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Star Wars

The Mandalorian Preview—A Gritty Return to the Star Wars Universe

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He’s as bad as he wants (or needs) to be.

Recently, I had the privilege to head down to Hollywood and take a look at one of the first major entries in Disney’s new streaming service, Disney+ (launching November 12).  If you have any interest in Star Wars, read on to get my thoughts about The Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian is a standalone entry to the Star Wars universe and features a lone gunfighter working in the outer parts of the galaxy where rules are optional and it’s probably a good idea to keep a blaster at your side.  Our ‘hero’ is crafted in the veins of Jango and Boba Fett, right down to the unique helmet with T-shaped visor he wears. To give a timetable for the show, The Mandalorian, according to Disney, “is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order.”

Our screening in Hollywood consisted of 27 minutes of film spread over three different episodes. It is evident from the outset that this is not the polished, streamlined Star Wars you’ve come to know and love.  There is a grittiness rarely seen in the films on showcase here.  Characters seem more inclined to make unpredictable decisions, leading to some unique situations.  Even John Williams is nowhere to be found, his iconic soundtrack replaced by an industrial-based musical style that works well.  We discover the Mandalorian working on his bounty-hunting skills on a number of planets, dealing with seedy characters and never-before-seen creatures that can make someone’s day miserable in a hurry. In addition, there are a number of nods to the film series shared in the form of Easter Eggs that may require multiple viewings (it’s a good thing you can binge-watch this series).

I personally thought the clips shown in The Mandalorian were quite good and provide a lot of room to maneuver in future episodes (Season 2 is already being filmed).  The grittiness does not consist in poorly designed sets or stilted dialogue, but a foreboding atmosphere of doom, gloom, and even some mud. The artwork and set design are stellar to boot. There wasn’t a lot of hope expressed in the clips, although that will possibly change.  It’s uncertain whether the Mandalorian is good or evil, and I like that premise.  There’s enough quality and intrigue to give the series a few episodes of your time at the absolute least. Our audience gave the clips a good to great reaction, even applauding at the end of the screening.

Executive Producer Jon Favreau (photo: J. Alan Sharrer)

Afterwards, we had the opportunity to chat with a few members of the show.  Jon Favreau, the executive producer, noted that his whole taste in film was formed as a result of George Lucas.  He likened The Mandalorian to the serial films of the past with cliffhangers and such, as the streaming platform allows for new ways of presenting the film (a new episode will be released each week, so viewers don’t have to wait for years to see the next installment—“everybody is seeing it first.”  In this way, the audience discussion will stay fresh and lively (think Game of Thrones).  There are multiple directors of the episodes, allowing the series to take on its own unique life and personality (episodes will be directed, in the first season, by Deborah Chow (Jessica Jones), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Bryce Dallas Howard (Solemates), and Taika Waititi. 

Favreau made it clear that The Mandalorian is a nice entry point for those who aren’t into the Star Wars universe.  They assume the viewer doesn’t know much and catches them up to speed as the episodes progress.  As Favreau put it, “How do you weave it together . . . coalesce it so it creates an overarching narrative people would be able to enjoy wherever they are?” This, however, does not mean that The Mandalorian is only for newbies.  Blink too fast and you might miss something that relates to the Star Wars universe.

We’ll get to take a look at The Mandalorian together on November 12th, but you need to subscribe to Disney+ in order to view it.  I think Disney may have a winner on their hands—just as the final episode of Star Wars reaches the masses next month.

Solo: Love Finds a Way

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A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away….

Lucasfilm/Disney are now 4 films in on their revitalized Star Wars plans. The plans so far have been clear: Honor the past while looking toward the future and a new generation. Star Wars purists have had mixed reaction to the new canon, but there is no denying that the franchise is bigger today than ever before. A few years ago, they took a risk for a standalone story that fell within the timeline but introduced us to a band of new characters. Rogue One proved to be a very good to great film (or neither, depending on your view) that both felt like Star Wars but also stood on its own merit. The film worked on many levels and gave us new characters to love. It’s success certainly opened the door for more risks and standalone films.

Bring on Solo: A Star Wars Story, the next standalone film set within the timeline. Solo brings us the beginning of everyone’s favorite scruffy-looking nerf herder that helped save the universe and married the princess. The film introduces us to how Han became a smuggler, his first encounter with Chewbacca and how he got his ship from the stylish cape-wearing Lando Calrissian (and, of course, finally shows us the Kessel Run). The film itself is fast-paced, action-filled and, at times, even inspirational. However, it’s also forgettable and didn’t really knock it out of the park. It has several plot issues and character development issues that never quite move the film’s overall quality from decent to good (or even great). Solo is a heist film, mixed with a little Mad Max, set in the Star Wars world. It’s fun, but that’s about it.

“Let the past die, if you must, kill it…” Kylo Ren, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Ren’s quote really resonates within this film. As a big Star Wars fan, I am in the camp that believes that, as much as I love nostalgia, Star Wars needs to move on from the status quo in order to last another 40 years of love, it . Rogue One got that right, understanding that we could stay in the time era as the originals and still feel new and fresh. Solo is a step backwards and mainly I believe that the issue in its execution. Outside of Donald Glover (who was amazing as Lando), the characters fell flat. It is hard to capture the essence of Harrison Ford, but Alden Ehrenreich tried and, unfortunately, fell kind of short. He just didn’t feel like Han Solo. I understand it’s hard to imitate someone else–and this is way before the scruffy nerf herder we meet in Episode IV–but everything seemed forced, trying to recapture his essence while trying to be different. There are moments where he shines, but the overall performance felt like a different character other than Han.

