“Unlearn What You Have Learned” - Why The Last Jedi Is Brilliant

"Let The Past Die" - Star Wars: The Last Jedi Review (Contains Minor Spoilers)

It feels like yesterday that The Force Awakens came out. When we all saw Rey (Daisy Ridley) walk up that mountain to come face to face with the legendary Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), and held out his Lightsaber to him. As the credits appeared, we were all left wanting more. We were left with so many unanswered questions. Why did Luke run away from the Resistance? Who are Rey's parents? Who is Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis)? Will Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) ever be redeemed? It was a long two years of endless speculation and theorizing from fans.

The Last Jedi has finally been released. And all those questions get answered.... With more questions raised.

As I am writing this, The Last Jedi has already been out for two days. It has made over $220 Million domestically on its opening weekend, alone. So chances are you may have seen it. If not, then I suggest you tread lightly when reading this. I will do my best to not reveal any major spoilers. I will however give some minor spoilers, and even discuss the overarching theme of this film. So if you want to go in the movie completely clean, I suggest you stop reading this altogether. If you don't mind a few minor spoilers, then proceed. But be warned.

The reaction to The Last Jedi from critics and audiences has been.... Interesting. To say the least. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a Certified Fresh rating of 93% from critics, making it one of the highest acclaimed films in the franchise. The audience rating, however, is at an underwhelming 56%. Where the response to The Force Awakens seemed to be overwhelmingly positive (with a little backlash here and there), the response to The Last Jedi seems more mixed. Fans seem to either love it or hate it.

I will admit, when I first saw it , I had mixed emotions. I felt satisfaction, confusion, and a bit underwhelmed. But in the past couple of days, after letting it marinate, I can say with certainty that The Last Jedi is the boldest, most daring, most thought-provoking, most emotional Star Wars film I have ever seen! The film takes you on a roller coaster. It grabs you from the moment it starts, and  never lets go!

Where The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams, felt like a love letter to the Star Wars Saga recalling what we all loved about the Original Trilogy, The Last Jedi, directed by Rian Johnson, feels more like a criticism of it. It challenges us to rethink our viewpoint of the Saga and the Force. Just like Yoda (Frank Oz) told Luke in The Empire Strikes Back, The Last Jedi tells us to "unlearn what we have learned".

When we first met Rey in The Force Awakens, we all wanted to know more about her. She was such an interesting protagonist. She lived in the middle of nowhere as a scavenger, and possessed all these impressive skills. She longed for her family to come back to her on her home planet, Jakku, the desert planet. She was then swept in the middle of this epic struggle between good and evil, the Dark Side and the Light. A lot of what made Rey so interesting was Daisy Ridley's performance. She made Rey so relatable and identifiable, and also gave her a lot of layers. Daisy is even better as Rey in The Last Jedi. At the end of The Force Awakens and at the begging of The Last Jedi, Rey is sent by General Leia (Carrie Fisher) to fine Luke Skywalker to being him back to the Resistance to help them in their fight with the First Order. But Rey's reason to find Luke is to learn more about her place in the Universe, learn about her past, and what her destiny is. I will not give away too much. I will just quote Luke Skywalker here. "This is not going to go the way you think!"

Just like Rey, we also see a lot of development in Kylo Ren. When he killed Han Solo, many fans thought it was impossible to sympathize with him. I mean, he KILLED HAN SOLO! How can you possibly redeem yourself from that? Yet in the movie, Johnson's writing and Drivers' performance manage to do just that. They help us to sympathize with Kylo Ren, and in a way, root for him. He feels uncertain about his place in the galaxy, just like Rey, and feels conflicted between the Dark Side and the Light. He wants Rey to join him, just like Vader wanted Luke to join him. We learn more about Kylo Ren's past, and we see it from his perspective. And we see it from both Kylo Ren's perspective, and Luke's perspective. Literally. And that's all I will say about Kylo Ren. If you want to know more, go see the movie for yourself!

Since his debut in The Force Awakens, Supreme Leader Snoke has been a source of intrigue and debate among Star Wars fans. We know little to nothing about Snoke other than he’s bald, the Supreme Leader of the First Order, and Kylo Ren’s Master. And according to the Force Awakens novelization, Snoke has witnessed the fall of the Old Republic and the rise of the Empire, which means he was around during the Prequel trilogy and the Original Trilogy. Many fans have wondered, is he a new character we haven’t seen before? Or is he someone we have seen before, but deformed? Or is he someone we heard referenced (see the Tragedy of Darth Plageuis the Wise). I won’t give too much away, but I will say that Andy Serkis gives a chilling performance as Snoke. He makes him so threatening and ominous. While Snoke may not be as iconic as Darth Vader or the Emperor, he is still a worthy villain. And depending on what your theory of him was, you will either be surprised, shocked, or underwhelmed. Either way, you will not expect what happens. 

