Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

“There are stories about what happened.”

“It's true. All of it. The Dark Side, the Jedi. They're real.”

            WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY TO BE A MOVIE FANATIC!!!!

            Star Wars: The Force Awakens has finally been released! I got the chance to see it tonight in IMAX 3-D and it was the greatest movie experience and one of the greatest experiences in my life.

            Let me start off my saying that I am not a gigantic Star Wars fan. My two youngest brothers, Anthony and Christian, are obsessed. Anthony is twenty-two and Christian is sixteen. Ever since they were both little they have been fans of the movies. I remember them playing with all kinds of Star Wars toys and getting them for Christmases and birthdays. I was more excited to see The Force Awakens because my brothers were beyond excited. For the entire week before The Force Awakens Anthony kept saying “only 4 more sleeps”, “only two more sleeps!”. My point of this is, I guess, I kind of grew up on Star Wars through my brothers and I do like it and I was excited to see because of my brothers and I was also excited to be a part of a huge cultural event.

            My entire family went to see The Force Awakens. We were all on pins and needles waiting for the movie to begin. Over the last three days I watched A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. I was totally ready to see what adventures the new story would take us on and where all our favorite characters were in their lives and meet the new characters. When the movie began the entire theater clapped and cheered. Anthony and Christian were holding each other’s hands as if they were back to being little boys.

            I sat enraptured as The Resistance began their fight against a new enemy known as the First Order. My excitement became tenfold as soon as I saw Han Solo come on screen. My shipping heart fluttered when Han and Leia were on screen together. I was beyond thrilled to see Rey portrayed as this amazing new female protagonist (if there is one thing JJ Abrams knows how to write extremely well it is female protagonists who kick some major ass and do it well) who is not afraid to get right in the middle of the action. I was so happy to see Oscar Isaac in a big movie like this, I enjoy him so much as an actor. Adam Driver could not have been any more perfect than he was as the new Darth Vader-type character Kylo Ren. I nearly jumped out of seat in happiness seeing Greg Grunberg play one of the Resistance fighter pilots (he will forever be Weiss from the show Alias to me. Alias, for those of you that do not know, is a show JJ Abrams created with Jennifer Garner as the lead). The new droid BB-8 may just be one of the cutest things ever created (can a droid be called “cute”?).

            There is not much more that I can say about Star Wars: The Force Awakens without giving too much of the plot away. I know you can look up spoilers and read a small summary on IMDB but I do not even want to give that much away to you. There are so many incredible and feels-hurting things that happen in The Force Awakens for me to ever want to spoil it. Just know that The Force Awakens, whether you see it in IMAX 3-D or the regular way, it will be one of the greatest movie experiences you will ever experience. I am beyond excited to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens again. I loved it so much. 

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)

“Never. I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed, your highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me.”

“So be it... Jedi!”

            Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi is the final movie of the original saga and it is a very finale to a fantastic beginning of a cultural phenomenon.

            Han Solo is now in the hands of Jabba the Hutt for not delivering cargo. Han is still frozen in carbon in Jabba’s lair. Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and the droids C3-PO and R2-D2 bust Han from his carbon chamber and get rid of the awful Jabba the Hut.

            The Rebel Alliance has learned that Dark Vader and the Empire under Emperor Palpatine have been rebuilding an even stronger and menacing Death Star. This new Death Star has a protective shield around it that is on the forest moon of Endor. The moon is inhabited by small creatures known as Ewoks. Luke and Leia work together and with some other rebels and even the Ewoks to lure the Storm Troopers away from the shield.

            Luke goes back to Yoda who at 900 years old is dying. He confirms to Luke that Darth Vader is his father Anakin Skywalker. Yoda also reveals that there is another Skywalker. That other Skywalker is Leia, Luke’s twin sister. Luke goes back to Endor to tell Leia about them and that he is going to the new Death Star to try to defeat Vader. Luke believes there is still some of the good Anakin in Vader and wants to try to persuade him to turn good.

            I cannot imagine what it must have been like to be a fan of Star Wars when it was originally out having to wait three years in between each movie and then having it all come to an end. I have never really been into a series of movies. My two youngest brother are obsessed with, not only Star Wars, but Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit which are series that have all ended. I cannot imagine being so into a movie series and having it end. Even watching the movies today watching Return of the Jedi was a bit sad because the cast is so good. I was sad that they would not be together anymore like they were. If you have read my reviews for A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back you will know I completely Leia and Han. I was so happy seeing them be all adorable. I died a little when Han got jealous of Leia thinking about Luke!

            Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was fantastic. I am so happy I finally sat and watched the Star Wars trilogy and that I enjoyed them so much. I appreciate them so much as movies they are all so perfect and so entertaining. I love the direction, the writing and most of all the cast and the characters. I’m ready to rewatch them all right now! 

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

“Impressive. Most impressive. Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me.”

