Another omnibus post regarding the past year. I'll be talking about animation after this one.
Star Wars: Episode VII- The Force Awakens
I waited until Christmas day to see this one with my whole family. Suffice it to say, the Force is strong with this one. Everything looks fantastic, from the opening crawl to Luke Skywalker's reveal. Harrison Ford seems far more into his performance here than he did in Indiana Jones & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, and it's almost a shame we won't see Han Solo in any of the following films. As for the new guard, it's a great batch of characters. Rey, is a strong character who has learned to survive on her own. Po Dameron is an ace pilot who seems likable, but will hopefully get more development in sequels. And then there's Finn, a Stormtrooper who realized that the First Order was wrong and just wanted to get out, but eventually found his courage when Rey needed his help. The special effects are a wonderful mix of practical and CGI, the latter not overstaying its welcome like it may have in the prequels. I loved seeing the familiar characters interact with the new ones. Han Solo acting as a reluctant sort-of mentor to Rey and Finn, BB-8's brief meetings with R2-D2 and C-3PO, and just seeing Leia and Chewbacca again. Kylo Ren is, admittedly, a fairly laughable villain, but I think that makes him a great character. He's young, immature, and inexperienced, despite being incredibly powerful. I like that he's undeniably flawed and still a real threat. The Force Awakens is undeniably a great start to the new Trilogy.
The DUFF
Mae Whitman plays a teenage girl who is suddenly faced with the realization that she is the least attractive member of her friend trio, and seeks to reinvent herself and talk to the guy she likes, with a little help from her old childhood friend (Robbie Amell). It's a fun romantic comedy that pokes a little bit of fun at the high school cliches without completely abandoning them.
Paddington
This is a character I used to watch as a kid, without knowing all that much about him. I just knew he was a Peruvian bear who lived in London and liked Marmalade sandwiches. The movie enlightened me as to why he was in England and how he knew to get there. His aunt and uncle were discovered in Darkest Peru and befriended by an explorer, and when the uncle dies, the aunt sends him to England to be cared for. He's taken in by the Brown family, and has to elude explorer's daughter (Nicole Kidman) who wants to turn him into taxidermy. Worth nothing is Peter Capaldi (the 12th Doctor) portraying Mr. Curry, the Brown's grumpy neighbor who does not like having a bear in the neighborhood. It's amusing that he first meets Kidman's character while standing outside a telephone box. Not sure if it was a reference.
Ted 2
Seth MacFarlane's sequel is still as funny as the first. The teddy bear that Johnny (Mark Wahlberg) wished to life when he was a kid has gotten married and hopes to adopt a baby. Unfortunately for him, he's not considered a person, due to being a stuffed bear, so he has to sue the state for personhood. It's really unfortunate Mila Kunis sat this one out, but Amanda Seyfried is still a welcome addition to the cast. She plays Ted's lawyer and Johnny's new love interest. She's smart, hot, and just as much of a stoner as our two leads. Her only real character flaw is that she's pop culture illiterate. Any sort of TV or movie references made in the film go completely over her head. At the same time, the creepy guy from the first movie wants to make sure Ted loses the case, so that he can safely abduct Ted and give him to Hasbro, in hopes of dissecting and replicating him. Patrick Stewart returns as the narrator, and Patrick Warburton is back as Johnny's gay co-worker who now has a boyfriend played by Michael Dorn. The best scene in the film is when the couple show up at Comic-Con dressed as The Tick and Lieutenant Worf (characters they respectively portrayed) and spend every scene beating up nerds. It's a good, funny movie and worth at least one watch.
SPECTRE
We finally get a couple things that I've been wanting to see in Daniel Craig's run: a gunbarrel at the beginning of the movie and the return of Ernst Stavro Blofeld. I really have to give props to the pre-title sequence: a single continuous shot through the Day of the Dead festival, until it settles on Bond in a skull mask. We follow him and a woman up to a hotel room, then he steps out the window, and walks along the buildings until he reaches his targets. The transitions are seamless, almost like playing a video game. It seems that Blofeld and SPECTRE has orchestrated the events behind all of the preceding films, a connection Bond has been investigating on the posthumous orders of Judi Dench's M, while Ralph Fiennes' M has to deal with a hostile takeover from CNS (Center of National Security?). This movie is for Bond and Britain what The Winter Soldier was for America and the Marvel Cinematic Universe: a fantastic action movie and a social commentary about the dangers of government surveillance. In this case, SPECTRE has been using CNS' surveillance systems to their own advantage and C (the head of that organization) is working for them. But the best thing about this film is that everybody gets a piece of the action: M, Moneypenny, and even Q gets a moment to shine. While I'm hoping Daniel Craig has another movie or two in him, this would be a nice cap to his run. I also appreciate that each movie had the Bond theme playing at the start of the credits.
