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Star Wars: The Last Jedi

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.

4.08 Letting the Past Die in THE LAST JEDI

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With the return of Luke Skywalker to the Star Wars universe, you’d expect that fans would be buzzing… but STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI has proven to be one of the most divisive films of the series. This week, Steve is joined by podcast vets Chris Utley and Patrick Erskine to talk about the dangers of nostalgia, the power of nobodies and the damage of the past.

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

4.08 Star Wars The Last Jedi

A special thanks to Patrick and Chris for joining us!

For those of you in Canada who are interested, you can donate to ScreenFish by clicking the link below and simply selecting ‘ScreenFish’ from the ‘Apply Your Donation…’ area. 

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/connect-city/

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: The Last Jedi Trailer Breakdown

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With the release of the new trailer last night, you either fall into three categories:

A) I’m not watching.

B) I can’t believe what I just saw.

C) I don’t care about Star Wars. (you are lame)

So for those in category B….this is for you.

Ok, I will admit, I’ve seen this trailer more than ten times. There are so many questions and so much to unpack. I’ve already had several conversations with many who have watched it. As my cousin told me, “I think Disney loved all the different theories and made the trailer to both enhance and debunk at the same time which just left you even more confused and anticipating even more” That is true. There are other things that some of us here at ScreenFish have discussed as well.

So let’s get to it, and in the end, I’ll give you my theory:

“When I found you, I saw RAW untamed power…and beyond that…something truly special”
–Snoke

I believe that this beginning will bring us the flashback of Kylo turning to Snoke and the Dark Side. We know from the first film that Snoke calls him back to finish his training. Kylo was already powerful enough to send Luke into hiding (more on that later), so the real question is what will it look like to finish his training? Snoke is ancient so there is something to him that we haven’t seen in films and just maybe he will share that with Kylo. This part finishes with, again, what I believe is the flashback of Kylo receiving his now famous lightsaber from Snoke.

The next set of scenes bring us to the island where Rey gives Luke his lightsaber. Luke doesn’t seem to be happy to have it. It is possible that Luke either doesn’t want her there or wasn’t ready for her yet. Anyway, I believe that most of these scenes are the process of Rey getting her crystal for her lightsaber, which appears to be more white than light blue (or just a very light blue).

Rey is discovering that her whole life she’s known something has been there, and now it’s awake (a nod to the first film). As we see this montage, we realize just how powerful she is.

“I’ve seen this raw strength only once before. I didn’t scare me enough then, it does now”
-Luke

I believe Luke is referring to Kylo and, at this point, we get a glimpse of why I believe Luke was in hiding. It was fear. Luke knows he isn’t powerful enough to take on both Kylo and Snoke. If Snoke is truly ancient, then the clues to defeating him are in the temple. It also explains why he wasn’t happy to see Rey because he’s not ready. He hasn’t found the answers and now he must train someone but, likely, that fear creeps back in. In Rey, he sees his failure of Kylo and thinks that things are happening all over again. Luke is terrified.

From there we get the typical montage of action scenes, some Porg, exciting confrontations, and a heart-wrenching left-to-the-imagination scene featuring Kylo and General Leia.

But it’s the ending that has the Star Wars community going crazy.

“Fullfill your Destiny!”
-Snoke

Is he talking to Kylo…or is he speaking to Rey? I believe based on the next scene it was definitely Rey, but what was he doing to her? Is that a simple death grip, or is the rumor of Snoke’s ability to feed off of force wielders to gain strength true and he feels the force within her was awakened to feed him? If you look carefully in the background of the photo below, you can see that Snoke has Rey. But what is he doing to her?

And then…finally…the moment of shock, anger, confusion, sadness, and what the?

“I need someone to show me my place in all this”
-Rey

Those words, followed by Kylo and then his hands extended, have sent a shock wave. What does it mean? Well, here’s what I think. I believe it’s safe to assume that this trailer leads us to believe that Luke abandons her after he sees how much raw power she possesses. Luke is so terrified and has convinced himself that she will turn also that he leaves her, forcing her to return before she is ready.

I believe that Kylo couldn’t go through with killing his mother and that Snoke eventually does. I believe that no one force wielder can bring balance to the force; rather, it has to be a combination of dark and light. Kylo isn’t fully dark; there is light in him. Rey and Kylo will bring about the true balance together. Kylo will realize that Snoke was leading him astray and the above scene is a combination of Rey joining him and Kylo leaving Snoke.