Going into the film, Q’ira (Emilia Clarke) was one of the characters I was most interested in seeing. To finally show Han Solo’s love interest before Leia, it seemed like there’s no better story to tell. Although their story is nothing out of the ordinary, it is the character’s development that is by far the most disappointing. From the moment we first meet her though, it seemed forced and really hard to believe. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that love is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. No matter what we’ve done or been forced to do, love finds a way. When used without conditions, love is patient, kind, forgives and gives itself up for others. Sin corrupts, and can make the heart go cold but love always penetrates deeper and burns hotter. Love even reminds us that, maybe, the “bad guy” is really good, and can change others as well. Q’ira’s arc defies this belief but, without proper development, it was hard to see how she could. (On a side note, her arc ends with a cameo appearance of a character that even canon wise, the films, books, animated shows, just doesn’t make sense in the timeline, especially if you are one who watched both The Clone Wars animated films and Star Wars: Rebels. I feel this character was nothing but fan service that did the writing a disservice.)

Still, the one character that offered a true representation of what it means not judge a person is Enfys Nest. This is the only character that I want to see more from (outside of maybe a Lando film). I want this character’s story to be told, either before or after Solo. This character was one of the most interesting parts of the film and the film leaves us wanting more of their story.

Overall, Solo: A Star Wars Story is an ok film that could have been better, but won’t rank at the top of the Star Wars franchise. In the end, it’s a fun ride with some good inspirational moments.

The Last Jedi: Identifying the Enemy

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I know who Snoke is.

Ok, I admit that I originally had that as the title, but could foresee the flood of “clickbait” accusations with the overall discontent surrounding Snoke’s identity, so I moved it. But in all seriousness, I do know who he is. In a way.

I know there are hundreds of articles on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, so what could one more hurt? I enjoy discussing and reading countless theories and thoughts because there is always something new in the Star Wars universe that may have been overlooked the first time around. I mean, it’s a timeless story that spans generations and galaxies, and bridges the past with the experiences of the present and with a hope for the future. The conversations after the credits are part of what makes Star Wars Star Wars.

I want to be sensitive to everyone’s personal definitions of “spoiler,” so if you are still avoiding all of the press and discussion until you see it, here is where I say “it’s better to be safe than sorry,” and perhaps come back later. For everyone else, I want to talk about Snoke.

Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis) has been an enigma since The Force Awakens gave us a holographic introduction of a seemingly larger-than-life villain with a mastery of the Dark Side of the Force. He not only controlled the First Order, but guided and influenced a young Ben Solo, a former Jedi-in-training under the tutelage of Luke Skywalker (Adam Driver and Mark Hamill respectively), and transformed him into Kylo Ren.

In The Last Jedi, Snoke is still in charge, and still pushing Kylo Ren to a deeper commitment to the Dark Side. Granted he isn’t as physically imposing up close and personal, but his power seems all but absolute, much like the villains that have come before him. In the prequels, Senator/Chancellor/Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) seduces Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) with a promise that he can prevent the death of Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman). In epsidoes IV-VI, Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones), uses the family connection between himself, Luke and Leia (Carrie Fisher) in multiple attempts to turn the young Jedi into following in his father’s footsteps.

Snoke uses those same external influencers and family connections but in a very pointed way, as he flips the relational dynamic between the “target” (in this case, Ben Solo) and the path of darkness. And this is what makes Snoke far more dangerous, and far more recognizable as a villain, than either Palpatine or Vader.

Instead of focusing on what the Dark Side can offer, Snoke uses the weaknesses he sees in Kylo, compares him to those he has admired (or hated), and twists a manipulating knife of self-loathing and doubt deeper into Kylo’s vulnerable soul. Snoke has taken hold of Kylo’s sense of self…who he is, his bloodline, his purpose, his talent…and poisoned it with talk of inadequacy and failure. It isn’t that the Resistance is too strong, or Rey too powerful for him to defeat, it’s that Kylo is too weak. His conflicting feelings keep him from doing what is necessary. Snoke feeds the doubt that is already inside of Kylo…that is inside of all of us…to maintain his control over him.

And this is why Snoke is such a dangerous enemy – not because of his skills with a lightsaber (apparently none), or because he has a connection to the villains before him (we actually get nothing of his backstory, which I think is what makes him even more dangerous) – but because of how he pulls the strings. His approach feels familiar because most of us have seen it or lived it in our own lives.

I mentioned that we get nothing on Snoke’s backstory. Maybe it will come later, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Snoke is more dangerous for the same reason Rey is more powerful – because they aren’t anyone “special.” Like the Force can choose anyone, so can the Dark Side. Snoke is a scarred, dangerous, hurtful person not because of who he may have been, but because of how he permits the Dark Side to work within him and in turn, helps him convince Kylo Ren that is an epic failure.

There are people in our lives that seem to have an unshakeable hold, and not because they are caring and supportive, but because they feed the small voice inside of us that whispers “you aren’t good enough, you aren’t smart enough, you aren’t pretty enough, you aren’t thin enough, you aren’t rich enough.” They poison our hearts with false declarations of our identities and leave no room for us to break free. Their power doesn’t come from a supernatural source or an inherently evil past (for most people anyway), it comes from the moment we accept their assessment of our weakness.

Snoke’s identity is clear: he is the abuser. He is the former boss, the ex-spouse, the controlling significant other, the overbearing parent, the toxic friend…Snoke is the manipulator in our lives that plants seeds of self-doubt and worthlessness, who cultivates a garden of thorns in our hearts, devoid of the warmth of the sun and relief of the rain. His sickening self-confidence that Kylo will strike down his “true enemy” solidifies his position as abuser. He is absolutely convinced that Kylo belongs to him. 

Our hardest battles aren’t fought with weapons and epic cinematic throw-downs (although the tag team of Rey and Kylo was majorly epic in my opinion), but in quiet determination, with a few key people pulling us through – both past and present.