Scout's Guide To The Zombie Apocalypse
This movie is all over the place. There is a lot of great humor throughout, but there's also a couple scenes of undead nudity, which I have a hard time getting past. Most zombie stories have some kind of rules that the undead follow, but this movie doesn't really seem to have them. They can be smart or stupid. They can be shambling or they can be fast. This is, however, a rare case where animals and humans can both be infected. The main characters are a trio: one scout who wants to leave now that they're almost upperclassmen, another who enjoys it but was going to leave anyway because of how he might look, and a third who has been all in since they were kids and his dad died. Being an Eagle Scout myself, it was nice to see that the skills they learned through scouting were vital in their survival. Even Dave Koechner's scoutmaster, who was portrayed as somewhat ineffectual and dies early on, still manages to get one good kill in. Probably not a movie for everyone, but should be enjoyable if you know what you're in for.
Krampus
There's something that appeals to me about Christmas horror films. It could be the contrasting atmospheres, terrible things happening during a time of year where everything is supposed to be jolly and fun. The character of the Krampus is also one that interests me, a counterpart to Santa Claus who punishes the bad children while Santa rewards the good ones. So by the time I heard about this movie, I was more than a little excited. Sharing a director with the Halloween anthology Trick 'r Treat, the movie does a good job of showing the dark side of Christmas, showing what it's become and reminding us of what it should be. When a boy's dysfunctional family causes him to lose his Christmas spirit, the yuletide demon comes to town and shows no mercy. Aside from the gingerbread minions, Krampus and all of his helpers are rendered with practical puppetry and special effects, and it looks great. There's also a beautifully animated sequence, in which the boy's grandma explains her first encounter with the Krampus. The best thing is, it's not a gory film. It relies purely on its monsters and its atmostphere to scare you. You're not going to like some of the characters at first, but as their survival becomes less and less likely, they band together to stay alive and you begin to sympathize with them. I don't think I'd ever cried watching a horror movie before. The ending of the movie is quite ambiguous that will leave you very uneasy, and I can definitely recommend it.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay
I'm going to talk about both movies here, even though only part 2 came out this year. After the events of Catching Fire, District 12 has been destroyed and anyone who made it out alive is bunkered in the long lost District 13. It was thought to be destroyed in its first act of defiance, but they have endured underground. Katniss Everdeen has reluctantly become the face of defiance against the tyrannical Capitol of Panem, but Peeta Mellark is still being held captive so she goes along with it in exchange for his safe return and being able to kill President Snow herself. She spends a few scenes in other districts to spread the word that she's alive and the uprising isn't over. Eventually Peeta's rescued, but he's been hijacked (brainwashed via Tracker Jacker venom) and now only sees Katniss as a threat. The first part ends right after he attempts to kill her, and the second part picks up almost immediately after it. The bulk of the movie involves Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Finnick Odair and others attempting to infiltrate the Capitol, which has been covered with booby traps just like the Hunger Games arenas. The movies in many ways are better than the books because you get to step outside the first-person perspective. You see other people react to Katniss' actions. You get scenes fleshing out the other Districts and character that couldn't have worked in the book. The scene in which the team is being chased by the fiendish Mutts in the sewers is incredibly intense. I hadn't read the books in a while, so the tension wasn't spoiled. The last half hour or so is rife with subversion, bittersweet moments, but finishes off on a positive note. The filmmakers also did a respectful job compensating for the death of one of their cast members, keeping his role intact but not showing him directly. I did think that Katniss' interaction with Peeta should have had more passion, especially in their final scene before the epilogue. Instead it's much more subtle, although it does still get the point across.
Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Star Wars Rebels- Idiot's Array
The episode begins with Kanan, Zeb, and Chopper in a bar, hoping to find some kind of job to replenish their credits and fuel supply. Zeb is playing cards with a stranger, bets Chopper when he runs out of credits, and loses. The man turns out to be yet another familiar face and voice from the films: Lando Calrissian.
Lando hires the crew of the Ghost to help him in a business transaction, promising to pay them and return Chopper to them once the job is complete. His attitude and habit of not telling them anything puts him at odds with the other Rebels, except for Sabine, who's flattered when he shows interest in her artwork (making Ezra jealous). The Ghost docks with a ship commanded by a portly alien named Azmorigan, who gives Lando a crate as part of a trade. Lando gives him Hera in exchange. Once the Ghost separates from the ship, Hera knocks out Azmorigan and a guard before making her way to an escape pod (Lando had dropped a hint about them before the transaction) and escapes back to the Ghost.
Ezra and Zeb foolishly open Lando's crate, letting out a puffer-pig, which blows up when it gets scared, and can sniff out precious minerals. Lando calls it "specialized mining equipment", and since it's not made with metal it's not detectable by Imperial sensors. Nonetheless, the Ghost need to make it past the Empire's blockade. Zeb scared the pig, unfortunately, blocking Hera from getting to the cockpit.
