Everly, Creep, and The Keep

 EVERLY:

Salma Hayek stars as the titular character in this action/revenge flick- when Everlys gangster boyfriend finds out that she’s planning to betray him to the police, all bets are off and the captive prostitute is beaten and prepared for death. Desperate to survive, she manages to shoot her captives and prepares to leave her apartment. But there’s a price on her head, an army in the elevator, and the police are on the payroll. That’s the first thirty seconds of the film and things get truly crazy from that point on!

Director Joe Lynch strips down the average “revenge” film and traps the protagonist in a single apartment and apartment hallway where ALL of the action takes place. We are caught up in a never-ending onslaught as our heroine fights off rampaging hookers, murderous psychopaths, tattooed Yakuza, savage dogs, well-armed thugs, assassins, and armored police in riot gear. She has no hope for survival and it’s not even an option, but she has a stash of money that she’s been saving and she needs to make certain that she can keep her mother and daughter safe from the monsters who are currently on the hunt for them all. AND... This movie was AWESOME!!! Okay, there’s this dude who gets shot right in the beginning but he doesn’t die- actually, he’s shot in the stomach and I guess it must chip his spine because he can’t move at all after that. But he tries to help Everly and we get a few minutes of good dialogue between them, we find out about the crime lord, we get details on the organization, and Hayek is as beautiful now at 49 as she was during “Desperado”- action sequences are fantastically shot and there’s a few tracking shots that show us how claustrophobic everything is at times. When the movie slows down it's only to build up the stakes and let us know who Everly is and what the villain is capable of. And all of this while trapped in one single location that gets wrecked through the course of the film! I was laughing at inappropriate moments an filled with glee as Salma Hayak blasted her way across the scene on a path toward bloody revenge!

Amazing use of space!

4.5 out of 5 and a definite MUST watch! MUST OWN!!!

 

The Keep

“They were all drawn to THE KEEP!”

Directed by Michael Mann and based on the horror novel by F. Paul Wilson, this 1983 film is a bit of an oddity from this era. We have some truly great actors and performances with Gabriel Byrne, Ian McKellan, Scott Glenn, and Jurgen Prochnow. We have some beautifully shot scenes and a couple of really eerie moments, but a really confusing narrative that never seems to address what might actually be happening within the walls of the ancient Keep in question.

The film takes place during World War Two and a German Squad has been stationed within the walls of an Eastern European Keep where an ancient force lies buried. Some of the soldiers accidentally release the “Force” (It calls itself “Molinar”) and another ancient immortal (Glenn) senses what’s happening from half a world away. Several soldiers are killed, villagers are blamed, and the SS Officer is convinced to bring in a Jewish Professor (McKellan) to translate some words found etched into the walls.

Okay, I found myself a little lost about halfway through this movie and kept watching with a hope that there would be answers- but most of what is happening is lost in the delivery and I had to do some research on the film’s source material to find out a few details. Molinar is not just an ancient force but a powerful Sorcerer, Scott Glenn’s character is an opposing force to Molinar and is maneuvering to stop the Sorcerer from accomplishing his task, with everyone else supposedly falling between the two powerful forces where one is good and the other is evil. I’m not going to spoil which is which- because there is a bit of a mystery involved in that bit of a detail.

The effects are fairly top notch, but the whole film sort of unspools with a number of scenes that seem a little rushed, incomplete, or maybe edited a little badly. There’s also a heavy-synth score that virtually blares beneath some of the more dramatic moments and it can work against the tension of the scene.

3 out of 5 and a low priority rental, though you could literally avoid this one and not lose any sleep. But it's definitely worth watching for sci-fi/fantasy/horror fans.

“Creep”

There’s a sub-genre with the Independent film market that is referred to as “mumble-core”, the basics of which are as follows: Rough outline sketch of a script, actors perform improv, and the director sort of splices together the material he shoots and tries to make a cohesive film out of all the material he’s shot. “Creep” falls squarely in this category and is the second of its sort to try and explore the genre using elements of horror.

