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shadowkatOver the holiday, I saw two movies with my mother. Star Wars : The Last Jedi and The Greatest Showman. Enjoyed both. Was a tad disappointed in Last Jedi, it was good but not as "good" as I was lead to believe, and surprised by The Greatest Showman, which was a lot better than I was lead to believe. Moral? Ignore reviews. Movies are a subjective thing. Also, don't let other people tell you what is good, art or worthy. Again, art is a subjective thing and doesn't require an education to figure it out. As long as you enjoy it, it moves you, it haunts you, or changes you in some way -- it's art.
Anyhow. Excuse me, while I get geeky about movies.
1. Star Wars: The Last Jedi -- this is a movie I'm going to have to rent and re-watch "on demand" because there's a lot in it that needs to be unpacked. Also, as I was discussing withbeer_good_foamy, there's a lot to love in this movie, in fact there is a great movie in there just striving to break out. But alas, it's a Disney film and well...dream on. From an editing perspective? I think Thor was better edited. It was tighter. Even though it was two hours, it didn't feel that long. OR I didn't notice. And the seats were less comfortable. Last Jedi? God, that was a long movie.
I loved what smartbitches said in their review about it --
I’d happily give this movie an A, but frankly I think it’s at least two movies crammed into one. If it had been split into two ninety minute long movies certain elements could have been more fleshed out and we wouldn’t all have needed to pee so badly once the credits rolled. There’s pacing issues because of leaping from plot line to plot line, and some things don’t make sense although the plot does makes MUCH more sense than the plot of The Force Awakens.
AND..
The movie is 152 minutes long not counting trailers. Don’t drink any soda.
Yep. My mother and I both had to go to the bathroom during it, and that never happens. It wouldn't have been so bad if there weren't thirty minutes worth of previews before it started. So the film was about three hours. The preview trailers put my mother to sleep. She was snoring. I had to keep nudging her awake during the big battle sequence in the beginning of the film.
Otherwise my Mom and I would have given it an A. But too many long-endlessly-long-unnecessary-fight sequences and chase scenes. Yes, I know the audience is into this sort of thing. But it can be done well and it was at one point towards the end of the film. Actually the fight scenes in the last portion of the film were really good. The fight scenes in the first and middle half are repetitive.
(Also, if you've seen Thor: Ragnarok - you know how well a fight scene can be done.) These were for the most part hard to follow, and often went nowhere or were repetitive. (We did not need the endlessly long chase sequence on the pleasure planet.)
And the pacing - god, this film had pacing issues. My attention kept wandering. I want to rent and fast-forward and rewind. It's basically two films crammed into one. And unlike Empire -- where the action is split between Han/Leia and Luke/Yoda, here we have Rey/Luke/Chewie, Kylo Ren/Snoke, Poe/Laura Dern & General Leia, and Finn/Rose/BB8. We leap around a lot. This works better on television than in film. Television is set up for serials or novels, film is set up for short stories or novellas. They were trying to cram a 600 page novel into a 2 and half hour film. ARRRGH.
That said? There's a lot to love here. And moments of pure brilliance, where my jaw dropped in amazed glee. It's a deeply flawed film. I desperately wanted to edit it. Because there's so much that works.
To go into what works...we sort of have to go into spoiler territory. But the unspoilery bits can be found on Smart Bitches review for the most part. Strong female characters, multicultural cast, broadening of the verse, furthering Lucas's central themes better than he actually has -- which is the force is in us all, and democratic systems can fall into corruption through ego and hubris, and a desire for unbridled power to be "special". The film kicks to the curb "Destiny", "Chosen One", "bloodlines", or "Redemption". If Star Wars came about post Vietnam and Nixon, and was in a way a commentary on both, LAST JEDI is a commentary on Trumpism, among other things.
[Although to be honest, I didn't see any of that in the first films. I did however see it in the prequels and the ill-fated Star Wars Christmas Special. I think Lucas got irritated and started preaching.]
This film in many ways is Luke's story as the last was Han's. Except Luke is given a far chunkier role and a lot more depth. It's also Mark Hamil's best performance, other than his excellent voice work as the Joker.
* Kylo Ren.
Former Best Friend: I think the guy who plays Kylo Ren is hot.
Me: Really? I prefer the guy who plays Poe, Oscar Issacs.
Former Best Friend: Well he is a man, and the guy playing Kylo Ren is a boy.
