​It can be difficult to make new friends, especially in a job that you have been thrown into. Having people in your department that are looking up to you to be perfect at your higher level, they may never see you for who you really are. What's worse, if you happen to do something wrong, well, you are doomed, so you must never show any signs of weakness, and try to endure and at worst...either you, or the employee that lost faith in you is gone and the process starts over again. 

Kate Abbott has just been transferred to the American Embassy in London to help bolster the security around passports falling into the wrong hands. Her new boss Sam Parker knows that she is one of the best and extremely driven to stop anything from happening on American soil, especially after she lost all of her friends during a terrorist strike. Asking her team to alert her if anything suspicious shows up in their lines, Kate is looking for anyone that has a medical background trying to make their way to the United States as a new threat is looming.

Being called up when Doctor Emil Balan tries to get his passport, Kate asks the right questions and finds that the research doctor is trying to go to America to attend a conference on children’s health. Thinking that something about his request is out of the ordinary, Kate takes the background check further than most, and finds out that the good doctor has friends in high places. Standing beside his employee, Sam Parker knows that she is doing her job, but Kate’s boss on the floor, Bill Talbot, goes ahead an approves the passport. After being overridden, Kate tries to question Bill about his motives, but before she is able to get him alone, he is pulled away for a phone call.

Walking to dinner with her co-workers to celebrate Bill’s birthday, Kate finds out that nobody picked up his gift. Leaving the restaurant for a moment to pick up something, Kate turns back to see an explosion behind her. Trying to find her friends, she is greeted by a man pointing a gun at her and trying to complete his job. The Watchmaker has been appointed to relieve Kate of her duties and while she tries to get to safety, he is tracking her the same way the embassy is. Needing help, Kate is able to contact her boss Sam, but with all of London searching for her, she will have to try and outsmart the local police and find a way back into the embassy to find out what the grand plan is and why a research doctor is worth so much trouble to get to the United States. 

When the movie started, I thought it was all going to be about politics, and even though there was plenty of that in the script, this film delivered so much more. With plenty of action, Kate is running for her life when the Watchmaker is able to quickly find her and attempts to dispose of her. Knowing that one man knows why this is happening to her, she gets accused of his murder and then must call back on her training to escape the police and the assassin assigned to kill her. I liked this movie better than I thought I would and with plenty of action to keep your eyes glued to the screen, the storyline takes a darker turn to see how easy it is for a terrorist to get into the United States.  

If there is one thing that truly makes the cinematic experience unique above anything else; it is the sheer fact that you can truly tell any kind of story on film. It doesn’t matter how outlandish the idea, or how extreme the violence, all of it can be captured on celluloid, or the digital variant of it and that’s brought about some genuine beauty in theaters. Because it’s allowed for us to share in some powerful moments, the kind that make us laugh, and make us cry and being able to experience that is one of many reasons that we settle in for movies on a regular basis.
 
But while that is a wonderful reason to celebrate film and everything it has to offer, there is a quirky side to this benefit in that, sometimes some supremely unique and outlandish ideas make it to the silver screen. And these are the movies that are often branded as ‘B Movies’ or cult classics, simply because they don’t quite fit the everyday mold and that’s not an insult by any means, it is in fact, a compliment. For the fact that there are niche films out there that speak to specific people, reinforces cinema’s ability to tell any story hiding within a creative person’s imagination and really the wonder of film is relevant to today’s conversation, simply because I recently took the time to revisit an off the wall motion picture that oddly manages to captivate in 3000 Miles to Graceland.
 
Now in this particular film, we are transported to the desert just outside of Las Vegas, where a man named Michael Zane is arriving for an important business meeting, one that will set him up for life when he and his cohorts finally join him. For they plan to rob a Vegas casino in the midst of an Elvis Presley convention. But it doesn’t take long for the plan to go south, or for Murphy, the leader of their group to show his true intentions when it comes to the money. Which puts Michael in quite the precarious situation, one that will force him to join up with some unlikely allies to try and strike it rich and enjoy a little peace in life, provided of course he can stay ahead of Murphy and his bloodthirsty tendencies.

​So, at first glance, the plot of this film makes it seem as though it is a fairly by-the-numbers heist movie. One that really doesn’t deserve the label of ‘outlandish’. But once you settle in to watch this movie, you quickly come to see why that moniker fits it so well. After all, it’s a super violent motion picture, one that uses jarring camera angels and extended action scenes to make sure the audience knows just how ruthless Murphy really is. But what’s fascinating about this, is that the ultra-violence present here is incredibly over the top, to the point where the explosions are comical and should remove the audience from the experience. But as story dives deeper into some unique plot points, you quickly find yourself compelled to continue.
 
Because the Elvis Presley convention is only the bare beginning of the story’s obsession with the King. For Murphy and Michael share a similar past, in that, at some point along the line they were tested to see if by chance they could be Elvis Presley’s love child, with inconclusive results and the possibility that they might be Rock ‘n Roll royalty drives them into some unique paths character development wise. Michael for instance, is trying to do right by making this his final score so he can just fade away and enjoy the peace and beauty of the world instead of hustling. While Murphy is a vengeful man, one who in essence embraces his role as a spurned son of Elvis and wants to make the world pay, in every sense of the word, for not giving him the awe, he believes it owes him.
 
