Jay Reviews "Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker"

Jay here.

It's been a while since I have written a movie review. It's not for lack of wanting, that is for sure. When my first child was born over 4 years ago and then my second came a year and half later my entire life was upended. Many of things that were normal for me, like going to movies with regularity, became rarified. Now that they are getting older I find that it is easier to get out and so my stepson, Nate, and I were able to get out for the opening night of The Rise of Skywalker. Leading to its opening this film has received a Lukewarm (see what I did there) reception for critics across the board. Well, I steadfastly avoided spoilers and ignored reviews to make up my own mind. I will be spoiler free to start and then later will address key plot points. So, look out for my SPOILER warning if you don't want to know this movie's secrets.

First, I want to get a couple of things out of the way. I am a fan of Rian Johnson's beleaguered and controversial 8th chapter in this saga, The Last Jedi. I think it is best I explain why in a more detailed form at a later time, but I will boil it down to several things that stood out to me. It is clear to me that Johnson wanted Star Wars to grow up a little for his film. It paints in a lot of grey tones for a series that has been known to stick to black and white for the most part. It is also an absolutely gorgeous piece of filmmaking made by a director who really wanted to invoke some stark and striking imagery. Besides all that, I will always applaud the audacity of Johnson to try and make the most "meta" Star Wars film that he could and that movie is dripping with metaphor in almost every frame.

Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey (Daisy Ridley) engage in a climactic lightsaber duel that is also very, very . . . wet.

The problem is that many fans don't want to take their Star Wars movies seriously and be challenged when it comes to the themes buried just under the surface. They want them to be fun, with realistic dialogue, badass fight scenes and a plot twist or two thrown in for good measure. And trust me, I will never judge someone for just wanting to have fun at the movies. I have learned to find a good balance though in what I expect from a movie as far as pure entertainment and also what I want to be challenged with. If a film can do both then that is special, and that is what TLJ did for me in many ways.

I am writing about TLJ a lot here because it is nearly impossible to offer up a solid criticism of The Rise of Skywalker without first considering its predecessor and the choices that were made in response to that chapter. It is hard to avoid the obvious decisions that were made to try to appease a section of the fan base that hated Episode VIII. Gone is a lot of the exploration of themes like failure, identity and loss and we are given something that is clearly trying to get things back to black and white. They way they do this is by bringing back everyone's favorite evil supreme Sith lord, Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious.

I am not spoiling anything but it has been well documented by dozens of trailers, etc. that the Emperor would be returning for this final installment of the Skywalker saga. The movie jumps immediately into this new twist at the very beginning by showing us where he is and also what he wants of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). It is always a joy to see Ian McDiarmid playing this role. Throughout the series he has been one of the most consistently excellent parts of Star Wars. Hell, I would argue he was the best thing about the Prequels hands down. Here he is still having a ton of fun, and I would say he is scarier here than he has ever been. SIDENOTE: I had seriously considered taking my son, Luke to see his very first Star Wars with me this time and I am so glad I did not because he would have crawled under the seats when he sees Palpatine's face in this one. He is truly a frightening presence.

Rey (Daisy Ridley) confronts the Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) at long last.

I cannot though ignore the fact that his return leaves a sour taste in my mouth. One of the most poignant moments in the Star Wars saga is when Darth Vader, after seeing his son about to die horribly in a blast of dark energy shooting from Palaptine's fingers, succumbs to the Light and the love he has for his son, and turns on his Master throwing him down that shaft and killing him. Bringing him back in this way cheapens that moment and robs it of its catharsis. I understand why they felt they had to. Snoke (Andy Serkis) had been offed in TLJ and they needed another Big Bad (your welcome Buffy fans) to threaten the good guys, but why him? In this aspect of the movie's story I feel torn because I LOVE the Emperor but I feel his death at Anakin's hands was important.

The rest of the film runs at a breakneck pace, as Rey (Daisy Ridley) and her friends embark on a quest to find the Emperor's location with a determined Kylo Ren on their trail, still convinced he can turn Rey to the Dark Side to be his partner-in-intergalactic-crime. Standing out amongst the good guys is definitely, Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac) who fully slips into the Han Solo role amongst the Rebels. He commands the screen in much the same way Harrison Ford did and for the first time he really shines in this role. C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) has not been this good since The Empire Strikes Back and that is mostly due to the great back-and-forth between him and Poe. I couldn't help but be reminded of the banter between Solo, Leia and Threepio in that movie and works just as well here.

