Star Wars movies get a bad rap, but not all are equal. Rian Johnson turned the series around with The Last Jedi, turning tired old tropes into something new and exciting.
Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins was attached to this 2020 film about the X-wing pilots Movie who defended the galaxy from the Empire. Then, it got shelved.
1. The Last Jedi
One of the most beloved films in cinema history, A New Hope has everything that makes Star Wars a timeless and universal story: a princess more than just a damsel in distress; a snarky droid; a lightsaber battle fought inches from the smoldering floor of an evil empire. Its influence on sequels, spin-offs, and merch is nearly immeasurable.
George Lucas’ prequels get a bad rap, and for good reason: midichlorians are weird; the pod race is repetitive and tedious; Jar Jar Binks makes a return; and even Jyn Erso’s armed misfit squad and the Empire’s bickering bureaucrats feel tired.
But despite a few bold feints in the right direction, Last Jedi falls back into old-school formula and loses some of its most intriguing characters (Carrie Fisher’s Leia gets reduced to a computer-generated shell; Oscar Isaac’s chipper Poe Dameron is transformed into a grinning doofus cheerleader). Then there are the logic fumbles that bog down the film’s momentum.
2. Rogue Squadron
After destroying the Death Star, Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles recruit the best fighter pilots in the galaxy to form Rogue Squadron. With arduous training and dangerous missions, they weed out the weak from the strong, assembling a squadron of hard-bitten heroes willing to fight and ready to die. They fly X-wing Movie starfighters and Y-wing assault starfighter/bombers on planetary air-to-ground, search-and-destroy, reconnaissance, and rescue assignments.
It’s a good way to see the heroes of the Rebellion forming as the Alliance gains strength, but it also muddies the continuity by introducing the new storyline that Vader is Luke’s father. So, it’s not for everyone. That being said, it’s a fun story with plenty of action and subterfuge to enjoy.
3. The Rise of Skywalker
The Rise of Skywalker is about Rey’s rise to being a full-fledged Jedi hero. She’s finally able to bury Palpatine, and take on the mantle of the Skywalker family legacy.
The movie also features Naomi Ackie as Jannah, a former stormtrooper who now aids the Resistance. According to a wiki leak, she and Lando have a daughter together – which ties in with their last scene of the film.
Another big change is that Palpatine barely appears in the film. Instead, he only sends a holocron message to Kylo Ren, telling him to go to the ancient Sith Master Vor Tulum Movie.
4. The Force Awakens
Thirty years after the Battle of Endor, the galaxy is divided between the Resistance led by General Leia Organa and the sinister First Order. As the Resistance prepares to attack Starkiller Base, a planet converted into a superweapon, Resistance pilot Poe Dameron receives a holographic message from Lor San Tekka that reveals a map to Luke Skywalker.
Disillusioned with the First Order, Poe escapes in a stolen TIE fighter and rescues FN-2187, who he renames Finn. As they flee, a First Order Star Destroyer shoots them down.
The surviving pair escape on the Falcon Movie, where they find Han Solo and Chewbacca. On the oceanic planet Ahch-To, a rocky island where the droid BB-8 awakens, Rey climbs to a summit and wordlessly presents Finn with his lightsaber. The Complete Visual History offers a comprehensive retelling of the film’s story and in-depth analysis of characters, worlds, weapons, and more. Beautiful photography and authoritative text by Lucasfilm insider Pablo Hidalgo make this the definitive book on The Force Awakens.
5. The Last Jedi: The Complete Visual History
If you love Star Wars and want a visual guide to the characters, places, creatures, and worlds from The Last Jedi, then this is the book for you. Written and illustrated by the Lucasfilm ‘visualists,’ it explores every inch of this spectacular movie in detail.
Rey arrives on Ahch-To seeking a reluctant Luke Skywalker, who has vanished into solitude after his pupil turned to the dark side. She wants him to teach her the ways of the Jedi. But Luke is disillusioned by the Jedi Order, and he has a sci-fi mid-life crisis of his own.
The movie also introduces the adorable critters known as Porgs, who inhabit the remote island where the film takes place. And it might be the first time that a Star Wars movie has ended with a random kid just staring into space.
6. The Last Jedi: The Complete Visual History
In this mammoth book, Pablo Hidalgo —the author of the New York Times bestseller Star Wars Year by Year—uses photos, art, and other illustrations to delve into the development of the saga. It was first released in 2010, and a second edition arrives this month, containing the events of The Last Jedi.
One of the most controversial aspects of The Last Jedi is that it depicts a generational handoff, with baby boomers passing on leadership roles to millennials (in this case, a white woman and a black man). The film’s characters aren’t always impressive or sympathetic, and some of its jokes fall flat. For instance, Poe Dameron cracks a “your mom” joke before he and his comrades enter Helm’s Deep. That was a dumb move on Johnson’s part. He should have left it out. It weakened the movie.
7. The Last Jedi: The Complete Visual History
A visual guide to the characters, creatures, droids, locations, and technology of the latest installment in the Star Wars franchise. With art, costume sketches, storyboards, and other concept designs, this book delves into the making of the film and goes beyond the movie experience.
The movie’s first scene shows Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) flying over the First Order’s dreadnought in a Resistance fighter jet. He then orders a bomb to be dropped on the First Order’s base on Crait.
That scene set a tone of flat humour that permeates The Last Jedi throughout the movie, such as Rei’s utterly absurd “can’t you at least wear a cowl or something” to Kylo Ren. It ruins any attempt at serious character drama. It also feels like a piece of fan fiction that you could find on any unofficial geek forum.
8. The Last Jedi: The Complete Visual History
Thankfully, at least one of the movies that Disney and Lucasfilm have had up in the air since taking over the franchise has a high likelihood of actually making it to theaters: The Mandalorian. There are, however, a number of other Star Wars projects that have been announced but are deader than Aunt Beru’s fuzzy dice.
This comprehensive book showcases the costumes, weapons, vehicles, and other props from the Star Wars films in unprecedented detail. Readers can explore Padme Amidala’s costumes, examine the droid tech behind BB-8’s rolling motion, and discover many of the characters’ backstories.
It’s a great way to learn about the world that Rian Johnson built. It just may not be enough to keep some fans invested in the future of this once-mighty universe.
9. The Last Jedi: The Complete Visual History
Star Wars fans, prepare for a galaxy-sized treat. This mammoth book is a visual feast that examines the characters, creatures, vehicles, weapons, props, and technology in all nine films in the main trilogy, plus Rogue One and Solo.
This book from DK Publishing explains how the film came together with a focus on the characters, including Po Dameron, Finn, and Rose. It reveals their backstories and shows how they connect to each other through mind-linking. It also looks at the tech behind BB-8’s rolling motion, explores Padme Amidala’s costumes, and displays Boba Fett’s array of weaponry. The perfect gift for the nerd in your life. This book is in full collaboration with Lucasfilm and written by renowned Star Wars experts. It’s also available in a deluxe edition with added art.
10. The Last Jedi: The Complete Visual History
One of the more polarizing elements of The Last Jedi is its sense of humor. The film is packed with jokes that will either be funny to you or not. It seems like a combination of the director Rian Johnson’s personal style and a lot of the cast and crew’s comedic sensibilities.
With Leia out of commission, Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) sets in motion plans to evacuate the Resistance ship to the planet Crait. She also reaches out to her former pupil Finn (John Boyega) and mechanic Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran).
It’s interesting that the characters in The Last Jedi don’t call out the First Order for being evil. They don’t use moral invective against them, which is a very uncharacteristic statement of nihilism. It’s like they don’t care if the First Order commits genocide or murders every member of the former Resistance alliance.
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