Tag Archives: Star Wars

The Mandalorian: Chapter 12 (The Siege) – TV Review

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TL;DR – We return to the familiar but also the safe

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 12 (The Siege). Image Credit: Disney+

The Mandalorian: The Siege Review –

One of the significant issues I had with the first season of The Mandalorian was several episodes just felt like filler and not good filler at that. I had a feeling that we would see this return in the second season, but so far that has not been the case. However, we have been edging closer and closer to this territory, and this week is no exception.

So to set the scene, in last week’s The Heiress, the Razor Crest had seen some better times, and that was after they had tried to repair it. There is no way that Mando (Pedro Pascal) and The Child could make it to Corvus in one piece, so they decide to visit some old friends. Landing in Nevarro, they have greeted Cara Dune (Gina Carano) and Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), who are there to help, but also could use some help in return. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special – Movie Review

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TL;DR – There was so much wasted potential here that you actually start to feel sorry for the film    

Rating: 1.5 out of 5.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special. Image Credit: Disney+

The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special Review –

Well, few things in pop culture have such infamy as the original Star Wars Holiday Special. Sure you may have been the first time we got a look at Boba Fett, but well you don’t get to be a gag in Weird Al’s seminal White & Nerdy for nothing. Well, today we look at Lucasarts giving a second crack at the idea, but this time Lego.

So to set the scene, at the end of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The New Order was defeated, so Rey (Helen Sadler) and Fynn (Omar Miller) decided to travel to visit Chewbacca and his family on Kashyyyk to celebrate Life Day. But for Rey, this is a big struggle because she is struggling to train Fynn in the ways of the Jedi and takes a trip to the past to get some inspiration.

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The Mandalorian: Chapter 11 (The Heiress) – TV Review

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TL;DR – A visual spectacle with some fun moments but not much more

Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 11 (The Heiress). image Credit: Disney+.

The Mandalorian: The Heiress Review –

One of the bonuses of using a streaming service for your delivery platform is that you are not constrained to 1-hour time-slot (well 45min with ads) of broadcast TV. The Mandalorian has already used this to bump up the story and action in the first episode The Marshall. This week we get to see it reverse with a much shorter but more concise episode.

So to set the scene, in last week’s episode The Passenger things didn’t quite go to plan, and that is saying something, which led to the Razor Crest being a leaky sieve with nothing but the cockpit secure from the ravages of space. However, janky it may be, but at the start of this week’s episode we finally make it to Trask an ocean moon orbiting the gas giant Kol Iben. After some … interesting moments landing (that did give me some Firefly flashbacks) they arrive mostly in one piece hoping to find the Mandalorians left on the planet. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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The Mandalorian: Chapter 10 (The Passenger) – TV Review

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TL;DR – A visual spectacle with some fun moments but not much more

Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 10 (The Passenger). image Credit: Disney+

The Mandalorian: The Passenger Review –

It has been an interesting shift watching the episodes of The Mandalorian one at a time rather than all at once. This is especially true of at least the first three episodes that look like they flow from one to another. Well, we can’t get all of it at once, but we can at least get a taste of what is to come, and I’ll take it.   

So to set the scene, we open with Mando on the way back to Mos Eisley after defeating the Krayt Dragon in The Marshal. Just before he gets back, he and The Child are ambushed, and his racer is destroyed. After the long walk back he runs into Peli Motto (Amy Sedaris) in the cantina who tells him that she has a contact who knows where there are more Mandalorians, and she is happy to tell him where they are. The only catch is that the nice Frog Lady (Misty Rosas) needs a ride home … at sublight … and before her spawn becomes unviable. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead. 

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The Mandalorian: Chapter 9 (The Marshal) – TV Review

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TL;DR – A fantastic opening episode that brings us back to the world of Mando, but also the world of Star Wars.  

Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Mandalorian: Chapter 9 (The Marshal). Image Credit: Disney+

The Mandalorian: The Marshal Review –

One of the joys of last year was when The Mandalorian came out, and we got week after week space opera goodness. Sure not every episode landed, sure there was some filler, but when it was grand, boy was it grand. Well, 2020 has sort hit us for a curveball, and I was hoping there might be a little good in it and Season Two might be that.

So to set the scene, at the end of Season One, Mando (Pedro Pascal) was given his great commission. He had to return The Baby to its own kind, the Jedi. The only problem is the Empire wiped out most of the Jedi, and the Mandalorians and Jedi are ancient enemies. To find out where to take The Baby, he needs the help of other Mandalorians who just so happen to very good at hiding. But Mando received some intelligence as to where one is hiding and has to take a trip to Tatooine. Now from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be some [SPOILERS] ahead.   

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Awards – The Musical Scores of 2019 That Wowed Us

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One factor that I will always look out for with a film and that is the musical score. I can get caught in the world of the music, as it sits in my head in the days, weeks, months, and even the years that come. There is immense artistry in weaving emotions from music, having us slip into the world that is created, fear the oncoming dread even if we do know why, or rejoice in the triumph of that final victory.

