Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (100TH POST/SPOILERS)

The Force will be with you...always...

Well just like that, Jake's Blog of Entertainment has reached 100 posts before we reach the end of the decade. To celebrate this major achievement, why not take a look at the conclusion to the major overarching story that has shaped the foundation of one of my all-time favorite franchises in the realm of fictional media. The Star Wars Saga has, to put it mildly, seen better days. There was hope for the franchise back in 2015 when The Force Awakens graced our screens, with Rogue One coming in 2016 to reaffirm that hope. Unfortunately, come 2017, and all went to Hell. For me, The Last Jedi was a major disappointment in a number of ways, but the worst thing to come from it is the massive uproar that has torn the fandom apart. It is just crushing to see so many people turn away from this beloved franchise and even worse to see the people who work so hard on these projects receive the most venomous of disdain. Fortunately, 2019 has seen the franchise do a bit of course-correction to begin repairing the damage done within the years, particularly with the Disney+ series The Mandalorian and the video game Jedi: Fallen Order. Ultimately though, it all came down to this, the final chapter in the Skywalker Saga. I was cautiously optimistic, wondering exactly what the heck the producers could do to make it so that we'd get a conclusion that brings the fandom together and leaves them satisfied. While the general consensus for the movie is less than positive, I found myself thoroughly pleased with what I saw yet still realize there are some heavy flaws plaguing this film. Now let's get into what makes The Rise of Skwalker work and what makes it fall short:

UPS

1. J.J. Abrams did a good job at addressing some of the problems I had with The Last Jedi. Most notably was the character of Snoke (who was easily one of the worst aspects of that film) essentially becoming a clone used as a puppet in Palpatine's grand scheme. Likewise, Rey, Finn (for the most part,) and Poe feel more well-rounded and interesting this time around after being a little watered down in The Last Jedi and the tone was more optimistic and hopeful, which gave me the feeling I hope for in a Star Wars movie. 
2. Leia. With Carrie Fisher's death, this movie had a very daunting task in addressing Leia's role in the movie, a task which either made or break the movie if nothing else did. I personally found myself content with what they did, especially since she had a much larger role to play than I ever would have expected. There were some issues here and there, but given the circumstances, I am content with what we were given.
3. Sure it's clear that bringing him back was a last ditch effort to please the fanbase, but Palpatine remained a true delight in the movie. Ian McDiarmid provided all the menacing, fiendish glee that he was known for and I think the story did factor him in pretty well. Some of the movie's best scenes involved him and it's nice to see the ultimate villain in this saga shine bright once again. 

DOWNS

1. This movie had major pacing problems. It's clear that J.J. and Rian Johnson had two very different ideas about where they wanted this trilogy to go, and with J.J. taking the director's seat once again, it's clear he wanted to fit in his entire vision. The issue is that what he fits in is enough to fill two whole movies. The beginning in particular is a complete mess, with so many things happening and none of it feeling organic and natural. Likewise, there are several plot threads (particularly revolving around Finn's feelings for Rey, the fact that he may or may not be Force Sensitive, and whatever was going on between Jannah and Lando at the end) that are given some setup before being left hanging with no resolution, which leaves us as audience members feeling like the endgame is not wholly satisfying. 
2. It plays things ridiculously safe. As much as I enjoyed what I saw, I can't help but think that they would work better if they took a few more risks. Say what you will about The Last Jedi (as I already have,) but that film did try to do something different with the franchise, and while the final product didn't come off as well as it possibly could have, the effort should still be appreciated. The Rise of Skywalker, by comparison, tried to go back to basics, and as a result feels like more of the same instead of something that truly broke new ground for the franchise.
3. If you were to provide a singular example of the problems this movie, and by extension the entire trilogy, has, then the sad truth is to look no further than Kylo Ren. It hurts me to say this but the movie really brought this character down for me. Adam Driver certainly gave it his all as usual, but given the great character arc he had throughout The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, it's disappointing that J.J. ultimately went the predictable route and had him be redeemed before essentially throwing him away to the sidelines. Yeah it was nice to see him have a final moment with a vision of his father, and having him help Rey fight Palpatine and eventually save her life at the cost of his own were indeed great moments, but again, I'm really dissapointed with what they did with the character since it seemed they were going in a different (and better) direction. Oh, and the less said about the kiss, the better...

OVERALL

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker had a similar problem as the final season of Game of Thrones: being a bundle of great, intriguing moments that did not have the proper setup to feel like they were earned or made sense with the overarching story. This also reaffirms the real problem in that the Sequel Trilogy had no clear plan going in, having two vastly different visions clash during a rushed production schedule that clearly affected how the story was to be developed. To say that this trilogy was not the best it could have been is a pretty big understatement. Still, I enjoyed most aspects of the movie and hope that from here on out, Disney will work to ensure that the upcoming projects do not have the same problems this trilogy did. I think we'll all be better off if they do, 

And that's it for my 100th post. Thank you to all who check out my posts and hope you continue to show your support in the years to come. Tune in for lists of the best movies 2019 had to offer before I close out the year with my Best of the 2010s post. Till then, take care and may the Force be with you :)

Retro-Reviews: Doctor Sleep (SPOILERS)

I always called it the Shining...

