Review of Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker

I will keep this review spoiler-free for now, but will expand on it once a suitable amount of time has passed. 

-Nate 

Pros
I liked a lot of things about this movie.

• It established really strong connections back to the Original Trilogy, stronger than any of those from the previous two films. In this way, it doesn't seem like it was just tacked on in order to be able to sell more movie tickets.
  
• There were satisfying story arcs for each of the main new characters—Poe, Finn and Rey—something that cannot be said about The Lost Jedi.
  
• I was also pleased by the sense of closure that was provided for characters from the Original Trilogy.
  
• It moves along at a steady clip, and never becomes boring.
• Lando!

Cons
I didn't like a few details.

• A couple of scenes had tremendous scope, to the extent that I think it could have been reduced without diminishing their overall effect.
  
• There's a character connection established that leaves a big question unanswered; given that this is the final movie in the Skywalker saga, I wonder if we'll ever learn that answer.
  
• At times I think the movie could have slowed down some and taken its time to develop some of the scenes more.

Questions
There are some big looming questions, too.

• There's the character question connection that I mentioned above.
• Outside of the current series, The Mandalorian, and the other two that have been announced—featuring Obi-Wan Kenobi and Cassian Andor—I wonder what the feature holds for the Star Wars franchise.

All in all, I was quite satisfied with this movie; I'll say more after another viewing or two, and go into more detail once it seems safe to mention spoilers.

Star Wars: Black Spire Novel Review

I've been intrigued recently about the new Galaxy's Edge portion of Disney World that's opening up, enough so that I picked up this novel that ties into it. I wasn't expecting much, given that I haven't much cared for the "adult" Star Wars novels that have been published since Disney bought Lucasfilm.

This time I was pleasantly surprised, though.

Black Spire does a good job of telling how two Resistance operatives go to a new world and and work to set up a new base of operations. While the story was a little slow in starting, in my opinion, it introduces interesting characters and really sets the scene for that location. Since these are not necessarily ones who'll be in the next movie, there is real risk involved for them. That heightens the action and drama, especially since many of them are likable. The action does build, too, to an exciting conclusion--and one that might connect to events around The Rise of Skywalker. (Time will tell about that.)

There is some violence in this novel of the gritty type, which I don't love, but it's not enough to detract from the overall story.

All in all, I strongly recommend this novel to anyone who's interested in this time period.

-Nate

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Final Trailer

Well, here's the last trailer that we'll see before December.

-Nate

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

The release of the trailer for Star Wars Episode IX is no longer news, but I've been taking some time to process its content. I have posted previously that I was disappointed with Episode VIII, to the extent that it changed the New Republic-oriented direction that I'd been planning on having this blog take. I must say that I am cautiously optimistic about this upcoming film.

-Nate