STAR WARS: VISIONS – MY OWN IMPRESSIONS (A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO REMEMBER STAR WARS)

Star Wars: Visions

Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera

Studio: Trigger, Science Saru, Production I.G., Kinema Citrus, Geno Studio, Studio Colorido, Kamizake Douga

Hello my friends, welcome to another entry of my blog.

And… Happy Star Wars Day!!!!

Yeah, I know. It has been two weeks since that celebration, but I really wanted to take my time to see if I was able to give an excellent way to remember one of my most precious childhood memories, also… to redeem myself for… Calling Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker a good story.

I don’t know what was I thinking. I let my inner fan to distract from my hideous, disgusting awfulness that turned to be Episode IX, simply one of the worst Star Wars movies ever existed. Worse than The Attack of the Clones. At least that one made more sense.

Anyway, ready to go back to the Light Side of the Force, with…

But before I start, I must ask all of you my friends, the typical question:

Are you guys ok? Feeling healthy?

If the answer is yes, then I am very happy.

Now, having said that, let’s go with Star Wars: Visions.

PREMISE

As its name points out, Star Wars: Visions is a series of nine anthology shorts of over 10 minutes, each one animated by different anime studios, which basically shows their passion of Star Wars in the form of nine stories setting up in the Galaxy, Far, Far away. The studios include Trigger, Science Saru, Kinema Citrus, Studio Colorido, Geno Studio, Kamikaze Douga and Production I.G. Most of us knew these studios, but, just in case, I will mention that Studio Colorido made films like Penguin Highway, which I personally and dearfully recommend, and Burn the Witch, from Bleach’s Tite Kubo. Yes… I invented the word «dearfully»; while Geno Studio is the one behind Golden Kamuy, which I hope I can review one day.

The name of the shorts are:

1. The Duel (Kamikaze Douga)
2. Tatooine Rhapsody (Studio Colorido)
3. The Twins (Trigger)
4. The Village Bride (Kinema Citrus)
5. The Ninth Jedi (Production I.G.)
6. T0-BI (Science Saru)
7. The Elder (Trigger)
8. Lop and Ocho (Geno Studio)
9. Akakiri (Science Saru)

Obviously none of the shorts are interconnected in any way, aside from taking place in the Galaxy, but all of them have the two sides of the Force fighting each other, Jedi vs. Sith, Light side vs. Dark Side, Balance vs. Emotion, with an amazing display of what we all love about Star Wars; the epic, the lightsabers, the Galactic Empire, heroes who are willing to fight for peace, beautiful special effects and wonderful soundtrack inspired by John Williams.

Just look at this:

Fantastic!!

Finally, not just the shorts, also the soundtrack was a collaboration of many composers, including Kevin Penkin (The Rising of the Shield Hero, Tower of God), Michiru Oshima (Fullmetal Alchemist), Keiji Inai (Danmachi) among others.

Now, normally I would continue giving my opinion of both story and characters. That is my way to make my entry, but, since there are nine short films, I will first talk about how do I feel about Star Wars: Visions, and then I will briefly comment about my personal favourites.

So… May the Force be with me.

HOW DO I FEEL ABOUT STAR WARS VISIONS

Now. I must say that I absolutely loved Star Wars: Visions, as much as I enjoyed The Mandalorian and some episodes of The Book of Boba Fett, and it is a delight to see that, after years of bad taste from the sequel trilogy, and despite I will always have sour memories from The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, it is good to see that many artists still know what Star Wars is about, and how to represent its essence faithfully.

The Force Awakens, despite taking more elements from A New Hope that it should, is still a passable movie.

Nonetheless, I found amazing that many Japanese studios really made these shorts, that is literally the last thing I expected from Star Wars, especially in recent years. I sadly believe that the franchise is a very delicate status right now, mostly because of the awful Sequel Trilogy, but Star Wars: Visions felt like a fresh perspective, full of nostalgia, great special effect and genuine… powerful… emotional moments.