I find it no accident that Kylo cuts the tie to his abuser with the Skywalker lightsaber when he strikes down Snoke. Kylo has been unsuccessful in the past at retrieving that lightsaber, yet in this scene he wields it effortlessly. You can’t convince me that Rey’s presence in Kylo’s life isn’t fueling his already conflicting soul, encouraging him to break free, making it possible for the lightsaber to respond to his command. And for me, having it seem such a simple act is what makes it so poignant and powerful.

Now Kylo did identify his true enemy and take him out, but the remnants of Snoke’s power still run deep. We see this play out for the remainder of the film. At first this really bugged me, as I was so ready for him to turn light. But it can’t be that way. It hardly ever is. When we take that first step away from a toxic presence, we are simultaneously at our strongest and weakest points. The journey is just beginning, which makes it vital to surround ourselves with people of light, like Rey and the fledgling remainder of rebels, as opposed to dwelling on our anger and sense of injustice and pouring our energy into violent revenge. Snoke’s role is far from removed because Kylo still reels and responds to his influence.

But there is hope! There is always hope, and in true Star Wars fashion, we are left with an image of resiliency, inspiration, and dare I say it…grace for the ones fighting a battle deeper than we may ever know.

 

Star Wars Episode VIII: Will The Last Jedi Save the Day?

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The Last Jedi poster

“Stars Wars is back as it should be – best episode yet!”

So I wrote on Facebook Thursday night, December 14, after watching an early showing of the movie. Rave reviews were already appearing on the internet but not all the fanbase would be pleased when they viewed the movie. In the last week or so, there has even been a Petition created on Change.org to have the movie removed from the official Star Wars canon.  Fans are upset on how Luke Skywalker has been portrayed. I happen to disagree with these polemicists, but I understand somewhat how they feel. This was not the Luke they expected; this was not Luke as he should be.

Such arguments about the storyline are not new within the fanbase. As an article in CinemaBlend points out, Star Wars lovers were not all happy about how The Empire Strikes Back turned out over 35 years ago. I will not argue about the merits of how Luke was written. My goal here is to review the movie as it is, and to explore how the film is applicable to people of faith. Whether you like how the screenwriters handled the story or not, I hope we can agree there are some ideas worth exploring. David Barr Kirtley opined recently in an interview for Wired:

This is arguably my favorite Star Wars movie. It has the most moral complexity of any of the movies, it has the most surprises of any of the movies, and is the most intellectual and self-aware, and gives you the most to think about afterward.

Some “afterward” thinking about the “moral complexity” of the movie would, I believe, be profitable. So, let’s get to it.

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS. This review is meant for those who have seen the movie. Stop now if you haven’t seen it, and don’t want it to be spoiled. And, believe me, this is one movie where knowing too much will completely spoil it for you. The “surprises” are a huge part of what makes the movie so good. FAIR WARNING!

When Rey meets up with Master Skywalker, she expects he will help her understand her place “in all this.” The audience is waiting to know the same thing. We have expectations; Rey has expectations; the Resistance has expectations. How surprised she is to find the very definition of a jaded old man before her as he flippantly casts aside the lightsaber she has brought to him. To turn a phrase from It’s a Wonderful Life on it’s head: What a warped, frustrating old man! Everyone—audience, Rey, the Resistance, the hopeful spread throughout the galaxy—are expecting him to save the day.

Luke’s Lightsaber

But Luke wants no part in it.

Because of his own failures, and presumably upon reflecting on the failures of the Jedi Order as a whole, he has come to the conclusion the Jedi Order must come to an end. He rightly tells Rey she is wrong when she says The Force is “a power that Jedi have that lets them control people…” The power does not belong to the Jedi. As Seth Dickinson put it in a podcast for Wired:

I think Luke realized that there are very, very many bad ways to use the Force. One of them is you become a dark sider who wants to take over the galaxy. But another is you just get enough Force knowledge to wave your sword around and kill people who don’t have the Force, and you set yourself up as this monastic order of space cops, who rather than trying to understand the universe or achieve enlightenment, just become a tool of the state. Luke realized the Jedi order was basically these nebbishy, purposefully self-deceiving bureaucrats who refused to take the next necessary step in studying the Force, which is to leave the world and go off on your own and do nothing.* And I think that is why Luke is unwilling to act.

As I said in a previous Star Wars review, the Jedi had feet of clay. They had become lazy and self-assured, stepping into a role in the Clone Wars that they should have stayed out of. But after the Rebellion defeats the Empire, Luke believes that he is able to start a new Jedi Order by establishing a new temple. A meme, apparently originating on Tumblr, pretty well describes the Luke’s character arc from that time until Rey comes to Ahch-To.

Luke: Liberal Reformist – Anarcho-Marxist

Jennifer Woodruff Tait, an Episcopal Priest, posted this meme on her Facebook page on Christmas Day with the comment:

I said to somebody last night at church (before I saw this picture), “It is the glory of 25-year-olds to want to save the world through liturgy. It is the glory of 45-year-olds to know that you cannot save the world yourself, through liturgy or anything else.”

Luke already knew it wasn’t his job to save the word. He chides Rey, “What did you expect – Luke Skywalker to walk out with a laser sword and face down the entire First Order?” But he needed to realize that there was something he could do—that he must do—and leave the rest to the will of The Force. Luke does finally come through, giving up his life using up his energy to make it appear he was on the planet Crait, when he was actually still on Ahch-To.

Luke is like a certain type of Christian today who understands that the Church has made a mess of things, and the best thing to do is bow out and let the world go on its merry way without interference from those who believe. That Luke would want to destroy the original temple – along with the Jedi holy books – seems to reflect an attitude many have today about Church tradition, and the Bible itself. It’s time to let the old things go—including the Bible—some would say. (I am surprised that I have not heard any accusations coming out of the evangelical community that The Last Jedi is about destroying the Bible.) But is that the message the movie is trying to convey?

