Movie: Star Wars The Force Awakens
Genre: SciFi Fantasy
Starring: Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega
Rating: PG 13
My Rating: Two thumbs up
So. I think it's time for me to write down my thoughts. Spoilers ahead, some mild, some not so mild. Beware if you haven't seen it, but I've a feeling you've probably seen it by now.
What I liked:
- The new characters were awesome. Loved them actually. Daisy (Rey) reminds me a bit too much of Kiera Knightly, not my favorite actress, but it wasn't too distracting. So no matter. She was awesome. As was Finn. Fun, funny, quirky, strong, likable characters. Oh, and let's not forget Poe. Awesome!
- Yes, I even liked Kylo Ren. At first I wasn't sure. Upon viewing number two, I decided I didn't mind his angst and out of control emo-ish-ness. I think it makes sense for this character. It makes me feel for him as I tend to do these type of villains.
- At first I thought BB8 would just be an R2D2 rip off, but then he came into his own and I warmed up and fell in love.
- The nods to the old movies, both in some phrases, some onscreen appearances, etc. It felt like coming home, just as Han says!
- The music, as always.
- The space shots, the battles, the gun fights, the lightsaber fights, as always.
- The end, that intensity, those looks from both characters, the setting, the music, the pan around shot... all of it.
- Han was awesome. Chewie was awesome. Luke was awesome. Loved the beard on him.
- The Imax 3D viewing experience. LOVED this. Saw it the second time at a normal theater and thought... wait... where's the screen? Where's the sound? LOL.. getting very spoiled by the Imax theater stuff.
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| Poe! |
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| Finn and Rey |
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| Chewie and Han |
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| Kylo Ren |
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| Luke in a beard. |
What I didn't like:
- I was bothered that the plot was basically A New Hope re-do. I mean, yes, it was fun to have the nods to the old stuff, but to totally use the same plot? Disappointed in that.
- Um. Han. Why why why!!! (Still, it made this movie especially emotional, yes?)
- Kylo Ren, the fact that the actor portraying him wasn't over the top gorgeous. I feel like he needs to be over the top gorgeous. Agreed? I think it would add to the drama of what's going on, plus given his parentage, I mean, you know?
- Princess Leia was... weird looking. She kinda gives me the creeps these days.
- That weird Nazi/Hitler scene. Where did that come from? Just... weird.
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| General Leia |
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| The weird Nazi scene |
Questions I Have:
- Did Han yell... BEN??? (Is Kylo Ren's real name Ben?) On the second viewing I paid very close attention to this and yes, it totally looks like he calls him Ben. For some reason, the answer to this question is very important to me!
- What is Rey's parentage? Where does she come from? Who is ripping her away from her family in the flashback? (Did you notice they played Luke's theme whenever she was onscreen there toward the end?
- Is Kylo Ren alive? I mean, I'm pretty sure he is, but I didn't get a confirmation that it's a sure thing. He has to be though, right? That planet collapsed pretty fast!
- Will we get some love stories going on? Don't skip over this stuff writers! Romance please!!! :)
- We will get much more Luke Skywalker in the next movie, yes?
Yeah, that's pretty much all I have to say about it right now. What are your thoughts? Are we on the same page or totally different?
Bottom line: I have loved the re popularity of this movie this past weeks and months. It makes my heart so happy!
Trailer:
I agree 100%. I thought Rey looked like Keira Knightley too!!! HAN!!!!!!!!!!! I'm still upset by this. Dave wants to go see it again, but I don't know if I want to see him die again :( BB8 is SO cute! Kylo Ren is SO ugly!! Yes, he should look better since he is Leia and Han's son!! At least his acting was good.
ReplyDeleteKami: Wow! We agree! Yes, I liked his acting too... speaking of Kylo Ren.
DeleteWe saw it twice over the holiday weekend. (I can't do IMAX or 3D and will take your word on the awesomeness.) My daughter's reaction to Kylo Ren's actual face was priceless. If she could have wrinkled her face in disgust any more, she would have. Yes, his name is Ben Solo, and yes, he should have been absolutely gorgeous. Kylo Ren does bother me. I just want to bend him over my knee and give him a good spanking. I really hope they delve into why his relationship with his family soured so severely and why he is such a whiny man-child.
ReplyDeleteBB8 is awesome. Finn is hilarious. Rey is seriously bad-ass. I LOVE the fact that she is the hero in this one. May that never change for the last three. Leia does look weird, but I can forgive her given the fact that she is still alive after all the drugs and alcohol abuse she did for years. I'm impressed she looks as good as she does, actually.
My biggest question - how much did Mark Hamill get paid to be in one scene with no dialogue? Because I think he must have the best agent ever to pull off that one!
Michelle: LOL to the question about Mark Hamill. I bet he got TONS! :) Loved imagining your daughter's face when the mask came off!
DeleteOK. HUGE SW GEEK here.
ReplyDeleteDaisy Ridley is pretty "over" being mistaken for Kiera Knightly.
Yes, he's Ben Solo. Bet there is a book or comic (or even movie?) still to come to better explain how it all went sideways. That is a plus or minus about Star Wars ... there are always holes that are filled in later. Or not.
No one but the Disney storygroup knows exactly who Rey is yet. There are loads of rumors.
Yes, Kylo Ren is still alive. I have hopes for him. The examples are still there. Anakin aka Darth. And Severus Snape.
Have you read Claudia Gray's Lost Stars? Star Wars romance there.
Ms. O: I have been hearing things about Claudia Gray's Star Wars story everyhwere. Romance? I need to find it! And funny you should mention Snape. Kylo Ren totally reminded me of Snape and I love Snape.. so there you go.
DeleteI didn't like Kylo Ren after he took his mask off. I wanted him to look different. My coworker thinks he's gorgeous. I really love the movie until Han dies, then I have a very hollow feeling for the rest of the movie. I can't seem to get over it. I think I'm grieving his loss. Once I work through that, I think I'll love this movie. I love BB8, especially his thumbs up. And, I loved the other new characters. It was awesome to see Chewie and Han and I think Leia looks weird and sound weird, but oh well. And, yeah, it'll be interesting to see where the story goes given how it ended.
ReplyDeleteJenni: So you can't say right now that you love this movie? Umm. Interesting.
DeleteNope, I can't because I don't know how I feel yet. It just can't reconcile my feelings yet. This is the first time I've ever felt this way about a Star Wars movie. It's weird. I thought seeing it a second time might help, but I felt the exact same way as I did the first time.
DeleteI didn't think Rey looked or acted like Kiera Knightley at all! I was okay with the whole thing but, yes, it did feel like it was following the old movies formula.
ReplyDeleteYay I can read this post now that I've seen the movie! I didn't get the Kira Knightly vibe but I didn't get some of the other vibes I saw people mention online, either. Maybe it's just me.
ReplyDeleteI kinda saw Han's death coming, as soon as he walked out on the bridge with that guy. They were all alone and it was very epic looking so I figured that was bad news.
I was surprised at how much I liked this one, even if it did remind me of the first of the old movies. I expect an "I am your father" moment from Luke in the next movie.
Haha, the things that bothered you are exactly the things that bothered me. I was also bothered by Kylo Ren's emo-ness, but I think I might be able to overlook it more easily if he was more gorgeous :)
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