THE LAST JEDI -Why Bother? (Spoiler-Free Review)

Hey guys! Here's my SPOILER-FREE basic review; I'm also working on my total SW-nerd analysis expounding on my likes/dislikes and that will post within the week! Enjoy!

Check out 5 Book Recommendations to Ease Your LAST JEDI Disappointments

The Last Jedi only serves to finalize the dreaded fear of the Rehash. While itself was a mess of plot points stolen from previous films (primarily Empire and Return), it fully realizes the unsavory certainty that this new trilogy as a whole is nothing more than a rehashing of the original. It's not clever about it, either, which leads me to wonder -outside of the obvious money to be made- why they bothered making a new trilogy at all.

A big stink was made over how closely The Force Awakens plot points followed Star Wars (aka, A New Hope) and it won't escape people's notice that The Last Jedi does the same thing with a mesh of Empire and Return. But it's much, much worse than that. This isn't two individual films simply duplicating pacing and story structure of they're predecessors. (If the story's had been original, we would have forgiven that.) This is Disney, attempting to duplicate the original trilogy -and it's success- as a whole and putting in no real effort or ingenuity into come up with a new story. At all. Don't believe me?

• Good guys: Ragtag group of humans and aliens fighting for freedom and a republic, feautring potential Jedi alliances.
• Bad guys: Tyrannical, power-obsessed, Sith-run government.
• Goal: Defeat the Sith empire, free the galaxy, while the Jedi-potential character attempts to return the Jedi and its light side ideals.

With the huge expanse of the Extensive Universe's former canon at its disposal -still unfamiliar to most Star Wars fans- Disney had a huge advantage, of hundreds of stories that would have been new and refreshing to most minds, and appreciated on screen by those already familiar, but they instead insisted on borrowing almost solely from the films that everyone who's even borderline into Star Wars has already seen.

Despite many claims I've heard that The Last Jedi is 'new', 'fresh', 'original', or 'far better than Force Awakens', there is nothing new here. Even the arguably original additions -like Finn's entire subplot or Poe's, shall we say, 'disagreement' with Admiral Holdor- are either (painfully) unnecessary or mediocre storytelling, at best. Even the poignant moments the film offers up -there are a lot, delivered in the midst of so much drama its downright cheesy- are marred by the preceding acts of pointlessness or by the fact they're obvious and tired echoes of the original trilogy, trying to piggyback on its incredible resonance.

The film is gorgeous, I admit; a beautiful piece of cinematic eye-candy. It's high on action, it's an enjoyable thrill ride of a film that's fun to watch, so I'm not surprised many people loved it at first viewing. But it's also flat on characters, squandering any potential the empty shells of Finn, Poe, or Rey might have grown into and, by the way, completely reducing Luke to nothing more than a plot device, whose every choice and action in the past 30 years was completely out of character. (I'm a fanfiction writer, guys; if you're going to continue a universe and include original characters, you've got to use them right.) Kylo Ren is, in my opinion, the only character who has gotten any substantial and satisfactory depth or development at all, and the only truly decent thing The Last Jedi had to offer. And I hate this character!

Like the characters, The Last Jedi is only interesting on the surface. Once you break down the pieces of the film, you realize there is no substance underneath. What isn't pointless filler scenes, or uncharacteristic if brilliantly acted Luke bits, or vital plot details withheld solely for dramatic reveals, you're left with a slew of fantastic fight scenes, regurgitated plot, and details that don't even mesh with The Force Awakens. (As an acquaintance pointed out, if Luke really went to that island to die, why did he leave behind a map?)

I predict The Last Jedi -and the new trilogy as a whole- will not endure. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a fad. Once the novelty of new Star Wars films starts to wear off, it's going to fade. There is no staying power, no emotional resonance, and no deep connection being made with its audiences, past the nostalgia factor and the adrenaline of its constant stream of actions scenes. Plenty of people will love it for its high-action, cool effects, and cinematography. And you know what? That's fine. I've got no problem with that. But for myself, The Last Jedi has made me realize that the only true continuation lies in the Classic Canon (now dubbed 'Legends') and that's where I'm going to satisfy my Star Wars cravings for now on.

I don't plan to pursue Disney's new franchise any farther. That is to say, not actively or ardently. I'm still currently enjoying Star Wars: Rebels, I've got quite a few of the newer books I still haven't read, and I'll have no qualms about picking up any story or some of the solo movies that might pique my interest. But the new stuff is not canon to me; this is the weird alternative universe version of events that always get spin-offs in the comic book industry and nothing more.