The Ghost's signature was cloaked successfully for a while, but then Ezra startles the pig again, it puffs up more, throws the ship's balance off, and Zeb accidentally uncloaks their rebel signature, causing the Empire to recognize them as Rebels. A chase ensues. Sabine blasts some, while Kanan manages to lose others in cloud cover.
When they arrive at Lando's farm, Azmorigan is waiting for them, intent on getting his Twi'lek back and killing Lando. A fire fight ensues, and it's confirmed that Ezra's lightsaber does in fact function as a blaster. Chopper takes advantage of the struggle to sneak a fuel canister aboard the Ghost. He then blasts Azmorigan causing him to lose his footing and Hera convinces him to back down and retreat.
The conflict over, Lando promises to pay them once the pig has sniffed out the precious minerals its capable of finding, and releases Chopper back to the crew. While it seems like the droid took the fuel out from under Lando's nose, he reveals after they leave that he was aware of it, which is why he didn't pay them. It seems to indicate that they'll cross paths again.
This is another fun episode, much like Droids In Distress was, in that it features the new characters interacting with a more familiar one. Billy Dee Williams' return is a real treat, and you're never sure just how much of this adventure was planned, and how much was made up as they went. Star Wars Rebels has continued to surprise me with just how much I enjoy it, and should hopefully alleviate a lot of the concerns about the direction the franchise has taken.
Lando hires the crew of the Ghost to help him in a business transaction, promising to pay them and return Chopper to them once the job is complete. His attitude and habit of not telling them anything puts him at odds with the other Rebels, except for Sabine, who's flattered when he shows interest in her artwork (making Ezra jealous). The Ghost docks with a ship commanded by a portly alien named Azmorigan, who gives Lando a crate as part of a trade. Lando gives him Hera in exchange. Once the Ghost separates from the ship, Hera knocks out Azmorigan and a guard before making her way to an escape pod (Lando had dropped a hint about them before the transaction) and escapes back to the Ghost.
Ezra and Zeb foolishly open Lando's crate, letting out a puffer-pig, which blows up when it gets scared, and can sniff out precious minerals. Lando calls it "specialized mining equipment", and since it's not made with metal it's not detectable by Imperial sensors. Nonetheless, the Ghost need to make it past the Empire's blockade. Zeb scared the pig, unfortunately, blocking Hera from getting to the cockpit.
The Ghost's signature was cloaked successfully for a while, but then Ezra startles the pig again, it puffs up more, throws the ship's balance off, and Zeb accidentally uncloaks their rebel signature, causing the Empire to recognize them as Rebels. A chase ensues. Sabine blasts some, while Kanan manages to lose others in cloud cover.
When they arrive at Lando's farm, Azmorigan is waiting for them, intent on getting his Twi'lek back and killing Lando. A fire fight ensues, and it's confirmed that Ezra's lightsaber does in fact function as a blaster. Chopper takes advantage of the struggle to sneak a fuel canister aboard the Ghost. He then blasts Azmorigan causing him to lose his footing and Hera convinces him to back down and retreat.
The conflict over, Lando promises to pay them once the pig has sniffed out the precious minerals its capable of finding, and releases Chopper back to the crew. While it seems like the droid took the fuel out from under Lando's nose, he reveals after they leave that he was aware of it, which is why he didn't pay them. It seems to indicate that they'll cross paths again.
This is another fun episode, much like Droids In Distress was, in that it features the new characters interacting with a more familiar one. Billy Dee Williams' return is a real treat, and you're never sure just how much of this adventure was planned, and how much was made up as they went. Star Wars Rebels has continued to surprise me with just how much I enjoy it, and should hopefully alleviate a lot of the concerns about the direction the franchise has taken.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Star Wars Rebels- Path Of The Jedi
Previously on Star Wars Rebels...
When we last left the crew of the Ghost, they had rescued an Imperial defector and helped him into hiding. Kanan and Ezra aided in their escape by diverting the Empire's attention to an abandoned Clone base on an asteroid, where a large batch of feral creatures could take on the Stormtroopers. This worked pretty well until the Inquisitor showed up, fighting his way through the creatures and taking on Kanan. Ezra managed to save him, angrily using the Force to control one of the larger creatures and sic him on the Inquisitor, which would seem to indicate prowess in the Dark Side. This has significantly spooked both Kanan and Ezra...