When we saw The Force Awakens, we were all so excited to see what Luke Skywalker was up to.... And we were so shocked to see he only appeared for a couple seconds with no lines! Well, I can tell you with absolute certainty that Luke Skywalker has way more lines in The Last Jedi. And man does Mark Hamill deliver! Luke Skywalker is not the same character he was at the end of Return of the Jedi. He's not the triumphant hero we all know and love. He is much older, more cynical, and more world weary (or, galaxy weary?). Rey grew up hearing stories about Luke, and even idolized him. She is crushed to find he refuses to train her. Where Yoda was reluctant to train Luke out of fear that Luke was not ready, Luke is reluctant to train Rey because he feels that the Jedi Order must come to an end. He is still a believer in the Force, but rejects the "Light vs Dark" philosophy from the Jedi of old. He feels guilty over the Jedi Order being wiped out, and the First Order taking over the galaxy. He lives alone on an island, believing he deserves to die. This is a magnificent performance by Mark Hamill. He brings so much depth and emotion to the role that made him a star. If Mark Hamill does not get an Oscar nomination for The Last Jedi, it will be extremely disappointing. He more than deserves the acclaim and awards for his raw, impeccable performance!

It's almost been a year since we lost Carrie Fisher. She is still missed, remembered, and loved by fans all around the world. This is the last time we will ever see her as Leia Organa on the big screen. It was always gonna be a big deal. But Fisher goes out with a bang! After losing Han Solo, the love of her life, Leia is more focused on her duties as the General of the Resistance, which is already dwindling. Leia is strong-willed, wise, decisive, and determined. She cares deeply about the lives of her soldiers, and tries to prevent as many casualties as possible. Whenever they win a battle, where everyone around her is cheering, Leia is focused on the lives lost in the battle, and feels sadness. She also longs for her family to be reunited. She wants her brother, Luke, to return form exile to help the Resistance. And she wants her son, Ben Solo, to return from the Dark Side to the Light. Just like Hamill, Fisher deserves an Oscar nomination. Leia is one of the most beloved characters of all time, and seeing Fisher play her one more time is altogether bitter-sweet, heartbreaking, and emotionally satisfying. We also get to see Leia do something with the Force that has never been done in a Star Wars movie!

We see the return of many classic characters, as well as new characters, the standout being Rose played by Kelly Marie Tran. Since her appearance on the Red Carpet premiere for The Last Jedi, Kelly Marie Tran won our hearts. She is so lovable and charming as Rose. She is sort of like a fan-girl around Finn, and is disappointed to fin that he is human. She makes him feel guilty, and makes him feel motivated to care more about the cause. 

Another standout is Laura Dern as Admiral Holdo. She and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) have many clashes over their strategies and philosophies. Where Poe believes in "fight or die", Holdo is more strategic and careful. Where Poe is eager to take down the First Order, Holdo is more patient. She is willing to wait until the right moment to strike.

I just love the diversity of the cast in these new Star Wars movies! I love how for three films in a row, we have had a strong female protagonist take center stage, as well as strong POC characters. So many young fans of different ethnicities, races, and genders are seeing themselves represented on the big screen. Diversity helps make a movie feel more real and reflective of our world. It is so exciting to see the Star Wars Saga be more reflective and representative of our diverse society. 

In a time where the country feels divided, and our political discourse feels more toxic, The Last Jedi feels so topical. When the characters talk about never giving up hope and the importance of resisting the First Order, it cannot help but feel like they are speaking to us, as we have our own Resistance against an evil Empire in our own country. 

Let's talk about the Porgs for a minute. The best way to describe them is that they are the Ewoks of this generation. Fans will either love them or hate them. They will either see them as adorable, or annoying. They will either want them as pets, or for dinner. If you don't mind the Ewoks, you won't mind the Porgs. Personally, I love the Ewoks, and I love the Porgs! It seems like some fans have a problem with cute creatures in Star Wars because to them, Star Wars should be serious all the time. I disagree. I think Star Wars needs to have some cute moments to balance the serious moments. They are made for families after all. Plus, R2-D2 is cute, and nobody seems to mind!

I want to talk about the characters more, but I don't want to give too much away. And I know that it's already been out for two days. But I feel like there are millions who still have not seen it yet, and I don't want to ruin the experience for them. 

But you may have noticed a pattern with Rey and Rose. Both of them are excited to meet their heroes, and are disappointed to find that they are not what they thought they were. That seems to be a huge theme in the movie. The disillusion of your heroes and your beliefs. Realizing that not everything is as it seems. This film takes everything we know about this Saga and this Universe, and turns it upside down. It makes us question everything we thought we knew about Star Wars. And perhaps that is why The Last Jedi is so divisive.

You may have noticed a trend with these Star Wars films under Disney. With The Force Awakens, a vocal minority of fans complained it was too familiar. That it didn't really take any risks or try anything new. But for the story, it made sense. It was to reintroduce us to this world and these characters. With The Last Jedi, some fans are complaining that it is too different, that it takes way too many risks. Why is it so hard to please Star Wars fans? 