I understand that not everybody loves Star Wars: Visions, in fact an opinion I recently read said it was just done to «pander weeaboos». But I beg to differ. I feel that Star Wars Visions can be enjoyed by both fans and critics of Star Wars, especially for those who grew up with the Original Trilogy and The Revenge of the Sith (Honorable mention to The Phantom Menace and The Attack of the Clones).

So definitely I recommend Star Wars Visions.

And now… my favourite shorts.

THE TWINS

In this short, twins born from Sith Alchemy, Karre and Am attempt to construct a Star Destroyer with a cannon capable of destroying planets. But Karre renounces the dark side and attempts to free his sister too, resulting in a brilliant lightsaber fight with a more epic conclusion.

I loved this story because… It’s freaking Studio Trigger. What else do you expect?

The animation is marvellous, as expected from Trigger, but through the dialogue and the excellent fight scene, as well as the characters, you really get invested and what to know how Karre and Am are gonna end.

But for me, The Twins are a beautiful metaphor of the everlasting conflict between the Force, the dark side and the light.

The Ninth Jedi

Years after of the Empire, Juro, who is apparently a former Jedi, gives a Padawan, Ethan, a lightsaber, while both await others created by blacksmith Lah Zhima, for Ethan’s fellow Jedi. But things go south when Zhima is captured by Inquisitors, so it depends on his daughter, Kara, who is Force-sensitive, to deliver the lightsabers in time.

This short has a concise and engaging story, including a plot twist that adds to the tension (Seriously, not gonna spoil, but it definitely catch me, unlike many other «plot twists»), but in the end, I feel that it reminded me of one of the most important lessons from Star Wars itself – Never lose Hope.

T0-BI

T0-B1, or Tobi, is a droid that dreams to become a Jedi; he is raised by Professor Mitaka, who warns Tobi not to enter his basement, but Tobi disobeys and finds a starship to send a signal to Sith Inquisitors. Then Tobi learns the truth of Mitaka; he is a Jedi himself.

I swear to you guys that, when I watch this short, I thought that it was animated by Tezuka Productions, not by Science Saru. I know someone out there also realised that Tobi bears a resemblance with Astroboy.

For me, T0-B1 is a story of growth, a rite of passage between childhood and adulthood that ends up pretty well.

And finally…

LOP AND OCHO

At planet Tau, during the era of the Galactic Empire, rabbit-like slave Lop is saved by Ocho, the daughter of the planet’s clan leader, Yasaburo, who reluctantly adopts her. But seven years, when the Empire is exploiting Tau, Ocho joins them despite Yasaburo’s protests. Now, Yasaburo gives Lop the family treasure, an ancient lightsaber. Will Lop be able to bring Ocho back now that she realises is Force-sensitive?

The animations is beautiful, and despite sharing a few moments on screen as sisters, Lop and Ocho really give that sense of closeness, which makes her separation even more tragic; add that with a family-centred story that, despite the ending, makes you really the importance of Hope, a recurring theme in Star Wars.

CONCLUSION

Star Wars Visions is one of the best series of Star Wars that came in recent years, perhaps competing with The Mandalorian. Both prove that this franchise still has some good spark, capable of resisting the Dark Side of the Mouse.

Get it?

Like I said, regardless you are a casual moviegoer, or a Star Wars fan, Visions will keep you entertained, and realise why we should never let this franchise fall. So go watch on Disney+, or illegally? and enjoy a fresh perspective from a Galaxy Far, Far away.

And once…

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!!!!

JAINITUOS FILM REVIEWS – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (With spoilers)

Hey guys, it is me again.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!!!!! AND A HAPPY 2020!!!

Right now, I am going to do something different. This time, I am going to make another review of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but with spoilers. And boy… Do I have a lot of say!! Because despite I consider it a good Star Wars movie, I don’t think is the best way to culminate the sequel trilogy.

Remember. I said the sequel trilogy.

And in this review, I will explain my reasons of why is that. And of course, this review will… you know… Have spoilers of the movie.

But before that… I hope you guys are in good health and prosperity. If you are, then I am happy.

Now. On to the review.