Concerned after what happened on the asteroid, Kanan decides to give Ezra a test to determine not only what kind of Jedi he'll be, but also if he can be a Jedi at all. There's an abandoned temple already on Lothal, which Kanan has Ezra locate using the Force. (The autopilot was already on its way there.) The entrance is sealed and can only be opened with a Force lift, something Ezra and Kanan do together. Once their inside, Ezra's spooked by the remains of two dead Jedi, and the exit closes behind them. While Kanan stays behind in the main room to meditate, Ezra continues through the temple on his own. However, Kanan seems to catch up with him later, and both encounter the Inquisitor. Kanan is seemingly killed and dropped off a cliff. Ezra attempts to use Kanan's lightsaber against the Inquisitor and it fails. With no other options, Ezra jumps off the cliff himself.
Ezra suddenly finds himself back aboard the Ghost, overhearing the crew talk rather unfavorably about him. It occurs to him that something isn't right, further elaborated when the Inquisitor shows up again and seems to kill everyone out of sight of the viewer. Ezra runs and finds himself back at the temple, and is able to figure out for himself that this is all an illusion, and yet the Inquisitor remains. He overcomes his own fear, and the Inquisitor's lightsaber passes through him.
And now for the most noteworthy aspect of this episode: Yoda. Rather than whoever portrayed him in The Clone Wars, he is once again voiced by Frank Oz. He doesn't appear, but his voice echoes throughout the temple. He's likely projecting himself from his home on Degobah. He talks to Kanan, who talks about his own insecurities over whether he's training Ezra correctly or if he's even capable of doing so. He guides Ezra through the temple, who explains how despite wanting revenge against the Empire for everything they've done to him and his parents, he wants to become a Jedi out of a genuine desire to help people. He's spent his whole life looking out for himself and only himself, but meeting the other Rebels and seeing how they help others selflessly rubbed off on him and made him want to do the same. Yoda seems to approve and Ezra is given a Khyber Crystal.
The episode ends back on the Ghost, the crew has given Ezra as many spare parts as they could, allowing him to construct his own lightsaber. It's a traditional blue crystal, but the handle is unique with an extra feature on the hilt that might allow it to be used as a blaster, although this remains to be seen.
The music is a nice step up too, with familiar New Hope cues perfectly complementing the mysterious and spiritual atmosphere of the Jedi Temple, and the uplifting moment when Ezra first ignites his own brand new lightsaber. Put all of this with some good character development for our protagonist and his Jedi Master, and this definitely an episode worth watching.
When we last left the crew of the Ghost, they had rescued an Imperial defector and helped him into hiding. Kanan and Ezra aided in their escape by diverting the Empire's attention to an abandoned Clone base on an asteroid, where a large batch of feral creatures could take on the Stormtroopers. This worked pretty well until the Inquisitor showed up, fighting his way through the creatures and taking on Kanan. Ezra managed to save him, angrily using the Force to control one of the larger creatures and sic him on the Inquisitor, which would seem to indicate prowess in the Dark Side. This has significantly spooked both Kanan and Ezra...
Concerned after what happened on the asteroid, Kanan decides to give Ezra a test to determine not only what kind of Jedi he'll be, but also if he can be a Jedi at all. There's an abandoned temple already on Lothal, which Kanan has Ezra locate using the Force. (The autopilot was already on its way there.) The entrance is sealed and can only be opened with a Force lift, something Ezra and Kanan do together. Once their inside, Ezra's spooked by the remains of two dead Jedi, and the exit closes behind them. While Kanan stays behind in the main room to meditate, Ezra continues through the temple on his own. However, Kanan seems to catch up with him later, and both encounter the Inquisitor. Kanan is seemingly killed and dropped off a cliff. Ezra attempts to use Kanan's lightsaber against the Inquisitor and it fails. With no other options, Ezra jumps off the cliff himself.
Ezra suddenly finds himself back aboard the Ghost, overhearing the crew talk rather unfavorably about him. It occurs to him that something isn't right, further elaborated when the Inquisitor shows up again and seems to kill everyone out of sight of the viewer. Ezra runs and finds himself back at the temple, and is able to figure out for himself that this is all an illusion, and yet the Inquisitor remains. He overcomes his own fear, and the Inquisitor's lightsaber passes through him.
And now for the most noteworthy aspect of this episode: Yoda. Rather than whoever portrayed him in The Clone Wars, he is once again voiced by Frank Oz. He doesn't appear, but his voice echoes throughout the temple. He's likely projecting himself from his home on Degobah. He talks to Kanan, who talks about his own insecurities over whether he's training Ezra correctly or if he's even capable of doing so. He guides Ezra through the temple, who explains how despite wanting revenge against the Empire for everything they've done to him and his parents, he wants to become a Jedi out of a genuine desire to help people. He's spent his whole life looking out for himself and only himself, but meeting the other Rebels and seeing how they help others selflessly rubbed off on him and made him want to do the same. Yoda seems to approve and Ezra is given a Khyber Crystal.
The episode ends back on the Ghost, the crew has given Ezra as many spare parts as they could, allowing him to construct his own lightsaber. It's a traditional blue crystal, but the handle is unique with an extra feature on the hilt that might allow it to be used as a blaster, although this remains to be seen.