Yet what’s amazing is that even that wonky plot thread should prompt the audience to move on and therein lies the final trick in this film; the fact that it features some huge names to sell these wild moments and concepts. Because Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner star in this film as Michael and Murphy respectively and they play their roles with such zest and zeal and conviction that you simply have to see how they are going to sell the next outlandish moment. If anything, this movie is that rare gem, one that should stand as a goofy failure, but instead it finds a way to keep your attention and flat out entertain you for a couple of hours. So, if you’re looking for a solid way to escape after a long day, check this one out if you haven’t seen it. Because it really is something unique and well, it might win you over despite its quirky nature.

Being a boss can have its ups and downs every day, but when you surround yourself with the best people, this does not have to be an issue. But it can be difficult to find the best people for the job since there may only be a few quality free agents out there that are looking for work. You can always try to find someone that is tenured and knows the job inside and out, but they cost more than the newbies.

Most of the time you are forced to find someone fresh to the industry and hope that they are willing to take the job as seriously as you do and if they do, your job becomes much easier. But even then, sometimes you're in a hurry to staff up, meaning you have hire someone without doing any quality research and then it becomes boss/buyer beware because until you work with them...you never know what you are going to get in a brand new employee.
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While on a class trip to see the wonderful history of art, best friends Kate and Abby are caught up in an explosion on the bus. While everyone gets sick from the buffet they attended, Kate and Abby are fine and want to get out of the seedy hotel that they are being forced to stay in by their sickly teacher. With her father’s credit card, Kate is able to convince Abby to sneak out and get some new clothes, along with a decent meal. Not using their own names when calling for a ride, the two girls become part of something bigger and more sinister than they could have ever imagined.

On the other side of town, Ari is looking to make one of the biggest scores of his career so he can move from his crappy home and build his dream, a roller skating rink. Hiring Viceroy and Monarch to steal a valuable painting for him, he needs his old friend Wheels to facilitate their every need during the heist. But instead of picking up the tenured art thieves, Wheels picks up Kate and Abby and does not understand their intentions while taking them all around town. As the heist is pulled off successfully by the professionals, Kate and Abby are discovered to be a fraud and taken by Ari’s men when he finds out that they are holding out on him. While Abby is held for questioning, Kate becomes privy to who Viceroy and Monarch really are and needs to bring her game up a notch to save her friend from the evil art dealer.

Mistaken identity movies can either be very depressing or very fun, this one was very fun. I loved watching the girls tear up the town and have a great time doing so while having no idea what trouble they were going to get into. The twist in the story surrounding Viceroy and Monarch was pretty good as well since they are the art thieves everyone is looking for but have alternative motives. But their driver steals the show when all he does is asks questions and will never shut up, even when the two are on the job. The choices you make can lead to many different outcomes and although a majority of them are positive, it might be good to use your own name, since you never know who or what might be following someone else’s. Happy Viewing.

The fact of the matter is, sometimes life gets supremely boring. After all, our lives of consist of a lot of routine. We get up about the same time every single day. We go about our morning regiment, one that often involves catching up with the world, before we head off to work to handle whatever particular projects, our employers have for us. All before we return home for a quiet evening filled with some type of relaxing activity to clear our minds, before we settle in for sleep and then do the whole thing over again. Granted, that’s likely a more extreme view than most might like, since our hobbies and interests and friends help to keep life interesting.
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But make no mistake about it, there are a lot of days that match that particular one and that’s why we love the many forms of entertainment out there. So that we can escape the mundane and enjoy something incredible. And as technology continues to grow and impress year in and year out, our ability to escape into bold new digital worlds only expands, leaving mankind with a future that will one day bring about a fascinating moral dilemma. For at some point, these brave new worlds may be more appealing than everyday life, forcing people to make quite a choice between boring moments and false adventures and it just so happens that one science fiction film dove into this possible conundrum in fascinating fashion in 1990’s Total Recall.

Now for those unfamiliar with this particular motion picture, in it we are introduced to a man named Douglas Quaid, and he lives a simple life. He works in construction, is happily married and that’s really all there is to Quaid, and his idyllic lifestyle seems to be bringing about a bit of a personal crisis. For the dreams he’s having at night leave his mind pondering upon Mars, specifically what it might be like to visit this mining world and that prompts him to swing by a company called Rekall. A place where the memories of fake vacations can be implanted into one’s mind, just to spice up his daily life if only for a moment. But visiting this place unlocks something primal within, and it isn’t long before Quaid finds himself hunted by forces unknown. For it seems his existence is filled with lies, and the only way to uncover the truth about his life and his past, is to venture to Mars.

Oddly enough, this is a movie that really doesn’t seem like it should be cerebral in the slightest. For it features action star Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role and it’s directed by Paul Verhoven, whose films are renowned for their violent tendencies. But that is perhaps the trick of this motion picture, in that, deep down it is a smart and thoughtful science fiction film, buried in the trappings of a blockbuster and what’s impressive about this movie is that everything works here. For Schwarzenegger is spot on as Quaid and is able to provide the audience with an authentic performance of a man who wants to be more, before finding himself in an incredible situation, and the violent over the top machinations of our villain provide the audience with the genuine feel of a summer blockbuster, the kind that puts a smile on your face.
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But while this movie is indeed a crowd pleaser, one full of epic explosions, it really is quite layered since it does focus on escapism and some of its respective dangers from a metaphorical perspective. Because Quaid really does have a pretty chill life on Earth, the kind that would allow for him to pursue whatever endeavor he wants. But something more is clearly calling to him, which is relatable for when we feel stuck. And while none of us come to realize that we are a double agent living on Earth, the excitement that Quaid exhibits when his life becomes something more is precisely what strikes a chord in our soul and it is wonderful to see a relatable element such as this in a story this fantastical, and it is also wonderful that this tale offers up a subtle and cautionary element. For it does remind us to be careful what we wish for, since Quaid’s quest to experience more in life, ruins his idyllic existence and costs him plenty.