The simple story is that a man answers a “craigslist” ad for a videographer to record a day in the life of a man who is dying of cancer. He wants to record a day in his life to share with his unborn son, a son that he regrets he may never get a chance to meet. And the whole of the film comes from the material collected during this project- and that’s all I can say without spoiling it. Suffice to say that not everything is as it seems and the film builds on suspense and slowly crawls and slithers to its unnerving conclusion. 

The film stars Mark Duplass as the “dying man” and Patrick Brice as the “videographer”. Duplass is engaging, funny, charismatic, and downright mesmerizing in his role as the character suffers breakdowns, turmoil, regret, and ultimately confesses a series of truths that makes Brice uncomfortable and maybe a little on edge. Are things really as they seem? Is there more going on here than is obvious, or are we just seeing a dying man facing his mortality?

3 out of 5 and a strong rental if you enjoy POV-shot films.

Bone Tomahawk and All Cheerleaders Die!

“Bone Tomahawk”

I want to start with a few thoughts about film distribution.

The advent of new technology makes it more and more difficult for distributors to actually make any money on the distribution of a film- the costs associated with the production, marketing, and shipping costs alone are problematic but when you throw in the added damage from on-line piracy, some films will just not receive the sort of distribution we once saw for smaller releases. The way things work right now, there are two types of films- the big budget spectacles and the micro-budget “art-house” and exploitation film. The days of a moderately budgeted “working” film are all but dead and we now live in a feast or famine environment in film.

I mention all of this because “Bone Tomahawk” may be a firm example of how the failures of distribution, marketing, and shipping are a direct reflection of the problems currently haunting cinephiles such as myself. Because my guess is that not too many of my Faceless Readers have ever even heard of the movie I’m going to be reviewing. I barely heard about it myself and all credit goes to the “Horror Movie Podcast” for reviewing and recommending this film as one of the best of 2015. Without this word of mouth, “Bone Tomahawk” finds itself doomed to a Walmart bargain shelf and the vague hope that someone finds a little interest in seeing Kurt Russell in a western. And that’s a damned shame, because it may actually be one of the years best films I had a chance to see- and it missed my “Best of List” by merely a few days.

Kurt Russell stars as a frontier sheriff. He’s abrupt, quick to decide, and ultimately good hearted man who wants to serve the community and do what’s right. He arrests and wounds a drifter, not knowing the man is being hunted for the desecration of “sacred land” a small distance away. During the night, the drifter, deputy, and an attending Nurse are kidnapped by an obscure tribe of mountain cannibals that the other tribes fear. The Sheriff gathers up a small posse of men to follow after and hopefully rescue the kidnapped townsfolk- a local veteran in fighting Indians(Matthew Fox, “Lost”), an aging deputy grieving over the loss of his own wife(Richard Jenkins, “Cabin in the Woods”, and the nurses’ wounded husband (Patrick Wilson, “Insidious”).

It’s a straightforward film about four men on a journey. This is about their interaction with one another and why each man feels compelled to make the trek, what they plan to do when they get there, and the obstacles standing in their way. It’s a gritty film and there’s very little joy to be found in the rocky crags and near-desert emptiness of the mountain region- there’s little hope for success and slighter hope in even finding their charges alive. And the film just ramps up the intensity with small squabbles, well-paced dialogue, and moments of sacrifice long before they finally manage to track down and confront the “Troglodyte” tribe responsible.

You’ll notice earlier in that I said I heard about this film through the “Horror Movie Podcast”, and make no mistake- this film gets downright horrific. It’s a moody, dark, gritty, violent, and horrifying little film but that “horror” classification only accounts for a small tenth of the run-time. This movie is a dramatic western long before it’s a traditional horror, but it definitely deserves it’s spot on the “Horror” wall with one act that is so brutal and monstrous that I nearly turned my head from the gruesomeness.

5 out of 5.