One has to watch very carefully to realize that the destruction of the sacred books is not what Yoda (or The Force) has in mind. Yoda tells Luke: “That library contained nothing that the girl Rey does not already possess.” On the surface, one might think of something like the prophecy in Jeremiah that God would write His law on people’s hearts rather than on a tablet of stone. (See also 2 Corinthians 3:3.) But Yoda has played a trick on him. Yoda was being more literal than Luke realized, for Rey already has the books in her possession before the temple is destroyed. You have to be very quick to notice she stows them away in the Falcon. A better glimpse of them is seen when Finn opens a drawer to get a blanket for Rose, and the books are inside.

Jedi Texts

When Rey (it is assumed) takes over the mantle of the Jedi, changes are sure to be made. But that does not mean the sacred books need to be abandoned. The problem with the Church is not the writings which have been handed down to her, but her misunderstanding and misapplication of the texts.  Jesus was constantly chiding the Pharisees—the religious leaders of the day—for their abuse of scripture. They had so surrounded what was written by their own traditions they had completely lost the spirit of the text. The problem wasn’t that they took the scriptures seriously, but that they did not take them seriously enough. Matthew 23:23 is just one example:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices–mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” (NIV)

I mentioned above that Luke sacrificed his life for the Resistance. That was his part to play. Vice-Admiral Holdo gives up her life as she slams her ship into the Last Order ship so it cannot destroy what is left of the Resistance. But there are also “sacrifices” which are not beneficial to the cause. Poe Dameron and Finn both needed to learn the difference. Poe’s “heroism” results in the destruction of the Dreadnought, but also the decimation of the bombing fleet, and the loss of many lives. His involvement in a plan to disable the tracking device on the First Order ship actually ends up thwarting Vice-Admiral Holdo’s escape plan. However, he finally begins to understand when he orders a retreat on the attack of the battering ram cannon. Finally, when Luke “shows up,” he demonstrates his wisdom in realizing the old Jedi was giving them a chance to escape. General Leia’s smile of approval is given to show he has finally earned his place as a leader.

Finn’s problem was not reckless leadership, but a wrong purpose. After rampaging through the casino on Canto Bight, he relishes how he has wreaked havoc on the rich weapons dealers there. Rose’s pleasure, however, is in setting the fathier free. This adds meaning to what she says to Finn after he stops him from the suicide mission to destroy the battering ram cannon: “I saved you, Dummy. That’s how we’re going to win. Not fighting what we hate – saving what we love.” Rose understood Finn’s motive. It was not to save those he loved, but to wreak as much havoc as he could on The First Order he so hates. She is about freeing and saving what she loves. He is about destroying what he hates. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” [1 Corinthians 13:3] 

Fathier

Too much of what we see in Christianity today is about fighting what we hate, rather than freeing and saving those we should love. We still haven’t learned the words of Jesus: “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13 NIV

Throughout the movie, it is mentioned the Resistance has friends among the outcasts, especially in outer regions of the galaxy. The stable boy on Canto Bight is already spreading the legend of Luke Skywalker and the battering ram cannon, and the boy is revealed as being able to use The Force. The Apostle Paul wrote this to the Corinthians: “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are…” [1 Corinthians 1:26-28 NIV]

Stable Boy

So, what shape will the new Jedi Order take in Episode IX? Will it change the galaxy by spreading love and compassion instead of hate and destruction? Hopefully, in a couple years, we shall see.

____________
*Dickinson is, of course, only partially right. Although Luke does say it is time for the Jedi “to end,” he is not on Ahch-To to “study The Force.” At least that’s not what he is doing by the time Rey shows up. He has walled himself up, separating himself from The Force.

The Last Jedi: Change and Timing

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It’s been a full week since I sat in a packed theater and took in the spectacle that is the eighth episode of Star Wars.  Since then, the reaction to Rian Johnson’s vision has produced levels of venom, vitriol, and vituperation that I didn’t know existed in filmgoers (a change.org petition currently exists to have it removed from the canon and has more than 13,000 signatures–seriously).  Then again, numerous people have praised it as a worthy addition to the SW canon.

After reviewing films for over a decade, I’ve learned not to jump to conclusions about a film immediately upon viewing it. It takes me a day or two to really think through and process the action, dialogue, and themes that a movie offers to the viewer.  In the case of The Last Jedi, there’s a massive amount of dissection people will inevitably perform in the next two years, so I’m not going to take my scalpel and add too much more to the growing body of speculation.  However, I think we need to take a closer look at the film’s components and see what they add up to.

It is important to note that The Last Jedi is not worthy of a Best Picture nomination at next year’s Academy Awards.  The dialogue is too wooden in places, some of the acting is a bit wonky, and the running time is about 15-20 minutes too long.  With that said, it’s still a great film and provides the next generation an opportunity to join into the phenomenon that is now going on for nearly 40 years.

The Last Jedi is nearly impossible to discuss without spoiling key plot points, so here is your friendly warning that spoilers will be part of this article going forward.  If you haven’t seen the film, go see it and then finish reading this article with a clear conscience.

The biggest issue for most fans has been dealing with change.  It’s been a while since Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) was introduced to the world, staring at a binary sunset.  You would think people want him to stay hermetically sealed, never to age or decay.  Sorry, but life happens—even for Jedi masters. They get older.  Situations leave an indelible impact on their conscience. Their personalities change.  Even they need reminders from time to time about what their purpose needs to be (thank you, Yoda).  Yes, Luke is a different person than he was in Return of the Jedi. But he’s become older, grizzled, and prone to some of the same faults that he exhibited in the cave on Dagobah.  He’d rather stay a hermit on Atch-To, protected from change, than deal with the world for another second.

Sound familiar?