The music is a nice step up too, with familiar New Hope cues perfectly complementing the mysterious and spiritual atmosphere of the Jedi Temple, and the uplifting moment when Ezra first ignites his own brand new lightsaber. Put all of this with some good character development for our protagonist and his Jedi Master, and this definitely an episode worth watching.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Star Wars Rebels- Droids In Distress
This is the first regular half-hour episode of the series. The crew of the Ghost are running a bit behind on money and resources, so they agree to pull another arms "redistribution" job for Vizago. They board a transport at a waystation where an alien Amda Wabo is accompanied by an Imperial Minister Maketh Tua. She doesn't speak Basic (English), so everyone's favorite translator C-3PO and his counterpart R2-D2 are along for the ride. Chopper, however, causes a disturbance to get all three droids sent to the cargo area. Sabine apparently speaks Angulish and provides the docking bay where Wabo's shipment is being kept. As she escorts the alien there, the Rebels head to the actual docking bay. Ezra goes via rooftop, practicing his Force jumps. It's stated during this episode that Kanan hasn't given him any proper Jedi training yet, despite an unknown amount of time having past between this episode and the pilot film.
The Imperials quickly figure out that they're in the wrong place and head toward the correct docking bay, Chopper unsuccessfully providing a distraction. The Rebels find out what kind of weapons they're smuggling: D-17 Disruptors, which Zeb is visibly distressed by. Stormtroopers arrive at their docking bay and a scuffle ensues. The Ghost crew escape with the blasters, as well as R2 and 3PO. Zeb is thinking they shouldn't go through with the job, clearly having some issues with this type of weapon. Translating for R2, 3PO informs Kanan that they were actually on a mission to make sure the disruptors don't reach the Empire, and would be willing to pay for them. Kanan decides to consider it, but follow through on their word to Vizago anyway. 3PO then sends a distress signal to Imperial Agent Kallus, who tracks their position.
On the way to Lothal, Hera tells Ezra about the history of Zeb and those blasters, which were used against by the Empire against the Lasat people nearly to the point of wiping them out. They still deliver as planned, but Vizago spots the Imperials coming their way and leaves with half the shipment, skipping on payment. As a fight ensues, Kanan decides the remaining blasters need to be destroyed. At R2's suggestion, Sabine overloads the crates and sends them towards the Imperials, taking out several Stormtroopers and a couple walkers. Zeb ends up face to face with Kallus, wielding the same kind of weapon Zeb carries, an apparent staple of Lasat warriors. Kallus reveals himself as the one who ordered the D-17s used against Lasan and having killed a Lasat to get the weapon. Kallus overpowers Zeb, but before he can deliver a finishing strike, Ezra uses the Force to push Kallus against the wall. The Rebels escape, Kanan agreeing to formally start Ezra's training.
Kanan safely returns R2-D2 and C-3PO to Senator Bail Organa, who gratefully pays for their return but doesn't mention who he is. After Kanan is gone and 3PO has moved off-screen, Organa asks R2 to tell him about the Rebels.
This episode was a lot of fun, and the presence of R2 and 3PO certainly helps. Anthony Daniels is back, and it's hard to imagine anyone else voicing the character. There's some nice homages in this one. Zeb and Chopper are supposedly based on initial concept designs for Chewbacca and R2-D2 respectively. A further nod to this is seen when Chopper is in the cargo hold with 3PO and R2, and there's another more humanoid droid there, who some might recognize as the old concept design for C-3PO. Also, the droid piloting the transport appears to be based off the pilot for the Star Tours ride at Disney World. The episode does a good job subtly developing Ezra and more obviously developing Zeb. It also confirms Bail Organa's connection the the Rebellion. Its shorter run time and faster pace will probably make this episode an easier starter for Disney XD's target audience, and the fact that it's enjoyable on its own certainly doesn't hurt.
The Imperials quickly figure out that they're in the wrong place and head toward the correct docking bay, Chopper unsuccessfully providing a distraction. The Rebels find out what kind of weapons they're smuggling: D-17 Disruptors, which Zeb is visibly distressed by. Stormtroopers arrive at their docking bay and a scuffle ensues. The Ghost crew escape with the blasters, as well as R2 and 3PO. Zeb is thinking they shouldn't go through with the job, clearly having some issues with this type of weapon. Translating for R2, 3PO informs Kanan that they were actually on a mission to make sure the disruptors don't reach the Empire, and would be willing to pay for them. Kanan decides to consider it, but follow through on their word to Vizago anyway. 3PO then sends a distress signal to Imperial Agent Kallus, who tracks their position.