Oscar Issac as Poe Dameron was so good in this I felt at times he was putting the whole movie on his back and carrying it over the finish line.

New characters are introduced including Keri Russell's, Zorii Bliss, a shady character with a past connection to Poe, and Naomi Ackie's, Jannah a former Stormtrooper who deserted just like Finn (John Boyega). These and other new friends contribute to a movie that can feel overstuffed as director, J.J. Abrams attempts to spin many plates without dropping. Despite what a lot of critics are saying I think he did an ok job.


Is The Rise of Skywalker the best Star Wars movie? No, it is not. It isn't even the best of the Sequel Trilogy. But it isn't the worst either (I'll give you a hint: "I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life.") There are some truly hokey moments and there decisions that are head scratchers. It lacks the daring, deepness and gloss of The Last Jedi and it lacks the pacing and Han/Chewie of The Force Awakens. But, it is not as bad as many critics are making it out to be. It moments of great action buoyed by the strong chemistry of these actors, It has a few strong emotional moments that should make any fan get a little verklempt. It also does have a heart that you can hear beating if you are invested and can put aside any preconceived notions.




With that said I give you my revised ranking of the Star Wars films with TROS included:




11. E2: Attack of the Clones

10. E1: The Phantom Menace

9. Solo

8. E3: Revenge of the Sith

7. E9: The Rise of Skywalker

6. E6: Return of the Jedi

5. E7: The Force Awakens

4. Rogue One

3. E8: The Last Jedi

2. E4: A New Hope

1. E2: The Empire Strikes Back




And now for the SPOILER filled portion of my review I would like to comments on some plot specific areas of TROS that if you do not want to know about you should stop reading now . . . .

• It is never explained how Palpatine survived his supposed death in ROTJ. Is it wrong I want to know this? How did he live through being thrown down that shaft and also the explosion of the Death Star?? If he used the Force (which is the only answer that fits) why not say that??? What's he been doing all this time? If he created Snoke, how did he do that??? Why is it necessary to leave so many plot holes in how this man is still alive???????
• So somewhere the decision was made that going with the idea that Rey's parents were "nobodies" pissed off enough of the fan base that they needed to make her Palpatine's granddaughter. I feel like there is ZERO chance this was the decision before this trilogy was started. Why is it a problem her parents were regular folk? Why does every main character have to be the son, sister, grandson or granddaughter of some other main character? This is a mold TLJ attempted to break but it didn't please some of the fans. I feel like they couldn't let Star Wars grow up and be something else. Is it a huge problem for me that she is his granddaughter? No. But it certainly is not earned and feels disingenuous. 
• The biggest surprise for me is how effective they handled Leia with Carrie Fisher's untimely passing. I was concerned her scenes would be handled in such a way it would take me out of the film and it did not happen. She was inserted into the film in a very effective way and I honestly still connected to her story of how she gave up training as Jedi because of her premonition about her son and Rey. It is also very earned that she would be the one to initially reach out to her son during his duel with Rey and begin his return to the Light.
• Adam Driver again earns his place as MVP of this trilogy. I don't care if he is a tool in real life and walks out of interviews if he has to hear himself sing, he was again awesome as Kylo Ren/Ben Solo. My favorite moment of this film was Harrison Ford's cameo with him, hands down. So emotionally resonant and it saved the movie for me in so many ways. It was naturalistic and performed to the hilt by two great actors. When Ben simply says to the father he killed, "Dad ....." and Han says, "I know." It floored me and honestly I didn't even pick up to the obvious throwback to his famous line in Empire until the next day. That's how real it was. The movie needed more moments played like this one.
• I have to repeat how good Oscar Issac was in this and he carried huge chunks of the movie on his back. Anthony Daniels was the comeback player of the year with his return to form as a C-3PO you can laugh at without him being a total joke. 
• Lando was fun to see again even if he didn't do much.
• Can Richard Grant play an evil commander in every movie until the end of time? Thank you.
• Ian McDiarmid looked like zombie Emperor and it worked, but where did all the hundreds of Sith dudes come from at the end? Were they actually there or were they the ghost of the Sith that live in him? I guess the latter.
• Rey giving Ben his grandfather's lightsaber and him opening a can whoopass on the Knights of Ren was Driver's most badass moment in the trilogy. I've been waiting for Ben to make an appearance since he was revealed in TFA. He didn't dissapoint.
• His death, though, did disappoint. WTF was that? The audience in at my showing of the movie actually laughed when he laid down after saving Rey and just died, joining the Force. It is never a good thing when the death of one of your main characters is laughed at by the viewers. It means you did something wrong, and mind you, I don't think his dying was a bad idea, it was how they shot it and paced it. It was sudden shocking and silly so soon after saving Rey who had apparently died. It did not work and was a disappointing way to end such a well-developed character up until that last moment.  
• I was listening hard to try pick up on all the voices of the fallen Jedi speaking to Rey through the Force. I know I heard young and old Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Leia, Anakin and I think some of the characters from The Clone Wars and Rebels. This was nicely done.
• Oh and BTW, Jedi's CAN influence the midi-chlorians to save a life. SO YOU WERE WRONG PALPATINE!! It wasn't just Sith. If only Anakin had known this and had Rey and Ben's new godlike power to heal anyone and anything. 
• And that reminds me . . . how the hell can Jedi's now heal even mortal wounds?? As Han would say, "That's not how the Force works!!"
• Every scene with Mark Hamill was excellent. Force Ghost Luke did not dissapoint and him giving Leia's lightsaber to Rey was moving.
• The final scene of Rey at the Larrs farm on Tattooine was an appropriate way to end it all. I loved her sliding down the sand into the common area below. It was a nice touch. And, of course, when she tells the old woman her name is Rey Skywalker at the end it pulled at my heartstrings and my audience cheered. 