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Taking place one year after Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Supreme Leader of the First Order, Kylo Ren, arrives to the planet Exegol, where we finds out that his former master, Supreme Leader Snoke, is a clone of Emperor Palpatine, and the latter orders him to kill Rey. Personally, despite being so excited about the «resurrection» of Palpatine, I have so many questions, like:

How did Palpatine survive being thrown in the abyss by Darth Vader?

More importantly:

«How did he survive the destruction of the second Death Star?»

This might look like a small problem, but it cracks away many important elements that we believed were conclusive from the original trilogy.

Speaking of which, on their way to Pasaana, Finn, Rey, Poe Dameron and C-3PO act all the time like brothers, and I mean family; Arguing, treating with confidence, working well together, like the cast from the original trilogy. Personally, I love this moment between all of them; that is, until that critical side of me awoke and put this in question, because, for those who remember, Finn, Rey and Poe Dameron separated throughout The Last Jedi, and barely bonded during Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And yes, I know they worked together to bring the location of Luke Skywalker to the Resistance. But one thing is to work together, and another is to properly establish a bond, especially in movies.

Case in point. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1 & Vol 2. In the first movie, Peter Quill, a.k.a., Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Groot and Rocket Raccoon started as a group of outlaws, gathered together by unfortunate circumstances. At the beginning, they do not stand each other, but they create a bond step by step; knowing each other, knowing their respective pasts, learning more about themselves and being honest one with another, especially Quill and Gamora; fans and moviegoers learn about the team, thanks to the events of the movie; that its members are united by one purpose, save the Universe from Thanos and his minions, becoming what they are now: The Guardians of the Galaxy. And by the second movie, those bonds, perfectly explored in Vol. 1, are strengthen more, especially when.

1. We know of who is Star-Lord’s father.

2. We are given more details about the troubled relationship between Gamora and Nebula.

My point is that, in terms of character relationships, neither The Force Awakens nor  The Last Jedi do a good job with its main characters, and by the time we reach to The Rise of Skywalker, is impossible to believe they became that close. Perhaps they did off-screen, but for the audience, this does not have the same impact as in Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

Speaking of characters. What is the issue with Zorii Bliss and Poe Dameron? The movie states that she was betrayed by Dameron at some point, just to practically disappear afterwards; sure she helps Dameron and his friend escape The First Order from Kijimi. And when she returns in the epic battle of Exegol, nothing else happens. Well, after the victory of the Resistance, Poe Dameron apparently invites her to… go a place, and she says no. Could the movie at least made her take her helmet off? And I mean her helmet. Not just her visor!

Remember what I said in my non-spoiler review of The Rise of Skywalker where I mention SHOW, DON’T TELL. This is what I meant.

Finally. What about Rose and Finn? Yes. I know that many Star Wars fans hated them together in The Last Jedi, but that doesn’t excuse The Rise of Skywalker to discard them just like that, let alone discard Rose out of the plot. If she was not going to return, then at least the movie could justify that she was watching over Leia, or that she had to prepare the Resistance for the final assault. But no. Rose barely has any dialogue, or involvement with Finn. This is mere speculation from me, but I would say that both J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio did that for the fans, not to make them angry and convince them to watch the movie; in other words, pure fanservice, and since Rose is there practically as background, all the more reason.

I don’t know you guys, but if I was the writer of Episode IX, and they asked me to get rid of Rose, at least I will try to give her a proper demise, or a small part in which she says goodbye to Finn.

Okay. Not everything regarding character development is disappointing. There are also very good things. Like the relationship between Kylo Ren and Rey.

If there a thing we must really praise The Last Jedi, is the deep conflict between these two characters. Rey successfully intensifies the inner turmoil of Kylo Ren, and Kylo Ren, through his interactions with Rey, inspire us to want know more about her past. The chemistry between them is wonderful. Like I said in my non-spoiler review, they hold The Rise of Skywalker together, and at the end, they have this entertaining lightsaber duels; they are not perfect, but sure they are very enjoyable, especially the second one, in which Rey «kills» Kylo Ren, while she «frees» Ben Solo.