On the way to Lothal, Hera tells Ezra about the history of Zeb and those blasters, which were used against by the Empire against the Lasat people nearly to the point of wiping them out. They still deliver as planned, but Vizago spots the Imperials coming their way and leaves with half the shipment, skipping on payment. As a fight ensues, Kanan decides the remaining blasters need to be destroyed. At R2's suggestion, Sabine overloads the crates and sends them towards the Imperials, taking out several Stormtroopers and a couple walkers. Zeb ends up face to face with Kallus, wielding the same kind of weapon Zeb carries, an apparent staple of Lasat warriors. Kallus reveals himself as the one who ordered the D-17s used against Lasan and having killed a Lasat to get the weapon. Kallus overpowers Zeb, but before he can deliver a finishing strike, Ezra uses the Force to push Kallus against the wall. The Rebels escape, Kanan agreeing to formally start Ezra's training.
Kanan safely returns R2-D2 and C-3PO to Senator Bail Organa, who gratefully pays for their return but doesn't mention who he is. After Kanan is gone and 3PO has moved off-screen, Organa asks R2 to tell him about the Rebels.
This episode was a lot of fun, and the presence of R2 and 3PO certainly helps. Anthony Daniels is back, and it's hard to imagine anyone else voicing the character. There's some nice homages in this one. Zeb and Chopper are supposedly based on initial concept designs for Chewbacca and R2-D2 respectively. A further nod to this is seen when Chopper is in the cargo hold with 3PO and R2, and there's another more humanoid droid there, who some might recognize as the old concept design for C-3PO. Also, the droid piloting the transport appears to be based off the pilot for the Star Tours ride at Disney World. The episode does a good job subtly developing Ezra and more obviously developing Zeb. It also confirms Bail Organa's connection the the Rebellion. Its shorter run time and faster pace will probably make this episode an easier starter for Disney XD's target audience, and the fact that it's enjoyable on its own certainly doesn't hurt.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Star Wars Rebels: Spark Of Rebellion
And so begins the new Star Wars animated series. No title crawl or opening theme music; the movie immediately opens on the planet Lothal, home of the show's protagonist, Ezra Bridger. He's an orphan and a pickpocket; not above helping others, but looking out for himself first. This is established shortly after his introduction. He stumbles through some Imperials who were shaking down a street vendor, and grabs a comlink off one of them. As the vendor is about to be arrested, they're called away by an emergency, which turns out to have been Ezra. The vendor thanks him, and Ezra promptly stuffs his backpack with the vendor's fruit. "A kid's gotta eat."
The Troopers he diverted lead him to a shipment of crates filled with Imperial blasters, who are then ambushed by the titular Rebels-- their leader Kanan Jarrus, tough guy alien Zeb Orellios, and Mandalorian demolition girl Sabine Wren. Not knowing what's in the crates other than that they're valuable, Ezra uses the situation to take some for himself. A chase ensues with the Rebels pursuing Ezra and the Imperials pursuing them all, which comes to a head when TIE Fighters zoom in. Given the choice between Kanan and the TIEs, Ezra jumps on board their ship, the Ghost, and they all escape. The remaining members of this Rebel crew are aboard- Twi'lek pilot Hera Syndulla and ornery astromech droid 'Chopper'. Ezra's not too happy with his situation (Sabine aside) and wants to go back to Lothal, but the crew of the Ghost has a mission to complete first.
Our heroes arrive in Hooverville-esque settlement called Tarkintown where they drop off the weapons shipment and take a moment to ration food to the settlers, all people who were forced from their homes by the Empire. Ezra is thanked by one of these settlers and has a twinge of guilt because he didn't actually do anything to help. The Ghost crew receive their payment from their contact Cikatro Vizago, and are tipped off to an Imperial shipment of Wookiee slaves, part of their mission all along. They make way for the transport to perform a rescue. Meanwhile, Ezra snoops around the Ghost and something draws him to Kanan's cabin, where he finds a holocron and a lightsaber. He's caught rather quickly, hands over the lightsaber and is shoved out, the holocron still on his person. Kanan, Zeb and Sabine board the transport looking for the Wookiees, but Hera realizes It's A Trap when a Star Destroyer appears. She sends a reluctant but willing Ezra to warn the others, and the four fight off a boarding party of Stormtroopers and make their way back to the Ghost. However, before they can board Ezra's grabbed by an Imperial leader named Kallus, who's been following them since the blaster heist. Zeb leaves him behind, "I'm sorry, kid. You did good."
Now imprisoned aboard the Star Destroyer, Ezra is told by Kallus that he'll be used to lure the Rebels back for him. Ezra has his doubts that'll hold up. Kallus just brushes it off and has the guards search him. With nothing left but the holocron, Ezra sits in his cell and somehow manages to open it, revealing a message from Obi-Wan Kenobi, the one warning surviving Jedi to stay away from the Temple during the fall of the Republic. Back on the Ghost, the others chastize Zeb for leaving Ezra behind and Kanan inevitably decides to go back for him.
