Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

Han Solo is my one of my favourite characters in the Star Wars universe. I mean, he is a charismatic space cowboy with balls, how can you not love him? Even Leia eventually falls for him. And yet I decided to pass Solo: A Star Wars Story. I just didn't have a very good feeling about it, and, eventually, reviews proved me right. Now that it's on DVD, I decided to give it a chance. 

The film opens with Han (Alden Ehrenreich) as he escapes the planet of Corellia but vows to return for Qi'ra (Emilia Clarke), the woman he loved and was forced to leave behind. After that, Han meets his future co-pilot Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), encounters Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover), wins the Millenium Falcon and gets involved in a series of dangerous adventures.

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)

I remember when The Force Awakens came out two years ago. I was so excited about it that my heart was beating faster than usual as the movie started. The Last Jedi, well, it wasn't the same. First of all, I don't know why but I wasn't that excited about it. Now that I've seen it, I feel differently.

Picking up where The Force Awakens left, Rey (Daisy Ridley) is on the remote island hideaways of Luke (Mark Hamill) and hopes to persuade him to come back and join her and the Resistance. Meanwhile, the Resistance, led by General Leia (Carrie Fisher), attempts to survive and escape from the First Order led by General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) and the Supreme Leader (Andy Serkis).

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Gareth Edwards

Country

USA

Cast

Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker, Jonathan Aris, Genevieve O'Reilly, Jimmy Smits, James Earl Jones

Storyline

After the formation of the Galactic Empire, the Rebel Alliance recruits Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) to work with a team including Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) to steal the design schematics of the Empire's new superweapon, the Death Star.

Opinion

While I still was very excited about it, I didn't have any expectations for this film. Maybe I was afraid it was going to be a disappointment, like pretty much the whole prequels trilogy, I don't know. But last night I returned home with a big smile on my face. Why? Because "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" is simply a spectacular addition to the saga.

First of all, kudos to the writers. Basing an entire film on a single quote from "A New Hope" certainly wasn't an easy task, but they did a wonderful job. In fact, this story about how the Rebel Alliance acquired the plans for the Death Star is engaging, gripping and refreshing, which is surprising since we already know the outcome.

I'm sure many will not enjoy it because of the film they'll find themselves watching. This film is more of a war drama than a science fiction adventure. Basically something one would not expect from Star Wars, and definitely something people are going to complain about it.

However, that doesn't mean the film isn't exciting. It indeed has plenty of action, and it's also spectacular. Not to mention the final climatic fight, just wonderful.

But let's move onto the thing I was excited the most about, the characters, in particular Jyn Erso, and I was happy with the result. Even though there isn't enough time - literally - to properly develop each one of them and maybe the writers should have focused on just a few instead of doing so many all together, overall they are good. Still I really wish they developed Chirrut more. But I loved what they did with Jyn. She is such a tough and reckless woman, exactly what the film needed. And unlike the others, she has a great backstory that provides her motivations.

Felicity Jones gives an incredible performance as Jyn Erso, bringing to life another memorable hero. The rest of the cast also does a good job, from Diego Luna as Cassian Andor, to Mads Mikkelsen as Galen Erso - I would have loved to see more of his character though -, to Alan Tudyk - he pulls off the role with some good comedic relief -, to Donnie Yen who easily steals the show as Chirrut, one of the best characters created in the new films.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

J.J. Abrams

Country

USA

Cast

Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Max von Sydow, Kenny Baker, Tim Rose, Mike Quinn, Gwendoline Christie, Kiran Shah, Greg Grunberg

Storyline

Three decades after the second Death Star's destruction, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has vanished. The First Order is scouring the galaxy of Luke, as is the Resistance, a military force backed by the Republic and led by Luke's sister General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher).

Opinion

I was not around yet when the Original Trilogy hit the theaters, but I've grown to love it, and along with the other fans of the franchise, I have been waiting for this film for a while. The excitement was high and so the expectations, and the waiting did pay off.

From the opening crawl to the ending credits, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a roller coaster of emotions, from tension to laughter, amusement to tears.

To talk about the film without spoiling anything won't be easy, but I'll try. The story is very flowing, mixes new and old moments almost flawlessly, and is enriched with witty dialogue, humour and drama. It does have the elements that characterized the Original Trilogy, and that every single fan loved, and, even though there are too many "I've seen this before" moments and the third act feels a lot familiar, the film is incredibly captivating and engaging.

There are still some parts, especially in the third act, that are a bit questionable - the final fight between Kylo Ren and Rey was great fun to watch, but it's strange that the girl knows how to use the Force so soon, and without training. 