2 out of 5 stars

PSSST! If you were a little disappointed in The Last Jedi -or completely disillusioned by it- I made a list of books to help restore your faith in galaxies near and far, far away! Check out 5 Book Recommendations to Ease Your LAST JEDI Disappointments

My Gut Reaction to The Last Jedi (Spoiler-Free)

Thor: Ragnarok Review | Spoiler Free

I can sum up what I love so much about this film in two words:

CHARACTER INTERACTION

The character dynamic in this is spot on and, more importantly, it works overtime in oh so subtle ways to develop and deepen the characters we know and love, hate, or simply tolerate.

Take Hulk, for example. I've never been a big fan of The Incredible Hulk comics and -while the MCU has taught me to love adorkable, haunted Bruce Banner- I'm still iffy on the Hulk himself. When I first found out that Hulk would be playing such a big role in this film, I wasn't thrilled. But you know what? IT TOTALLY WORKS. They really focus on Hulk as a separate character and develop his personality enough that, well, now I actually like the Hulk. For maybe the first time ever. Guys, that's huge. (ahem. no pun intended.)

I was actually skeptical about a lot of the characters chosen for this film (mostly Hulk) but what could have been a disastrous chemical imbalance of personalities works out as a fantastic meshing of opposites and opposition. Because it's not just about the 'team' (Thor, Hulk, Loki, Valkyrie) dynamic that works together as a whole. They've delved deeper into the characters, taking more of an Avengers-style approach, giving each character unique dynamics and relationships with each other that paints the Thor franchise as a whole, I think, in a fresh coat of paint. Within the relationships there is so much foreshadowing and inversion dynamics in play as well, the qualities of one reflected in the flaws of another and vice versa. There is so much mirroring, so many layers, it's a wonderland for a character-lover like me.

So let's pull up those 5 THINGS I'M MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO from my initial Road to Ragnarok post and compare.

1. Loki

Loki has worn a lot of hats throughout his existence in the Marvel universes and I love the turn they take with him here. Scaling back from his epic Supervillain role, down to his more realistic amoral core, going back to the character's roots in Norse mythology (in more ways than one), all of it deepening and -dare we hope?- developing his character.

Minor Spoiler: Thor: Ragnarok doesn't deliver any dramatic redemption arcs or character development for Loki, like it 'kind of did' in The Dark World -and it's perfect.

2. Thor and Loki's Relationship and Dynamic

Oh. My. Gosh.

Yes.

Just yes.

Everything about this is spectacular. 

Asgardians, we know, are prone to overreaction and theatricality. I mean, Odin banishing Thor and stripping him of his power to teach him a lesson, Thor and his ilk breaking Loki out of prison and committing treason to save the universe -the first two Thor films are filled with these big dramatic flourishes and reveals. Thor: Ragnarok handles these scenarios differently. The big moments and reveals -like when Loki is ousted and the truth about Odin- aren't the point of the story, they aren't The Plot; instead, they're character moments and they were treated as such. They have a more intimate, down-to-earth feel. They're simple. Simple but so powerful. There's no shouting or grand speeches -just being. Thor being Thor. Loki being Loki. And a little squabbling. I mean, come on, they're still brothers.

Overall, this simplistic approach makes those moments more important and to have more of an impact, because the film takes time to focus on character (unlike my complaint with Thor.)

Thor especially demonstrates growth and -in one of my favorite moments- he POINTS IT OUT TO LOKI, telling him that people are supposed to develop and grow. Thor tries to guide Loki, but he doesn't get preachy about it, which makes him feel so much more human and, possibly, more able to relate to Loki, especially this new angle of him we see.

One of my absolute favorite things is Thor's habit of throwing things at/through Loki to determine whether or not he's flesh or illusion. How realistic is that?!?

I FREAKING ADORE THESE TWO.

3. Hela

Again, OH MY GOSH.

I did not expect the twist they took with this character, but it fits so well. Again(!) offering up more layers and more dynamics between the familiar characters that continues to deepen the characters and their relationships, not only in this film, but in the films that have come before.

Cate Blanchet is amazing in this role, but we already knew that was going to happen.

4. Story

EVERYTHING!

You know me, I get distracted by all things character. But the story here is awesome, not just for the next step in the MCU, but also for it's use and adaption of elements from both the comics and Norse mythology.

