Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Director: Rian Johnson

Nominated for: Best Visual Effects; Best Original Score; Best Sound Mixing; Best Sound Editing

I’m by no means an avid “this universe is my life” type of Star Wars fan but I do consider myself a fan – just one who forgets how much I like the films until I watch them. I don’t even mind the prequel trilogy – they might not reach the same heights as the original trilogy but they do serve a purpose. I was hesitant to say the least when The Force Awakens (2015, J. J. Abrams) came out – in fact I was so bored of the constant hype in the month’s leading up to its release that I refused to see the film in the cinemas – and yet it was a brilliant relaunch of a beloved franchise that captured the same essence that made the original trilogy so magical (and no I’m not old enough to have seen the original trilogy when they were first released!) That did mean however, that the stakes had been raised even higher for the next instalment which was to be the tricky middle film in a trilogy … notoriously difficult to get right as most people view them as the ‘filler film’.

The mixed reactions on its release, from both critics and my friends, resulted in me going into The Last Jedi with some trepidation … would it live up to the excitement I felt when watching The Force Awakens?! I’m happy to report that it did, and I couldn’t really understand why there were so many ‘meh’ reactions to it. I really enjoyed The Last Jedi and think it did an admirable job picking up from the fallout of the last film while setting up the final one. Let’s face it this film was always going to have a pretty cliffhanger ending to it as you can’t go into the final instalment of a trilogy with it being all rainbows and unicorns now could you?

The acting is once again incredible with some people really upping their game. And the character development is on point. Indeed, Kylo Ren, who was my biggest bug bear in The Force Awakens, actually has some sort of personality and dimension in this film. No longer is he just the whiny, snotty little boy railing at his parents and the whole world, and is actually pretty interesting for the most part. Of course he does revert to that annoying worst towards the end of the film.

There is actually a pretty strong representation from our little island across the pond (the UK if anyone’s unsure) with a slew of British actors scattered throughout the film. I particularly enjoyed Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux in the First Order – I mean how is that guy still alive let alone still in a position that seems to retain some semblance of power?! He is excellent as the obsequious, snivelling lower level bad guy and I love the interplay he has with Adam Driver’s Ren.

I love how the Rebels are peppered with some truly kick ass women in leadership roles. It’s something we need to see more of and not just in the movies but in every aspect of life. Actually the film is kind of dominated by strong female characters with Daisy Ridley’s Rey driving the main narrative and Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose driving the parallel narrative.

John Boyega goes from strength to strength as Finn while still providing some light relief with his comic timing. Indeed it seemed like there was much more of a current of humour running throughout the film this time round. BB-8 remains awesome and one of the most adorable things in the universe although he does have some competition this time round. A lot of this humour comes from the introduction of some pretty memorable new additions to the creatures of the Star Wars universe. The vulptex, also known as the crystal critters, were definitely my mum’s favourite but then they reminded her of our dog. I loved the fathiers – weird horse like creatures that are used for racing on Canto Bight and found the Caretakers who look like strange little fish-nuns hilarious. But by far my favourite new addition is the porgs – strange penguin/puffin type creatures with enormous eyes and no beaks – they are so adorable and create a lot of funny moments in their interactions with a reluctant Chewy.

It would be impossible to talk about The Last Jedi and not mention the loss of Carrie Fisher. Every moment she is on-screen has a bittersweet sadness to it but there is one moment in particular that brought a lump to my throat – when her and Luke are saying goodbye. This beautiful, touching moment between the two has an added poignancy to it and remains one of my favourite scenes from the film for the simplicity in portraying such emotion.

The special effects are always exceptional in a Star Wars film but then ILM is one of the most respected visual effects companies in the industry. I will say this however in relation to Snoke. I just could not help but see similarities to Gollum from The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003, Peter Jackson) but I think it’s mainly due to the fact that Andy Serkis brought both those characters to live through the use of CGI. It’s the way his mouth moves that really made me draw the comparison.

I found Crait – the home of the forgotten Rebel base – absolutely beautiful and the battle that takes place there is visually stunning. All that red salt streaming behind the approaching ships creates some incredible images. It’s a brilliant set piece at the turn of the third act and provides a spectacular backdrop for some of the key moments of the film.