Jay Reviews Netflix's, "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance"

Jay here.

"When single shines the triple sun

What was sundered and undone

Shall be whole, the two made one

By gelfling hand or else by none."

In 1982 Jim Henson and Frank Oz took a sharp left turn from the Muppets that had made them household names and created The Dark Crystal, a fantasy epic brought to life through some of the most audacious and daring puppetry work that had ever been attempted before. Henson wanted to make a fairy tale that emulated and paid homage to works of The Brothers Grimm. He felt that children inherently wanted to be slightly scared and that it was good for them to experience and deal with fear in a story like a fairy tale. Fortunately he partnered with fantasy artist Brian Froud, whose character designs and world building would give us something that felt archetypal, familiar and strikingly new.

I saw The Dark Crystal when it made its way to television, most likely on HBO. I remember clearly that the evil Skeksis were particularly terrifying. Their withering, bird-like, forms, hidden by mounds and mounds of gaudy robes and jewelry were a far cry away from Kermit and Miss Piggy for most kids. Parents probably felt the same way. Thinking that they were taking their children to see the next fun frolic from the Muppet guy were treated to something much darker and, at times, frightening. Along with other movies like Gremlins and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Dark Crystal and its "G" rating would give voice to parental concerns that the rating system needed to be adjusted, and thus the "PG-13" rating was born.

For the uninitiated, the original film introduces us to the world of Thra, a dying land ruled for over a thousand years by the aforementioned Skeksis. They rule through their control of the Crystal of Truth, a larger-than-life jewel that is connected to the lifeforce of the planet. The emperor, leader of the Skeksis, lies dying and a new leader must be chosen. We are also introduced to The Chamberlain, a devious and conniving Skeksis who meek façade and high pitched musings (hmmmmmmm) made him the most frightening to 7-year-old Jay, who's plan to be the new leader is foiled and he is cast out by his brethren. 

The deceptive Chamberlain was one of my favorite villains from the original Dark Crystal and he is up to his same tricks in the new Netflix prequel. 

The plot of the film centers on the quest of the last 2 survivors of an extinct race, native to Thra, called the Gelfling. These 2 elf-like heroes, Jen and Kira, are sent on a mission to take the Shard, a piece of the Crystal that came off when it cracked all those years ago, and return it to the castle of the Crystal and heal it. 

Now, almost 40 years later, Netflix has just released a prequel series that takes 50 years prior to the events of the 1982 film. Called, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistence, the plot concerns how the Gelfling race, who are actually ruled in a way by the Skeksis, discover their masters true evil intentions and unite to fight back. 