5. Kirby Krackle

To my utter shame, I did not actually notice the use of this artistic element. This time around. Distracted by character, remember? I got so caught up I did not distinguish any uses of the Kirby Krackle, but I totally plan to keep an eye out for it during my next viewing.

THOR: RAGNAROK HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO DEAL WITH AND I LOVE THE WAY IT DECIDED TO ANSWER THEM. At the same time, it carries on the family theme seen in the other Thor franchise films and it continues to develop and mature Thor's journey to become and understanding of a true hero. The whole narrative has a nice but different feel to it, like Thor has finally figured out his own identity and his own voice, instead of trying to follow in his father's shadow or live up to expectations.

This a serious contender for my favorite Marvel movie of all. And I haven't even talked about Banner meltdowns and what an awesome character Valkyrie turned out to be! (Who, by the way, is not just your run-of-the-mill, kick-ass, I-can-do-anything-a-man-can-do female character overrun with testosterone. She is actually awesome, due to backstory and character.) 

This movie freaking rules.

The one thing I am not sure about is some of the humor they chose to use, like the slapstick comedy and a lot of Thor screaming/yelling/yelping. This kind of humor was funny first viewing, but has a notorious rep for getting tiring quickly there after. It really depends on how the humor holds up over time to determine whether this was a 4 star or 5 star film for me.

The question isn't "Should I see this film?" but "When?"

Have you seen Thor: Ragnarok yet?

What did YOU think?

The Road to Ragnarok

Don't miss a post!

Back in Black + Road to Ragnarok
Comic Review: Loki: Agent of Asgard  

Review: The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris  

Rewatching Thor

Amanda & the Star Wars Summer -Episode I

Amanda & the Star Wars Summer

Episode I | Episode II | Episode III | Episode IV
The Force Awakens Spoiler-Free Reaction
The Force Awakens Review

There's this pattern I fall into. I watch a movie, fall in love with it, geek out about it, hop on board the fandom, never seem to have time to rewatch it and instead sort of ruminate on my own idealistic version of it.

I didn't realize just how long it had been since I last watched Star Wars. At least five or six years, which is ridiculous to me. How did time fly by so fast?

But when one has 'ALL THE STAR WARS BOOKS' emblazoned on her reading list, and the release of Episode VII at the end of the year, a girl has got to start out right.

Before I could even bring myself to pop the tape in (that's right, VHS tape), I stood there with A New Hope* in the one hand, and The Phantom Menace in the other. After all, what order does one go about watching the series? My aunt watches the original trilogy first, and then the newer, because this must be the way George Lucas intended.

What about my incessant need to watch things in chronological order? What if I miss something because I didn't watch Episodes I, II, and III first?!

So I decided the only way to watch Star Wars and satisfy everyone is to watch the original trilogy, the newer trilogy, and finish off with the original trilogy again. That way you get the series in order of production, as George Lucas intended, and then chronologically so you can watch the story fully unfold.

I hear that snicker. Do I really think this idealized viewing pattern can be achieved? With how often I can sneak movie time? Well a girl can dream!

Han Shot First

The moment I truly realized how long it had been since my last Star Wars fest was the shootout with Greedo. That isn't really a shootout. Or, at least, it wasn't supposed to be.

I have not actually watched Star Wars since being introduced to the Han Shot First mantra. Nor until now did how realize how irking (and obvious) the cover up was.

I always saw it online -"Oh, yeah, Han shot first. It's a thing."

But actually watching the scene?

"HAN TOTALLY SHOT FIRST! What were they thinking?! Don't mess with the script! Don't change that scene! Han shot first because it totally fits his character and the situation. You want me to believe that Han just sat there while Greedo was two feet away and fired at him? And missed?! GIVE ME THAT T-SHIRT!"

Leia is Actually Super-Awesome

I've been through two big Star Wars phases. The Jedi Knight phase in which the Force and Luke Skywalker had my complete attention, and The Han Solo phase in which the scruffy nerf-herder takes center stage. (Pretty sure this is normal for all female Star Wars fans.)

Incidentally, this time around, I have come to the realization of just how completely awesome Leia is. 

You want a strong female character?
This chick endured torture of the worst kind, was a spy, a politician, *and* a rebel leader.

You're tired of the damsel in distress having to be rescued all the time?
Leia rescued her rescuers after they failed to rescue her.

