The Return of the Force

It is difficult for me to explain just how much I love Star Wars. "A lot" doesn't really get us in the ballpark. You can imagine my excitement when I saw this. JJ Abrams did it. Star Wars is back with Episode VII: The Force Awakens, and I couldn't be happier.

One of the biggest questions everyone had before this film was how they would manage to combine the old elements (actors, tropes, even technology) with this new world set 30 years in the future where we last left things in Return. Fear not, they succeeded. Harrison Ford is back baby! Carrie Fisher is back. Peter Mayhew. The droids. Mark Hamill. Plus, the new cast is pretty stellar: Daisy Ridley (total badass), John Boyega, Oscar Issac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong'o. The future is in good hands.

You'll notice I haven't talked much about the film. That is for two reasons. The first is that I don't want to spoil anything. The second is that it is Star Wars. You know what to expect in many ways. Explosions. Spaceships. Wookies yelling. I mean, if you don't already like these things you will like being introduced to them. This is an entertaining fast paced space western comedy drama movie. Just like the old ones. Not like the prequels.

9/10. I wouldn't change much. Sure, a few things, but I love Star Wars. I'm a homer.

A Long Time Ago Almost Exactly as I Remember

May the Fourth has become a bit of a national holiday for Star Wars nerds like myself. So, like any good observing member of a faith-based group who observes their respective holidays, I elected to watch Star Wars this past May the Fourth. I chose Episode IV: A New Hope because in many ways that is the most complete film. George Lucas managed to nail directing his third feature length movie. Go figure. I've seen the movie more times than I could ever count, but I tried to be a little more critical while watching it this time.

First off, Star Wars as a whole is deliciously cheesy. The movie is really broken up into a bunch of mini-narratives which transition like power point slides. Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher were surprisingly good as Luke and Leia. I think there performance is somewhat glossed over by people that are hung up on the subject matter of the film. I did notice that Sir Alec Guinness was a little out of place as Obi-Wan, probably, because he was one of Britain's most acclaimed actors of all time, and the role may be a bit below him.

As I struggled to write this critique I realized that I can't really critique this movie. You see, Star Wars is a part of me, for better or worse. I just can't treat this movie, or any of the other movies in the original trilogy, the same as any other movie. I suppose that might be a deficiency I have, but truly I don't care. I love this movie, and all of the Star Wars movies, even the prequels. They represent something pure and detached from reality. I fully understand the marketing angle employed in the prequels, and arguably in the original trilogy as well, but the beauty of the tropes utilized by Lucas in all the movies is that they are damn near universal. What adventurous kid with dreams bigger than their surroundings doesn't want to save the galaxy like Luke Skywalker?

The fact of the matter is that Star Wars is not novel. Star Wars is based almost completely on preexisting material, but it is culturally significant to a particular time period. As many would argue all creative work is derivative, but in my opinion, this is a particularly apt derivative work.

You don't watch Star Wars because you want to see great film-making. You watch Star Wars because you want to see a great film.

10/10, Will watch again and again, and introduce my children and grandchildren to the series

Oh, by the way, Harrison Ford plays Han Solo masterfully. But, you already knew that so it wasn't really worth mentioning.