A creepy whiny boy, who makes me wish Leia and Solo had chosen not to breed. Seriously, their DNA did not work out well. And they couldn't find an attractive actor who had the same charisma as Ford? Seriously, first Hayden Christiansen and now this guy. My mother and I were in agreement on this.
However, there are people who think this guy is hot. I don't know why.
But, I rather liked how the arc played out. It wasn't what I expected. They didn't go for the "redemption" nor did they make him a black and white, eye-brow twitching villain. He had layers, much like Darth before him. But his hate, greed, sense of entitlement and desire for power over-rode any love he had for family. There's a heavy them in this movie about "entitlement" or "privilege".
The idea that who you are born to, who your parents are, your lineage, entitles you to some position of power or greatness or destiny. When it really doesn't. No one is entitled to anything in this world. You aren't born with a destiny.
Kylo felt he was entitled to be King, to have power, to be the hero, or the chosen one based purely on his lineage. The grandson of Darth Vadar, nephew of Luke Skywalker, son of Princess Leia and the legendary Han Solo. His father in stark contrast, was a reluctant hero and never wanted power.
* Luke Skywalker -- who in some respects reflects Kylo Ren. They are in a way two sides of the same coin. Both chosen ones. Both the erstwhile boy hunting adventure, thinking there's more, that they should be more. Entitled to the spoils of the universe. Luke's hubris -- is that he can save Darth Vader from himself, and in a way he does. He's a nobody who becomes a somebody. He's the son of a great jedi, who became one of the worst villains. It's clear from watching Ben Solo, that Luke could have easily gone down that path as his father had. But old Ben Kenobi, whom Ben Solo is ironically named after, had other ideas, and having learned something from attempting to teach Anakin, manages to be more careful with Luke.
This film is in many ways Luke's film. He owns it. And in it, he finds himself in old Ben Kenobi's robes and footsteps. Revisiting his past glories and past mistakes. We find out how he failed Ben Solo and see it through Rey's eyes. She says that he didn't give Ben a choice. And believes that perhaps she can, after being emo/psychically linked to him. She's obviously a bit turned on by him, and he by her -- and she chooses against Luke's advice, to seek him out. To confront him and attempt to turn him.
Luke, for his part, fears the darkness in her as he did Ben. But he doesn't try to squash it out. For Rey points out to him that there is light and darkness in everyone. We all have a choice. Luke admits that he was tempted to kill Ben, but backed off in shame, realizing his failure towards his student. Unfortunately Ben saw him, and reacted in fear, pain, and anger. Striking out. And Luke in a way instigates his own worst fears. It's his own hubris and pride, and romanticization of the Jedi order that leads him there, and much later to the remote island planet. He discovers the Jedi Order isn't what he thought, and his power really didn't save the universe. He's a legend, true, but more shadow than substance.
It's not surprising that he merely distract Kylo Ren in the final reel. Neither defeating him nor turning him. He just distracts him, playing on Ren's hubris and need for power. Showing Kylo what he wants to see. Meanwhile the real action is happening far from his battle with Ren, which is a hollow one, because as Ren discovers he's merely fighting a ghost. Luke remains far away on his island. At this point, he might as well be dead.
And as he states to Ren, striking me down, only makes me more alive for you. As it did for your father. We'll be with you always. You'll never be rid of us. Similar words were spoken by Obi-Wan Kenobi to Darth Vader.
Ren is but a spoiled boy in a mask, playing villian, driven insane by his desire for power, importance, and respect. He wants to be Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader. Yet, is but a joke.
Hux (After Ren has used all of their fire power to demolish Luke): Do you think you got him?
And Luke, walking out of the ashes, calm, matter of fact...I'll see you around kid.
He dies far away, his form disappearing into the stars to join Yoda and Old Ben before him.
* Rey -- Rey is searching for her place in the story. Why does she have power? Who is she to these people? No one it appears. Yet, it doesn't matter. Lineage isn't important. Who her parents were is not an issue. (Thank god. A lot of fans were upset by this, but my mother and I were relieved. It tracked better. Although it's more than possible Ben Solo/Kylo Ren lied to her about it. I hope he didn't. It makes more sense and works far better if her parents were mere drug traffikers or junkies who sold her to a junk dealer on Jakko for a quick hit.)
She looks for herself in the dark cave, for who she is, but sees merely multiple reflections. Reflections with no end. Unlike Luke -- there's no Darth Vader, or secret father awaiting her in that dark cavern. Just herself. It's a more existentialist take on the hero's journey. Who her parents were, doesn't matter. Who she is -- is herself. Not her bloodline or her lineage.