Ezra manages to escape his cell on his own, feigning illness to get the guards to open it up then trapping them inside. Making his way into a storage room, he grabs a Trooper helmet, allowing him to listen to communications channels in the ship. Not only does he learn that the Rebels came back for him, but also that the Wookiees were being sent to Kessel to work in the spice mines. He goes through the airducts to the hangar where the Ghost crew had begun their rescue. They promptly escape and head for Kessel. Ezra's helmet left behind, the Imperials realize he was listening in; so by the time they arrive, Kallus was ready for them. With our heroes cornered, and Hera needing time to pull the ship around, Kanan draws his lightsaber to keep the blaster fire concentrated on him, while Ezra goes to rescue a Wookiee child separated from his parent during the struggle. The Stormtroopers are dealt with, Kallus is knocked away (but survives), and the Wookiees are rescued. Ezra is returned to Lothal, but grabs Kanan's lightsaber before returning the holocron and making his way back to his home. Hera notices that it was opened and she and Kanan both realize the boy's potential connection with the Force. Kanan meets Ezra at his home and asks him to join them, offering his training. Ezra agrees, and the full crew takes off, Kanan listening to the rest of Obi-Wan's message. Meanwhile, on a Star Destroyer, Kallus communicates with one who appears to be a Sith called the Inquisitor, informing him that there is still a Jedi that needs to be dealt with.
Not a bad start to the series overall. The characters might not be completely original, but they're still unique enough to be interesting and fun to watch. Ezra himself closely resembles Aladdin, both in personality and appearance. This is further backed up early on when Kanan calls him a "street rat". He's a pretty good representation of the potential this series has, and someone the target audience will likely grow to love. Kanan's a nice departure from the Jedi Knights of the past, similar to the Anakin we saw in The Clone Wars with a bit of Han Solo thrown in. It's supposedly been 14 years since Revenge of the Sith, leading me to believe he may have still been a Padawan when those events occurred, and might not be as bound by the rules of the Jedi Order as others might have been. Sabine has a really cool character design; bright pink Mandalorian armor with some dyed streaks in her hair. It's a common design trait for cool female characters, but I still like it. Zeb's a tough guy with a chip on his shoulder appropriately voiced by Steve Blum. Hera's pretty modestly dressed for a Twi'lek, which is honestly a nice change from the usual portrayal of the species. She and Kanan seem to be romantically involved, although they don't have any real romantic scenes in this pilot film. Some people like to think that R2-D2's beeps and whirls were actually filled with profanities. With Chopper, you just know that's the case. The little droid does a lot around the Ghost, and doesn't seem particularly happy with his job. He's also unique among R2 units in that he has a couple of small arms, it's a nice feature. Obi-Wan's message at the end was a really nice touch. I'm reminded of how in the series premiere for each Star Trek spin-off, there's a guest appearance from one character from the previous series to help get the ball rolling. With James Arnold Taylor reprising his vocal role as Obi-Wan, I think it serves the same purpose here, passing the torch from Clone Wars to Rebels.
The animation's good too. The characters have much smoother features when compared to Clone Wars. Then we have the music. Plenty of familiar cues from the movies, although nothing that really stands out. I still would have liked to see an opening text crawl, at least for this first outing. It just doesn't feel like Star Wars without that. The Clone Wars had their own variation of the theme music along with a newsreel style recap at the beginning of each episode, which worked for the series timeframe of a galaxy at war. Here, we just get an establishment scene and a title card.
Nitpicks aside, I'm optimistic for what the series has in store. I hope that the Force is strong with this one.
The Troopers he diverted lead him to a shipment of crates filled with Imperial blasters, who are then ambushed by the titular Rebels-- their leader Kanan Jarrus, tough guy alien Zeb Orellios, and Mandalorian demolition girl Sabine Wren. Not knowing what's in the crates other than that they're valuable, Ezra uses the situation to take some for himself. A chase ensues with the Rebels pursuing Ezra and the Imperials pursuing them all, which comes to a head when TIE Fighters zoom in. Given the choice between Kanan and the TIEs, Ezra jumps on board their ship, the Ghost, and they all escape. The remaining members of this Rebel crew are aboard- Twi'lek pilot Hera Syndulla and ornery astromech droid 'Chopper'. Ezra's not too happy with his situation (Sabine aside) and wants to go back to Lothal, but the crew of the Ghost has a mission to complete first.
