Star Wars The Last Jedi Spoiler Review

Star Wars The Last Jedi is directed by Rian Johnson and stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Benicio del Toro and Domhnall Gleeson. The sequel to 2015's The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi steers the third trilogy into darkness as Rey (Ridley) seeks the guidance of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker (Hamill) whilst the weakened Resistance are relentlessly pursued across space by the First Order.

Nobody hates Star Wars more than Star Wars fans. Of the nine feature films made, only two are universally liked (A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back) whilst the other six are praised and hated upon in equal measure. It therefore seems surprising that cinema's most enduringly popular franchise is incredibly inconsistence; for every Han Solo line there's a Jar Jar Binks, for every use of the Duel of the Fates there is an army of Ewoks. The Last Jedi is, thankfully, a much stronger entry to the franchise, but not one without many flaws.

With an opening that feels like a Bond film, the Resistance fend off First Order Star Destroyers and the impressive Dreadnought through the use of insanely watchable and skilled pilot Poe Dameron (Isaac), droid BB-8 and elongated bombers pregnant with thousands of explosives. It is a terrific opening sequence, dripping with charm and humour (although at the expense of General Hux (Gleeson) who's seriousness has been downgraded heavily) that sets up the rest of the film's staggering 152 minute runtime. 

Whilst General Leia Organa (Fisher, in a touching and subtle final performance) and her dwindling fleet are pursued by the First Order fleet, developing Force user Rey gradually coaxes the stubborn (and somewhat sarcastic) Luke into training her to be a Jedi, despite her telepathic bridge she develops with the conflicted Kylo Ren (Driver) and the dialogues they share. As she trains, she learns more of Luke's past and the mystery of why Kylo turned to the darkness before, much like Luke on Dagobah, she leaves to join the fight with her friends. Ridley excels here, giving more assured lines and some riveting action sequences whilst Hamill gives perhaps his finest performance as the self-sufficient farmer/fisherman/librarian/Jedi master, his eyes and complexion showing the weight of his guilt and the destruction he has indirectly caused. Whereas Han Solo's return in TFA was a nostalgic triumph, Luke's is a dark, sombre, occasionally comedic story that slots in nicely with the Star Wars story, even including a touching Yoda scene: the Force ghost done with the same puppet animation as Episode V and again delivering some great lines, "Failure the greatest teacher is." 

Many franchise films often have double-edged quotations used in the film to mean one thing but to the audience means another. TFA had Han's iconic 'Chewie, we're home," indicating the revival of the franchise on the big screen. In TLJ, Luke tells Rey "this is not going to go the way you think," which is director Rian Johnson's metaphor for the unpredictability of the film. There are twists and anti-twists that will catch audience members off guard; the evisceration of Supreme Lord Snoke (an intimidating Andy Serkis who really deserved more screentime), the 'reveal' that Rey, in a massive middle finger up to Star Wars fans, is in fact nobody and, perhaps the most flooring twist: the offscreen death of Admiral Ackbar.

Johnson's vision is singular and can be felt in every scene through the craftsmanship and passion infested in every shot. One of TFA's biggest criticisms was its almost complete lack of new vehicles and weaponry. In contrast, Johnson has created the looming Dreadnoughts, a powerful battering ram cannon, rusty and dilapidated ski speeders and Kylo's barrel rolling attack starfighter. This is bold franchise filmmaking; sizzling with a toy box of invention and the courage to dare new things and stage set pieces on new worlds rather than the classic desert/snow/forest terrain of previous films. A trick used in last year's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was the use of removing worldly noises and allowing the music to be the only thing heard on screen. Johnson employs this several times to beautiful effect and he has vividly left his stamp on the franchise.

Every action sequence fizzles with kinetic energy; from a tense, proper duel between Luke and Kylo (shot in glorious wide head-to-toe angles that hark back to some of Star Wars' original influences like Japanese film Seven Samurai) to a similarly well staged and superbly choreographed melee between a back-to-back Kylo and Rey and a dozen or so of the gorgeously costumed Praetorian Guards, armed with whips, blades and gauntlets that can stop lightsabers. Another astonishing sequence sees Laura Dern's underused and somewhat antagonistic Resistance leader attack a Star Destroyer in light speed to devastating, breathtaking effect. 