Rey (Daisy Ridley) wants to bring Luke back into the real world to help out in a desperate time for the Rebellion. Yet he resists because he doesn’t want to endure change. In the end, he does help, but on his own terms while performing one of the all-time great gotcha scenes with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). It’s a fitting way to end his human legacy, but I have a feeling he’s going to be a thorn in Kylo’s side for a majority of the final film in the series.  It’s kind of like Christians who want to sit on the faith they profess, never revealing it to the people they come across on a daily basis. If there’s a light available, as Jesus stated, hiding it under a basket serves no benefit to anyone (see Matthew 5:14-16).  At least Luke made himself known in a manner that served to encourage and stiffen the spines of the remaining Resistance fighters.  They’ll need all the help they can get going forward!

A second issue people are having with the film involves Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) and her seemingly indecisive nature.  After Admiral Ackbar is picked off (no biggie for me—he only had one major line in the series that has already been memed to death), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) appoints her as the replacement. Her focus is simply to stay the course regardless of the obstacles around her.  Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), impulsive fighter pilot, can’t handle Holdo’s leadership style and attempts to take matters into his own hands, placing the existence of the Rebellion in jeopardy.

Perhaps the most powerful scene in The Last Jedi occurs when the Resistance members flee to the base on Crait and are picked off, one ship at a time, by the First Order.  Holdo stays on the main ship by herself, seemingly unwilling to take on the enemy combatants.  Then, in what will forever known in my book as the Holdo Manuever, she spins the ship around and, with the last ounce of fuel, makes the jump to hyperspace through the First Order battleship.  It sucked the air out of the theater I was in, and for good reason.  It was unexpected, it was brazen, and it was effective enough to get the remaining Resistance members to safety.

God works in this way in our lives.  We have big, beautiful plans for our one opportunity on earth, and we don’t want them to get derailed by anything.  Sometimes we want to rush things and end up looking silly, potentially hurting others along the way (in addition to ourselves).  But God says very clearly to Isaiah, “’My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT).  What looked like sheer madness turned out in the end was a reminder to stay the course and let God handle the details.  Life seems to work a lot better that way.

Should Leia have been in her place?  Considering what we’ve learned about her in the preceding four films, the answer is an emphatic no. It simply isn’t within her character arc to sacrificially go out on that kind of limb for the Resistance. Introducing Admiral Holdo brings a figure to the party that isn’t fleshed out well enough to prevent her from using her ship as a chef’s knife.

I think that, over time, The Last Jedi will prove to be an indispensable part of the Star Wars canon of films.  It upsets the apple cart just enough to encourage people that change can be a good thing at times. It reminds us that life is not to be lived out of the world while somehow in the world.  It challenges us to consider that sometimes our impulsive nature isn’t the best option available.  In a convoluted way, it prods us to be better than we were when we entered the theater.

And isn’t that what all good films strive to accomplish?

Star Wars The Last Jedi: Why Episode VIII is the Best Star Wars Film to Date

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I know, I know….just the title itself sounds sacrilege or over hyped. But bear with me. For years, The Empire Strikes Back has been the staple. Most fans I’ve come in contact with would agree that Empire stands out head and shoulder above the rest. So trust me when I say that The Last Jedi is the best. I don’t say it lightly.

Ever since The Force Awakens, the fear has been that episode VIII would be a retelling of Empire. As good as The Force Awakens was, it was for all intense and purposes A New Hope all over again. It felt sort of fresh because the new characters truly did stand out, but it continued to feel like Episode IV and it brought many questions: Who is Rey? Where is she from? Who are her parents? Where’s Luke? Why is the Jedi Master in hiding when we need him to turn the tide? Droids wandering in the desert with an important message only to be found by a scavenger and said scavenger is thrust into this fight and helps the rebels (or in this case the resistance) strike a major blow to the dark enemy. Even in minor details, it was a direct parallel to Episode IV.

However, The Last Jedi seems to accomplish what Lucas tried to do with the prequels, what was completed with Rogue One, and what should have been done with The Force Awakens. It took risks and dared to change all we think we know, and frankly it is for the better.

FROM HERE ON OUT PARTS OF THE FILM MAY BE SPOILED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

 

Let’s dispell the fanboy complaints for a second. Where The Force Awakens was a direct parallel from beginning to the end of A New Hope, The Last Jedi is not a parallel to The Empire Strikes Back. A broad stroke approach would tell you: “New Jedi leaves to train with old master hiding away, and the Empire finds the rebel base and attacks.”

That is about as close as these two movies get.

While Luke was sent by Obi Wan to find Yoda and train so that he can fight Vader, Rey had no such mission. She didn’t seek out Luke to train; she seeks him out to bring him back. The resistance needed the legendary hero, only he wasn’t so legendary (more on that later). It was her mission. It wasn’t until the Force calls her to the library that Luke asks her what it was that she wanted. You see, in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke was seeking Yoda out so that he could learn how to stop Vader. Rey wasn’t looking to stop Kylo–she just wanted someone to help her understand what was going on with her. Think of it as a teen hitting puberty and trying to find out what is going on with the changes in their body, voice, hygiene, etc. Rey is going through a change, so even though she’s looking for Luke to save the resistance, she’s also wanting him to tell her what exactly has awakened in her. Both Luke and Rey, in their young selves, may have gone to see an old teacher, but they were for very different reasons. All movie franchises are built from the same foundation, but not all are parallel. They may interconnect in a way, but that doesn’t mean one is exactly like the other.

The other broad stroke myth is the idea of the Empire finding the rebel base and attacking it. I mean, we knew going into this film that the First Order knew where the resistance base was. This is something Empire slowly builds to. Instead, here we are thrown already into the action because it is where we left off. Yeah, the resistance destroyed the Starkiller Base, but they also knew they couldn’t stay. What takes place is what happens in most films of this type. Sometimes the enemy finds your hideout and you have to fight and flee. But this was different. The battle didn’t take place on the surface, but rather in space. And for some, the idea of a slow chase seems boring and lame, but boy did it bring about a real story and real character development. For those upset or those who wanted more action, go watch a Transformers movie that is nothing but explosions. It’s like biting into a burger with all the fixings and the meat is barely there. No, The Last Jedi took the aspect of battle and war and showed us that sometimes patience is key.