This makes Kylo Ren crazy -- he should own the power. He comes from the lineage. His the son of the legends. And there it is -- even being the son of legends, means nothing. Han and Leia's son is no hero, he's a whiny brat. He doesn't earn his power, he takes it. And when he doesn't get his way, he throws a fit.
For a bit, Rey believes she can save him, just as Han did, but Luke is correct, the boy is far too gone. Eaten up by his own jealousies and demons. A cautionary tale for our times. Unlike Darth - he isn't given a scary mask. We just see the scarred face of a post-adolescent. Weak. And Scared. And impotent. He has power, but it means nothing.
And while he's busy demolishing Luke, Rey lifts rocks so that her friends can reach freedom.
* Laura Dern's Holder and Finn's sacrifices. Holder attempts to sacrifice herself to lead the First Order away from the rebels. She fails. But comes up with a far better plan -- she takes her ship right into the lead destroyer, ramming it in such a way that she splits it and all the ships next to it in half. As ship after ship lights up the sky, the rebels successfully flee to the ice planet. (Which is a bit of a homage to Empire Strikes Back). It's the only truly silent moment in the film. You can hear pin drop. The audience half shocked by the dead silence, remains quiet. And I realized how incredibly noisy the film was in that moment. It's also a brilliant bit of filming and possibly the best action sequence in the film.
Finn's attempt to sacrifice himself for the fleet is contrasted with Holder's. For one thing, Finn was constantly trying to flee the violence and conflict. He didn't want to participate. And almost against his better judgement, he forms a close bond with Rose, the mechanic, who much like Rey pushes him into playing hero. He's the Han Solo character in a manner of speaking, a reluctant hero. So, now, finally, he's willing to die for the cause -- and recklessly, against all advice, goes dead center into the cannon. Rose sees him do it and steers her ship into his, sacrificing herself to save his life. Just as Holder sacrificed herself to save the fleet.
The difference is sacrificing yourself to kill what you hate, and doing it out of love to save another life. Similarily Poe Damon's campaign at the beginning of the film, where Rose's sister futilly sacrifices herself to destroy the enemy. But the enemy isn't killed. And Poe's entire command dies instead. He sacrifices them to win a battle, but it is meaningless, the First Order isn't weakened, instead they chase them across the galaxy. If anything he gave them the upper hand.
Everything Poe tries, out of hubris and a certainity that he's right, fails. Holder and General Leia both have to kick him to heel.
If Finn's arc is about finding courage through friendship and love, and the need to save and fight for the things he loves, Poe's is about letting go of hubris, and anger, and becoming a true leader -- caring about those around him and what is best for them, not his own legacy. Both are held in contrast to Kylo Ren, who fails on both points -- giving into anger, greed, and hubris -- desire to kill what he hates, as opposed to protecting what he loves. He doesn't kill Leia, but he doesn't save her either -- if anything, he aids in her almost destruction. And while he saves Rey from Snoke, he does it by killing Snoke and essentially taking Snoke's place. Proving Snoke isn't the true villain here, but Kylo Ren and those like him are, and they will always be lurking in the shadows. Dancing across the line between light to dark. Rey gives him a choice, begs him to join her, to leave it behind. But instead, he attempts to manipulate her into joining him, and ruling by his side.
Unlike Ben, Rey has found a family, friends, people to care for, while Ben Solo let it all go for power.
He tells her she is nobody. As did Snoke. No parents of importance. Yet, it becomes clear that it doesn't matter.
* The final reel shows children on a distant world, slave children, with the force. It is in them as it was in Rey. As it is in us all. It doesn't select based on lineage. Obi-Wan, Anakin, Yoda, were no one special. Any more than Rey, or others are. It's what they choose to do with what they've been given that makes them who they are, not who their parents or families were. And even then, to a degree, we choose our families.
The film makes fun of the old tropes, and attitudes of the previous films, yet keeps what worked in them and expands on it.
It's a film that continues to turn over in my head. And while I loved it, I do wish it was a tad shorter. [Regarding the fan wars over it? Sigh. Fandom. Sigh. People are crazy and insanely petty. We have Trump as our President, this should surprise no one. But, for every Ben Solo/Kylo Ren in fandom, there are a more than a few, Leias, Lukes, Hans, Rey's, Poe's, Rose's and Finn's...to keep it interesting.)