If anything, this is one of those rare action flicks that has something for everyone. If you want action and adventure, oh you’ll find it here. Or if you’re in the mood for something stupid violent after an annoying day at work, don’t worry, the gore is here and ready to go. And of course, if you want to ponder upon our roles in life and what it might mean to lead another life, that’s here to explore as well, making this a magnificent science fiction film when all is said and done. One that also features some top-notch special effects as well, and a beautiful score for that matter and it is one that needs to be celebrated as often as possible. Because it’s rare to see a film that is a perfect blend of so many elements and also because, it is just a blast to watch and a wonderful way to lose one’s self for an hour and a half.

​Living out fantasies is something that everyone wants to do, but very few of us will ever get the chance. As some people change their minds about what they want to do to make these wishes come true, they still have a spot in their mind that craves what they tried to forget. Knowing that it will never happen, it is easy to make concessions to what would make you happy, but what you really want will never go away. 
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While getting ready for her last shift, Kelly gets breakfast in bed from her best friend Melissa. Knowing that they will never see each other again after she leaves, Kelly must make the best of her final hours in town with her friend. At work, Kelly meets a friendly face at the bar and tries to invite him out for drinks after her shift ends. Even though the stranger declines, Kelly and Melissa go out and get many drinks in them, but while walking home they are confronted by a different man that neither of them wanted to deal with. Pulling out a gun and shooting Melissa, Kelly is forced to watch her friend die on the street, but it does not end there when the man wraps his hands around her throat, killing her as well.

At Vice, everyone can live out their wildest fantasies with no repercussions. If killing people is on your list, you can do that since the workers in the resort are artificial humans, robots that can be programed to comply to your every need. Being designed by Julian Michaels, the resort is the hottest place around, and everyone wants to get in and live out their dreams. Even a detective has taking a liking to the resort as Roy is always looking for his next arrest inside of the off-limits mini city. Even though he has been told to stay out of the resort, Roy believes that it is bad for his business and allowing people to kill over and over again on the inside, it trickles out, making his streets less safe.

Being cleaned up and reprogramed, Kelly is about to live the same day over again, but there is a hiccup in her memory. Remembering what happened the night before, she is sent back to the lab to have all of her memories erased permanently. Being able to escape the resort, Kelly finds that the real city is not a safe place for her to be as well. Being hunted down by one the top cops from Vice, she is forced back into her old home, but she is not alone as Roy’s current murder investigation has led him to the same place. Wanting to find out what is happening inside of the city, Roy is thrown into the crossfire as Julian needs to have Kelly destroyed before her story gets out. Coming up with a different plan, Roy wants to bring the resort down and needs Kelly to agree with him to do so, but she will take some convincing.

An interesting premise to say the least. Making a resort full of androids that will conform to your every need, even murder, it seems to be that the world has gotten pretty darn dark. I really liked Kelly’s role in all of this and the way she was able to grow when starting to access her memories, and when she decides to get an upgrade, well, I am sure you know that all bets would be off. The distrust that Roy has for the resort never changes and I respect him for that, even though his boss continues to tell him to lay off, Roy never does since he wants the resort closed. It is hard to get over Julian as he is looking to make the world a better place, and this resort is just a steppingstone to something much greater and he cannot allow anything bad to come out of it. With plenty of action, I liked the story that was being followed and with a great cast to deliver it, it is definitely one to watch, especially if you enjoy androids that look like humans.

To the average movie goer, the hype surrounding the release of The Rise of Skywalker (TROS) probably seemed no different than the last few Star Wars movies or any other blockbuster for that matter. However, to the avid fans, the last film in the Skywalker saga is the end of an era that deserves an epic finish. Therefore, the term hyped is putting mildly. Like many of these fans, I grew up with Star Wars, particularly the movies. While watching the film, I pondered just how I would approach my review and by the end, a theme in the form of lists emerged. Here are my ranked picks of four things TROS got wrong followed by four things it definitely got right. Of course, this is not a full list, but rather what stood out to me the most. So, before you can say “Doesn’t that Wayfinder look just like a Sith Holocron?” or “Wait, what… Storm Troopers can fly now?” …let’s dive in, beginning with what went wrong…