She had the strategy and calm to secure the Death Star plans when her capture was imminent, she was the only one smart enough to figure out the Imperials were tracking them back to the rebel base, and when Luke tells her to hold his blaster she shoots the bad guys with it.

About those CGI improvements...

In theory, it's a great idea. George Lucas obviously has a great imagination, and the technology of the time hadn't caught up with him. So it makes sense that, as the technology becomes more flexible, he should go in and expound on his original idea. It should be wonderful!

In theory.

But I've decided it's more distracting than anything. There's a certain quality to the original footage, let's call it 'classic'. It's not hi-tech by today's standards, but you know it was hi-tech by that day's standard. It all has the same classic quality, the same authentic feel.

Throw in some ten-year-old CGI improvements and what have you got? Disharmony. Grating opposites. A jerk back to reality. Like the impossibly wild blaster shot from Greedo's gun, I can tell it doesn't belong. It doesn't mesh with the surrounding ambiance of authenticity I'm reveling in, the 'classic' 70's special effects, and it does the one thing a storyteller never wants to do.
It takes me out of the story and reminds me that it's just that, a story.

(On this note, I do need to update from my VHS editions anyway. Any recommendations on which release to get?)

So that's one movie down. I'm reveling in this rediscovered treasure. Books are gathering in piles on my nightstand, audiobooks are weighing down my MP3, and more T-shirts are undoubtedly in my future.

Bring. It. On.

*In my house, the title A New Hope doesn't actually exist. Episode IV doesn't always cut it either. "It wasn't called 'A New Hope' when I saw it," my mother says. "It's Star Wars, the original, the end."

There's more where this came from!

Amanda & the Star Wars Summer

Episode I | Episode II | Episode III | Episode IV
The Force Awakens Spoiler-Free Reaction
The Force Awakens Review

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Book vs. Movie)

Book vs. movie comparisons for the world!

This time I'm taking a look at the three versions of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, so if you've ever wondered which is the best, or whether the movies are true to the story, you can stop wondering and find out!

Versions for comparison:

• Original short story by James Thurber (1939)
• First film adaptation starring Danny Kaye (1947)
• Second film adaptation starring Ben Stiller (2013)

But enough about my thoughts. Which version is your favorite? Discuss!

My Thoughts on Frozen

This has been sitting in my draft box for ages, but with the recent announcement of a sequel, I figured it was a good time to polish it off.


Pros:

The sister-based storyline was such a refreshing change. Don't get me wrong. I'm a hopeless romantic. I love all the Disney princess movies. I don't have issues with the traditional storyline, but seeing a story revolving around the relationship of two estranged sisters was a welcome breath of fresh air, much like Pixar's Brave, which so lovingly focused on a mother/daughter relationship.

My favorite Frozen song isn't actually from the film. It was cut during production due to an evolving storyline, but fortunately can still be found on the deluxe soundtrack (and YouTube). Here I have to mention how much I loved so many of the songs in the movie. Not just Let It Go, but Frozen Heart (goosebumps galore), Love Is An Open Door (SANDWICHES!), etc. The lyrics feel clever and original and unexpected. They're also full of humor and references for today, which we'll see in time whether they'll become dated or classics. Loads of kudos to husband/wife duo Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez for so many fun songs.

Life's Too Short is a duet between Elsa and Anna, just after Anna has come to her sister's ice palace. Starting off, it's all about the two of them reconnecting. Elsa gets to be her true self, and Anna finally gets to understand the distance between them for so long. It's a wonderful moment of bonding and sisterly devotion, and then...well, then things come to a boil. Anna and Elsa get to hash out all their issues and frustrations and it all rhymes and it's such a realistic fight between sisters. It's so human and so funny and so absolutely wonderful

The first guy isn't the right guy. I've seen and heard so many different complaints about Disney love stories -that they're too perfect or convenient- that it was a lot of fun to see Disney mess with their standard. It was also a great plot twist.

Plus, this:

 

The Foreshadow Ninja has been here!

Cons:
 
Olaf. Seriously. I hated this little snowman. Most of his jokes were terribly juvenile and I felt like it degraded the whole film. Every time my sister sees him she wants to rip him apart. She couldn't even make it through the movie a second time.

The film honestly would have been better if this character were eradicated. It didn't really need the extra comedic relief because, while the story line could get heavy, Anna's personality was always upbeat and chipper, Kristoff was eccentric enough to keep us laughing (or wincing), and when that didn't work Sven would slip on the ice or try to eat snow flakes.