Snoke is ancient and I think a) Anakin turning and b) Order 66 shifted the balance so much that it awoke him. He stayed hidden, gaining strength while the Empire went from its beginning until its ultimate end. I believe in order to bring true balance back, Kylo needed to turn to give way to the Force awakening in Rey. Combined, Rey and Kylo bring about the embodiment of the Force and will defeat Snoke in Episode IX together. Where Luke factors in to this equation, however, is the biggest question. Does he come back after he feels that Leia is gone? Maybe he has a renewed hope when he sees Kylo and Rey together, not embracing the dark side or the light side, but embracing the balance knowing both are truly needed.

What say you? If you made it this far, you’ve watched the trailer, so what do you think?

 

Star Wars The Last Jedi: Latest Snoke Rumor and Where Disney May be Heading

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With the next Star Wars film nearly two months away now, and a new trailer set to come out tonight, the rumor mill is picking up steam again. The latest is one that claims to have good sources and possibly more legit than just theories (of course, we take this with a grain of salt). So be warned, if you don’t want to be spoiled, leave now. Otherwise, below the adorable Porg, we shall resume with the spoiling…

Still here? Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

The latest rumor/theory comes from the YouTube channel Star Wars Theory. I will be honest, a lot of this is very far-fetched (in terms of I don’t think Disney/Lucasfilm will go that route), but I will focus on what I believe makes the most sense. My belief has always been that Snoke is ancient Sith, someone we may have not heard of but links old legends to new canon. Having Snoke serve as the bridge for Disney would bring the Old Republic together with the new canon. The theory is that Snoke was entombed or imprisoned a long time ago and has made his return. There is quite a few other things, that as I said, feel far-fetched so I’ll just focus on Snoke and the Old Republic.

Disney loves to plan ahead, so for them to already be thinking beyond Episode 9 and their anthologies. With the success of Rogue One, many fans want more new fresh stories with new characters never seen on film. Although the Old Republic will see old characters brought into canon, many aren’t well known unless you truly followed the series. Having Snoke bridge that gap and starting a new series that focuses on the Old Republic makes for the perfect break between Episode 9 and the eventual Episode 10. The question still surrounding this is if Snoke is ancient Sith, then how did Palpatine not know about him? In the canon Aftermath book Empires End, we know that Palpatine made some sort of contact with Snoke without actually knowing who he is. So is Snoke really ancient Sith, or is far worst than that? If he was imprisoned, at what point did he escape and how long has he been observing the galaxy from where he was. And if he feeds on the Force and Force-wielders, wouldn’t Order 66 have made that difficult for him to have the strength to turn Ben?

So as I said…the theory has holes but the most important part I think is we should take merit that Disney plans to do something with the Old Republic and that Snoke is that bridge. What say you? Do you want Disney and Lucasfilm to delve into the Old Republic? Do you prefer Snoke to be that bridge? Do you think Snoke is something or someone different? Let us know.

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 The Last Jedi Trailer Debut

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As many expected, today at Star Wars Celebration The Last Jedi panel, the teaser trailer for the next installment in this legendary series was released, along with a pretty epic poster that pays tribute to past, present, and the future. If you haven’t seen the trailer, you can watch it below (as spoilers from the trailer will follow).

Regarding the trailer, as Screenfish writer Chris Utley says, less is more. We get a little of the training that Luke is putting Rey through, but it tells all we need to know about where the film is going and asks that burning question, what does The Last Jedi truly mean? Action-wise, there’s a little bit of The Empire Strikes Back feel as we can see that the resistance is under attack. They clearly will need a new base and it will be interesting to see how much different from The Empire Strikes Back this will be.

The part that stands out the most is in the trailer’s dialogue, seemingly a narration between Rey and Luke as part of her training. It’s clear she is meditating with the guidance of Luke, and when asked what she sees, she says “light, darkness, a balance,” followed by Luke saying, “It’s so much bigger.” After a montage of action, the trailer ends with Luke telling Rey that he only knows one truth: “It’s time for the Jedi to end.”

Is it time for the Jedi to end? Of course, the theories between now and Christmas will abound, but when you piece together the dialogue, Luke’s search of the first Jedi temple, the idea that it’s time for the Jedi to end, and his comment “It’s so much bigger,” it seems like the next evolution of the Force is taking place. For Rey and Luke to win, they need to be more than just Jedi. We previously got a feel of this much larger balance in Season 3, Episode 15 of Star Wars Clone Wars when Anakin subdued the son and daughter of the overlord (a planet and beings more powerful in the force than any other and in charge of keeping balance).  Anakin was to be the chosen one, the one to keep light and dark in balance, but he rejected that calling. It seems like Luke and Rey are heading to new levels in the Force, and to do so the Jedi–much like the Sith–can be no more.

So now we are left with many new questions. Obviously, we won’t know the answers until December 15, but there will be lots of interesting conversations until that day.

What say you? Tell us what you thought of the trailer and what your theories are!