If you love Stephen King, then you definitely know The Shining. It is one of his most well known and beloved stories with a film adaptation that is equally iconic for many reasons. One of those reasons is rather infamous. That is the fact that King himself is not a fan of the film, even when it's received such acclaim. A lot of this boils down to its loose adaptation of the novel's story, which is a fair criticism for King to have in all honesty. That being said, I loved The Shining and was more than excited to have the sequel, Doctor Sleep, receive its own adaptation, even moreso once I found out that none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi himself, Ewan McGregor, would be taking on the role of Danny Torrance. Ultimately, Doctor Sleep proves to be a solid follow-up to The Shining that manages in some ways to be even better than the original. And here's why:

UPS

1. Ewan McGregor is wonderful as Danny. I had no doubts, but I'm glad he was able to exceed my expectations with how truly awesome he was. He's one of those actors that will make any movie watchable even when it isn't all that good. Thankfully, this movie is really good, but McGregor's performance really brings the film together. He manages to craft so many layers to the character of Danny as we see him overcome all the personal struggles he has succumbed to in his adult years before finally standing up to the demons that have caused him so much trauma, even that of his own father. Overall, McGregor is solid, and he made the most of his time on screen. 
2. I liked the rest of the cast as well. They all do a spectacular job. Kyliegh Curran is a welcome presence that provides a heartfelt performance that combines with McGregor's to bring the film together, while Cliff Curtis is given more to do than I expected and ends up being all the better for it. We even get a nice role from Bruce Greenwood, a hauntingly tragic turn from Jacob Tremblay, and of course, Carl Lumbly as Dick Halloran, Alex Essoe as Wendy Torrance, and most surprising of all, Henry Thomas (yes, that Henry Thomas) as Jack! All three of them do such a good job at portraying these characters while not coming off as a cheap knock-off of the original, which is quite a feat to achieve.
3. The True Knot. Going in, the one thing that kinda turned me off about the movie were these guys. I just couldn't get into the idea of them being these people who devour the powers of those who "shine" in order to live forever. It just felt a little lame to me, even if it is in the novel. Fortunately, the movie puts those fears to rest as they managed to be engaging antagonists to carry the plot forward. They succeed at being this group of sickeningly twisted individuals, as one nightmarish scene (if you've seen the movie, you know exactly which one I'm talking about) proves, while managing to showcase the humanity they still carry within so that we can understand why they do the things that they do. Of course, Rebecca Ferguson shines the brightest as Rose The Hat, whose performance is as alluring as it is chilling. 
4. The fact that this movie manages to be faithful not only to King's source material, but to Kubrick's film as well. I'm not 100% on the novel, but I do have enough knowledge to understand the major differences between it and the movie, which makes it's all the more impressive that Doctor Sleep managed to bring the two together so that both could get the love they deserve. Director Mike Flanagan and the rest of the crew did a superb job at recreating all the elements from The Shining (complete with shot-for-shot recreations of some of the film's iconic scenes and spot-on duplicates of the sets and costumes) while mixing in some of the ideas from King that were left out, most notably being the ending which, while being a major change to the novelized version of Doctor Sleep, proves to be a satisfying conclusion to this version of the story.

DOWNS

1. This movie does feel way too long at times. This is a problem that's plagued a lot of movies this year and it's no different here. There are so many places where the movie makes you feel like it's reaching its conclusion before it sweeps you from under the rug to take you in a new direction. I can recall there being several times where I felt that way, and the reason that's a problem? They all happen before we even reach the Overlook. Overall, this movie does have a pacing issue and a little trimming down would help a lot. 

OVERALL

Doctor Sleep certainly is a worthy sequel to The Shining and in some ways proves even better. While I think the door is closed for this story (though you never know,) I did enjoy what I got and am glad it managed to be as good as it was. 

And that's it for this blog, guys! Tune in for more coming your way :)

In The Mind Of: Arthur Fleck/The Joker (SPOILERS)

I used to think my life was a tragedy...but now I realize...it's a comedy...

Everyone has a bad day. Several in fact. It's a natural part of life in the end. But what happens when someone so broken experiences that one bad day that pushes them over the edge. Over his long career as a comic book supervillain, the Joker has shown us what that could look like...at least given what little we know about him. Each iteration gives at least some background on why he came to be the way he is, but none have ever come close to making us feel for him the way the 2019 version does. 

Arthur Fleck is a failed comedian with an ailing mother and a condition that causes him to laugh uncontrollably at the most inappropriate times. Throughout the movie, Arthur experiences hardship after hardship, each worse than the last. He loses his job, gets embarrassed on national television by his idol, and learns the extent of his traumatic childhood. Combine all this with his deteriorating mental health, and Arthur finds himself walking down a dark path. What is interesting about Joker is that even though he is probably the most sympathetic interpretation of the Joker to date, Arthur is not someone to root for. His actions are truly horrific and at the end of the day, he's still the Joker. He may have had it hard, but it does not excuse the carnage and chaos that his actions have caused. 

Arthur is a truly unique interpretation of one of my favorite characters in all of fictional media, brought to life by the vision of Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix's powerhouse performance. With what the ending of Joker entailing and the news of a sequel being in development, it seems this isn't the last we'll see of him after all...