STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

Daisy Ridley     Domhnall Gleeson     Adam Driver     Oscar Isaac

Mark Hamill     Carrie Fisher     John Boyega     Kelly Marie Tran      

Benecio Del Toro     Andy Serkis     Laura Dern     Justin Theroux

     Not many films and filmmakers can keep up the momentum that the two space fantasies Star Wars and Star Trek have, and in this eighth sequence of Star Wars, writer/director Rion Johnson proves that this franchise is still good to go.  He does a good job in preserving and renewing beloved themes and images while introducing new ones that point toward the future.  We see two of the original characters, Luke Skywalker (Hamill) and Princess Leia (Fisher); and new interactions between Rey (Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Driver)—both introduced in the last episode, The Force Awakens—set up so that we know they will meet again.

   The Last Jedi opens with an attack on the Jedi resistance forces, which now consist of only 400 fighters on three ships.  The story will shift back and forth between attacks from the Jedi’s arch enemy, the First Order, commanded by General Hux (Gleason) and their own attacks, commanded by General Leia Organa, upon the First Order.  General Hux must answer to the supreme leader, Snoke (Serkis), who initially denigrates him for his failure to stop the destruction of some major artillery.

   Meanwhile, Rey, who finally located Luke Skywalker on the planet Ahch-To in the last picture, revisits him with the message that his presence in the battle is critical for the survival of the Jedi.  He has been coming to the philosophical conclusion that the survival of the Jedi is not that important, so her job will involve many hurdles, meditations, and encounters.  Will she convince him to go? 

   There are additional scenarios and encounters to keep the story intriguing, like the relationship between Finn (Boyega), Rey’s missing co-pilot, and Rose (Tran) a mechanic with impressive knowledge and skills; Poe (Isaac) and whoever is in charge of the Jedi at the time; and the triangle of Snoke (Serkis), General Hux, and Kylo Ren. 

     It’s not all drama; there are many scenes that make the audience laugh out loud, like that with Chewbaca and the bird-like creatures, the Porgs; the trip through the casino planet and recruitment of the code-breaker DJ (Del Toro); and Poe’s hacking into the First Order’s communication system.  

    This episode in the Star Wars saga boasts a huge cast of talented, actors already famous for other roles and for previous Star Wars productions:  Mark Hamill (still packing a punch of the rebel Luke Skywalker; Adam Driver (writhing under the struggle within himself about identifying with the dark side); Domhnall Gleeson [reveling in his shaky command of the First Order, which is threatened by Kylo Ren (Driver) and, ultimately by Snoke himself (Serkis)]; Oscar Isaac, the “trigger-happy” Poe trying to influence the Jedi leadership of General Leia and Vice Admiral Holdo (Dern); Benecio Del Toro emerging in the casino to volunteer his hacking skills as DJ; and, finally, the funny, flirting, techno skilled interactions between Finn (Boyega) and Rose (Tran). 

     The star, Daisy Ridley, has held onto her success in capturing the previous role of Luke Skywalker in the Jedi forces as Rey, a fearless, persistent, cheeky young woman who is relentless in pursuing her goals.  This involves her own personal exploration (who she is, where she came from) as well as perfecting the art of The Force. 

     Star Wars fans are likely to be jubilant over this production that seems to have preserved much of the character of the previous films and ventured into new territory, all while keeping the elements of surprise and humor.

Rion Johnson’s production appears to cover all the bases for fans in its preservation of the beloved, surprising twists and turns, and comedic bursts.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Kenneth Branagh     Penelope Cruz     Willem Dafoe     Judi Dench     Johnny Depp     Michelle Pfeiffer

Daisy Ridley     Leslie Odom, Jr.     Josh Gad     Derek Jacobi     Olivia Colman

            Murder on the Orient Express should be an exciting, engaging, production of a beloved author’s work (Agatha Christie).  Kenneth Branagh, more acclaimed as an actor than a director, fills both roles here, but is not exemplary in either, and perhaps the script (Michael Green) bears some of the responsibility.  A good detective story subtly plants clues, explicates the detective’s reasoning process, and guides the reader along in the story.  But the story here comes across as too convoluted to make sense.  I found a number of problems in this production, foremost being Branagh as Poirot, a role stamped in my mind as a David Suchet character.  Although Branagh attempts to convey the preciseness and impressive deductive abilities of Poirot, these simply do not come across clearly; they’re too English (rather than Belgian), and rather than a neat mustache, Branagh sports what looks like a gray rag across his upper lip. 

            Many of the first scenes on the inside of the train are hazy, dark and difficult to discern what is taking place, despite the work of talented production designer, Jim Clay, and cinematographer, Haris Zambarloukos. 

            The fault cannot be in the stars; the cast for this film being a large group of highly accomplished actors, including Branagh, along with Penelope Cruz, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Willem Dafoe, Leslie Odom, Jr., Josh Gad, Daisy Ridley, and Olivia Colman.  Johnny Depp is on the screen only briefly, but plays his role well.

            The plot adheres loosely to the novel, in which a group of passengers board the Orient Express in Istanbul bound for numerous European stations along the way; but the train derails in a storm, and the passengers are stranded until repairs can be made.  During this time, a murder is committed, and with Poirot on board, he is called upon to solve the case, despite his being on holiday.  Earlier, he had been approached by the victim, asking for his protection, because the man was convinced that someone was out to kill him.  The man wants to prevent a murder (his) before it happens.  Poirot refuses for reasons he states very clearly.  When the murder does take place, Poirot must solve the crime, which is the only intriguing part of this film, but delivered in a way that is hard to follow with the flurry of names and historical events.