Our heroes arrive in Hooverville-esque settlement called Tarkintown where they drop off the weapons shipment and take a moment to ration food to the settlers, all people who were forced from their homes by the Empire. Ezra is thanked by one of these settlers and has a twinge of guilt because he didn't actually do anything to help. The Ghost crew receive their payment from their contact Cikatro Vizago, and are tipped off to an Imperial shipment of Wookiee slaves, part of their mission all along. They make way for the transport to perform a rescue. Meanwhile, Ezra snoops around the Ghost and something draws him to Kanan's cabin, where he finds a holocron and a lightsaber. He's caught rather quickly, hands over the lightsaber and is shoved out, the holocron still on his person. Kanan, Zeb and Sabine board the transport looking for the Wookiees, but Hera realizes It's A Trap when a Star Destroyer appears. She sends a reluctant but willing Ezra to warn the others, and the four fight off a boarding party of Stormtroopers and make their way back to the Ghost. However, before they can board Ezra's grabbed by an Imperial leader named Kallus, who's been following them since the blaster heist. Zeb leaves him behind, "I'm sorry, kid. You did good."
Now imprisoned aboard the Star Destroyer, Ezra is told by Kallus that he'll be used to lure the Rebels back for him. Ezra has his doubts that'll hold up. Kallus just brushes it off and has the guards search him. With nothing left but the holocron, Ezra sits in his cell and somehow manages to open it, revealing a message from Obi-Wan Kenobi, the one warning surviving Jedi to stay away from the Temple during the fall of the Republic. Back on the Ghost, the others chastize Zeb for leaving Ezra behind and Kanan inevitably decides to go back for him.
Ezra manages to escape his cell on his own, feigning illness to get the guards to open it up then trapping them inside. Making his way into a storage room, he grabs a Trooper helmet, allowing him to listen to communications channels in the ship. Not only does he learn that the Rebels came back for him, but also that the Wookiees were being sent to Kessel to work in the spice mines. He goes through the airducts to the hangar where the Ghost crew had begun their rescue. They promptly escape and head for Kessel. Ezra's helmet left behind, the Imperials realize he was listening in; so by the time they arrive, Kallus was ready for them. With our heroes cornered, and Hera needing time to pull the ship around, Kanan draws his lightsaber to keep the blaster fire concentrated on him, while Ezra goes to rescue a Wookiee child separated from his parent during the struggle. The Stormtroopers are dealt with, Kallus is knocked away (but survives), and the Wookiees are rescued. Ezra is returned to Lothal, but grabs Kanan's lightsaber before returning the holocron and making his way back to his home. Hera notices that it was opened and she and Kanan both realize the boy's potential connection with the Force. Kanan meets Ezra at his home and asks him to join them, offering his training. Ezra agrees, and the full crew takes off, Kanan listening to the rest of Obi-Wan's message. Meanwhile, on a Star Destroyer, Kallus communicates with one who appears to be a Sith called the Inquisitor, informing him that there is still a Jedi that needs to be dealt with.
Not a bad start to the series overall. The characters might not be completely original, but they're still unique enough to be interesting and fun to watch. Ezra himself closely resembles Aladdin, both in personality and appearance. This is further backed up early on when Kanan calls him a "street rat". He's a pretty good representation of the potential this series has, and someone the target audience will likely grow to love. Kanan's a nice departure from the Jedi Knights of the past, similar to the Anakin we saw in The Clone Wars with a bit of Han Solo thrown in. It's supposedly been 14 years since Revenge of the Sith, leading me to believe he may have still been a Padawan when those events occurred, and might not be as bound by the rules of the Jedi Order as others might have been. Sabine has a really cool character design; bright pink Mandalorian armor with some dyed streaks in her hair. It's a common design trait for cool female characters, but I still like it. Zeb's a tough guy with a chip on his shoulder appropriately voiced by Steve Blum. Hera's pretty modestly dressed for a Twi'lek, which is honestly a nice change from the usual portrayal of the species. She and Kanan seem to be romantically involved, although they don't have any real romantic scenes in this pilot film. Some people like to think that R2-D2's beeps and whirls were actually filled with profanities. With Chopper, you just know that's the case. The little droid does a lot around the Ghost, and doesn't seem particularly happy with his job. He's also unique among R2 units in that he has a couple of small arms, it's a nice feature. Obi-Wan's message at the end was a really nice touch. I'm reminded of how in the series premiere for each Star Trek spin-off, there's a guest appearance from one character from the previous series to help get the ball rolling. With James Arnold Taylor reprising his vocal role as Obi-Wan, I think it serves the same purpose here, passing the torch from Clone Wars to Rebels.
The animation's good too. The characters have much smoother features when compared to Clone Wars. Then we have the music. Plenty of familiar cues from the movies, although nothing that really stands out. I still would have liked to see an opening text crawl, at least for this first outing. It just doesn't feel like Star Wars without that. The Clone Wars had their own variation of the theme music along with a newsreel style recap at the beginning of each episode, which worked for the series timeframe of a galaxy at war. Here, we just get an establishment scene and a title card.
Nitpicks aside, I'm optimistic for what the series has in store. I hope that the Force is strong with this one.
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