4. Introducing a new droid while somewhat leaving out the old ones
Don’t get me wrong, the new droid D-O, voiced by none other than J.J. Abrams himself, is a great addition to the fan favorite droid family. I particularly like that he speaks in a somewhat skipped language fashion. Yet, to me, this new introduction felt less organic and more like a Disney character cash grab, similar to the Porgs in The Last Jedi (TLJ). Even Babu Frik (Shirley Henderson) felt more naturally derived than D-O, and both R2D2 and BB-8 fell by the wayside, not just to this droid, but in the entire movie as a whole. To explain further, throughout all the Star Wars material, droids are often intricate parts of the story and to put it mildly, R2 and BB-8 came first. Oddly, R2 is left at the Resistance Base for most of the movie, only shown to re-store C3PO’s (Anthony Daniels) memory, then reduced to a mere co-pilot in the final battle. BB-8 fairs only slightly better as he basically becomes a counterpart to D-O (who, beyond being cute, does next to nothing by the way) and only really uses his skills twice – first to take out a Stormtrooper during the Pasaana chase scene and second to open a hatch on the main starship in the Final Order’s fleet. Even their overall droid/human interaction is scaled down, which seems strange considering the term “Never underestimate a droid,” is said twice. Twice!! I will say that seeing R2’s reaction as Leia (Carrie Fisher) passes on is heartbreaking, but beyond that, I found myself missing him which shouldn’t have happened in what’s to be the final chapter of a saga that relied so heavily on R2’s existence in the first place, right?? Sidekicks, yes!! Background sidekicks, no!!
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3. Leaving Finn’s secret unanswered
At a fairly early point in the film, we see Finn (John Boyega) tell Rey (Daisy Ridley) that he needs to tell her something. Yet, this talk never comes to fruition. I cannot help but wonder why. If this is the end of the Skywalker Saga, why wasn’t this fleshed out? I mean, yes, to me, it’s obvious through several other instances in the film, and its predecessors, that Finn is Force sensitive. Duh, right?!? But still – why leave this fully unanswered? Some fans have speculated, and with great merit, that Finn was going to reveal that he has feelings for Rey. To this, I completely disagree as it appears to me that Jannah (Naomi Ackie) filled those shoes, outshining both Rey and Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) as potential love interests for Finn. I also understand that not everything can be answered, but just as I’ll discuss with Palpatine below, this shouldn’t have been one of them. Finn is a fantastic character! He’s naturally funny and charismatic, but throughout the trilogy, his arc has always remained, for lack of a better term, somewhat token in its delivery. It would be great to see him in a spinoff series. Maybe with Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) and Jannah, who, in my opinion, along with her entire Storm Trooper platoon, also appear to be at least somewhat Force sensitive. Interesting, no?

2. Fandom lip service
It’s no secret that there has always been a particular subset of Star Wars fans that have proven to be rather toxic in their critique of the material. I’m all for constructive criticism and legitimate complaints, but I think it’s safe to say the amount of backlash and vitriol hit an all-time high when TLJ hit theatres in December of 2017. Personally, I love the film and have praised Rian Johnson, for not only his creative vision but also his risk taking, particularly with Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) arc. Regardless, it’s not lost on Disney that these particular fans have a very loud voice by ways of the internet and social media. None suffered their wrath more so than Kelly Marie Tran who plays Rose Tico. She was harassed to the point of depression and left social media all together. In 2018, she stated the following in the New York Times: “Their words seemed to confirm what growing up as a woman and a person of color already taught me: that I belonged in margins and spaces, valid only as a minor character in their lives and stories.” And to answer this barbarism, what did Disney and the writers (Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams) do? They let these toxic fans win by sidelining a potentially great character!! Of course, that’s not the path they’re taking now as other fans are creating some backlash of their own. Terrio himself has gone on record to say sidelining Rose wasn’t intentional and that keeping her at the Rebel Base with Leia was on purpose. Even further, he essentially blames technical issues and “photorealism” surrounding the scenes with Carrie. Seriously?? Rose is an experienced pilot and an informal engineer who was able to figure out how The First Order was tracking The Resistance through hyperspace. She easily should’ve been a bigger part of the greater plan to defeat Palpatine. At least a bit more than being tasked with analyzing ship schematics at the base and then later being just a side character in the final battle, having minimal, seemingly forced, lines throughout. Also, to use Leia as an excuse is shameful and this fan truly believes the late, great Carrie Fisher would not approve!

1. The Dead Speak! 
Finding out that Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid) was not only still alive, but the true mastermind behind the ENTIRE saga was awesome and truly a great way to wrap up this dark tale!! However, two things that should have been handled differently was when he was introduced and just exactly how he was brought back. Let’s take a closer look at each…

First, using his voice and likeness in the pre-film release marketing was a bad idea for so many reasons. Specifically, it gave fans something not only to anticipate, but to critique early on, often times in a negative way. Taking a page from The Mandalorian who kept “The Child” a secret, TROS should’ve done the same. Imagine, rather than a social media post, television preview, or even the pre-film crawl, sitting in the movie theatre and hearing that voice for the first time? I mean… Whoa!! This completely missed opportunity would have created a serious mystery vibe with a true and unique element of surprise, am I right?? Subsequently, how he came back was… well, brushed off to say the least. I mean, the guy was thrown down basically an endless hole that immediately blew up afterwards. How the hell did he survive that? And to reduce the explanation to a mere regurgitated sentence from Revenge of the Sith (ROTS), hoping fans wouldn’t notice, or even worse, love the callback and move on, is just absurd. Again, bringing him back and making him the puppeteer the entire time – EPIC! Preemptively doing so and not explaining how – RIDICULOUS!!!