But enough about that. The question you have is (while you are screaming at me and calling out blasphemies) why I believe Episode VIII is the best to date.

Simply put, it’s because it let the past die.

The Last Jedi is the best film in the saga because it dared to show that heroes such as Luke, no matter how legendary, can fail. I’m sorry fanboys: that this isn’t the legendary hero you love. Luke is a failure and didn’t know how to deal with it. And that is totally logical and rational. Luke wasn’t in hiding because he was waiting for the next great Jedi to train. He was in hiding because he wanted to die alone and ashamed. He couldn’t confront his guilt or his failure. He allowed the ‘legendary’ title to lead him to his biggest failure. He (like fans) needed to let the past die. Luke had to find self redemption and, with that, we get another great moment in the Skywalker saga. When Luke arrives to the final battle–the last stand of resistance and what was left of it–we see what self sacrifice and leadership means. Fans are outraged that the legendary Luke didn’t go have an epic battle and go down in some great fashion.  This misses the entire point. What Luke showed was much more powerful than simply wielding a lightsaber in some great fashion. He projected himself from lightyears away and with all his self will and the power of the Force, found forgiveness from his sister. He then outwitted Kylo by showing him that even when he felt he was winning, he was really losing. Luke gave a performance that should make us all cheer and accept the truth and change. The past needed to die so that the future could live. Hope was dying and the end of the resistance was at hand. It was either Hope or the past, and rightfully so, the past sacrificed itself so that Hope can live. His death was beautiful and symbolic.

We all call out for the films to be new and take risks, yet when they do, some people get mad. You can’t have both. The Last Jedi is great because it finally felt like a changing of the guard. It was all about the new characters and their ‘purpose in all this.’ Rian Johnson took risks with this film, which spans a period of probably 48-72 hours in their time. It was kept grounded (so to speak) in that with so little happening on the outside, it was what was happening on the inside that mattered. Heroes learned to be leaders, nobodies learned to be heroes, and nothing was as it seemed. The film allowed itself to be lighthearted at times, serious and dark in others, yet blended it well with story and enough action scenes that made it come together in a well put together package. Everyone was finding their purpose in all of it, and when hope seemed lost, the past gave us one last moment to believe again before fading into the sunset(s).

I will agree with some of the naysayers. Captain Phasma is a huge letdown through two films. But she’s no different than fan favorite Boba Fett, who really didn’t do much. It’s his history and background that is more intriguing than anything he did in the films. A great character that didn’t do much–that was Phasma . . . and I’m okay with that because it wasn’t needed.

Vulptex > Porgs.  Enough said.

With all that, here’s the real reason why I loved the big risk taken . . . because everything we expected and hoped and wanted did not happen. The film dared to make the Force so much different than what we knew. It isn’t something that is inherited from a strong bloodline. It is around us, in us, between us. It binds all. And when great darkness arises, the Force brings forth a great light, but it is the Force that chooses the person, but also provides the person a choice to accept the light or the dark. We all wanted Rey to be from a great bloodline of Jedi, but she isn’t. She’s a nobody who was cast off. Her parents were scavengers, just like her, who sold her to pay off debts. Yet, the Force chose her. It’s just like when God chose David, a shepherd boy, to be Israel’s next great king. It wasn’t about his bloodline or how great his father or mother was; it was all about what was inside him. The Force chose Rey because when confronted with the darkness, no matter how big the pull was, she chose the light. It showed us that you don’t need to be a Skywalker to be great.

The connection the force made between Kylo and Rey was a big risk filled with twists as well. Was Kylo’s conflict real or just manipulated? But what I liked about it is that Rey, without knowing much about him, still felt empowered to try to redeem him. I don’t view this as she fell in love with him, but it was the Force and the light she chose to accept. She didn’t just accept that Kylo was bad.  To her, he had everything she ever wanted, and he gave it up. She needed to understand why. In the midst of it all, she became stronger within the Force (no thanks to Luke). I believe Kylo’s conflict was real, but he’s not strong enough to reject the pull of the Dark Side like Rey is. That is what makes her special. But to give the audience this dynamic between the dark and the light interacting and not just fighting, it changed the game on how the Force can work.

Then there is Snoke. Snoke, as powerful and menacing as he was, didn’t last. And I’m okay with that. To me, that was one of the most dramatic scenes ever in a Star Wars film. I was watching the scene, expecting Luke to drop in and save the day, but it was Kylo. You think that wow, she really did manage to reach him because he took Snoke out. He used Snoke’s manipulative move against him. And then seeing Rey and Kylo work together to fight the Praetorian Guards was nothing short of epic. But then we are given another great scene. Kylo has been driven in his dark ambition not to join Rey, but to try to reign. Let the past die; start a new chapter with him and her as the most powerful rulers of the galaxy. The tension, the splitting of the saber, her choice again to serve the light no matter her past, was a great moment. The film dared to take someone who we all found mysterious and large to be an after thought because in the end, he represented the past, and the past needed to die.

The Last Jedi is the greatest film in the Star Wars saga to date because it dared to be different. It dared to challenge us. It dared to change. We may have wanted Snoke to be greater than he was. We may have wanted Phasma to be more relevant. We may have wanted Luke to go out in a blaze of glory with an epic lightsaber battle between Kylo or Snoke. But all of that would have just given us everything we’ve seen before. Instead, The Last Jedi dared to tell us that the Force is more, the past needs to stay in the past, and that the future is bright. Because we have all that we need, right here.

Star Wars: Rian Johnson to Create New Trilogy

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If there was any concerns whether or not Rian Johnson did a good job on The Last Jedi, they were put to rest this week when Lucasfilm announced that Johnson will be creating a new trilogy that is “…separate from the episodic Skywalker saga. Johnson will introduce new characters from a corner of the galaxy that Star Wars lore has never before explored.” 

