{"id":213,"date":"2017-12-18T00:09:04","date_gmt":"2017-12-18T00:09:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.granitecitynow.com\/?p=213"},"modified":"2018-03-31T00:45:55","modified_gmt":"2018-03-31T00:45:55","slug":"star-wars-the-last-jedi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.granitecitynow.com\/?p=213","title":{"rendered":"Star Wars: The Last Jedi"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>What you\u2019re about to read contains no spoilers. Because I\u2019m not an a-hole. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

You\u2019re welcome<\/strong><\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cStar Wars\u201d fans have been counting down the days to the release of Episode VIII since, well\u2026 since about this time two years ago, when \u201cThe Force Awakens\u201d stirred the desire for more from this iconic good-versus-evil saga that began captivating audiences 40 years ago.<\/p>\n

And equally as iconic is that patented 10-word preface that once again kicks off this story. You know how it goes:<\/p>\n

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

BOOM! Insert that theme<\/a> (if this doesn’t give you goosebumps, you might be dead) from John Williams here, accompanied by the opening text crawl that sets up what we\u2019re about to see in this current chapter, \u201cEpisode VIII: The Last Jedi.\u201d<\/p>\n

I promised not to reveal anything that isn\u2019t obvious from the trailer, so among the words you\u2019ll see are \u201cFirst Order,\u201d \u201cResistance,\u201d \u201cSkywalker,\u201d \u201cSnoke,\u201d \u201cLeia.\u201d<\/p>\n

And \u201cThe Last Jedi\u201d indeed features all of that \u2013 and more.<\/p>\n

Bad-ass Rey (Daisy Ridley) is back, searching for answers of her own; last time we saw Rey in Episode VII she was on an island, face-to-face with Luke Skywalker.<\/p>\n

First Order deserter Finn (John Boyega) continues his earnest determination to help take down his former coalition \u2013 aaaand try to impress Rey; X-Wing pilot extraordinaire Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) gets a lot more screen time, and his droid buddy BB-8 isn\u2019t the only source of adorableness this time around.<\/p>\n

We also see a little bit more of Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), one ugly<\/em> dude who really could use a visit to the orthodontist and<\/em> a day at the spa; and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson), who\u00a0oozes<\/em> power in some instances and looks ready to sh*t his pants in others.<\/p>\n

And we learn more about Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), with his \u201craw, untamed power\u201d and bloodline potential.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also the man behind the tantrums \u2013 or \u201cmantrums\u201d (heh) if you will, having displayed some serious anger management issues in the previous flick. Remember? We see a bit more of his erratic behavior here, as well as exploration of the conflict likely causing it.<\/p>\n

Depending on your galactic affiliation, you\u2019ll either root for or relentlessly boo him.<\/p>\n

The humor here might surprise you; it\u2019s not all the typical light-hearted comments and sarcasm we\u2019ve come to expect from these flicks. Flashbacks give some unexpected insight. Your senses will again be on high alert, thanks to the almost-constant score that serves as a heartbeat for the film.<\/p>\n

There are a few moments of complete silence that immediately caught my attention \u2013 but that\u2019s deliberate.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Last Jedi\u201d tackles a lot <\/em>in its 152-minute run time (yeah, it\u2019s long<\/em>!), so you may even want to see it again. I know I will. Nevertheless, it\u2019s loads of fun and entertaining as hell. You\u2019ll cheer; you\u2019ll laugh; you might even cry.<\/p>\n

There are epic battles, with grand and fiery explosions during which director Rian Johnson makes sure we experience the effects by way of jostled visuals; there\u2019s both mention of and use of the Force \u2013 by a few different characters; there\u2019s deceit and ugly truths; there is, of course, the central tug-of-war between the dark side and the light.<\/p>\n

And there are answers to questions from \u201cThe Force Awakens\u201d as well as questions to (hopefully) be answered in 2019, when Episode IX \u2013 no subtitle yet \u2013 is slated for released.<\/p>\n

But until then, soak in and enjoy everything \u201cThe Last Jedi\u201d has to offer in this longstanding and epic space adventure.<\/p>\n

And \u201cMay the Force be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

You have just enjoyed the insights of Movie Addict Mel, a cinema dork and conversational writer. Follow her on Twitter\u00a0@movieaddictmel<\/a>, and \u201clike\u201d her Facebook page\u00a0www.facebook.com\/movieaddictmel<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0You also can email her at movieaddictmel@outlook.com<\/em>.<\/p>\n