGdd.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. 

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Where to watch Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

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As I mentioned in my Rogue One review, a TV series, Star Wars: Underworld, was being developed before Disney’s acquisition. In 2012, the same year he sold Lucasfilm to Disney, George Lucas started work on a Han Solo origin film. He brought veteran screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan (Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi) in to write the screenplay. After Disney’s acquisition, Kasdan was hired to finish the script for The Force Awakens, leaving his son Jonathan to continue. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The LEGO Movie) were originally hired to direct before being fired in 2017. Ron Howard, who ironically turned down directing The Phantom Menace, was hired to finish filming and work on reshoots. With an estimated budget of around $275 million, this would become one of the most expensive movies ever made. Finally, in May 2018, Solo: A Star Wars Story was released.

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Synopsis

On the planet Corellia, Han (Alden Ehrenreich) and Qi’ra (Emilia Clarke) bribe an Imperial officer to allow them passage. Unfortunately, Qi’ra gets separated from Han, and he decides to sign up for the Imperial academy to be a pilot. He ends up becoming an infantryman, and soon meets rogueish criminal Tobias Beckett (Woody Harrelson) who is planning a heist. After meeting the Wookie Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), they go on a heist for coaxium (hyperspace fuel), but it goes south. Because of this, they meet with Beckett’s client, Dryden Vos (Paul Bettany), who Qi’ra happens to be working for. They work out a deal to steal some unrefined coaxium from Kessel, with Qi’ra accompanying them as a liaison. She takes them to rogue smuggler Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover), who agrees to help using his ship, the Millenium Falcon. With the crew in place, it’s time to make the Kessel Run.

Review

Admittedly, I am somewhat conflicted when it comes to my overall feelings towards Solo: A Star Wars Story. On the one hand, it’s got some decent performances, some fun action scenes, and some interesting visuals, for sure. On the other hand, part of me is thinking, “Is this a story that we needed to know about?” To get into the positives first, I give Ehrenreich tons of credit given the enormous weight on his shoulders. While nothing can ever top Harrison Ford’s iconic performance, Ehrenreich does a fairly decent job matching his charisma and wit. Clarke does have pretty good chemistry with him, Harrelson is fun as always, and Suotamo plays a good Wookie. Oddly enough, Glover completely steals the show, even if he is just doing a Billy Dee Williams impression. Sadly, Bettany and Thandie Newton are wasted here, but at least we have a Clint Howard cameo.

While Ron Howard didn’t do a terrible job, one wonders what Lord and Miller’s original version would’ve been like. Regardless of who directed it though, this project was doomed from the getgo simply because of the premise. If you’ve seen the original trilogy, you already know where this film is going, which makes it extremely predictable. For instance, while it’s cool to see the Kessel Run, it doesn’t add anything new to these already established characters. If anything, this movie proves that sometimes we don’t need to see a character’s backstory to enjoy them. While I had my issues with Rogue One, that at least had more a reason to exist than this. Still, if all you want is a fun sci-fi adventure film with decent performances and action, this will satisfy you. Overall, Solo: A Star Wars Story isn’t terrible, but it feels unnecessary.

Buy Solo: A Star Wars Story from Amazon: https://amzn.to/378eXHn.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at no additional cost, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and make a purchase.

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Where to watch Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

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[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]By 2015, Star Wars had lost its relevancy with the general public, given the last film was 10 years ago. Between the disappointing prequels, the despised special editions, and skepticism about Disney’s acquisition, any hope of good films seemed lost. That all changed when The Force Awakens not only was a critical hit, but it practically dominated the box office. The film grossed over $2 billion worldwide, broke several records, and remains the all-time highest-grossing film in the US. Between the success of this and Rogue One, it was clear that audiences were reembracing and returning to Star Wars. For the next installment, Rian Johnson would be tasked with both writing and directing following the surprise success of Looper. Much of the original cast and crew would return, though there was some conflict going on behind the scenes. Finally in 2017, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi was released.