2. The Greatest Showman -- this was worth seeing just to watch Hugh Jackman dance and sing.
Created by the same folks who did La La Land, I found myself once again on the opposite side of the critics. I liked it better than La La Land. It didn't take itself as seriously, and was a lot more fun. Also, it kinda helped that the stars could actually sing and dance. (And I'm not a fan of Ryan Gosling. I honestly don't get the appeal. I'm thinking I may just be too old? Hugh Jackman on the other hand is just a few years younger than I am and hot. He's also a nice guy. )
This is the story of PT Barnum as told in song and dance. Some of the songs are rather good, some not good at all. Frankly, it's a mixed bag. Zendagya -- who plays the trapeze artist that falls for Zach Efron, is amazing. And one of my favorite numbers is their song and dance sequence with a rope and a trapeze. Sort of blows LA LA LAND's out of the water. But as my mother put it, they are different musicals. LA LA LAND was a commentary on the old style Singing in the Rain, 1950s Hollywood musical, complete with dance montage, while Greatest Showman is more in line with the modern age musicals, where most of the story is told via song and dance, and the dance numbers are full-fledged affairs.
Both talk about career taking over, and cutting out what is important. This one, I felt, ended better, with Barnum choosing his family. And letting go a bit of his colossal ego or need to be respected by the higher ups.
It's not a great film, and hardly worthy of any awards or accolades. But, it is a lot of FUN. My mother stayed awake throughout. The audience applauded at the end. We all had a great time. It was a nice respite from a rainy cold day. I'd happily see it again.
Anyhow. Excuse me, while I get geeky about movies.
1. Star Wars: The Last Jedi -- this is a movie I'm going to have to rent and re-watch "on demand" because there's a lot in it that needs to be unpacked. Also, as I was discussing with
beer_good_foamy, there's a lot to love in this movie, in fact there is a great movie in there just striving to break out. But alas, it's a Disney film and well...dream on. From an editing perspective? I think Thor was better edited. It was tighter. Even though it was two hours, it didn't feel that long. OR I didn't notice. And the seats were less comfortable. Last Jedi? God, that was a long movie.I loved what smartbitches said in their review about it --
I’d happily give this movie an A, but frankly I think it’s at least two movies crammed into one. If it had been split into two ninety minute long movies certain elements could have been more fleshed out and we wouldn’t all have needed to pee so badly once the credits rolled. There’s pacing issues because of leaping from plot line to plot line, and some things don’t make sense although the plot does makes MUCH more sense than the plot of The Force Awakens.
AND..
The movie is 152 minutes long not counting trailers. Don’t drink any soda.
Yep. My mother and I both had to go to the bathroom during it, and that never happens. It wouldn't have been so bad if there weren't thirty minutes worth of previews before it started. So the film was about three hours. The preview trailers put my mother to sleep. She was snoring. I had to keep nudging her awake during the big battle sequence in the beginning of the film.
Otherwise my Mom and I would have given it an A. But too many long-endlessly-long-unnecessary-fight sequences and chase scenes. Yes, I know the audience is into this sort of thing. But it can be done well and it was at one point towards the end of the film. Actually the fight scenes in the last portion of the film were really good. The fight scenes in the first and middle half are repetitive.
(Also, if you've seen Thor: Ragnarok - you know how well a fight scene can be done.) These were for the most part hard to follow, and often went nowhere or were repetitive. (We did not need the endlessly long chase sequence on the pleasure planet.)
And the pacing - god, this film had pacing issues. My attention kept wandering. I want to rent and fast-forward and rewind. It's basically two films crammed into one. And unlike Empire -- where the action is split between Han/Leia and Luke/Yoda, here we have Rey/Luke/Chewie, Kylo Ren/Snoke, Poe/Laura Dern & General Leia, and Finn/Rose/BB8. We leap around a lot. This works better on television than in film. Television is set up for serials or novels, film is set up for short stories or novellas. They were trying to cram a 600 page novel into a 2 and half hour film. ARRRGH.
That said? There's a lot to love here. And moments of pure brilliance, where my jaw dropped in amazed glee. It's a deeply flawed film. I desperately wanted to edit it. Because there's so much that works.