As always John Williams’ score is breathtaking but then the man is a genius and has been living in the world of Star Wars since the start so is well versed in every nuance of the stories told within it. Both the sound mixing and sound editing are seamless. There is one scene where Laura Dern’s gorgeous Admiral Holdo (I’m very much in love with her hair by the way!) pulls a truly selfless stunt that results in the destruction of Snoke’s ship that is an outstanding piece of filmmaking on every level but especially on its use of sound, or rather its lack of sound. It’s a confident director who understands the power that a moment of silence can have and isn’t afraid to use it. It’s definitely the image that has stayed with me long after leaving the cinema and so I leave you with it too … Enjoy! 

 

Victoria & Abdul

Director: Stephen Frears

Nominated for: Best Makeup and Hairstyling; Best Costume Design

This is a film that is a veritable who’s who of British classical acting with a stellar cast including Eddie Izzard, Michael Gambon, Simon Callow, Olivia Williams, Tim McMullan and of course ably headed up by the outstanding Dame Judi Dench.

Dame Judi proves once again that she is a comedic talent with some perfectly timed acerbic one-liners. She is brilliant as Queen Victoria and actually looks incredibly like her thanks to the exceptional work of the costume department.

The costumes are just stunning – particularly Abdul’s but then he is a riot of colour against the more muted colours of Victoria’s court and of course her mourning blacks. That is not to say that Victoria’s costumes are boring because they really aren’t – they’re full of different textures and little details that make every item very different to the one that came before. The richness in the materials used is evident throughout. I really enjoyed watching Abdul’s wardrobe change to reflect his increased presence within the royal household. His costumes become more luscious and elegant as the film goes on.

The film is hilarious – much more so than I expected it to be. Mohammed, played wonderfully by Adeel Akhtar, is comedic gold and who I think the peddler in Aladdin (1992, Ron Clements & John Musker) would be if they were a real person. He is so put out to be in England and just wants to go, plus he constantly gets subtly demoted. However, for all the film is laugh out loud funny, it does become extremely poignant towards the end as we follow Victoria to the end of her reign.

The royal household is both brilliant and at the same time deplorable in their actions. Their self-importance, bestowed due to being part of the royal household, results in them being fairly impotent characters. They have no real power as that all lies with the Queen and yet a large portion of their time is devoted to how to increase their power and influence – a pastime that is threatened by Abdul’s arrival. They’re only concern is how this unusual relationship reflects on the Royal household, and in turn their position within said household, and actively ignore the effect that Abdul’s presence and friendship has on Victoria. It is a physical change that comes over her whenever some of their manoeuvring result in Abdul falling slightly from favour. I have complete sympathy for Victoria in the film and actually really admire her for looking past the initial, obvious differences, and learning more about the world around her. She was after all, as she mentions a number of times, the Empress of India so why shouldn’t she learn about that country and its cultures. It also highlights the deep-rooted mistrust towards the Muslim community and Islamic culture – long before any of our current day issues even began to rear their head.

The makeup is outstanding – especially that used to transform Eddie Izzard to Prince Bertie. It was so good that my mum did not realise it was Eddie Izzard. Having said that I couldn’t help but see a strong resemblance to Mark Hamill’s look as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017, Rain Johnson) I don’t know what it is – and it’s probably me that sees it. Izzard’s performance as Bertie is nuanced – it’s comedic, as you would expect from an actor like Izzard (although he’s a very talent ‘straight’ actor as well). And then at the same time Frears doesn’t shy away from the fact that actual Bertie isn’t always the nicest person and has all those conceits that seem to come along with growing up super privileged. And his actions at the end of the film are utterly disgusting! But I will say no more for fear of someone shouting “Spoilers” at me. I actually enjoyed Victoria and Abdul much more than I initially expected to – it’s a delightful little film.

Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi

 Director: Richard Marquand

1983

“Executive producer Lucas […] and director Richard Marquand introduce a new race of teddy-bear-like creatures, the Ewoks, to entertain younger members of the audience.” (691, Joanna Berry, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die) Episode VI is probably my favourite and it does indeed have to do with the Ewoks. They certainly entertained me when I was first introduced to the films as a youngster and they remain just as adorable now as they were then.