“Cheerleaders Must Die”

I didn’t expect it from this film. I mean, I should have sort of expected something. This is a collaborative effort from directors Lucky McKee (“The Woman”) and Chris Sivertson (“The Lost”) and is currently streaming on Netflix. And I should’ve known that a film directed by two men who have repeatedly adapted material from Jack Ketchum wouldn’t just come on straight for a horror comedy, but that was what I was expecting. A couple of giggles, a couple of laughs, a couple of dark moments, and a big twist at the end to reveal that Sidney herself would be the killer. In other words, I was expecting this movie to be another “I Know What You Did… “ knock off and I was genuinely surprised when the film took a sudden turn midway through and became something far different.

This is basically “Heathers” meets “The Craft” by way of “Lifeforce”- a rebellious teen joins the High School Cheerleader squad in order to get some measure of revenge on the Football Captain and school star. Her plans lead to some unfortunate events that result in the squad and herself being resurrected from death as vampiric creatures of some sort. Despite the cheesy sounding plot, the film packs a hell of a cruel punch as characters reveal themselves to be much more than the caricatures they portray much earlier in the film.

3.5 out of 5 for this highly entertaining flick.

Hateful Eight, Pretty good.

Hateful Eight

As I sit here typing my thoughts I am listening to the beautiful soundtrack to the film- composed by Ennio Morricone- and  it’s like nothing he’s previously done for any other Western that I can think of.  It surely seems more in line with some of the Italian Horror and suspense films of the 80’s and 70’s. Upon further research, some of the music is actually recycled from unreleased material in his earlier collaboration with John Carpenter for “The Thing”- which is probably no accident given the subject matter, the tone, and even some of the film’s stars. A friend of mine drew several similarities to the film and I’m probably going to do the same- because this is Tarantino doing the west with the paranoid edge of a noire thriller. These are my thoughts regarding “The Hateful Eight”.

First- it’s hard to ignore the controversy surrounding the film over the past several years. A leak in the production team or amongst Tarantino’s personal circle resulted in the distribution of an early draft on the script- and that release provoked a fury in Tarantino as he withdrew all consideration for even making this film to begin with. Amidst this controversy, Tarantino decided to stage a live reading of the script and this brought him back on board for making the movie. Then he insisted the film be made in 70MM cinescope, which is mostly an all but dead technology in film production. He intended the film be released in a traveling road show for 70mm projection- probably gorgeous, by all accounts, but ultimately received a larger digital distribution with about ten minutes shaved from the time. During press junkets for the films promotion, Tarantino has rankled other film makers with comments toward the makers of “It Follows”, the Disney corporation for the timing of their Star Wars release, the activities of police officers, his liberal usage of some choice terminology in his movies, his decision to probably top at a magic “10” to the total number of films he intends to make throughout his life, and a genuinely bizarre series of encounters that leave most of his fans confused and a little troubled by the writer/director.

And all of this kind of feels a little important when the theater lights come up and the film comes to a close- because this film may be one of the most interesting looks into the mind of the director himself, his technique, and precisely where he sees himself and his legacy in the world of film. Make no mistake about it- this is the most Tarantino film of all his films and yet it’s also the most mature and ambitious project he’s ever tried to tackle. It’s also the most self-indulgent and aggrandizing project and I’m kind of at a loss on where to rank this among his other works.

The story is fairly simple and hearkens back to his beginning with a nod to Reservoir Dogs-minimalism; Eight people in a lonely little outpost along the western trails of Colorado during the dead of winter.  John Ruth (Kurt Russell) is a bounty hunter looking to collect his pay on a fugitive he’s got chained to his wrist. We know who he is from the outset- grizzled, gruff, and maybe a little sentimental toward the ideals of justice in what he sees as the Land of the Free and Home of the brave. His prisoner, Daizy Domergue (Jenniver Jason Leigh), is a foul mouthed tramp that is most likely due for the gallows rope once Ruth brings her in. Along the road they come across a Civil War Northern veteran who now makes his living as a bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) and the son of a famous Southern General claiming to be the new Sheriff of Red Rock (Walton Goggins).