The strength of the film lies in the fact that this time the dark side of the force is fought by a woman, Rey, that has no reason at all to envy the heroine of the Hunger Games.

The characters are another strong element. If on one hand the charismatic, likable rogue Han Solo is finally back - for the delight of the fans -, on the other hand I've been pleasingly surprised by the way the new characters have been introduced and developed. I thought that Ray, Finn - character the audience can relate with - and Poe would have been overshadowed by the original characters, but they are actually given most of the focus and they are helped by the familiar faces, which are not trying to steal the show at all. BB-8 is a little ball of cuteness, and it is more emotional that I thought. As for the bad guy, Kylo Ren - whose origins are completely unexpected - is a very complex character that does not feel like Darth Vader at all.

The action scenes are obviously spectacular, the sensational special effects do not overshadow the brilliant script, and the musical score, despite the absence of the Imperial March, is great.

The new character are very well portrayed with the right amount of depth by Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Adam Driver - who finally pulls off a good performance. However the stand out, as always, is the sarcastic Harrison Ford. 

Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

George Lucas

Country

United States

Cast

Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Oz, Christopher Lee, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Matthew Wood, Jimmy Smith, Silas Carson, Temuera Morrison, Peter Mayhew, Ahmed Best, Oliver Ford Davies, Nick Gillard, Jeremy Bulloch

Plot

As the Clone Wars near an end, the Sith Lord Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid) steps out of the shadows, at which time Anakin (Hayden Christensen) succumbs to his emotions and puts his relationships with Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) and Padmé (Natalie Portman) at risk.

Opinion

Once you hit the bottom, there is nowhere to go but up, and so did George Lucas. Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith is a surprisingly good, dark and emotional end to the prequel trilogy. This is the best Star Wars film since The Empire Strikes Back and unarguably the best film of the new trilogy.

While the dialogue is still horrible, especially in the romance parts, the story offers something the previous two couldn't give. The special effects are perfect. The lightsaber duel between Anakin and Obi-Wan is good and thrilling, although we know how it ends.
The drama in the film helps the cast giving their best performances of the three films. 

Quotes

Obi-Wan: You were the chosen one! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them. You were to bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness.

Rating

8.8/10

Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

George Lucas

Country

United States

Cast

Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Temuera Morrison, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Silas Carson, Leeanna Walsman, Ahmed Best, Rose Byrne, Verónica Segura, Pernilla August, Jack Thompson, Oliver Ford Davies, Ayesha Dharker, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Jay Laga'aia

Plot

Ten years after initially meeting, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) shares a forbidden romance with Padmé (Natalie Portman), while Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) investigates an assassination attempt on the Senator and discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi.

Opinion

Stop defending it, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is not a good film. George Lucas clearly does not know what to do anymore. The love story between Anakin and Padmé is boring and unconvincingly. Some action scenes are good, others go on too long and are tedious. The special effects are excellent, but they can't save the film. 

Hayden Christensen's performance as Anakin Skywalker is awful. While the script isn't strong, maybe another - and better - actor might have brought more life into the role. Natalie Portman's performance as Padmé is painful: while she had some chemistry with 10-year-old Jake Lloyd's Anakin, she has completely lost it with Christensen.

Quotes

Anakin: I killed them. I killed them all. They're dead, every single one of them. And not just the men, but the women and the children, too. They're like animals, and I slaughtered them like animals. I HATE THEM!

Rating

5.5/10

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

George Lucas

Country

United States

Cast

Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, Jake Lloyd, Pernilla August, Ahmed Best, Ray Park, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Silas Carson, Hugh Quarshie, Frank Oz, Samuel L. Jackson, Terence Stamp, Oliver Ford Davies, Andy Secombe, Lewis MacLeod, Brian Blessed, Greg Proops, Sofia Coppola, Ralph Brown, Steven Speirs, Keira Knightley

Plot

When the Trade Federation cuts off all routes to the planet Naboo, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) are assigned to settle the matter, but when they arrive on Naboo they are brought to Amidala (Natalie Portman), the Naboo queen, by a friendly but opportunistic Gungan named Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best). Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan plan to escort Amidala to a meeting of Republic leaders in Coruscant, but trouble with their spacecraft strands them on the planet Tatooine, where Qui-Gon meets Anakin (Jake Lloyd), the slave of a scrap dealer. Qui-Gon is soon convinced that the boy could be the leader the Jedis have been searching for, and he begins bargaining for his freedom and teaching the boy the lessons of the Force.