Directed by Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk, The Transporter) this new vision of the land of Thra does a fantastic job of both staying true to the practical effects of the original (yes, this show mostly stars puppets), while the expanding where it can with some CGI where it makes sense. The results are undeniably effective. Now, I know there are going to be younger viewers who didn't grow up seeing the 1982 Henson/Oz film who are going to be put off at first by the look of the puppets and how their mouths move while speaking. Well, honestly if you get an episode or two into this series you'll be so dazzled by this world and the tons of hard work that went into creating it tht you won't even notice anymore.

Without giving too much away, Age of Resistance takes place during a time when Gelfling and Skeksis lived together in a sort of understood hierarchy. The Skeksis, being lords of the Crystal, rule but, for the most part stay out of the affairs of the elf-like race. For the first time we get a look at how Gelfling society was organized. Essentially, there are seven clans that all have a leader called the Maudra. There is one leader who they all pay may homage to, the All-Maudra (Helena Bonham-Carter) but for the most part these plans are fractured and don't really get along. In some cases they outright despise or look down on each other.

The Hunter (Ralph Ineson) is one of my favorite new characters in this prequel. A Skeksis that is a total badass and terrifyingly effective at killing everything in his path. 

And this is where the major themes of this series come into focus. Seemingly a pretty obvious allegory for our current times the Gelfling are easily controlled by the Skeksis because they are easily pitted against each other. While each clan wastes their time hating their cousins in the other clan the malicious lords of the Crystal are able to use its power to give them immortality while causing a "Darkening" that begins to infect the entire planet. The richer, more affluent Gelfling are easily manipulated through gifts and jewels the Skeksis give them, while the lower classes are kept low and powerless. 

Suddenly though, a young Gelfling guard named Rian (Taron Edgerton) discovers the Skeksis newly discovered way to stay young a healthy, and he escapes with the intent of warning the other clans of their masters' true motives. Along the way he befriends Deet (Nathalie Emmanuel) from the cave-dwelling clan and Brea (Anya Taylor-Joy) the daughter of the All-Maudra. Together the begin a quest to learn the truth behind the Skeksis and unite the Gelfling to all band together to take the Crystal back. 

Gelflings, Rian (Taron Edgerton) and Deet (Nathalie Emmanuel) are the first to learn truth behind their masters, the evil Skeksis. 

The voice cast for this show is filled with well-known names doing some great work. Jason Issacs, Mark Hamill, Benedict Wong, Lena Headey, Awkwafina, Andy Samberg, Toby Jones, and Mark Strong, just to name a few. But I have to give a special shout-out to Simon Pegg who does damn fine job voicing the aforementioned Chamberlain. It is nearlyimpossible to find any difference between his performance and the original voice actor, Barry Dennen. 

With 10 episodes in total, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance speeds by for the dedicated binger. You don't need to have seen the original movie but there are certain plot points and easter eggs that will certainly go over your head if you haven't. 

If you are a fan of Jim Henson's dark fantasy, though, this is a series you cannot miss. It's an amazing, epic achievement and so wonderful to watch.

Matt Reviews "Blinded by the Light"

I’m not a teenager. I’m not Pakistani. I’m not British. And I’m not Muslim. So why did I – a forty-something American white man – feel such a preternatural connection to Blinded by the Light and its protagonist? Sure, I’m a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, and the fact that he and his music plays a pivotal role in the lead character’s life definitely factored into my enjoyment of the film. But that’s not fully why I watched this film in awe. It’s also not why I cried twice while watching this film. What made me so emotionally invested in this film was not the differences I had with the lead character but rather the similarities. That’s the brilliance of Blinded by the Light. It’s the ultimate proof positive that, despite our differences, there is more that connects us than divides us … if we’re only willing to explore it.

I had first heard of the book Greetings From Bury Park by Sarfraz Manzoor a few years ago. Knowing its premise of a young adult Pakistani who grew up in England, and how he was turned on to Springsteen’s music, and dealt with the hardships of his traditional upbringing as well as being an outsider, the story appealed to me. I bought the book in April and made sure to read it before seeing the film. While the book expectantly goes into more detail – nonconsecutively following Manzoor’s journey from childhood to being in his twenties (even briefly covering 9/11) – the film strictly focuses on Manzoor – renamed Javid Khan (Viveik Kalra) in the film – as he begins his high school in 1987 Luton, England. The film makes Javid’s father, Malik (Kulvinder Ghir), appear as some greedy tyrannical father at the beginning as he’s first introduced to take all of the family’s wages from their various jobs. It skims over the fact that Manzoor’s father, (real name) Mohammed, traveled to England and lived there for 11 years, earning enough money to buy a home and pay for his wife and children to come to England, while they stayed back in Pakistan. When his family did come to Britain, they all had to work and contribute to make ends meet. It’s that kind of perspective that makes you somewhat sympathize a little more for Mohammed. What the film does touch on is the strict, traditional upbringing most often experienced in Pakistani and Muslim families. This is but one of the main parts of Javid’s life he longs to escape. When he’s introduced to Springsteen’s music by a friend in a time right  when, according to his peers, "no one listens to Springsteen anymore" (just before the release of his album Tunnel of Love), his emotions upon listening to the music are represented by the wild winds of the Great Storm of 1987 as well as the lyrics filling the screen to convey to the audience the vital words which stick to Javid’s brain and ring his truth.