The sparks are already flying between the four as driver O.B. eventually steers them up to that old Outpost (amusingly called “Minnie’s Haberdashery”; it doesn’t take long to find out why) and the rest of the ensemble cast. Are they all just innocent men trying to wait out the blizzard, or are some of these men here to help out the wild gal in Ruth’s custody? Tarantino maintains a slow broil throughout the film and uses the freezing cold of winter to crank up the heat. And when things happen it’s sudden, explosive, violent, and absolutely no one is safe or innocent. And I’m sure everyone is going on and on about Jackson and Russell- rightfully so! They’re amazing!

But there are two break out performances in this movie beyond what we might expect. The first is Jennifer Jason Leigh’s dark little turn as the vindictive Minnie. Leigh hasn’t seen much in the way of a prominent role since the early 90’s, but she really sizzles here and is worth the price of admission all alone. And the second performance comes from Walton Goggins, a familiar character actor you’ve seen coming from ten miles away in a number of different films where he’s often playing the same old role- most notably in “The Shield” and “Justified”;  he’s often typecast as the Southern Redneck-type and it really plays to our expectations. Here he plays to his strength with some interesting turns and performances along the way- is he really the sheriff or is he something darker? I found myself constantly on the edge of my seat throughout the course of the film- even if the seat did start to feel a little too well worn by the three hour mark.

I really want to give the film a five out of five, but the three hours and a couple of scenes just started to knock a few points off- because while the film is truly a great thing, it is also very much a case where “art for art’s sake” is a bit too presumptuous.

4.5 out of 5.

Ave. Q at Paper Wing Theatre

The problem with writing about the same show three times over the course of the past five years is that it’s very hard to not repeat yourself. This is especially true when several of the performers from the previous performances return for another run, though some in vastly different roles than before. As I can’t be certain people have read my previous thoughts on the previous runs of the Avenue Q, I can’t take for granted that the reader is going to be familiar with the plot- Which is as follows: Princeton (the returning Nicholas Kelly) is a fresh-faced puppet straight out of college who is in for a rude awakening when he enters the “real world” and it’s mundane hurdles of paying rent, finding a job, random encounters and a string of poor decisions that come with growing up. All of this is told in the same style of a Sesame Street-type show that’s geared toward facing much more adult scenarios that include sex, racism, employment, and the day to day lives of those who live on Avenue Q.

But for those readers who have seen my previous thoughts on the show, much of what I’ll be writing will be a rehash of some familiar thoughts on the show. The songs are catchy, the band is solid, and returning players Kelly and Jay Devine (as “Ernie-like” puppet, Nicky) are solid and as inspired as the first two go-rounds. Also returning for another go-round are two of the traditionally “human” characters, Kate Faber as Asian American therapist Christmas Eve; and Jared Hussey as her 33 year old struggling comic and lay about, Brian. Everything I’ve said about them both is just as true today as it was a few years ago… for those who don’t remember,  said they were awesome and other stuff like that.

And, also returning for another go-round, is Robert Feeney who slides from one role into that of “Burt-like” staunch Republican Banker, Rod. He’s very good in the role and is especially moving in the number, “Fantasies Come True”- his manipulation of the Puppet is spot on and he breathes life into the character throughout. Stepping into Trekkie Monster (Formerly played by Feeney twice) is Cody Moore, whose experience with puppetry makes him a grand slam addition to the cast. His voice is also spot on for the gruff and lovable porn-addicted monster. Also stepping from one role to another is Jordan Brewer, filling the shoes of iconic child-star actor “Gary Coleman” (Represented in Puppet form). “Gary” is the butt of everyone’s jokes and Brewer carries off the tongue in cheek humor of the character very well.

New to the show is the shows other lead, “Kate Monster” (Vanessa Burkleo). Her voice carries strong throughout her solos and is endearing with a sense of blushing nervousness as she wishes for romance and dreams of one day opening a school for Monsters. Teri Dobbins plays “Lucy the Slut”, the wanton foil to Kate’s innocence and a delivers the goods on “Make ya’ Feel Special” solo. Then there are the enthusiastic “Bad Idea Bears”, a sickeningly cute pair of trouble-makers with lots of bad advice and temptations for our lead characters. The pair are played by Kelsey Posey and Taylor Landess with terrifically over-the-top enthusiasm.  