Perhaps because to fans, Star Wars is more than a series of movies. It's a religion. It's a way of life. If you first watched Star Wars, any of the movies, as a kid, it connected with you. It left an impact on you like no other movie before or since. Many fans of Star Wars were kids when the Original Trilogy came out. And perhaps since then, it has been hard for them to fully accept any Star Wars movie since Return of the Jedi. Even George Lucas suffered backlash from the fans with the Prequels. And he CREATED Star Wars!

Perhaps, in reality, there will never be another Star Wars movie that is universally acclaimed by fans. It seems like every Star Wars movie from here on out will be divisive. Every movie from here on out will have its fans, as well as its critics. And it's because we care. 

We care about the universe. We care about the characters. We care so much that no movie will ever live up to our expectation or satisfy us fully. Star Wars connects with all of us at a deep level, but in different ways.

The last scene, without spoiling it, seems to illustrate that. It will be interesting to see how J.J. Abrams ends this trilogy with Episode IX. The ending seems to hint at endless possibilities for these characters. And no matter how you feel about The Last Jedi: love it or hate it, like it or meh, there is no denying you will be anxious for what comes next. 

Like the Force itself, Star Wars will never leave us. It will continue to surround us, penetrate us, and bind our galaxy together for generations to come.

May the Force be with you. Always.

Dare To Dream: The Disaster Artist Review

There are good movies. There are bad movies. And then there's The Room. A movie so unbelievably bad, that it is practically a masterpiece. It's a movie that gets everything wrong: Directing, acting, dialogue, writing, lighting, costumes, etc. Everything that can go wrong, does go wrong. And yet it is so endlessly fascinating and entertaining to watch.

If you spend your free time watching movie review shows like Nostalgia Critic or Honest Trailers, there's a good chance you've heard of this gem. Written by, directed by, produced by, and starring Tommy Wiseau, The Room is a romantic drama in the style of Tennessee Williams. It tells the story of a man whose girlfriend is cheating on him with his best friend. And there's football involved. For some reason...

It's one of those movies you can't really describe. You just have to watch it for yourself.

So much has been said about The Room. There's even been a book about the making of it written by Greg Sestero, one of the actors in the film. The book was recently adapted in a movie directed by and starring James Franco as the mysterious Tommy Wiseau.

The Disaster Artist tells the story of a young acting school student named Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) who dreams of becoming an actor in movies. One day in his acting class, he meets an eccentric classmate named Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) who has the same dream as him. They both move to Los Angeles together to get agents. But after they are turned down numerous times, they decide to make and star in their own movie together. And that is how The Room came to be. Tommy Wiseau writes the entire screenplay himself, and asks his friend Greg to co-star in it with him. Greg agrees, and they both assemble a cast and crew to make Wiseau's strange vision to life. Will they succeed?

Because this is based on a true story, we all know the answer. They do not succeed. They fail... Spectacularly.

James Franco is perfectly cast as the mysterious and eccentric Tommy Wiseau. He manages to do a pitch perfect impression of him from the voice to the mannerisms. But rather than just do an impression of him, Franco manages to bring a lot of heart and depth to the role. He plays Wiseau as a passionate, courageous artist with an ambition to follow his dream, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. Franco definitely deserves an Oscar nomination for this role.

Dave Franco is also really likable as Greg Serestro, who plays Mark in The Room. He is such a loyal friend to Tommy Wiseau, even when it is difficult for him. He tries to help his friend get his movie made no matter how challenging it is. It's such a special, genuine friendship they have, and you really feel for them. And the fact that it's about a real-life friendship makes it even more heart warming.

The entire cast is great. Seth Rogen is hilarious as Sandy Schklair, the script supervisor of The Room. There are also a ton of cameos in this film, including interviews with celebrity fans at the beginning, that I will not spoil.

What I love the most about The Disaster Artist is its message. The film teaches the importance of following your dreams, no matter how ridiculous they may seem. Tommy Wiseau had a dream of becoming a writer, director, and actor in Hollywood. Because he couldn't work in Hollywood, he decided to make his own movie. And even though it didn't turn out the way he wanted it to, it brought joy to so many people. And it still does. Even to this day, midnight screenings for it at the Rocky Horror Picture Show theater sell out. Not a lot of filmmakers can brag about making movies that are still that popular, even after a decade. In fact, not many people can brag about getting a movie made, period. Hollywood is such a tough, cut-throat business full of rejection. There are so few people that are willing to take such a huge risk to put themselves out there like that. Not  a lot of people are willing to put up with it, and yet Tommy Wiseau did. He set out to make a movie, and he did it! And he's proud he did. Even to this day.

In a time where the News is full of cynicism, we need people like Tommy Wiseau, and the message of The Disaster Artist, more than ever. The message that it does not matter what the world thinks of you. It doesn't matter how many people laugh at you or insult you. The important thing is to find what makes you happy, and go for it. There are not a lot of people brave enough to put themselves out there like that. Tommy Wiseau is.

What a story Mark! What a story indeed!