SPOILER FREE Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker thoughts: I liked it. I get why the reviews are mixed. The pacing is ridiculously fast. Too much is crammed into it. It has nice Star Wars moments though that fans will love. They make some decisions with characters that I was fine with, but I could see how others may not. It's hard to wrap up 9 films in 1. Also hard trying to course correct some things from The Last Jedi, so it does not move as smooth as it could. Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver do a great job as Rey and Kylo Ren. They were the heart and soul of this new trilogy, and they delivered in all 3 films.
Agree totally. I liked it too. The best of the new trilogy by far. Didn't go too far off track and kept as much as possible to the 'real' Star Wars feel. Sure there were some bum notes (but frankly every film since Empire has had them) and a few includes that were there obviously just to set something up for later. A pretty good effort and a fitting ending for the whole saga.
Actually I can see where that review is coming from. But honestly, what did they expect. No doubt the reviewer would have preferred 2 hours of deep meaningful angst with no action. I guess whoever it was is still pissed at Abrams at the ending of Lost.
I have found Adam Driver completely unwatchable in the two previous movies (I think Kylo Ren is whiniest little bitch of a character I've ever seen), so your comment isn't comforting for me! On the other hand, I think Rey has been right up there with Han Solo as the best Star Wars characters ever (along with Jyn Erso if we count one-off characters), so that gives me some hope. I guess I'll find out next Monday.
If you're a Star Wars fan, I recommend The Mandolorian. It's serialized (in 4K) on the new Disney+ streaming channel which you, unfortunately, have to subscribe to. My son subscribed and gave me his id and password, so I'm enjoying the series. It features "Baby Yoda" but it's not Yoda as a child because the action, and there's plenty of it, takes place after the fall of The Empire. Nevertheless, Baby Yoda is obviously a juvenile of the same species, whatever that is. They also bring back many of the peripheral characters from the movie series, so it's fun when you recognize them.
I saw it and I didnt love it, but I didnt hate it either. It was good considering the circumstances caused by the Last Jedi. Going forward, Disney needs to have a clear plan and stick to it from start to finish of a trilogy. I hope the next movie which comes in 2022 tells stories either long before the prequels, or long after the sequels. I think movies about the Sith Wars would be perfect.
Saw it last night and it just felt like another Star Wars movie instead of a finale. They tried to roll the prior 8 chapters into this and honestly, couldn't spend enough time on any single thread to tie it in. Non stop action felt forced but the CGI was not heavy handed. Final climatic battle was familiar. All in all, an entertaining stroll down the Star Wars memory lane. I would say this movie won't have the staying power the prior movies had and should be available on BR/4K by July 2020. Just like "Fast and Furious", its time for an entirely different and new direction.
Will be off to see Skywalker in a few hours, but the general reviews/buzz is not so hot. A 57% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and a B+ on CinemaScore, and the $175 million opening weekend was more than 10% below expectations. Biggest bomb of 2019 seems set as well - the $100 million-budgeted Cats opened at $6.5 million (a pathetic $1900 per screen for a big budget opening weekend), and has an 18% rating on RT and a C+ score on CinemaScore. Can't wait to see how many screens it loses on January 3rd when the two-week opening contract is over.
Back from a galaxy far, far away. I liked it - I would put it at 3 stars, similar to Return of the Jedi (which it resembled for obvious reasons). None of the subsequent movies came close to the first two in terms of quality or impact, of course.
What is disturbing to me is the ongoing feminization of male hero characters. Capt. Marvel was male. Not anymore. Luke Skywalker thru the magic of cinema has become Rey Skywalker. Dr. Who is also female now. We won't even go into the Female Ghostbusters. I hope the rumors about Thor becoming Thora was just bullshit. A lot of movies and tv shows these days are girl power/female empowerment story lines. I don't know why they just don't create successful female characters and dare I say it.... Heroes. I'm not against girl power at all but, I don't like the trend of transitioning male heroes into female heroes. Its old now and at some point, there will be backlash.
You heard right about Sandler. The man can certainly act! I was very impressed with his character in the movie. The movie itself is just ok. The title of the movie doesn't really describe the plot of the movie and as such, there's always a bit of a disconnect between what your eyes are seeing and what you thought the movie is about. I'm bending over backwards trying to avoid spoilers however, I must say this. The movie is about Sports Betting. If that's something you're interested in, this is your movie.
Saw Uncut Gems and agreed, Sandler did a great job. When I looked at the screen, I saw Howard Ratner. Not Sandler. He truly transformed himself. The movie is so fast paced and frantic, it makes you feel uneasy. The directors did a great job with that. Kevin Garnett did a great job too and newcomer Julia Fox was good. She is gorgeous. Hopefully she is in more films in the future! Overall, I liked it a lot. Finally saw Knives Out over the holiday and agreed: loved it! It's a movie that keeps getting better as you watch it. By the end, everything comes together. Daniel Craig's accent threw me off for a second, but I eventually liked it and his character. Ana de Armas was wonderful too. It deserves the high praise it has been getting.
Just saw "Just Mercy". Damn good movie based on a true story. I have to give it to the actors as they absolutely created characters you could believe and identify with. Brie Larson should get a mention for best supporting actress this year for a stellar performance (no pun intended). Jamie Foxx also broke out his acting chops with a great perfomance as did Michael B. Jordan in the lead role. Story line set in 1980's 'Bama and it felt a little like "To Kill a Mockingbird". I was also surprised at the amount of white folks in the audience. Tells me the movie has broad appeal and it does. If this movies doesn't win any awards, there's a problem in Hollywood...
1917. Visually stunning and really well done. The motion camera following the principals through no-man's land is a real treat. It's tough to spot where the cuts are. There are places where they obviously did them, you just can't see it. Maybe the story lacked a little depth because it just follows the main characters in real time, so you get no background or detail. I didn't mind this at all, but I can see why some might. The tunnel and undergound trench bit is awesome. Loads of little cameos in it.
1917 was amazing. Such a great film experience. I get what you mean about the lack of depth with the characters, but I was fine with it too. My heart was beating so fast during a few scenes. You feel like you are with them and in doing so, you never feel safe. Really immersive film. If it wins Best Picture, I would not argue. Highly recommend seeing it in theaters and the biggest screen possible!
Just got back from "1917". For a war movie, it was pretty good. Reminded me a lot of "Dunkirk". Pretty straight forward plot and as such, the movie moved right along.