The rest of the ensemble cast step into a number of additional roles throughout the show, including an hilariously voice “Mrs. Thistwetwat”, a rambunctious clown with a great magic trick involving a bird, a terrific counting number, and a very blessed moment of silence.

5 out of 5 and a great way to lift your spirits when the holiday dumps come a’calling.

The Producers @ The Western Stage

I get this text message from a buddy of mine, goes by the name of Jay Brew- he’s like, “Were you going to see The Producers?” and I’m pretty sure he means the production at the Western Stage over here in Salinas. And I’m like, “Hey, honey- should I go check out the Producers at the Western Stage” and the wife is like, “How much?” So I ask- and I get a decent price quoted and so I’m off to the see the show on closing night.

My familiarity with the source material sort of ends with my exposure to the film that features Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel in the title roles of Mel Brooks classic comedy. To be frank, I tend to flat out avoid anything with the name Matthew Broderick becoming associated with it because I am “not a fan” of the actor. So the production I saw would not be bringing in the cool cat beatnick who falls into the role of Hitler, the ex-Nazi officer would not be played in quite the same way, and there promised to be many more musical numbers than I was actually expecting in this production from the Western Stage. And as this would also be their closing night, I am sorry to say that my thoughts on the show will not act as a recommendation to my faceless readers. It may, however, come off as a teasing thumb to the nose for those who missed the productions run because I can be a bit of a braggart.

Just a bit.

The title characters of the show are Max and Leo, respectively. Max is a conniving rogue bilking little old ladies out of their savings through a combination of selling a percentage of his consistently bombing Broadway shows and his own “amorous attentions”.  He’s barely making ends meet and he laments a once promising future wasted on a series of poor decisions- when Leo walks into his life. Leo Cortez takes an iconic character first made famous by Zero Mostel and takes ownership with a touch of the playful imp. As I never saw the other version, I’m uncertain how much of the performance may have been influenced by Nathan Lane but I really enjoyed this actor’s ability to offer an occasional nod to the audience and a little breaking of the fourth wall for comedic effect.

The second half of the title characters is a nervous milquetoast consistently browbeaten to submission by a thankless job and unfulfilled dreams. Leo is played to full hilt by Tim Marquette, who manages to spurts of manic energy while remain stoop-shouldered and hesitant throughout each confrontation.

When Leo casually remarks on the idea that one could conceivably make more money from an intentional flop that than an actual hit, the horses are off and the race begins! The pair try to secure the rights to the worst play they’ve read, the talents of the worst director they can find, and proceed to break one theatrical taboo after another in an attempt to make “Springtime for Hitler” the worst show in town. The pair plunge through several musical misadventures with slapstick effect; meeting with the aging Nazi playwright to take the Sigfried Oath and trying to convince a gaudy Broadway Director and his crew to tackle their first “Historic” epic. Then they meet Una ( played by always hilarious Mindy Whitfield), the blonde bombshell from Sweden, who uses her assets to convince the pair to cast her in the ill-fated producted.

The play was every bit as funny as you would expect from a Mel Brooks production with plenty of gags and the rousing apex of “Springtime for Hitler” number that truly carries with it a sense of the absolutely ridiculous.

PS: While this may seem a little self-serving and carries a little bit of nepotism, it was really great to get a chance to see Allyson Bojorquez in several ensemble roles. It was her performance several years ago in the Paper Wing show of “Repo! The Genetic Opera” that inspired me to pursue an interest in theater over the following years and I only had a brief opportunity to work with her on Remo D’s “Manor of Mayhem” television show. It's great to see her again on stage.

Top Ten for 2015.