The ensemble cast is used effectively, with Poe thankfully getting more screen-time and having to answer for his hot headed approach to conflict ("jump in an X-wing and blowing something up") whilst BB-8 again steals scenes, whether piloting an AT-ST or hijacking a ship. The Porgs are likewise great additions for comic relief with two gags among the most blackest of black comedy, but on the contrary a returning Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) is giving a few good moments but is again dismissed as quickly as she's brought in. 

In between the rapturously watchable action and character moments however, there are some flaws. As the Resistance try and flee the First Order, Finn (Boyega) and newcomer mechanic Rose (Tran) are sent to Canto Blight, an out of town hotspot for gambling and arms dealing, to recruit a codebreaker to help infiltrate one of the pursuing Destroyers and disable a tracker. This opens up a third subplot and it is the one that ultimately suffers. The codebreaker they get, DJ (del Toro) is a stuttering, untrustworthy character with little flare or memorable actions despite the vast potential he could've had (think Sicario!). But it's the entire sequence on Canto Blight that pulls the movie back from potentially being an equal to Episodes IV or V. A horribly unnecessary chase sequence, forced animal cruelty message and an environment that feels too human and earthly to be in a Star Wars movie makes the sequence seem lazy and dull. Finn isn't given much to work with and as such his character lacks any form of arc that TFA didn't already give him. In fact, the removal of the codebreaker search could've allowed a smoother running time or, even better, a deeper exploration of Snoke's powers. Rose as well feels tacked on, and, whilst well acted, is largely unnecessary save for a crucial line of dialogue about saving those you love. In fact, one of the film's biggest strengths is its presentation of women and non-whites in strong positions of power on both sides, as well as their input on the battlefield. Once again, Star Wars is dictating how blockbusters should be depicted. 

A second large gripe concerns Leia. In the trailers, we see Kylo with the opportunity to potentially kill his mother but it is left ambiguous as to his decision. In another masterful stroke of genius from Johnson, Kylo refrains (fans of Freud will have a blast with the Oedipal reading of him). Leia is safe. Until two other TIE fighters swoop in and take out the control bridge, sending Leia into open space for some duration of time. However, somehow tapping into the Force, Leia angelically guides herself back inside to be saved. It is odd, uncanny and almost cringeworthy. It did little to progress Leia and she simply could've been blown into a wall instead. A very nit picky problem as well was the offscreen death of Admiral Ackbar, mentioned in a forced line. 

That withstanding, the poor usage of several characters and a needless sub-plot don't take too much away from an otherwise solid and individual blockbuster. The repeated use of dark red on the sets and costume not only signifies the Ruby Anniversary of the franchise, but supports that this is the most murderous Star Wars film to date. Mesmerising cinematography, class direction and exhilarating action all fuse together perfectly for the film's final, extraordinarily epic hour which will have you forgetting earlier problems and looking forward to the clean slate of Episode XI.