And this could not make for a better ending. I mean, Palpatine is defeated by Rey with the deflection of his force lightning (Advice for you Sheev – DON’T USE FORCE LIGHTNING – ITS HAVE NEVER BROUGHT ANYTHING GOOD TO YOU.), she dies, buy then Ben Solo resurrected her, at cost of his own life. They kissed, Ben Solo smiles and dies. Bittersweet, yet satisfying, especially the part in which Ben becomes One with the Force. I wish his Force Ghost was included when Rey introduces herself as…

«REY SKYWALKER»

Also. This leaves wondering. What were Rey and Ben Solo at the end? They became a couple? They were in love with each other from the beginning? And…

«What was that thing Finn wanted to tell to Rey? I love you?»

Ok. Ok. I talked a lot about the characters already. Now it is time to move something that I can’t stop praising from The Rise of Skywalker. 

It’s visuals

Like I said in my non-spoiler review, you can feel the beauty and the atmosphere of the planets through the visuals. When Kylo Ren arrives to Exegol in search of Palpatine, I feel dreaded, like I was in a real Sith homeworld. Honestly, I have never seen this claustrophobic atmosphere in a planet since the derelict in Alien, or Alien Isolation for that matter. It was amazing.

Before I continue, I also praise the beginning of the movie for citing the story of Darth Plagueis and his fight against death from Revenge of the Sith. This element add some aura of mystery to both Exegol and the lore of Star Wars. From my perspective at least.

Back to the visuals. I really liked Pasaana. Wadi Rum in Jordan, where the scenes from Pasaana were shot, has always been such a wonderful place for films that take place in the desert, and will always be. And I guess Pinewood Studios has billions of handful resources, I am saying this because Kijimi, despite not being the best set for a Star Wars movie ever done, it’s pretty convincing. And Kef Bir… Wow!! When I recognise that piece of the second Death Star… it really blew my mind. Sure. It can be done with CGI and modern technology, but that simple frame in which we see those remains was enough to impress me. And when Rey went inside, it really paid off. The sense of danger, the fear of the extinct Galactic Empire… The legacy of the Battle of Endor… Everything was there. Everything that made me relive that marvel that came from Return of the Jedi.

And when Rey meets her «Sith self» in the former throne of Palpatine… you know what I thought?

«This is what The Last Jedi should have done in the first place.»

My respects for the atmosphere. It definitely mixed up with the narrative, making the story more compelling.

On the other hand, is there any opportunity that we can see more about Jannah and her past with the First Order? She has a lot of resemblances with Finn; both deflected the First Order and joined the Resistance. This is one of those cases in which I consider a spin-off could work, one in which we explore about the past of Finn and Jannah, how they were trained inside the First Order, and how was life as a Stormtrooper.

Perhaps the first movie from Rian Johnson’s new trilogy can be centred on these characters.

And finally… The climax in Exegol.

Ok. I am not going to lie. I don’t think this is the best conclusion for the sequel trilogy. It was not a bad battle, but it could been bigger, more intense, especially because of the Sith Troopers. I was one of the millions who had very high expectations of these guys. How couldn’t I? But then, I realised they barely do anything, they are just Storm Troopers, but in red. And the same thing can be said about the Knights of Ren. Are these guys supposed to be too powerful? Also, I feel that the battle could arrived earlier. This was supposed to be the Epic End of both the sequel trilogy and the Skywalker Saga, Wasn’t it? Then this movie could have done something bigger, something timeless, especially since Palpatine almost killed the Resistance with his bare hands. It was nice to see starships blowing each other, but I think the battle in the Starkiller from The Force Awakens was far more impressive. Also, the editing in the climax from Exegol was not the best, so it does not really feel like all the Galaxy was there to stop the Final Order once and for all.

And when the Resistance defeated both Palpatine and the Final Order, I can’t stop but wondering… Does this mean that peace will finally come to the Galaxy? What happened to the New Republic? Is there going to be a New New Republic? (LMFAO) What was whoever Chancellor is in charge doing during this war?

