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

by Cláudio Alves

"Let the past die. Kill it, if you have to." were the desperate words of an angry man. "The greatest teacher, failure is." was the philosophy of a wise master. Somewhere in between the two sentiments, those of Kylo Ren and Yoda, lies the ethos of Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi. There's no place for toxic nostalgia in that director's vision of the Star Wars universe, though a critical look at what came before is necessary or else we're bound to never grow. Independently of Episode VIII's other faults, one would think such a theme would be unanimously celebrated and generate little to no controversy. One would be mistaken. 

Johnson's Star Wars feature sparked a wave of antagonistic discourse that's still active two years after its release. While the perpetual litigation of that production's merits is no one's idea of a good time, it's crucial to consider its themes when analyzing the latest episode in the saga. If every film in a franchise is having a conversation with its brethren, The Rise of Skywalker represents a repudiation of The Last Jedi's core ideals. JJ Abrams' return to the saga is an open celebration of uncritical nostalgia. Indeed, it appears to have been conceived more as a cowed response to fans' complaints than as a satisfying narrative…

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Lunchtime Poll: "Marriage Story" custody battles

Bear with us through today's lunchtime poll which is NOT about whose side Marriage Story takes (the hot takes are abundant online and it's exhausting) but about which side you'd take --not Nicole's or Charlies -- this Q takes a second to get your head around but it's fun and totally worth asking for those of us who live for the movies: 

If you had to divorce Marriage Story, what part of the movie would you want custody of ?

We couldn't help but ask Team Experience this question too so there answers are after the jump to get your started...

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Soundtracking: Marriage Story

by Chris Feil

Noah Baumbach opens Marriage Story with the beginning thrums of Randy Newman’s fairy tale score set against a duet between its divorcing couple. As they list their affections, it’s almost like they could break into song. And eventually they will, but not until they are ready. Scarlett Johansson’s Nicole and Adam Driver’s Charlie won’t sing until they have been given the back-breaking gift of clarity, the kind of new beginning you can’t really get until the old you is burnt to the ground. Marriage Story presents their new outlook by making fresh use of two songs from one famous musical with its own musings on love and marriage, Stephen Sondheim’s Company.

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NYFF Review: Marriage Story

by Murtada Elfadl

What happens to the love once a marriage ends? In his latest film Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach charts the dissolution of a marriage from the time it starts to falter to the breaking point when the couple in question Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) and Charlie (Adam Driver) are actively wishing death upon each other. The title is a clever play on divorce as we are supposed to find out what they once loved about each other by the end.

The film builds the memory of intimacy in throwaway moments....

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Reader Writes: Kris takes a trip to Telluride

We've been tinkering with the idea of a weekly or bi-weekly column where we hear some film talk from readers beyond just the comments section. So let's kick that off. Here's Kris Mascarenas to talk Telluride which just wrapped... - Editor

Long time reader, first time writer here reporting on Telluride Film Festival which wrapped up on Monday.   It was my second time at the festival, the first being in 2015 when Carol, Room, and Spotlight all premiered.  For the uninitiated, Telluride is located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. There is one road in and out of town and the moment you arrive, you can feel how truly special this town is.  It is a low-key festival with no paparazzi, and if you are lucky you can run into actors and directors while waiting in line for your morning coffee. 

I was on hand opening night for Judy but first there was a tribute to Renee Zellweger, and clips of her movie played (Chicago, Cold Mountain, Nurse Betty, and inexplicably... Miss Potter) before she was awarded the Silver Medallion...

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