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Synopsis

As the Resistance is evacuating from their base, they’re intercepted by the First Order, who begin attacking their fleet. Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) goes against orders and leads a bombing run against a dreadnought, which results in numerous casualties. The remaining Resistance escapes into hyperspace, only to be tracked by the First Order, who continue their attack. During the attack, Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) is knocked unconscious, leaving Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) in command. Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley) asks Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to help, but he refuses, preferring to live in self-imposed exile. Thankfully, R2-D2 convinces Luke to train Rey, who suddenly starts communicating via the Force with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Elsewhere, Finn (John Boyega) and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) travel to the casino planet Canto Bight to find a codebreaker. Will the Resistance survive, will the First Order prevail, and what will become of our heroes?

Review

Of all the Star Wars movies I’ve done for this retrospective, this is one I was the most nervous about. Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi is probably one of the most divisive films in recent memory. Many people love it, many people hate it, so where do I stand on this much-contested entry in the franchise? Well, let’s first get into the positives, starting with the excellent cast, all of whom continue to deliver solid performances. Ridley and Driver continue to bring tons of humanity to their characters, while Boyega and Isaac do what they can. While he may have had his disagreements with the characterization, Mark Hamill still shines and he’s committed to the material. Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, and Benecio Del Toro are nice additions to the cast, though they are slightly underdeveloped. Lastly, Carrie Fisher further adds gravitas to the role.

Regardless of your thoughts on the overall quality, Rian Johnson should be commended for going against the status quo. He took many of the elements introduced by Abrams and was able to expand upon them while adding his mark. Admittedly, I can understand some more hardcore fans being upset that elements introduced weren’t paid off the way they wanted. In my opinion, many of these subversions and misdirections help make this film more than just recycling old material. However, I don’t think all of it works, and the pacing could’ve been improved by excising the casino planet sequences. Also, while this isn’t necessarily a beat-for-beat redo of Empire Strikes Back, it does have many similar plot elements. All that being said, while I can understand why many people hated this, I still think it deserves more credit. Overall, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi is good if somewhat flawed.

Buy Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hpw2S9.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. 

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Where to watch Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017)

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[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]In 2005, ten years before The Force Awakens, a live-action TV series bridging the prequel and original trilogies was announced. The series went into development around 2009, and its working title, Star Wars: Underworld, was revealed in 2012. Unfortunately, due to budgetary issues, the show never came to be, but the ideas were still being talked about. Around 2014, visual effects supervisor John Knoll pitched his idea to Disney, who greenlit the project to be a film. Both he and Gary Whitta would develop the story, and Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy would pen the script. Coming off the success of 2014’s Godzilla, Gareth Edwards was hired to direct what would essentially be a war film. Around mid-2016, months before its release, the film underwent several reshoots as executives felt it was tonally off. Finally, December 2016 saw the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

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Synopsis

As a child, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) watched her family be torn apart by the Empire and has been hiding. While being taken to an Imperial labor camp, she’s rescued by a Rebel squad led by Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). She’s brought to Rebel leader Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), who asks her to rescue her father Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen). Turns out he’s been recruited by Director Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn) to finish construction on a dangerous superweapon, the Death Star. Jyn agrees and goes with Cassian and former Imperial droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) to meet with Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker). Gerrera shows Jyn a hologram Galen left behind, which details an intentional weakness he designed in the Death Star. She recruits warrior Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen), mercenary Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen), and former Imperial pilot Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed). Together, they plan to steal the plans to the Death Star.

Review

Back when I saw this movie when it hit theaters, I remember enjoying it but also feeling somewhat indifferent. Having rewatched it again, my feelings towards Rogue One: A Star Wars Story remain the same, though more positive. Much like Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla, this film has plenty of fun action sequences but is lacking in terms of characterization. My biggest issue with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the side characters are more interesting than the leads. Alan Tudyk is hilarious as the dry-witted Imperial droid, and the dynamic between Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen is cool. While Felicity Jones and Diego Luna aren’t terrible, the material they’re given isn’t very compelling and is pretty uninteresting. Ben Mendelsohn makes for a good villain, though it’s a very archetypal villain that doesn’t have anything unique to offer. Also, Mads Mikkelsen and Forest Whitaker are kind of wasted in this.