To go into what works...we sort of have to go into spoiler territory. But the unspoilery bits can be found on Smart Bitches review for the most part. Strong female characters, multicultural cast, broadening of the verse, furthering Lucas's central themes better than he actually has -- which is the force is in us all, and democratic systems can fall into corruption through ego and hubris, and a desire for unbridled power to be "special". The film kicks to the curb "Destiny", "Chosen One", "bloodlines", or "Redemption". If Star Wars came about post Vietnam and Nixon, and was in a way a commentary on both, LAST JEDI is a commentary on Trumpism, among other things.
[Although to be honest, I didn't see any of that in the first films. I did however see it in the prequels and the ill-fated Star Wars Christmas Special. I think Lucas got irritated and started preaching.]
This film in many ways is Luke's story as the last was Han's. Except Luke is given a far chunkier role and a lot more depth. It's also Mark Hamil's best performance, other than his excellent voice work as the Joker.
* Kylo Ren.
Former Best Friend: I think the guy who plays Kylo Ren is hot.
Me: Really? I prefer the guy who plays Poe, Oscar Issacs.
Former Best Friend: Well he is a man, and the guy playing Kylo Ren is a boy.
A creepy whiny boy, who makes me wish Leia and Solo had chosen not to breed. Seriously, their DNA did not work out well. And they couldn't find an attractive actor who had the same charisma as Ford? Seriously, first Hayden Christiansen and now this guy. My mother and I were in agreement on this.
However, there are people who think this guy is hot. I don't know why.
But, I rather liked how the arc played out. It wasn't what I expected. They didn't go for the "redemption" nor did they make him a black and white, eye-brow twitching villain. He had layers, much like Darth before him. But his hate, greed, sense of entitlement and desire for power over-rode any love he had for family. There's a heavy them in this movie about "entitlement" or "privilege".
The idea that who you are born to, who your parents are, your lineage, entitles you to some position of power or greatness or destiny. When it really doesn't. No one is entitled to anything in this world. You aren't born with a destiny.
Kylo felt he was entitled to be King, to have power, to be the hero, or the chosen one based purely on his lineage. The grandson of Darth Vadar, nephew of Luke Skywalker, son of Princess Leia and the legendary Han Solo. His father in stark contrast, was a reluctant hero and never wanted power.
* Luke Skywalker -- who in some respects reflects Kylo Ren. They are in a way two sides of the same coin. Both chosen ones. Both the erstwhile boy hunting adventure, thinking there's more, that they should be more. Entitled to the spoils of the universe. Luke's hubris -- is that he can save Darth Vader from himself, and in a way he does. He's a nobody who becomes a somebody. He's the son of a great jedi, who became one of the worst villains. It's clear from watching Ben Solo, that Luke could have easily gone down that path as his father had. But old Ben Kenobi, whom Ben Solo is ironically named after, had other ideas, and having learned something from attempting to teach Anakin, manages to be more careful with Luke.
This film is in many ways Luke's film. He owns it. And in it, he finds himself in old Ben Kenobi's robes and footsteps. Revisiting his past glories and past mistakes. We find out how he failed Ben Solo and see it through Rey's eyes. She says that he didn't give Ben a choice. And believes that perhaps she can, after being emo/psychically linked to him. She's obviously a bit turned on by him, and he by her -- and she chooses against Luke's advice, to seek him out. To confront him and attempt to turn him.
Luke, for his part, fears the darkness in her as he did Ben. But he doesn't try to squash it out. For Rey points out to him that there is light and darkness in everyone. We all have a choice. Luke admits that he was tempted to kill Ben, but backed off in shame, realizing his failure towards his student. Unfortunately Ben saw him, and reacted in fear, pain, and anger. Striking out. And Luke in a way instigates his own worst fears. It's his own hubris and pride, and romanticization of the Jedi order that leads him there, and much later to the remote island planet. He discovers the Jedi Order isn't what he thought, and his power really didn't save the universe. He's a legend, true, but more shadow than substance.
It's not surprising that he merely distract Kylo Ren in the final reel. Neither defeating him nor turning him. He just distracts him, playing on Ren's hubris and need for power. Showing Kylo what he wants to see. Meanwhile the real action is happening far from his battle with Ren, which is a hollow one, because as Ren discovers he's merely fighting a ghost. Luke remains far away on his island. At this point, he might as well be dead.
And as he states to Ren, striking me down, only makes me more alive for you. As it did for your father. We'll be with you always. You'll never be rid of us. Similar words were spoken by Obi-Wan Kenobi to Darth Vader.