            The original Star Wars saga is back for another adventure with The Empire Strikes Back.

            Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo are part of the Rebellion on the icy planet of Hoth. Luke and Han are patrolling the snowy terrain when they see an asteroid fall from the sky. Luke goes to check it out and Han returns to the base. Before he can reach the asteroid Luke is knocked out by a snow monster. The monster takes him to a cave and hangs him upside down. Fortunately, Luke uses the Force to grab his lightsaber to cut himself loose and kill the monster. Weak from his wounds Luke passes out in the snow. Han goes out to find Luke and sees he is passed out.

            Before Han can really recuperate, Darth Vader has found the new rebel base and sends his troops to attack. The rebels are able to stop the attack. After the fighting Luke takes his X-Wing fighter to the planet Dagobah where he hopes to find Yoda who will be able to teach him the ways of the Force. Yoda is not who Luke had in mind as a Jedi who can train him.

            Han and Leia get away from the base on the Millennium Falcon. They manage to get to Cloud City where they meet up with Landau Calrissian, Han’s friend. Landau had been duped into helping Vader capture Han and Leia.

            Darth Vader put the thought into Luke’s mind that Leia and Han were going to die to bring Luke closer to him. He manages to get to Cloud City and right into Vader’s hands.

            Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back was fantastic. I am so obsessed with Han and Leia as a couple. I hate me as much as you hate me for admitting that but I do and I cannot help it. Yoda is hilarious and someone I wish I could have in my life to teach me to chill the hell out and act kind of like my life coach. Luke I still is kind of annoying but he was a lot better in this one than A New Hope. His scene fighting with Darth Vader and that big reveal was great. I love how none of the stories that had begun in A New Hope were continued. The Empire Strikes Back is funny, dramatic, action packed, and intense. I enjoyed it so much. 

Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

“The Force is strong with this one.”

            Oh, Star Wars. What would the world be like without it? It is hard to imagine what our culture would be like with Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker and Han Solo and Princess Leia and C3-PO and R2-D2. Everyone knows something about Star Wars even if they have never seen the movies. For me, Star Wars is ingrained in my family. My two youngest brothers, Anthony and Christian, have loved Star Wars ever since they were little. They have so many toys and ornaments and God knows what else of the movies. I had always seen bits and pieces of them and a few years ago I marathoned 1-6 (what a waste of time the first three are!). At the time I marathoned the movies I was not really into movies like I am now. I remember thinking, well, I finally sat through them and I can I saw them. Now watching the original trilogy over with a better appreciation for movies I love the original Star Wars movies they are amazing and so much fun. Also, I finally get what the big deal is with them which makes me so happy.

            A New Hope begins with the evil Darth Vader and his Storm Troopers taking over a ship carrying Princes Leia. They want the princess to tell them where the rebel base is. Before Vader finds her, Leia has sent off a message in a small droid named R2-D2. The droid and his droid companion C3-PO hope in a little pod and fly away to a nearby galaxy.

            The planet the droids land on is dry desolate. Almost immediately they are captured by sand people and put up for sale. They are bought by the uncle of Luke Skywalker. When Luke is cleaning out R2-D2 he sees a bit of the message Leia had left with the droid. She is pleading “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.” The following day he takes the droid to an old man named Ben who is the Obi-Wan the princess seeks. Obi-Wan knew Luke’s father and wants to train him to be a Jedi knight.

            Darth Vader and his troops have traced the droids to Luke’s home planet. When Luke returns to his home he finds it destroyed and his aunt and uncle killed. Obi-Wan suggests going into the city and looking for someone to fly them to another galaxy. They find rogue and very much in trouble smuggler Han Solo to fly them in his Millennium Falcon.

            Luke, Obi-Wan and Han save Leia and return her to the rebellion’s base. At the base they plan to take down the Empire’s headquarters known as the Death Star.

            I never realized just how awesome the characters, particularly Han and Leia, were. I am bit obsessed with Han Solo at the moment because Harrison Ford did such an amazing job playing the character. Han had a very Devil-may-care attitude and I think that’s exactly what Ford does with his acting. I love the snarkiness of Han and Ford delivered all of Han’s snark to perfection. Leia is a bad ass. She completely held her own against all the guys. She never let Vader scare her she gave him shit right back. R2-D2 I am in love with he is so adorable. I never really understood why so many people like Darth Vader. To me he is a bad guy and bad guys are not supposed to be liked but Vader is way too cool of a bad guy not to like. Luke was alright. I think his character gets better and better with each movie.

            Star Wars: A New Hope is a fantastic movie. Character introductions and story set ups are so important. Sometimes they both suck or either one or other does but this movie managed to make both complete perfection. I am so happy my brothers are into Star Wars because I would have missed out on seeing A New Hope and watching great, iconic characters. I fully plan on watching A New Hope again as soon as I can!