There is a darker feel to this final installment; the enemy are regrouping and rebuilding their most formidable weapon, the Death Star. And of course Luke has changed in part due to the loss of his hand at the hand (no pun intended!) of his recently discovered father, none other than Darth Vader himself. “Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), an eager young Jedi trainee in the first installment, is now a brooding warrior (hence the black clothing).” (691) I mean encounters like that would darken any mood and Luke treads the very thin line between good and evil. After all as Yoda, in his infinite wisdom, says “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” (Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, 1999, George Lucas)

R2 s a fearless little droid always entering dangerous situations without hesitation, usually leaving a worrisome C-3PO following along in his wake. The work of the Rebellion takes somewhat of a back seat here, especially in the first half when the focus is most definitely on reuniting our main trio. A journey that provides us with one of the most iconic images in cinema history – one that is still lusted over by men of all ages to this day (and even I can appreciate the beauty of it) and that is of course Leia in that gold bikini.

Jabba the Hut is still as repulsive as he was when we first encountered him in Episode IV. You really feel the absence of Han Solo in the first part of the film. Aside from a hologram of Luke it is nearly 20 minutes before we see any of the main human protagonists. But the wait is worth it to witness the reunion of Han and Leia. The first big set piece is the trio’s (plus Chewie and the droids of course) escape from Jabba’s sail boat. Made all the more impressive by Han’s blindness … a side effect from the time spent in carbonite. It’s really the first time we see Luke really flex his Jedi muscles as it were, and it turns out he’s a bit of a bad ass! Once again Leia proves just how capable she is by strangling the repulsive Jabba – no mean feat considering their sizes.

Yoda’s passing is actually pretty upsetting and yet he looks so peaceful at the end. Of course it must be remembered that just because he died it does not mean he is gone. We finally learn the true connection between Luke and Leia (if you hadn’t already worked it out by then). Watching the films again with all the knowledge I now have … both from the original trilogy but also the prequels … I find it hard to recall what it must have felt lk to find out that first time but I guess it was a fairly shocking reveal much in the same way the Vader reveal was in Episode V.

The speed of the action picks up in this final installment certainly when compared to Episode IV and Episode V. We move fairly swiftly from the fight of Tattooine to the battle (one of them anyway) on Endor. The flight through the wooded landscape of Endor is most definitely a precursor to the pod racing in Episode I. Dynamic piece of filmmaking with camera angles that immerse you in the action. The baby Ewoks are cuteness overload! The Ewoks have a strong tribal nature and an awesome living arrangement having created a treehouse city, more evidence they were created for the entertainment of children. Who didn’t want a treehouse when they were younger?

While the Rebellion is trying to bring down the Death Star (again!) Luke is on a mission to redeem his father and break the hold the Dark side has over him. The Emperor has a much more forceful presence in this final installment. Although a withered old man he is incredibly powerful evidenced in the deference that Vader shows him. His power is never really explained. He is voyeuristic, watching impotently from the sidelines; for the most part anyway. The scenes with the Emperor are dark, menacing and imposing with low light, heavy shadows and sharp angular sets.

Nothing ever seems to go smoothly for the Rebellion but then the films would be pretty boring if it did. Things look particularly bad for the Rebellion is this film – more so than at any other time in the saga. The deaths of the Ewoks are particularly moving due to their childlike stature.

Vader comes through in the end at enormous cost. As with the spiritual belief that no one truly leaves us even in death there is the belief that no-one is ever truly lost to the Dark side. There is good in everyone it just has to be found and fought for. Vader redeems himself by saving his son and at the same time ridding the universe of the Emperor’s tyranny. Montage of celebrations across different planets with a possible hint of the Gungans? It’s an immense conclusion with the destruction of the Death Star, imploding while Lando races to escape in the Millennium Falcon.

“The stars meanwhile are never eclipsed by cuddly muppets and impressive special effects, and skillfully bring Lucas’s version of intergalactic good-versus-evil to a close.” (691)

Now the ending of my copy of Episode VI differs from the original release as it is a remastered version done after the release of the prequels. As a result the appearance of Luke’s 3 Jedi companions as been altered so that his father, Anakin, is portrayed by Hayden Christensen as opposed to Sebastian Shaw who played him in the original. Watching the original trilogy again has made me want to watch prequels again (despite them being considered inferior films) and has made me question how Disney could possibly take the story further with the planned Episodes VII, VIII and IX.