Ren is but a spoiled boy in a mask, playing villian, driven insane by his desire for power, importance, and respect. He wants to be Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader. Yet, is but a joke.
Hux (After Ren has used all of their fire power to demolish Luke): Do you think you got him?
And Luke, walking out of the ashes, calm, matter of fact...I'll see you around kid.
He dies far away, his form disappearing into the stars to join Yoda and Old Ben before him.
* Rey -- Rey is searching for her place in the story. Why does she have power? Who is she to these people? No one it appears. Yet, it doesn't matter. Lineage isn't important. Who her parents were is not an issue. (Thank god. A lot of fans were upset by this, but my mother and I were relieved. It tracked better. Although it's more than possible Ben Solo/Kylo Ren lied to her about it. I hope he didn't. It makes more sense and works far better if her parents were mere drug traffikers or junkies who sold her to a junk dealer on Jakko for a quick hit.)
She looks for herself in the dark cave, for who she is, but sees merely multiple reflections. Reflections with no end. Unlike Luke -- there's no Darth Vader, or secret father awaiting her in that dark cavern. Just herself. It's a more existentialist take on the hero's journey. Who her parents were, doesn't matter. Who she is -- is herself. Not her bloodline or her lineage.
This makes Kylo Ren crazy -- he should own the power. He comes from the lineage. His the son of the legends. And there it is -- even being the son of legends, means nothing. Han and Leia's son is no hero, he's a whiny brat. He doesn't earn his power, he takes it. And when he doesn't get his way, he throws a fit.
For a bit, Rey believes she can save him, just as Han did, but Luke is correct, the boy is far too gone. Eaten up by his own jealousies and demons. A cautionary tale for our times. Unlike Darth - he isn't given a scary mask. We just see the scarred face of a post-adolescent. Weak. And Scared. And impotent. He has power, but it means nothing.
And while he's busy demolishing Luke, Rey lifts rocks so that her friends can reach freedom.
* Laura Dern's Holder and Finn's sacrifices. Holder attempts to sacrifice herself to lead the First Order away from the rebels. She fails. But comes up with a far better plan -- she takes her ship right into the lead destroyer, ramming it in such a way that she splits it and all the ships next to it in half. As ship after ship lights up the sky, the rebels successfully flee to the ice planet. (Which is a bit of a homage to Empire Strikes Back). It's the only truly silent moment in the film. You can hear pin drop. The audience half shocked by the dead silence, remains quiet. And I realized how incredibly noisy the film was in that moment. It's also a brilliant bit of filming and possibly the best action sequence in the film.
Finn's attempt to sacrifice himself for the fleet is contrasted with Holder's. For one thing, Finn was constantly trying to flee the violence and conflict. He didn't want to participate. And almost against his better judgement, he forms a close bond with Rose, the mechanic, who much like Rey pushes him into playing hero. He's the Han Solo character in a manner of speaking, a reluctant hero. So, now, finally, he's willing to die for the cause -- and recklessly, against all advice, goes dead center into the cannon. Rose sees him do it and steers her ship into his, sacrificing herself to save his life. Just as Holder sacrificed herself to save the fleet.
The difference is sacrificing yourself to kill what you hate, and doing it out of love to save another life. Similarily Poe Damon's campaign at the beginning of the film, where Rose's sister futilly sacrifices herself to destroy the enemy. But the enemy isn't killed. And Poe's entire command dies instead. He sacrifices them to win a battle, but it is meaningless, the First Order isn't weakened, instead they chase them across the galaxy. If anything he gave them the upper hand.
Everything Poe tries, out of hubris and a certainity that he's right, fails. Holder and General Leia both have to kick him to heel.
If Finn's arc is about finding courage through friendship and love, and the need to save and fight for the things he loves, Poe's is about letting go of hubris, and anger, and becoming a true leader -- caring about those around him and what is best for them, not his own legacy. Both are held in contrast to Kylo Ren, who fails on both points -- giving into anger, greed, and hubris -- desire to kill what he hates, as opposed to protecting what he loves. He doesn't kill Leia, but he doesn't save her either -- if anything, he aids in her almost destruction. And while he saves Rey from Snoke, he does it by killing Snoke and essentially taking Snoke's place. Proving Snoke isn't the true villain here, but Kylo Ren and those like him are, and they will always be lurking in the shadows. Dancing across the line between light to dark. Rey gives him a choice, begs him to join her, to leave it behind. But instead, he attempts to manipulate her into joining him, and ruling by his side.