2015 Year in Movies.

Not the most disappointing year in movies for the weird, but a little light in the realm of Horror. It’s been a big year for blockbusters and several highly anticipated reboots and superheroes and sequels and a whole lot of Disney dominance of the Silver Screen. Last year I never even bothered to write a top ten list since I’d been busy with other things and nothing really stood out as being incredibly awesome.

2015 may be a little more interesting?

Without further ado.

1.      Mad Max: Fury Road-

Released under a bunch of nonsensically false controversy with regard to the fabled “Mens Rights Activists” (IE, morons whining on the internet), Mad Max was a brutal thrill ride of a film that boiled down the language of film to its most basic components for a truly incredible spectacle. Action rather than corny dialogue propelled the simple plot forward, practical effects added weight and kinetic energy to the chase, and what little CGI was used was done to enhance what was already on the screen. Add in a stand-out performance from Charlize Theron and you have a modern classic brought to life.

2.      Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Keeping in mind that I would’ve LOVED to put this movie at the top of the list immediately upon viewing, the truth of the matter is that I think it’s the second best film I’ve seen all year long and that it may change in years to come as I go back and watch again and again. It’s  my favorite in the series since Empire Strikes Back and I can’t wait for the others- but it’s only part of a larger saga and there just weren’t enough conclusions to really make it a fully encapsulated story of its’ own.

3.      Crimson Peak - 

A dark and gothic romance/horror film with some great visuals. Guillermo Del Toro definitely delivers again with a hugely impressive display. Definitely a film for fans of classic films and genre films.

4.      Kingsman:

This satirical super-spy action comedy was one of the best times I had at the cinema this past year.

5.      Green Inferno –

Not the best movie with regards to quality, but a fun little gorefest with plenty of practical effects. The plane crash alone was worth the price of the ticket and I really just had a fun time with this little flick- Eli Roth delivered the Grue!

6.      Ex Machina:

Probably one of the better sci-fi films I’ve seen in recent years. This is an interesting story that, on the surface, explores Artificial Intelligence… and more specifically explores human thoughts, desires, temptations, and manipulation. Very well done.

7.      It Follows:

Struggled a bit with the general pacing of the film, but it’s a terrific concept that brings a whole new sense of terror to ones budding sexuality. The story involves a supernatural creature that only those afflicted can see- and the only way to relieve yourself of the curse, at least temporarily, is to pass it on to someone else before it eventually comes back to you. Great premise, some great performances. Worth watching.

8.      Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation

This odd little series of films just seems to be getting better and better with each successive film- an oddity in cinema in that it’s usually the first film that’s the best and the others are just sequels making an odd attempt to recapture the brilliance of the first. This series keeps going on, each film getting better in quality over the first and Tom Cruise’s “Ethan Hunt” character matures with each installment and mission.

9.      Victor Frankenstein:

This will probably be the most tragically underrated and underappreciated film of the year due to the poor marketing and it’s attempt to saddle the stars with an unnecessary burden. The movie works as an adaptation of the Frankenstein story from the point of view of his assistant and it works as stand out performances from the films stars, but it should never have been promoted as a vehicle for either man and much more attention should have been given to the actual premise of the story. Worth seeing.

10.   Jurassic World:

This is pretty much my popcorn muncher film- and it brought back the M’F’in’ T-Rex!!! It wasn’t very good, but it was very fun.

Honorable and dishonorable mentions: Super Hero films were all over the place this past year, but none really seemed to rise above expectations or really deliver anything new and engrossing to the bloated genre as it currently stands. “Age of Ultron” had a great voice performance from the title character, but the heroes all seemed to be going through the motions and worked toward setting up the next Avengers film without caring about where the story currently stood. Ant Man felt like a traditional throw-back to the original story we’d seem time and again with a little of a “Heist” film thrown in the background- had the movie focused more on the “heist” and less on the “redemption of untapped potential” I may have been a little more invested.

We also had a slew of “Paranormal” horror flicks- A lackluster Poltergeist remake, The latest Paranormal Activity film, the Gallows, and so on so forth etcetera and beyond- the recent glorification of renowned con-artists and proven frauds continue to flood the “Based on a true story” horror market and then there was rinse/repeat cycle of sequel dregs.