This film seems to be a big miss for an Agatha Christie story.

Grade:  D+                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE EAGLE HUNTRESS

Aisholpan Nurgaiv     Daisy Ridley

          There are so many reasons to see this fascinating documentary about a Mongolian girl.  First is the cultural lesson about eagle hunters who capture an eagle—preferably an eaglet in a nest—develop a nurturing relationship with it, and train it to catch food in the winter.  Another reason to see it is the remarkable story of a girl of 13 who decides she wants to be an eagle hunter like her father and his ancestors before him.  She has worked side by side with him from the time she was very small, and she came to the conclusion herself that she would learn to do what he does first, then eventually become a doctor.  Finally, the father is a model for parenting.  It’s as if he were an experienced behavioral psychologist. 

         I could keep going on about, for instance, the eagle hunting festival/contest and Aisholpan’s and her father’s trek with horses over stones, cliffs, and through four-foot snow drifts in -40º F weather [e.g., there is a “catcher” who chases the fox on his horse, then the hunter (eagle) who captures the prey]. But I don’t want to give too much away; the joy in watching this film is in the discoveries made in a journey.

         Aisholpan is a spunky girl who loves to compete at school (makes A’s) and win at chess, wrestling with boys, etc.  She lives in a dormitory because there is no school near where she lives, and she only goes home on weekends.  She takes care of her brother and sister who also live in the dormitory.  Still, with all this, she has a sunny personality, smiles frequently, and has a zest for life.  She states emphatically that “girls can do anything boys can do if they try.”  Even though she’s committed to the very masculine pursuit of eagle hunting, she still shops at a festival for a bow to put in her hair. Her parents have been fine role models for her, and many Americans will envy their loving, cheerful, cooperative home life where everyone at least appears to be happy and fulfilled.[1]

          In some ways, the family’s life is hard.  They have few possessions because they must move back and forth between a tent-like gir in the summer and a house in the winter.  They’re far from even a village.  Still, they have plenty to eat, and are able to secure the relatively fancy clothes required to compete in the annual eagle hunting festival.  When I see how close to nature they are (regarding it as a mother) and contrast it with our frenzy for post-Thanksgiving shopping and stuffed-full houses, obsession with electronics, and social-political conflicts, I have to sigh.  And wonder…

       First-time director Otto Bell focuses on the father-daughter relationship while acquainting the viewer with the art (and it is considered an art) of eagle hunting.  To enhance the presentation, Jeff Peters’ music is a fine blend of eastern/western sounds, and Simon Niblett’s cinematography captures the eagle/human chase and hunt for a fox, the intimate scenes inside the gir, and the sweeping landscape of snow in equal measure.  It does seem like we’ve traveled to Mongolia and participated in a cultural experience we’ll never forget.  Daisy Ridley (Star Wars:  The Force Awakens) is a fine narrator, but the real stars are Aisholpan and her father talking on camera as if there were no camera.  They are natural, freely sharing their thoughts and feelings, and exemplifying an ideal parent-child relationship.

This is a must-see for girls, boys, families and anyone interested in cultural exchanges.

Grade:  A                   By Donna R. Copeland

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[1] Such a contrast with the film I saw earlier today—Nocturnal Animals—where no one is happy or fulfilled, although I think it’s a fine movie.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Daisy Ridley   John Boyega   Carrie Fisher   Harrison Ford   Oscar Isaac   Adam Driver   Domhnall Gleeson   Simon Pegg   Lupita Nyong’o   Andy Serkis   Max von Sydow

          The Force comes on strong in this seventh episode of Star Wars directed by J. J. Abrams.  Expectations are high among hard-core fans, and they’re not likely to be disappointed.  Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher reprise their roles (with Leia now a general), grieving for their son who may have gone to the Dark Side.    Also reappearing are Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and, briefly, R2-D2 and C-3PO.  The special effects are just as spectacular as always, and although bits of story are inserted here and there, the battle scenes constitute most of the picture. 

          New characters include Rey (Ridley) and Finn (Boyega) who meet for the first time when he rescues her from a dire situation.  She is a scavenger with powers she is unaware of so far and he is a former First Order Stormtrooper who abandons his post out of conscience; he regards the First Order (Dark Side) as immoral.  Another new character is Poe (Isaac) who works for the resistance and has been trusted with part of the map that will lead to the missing Luke Skywalker.  Captain Phasma (Christie) is a female on the dark side.  This version of Star Wars has tried to incorporate more strong female roles, e.g., Rey and Phasma, and these two show their strengths appealingly.  Dombnall Gleeson as General Hux (for the dark side) is appropriately unlikeable and efficient. Andy Serkis as the Supreme Leader Snoke is appropriately terrifying and ominous.  A refreshing new robot, BB-8, originally sketched out by Abrams, is a light-humored, tender addition to the cast.

      The spirit and excitement hearkening back to the previous Star Wars has been preserved by Abrams with his writer Lawrence Kasden and composer John Williams; and just enough new material and characters have been added to sustain interest in the series.  So it appeals to both ends of the spectrum, nostalgia for the past and suspense for what will come next in the continuing saga.  This is the first of a concluding trilogy. 

          The intriguing ending is enough to keep viewers engaged for the next episode.

         Disney Pictures, which bought LucasFilms, has achieved production values equal to the original series.  The technical and visual effects are as breathtaking as we would expect in terms of production and art design, set, and costumes. 

Rely on The Force.

Grade:  A                                                By Donna R. Copeland