Unlike Ben, Rey has found a family, friends, people to care for, while Ben Solo let it all go for power.
He tells her she is nobody. As did Snoke. No parents of importance. Yet, it becomes clear that it doesn't matter.
* The final reel shows children on a distant world, slave children, with the force. It is in them as it was in Rey. As it is in us all. It doesn't select based on lineage. Obi-Wan, Anakin, Yoda, were no one special. Any more than Rey, or others are. It's what they choose to do with what they've been given that makes them who they are, not who their parents or families were. And even then, to a degree, we choose our families.
The film makes fun of the old tropes, and attitudes of the previous films, yet keeps what worked in them and expands on it.
It's a film that continues to turn over in my head. And while I loved it, I do wish it was a tad shorter. [Regarding the fan wars over it? Sigh. Fandom. Sigh. People are crazy and insanely petty. We have Trump as our President, this should surprise no one. But, for every Ben Solo/Kylo Ren in fandom, there are a more than a few, Leias, Lukes, Hans, Rey's, Poe's, Rose's and Finn's...to keep it interesting.)
2. The Greatest Showman -- this was worth seeing just to watch Hugh Jackman dance and sing.
Created by the same folks who did La La Land, I found myself once again on the opposite side of the critics. I liked it better than La La Land. It didn't take itself as seriously, and was a lot more fun. Also, it kinda helped that the stars could actually sing and dance. (And I'm not a fan of Ryan Gosling. I honestly don't get the appeal. I'm thinking I may just be too old? Hugh Jackman on the other hand is just a few years younger than I am and hot. He's also a nice guy. )
This is the story of PT Barnum as told in song and dance. Some of the songs are rather good, some not good at all. Frankly, it's a mixed bag. Zendagya -- who plays the trapeze artist that falls for Zach Efron, is amazing. And one of my favorite numbers is their song and dance sequence with a rope and a trapeze. Sort of blows LA LA LAND's out of the water. But as my mother put it, they are different musicals. LA LA LAND was a commentary on the old style Singing in the Rain, 1950s Hollywood musical, complete with dance montage, while Greatest Showman is more in line with the modern age musicals, where most of the story is told via song and dance, and the dance numbers are full-fledged affairs.
Both talk about career taking over, and cutting out what is important. This one, I felt, ended better, with Barnum choosing his family. And letting go a bit of his colossal ego or need to be respected by the higher ups.
It's not a great film, and hardly worthy of any awards or accolades. But, it is a lot of FUN. My mother stayed awake throughout. The audience applauded at the end. We all had a great time. It was a nice respite from a rainy cold day. I'd happily see it again.
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Date: 2017-12-29 04:34 pm (UTC)The editing problem you mention was a big reason, but I think they also got confused by some of what was going on. That may be a consequence of the need for tighter editing, but it could also be because they're casual SW fans and can't remember what happened in previous films.
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Date: 2017-12-29 08:37 pm (UTC)This film was just too busy, and very hard to follow. I got confused during parts of it. And it drug. There's a good movie buried under all of that...and the themes are on target, but a lot of it goes over people's heads due to the poor editing and general busyness.
Weirdly? The Greatest Showman which didn't get as good reviews was far more enjoyable and far easier to follow.
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Date: 2017-12-29 09:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-12-29 09:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 04:23 am (UTC)"Really?" I said, "With all the liberties this movie took with the Barnum story, THAT bugged you?" It's interesting how some things will bother the heck out of some people and not bother other people at all.
Speaking of which....
I might have been so bothered by the truck-sized plot holes in TLJ that I underestimated how well Rian Johnson developed his themes. At some point, I'm going to have to rewatch Last Jedi as a critique of toxic masculinity and its negative effects on society.
I still hold to all of my criticisms, though. This movie could have been much tighter and I found some of Johnson's choices with his characters ... baffling.
But we can discuss this at Shape of Water. This Saturday at BAM?
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Date: 2018-01-01 05:16 am (UTC)Well, it is a movie, a fictional one, and a musical. I seriously doubt she expected it to stay true to the Barnum story or cared. LOL! (I didn't, nor did my mother. Although it's not like we know anything about Barnum or care.)
It was weirdly more enjoyable than Last Jedi (which was too bloody long).
I think I can do this Saturday at BAM. Have to remember where the BAM theater is. (Current plan is to go to Kinderhook on MLK weekend, which is two weekends from now, I think, to see my brother and his family. )