The rest of his story, especially on a second viewing, shapes up quite nicely. I loved that he cloned Snoke (Andy Serkis) to do his bidding and how they portrayed him hooked up to machines (Vader-like) to live, which totally makes sense. I also loved that during all these years in hiding, he built a massive army with a fleet of ships by ways of support from ancient Sith followers at the far reaches of the outer rim. Still though… no one leaked this information anywhere in the galaxy? Not one rebellious child of the ancient Sith followers said, “screw you mom and dad, I just want to explore the galaxy, not be a Sith follower” (LOL)? Couldn’t they have made Palpatine in league with General Enric Pryde (Richard E. Grant) all along? That would at least lend credibility to someone on the “other side” of the galaxy keeping things under wraps for so long, am I right? Again, another missed and easily added opportunity… #SMH 

Before moving forward, a not so honorable mention in the “What went wrong” category is the newly minted Force healing which should’ve been shown early on as a surprise to both us AND Rey! For example, Rey could have been holding a hurt animal in the forest, during her training, only to realize her transferred Force energy heals it. Something this simple would’ve made the scene beneath the sand trap on Pasaana, and later with Ben Solo (Adam Driver), seem perfectly normal. Instead, the higher ups bet on the fact that The Mandalorian and video games took care of this introduction already. Weird, right? I would also like to mention that I am still torn on Luke Skywalker telling Rey to show more respect for the same Lightsaber he tossed over his shoulder in TLJ, which is obviously more toxic fan lip service (insert eye roll here). Having said that, I’m glad they addressed fear as the reason Luke behaved as he did simply because… duh, he’s human!! On the flip side, introducing Admiral Ackbar’s (Tim Rose/Tom Kane) son Aftab Ackbar (Tom Walton) felt right! Overall though, for me, the entire film was exhilarating. Its breakneck pace, comic relief, and excellent special effects along with the dazzling cinematography are fully represented throughout. And on that note, now let’s take a look at what went right…

4. C3PO
Obviously, having addressed droids above, it might seem odd to also have a droid make the “What went right” list. Nevertheless, I argue that C3PO has always been merely a sidekick and comic relief. Different than R2 and BB, we expect this. And aside from translation, especially in Return of the Jedi (ROTJ), he remained mostly a background character until TROS. I loved him front and center and it actually somewhat made up for the lack of R2D2 representation overall. I particularly love the interactions with Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and all the funny background lines. And the tie in that translating ancient Sith language was outlawed by the Senate (AKA Palpatine himself) lends a bit more credence to how the sinister Sith kept his secrets for so long even after his supposed death. Quite diabolically, I might add!! All of this put 3PO in the limelight in a way that he never was before and I loved it!!

3. Easter Eggs and Throwbacks
Modern film makers love to show just how much of a fan of the material they themselves are by paying homage to those that came before them in unique and fun ways. J.J. Abrams did this with The Force Awakens (TFA) and there’s certainly no lack of representation in TROS. References are not only made to previous films, but to other types of media as well. Additionally, these Easter eggs and throwbacks come in the form of both props and dialogue and they are plentiful and awesome!! To name a SMALL few, I’ll start with the Aki-Aki Festival of the Ancestors on Pasaana occurring once every 42 years which parallels the theatrical opening of A New Hope. NICE!! Next, a cameo by Dennis Lawson who plays Wedge Antilles, which for long-time fans is EPIC!! Chewy (Joonas Suotamo; formerly the late, great Peter Mayhew) finally gets his medal. YES!! John Williams, the famed Star Wars music composer, is the bartender with the eye patch seen on the planet Kijimi. Kylo Ren recovers his grandfather’s Wayfinder on Mustafar, the same place that basically birthed Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) and where he built his castle. Very cool, right!! The throne on Exegol mimics the throne from the second Death Star which is foreshadowed when Rey searches for the Wayfinder. Not to mention the Empire Strikes Back (ESB) callback with Rey seeing her darker self just as Luke did in Vader’s helmet. Plus, Warwick Davis reprising his role as Wicket at the end of the final battle. SWEET! To round it out, there was a massive amount of recognizable ships seen when the galaxy rallies to the cause in the final battle, most notably for me, one that looked like (and I hope it is!) The Ghost from Rebels!!!! God, I love that show!! And all this barely scratches the surface. The entire film is eloquently littered with nostalgia and it’s AMAZING!!

2. Reylo
As one of my favorite parts of the entire trilogy, seeing the story arcs for both Rey and Kylo come to a close was bittersweet on so many levels. Their chemistry throughout all three movies is on point and personally, I could watch these two forever! This was made all the more real by finding out they represented a dyad in the force. I mean… HECK YA!! I love watching them fight each other mentally, emotionally, and physically. The tension AND attraction is palpable every time they’re on screen and their final scenes would melt even the coldest of hearts. Let’s take a closer look at each character, shall we?

Starting with Rey… um, Palpatine (Whoa!), her internal struggle, explained by the fact that she is the granddaughter of the most powerful Sith in existence, was something I definitely didn’t see coming. Imagine if the aforementioned Palpatine surprise was coupled with this… hmmm? Regardless, I’ve said before that if written correctly, Rey coming from no one would’ve been just fine. Instead, the writers went as far to the opposite side of the spectrum as one could imagine and I am sooo here for it!! To see Rey face this truth is deliciously evil and crazy sad at the same time. Largely, to find out an actual relative had her parents killed is truly evil. And to see that Luke and Leia already knew is just mind blowing. WHAAAT!!! At first, I thought it didn’t make sense. Why wouldn’t they tell her? But then, similar to the “From a certain point of view” original trilogy debate, I contend now that telling her may very well have sabotaged her training which is exactly how I felt with Luke and his father all those years ago. I also loved to see Rey’s progression across the three films, again akin to Luke from the original trilogy. As for Kylo…his struggle with the Dark Side, shown from the beginning in TFA, finally comes to a head as he starts to realize his place with the Sith is only that of a pawn. That Snoke, a mere tool of Palpatine’s design, stoked Kylo’s anger as a means to reach Rey – the Sith Lord’s true prize. Finally realizing this, only after Leia reaches out to him in her last moments, followed by Rey’s Force healing, Kylo dies and Ben returns. This moment is so well acted by Driver that I was in awe. Weren’t you??

