The Decline of Skywalker

by Ginny O'Keefe

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! 

I’ve been a die-hard Star Wars fan since I was four years old. I had been eagerly awaiting the release of Episode IX: Rise of Skywalker since 2017. With the film rapidly losing screens now in its 9th weekend and approaching a final box office tally that's significantly less than its predecessor, I began to think about my own enormous disappointment. I must not be alone. To preface my reaction I should say that I have seen EVERY SINGLE Star Wars movie that has been released since I was born more than once in theatres. Until now...

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What's next for the cast of "Star Wars"?

by Cláudio Alves

For actors, franchises can be a gift and a curse simultaneously. Money is a plus, certainly, and so is the newfound fame and recognizability. However, such treasures often come at the cost of artistic risks and availability to do anything other than the series they're then chained to. Long preproduction, long shoots and even longer reshoots fill the calendar and then there are endless promotional tours. In the end, the victims of the franchises are the performers' fans.

With the "end" of the Skywalker saga, it's a good time to ponder what comes next for the stars of the third Star Wars trilogy. Will these actors be able to ride the wave of popularity into exciting careers or will they forever be tied to these Disney-owned characters? We'll see…

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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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Would you rather?

Time for another round of our silly celebrity gawking. Your response is requested in the comments. WOULD YOU RATHER...

... see Paris with Céline Dion?
... get your nails did with Busy Phillips?
... reminisce about your very first job with Charlize Theron?
... feel anxious with Topher Grace?
... touch John Boyega's lips with Daisy Ridley?
... hit the slopes with Olivia Munn?
... go to a photo exhibit with Agnes Varda?
... enjoy a waterfall with Zac Efron and his brother?
... visit Madame Tussaud's with Priyanka Chopra?
... learn to cook with Mary Steenburgen?
... or reunite with the cast of My Best Friend's Wedding?

Pictures are after the jump to help you decide

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Linkheads

News, Bits, and Bobs
Trying to keep up with things we haven't mentioned of late

• The Hashtag Show on what the casting of Ben Mendelsohn and Jude Law in Captain Marvel probably means in terms of villain/story
• EW Ridley Scott on his last minute revamp of All the Money in the World
• The Guardian Fun interview with Michael Haneke who meets the man who created that parody twitter account of the master auteur

More after the jump including Lady Bird, Mulan, and the beginning of top ten lists...

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