While Javid has the usual teenage problems of girls, staying true to himself, wanting to honor his parents, wanting to do what he wants to do, and just all around wanting to have fun, the film also 

features real-world 1987 issues which sadly are still relevant today – namely the representation and threat of the United Kingdom’s National Front (NF) which can be seen in America today (most infamously at the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally) under the lead of the white supremacy group, the National Policy Institute. This all boils under the surface of this feel-good film as Bend it Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha masterfully, delicately shows just enough of this aspect without having it completely overtake the film. There’s also a special props to the mentioning of the true meaning of “Born in the USA,” a song mostly mistaken as a patriotic, “ain’t-America-wonderful” song. I’ve heard it played at Independence Day fairs and celebrations, which is an odd choice for a song about the destructive remnants of a Vietnam veteran’s life as he returns from the war to no opportunities. Nevertheless, it’s Chadha’s romantic, fun scenes which perfectly compliment the serious moments in Javid’s life. His musical number to “Thunder Road” may first appear cheesy, but, by the end of that sequence, you’re smiling! This may be some geeky musical dramedy that Springsteen fans get the most out of, but that doesn't negate its great qualities and it doesn't prevent the viewer from loving the various characters. 

What most made me get so emotional were two particular scenes. The first was a short scene between Javid’s father and his mother, Noor (Meera Ganatra), while she is dyeing his hair darker so he may get a job. This scene poignantly shows a softer side to his father, a sentiment of which any father who has to support his family can relate. In life, I’ve been Javid and I certainly felt a closeness to this character; but I also faced the harsh reality that, lately, I’m his father too: a man so caught up in worrying about supporting his family and being a good provider that he’s been blinded to what’s in front of him and it’s made him a bit angry and sad. It was a wake-up call of sorts that knocked me for a loop, and, fortunately, by the film’s end, there’s proof it’s never too late to change for the better. The other scene that got to me was soon after seeing his desperate father try to search for a job (appropriately played out to “Independence Day”), near the end when Javid reads from his essay and his family shows up to truly hear him out, as Javid comes to his truth. This is the crux of the film and Viveik Kalra’s performance is a delightful balance of just enough emotion and tears without being overbearing, but emotional all the same. I know these scenes affected me most likely more than others because they spoke to me. I could relate to them. I’ve felt those feelings. I’ve thought those thoughts. Often times I still do. And to see a writer (or, writers) have enough sense to convey those same thoughts and feelings to the screen was what I needed. Just like Javid’s feeling of how Springsteen relates to his life, this film relates to my life – even as a forty-something white guy!

With all of the musician biopics the likes of Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman beginning to be made and released, it may only be a matter of time before, one day, there’s a Springsteen biopic. Until then, Blinded by the Light should be considered the ultimate homage to the Boss. It’s got everything his songs contain: love, youth, escape, longing, pain, change, struggle, redemption, anger, truth, sadness, determination, family, and, most of all, hope. To know he’s touched – and had such a profound effect on – at least one life, let alone many, many others, as shown in a film like this is what I’d consider a glorious tribute. Like Javid, when I was a teen, I’d been spit on. I’d been pushed so hard, I’d lost a bit of my balance, sometimes pushed into walls. I’ve been bullied for something about myself I couldn’t – and shouldn’t have to – change. And also like Javid, Springsteen’s music talks to me. It still talks to me. It’s helped me to understand the world and all its loveliness and ugliness; to be a better person; feel understood; and it’s conveyed all that I’ve felt and thought, letting me know I’m not alone. That kind of connection makes any film a success.