Next, in the final battle between good and evil, before he can join in, Ben must fight his own Knights. NICE!! Nonetheless, I would like to point out that the Knights of Ren throughout the film have a dark and sinister tone that commands attention (thanks, in large part, to the music of John Williams), but they seriously needed more representation. This is definitely one criticism from the TFA and TLJ I fully agree with and carry forward right through TROS. Having said that, when Rey passes the saber to Ben via their dyad connection, I was ecstatic!! Truly a moment I wasn’t expecting even though I knew Luke telling Rey to take both sabers meant Ben would use one at some point. I didn’t envision such an epic way of Rey giving it to him. BRAVO!! In the end, he dies by giving the last of his Force, just like his mother did, to help someone he loves. I was stunned!! I didn’t want him to die, but just like his grandfather, his fate was sealed. After a much needed kiss (YAY!!!), he falls. I hated it!! **Frowny face** But…secretly, I respected and loved it too!! I remember as a girl wishing Darth Vader would have lived. I mean, after all, he was a changed man who saved his son and killed The Emperor (*Smirk*). But then, just like Vader dying as Anakin, history repeats once again to see Kylo die as Ben. Then and now, it was poetic justice for someone so ruthless to end with such a selfless act and every time I see it, I’ll wish it was different all the while knowing it was sooo right! **Sigh**

Before getting to number one, honorable mentions for what went right include a beautifully crafted arc for Poe Dameron (Right!!), the spice runner turned resistance fighter, and the addition of Lando and Chewy at the helm of the Millennium Falcon once again to save the day (Awwww…)!! I’m still torn over the fake out of Chewy’s death, or rather, my mental breakdown (LOL!), though it did make for some great tension!! And the comedic chemistry sprinkled throughout, particularly between Finn and Poe was delightful. Finally, let’s not forget all the original voices of the many Jedi that Rey heard before she rose once more to finish Palpatine for good. I was in tears!! Some for joy, as the culmination of years of fandom washed over my ears. I was speechless!! Then, sadness! For as I heard Ahsoka Tano’s voice (Ashley Eckstein), it became clear that she, like all the others, must be gone too. **SIGH** Thankfully, Dave Filoni gave fans a possible glimpse at the future via Twitter by comparing Ahsoka to The Lord of the Rings Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) who also died only to later rise as Gandalf the White… a truly cinematic achievement to say the least. YESSSS!!!!

1. Ending with hope
From the first time I heard the words “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope” as a little girl, I have been hooked on the space opera that changed the world. And quite honestly, I couldn’t think of a more fitting way to end this saga by way of how it started in the first place – with hope! This shining beacon is displayed throughout all of the films, the multiple animated series, countless comics, books, and virtually any other format of Star Wars in existence. After all, “Rebellions are built on hope,” and the idea that a small few can overcome even the harshest of challenges is the epitome of the vision behind George Lucas’s creation and boy, the TROS did not disappoint!! 

Leia, who is quite powerful with the force, displayed as far back as ROTJ when she expresses remembering images of her mother (likely from the womb), never gave up. Not on the rebellion, the resistance, her brother, and even her son. Using the last of her Force sensitive strength to reach out to the ever conflicted Kylo Ren was absolutely beautiful. A fitting way to not only let the character pass on, but to honor the memory of Carrie Fisher as well! Additionally, I believe that Han Solo (Harrison Ford), returning as a part of Kylo’s tormented subconscious, was in fact Leia, impressively using the medal later given to Chewy to channel Han with the last of her strength to help Kylo forgive himself and move towards the light. It was epic!! I cried and cheered at the same time as Leia, the first guiding light of hope all those years ago, became one of the last. I was in awe by the cohesiveness of this and applaud the writers in their vision!! Finally, finishing the Skywalker arc where it began, we see Rey on Tatooine where she puts aside Luke and Leia’s sabers only to reveal her own. It was made from her trusty staff and sporting a yellow glow to boot, she’s now a Jedi Master. YAAASSS QUEEN!!!! Am I the only one who thought of the Jedi Temple Guards and their yellow sabers?? As she gazes towards the two sun horizon that we’re all so familiar with, I asked myself why she went to the Skywalker home. Then, as she takes their name, the real rise of Skywalker is revealed and my mind is flooded with the idea of a new Jedi Temple on Tatooine helmed by Rey Skywalker and the thousand Jedi who live within her. I am filled with hope. Perfect!! And so, it ends…

Well there you have it. I hope you enjoyed my maiden voyage into the realm of Star Wars fandom. I know I did!! What do you think of my lists? Do you have a list of your own? Until next time…May the Force be with you. Always!!