Blade Runner 2049 Review

Blade Runner 2049 is directed by Dennis Villeneuve and stars Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford,, Ana de Armas, Robin Wright, Sylvia Hoeks, Mackenzie Davis, Jared Leto and Dave Bautista. Set 30 years after the original, the film follows LAPD cop K (Gosling) unearthing a shattering mystery.
In the way critics and audiences used to look at Scorsese, Spielberg and Kubrick as a source of quality, entertaining and groundbreaking movies, so to will modern critics and audiences look at Christopher Nolan and Dennis Villeneuve in the same light. Despite the circulating articles that label Hollywood as 'running out of originality and brilliance' in the swaths of recyclable blockbusters, there comes the occasional film that will leave viewers stunned and reignite the industry. In more recent memory, 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road is one of those films, whilst Nolan's Dunkirk back in July is another; breathtaking visual tour de force films that make money and gain Oscar nominations. Blade Runner 2049 is another of those films, and Villeneuve (after the gripping Prisoners, the murky Sicario and the intellectually stimulating Arrival) has now established himself as his own brand of reliable filmmaking.
On paper, the idea of filming a sequel to a 1982 sci-fi film that bombed on release and took 20 years to finally enter 'masterpiece' status seems absurd. How can you improve on a film that many consider perfect? Villeneuve found the answer in this film. Set in 2049, 30 years after Deckard (Ford) hunted down six AWOL replicants, the world has progressed in sorts. Using technology from the first film and enhancing it by three decades, Villeneuve revives the LA setting with careful detail and visual splendor: huge virtual holograms of women parade the streets and buildings of the excessively urbanised city, lit up by the broad adverts of Sony and the pulsing lights of the city streets below whilst de Armas plays Joi, a mass-produced, photo realistic girlfriend for K, the central blade runner of the story. Joi can adapt her appearance to her lover's mood and is stored into what looks like an Amazon Fire Stick. The visual majesty of the film alone is worth an IMAX ticket; a particular 'merging' scene is beautifully odd and artistically unprecedented on the big screen. The looming sea walls, the dust blown deserts of Las Vegas and, of course, the rain ensure Blade Runner 2049 to be unlike any film and whilst the production design is lavish and biblical in scale, it is ace cinematographer Roger Deakins who is the true visual architect. 13 Oscar nominations and 0 wins may earn him the 'sympathy' Oscar a la Leonardo DiCaprio, but this truly is one of the most beautifully caught films and Deakins' opening shots (combined with the reverberating synth of the film's score) is a prologue to a story that is as much about science fiction as it is about showcasing the sheer range of his cinematography.
The less said about the story the better (not because it's awful but rather because it is best to know nothing going in at all) but much like the mystery of Villeneuve's Prisoners, it favours slow, atmospheric tension and the odd explosive twist.
Gosling as K (a nod to Phillip K Dick, the author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? of which the original film is based) is superb casting: his demeanor switching from unfazed to the middle of an existential crisis in moments. After his break from acting in 2013, Gosling has now selected some great roles and applied himself at his very best to all of them (The Big Short, The Nice Guys and La La Land) so his time for an Academy Award is imminent.
Elsewhere, Ford as Rick Deckard delivers an emotional, nuanced performance that ranks among his best. Unlike his fan service appearance in The Force Awakens as another of his iconic characters, Ford's appearance here is heartfelt and subtle. The female members of the cast also enjoy a wide range of roles; from Robin Wright's tough police chief to Hoeks' psychotic replicant killer, the role of women in this 'men's' world is necessary and progressive. Jared Leto fills in yet another weird role as Niander Wallace, a replicant manufacturer seeking to increase his slave work force. His looming headquarters echo the vast Pyramids of Giza, an intentional design to show the power of a slave work force. This is a recurring theme: K visits an orphanage in which children are forced to work whilst his journey to Las Vegas includes a confrontation with a hive of bees. K's reaction is that of surprise and longing that life is still enduring, but when he moves his hand inside the hive and pulls it out, a lot more can be interpreted. The bees are a work force, united together to produce something which will be taken from them by a superior being (K), who does minimal work and receives minimal pain in doing so. This is paralleling Wallace and his replicant slave work and Villeneuve is painting androids as capable of displaying more emotion and inner strength than their human makers. Likewise, when Robin Wright's Joshi tells K that he works better without a soul, it argues that does having a soul truly make you superior? Much like the original, the intelligent script raises questions and answers them to a degree which leaves the audience to come to their own conclusions.
Yet Blade Runner 2049 doesn't escape scrutiny; its 163 minute length is staggering, taking its time to introduce the story and characters as an art film should. But its short bursts of action can't sustain its length on their own. The film also repeats previously said lines to tell the audience what is running through K's head which contradicts the rest of the film's high respect for audience intellect. These faults don't compromise the movie and, as the most expensive art film ever produced, Blade Runner 2049 is a feast for the eyes and ears, as well as a challenger of the brain. What more could you ask Hollywood for?

