Shale
Bluelighter
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- Aug 24, 2016
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Movie Blurb by Shale
December 23, 2017
Took an 8-mile bike trip to Aventura for first time since August. I have lost a lot of my interest in movies this year – moving in different directions. It has happened before, no big thing.
However, I made a point to see this movie in theater, 40 years after seeing Star Wars Episode IV (the first one) in theater in 1977. In fact after this movie, tonite I revisited that older movie and it still has relevance.
My first impression was, it was OK, but nothing excited me. Like all sequels, not as good as the original movie (I watched “The Force Awakens” last nite on DVD). I felt it was too long and coulda been tightened up a bit - some scenes like the foray into the casino dragged.
After further processing, I probably like it more than the first impression. I am dealing with burnout with so many reboots and sequel trilogies. Movie making is often more about making money milking the franchise than about the art. It is like politics, where you have to appeal to the base.
The movie opens to action when the First Order led by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), is attacking the Resistance led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher).
Gen Leia
Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley) arrives with Chewbaca on an island where the last Jedi, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has sequestered himself for decades. She returns his Light Sabre to him and asks him to join the Resistance. Luke does not readily accept it. He has reasons for giving up his Jedi faith. But, he sees the Force in Rey and does offer to teach her in the ways of the Jedi.
Rey on Island
Rey leaves the island to confront Kylo Ren, and the movie did have good action scenes, with great choreografed laser sabre battles.
The mood of this movie was not like previous, where the Resistance was waging war against the First Order, (Which replaced the Empire). As shown in “The Force Awakens” the Republic has been destroyed and the Resistance has been reduced in number, is on the run and being wiped out. This movie shows many desperate scenes remenicent of real air warfare of WWII, where bombers and fighters took heavy losses in battles.
In this desperate disarray, there is leadership conflict within the Resistance when the daring X-wing pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) wages a battle with casualties against the orders of his commander, General Leia. And later when Vice Amiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern) is in command, Poe, Finn (John Boyega) and and mechanic Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) go on an unauthorized mission to disable a First Order tracking device that has prevented resistance ships from escaping into hyperspace. Eventually, all the good guys and bad guys are revealed – until next sequel.
This movie was well-liked by the majority of critics. The aggregate critics on Rotten Tomatoes, had 92% Fresh. Their consensus was, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi honors the saga's rich legacy while adding some surprising twists—and delivering all the emotion-rich action fans could hope for."
But, only 52% of audiences liked it. Assuming that the majority of audiences were Star Wars Fans, there must have been something that really bugged half of them. Having seen some comments some hated it for the same reason that others loved it. Ya can't please everyone I suppose.
BTW, this film is dedicated to star Carrie Fisher, who died last December at the age of 60. During the end credits, the following words appear on screen: “In loving memory of our princess, Carrie Fisher.”
Movie Blurb by Shale
December 23, 2017
Took an 8-mile bike trip to Aventura for first time since August. I have lost a lot of my interest in movies this year – moving in different directions. It has happened before, no big thing.
However, I made a point to see this movie in theater, 40 years after seeing Star Wars Episode IV (the first one) in theater in 1977. In fact after this movie, tonite I revisited that older movie and it still has relevance.
My first impression was, it was OK, but nothing excited me. Like all sequels, not as good as the original movie (I watched “The Force Awakens” last nite on DVD). I felt it was too long and coulda been tightened up a bit - some scenes like the foray into the casino dragged.
After further processing, I probably like it more than the first impression. I am dealing with burnout with so many reboots and sequel trilogies. Movie making is often more about making money milking the franchise than about the art. It is like politics, where you have to appeal to the base.
The movie opens to action when the First Order led by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), is attacking the Resistance led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher).
Gen Leia
Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley) arrives with Chewbaca on an island where the last Jedi, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has sequestered himself for decades. She returns his Light Sabre to him and asks him to join the Resistance. Luke does not readily accept it. He has reasons for giving up his Jedi faith. But, he sees the Force in Rey and does offer to teach her in the ways of the Jedi.
Rey on Island
Rey leaves the island to confront Kylo Ren, and the movie did have good action scenes, with great choreografed laser sabre battles.
The mood of this movie was not like previous, where the Resistance was waging war against the First Order, (Which replaced the Empire). As shown in “The Force Awakens” the Republic has been destroyed and the Resistance has been reduced in number, is on the run and being wiped out. This movie shows many desperate scenes remenicent of real air warfare of WWII, where bombers and fighters took heavy losses in battles.
In this desperate disarray, there is leadership conflict within the Resistance when the daring X-wing pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) wages a battle with casualties against the orders of his commander, General Leia. And later when Vice Amiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern) is in command, Poe, Finn (John Boyega) and and mechanic Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) go on an unauthorized mission to disable a First Order tracking device that has prevented resistance ships from escaping into hyperspace. Eventually, all the good guys and bad guys are revealed – until next sequel.
This movie was well-liked by the majority of critics. The aggregate critics on Rotten Tomatoes, had 92% Fresh. Their consensus was, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi honors the saga's rich legacy while adding some surprising twists—and delivering all the emotion-rich action fans could hope for."
But, only 52% of audiences liked it. Assuming that the majority of audiences were Star Wars Fans, there must have been something that really bugged half of them. Having seen some comments some hated it for the same reason that others loved it. Ya can't please everyone I suppose.
BTW, this film is dedicated to star Carrie Fisher, who died last December at the age of 60. During the end credits, the following words appear on screen: “In loving memory of our princess, Carrie Fisher.”
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