At least the Resistance could have proclaimed something like:

«Time to reconstruct the Republic.»

But I liked Rey’s new lightsaber. That yellow looks beautiful, and so it does the handle, like a balance between good and evil.

CONCLUSION

Well guys. Thank you so much for sticking with me during my spoiler review of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. As you could see, there was so much to say, more than I could thought. And overall, the movie is not bad; its has its faults, and to be honest, every Star Wars movies has its faults, even the original ones. But the elements that are great really deserve universal acclaim; these characters, Finn, Rey, Poe Dameron and Kylo Ren came as interesting and compelling, to the point that they already got their places in our hearts, and we will continue remember them for the years to come.

Also, despite fans are divided regarding both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, I think they are solid movies, some of the best from Star Wars, and so it is The Rise of Skywalker. People will watch these movies, some will hate them, some will love them, but they will continue being a source of debate for very good reasons.

Probably Disney wanted this in a way, and they succeeded. It’s only my opinion. You guys will have a different viewpoint.

I guess that all I can is… see by yourself.

And for the matter.

«May the Force be With You.»

JAINITUOS FILM REVIEWS – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Non-spoilers)

Hey Guys. This is Jaime here.

Welcome to another film review. After so many years (two at least of waiting), I am happy to announce I have finally watched Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, a.k.a., Star Wars – Episode IX.

It’s the time of the Truth. Or shall I say… The Time of The Force.

But before I continue, there are two things I want to tell you. The First one… MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE AND A HAPPY NEW 2020. (Hopefully I will continue giving you more reviews.)

And the second thing… Are you guys doing alright? If you are happy, especially in these holidays, then I am happy too.

With that said, ready for the review.

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Story

Taking one year after the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the story begins when Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver, finds a very unexpected clue that will not only change the life of his enemies from the Resistance, but also the fate of the galaxy in the amazing conclusion of the nine-part journey of what now we know as THE SKYWALKER SAGA. And of course, the Jedi Apprentice Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, will join her good ol’ friends, Finn, played by John Boyega, and Poe Dameron, played by Oscar Isaac, to stop Ren and the First Order at all cost.

And of course… we also have this amazing cast that includes the late Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Lupita Nyong’o, Joonas Suotamo, Domhnall Gleeson, Naomi Ackie, Keri Russell, Richard E. Grant, Kelly Marie Tran…

But the best part is the return of veteran Star Wars actors Billy Dee Williams and Ian McDiarmid, as Lando Calrissian and Sheev Palpatine respectively. And of course, the movie is directed by J.J. Abrams (My respects), who also directed The Force Awakens.

First and foremost, you must know that I am a huge fan of Star Wars since I was a kid; I watched every single movie in the cinemas, from the original Star Wars to Return of the Jedi, including The Phantom Menace, and I liked it (Already admitted). The only one that I skipped was Attack of the Clones (possibly worst title of Star Wars). And when Disney announced a new trilogy, I went bananas, especially after watching The Force Awakens…

Sorry for all this digressing, but definitely anyone has its own personal anecdote regarding Star Wars…

My point is that this is the movie that I was expecting from the beginning of 2019, as much as Avengers: Endgame or Joker; and as soon as the movie was released, I immediately bought my ticket and went to the cinema, and… It was a surprise for me!!!

Look, some of you might be thinking that I am overreacting, and that The Rise of Skywalker is not even that great. I am not going to lie. The first act is pretty rushed, especially its first ten minutes; and with all due respect to the memory of Carrie Fisher, but some of her parts are not that believable, you can notice that there is a green screen used for General Leia Organa, which sadly ruins some of the magic, even though I perfectly understand that there was no choice, especially after Fisher’s tragic death.

Nevertheless the movie improves its pacing and rhythm, taking its time to let us enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Galaxy; and feel its atmosphere in some scenes, which is also one of the beauties from the Star Wars Universe. (Those who have seen Return of the Jedi and The Phantom Menace definitely know what I am talking about). Especially during the action sequences, where probably The Rise of Skywalker might have too much of them, but I think these are well-edited, and Star Wars fans, both from the classic movies and the post-2012 ones, will enjoy them.