Music charts the cinematic world, it guides us, it can lift us up, and it can crush our souls, this is its power. So without further ado, these are the musical score that moved us in 2019. Be warned that there may be some slight spoilers ahead for the films in question and if you click on the banners you will be taken to the full review. 

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Movie Review – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Round Two)

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TL;DR – This is a film that feels both incredibly safe but yet also incredibly weird and that dissidence is really odd and is enhanced on a second viewing.     

Score – 3.5 out of 5 stars

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Image Credit: Disney.

Review –

I have been thinking a lot about Star Wars in the weeks since I first watched The Rise of Skywalker. Was I too harsh with it? Did I let one story beat distract me from the rest of the film? Do I want to see a buddy cop film starring John Boyega and Oscar Isaac? Okay, that last one was an easy answer, of course, I do. However, for the first two, I was truly left wondering, well that is until yesterday when I went with some friends as saw the same film twice in cinemas (not something I have done in quite a while). Which means it is time to explore if a second viewing of Star Wars helps or hurts it and what I found is that it focuses you into the good, the bad, and the ugly.  

So to set the scene, at the end of The Last Jedi everything is in flux. The Resistance has survived annihilation but has been stretched to almost breaking point as The First Order storms across The New Republic. However, all is not dandy for The First Order as well, as their leader was assassinated by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and their main battle cruiser was destroyed. However, just at the cusp of this, a dark voice from the past pierces into the vale. For it appears that Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) has come back from the dead and is gunning for Rey (Daisy Ridley). Now in this review, we will be going FULL SPOILER discussing some really important plot points. If you want to read our spoiler-free review you can find it here.  

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Movie Review – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

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TL;DR – This is a film that feels both incredibly safe but yet also incredibly weird and that dissidence is really odd.     

Score – 3.5 out of 5 stars

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Image Credit: Disney/LucasArts.

Review –

Well, it is an interesting time for a new Star Wars film, for maybe the first time in a long time. The last film Solo had a lacklustre reception and had issues in production as did Rogue One, and indeed as did Rise. To add to this, the discourse in and around Star Wars films has just been wholly unpleasant for quite a while. So for the first time in a very long time, I walked into a Star Wars film with a lot of trepidation. Now while thankfully a lot of that trepidation was unneeded, unfortunately, some of it was.     

So to set the scene, at the end of The Last Jedi everything is in flux. The Resistance has survived annihilation but has been stretched to almost breaking point as The First Order storms across The New Republic. However, all is not dandy for The First Order as well, as their leader was assassinated by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and their main battle cruiser was destroyed. The game is set for the final* battle between the light side and the dark with the whole galaxy’s future is at stake. However, just at the cusp of this, a dark voice from the past pierces into the vale. For it appears that Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) has come back from the dead and is gunning for Rey (Daisy Ridley). Now with this review, we will try to be as general and non-spoilery as possible but there will be a section towards the end that will explore three big story points that will have spoilers but we will clearly label it for you (also if you don’t want spoilers maybe avoid the cast list at the bottom).

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TV Review – The Mandalorian: Season 1 (Part 1)

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TL;DR – This is a really interesting show in around its characters and setting, however, the overarching plot just does not quite seem to land yet.

Score – 4 out of 5 stars

The Mandalorian. Image Credit: Disney+.

Review –

With a new Star Wars film only weeks away, you would think that it would be all everyone is talking about but no, for if you go on the internet the one thing that is dominating pop-culture at the moment is ‘Baby Yoda’. It is almost all-absorbing at the moment and it is telling that Star Wars still has that cultural reach. Well, when some friends asked if I wanted to watch the ‘Baby Yoda’ show, well how could I refuse and it was a fascinating dive.

So to set the scene, in the years following the destruction of the second Death Star in The Return of the Jedi, the Empire has mostly collapsed but the New Republic is yet to really take control. This leaves large parts of the galaxy outside of the core in a state of flux. In that confusion, there are some systems that still work and one of them are the bounty hunters guild because irrespective of who is in power people still ditch out on their bail. This is where we met the titular Mandalorian or Mando (Pedro Pascal) to his well not really friends but more workplace proximity associates. One day he is offered a special bounty by his main contact Greef Karga (Carl Weathers) to work off-books for A Client (Werner Herzog) to find something special, only to discover that the bounty is a child. Now from here, we will be looking at the season as a whole so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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TV Review – Doctor Who: Demons of the Punjab

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TL;DR – In the battle between love and hate, on which side would you be on? This is the question today’s episode asks before emotionally punching you in the gut.

Score – 5 out of 5 stars

 

Doctor Who: Demons Of The Punjab. Image Credit: BBC

 

Review –

When I heard Doctor Who was going to set an episode in colonial India, you can bet I was deeply concerned. A British TV Show doing an episode on the British occupation of another country, it is a recipe for disaster if handled wrongly, and the title Demons of the Punjab didn’t exactly fill me with confidence either. However, then we got to see Rosa (see review) earlier this season all about Rosa Parks and her struggles, they showed a real understanding of exploring deeply complex historical events, so I had a hope that they would be able to here as well, and I honestly think they pulled it off.

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