 

Stars Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Director: Irvin Kerschner

1980

This has been playing on a loop at work for the last two weeks so you’d think I’d be bored with it now but I haven’t actually had the chance to watch the entire thing. The story picks up right where we left off in Episode IV and yet it can be viewed as a stand-alone film too thanks to the nifty scrolling subtitles at the start.

There’s a marked difference in Luke Skywalker or rather in Mark Hamill’s appearance following a horrific car accident between shooting the films. His skill as a Jedi has progressed since A New Hope (1977, George Lucas) yet he’s nowhere near complete in his training. And thank goodness because if he were then we would never have met Yoda who is lets face it made of epic ness!! His journey to Dagobah and Yoda is guided by Obi-Wan (even in death he is still to guide Luke) despite being dead obi wan is not gone and makes a number of appearances. Luke is still a bit of a petulant child although as he progresses towards becoming a Jedi knight he grows up effectively.

“Episode V as more personality: Romance blossoms in the lead trio, and strong new characters appear (like Billy Dee Williams’s dashing scoundrel Lando Calrissian), all of them safely in the sure hands of the studio workhorse Irvin Kerschner.” (662, Angela Errigo, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die) Leia and Han are still bickering but it’s very clearly the early stages of their relationship forming. Some sort of misguided competition between Luke and Han for Leia’s affection – the true nature of Leia and Luke’s relationship is still unknown at this point.

Speaking of bickering C-3PO and R2-D2 are still like a married old couple, something that comes across even though R2 speaks in beeps and squeaks rather than actual words. “Charming comic interplay for the scene-stealing androids C-3PO ad R2-D2, and ever weirder alien creatures wowed audiences the world over.” (662). I love how even though characters like R2 and Chewbacca don’t speak in conventional terms you can still understand them and the gist of what they’re saying. They are some of my favourite characters and have been since childhood when I first watched Star Wars. It’s always quite upsetting when R2 and C-3PO are separated. Chewie becomes oddly protective of 3PO – rescuing him from a junk pile and rebuilding him.

While Han is still somewhat of a rogue smuggler he is beginning to change his ways – on the verge of leaving the Rebellion he instead goes to find Luke in the wilderness of the unforgiving ice planet Hoth, and all without the prospect of a reward. He’s forming many more meaningful relationships rather than being the somewhat lone wolf with only Chewie for company. And he tends to stick around more, despite all his talk (and there’s a fair bit of it!) of leaving. He condemns Lando for selling them out – something he himself would have done just a short while ago.

Darth Vader still cuts a menacing figure now hell-bent on finding and destroying Luke, and of course the Rebellion as a whole. Leia goes from strength to strength; she is still the driving force behind the Rebellion, even giving the briefing to the troops before the first land battle seen in the trilogy. And what an epic battle it is, Lucas is not just limited to creating spectacular battles in the heart of space. Although of course it must be remembered that it’s not Lucas holding the reins this time but Irvin Kerschner. You can see the difference by only just. This installment feels tighter than A New Hope and indeed all those directed by Lucas himself. As much as I’m willing to admit that Lucas is a cinematic genius I’m of the opinion that he is a much better producer than director. He is an incredible storyteller, that cannot be denied, and yet sometimes his execution just doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Angela Errigo says “one-liners became catchphrases”(662) and she’s not wrong, most of them coming from Han Solo (who else?!) like “Never tell me the odds”, “Can it furball” and of course the “I love you; I know” exchange between Han and Leia.

With the new film come new creatures, planets and characters. Gone is the hot, dusty desert landscape of Tatooine from A New Hope and instead we are treated to the ice planet Hoth and the swampy, jungle like Dagobah, (home of the infamous Yoda!) and the cloud city where Lando resides.

