A Star Wars Recap: Episode VIII

 Alright, let’s just get this over with.

A Star Wars Recap: Rogue One

 

Okay, since I reviewed The Force Awakens and recently watched all eight movies in one sitting, I figured a review of Rogue One is also in order.  I was pretty pumped in the lead-up to it, despite the PC pandering that was obviously in high gear.  The idea of exploring stories apart from the Skywalker saga was very enticing.  Plus, when the backdrop is precursory events merely mentioned in A New Hope, it was hard to resist getting a little excited.  With Gareth Edwards, who had recently given us a moderately entertaining and fairly mythos-honoring monster feature in 2014’s Godzilla, Lucasfilm again was not going with the time-tested big-name director.  Plus, there was a wildly diverse cast.  Would it pay off? 

A Star Wars Recap: Episode VII

Okay, so my friends basically insisted that I write a review for this before The Last Jedi arrives in theaters in 50 hours, so here it is.  I was so pumped for this movie, but I was afraid that it would be more Terminator: Salvation, rather than Batman Begins. It exceeded my expectations on many levels, but it wasn’t better than Hope or Empire.   It has aged (if a movie can age in two years) pretty well.  Maybe not as well as Jurassic Park, but not nearly as poorly as the prequel trilogy.  It’s not perfect, and there are legitimate reasons to be a detractor from the overwhelmingly positive response.  However, for the saga, in my humble opinion, it was a win. 

Kaine vs Pence

So, this is the one that I’m more interested in.  I like Pence.  Much like when John McCain ran in 2008, picking Sarah Palin to run with him, I’m more excited to vote for a vice president than the guy on top of the ticket.  I don’t care for Kaine, but he’s not a shrill harpie like his running mate.  I fully expect Pence to dominate this.  Kaine will likely just sit there and attack Trump, never spout any real policy points, and probably go off on guns at some point.  And I think Pence will pounce all over him.

Clinton v Trump: Round 1

Apparently this is going to be historic.  Why?  Because no one likes either of them?  To be fair, some people just love one or the other, or, more likely, they hate one or the other. 

The Obama Show: 2016 State of the Union Edition

I didn’t watch it.  There, I said it.  It wasn’t worth my time. Honestly, when it came to this final state of the union from President Obama; I kept hearing the words of the late Maureen O’Hara from what is probably my favorite John Wayne film, McLintock!  She laughs in the face of the governor and says “Why you pompous windbag.”  Yep.  That’s pretty much how I feel about President Obama at this point.  To listen to the talking heads in the mainstream media, you'd think this was the second coming of JFK.  They even had a countdown to the speech on CNN.  Yeah, it was that lame.  So, without further delay, let’s just get this over with it.  What follows is parts of the transcript that I deemed necessary to include for commentary.  Honestly, you could probably do without any of it, but apparently I’m supposed to watch/read so you don’t have to.  So here goes.

A Star Wars Recap: Episode VI

The end.  The beginning.

This is it folks.  The last of six, and the lead-in to what will be.  This thing sends the original trilogy out on a monotone note, really, despite its best efforts to raise the stakes.  However, as we’ll see, this is the film that really made the prequels possible – for better or worse.  Still, it’s packed with enough fun and mythos to make it enjoyable repeatedly. 

A Star Wars Recap: Episode V

This is the one you’ve waited for folks.  That is, unless you’re tired of me writing, thereby the next one will be the one you’re waiting for.  Unless I decide to write one for The Force Awakens, but I’m thinking that one will take multiple viewings, and that might be difficult to secure tickets for after my initial viewing in t-minus 43 hours and 30 minutes, give or take.  But I digress.  This is the quentisentail film in the saga.  A film better in almost every conceivable way, and without total control by George Lucas.  Get excited!

A Star Wars Recap: Episode IV

“Finally,” you might be saying, “he’s moved on to the real Star Wars movies.”  Well, yes I have.  Not that I don’t consider the prequels Star Wars movies, but these are the originals.  And they’re better…for the most part.  So, for further reflection, let’s journey back to 1977…or 1997…or whenever I first saw this film in its entirety…

A Star Wars Recap: Episode III

The last of the prequels.  Let's just get this over with, shall we?

A Star Wars Recap: Episode II

Look, I wasn’t terribly excited about watching it, so I’m doubting you’re terribly enthused about rehashing it.  However, it’s necessary.  Well, at least, for me.  So here it is – my review/reliving of the weakest chapter in the Star Wars saga. 

A Star Wars Recap: Episode I

On the cusp of the unprecedented hype surrounding Star Wars (Episode VII) The Force Awakens, it was necessary to go back and watch all of them.  For the nth time.  Some argue that they should be watched in sequence of how they were released (IV-VI, I-III).  I argue that if you watch them like that, you end on a flatter note than if you just get the prequels out of the way first.  Though, as you’ll see in later my rankings are somewhat unorthodox.  So, as a format of sorts, I’m going to break down what I like/love about each film, sandwich in some outstanding questions, and end with what I loathe.  Then I’ll reveal where that film ranks. 

Unlike many Star Wars purists, I actually don’t have an immediate gag reflex when confronted by the idea of Episode I: The Phantom Menace.  

The Obama Show: 2015 State of the Union Edition

Sorry I haven’t blogged in so long.  Been busy and pretty detached from the Internet.  But I knew you folks would be expecting this, so here it is. 

Summer Movie Catch-Up: Food, Robots, Road Trips, and Primates

 

I've been slacking, bigtime.  More to come...

Republican Majority

I received a phone call from this very nice man, stating he was from the Republican Majority Campaign, so I knew he wanted to do a survey, and I assumed ask for money.  I don’t think I said what he wanted me to say.  More after the jump…

'X-Men: Days of Future Past' Review+

Additional, spoiler-filled analysis after the jump...

New on Blu-Ray 14.03

'Godzilla' Review

'The Amazing Spider-man 2' Review

'Neighbors' Review