From the sound of it, Johnson is getting a blank canvas to create an all new saga within the Star Wars mythology. What that truly means, we will have to wait to find out, but it sounds like the rumors of Knights of the Old Republic is most likely a no go. For some, that is sad news. However, I think it’s the best thing Disney and Lucasfilm can do. What we have learned from Rogue One and even a series like Star Wars: Rebels is that fans are willing to accept new characters if they are done right. What Star Wars needs isn’t retcons of old characters, but to build on the mythology and create new transcending stories with new dynamic characters.

Of course, there are options that can allow a bridge from original saga to new. There are areas of Star Wars that have been touched but not fully explored. You can still get a Knights type film that takes us lightyears before the Skywalkers to the origins of the Jedi and Sith. You can go parallel to a part of the galaxy that was far from the reaches of the Empire during the height of their power as well. You can focus on the early years of Mandalore and their history. Or, since her history is the biggest question in the latest trilogy, Rey can be connected to a part of galaxy never explored. Maybe it was the Force that brought her to Jakku and now we will get stories from where she really came from.

Of course, from now until then, the ideas, rumors, theories and more will come, but what do you think? Are you excited? What would you like to see?

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE – The Cinematic Experience in The 21st Century

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Over the last few weeks there has been tons of discussion about the future of the cinematic experience, that is, the practice of watching movies in actual movie theatres (as opposed to the 55 inch/7.1 surround sound setup in your living room.  The epicenter of said discussion was CINEMACON – the annual convention where studios tout their upcoming cinematic product for the next year to the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO).  In a nutshell, it’s paradise for movie nerds… particularly those who nerd out on the business of movies and movie theatres.  If IMAX, Dolby Cinema, XD, RPX, 11.1 surround sound, gargantuan wide screens and plushed out recliner seating is your thing, then CinemaCon is where you wanna be (Going to the Con myself is my top 5 Bucket List items…pray that I get to cross THAT off next year!)

Between all the studio presentations, surprise screenings and innovative ideas on how to perfectly butter your popcorn & make your recliner movie theatre seats more comfy, the big ticket debate was on the ever-creeping VOD market, an issue that studios and theatre chains are forced to deal with.  Right now, a movie released by a major studio has an agreed upon 90 day window between exclusive movie theatre time and home availability.   Thanks to movie theatre hater #1  Netflix’s ongoing popularity and folks not wanting to be bothered with going to the movies anymore, studios are seeking to decrease that window to 30-45 days with home access being granted to studio films at $30-50 bucks a pop.

Of course, there are pros and cons to this plan. One of the BIG cons is the fact that studio profit margins stand to be severely undercut if this Premium VOD (their name…not mine) plan takes hold.  Instead of each family dropping matinee money to see Shrek 5 (with each parent and each kiddo paying a set admission price), now a bunch of families can meet up at either the community clubhouse or the supercool neighborhood house with the 85 inch 4K flatscreen to watch it on a Saturday night for ONE $30-$50 flat rate.  In addition, movie theaters make money the old fashioned way: butts in seats buying tickets, popcorn, Coke/Pepsi/Icee, hot dogs and candy.  Take that away from them and their profits will NOSEDIVE!

All of this blame is (unfairly) being put on the theatrical experience.  Yeah, the popcorn is overpriced and the teens glued to their phones is a pain.  Your 70 inch with accompanying 7.1 surround sound may even sound as good – maybe even BETTER – than the theatre across from the mall (ESPECIALLY if they haven’t updated the place since 1999!!!).  But, trust me, there’s a BIG difference between seeing Star Wars: The Last Jedi on your TV and seeing it on a screen like THIS!

(That’s the world famous Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd.  Everyone knows about the Walk of Fame and the footprints in cement, but they actually show movies inside.  On THAT enormous screen!)

Yeah, I know.  Big screens don’t matter to everyone.  Neither do big sound systems.  I tend to agree.  Your sound may be booming and you may have 360 degree wraparound capability but it don’t mean a thing if your movie has no quality.

I hate to say it but QUALITY is the very thing that’s drawing audiences to Netflix.   The studio system is not the smoothest gateway to creative freedom for artists.  I’ve complained in several forums that movies that are not so much written from the mind of an eagle eyed writer/director but, instead, are “designed” in boardrooms where studio bosses piece projects together like jigsaw puzzles.  Concept must match star power must match domestic box office potential must match global box office potential must match toy/t-shirt/video game revenue potential and on and on and on.   All of this potential rests on the films ability to reach their “four quadrant target” – the ability for the film to appeal to

  1. Males under 25 years old
  2. Females under 25 years old
  3. Males OVER 25 years old
  4. Females over 25 years old

If a film can hit those 4 targets, or “quadrants,” then the studio will sink tons of money into film by film rolling them off the assembly line year by year.

THE PROBLEM: Most studio fare will at best hit either quadrants 1&2 or 3&4.  It’s rare to hit all four…unless you’re Disney.  Disney has figured this thing out.  While other studios are content to make 1&2 or 3&4 quadrant product and line it up and down their calendar, Disney has transitioned into the bulk of their films being 4 quadrant EVENTS.   Look at their last few (and upcoming) titles.  Star Wars: The Force Awakens.  Zootopia.  Jungle Book.  Captain America: Civil War.  Finding Dory. Doctor Strange. Moana. Rogue One.  Beauty And The Beast.  Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2.  Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Cars 3.  Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

All big ticket movie events designed to get all four targets off the couch and into the multiplex.   By the way, Disney is the only studio NOT IN NEGOTIATIONS to shorten the release window.   (With titles like those, would you shorten it?)