There are times when it rains and pours on you. When it happens, it is important to not let it get you down too much, since the storm will never last long, you just need to find a way to make it through. So many people seem to think that bad things only happen to them, but in reality, it happens to everyone. I do not like the saying that everything happens for a reason when it comes down to it, but sometimes you may find that your current life lesson may be more of a blessing in disguise. 

Leaving the garage where he has had a job for so many years, reality is finally starting to set in for David Chamberlain. The garage is about to be shut down since there is not enough income to keep it open. When jumping into his car for one last happy hour with his co-worker, David is approached by a young man that is looking for a job. Knowing that there is nothing that the garage will be able to offer him, David waves off the military veteran, but winds up running into him at the bar.

Young Zach is minding his own business at the bar and listening to the news about how the war is getting out of hand and the death toll of U.S. troops is growing every day. When a local town bully comes in and starts complaining about how soft the troops have gotten over the years, Zach is forced to stand up for the men he has fought for. Seeing that the young man was going to take a beating behind the bar, David tries to come to the young man’s rescue, but gets a beating of his own as well. Seeing that Zach has lost a leg in the line of duty, David offers the young man a ride home for his troubles, but the two men cannot find a common ground to discuss anything.

Getting home, David is surprised to see that his daughter is there waiting for him on his birthday. Annabelle is back for the duration since her father’s checks are no longer clearing, but she brings back a painful memory for him, the loss of his wife. Going for a drive to clear his head, David sees a meteor strike and decides to investigate it after wrecking his car. Seeing a figure in the distance walking towards the crater, David is reunited with his wife while he is passed out next to the meteor and knows that it houses something great. Needing help in moving his new treasure, David enlists the help of Zach to move the space rock to a safe place while he tries to figure out what it can really do. Thinking that this is a possible piece of salvation for the world, the two are able to build a cocoon for it and its rebirth powers, but will need to keep it safe from the men in black suits that are trying to locate it as well and use it for more war driven purposes. 

Kind of an eye-opening movie that seems to put its foot down on the war effort verses what should be done at home. As the military vets are being crapped on when they return home, the war continues to escalate and there seems to be nothing that can be done to end it besides dropping nukes and destroying the world. Kind of a scary thought when all is said and done. I liked how everyone had a different reaction to the space rock, while David sees his dead wife, his daughter sees her dying and Zach sees his best friend, the rock means something different to everybody, but still has a great purpose, to help people in need. As the war effort wants the rock to try and avenge all of their fallen soldiers, David and Zach know it is not the right call, but they do not understand the true potential of what the rock can do. With all of the reports coming from the current war playing in the background, it is easy to see where the story was going to go, but it still holds a bit of surprise when the final credits start to roll.  

​It is always good to be looking forward in life, so you have a good idea of where you are going. If you do not have a plan for the future, you might not know what you really want and could possibly get stuck in one facet of life. Keeping an eye on your past is good as well, but most of the time we let our past define us as a person and that might not be who we really are. Being able to move forward with your life and not letting your past hold you back could lead to a better and more entertaining life than most of us could expect.

Miranda Wells is a great nurse and has been trying for some time to be promoted to a surgeon. Knowing that this is her dream her co-workers also try to help her out with her life outside of work since she never seems to have anyone in her personal life. Although Miranda thinks that this is silly, she agrees to be set up on a blind date with a friend’s friend but has no idea what could happen. With her steady hands and sound mind, Miranda is well on her way to making her life move forward to where she wants it to be and is not backing off for any reason. 

While preparing for her date, she hears someone on her porch and assumes that it is her date. Although he is early, Miranda invites him into her house to talk for a while, but when the conversation starts going south, she asks the stranger to leave. But he will not leave and takes advantage of his strength over Miranda and assaults her in her kitchen. With only her father to take care of her, Miranda starts to recover, but her life has changed drastically from that day. Now, she is not able to sell her house because of what has happened within its walls, and her regularly steady hands are not so steady, anymore. With her surgery job on the line, she needs to find a way to get back to the woman that she was, but that is easier said than done.

Thinking that the only way to get her life back is to show the beast that she is not afraid of him, Miranda starts to visit her attacker in prison on a regular basis. William Finn does not look like the predator that he was when he took advantage of her and is working hard on his rehabilitation. Knowing that the only thing in his life that he is good at is messing up and fixing it later, Miranda buys into his sob story and keeps coming in to find out more about her attacker. When William tells her that he is about to be paroled, Miranda has to come to the decision if she will ever want to see him again. Arriving at her house upon his release, William is looking to make things right by fixing it, and Miranda has a plan to keep him at arm’s length while building her porch. Watching what is happening with his daughter, Miranda’s father is upset with what she is doing, but she is a strong girl and has never caved under pressure before and according to her, now is not that time.

Not really the type of movie that floats my boat, but this one has surprised me nonetheless. It's a good character study into Miranda’s mind as her life has taken a detour, not by choice, but by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When more about her history comes to light, it is evident that she will never be the victim, no matter what the situation is. With her only goal of getting back to who she was before the attack, she finds ways to make it better in her own mind and a plate of revenge is not too far off from being served when all is said and done. Happy Viewing.

Memories are something that nobody can ever take away from you, and why would you want them to, they help define who you are today. Every day, you make new memories and you learn from them and they help you to make the right decisions going forward. When you choose to ignore them and make the same wrong decisions on a daily basis, you may be left dumbfounded on why the results never change. But when you look back at them, they can provide many more lessons than you tend to give them credit for.