La La Land Review

La La Land is directed by Damien Chazelle and stars Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, John Legend and J.K Simmons. After his acclaimed Oscar nominated (and Oscar winning) breakthrough Whiplash, director Damien Chazelle ups the budget for this ode to the classic Hollywood musical and love story.
La La Land tells the story of Mia (Stone), an aspiring actress who continuously faces rejection at auditions and is failing to achieve her dream. Seb (Gosling) is an aspiring jazz artist who wants to bring new life to a dying art form but is likewise failing in his dream to be recognised. Naturally, the two end up meeting and so begins a bittersweet, 128 minute display of acting, directing and glorious musical numbers. As Mia and Seb hook up and both see a rise in their career fortunes, the conflict and drama starts to kick in and adds emotional weight to the grand story. Chazelle, a drummer, has a natural affinity for directing music and how to use music in scenes and La La Land is a stunning exemplar of this: from the opening continuous take on a highway as jammed cars become the stage for Los Angeles singers, dancers, performers and bikers to fill the screen with vibrant kinetic energy to the song 'Another Day of Sun' whilst later on the catchy 'City of Stars' is sung between Mia and Seb in a candle lit room at a piano- a charming, human way of using songs to convey character and emotion.
Of course, a film like this wouldn't work unless the two stars were likable and believable. Thankfully, Stone and Gosling (their second time on screen together after 2011's Crazy, Stupid, Love) have sizzling chemistry. Gosling, enjoying the equivalent of his own McConnaisance, brings his unparalleled charm and sharp good lucks to juxtapose the character's deep affection for jazz, a bygone music genre which he has to watch die whilst being powerless to renovate it. However, it's Emma Stone's film and she delivers a phenomenal performance. Belting out 'Audition' towards the end is a cathartic release the film has been building towards; failure after failure combined with her adventures with Seb have given her the strength to give that song it all and Stone sells it ridiculously well.
Post Oscar glory, La La Land is still a wonderful classic and its Best Picture snub perhaps is for the better; whilst being cruel and unprofessional, the taking away of the Best Picture crown mirrors the movie's theme perfectly. Everything that you have can be taken away and not everyone may reach the LA dream of Hollywood, but it is the effort that gets there that counts. Chazelle's exploration of success, love and reward is bittersweet- and rightly so. A gem.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople Review

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is directed by Taiki Waititi and stars Julian Dennnison, Sam Neill, Rachel House, Rhys Darby and Rima Te Waiti. New Zealand filmmaker Waititi has earned a cult following through his dry, deadpan comedy and skill behind the camera to weave jokes together. His latest is no different.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is as charming a film as any other. Newcomer Dennison plays Ricky Baker, a juvenile delinquent in child welfare services who is taken out into the country of New Zealand to live with 'Aunt' Bella (Te Waiti) and his grumpy 'Uncle' Hec (Neill). After a tragedy, Ricky and Hec travel into the bush whilst being the targets of a nationwide man hunt. There are immediate similarities to Pixar's Up: the elderly man and a chubby kid travelling the forests with a dog, a rare bird, a feelgood ending and two main characters who both learn from the other as the story progresses. This is not a bad thing however; Waititi blends the luscious scenery of his home country with very, very funny scenes including his own belly-achingly funny cameo as a Minister, delivering the greatest sermon put to film. Elsewhere, Darby plays wild hermit 'Psycho Sam'- a conspiracy theorist who dresses as a shrub.
But at its core, Dennison and Neill imbue their characters with warmth and heart and have great screen presence together. The film's playful nods to The Lord of the Rings, Thelma & Louise, Scarface and The Terminator not only serves as comedy, but it also connects the old with the new much like the central characters. Hec at one point asks who Tupac is to which Ricky replies "he's like my best friend" which is why Ricky's dog is subsequently named Tupac. It is touching and offers Hec a moment to reflect at this once troublesome boy who is only troublesome from the neglect he's suffered and the loneliness of his life. Waititi's masterful control of the film's tone and change in tone is the real strength of the film and perhaps aided him in his position as the director of the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok.
 A "majestical" film featuring some gorgeous landscapes, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a small, upbeat and remorselessly funny adventure film that will no doubt give it cult classic status.