Olaf's only good scene is the instant he says 'Some people are worth melting for.' Heartwarming, sure, but I could have lived without it if it meant I didn't have to put up with the annoying snowman.

Juvenile humor also seemed to populate a lot more of the jokes in Frozen than, say, Tangled or The Princess and the Frog. This was Olaf, but also the trolls added to it. (Fixer-Upper is probably the only song I don't like from the film).

I get that I'm essentially calling out a juvenile film for having too much juvenile humor. I also get that Disney's targeting of the juvenile crowd is probably another reason the movie was such a huge success. But since I'm sharing my opinion here, I'll go on the record saying I think it was a hindrance to the film's quality, not a help.

In the end:

Down to the big cheese. Overall, I really enjoyed 'Frozen'. It's a fun movie. It's a good movie.
On the other hand, it's not great or excellent. It's not the best Disney movie of all time, or even of the last 5 years. I do believe it's overrated, over-hyped and over-saturating, well, everything. Over all, I'd give it a 3 1/2 star rating.

As far as a sequel, I think Disney will do a good job with it, but I also think a lot of people would be just as happy without one.

But that's just me.

What do you think?

Marvel's Bad Boy: Thoughts on 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

Let me start with: I pretty much love all things Marvel. I haven't seen a Marvel movie yet that I haven't liked.
I'm also big into action movies, preferably laden with comedy.
Finally, I'm a sucker for the bad-guys-become-the-good-guys storyline.

Suffice to say, I have been looking forward to Guardians of the Galaxy for awhile.

I saw it this week and enjoyed it. However, I've got Opinions.

Generally, my family is just as much into the Marvel movies as me. (Okay, not just as much, but definitely fans.) They may not see it until the film hits the $2 theater, but at some point there's usually a Marvel movie outing with our happy foursome.

They had no desire whatsoever to see this film.

While my dad thought it looked dumb, and my mom disliked all the characters from the previews, the biggest issue was the one reason my sister refuses to even consider seeing it: Guardians of the Galaxy has stepped down from the kid-friendly overtones that has made this franchise so universal.

Before seeing the movie, I'd had this hope that it wasn't really as 'un-kid-friendly' as my sister feared, that the few moments of vulgarity just happened to be featured in the previews. I hated the idea that there was a Marvel film she wouldn't watch, because we're kind of superhero freaks. (Well, she likes superheros, and I'm a superhero fangirl.)

Unfortunately this wasn't the case.

I'm not saying the movie was wrought with the 'f' word and sexual innuendo -compared to many action films the content was the low end of middle ground- but Guardians is still a part of the Marvel cinematic universe. It still has to hold its ground with the other films.

Did the amount of swearing ruin the film for me?

It lowered my estimation of it, it will make me wary of other Marvel films in the future, and it put a chink in my faith of Marvel's understanding that movies can be epic and kid-friendly.

I understand shaking this up a little and catering to a slightly different crowd, but I noticed. I noticed much more swearing and the several crude references in this film. While I still liked the movie, these additions put a damper on my adoration. I don't enjoy vulgarity or swearing so yes, the addition of these did lower my estimation of it.

I know this has been an ongoing issue. Just from the first preview's release I saw scores of complaints from people about the middle finger gesture featured. Some people are up in arms about it, and some people are up in arms against the people up in arms about it. I'm somewhere in between. As a writer, I understand the need for accommodating character personalities, etc, but as a stickler for more conservative views, I also understand there are ways to work around it, too.

What kills me is that it was such a fun film. I wanted to go see it with my sister, because I think she might have enjoyed it. But she refuses to see it, because of the extra swearing. That is the only reason she won't watch it. And I know there are more people like that out there.

The extra swearing was unnecessary, I don't think it made the movie better, and it was not worth alienating a part of Marvel's audience.

I give GotG a 3 1/2 out of 5. I will watch it again. I will continue to like it. I will never get over Starlord's opening dance number scene or Drax's insistent literalism or the idolization of the great hero Kevin Bacon or the honest-to-goodness DANCE BATTLE in the climactic finale or that ridiculous ending cameo.

I just wish my sister could enjoy it all with me.

To sum up:

Guardians of the Galaxy was a good movie, but with just a little less swearing, it would have been Great. 

 

Also, seeing Kirk from Gilmore Girls was a bonus. I couldn't help laughing every time he came on screen and I'm pretty sure the guy next to me thought I was crazy.