Yoda is amazing! He’s such a well-rounded character, which is remarkable considering he is a puppet. We are so lucky to have had the talent like Frank Oz around to bring life to such an iconic figure. Like Errigo says he is “a wizened puppet sage performed with startling expressiveness and exasperation by Muppeteer Frank “Miss Piggy” Oz.” (662) I actually prefer the puppet Yoda to the more high-tech computer generated version in the prequels (which I have said before but it bears repeating). He has such a unique way of speaking – one oft imitated and impersonated.

Along with new Jedi characters in the form of Yoda we are also introduced to the puppet master behind Vader, known as the Emperor (it all makes sense once you’ve watched the prequels). It’s an interesting point that everyone refers to Luke’s father in the past tense especially considering what is revealed at the climax of the film.

Boba Fett is yet another epic character in a world jam-packed with hugely iconic characters that tend to transcend the films. He also has an interesting back-story unveiled in the prequels.

You start seeing the “Star Wars” cuts and wipes where Lucas has employed all the different styles of cutting techniques, ones that we were steered away from during my degree. The whole idea of cutting and editing in general is to be unobtrusive. Instead Lucas draws attention to the editing and cutting process, and it’s very much a part of the new cinematic style he gifted to the world of filmmaking.

Sound is of great importance in the Star Wars films. Where would the films have been without the instantly recognizable breathing of Vader as well as the iconic sound track? Not to mention the unique sound of the light sabers – everyone automatically makes the noise when playing with one!

The carbonite process is horrible to watch and yet creates one of the most recognizable images from the entire franchise. It’s all red lights and puffs of smoke, creating a menacing or rather foreboding atmosphere. Lando does indeed redeem himself for his betrayal of Han and Leia and becomes part of the ever-growing Rebellion, spearheading the rescue mission for Han.

Finally Luke and Vader face off against one another, despite Luke not completing his training with Yoda. Elements of their fight are reflected in the prequels … Mace Windu being sucked out a window very similar to the one Luke falls through and Yoda tearing things off the wall with the force to aid in a fight. And the biggest similarity is the loss of the hand. The father inflicts the same wound on the son. It’s such an epic climax to the film with the big reveal and one of the most famous lines in cinema history “Luke I am your father“. And then you get the connection between Leia and Luke – a hint of what their true relationship is, if you’re good at piecing bits of information together that is.

The Empire Strikes Back sets the scene for the conclusion of the trilogy – The Return of the Jedi (1983, Richard Marquand) and at the same time manages to avoid being the filler film in a trilogy.

 

Star Wars IV A New Hope

  Director: George Lucas

1977

Star Wars has been in the news a lot lately what with Lucas selling to Disney and all. Also I spent all of last week watching Episode V on loop at work (the joys of working in a toy shop at half-term with a Star Wars themed week!!) so I finally thought I’d watch them properly – the original trilogy, the good films, anyway. “Lucas also created a mythology that has been embraced by young and old alike.” (617, Joanna Berry, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die) We’ve had dads in the store who are more interested in playing with the light sabers than the kids are! It amazes me that kids born 30 years after the first film know who Yoda, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, C3PO, R2D2 and Chewbacca are, along with all the newer characters of course. It’s a film, well a trilogy, that really has spanned the decades and generations and is still as fresh as it was on its initial release. Now I’m of the opinion that the prequels (I, II, and III) aren’t all that terrible. They don’t have that special quality the original trilogy has but aside from the quite frankly disastrous decision to create Jar Jar Binks they’re not too bad – Ewan McGregor is excellent as a young Obi-Wan, doing a remarkable job of filling the awesome shoes of Sir Alec Guinness! And they complete the story – you finally discover how such a sweet kid like Ankin became the big bad of the universe. But enough about the prequels and on to the main event.

There is something special about the opening credits (much like those of the Harry Potter series) when you see those unique scrolling subtitles disappearing up the screen coupled with the iconic music you know you’re about to embark upon an epic journey. And what a clever and neat way to provide the necessary back story. The cult phenomenon surrounding Star Wars continues to increase over the years rather than diminishing – and it’s one that reaches an incredibly varied group of people, not just nerds and geeks. And to think that like Joanna Berry says, “Star Wars could have turned out a bit silly.” (616)

“Lucas had much bigger ideas.” (616) It’s hard to watch A New Hope without thinking about just how iconic everything has become – Darth Vader’s unique breathing, Leia’s hairstyle, the Stormtroopers, Chewbacca’s whine, R2D2 and C3PO bickering like an old married couple, and the list goes on. I so want to be a Stormtrooper – their costumes are amazing!! And it’s all pervaded our everyday life especially the Jedi’s (an inordinate number of people put Jedi as their religion on the latest census don’t you know!)