Then there are the films I missed- Bone Tomahawk is the horror/western featuring what many are saying was THE performance of the year from actor Kurt Russell. Krampus was released to some critical praise, the Christmas-themed horror film bringing a sense of pop-culture recognition to what many believe is the “anti-Santa”. Tarantino’s “Hateful Eight” is supposed to see a small release before the new year, with a wider release directly afterward so it may have to wait for the 2016 year in review.

What to look for in 2016-

The big tent-pole film is supposed to be the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie; fans rejoice and get set for that one. The trailer more than teases the conflict between Kent and Wayne and introduces a typically neurotic Jesse Eisenberg in the role of Lex Luthor… the arrival of Doomsday, Wonder Woman, a promised appearance by Aquaman, and possibly other Heroes in the DC Universe which is all supposed to set up the eventual Justice League film. Also, from DC, we get introduction to some of the Warner Bros. villains in the form of the Suicide Squad which had a slightly less spoiler-filled trailer to tease the arrival.

On the opposite side of the comic hero spectrum we have Captain America and the new Civil War story Arc for all the Avenger films. What kind of affect this may have on the upcoming Doctor Strange film has yet to be revealed, if there is any affect. With a  number of projects in development, Marvel Studios rushes into Phase Three of their film universe.

Then in the horror realm we have classic literature battling zombies, another year of another promised Friday the 13^th and Halloween films, and really nothing that I can think of off the top of my head.

Episode 7, spoiler free.

STAR WARS: The Force Awakens (spoiler free review)

This one doesn’t mince around and it doesn’t try to take you by surprise. But if it doesn’t take someone by surprise, then why should we go without spoilers? Because it’s about the way the story is told- it’s about the craftsmanship in telling a story and bringing the characters from point A to point B. And I’ll try to remain as spoiler free as I can because this film deserves it and the audience deserves it.

It’s just well done. It’s storytelling from the Mythic standpoint and it tells you a story that is a little familiar but also just different enough to be engaging. It’s the story of heroes and their villains- the story of a galactic enemy coming into power and the resistance that rises to stop them. That’s where we are in the Star Wars franchise- an offshoot of the Empire calls itself The First Order and it’s a militant uprising devoted to the iconography of the Empire and it’s rule of law.

The characters are just very enjoyable- John Boyega’s “Finn” is fun, engaging, and VULNERABLE… not whiney, not pedantic, but genuinely vulnerable. He’s the "everyman" character we root for and understand. He's everything that we, as the audience, are supposed to be. Funny, witty, a little frightened, and very much out of his depth. He's also brave and he acts without thinking- and it all stems from compassion rather than just going out and trying to "get his". He's a breath of fresh air in a cynical world. He’s absolutely central the story, but these stories work best with an ensemble and if Finn is the everyman “fool”, then  “Rey” is the idealist. She’s the kind of character people would wish they were; someone destined to greatness. Po Dameron brings the snarky bluster, BB-8 is a trusty sidekick droid, and then there’s Kylo Ren.

Let me say this, and I’ll try not to spoil anything- Kylo Ren is precisely what Anakin SHOULD have been in episodes 2 and 3. He’s not whiney- he’s afraid and he’s angry, bitter, and he wants to bring Order to a Galaxy that he thinks has fallen into chaos. This is a character in pain and who happens to have more power at his disposal than he knows what to do with- but, even more importantly, he’s someone who has difficulty maintaining control and he lashes out multiple times. And his motives are left shrouded in mystery- there’s only really a taste of what he is, despite all that’s revealed.

There are a lot of cameo appearances- but Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia are very important characters to the film. They aren’t just there to pop their heads in and remind you of what was- they mean something to the story.

You’ll note I haven’t spoken much about the details of the story?

That’s on purpose- because it’s so very basic and so very simple and it’s a reflection of things that have come before. The major differences are in the telling and the specifics- A Galaxy at the brink of war, a doomsday weapon, heroes, villains, and allies for both.

5 out of 5.