Like I said, the movie improves its rhythm, and by the time of the second act, you start understanding the purpose of everything that is going on in the story, except from some parts that should follow this rule – SHOW, DON’T TELL; but, by this point, the conflict between Kylo Ren and Rey reaches its highest peak. And slowly, some of the questions from both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi are answered, which is kind of disappointing because we, as fans, demanded more, but the film still is entertaining enough to make desire  more. Better still, The Rise of Skywalker gets into more action rather than exposition, and the former is simple, so we, as audience, can really feel the story and enjoy it… For the most part.

Finally, that third act… BY THE FORCE!!! Ok. Probably is not the best battle from the Star Wars cinematic franchise, but it is definitely what you expect from this sequel trilogy. However, don’t get too excited about the Knights of Ren and the Sith Troopers. I need to tell this by now, because, due to the hype of this movie, they will definitely disappoint you.

Overall, the story is pretty well-balanced, and enjoyable enough, at least during the second and the third act, because the first one is not good despite the epic moments. To be honest, I was very impatient in the cinema, hoping to see the epic final battle between the Resistance and the First Order, struggling not to see the rest as pure filler.

Personally, I find hard to believe that The Rise of Skywalker costed between 250 and 300 million; on the other hand, that can be justified with the changes of the script done by J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio, or perhaps because the fans were so outraged by The Last Jedi, which I personally enjoyed as much as The Empire Strikes Back. That’s why I got my respects for Abrams; he had a big responsibility, and the sudden departure of Colin Trevorrow during production did not make things easier.

Nonetheless I had so much fun with the good parts. However I will give you a simple advice, focus on these four elements of the overall story:

1. The conflict between Rey and Kylo Ren
2. The answered mysteries of both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi
3. Land Calrissian
4. The final battle

With that, the movie will become a joyride.

CHARACTERS

Wow!!! This is kind of a hit and miss

Okay. All of the actors are great, especially Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley; as I said before, these two are the ones who are holding the movie. Moreover, despite my earlier criticism, I think Carrie Fisher does pretty good as Leia. Let’s recognise it… That character was made for Fisher.

Speaking of which… Lando Calrissian was definitely a treat. Once more, Billy Dee Williams puts that good ol’ scoundrel at his best. In fact, ever since Disney announced the sequel trilogy, I never stop wondering:

When we are going to see Lando Calrissian?

And now… here we go. The only problem is that he could be used a little more, or at least more than I could expect. I guess the story and the script did not really had a lot of time for him. But at least he came in the best way possible.

The same goes to Keri Russell as Zorii Bliss. Apparently she has a very important role of a certain character, but her presence is so rushed and so contrived it ends up pretty unconvincing. I wish the script was more polished. If there is a future sequel, or a spin-off, perhaps Keri Russell will have a bigger role.

And what about Finn? Or Poe Dameron? Or R2-D2? The movie states that there is a bond between these three, but if you see this movie, along with The Last Jedi, you will definitely not buy it. At least Mark Hamill gets a pretty good part with despite the script.

Do you see a pattern here? We love most of the characters from the sequel trilogy, but the script of The Rise of Skywalker does not deliver the story they deserve, and that’s a shame, because despite some «moment» between Finn and some «other character» throughout The Last Jedi, there was a lot of potential of all of them.

What a shame.

CONCLUSION

To sum up, I enjoyed The Rise of Skywalker. Personally I don’t think it’s the conclusion that the sequel trilogy deserved, but is a pretty decent conclusion for The Skywalker Saga, and I still gonna watch it again; in addition, most likely the movie will generate the same controversy that came from The Last Jedi.

But with that aside, Episode IX is a really exciting movie, with great visuals, great characters, beautiful and poignant moments and this sensation of the vastness of The Galaxy; all what Star Wars is about. And just like both The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker will continue to inspire a lot to talk about for the years to come.

I guess that all I can say is… See it by yourself.

And whatever happens:

«May the Force Be With You.»