“Writer-director George Lucas’s film was not expected to be a success. A “sci-fi Western” with a virtually unknown principal cast (Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher), studio bosses were so convinced the movie would flop that they happily gave Lucas the merchandising rights to any Star Wars products for free.” (616) I bet they will regret that decision for the rest of their lives considering just how popular the franchise is and has been all these long years later, with no signs of stopping.

Harrison Ford is perfect as Han Solo with this air of sex appeal surrounding him. There is this wonderful cockiness about Ford’s Solo. He’s very much the self-assured bad boy which makes him the favourite. And it’s the role (along with the impeccable Indiana Jones of course!) that really launched him to blockbuster star status where he has remained all these years. Princess Leia provides a wonderfully strong, capable and feisty role-model for any girl. She is the driving force behind the rebellion and very much an equal to any of the male characters. It’s the defining role for Carrie Fisher, her career never again reaching the success of Leia. I love the relationship between Han and Leia. They are so persnickety with each other that you know there is only one outcome for them.

The combination of Dave Prowse‘s physical performance and James Earl Jones’ vocal performance create a menacing foe, right up there with all the truly great cinematic villains.  R2D2 is such an adorable and tenacious little droid played perfectly by the oft overlooked Kenny Baker. I never really liked Luke Skywalker all that much – he always came across as a petulant child, certainly in A New Hope. And like Carrie Fisher Star Wars is the shining moment of Mark Hamill’s career, one unable to survive following the conclusion of the trilogy. Sir Alec Guinness is magnanimous as Obi-Wan Kenobi, taking on the key role of Luke’s guide on his coming of age journey.

The sets are exquisite and all the tricks Lucas employs to create this out-of-this-world and yet entirely believable universe are outstanding especially when you think about the fact the first film was made in the 1970s. “A couple of decades before computer-generated images could be used to create fantastical worlds and distant planets, Lucas, using incredibly detailed models, clever photography, and well chosen locations […] tells the story of another universe.” (616-617) I have to admit that the prequels actually appear less real or rather less tactile due to their over reliance on computer generated imagery. It’s such an intricately created universe with innumerable species, creatures and vehicles … and it all ties together seamlessly. Light sabers are an awesome feat of imagination and just like Obi-Wan says “an elegant weapon” even if they are deadly. Everybody wants one and if they say they don’t then they’re just flat-out lying!!

The soundtrack is glorious ad one that’s imbedded deep within my brain (along with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter) It’s the sort of thing you find yourself humming without even realizing you’re doing it. So much of the Star Wars universe has become shorthand for any number of things and appears in popular cinema, television and even adverts to this day. There are numerous references in The Big Bang Theory (2007-, Chuck Lorre), my favourite being Sheldon’s resemblance to C3PO, and one of the best moments in Paul (2011, Greg Mottola) where the red neck band are actually playing the Cantina band number from Mos Eisley. It’s become so much a part of everyday life that May 4th is widely regarded as Star Wars day … “May the 4th be with you!” The destruction of the Death Star is most definitely the set piece of the film and has influenced many films in the decades following its release – most noticeably for me in Independence Day (1996, Roland Emmerich) … but then I’ve watched it recently so it’s fresh in my mind.

The battle between Vader and Obi-Wan has always been an epic one (good vs evil; light vs dark) but for me it’s taken on a whole new meaning since watching the prequels and thus having the knowledge of the history behind the two characters. There is an intense spirituality within Star Wars most obviously evidenced in the Jedi religion and the belief in the Force. I particularly like the idea that no one truly leaves you even in death. It’s a powerful thing to believe in.

“In giving the world Star Wars, Lucas succeeded in making much more than just a movie (one that would eventually get its own exhibit at the Smithsonian, no less); he made a world, a new style of cinema, and an unforgettable outer space opera that has been many times imitated but never bettered. And you never can see the strings.” (617)