On the day of his graduation, Jonas is strangely concerned about what his future in the community will be. Since everyone has a designed future, he hopes that he will be given something that matches with his attitude, but that is not up to him, it is up to the Chief Elder. During graduation, the Chief Elder passes over his number and fails to give him a job for the future, but quickly remedies this when she comes back to make a special announcement. Jonas has been given the position of Receiver of Memories, but with this great role in the community comes great pain if he chooses to accept it. 

After The Ruin, everyone in society has been drugged and made to believe that their current way of living is the best for everyone. There's nothing special about anyone anymore, and Jonas has been given his new set of rules to live by that do not abide by the rules laid out for other people. Going to the end of the street to meet his new mentor, The Giver, Jonas is given the opportunity to see things that nobody else in this community has seen and he wants more. With memories being passed down to him by The Giver, Jonas wants to know why nobody else is privy to these events and believes it would be better for people to see them, rather than having them go through their daily grind with no emotion.

The Giver agrees with Jonas, but that is not the way it has been done for years. Urging Jonas to take the next step in his training, The Giver tells him to pass on his daily injections to see the world in a different light. While the injections should be full of vitamins to keep the people healthy, it is actually a batch of drugs that keeps the mind from wandering. After missing a couple of days of injections, Jonas starts to see colors and develops feelings outside of what he has ever felt in his life. Not being able to tell anyone about what he is learning in his training sessions, Jonas has to lie about what is being done, but that is not all. As his emotions start to develop, he finds a very strong one that has been oppressed, love. When trying to convey these feelings to his family, they believe he is starting to go crazy, but when his assigned little brother has been taken to be exiled from the community, Jonas knows exactly what needs to be done.

Not the type of movie that I usually watch, but it kept being recommended to me and I must admit that I really enjoyed it. As his eyes are opened to what is around him, Jonas has a lot of growing to do, but he does not want to do it alone. When trying to show his friends what he is learning, he is called out by the Chief Elder who does not want memories to be formed, much less remembered in her society. As their world has been cut off, it is easy to see why a perfect society may be essential, but not allowing people to come to their own decisions is just madness in my mind. I liked how The Giver and Jonas bonded and were able to come to terms with what was wrong in their community and when they decide to end the tyranny, it will open the eyes of everyone else that have never seen what life is really about.

​Going on a vacation is one of the best ways to unwind and just let you be yourself if only for a couple of days. As you don’t have the fear of what is happening in the world following you, you have a chance to let loose and just have some good old-fashioned fun. To keep sane, you should take a couple of these little trips a year and when you can maybe even do a staycation, though that does not work as well as leaving your house and traveling. You don’t need to travel far and with flights being pretty affordable, you will not have to pay an arm and a leg to get anywhere you want to go.
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While on vacation in Chile, Gringo has been able to make a new friend in Ariel who is more than willing to let the American tag along when it comes to the Chilean night life. With Ariel’s best friend Pollo leading the way, Gringo sees how things go, but he is really looking for a woman to help him take his mind off of his ex-wife’s new boyfriend. While each of the party spots is banging with ladies, Gringo just wants to sit down and talk to one, but he quickly finds out that this is not the way mingle at these events, he will have to be more charming and have some sort of game to keep them around.

During their final night in Chile, sisters Kylie and Monica are fighting over what they should do. While Kylie really wants to party nonstop, she always gets the okay from dad to do whatever her heart desires, while Monica is left to be the big sister who has to worry. When spotting the girls at the door, Pollo is able to get them into the club and convinces them to stay in town just one more night for the best party of the year. While the girls seem to think that this is a good idea, deep down Monica just wants to leave, but once again is overridden by her little sister. The three guys and three girls take a trip closer to the coast to see all of the beautiful sights and see the best that Chile has to offer, but their lives are about to change when the party of the year begins.

Arriving at the club, the group has a good time and while Gringo shows he has no game, he will not be alone for very long. An earthquake hits the city and while several people are hit and killed by falling debris, Gringo and his group are okay until Ariel tries to help the bartender who is being crushed by the shelving behind her. Being able to save her, the shelf falls forward cutting off Ariel’s hand and now the panic starts to set in for the group. Needing to get their friend to the hospital, the group hears the tsunami sirens going off and know that the city is about to be washed away. Needing to get to higher ground, Pollo quickly finds out that his money and connections will not save him, but Gringo and the girls will need him to navigate the city since none of them speak the language, much less know where they are. As the group moves through the streets, the find out that there is more to fear than the aftershocks or tsunamis as the people in the city prepare for the worse.

I love a good disaster movie and since this one has an earthquake, I was sure that I would enjoy it, but it is much more than that. After the earthquake hits and you are able to see who the good people are that are willing to help others, there are plenty of people that could care less about anyone else’s well-being. I liked the pleas for help and watching them being ignored, it seemed to add the reality that we all try to imagine does not exist in these situations. I really liked all of the characters, it is hard to pick out one being my favorite as they all add something special to the story, they even seemed to get along after the quake hit. This is one of those movies that does not pull any punches when it comes to what some people will do when a situation that they can take advantage of arises. With plenty of destruction and blood, there is also plenty of time to get to know the characters and when you do, you might start to tear up as they start to die off after the quake hits.