Every other studio will have an event title or 3 throughout the year.  But not like The House of Mouse.  To me, that’s both the problem AND the answer.  The Cinema must be the exclusive domain of event-based titles.  The smaller, prestige Oscar bait stuff doesn’t need to be fiddled with come December.  But as the success of Logan (despite my SF colleague Arnaldo Reyes’s misgivings), Get Out & Kong: Skull Island has proven – all 3 films grossing over $160 million BEFORE summer kicks off – Event based titles will keep the cinematic experience alive and kicking.   They can’t just make them for the sake of making them (cough-BvS-cough).  They’ve got to make them GOOD.  If the quality ain’t on point, the people will stay home. Simple as that.

Here’s hoping the suits in Hollywood will take note.

 

 

 

 

 

Star Wars: Rogue One with the Force – Connecting with ‘The Force of Others’

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The Force is with me, and I am with the Force. And I fear nothing, for all is as the Force wills it.

We hear Chirrut, one of the old Guardians of the temple on the planet Jedha, speaking of his confidence in the Force as he steps in to help Jyn and Cassian. We had just met Chirrut, who was heard greeting people and repeating, over and over, “May the Force of others be with you.” This is apparently the first time the phrase “the Force of others” has been used in a Star Wars film. In one of the Bonus Features, co-writer Chris Weitz tells us where this concept comes from.

When I read about George Lucas making the original Star Wars, originally the Force was called the “Force of Others.” And that meant a lot to me when I read it. The idea that you gain this kind of spiritual energy from your connection to other people. In really dark times, it’s often faith that sustains people. So, if we’re going to take the Force out of this movie, there would have to be this question of whether anyone is ever going to believe in it again, and whether it mattered at all. We understood that for people who don’t have physical evidence of magic or their religion in the universe, you find it in other people, and in what you’re willing to do for them and what they’re willing to do for you.

In the Star War universe George Lucas created, God, if you will, is a force that binds the galaxy together. The “ancient religion” is a type of pantheism where everything is divine, and you tap into the energy of the universe when you learn about the Force—especially if you are lucky enough to be “Force-sensitive” like Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, and the like. I take it from Lucas’ old concept, taken up by Weitz, you are more attuned with the Force when you are more attuned with others around you. Your connection with the Force is tied to your connection with people.

For Christians, God is outside the universe, being its uncreated Creator. But the concept of connecting to God in connecting with people is not foreign to Christianity. The Apostle John wrote, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” [1 John 4:20 NIV] Jesus Himself indicated how we treat other people is an indication of whether we truly know Him.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ [Matthew 25: 34-40]

Christianity is not only about caring about other people; it is also about collaborating with other believers. The Christian life is not designed to be lived in a vacuum. We all need each other. The Apostle Paul’s metaphor of the body of Christ, where each member is important to the whole, is important for us to grasp. (See 1 Corinthians 12, especially verses 12 through 31.) Diversity is essential for the body. We need all kinds of people, performing diverse tasks, in order for Christianity to function properly. There is too much of the eye saying to the foot “I don’t need you,” in the Church today.

I love to watch the Bonus Features for films and see how a diverse group of people have come together to make a film. I was fascinated by John Knoll’s account of how, as a fifteen-year-old who happened to be in Anaheim with his father on a business trip, he found Industrial Light & Magic in the phone book. He called them, and was granted a tour of the facility! The Feature, “A Rogue Idea” goes on to show how Knoll, now the Chief Creative Officer/Senior Visual Effects Supervisor at ILM, pitched the idea for Rogue One, which delighted Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy.  You never know where a bold phone call may eventually lead you!

Of course, Knoll and Kennedy couldn’t do this all by themselves. An amazing group of talented individuals came together, including a fabulous cast. And, as far as movies go, they created something exceptional. No movie is perfect, and Rogue One is not. I still have an unsettled feeling when I see the CGI Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia. The special effects department did a wonderful job, with, according to the Bonus Features, “sleepless nights,” especially about the brief Leia scene. For me, as great of a job as they did, the princess just doesn’t seem right to me. But their boldness worked for many, apparently including Carrie Fisher herself.

In the Bonus Features’ “Epilogue,” Kennedy and others talk about the future of Star Wars. There are plenty of new adventures ahead. Appropriately, they finish this segment with part of one of the trailers for the film. (See below.) They skip to Jyn’s speech just before the crew lands on Scarif to try to get their hands on the plans to the Death Star.

They have no idea we’re coming. They’ve no reason to expect us. If we can make it to the ground, we’ll take the next chance. And the next. On and on until we win… or the chances are spent. May the Force be with us.

There are no guarantees in this life. Christians may know the final outcome, but there are no guarantees how our stories will pan out here on earth. May we be bold enough to make phone calls and “take the next chance.” May we learn to collaborate with others instead of denouncing diversity in the body. And may God be with us.

Last Jedi Reshoot Draws Unfounded Speculation

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You can always depend on the internet to spread and expand upon rumors based on tiny snippets of information. When Rogue One was doing reshoots last year, entertainment writers were sure the reason for it all was that Disney was “panicked” about their new film. But, as I commented on this last June, reshoots are part of the normal production process – at least it is with most of the better films. To be sure, there was a lot of “click baiting” going on, and history is repeating itself.

The latest Star Wars speculation has to do with Episode VIII, which was revealed lost month to be titled The Last Jedi. The YouTube channel, MIKE ZEROH, has posted a rumor the reshoots for the movie will involve huge cuts of major scenes due to the death of Carrie Fisher. However, as CinemaBlend points out, although there could be changes based on the fact Fisher will not return for Episode IX, “we never know exactly where [ZEROH’s information] comes from, so we need to give it a wide berth.”

Whatever the outcome, you can be sure reshoots would have happened even if Fisher had not died, and the fact they are happening in no way indicates which direction the filmmakers have decided to go. But “no real news” doesn’t sell copy or invite clicks. For (real) news about Star Wars movies, I invite you to visit my Facebook page, Gallactic Gazette – Star Wars News. I do my best to weed out the fringes and give you the latest news and reviews from reliable sources (including ScreenFish.net).