Opinion

George Lucas doesn't really strike back. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is not as good as any other film of the original trilogy, but it is not even trash. Firstly the good points: the music is still great, the visual effects are stunning, the action sequences are good, and the pod race is engaging.

On the other hand, dialogs are not that brilliant, the acting is mostly cringe, Darth Maul is barely shown, all Obi-Wan Kenobi did was using his lightsaber, and the first 30 minutes or so, are useless because the film pretty much started on Tatooine.

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Quotes

Yoda: Everything! Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you.

Qui-Gon Jinn: There's always a bigger fish.

Rating

7.2/10

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Richard Marquand

Country

United States

Cast

Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Frank Oz, Sebastian Shaw, Ian McDiarmid, Alec Guinness, Denis Lawson, Kenneth Colley, Warwick Davis, Jeremy Bulloch, Caroline Blakiston, David Barclay, Michael Carter, Femi Taylor, Claire Davenport, Peter Burroughs, Debbie Lee Carrington, Mike Edmonds, Jack Purvis, Jane Busby, Kiran Shah, Felix Silla, Vivienne Chandler, Larry Ward

Plot

After being rescued from the palace of Jabba the Hutt (Larry Ward), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), attempt to destroy the new Death Star.
Meanwhile Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) struggles to make Darth Vader (David Prowse, Ian McDiarmid) shake off the dark side of the force.

Opinion

Return of the Jedi or Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi is a fantastic ending to a fantastic trilogy. This movie has a bad reputation because of Ewoks, and although they are not the best thing happened to Star Wars, they are cute.
This episode is the most emotional and always leaves me in tears. The end is great, and the lightsaber duel between Luke and Vader is epic.
Mark Hamill does an excellent job in developing his character; Carrie Fisher's Leia is amazing - I mean she killed Jabba!

Quotes

Luke: Your thoughts betray you, Father. I feel the good in you, the conflict.
Darth Vader: There is no conflict.
Luke: You couldn't bring yourself to kill me before and I don't believe you'll destroy me now.
Darth Vader: You underestimate the power of the Dark Side. If you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny.

Luke: I'll not leave you here. I've got to save you.
Darth Vader: You already have, Luke.

Rating

8.7/10

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

Irvin Kershner

Country

United States

Cast

Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Frank Oz, Kathryn Mullen, David Barclay, Wendy Froud, Deep Roy, Jeremy Bulloch, Alec Guinness, Denis Lawson, Clive Revill

Plot

Three years after the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebels abandon their new base in a assault with the Imperial AT-AT Walkers.

Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) escape in the Millennium Falcon. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) follow Obi-Wan Kenobi's (Alec Guinness) command, and Luke receives Jedi training from Master Yoda (Frank Oz, voice). 

Opinion

The Empire Strikes Back or Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a worthy sequel. It is sinister but even more involving than the first film of the trilogy, A New Hope: Luke finds out the truth about his father, and we hear the Imperial March for the first time. Fuelled by action, the film is capable of creating such a tension that keeps viewers on the edge of their seat.
The visual effects are really improved. The score is unforgettable. Darth Vader is amazingly played by David Prowse. 

Quotes

Luke: I can't. It's too big.
Yoda: Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship.

Rating

9.2/10

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)

Genre

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Director

George Lucas

Country

United States

Cast

Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Phil Brown, Shelagh Fraser, Jack Purvis, Eddie Byrne, Denis Lawson, Garrick Hagon

Plot

The galaxy is in a civil war, and spies for the Rebel Alliance have stolen plans to the Galactic Empire's Death Star, a heavily armed and armored space station capable of destroying an entire planet. Before being imprisoned by Darth Vader (David Prowse, body - James Earl Jones, voice), rebel leader Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) hides the plans and sends a message for Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) in the memory of an astromech droid R2-D2 (Kenny Baker). The droid, accompanied by fellow protocol droid C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), escape from the captured ship to planet Tatooine.
Young Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) finds the message, and with the help of Obi-Wan, a cocky pilot, Han Solo (Harrison Ford), a wookiee, Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and the two droids tries to save the universe and to rescue Princess Leia.

Opinion

Star Wars or Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is a masterpiece and one of the best Sci-Fi movies ever. It has everything that can be great in a film: great characters, captivating story, tension, great special effects - I'd never say this film is 38-year-old - and a spectacular fantasy background.
The music, by John Williams, is something spectacular. Alec Guinness and Harrison Ford wonderfully portrayed Obi-Wan Kenobi and Han Solo.

Quotes

Han Solo: May the Force be with you!

Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.

Rating

9.0/10