![Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker [AKA Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker] (2019, dir. JJ Abrams)](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/swros.jpg?w=464)
Forces align for a last battle between the resistance fighters and the Empire to prevent a Palpatine victory. Patchy finale to the nine-film arc which, despite stirring stuff, plus effective comic moments and detail, fails to convince in its lack of climactic story and its course-correction rewriting of the previous movie. A shame, as the new crew have earned some affection.
Tag: star wars franchise
Star Wars: Empire of Dreams (2004, dir. Edith Becker & Kevin Burns)
An uncritical though still fascinating documentary on the development and making of the original Star Wars trilogy, focusing on production problems with the first film. Plenty of detail here for fans. Though many of these stories have been often-told, they’re collected here in an engaging way. Fun for completists.
Rogue One [AKA Rogue One: A Star Wars Story] (2016, dir. Gareth Edwards)
![Rogue One [AKA Rogue One: A Star Wars Story] (2016, dir. Gareth Edwards)](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/rogue-one.jpg?w=299)
A small group of rebels try to steal the plans to the Death Star. Superior side mission from the Star Wars universe, answering a small plot question from the 1977 movie. By no means essential, but nevertheless rousing space opera fun, and lovingly designed.
Want another view? Here’s Xussia’s tuppenceworth.
Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018, dir. Ron Howard)
A Han Solo origin tale. After a clunky and stagey first act, this heist western SF hybrid finds its feet, even though its nominal lead is a black hole around which much more interesting support stuff occurs. Inconsequential.
Star Wars [AKA Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope] (1977, dir. George Lucas)
![Star Wars [AKA Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope] (1977, dir. George Lucas)](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/star_wars_ukquad3-1.jpg?w=1200)
An orphaned farmhand finds he is the chosen one to lead an intergalactic rebellion. Splendid and modest SF/fairy story hybrid, unfairly weighed down by later expectations. In its own terms, a sprightly and successful adventure, nothing more.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi [AKA Episode VIII: The Last Jedi] (2017, dir. Rian Johnson)
![Star Wars: The Last Jedi [AKA Episode VIII: The Last Jedi] (2017, dir. Rian Johnson)](https://255review.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/8012_5776.jpg?w=464)
The last remnants of the rebellion flee the First Order. Superior eighth instalment of the space opera, daring to ring a few changes on the template re-established by its predecessors while bringing new characters further to the fore.
Other opinions? Here’s Lemonsquirtle’s, and here’s Xussia’s.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017, Dir.Rian Johnson)
Disappointing continuation of the saga that does this series more harm than good. Overlong, over written and over produced in almost every way with shiny visuals and little else. So much of this makes no sense it becomes irritating. A tragic let down.
Another review from LemonSquirtle can be found here
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015, dir. JJ Abrams)
Chapter 7 in the Skywalker saga. This rebooted SF/fantasy is a calculated pleasure, riffing on no end of series themes and on the structure of the 1977 movie in particular. Slightly soulless, but a decent reintroduction to the mythos.
Return of the Jedi (1983, dir. Richard Marquand)
The Rebel Alliance battles another Death Star. The last part of the original trilogy works hard to include something for everyone (all points from slavery to teddy bears) as well as to wrap up its soap-opera character arcs. For fans only, tho,
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