One thing I can give this movie credit for is its originality and some interesting ideas they introduce. Unlike the other films where the Rebels and Imperials were black and white, this shows there are some grey areas. This shows that good people are working for the Empire and that the Rebels have done some questionable things. When it gets into the action in the third act, it feels like something out of a war film. In terms of effects, there’s plenty more CGI than practical effects, but they aren’t terrible, though some are distracting. The biggest ones are the CGI recreations of Peter Cushing and young Carrie Fisher, both technically impressive but also unsettling. For all the issues I had with this film, this is easily the best Star Wars prequel to date. Overall, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has good ambitions but isn’t very compelling.

Buy Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Amazon: https://amzn.to/48zzV2L.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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Where to watch Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

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[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]Way back when Star Wars: A New Hope was being made, Lucas had originally envisioned a prequel and sequel trilogy. However, as time passed, he decided to focus instead on making six films and halted any plans for future films. Around 2011, Lucas was invited to meet with Bob Iger of Disney to discuss possibly selling Lucasfilm to Disney. A year later, Lucas announced his retirement, sold his company to Disney and appointed Kathleen Kennedy as the new head. Michael Arndt wrote the initial first drafts before veteran writer Lawrence Kasdan was brought in alongside co-writer/director JJ Abrams. Along with returning cast members Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, a whole new cast would be introduced. Many of the crew who worked on the previous films came back, including long-time composer John Williams. Ten years after the previous film, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens was released.

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Synopsis

Thirty years have passed, and out of the ashes of the Galactic Empire comes its successor, the First Order. Led by the Sith Lord Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), they’re seeking a map leading to the location of Luke Skywalker. Part of the map is hidden in a small droid, BB-8, and its master Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is kidnapped. The droid ends up with local scavenger Rey (Daisy Ridley), while Poe is rescued by former Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega). Through a series of events, Finn and Rey end up escaping the First Order in the Millenium Falcon. They meet Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), who both agree to help get the droid to safety. While meeting Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong’o), the First Order attacks and kidnap Rey, who turns out to be force sensitive. Will the First Order find Skywalker, and will Rey discover her true abilities?

Review

After being disappointed by the prequel trilogy, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is a welcome return to form. While those films suffered from poor writing, lackluster performances, and CGI overload, this is an improvement on all fronts. Writing-wise, the film does borrow several elements from the original trilogy, but it’s understandable given this continues the story. Also, them reusing the original trilogy was probably done as a way to reintroduce audiences to the Star Wars universe. There are some unique elements, including a character being a former Stormtrooper, the lead being female, and a reckless villain. Acting-wise, every actor old and new gives a terrific performance, particularly Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, and Harrison Ford. Other Star Wars veterans such as Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, and Peter Mayhew also do a good job here. Mark Hamill is here, but he only has one scene at the end.

Going back to the acting, Daisy Ridley does a great job playing a strong but vulnerable female lead. John Boyega is terrific playing a character coming from a bad place who wants to do the right thing. Unlike Darth Vader’s cold and stoic nature, Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren is unique in that he’s emotional and has outbursts. To me, that makes for an interesting villain since he’s so unpredictable given how he’ll fly off the handle randomly. Other acting highlights include Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, and Andy Serkis, all of whom have their shining moments. Effects-wise, while the prequels almost fetishized CGI, this film perfectly incorporates CGI with really impressive practical effects. Though the recycling of material may seem cynical, there’s enough new material to complement the familiar tropes and plot beats. Overall, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is a perfect blending of old and new.

Buy Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4fsmuE0.

Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. 

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Where to watch Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)

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