My The Force Awakens Plot Speculation: Take 3

Twas the night before I buy Star Wars: The Force Awakens tickets and my head was buzzing.  Not only have several teaser trailers come out for tomorrow's full trailer, but the official movie poster for the film has been released.  I do think the poster looks a little crowded, and I have no idea why the hell Luke Skywalker, the hero of the Star Wars saga, is not on it!  To this point we still have no idea what the actual plot of the film is, but I have a feeling tomorrow's trailer will tell us what all these characters are doing in Episode VII.  After each teaser trailer I've jumped on here and given my speculation as to the plot of the film; or what each character is up too.  Since their will probably be no more mystery by tomorrow night I figure I'll give it one last go after see the new poster.

The only thing for certain we know is that this film takes place 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi.  The once great Empire has dissolved and the First Order seems to be taking it's place as the bad guys in the galaxy.  Leia is part of the Resistance, which are of course the good guys fighting against them.  Given the word 'Resistance' is used I don't think the Rebels had the crushing victory we saw in the Expanded Universe, or Legends, after the second Death Star was destroyed.  With the absence of Luke from the poster it makes me believe that Mark Hamill isn't in much of the film.  In fact, I think Han and Chewie are in search for Luke because a new Force baddie, Kylo Ren has shown up.  But they aren't in league with Leia.  I don't even think Han and Leia are together.

Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, is a desert scavenger who lives far enough away on the planet Jakku that she doesn't really know what's happening.  That is until Finn shows up looking for her, because he thinks she knows where Luke is.  But the First Order also wants to know where Luke is, so Kylo Ren is also hunting down Rey and her droid BB-8.  I think Rey was once a padawan to Luke; and is also his niece.  

In the Legends universe Han and Leia had twins, Jacen and Jaina, who were built up as the next generation of Skywalkers.  Jacen turned to the dark side, and his twin sister had to kill him for the good of the galaxy.  While the Legends stuff is no longer Star Wars Canon, Kathleen Kennedy said ideas from Legends can be cherry picked for this new continuity.  I think Rey is the new Jaina Solo and Kylo Ren is the new Jacen Solo.  But Rey has turned away from The Force for fear of repeating her grandfather's destiny. 

So Finn goes undercover in the First Order(which explains the stormtrooper outfit) because they have a lead on Rey, and Leia wants him to protect her and find Luke.  Leia trusts Finn because he too is Force sensitive(which is why he has a lightsaber).  Along the way, Rey and Finn are saved by Han and Chewie and they all go to find Luke together.  By the end of the film they find the former farmboy, but Luke knows the Dark Side is gaining power, and they are not ready to face it.  Filming for Episode VIII has begun with reports that Mark Hamill and Daisy Ridley are shooting scenes off the coast of Ireland on Skellig Michael Island.  I think Luke takes Rey to this place to do her Jedi training so she will be strong enough to take down Kylo Ren.

Now there is a big prediction that Han Solo bites the dust by the end of the film because of Harrison Ford's desire to see him die way back when Episode VI was being filmed.  While I don't think this will happen I wouldn't bet against it.  I initially thought Luke would die. Episode I, Qui-Gon Jinn die.  Episode IV, Obi-Wan Kenobi dies.  The mentor figure has always died in the first film of each trilogy.  While maybe not the first film, I do think that by the end of this trilogy Han and Luke will have both joined the Force.  Of course, I'm sure I am wrong about all of this.  But as a life-long Star Wars fan who is super excited for The Force Awakens I've had years to think about what Episode VII will be like.  I still don't know where Poe Dameron or Rey's bo staff fits in(though some are saying Darth Plagueis).  I just hope this new "Starkiller" weapon isn't another Death Star.

Dayspring Discussions Oct. 12, 2015

The Martian Brings Ridley Scott Back To Planet Hollywood

Ridley Scott has been a black sheep in Hollywood for the past few years.  His Robin Hood film with Russell Crowe was not well received.  Exodus: Gods and Monsters was a dud, and many people didn't like his Alien prequel; Prometheus.  Though I was not in that crowd on Prometheus.  But with good responses to his latest film, The Martian, it appears Mr. Scott may be out of the proverbial dog house.  

Matt Damon is astronaut Mark Watney.  He and his crew were investigating the red planet of Mars when a storm forced them to evacuate.  But an accident left Mark behind, and his friends believing he was dead.  Now Mark must survive several years on this harsh planet until the next mission arrives.  But he only has food to last a month.  While Mark is trying to figure out ways to make water and food NASA is back on Earth trying to figure out how to bring him home.  Should they send a supply probe, a new manned mission, or tell his fellow crew mates to risk their lives and go back for him?  And will he even still be alive if they do?

Let me start out by saying I think the trailer for this film gave too much away.  His crew mates don't even know Mark was alive till halfway through the film, and by then I knew they were going to go back for him because it was in the trailer.  However, the finale did leave me second guessing if the film was going to end like I thought it would.  I won't tell you what I thought; but I was right.  Because of the trailer I never felt the full stakes of the movie compared to if I had just went it blind.

The film is playing in 3D and IMAX screens, but like most movie, I saw it in regular 2D.  I'm not a fan of 3D and believe their are few films that are worth it.  I'm not sure about 3D, but The Martian would have been awesome to see in IMAX.  The Mars scenery is beautiful to look at and seeing that terrain on an even bigger screen I'm sure would have enhanced the experience of the film.

Damon does a great job of playing the sole inhabitant on a vacant planet.  He constantly talks into video logs so it's not like Castaway where a lot of the film is silent.  I'm curious if Damon actually lost all that weight his character had shed towards the end of the film?  I hadn't heard anything about it so I'm guessing it was a CGI/stunt double effort.

The Martian also includes a great supporting cast like Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Michael Pena, Sean Bean, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.  The Winter Soldier(Sebastian Stan) and the Invisible Woman(Kate Mara) are also along for this adventure.  These thespians help drive the story, and the stakes, as they race to save Damon's character in time.

While I wouldn't consider this a phenomenal film, I do think it is one of the better ones I've seen this year.  I recommend if you want to see it that you see in theaters; and maybe even IMAX.  Scott pulls off a story about the human condition and our remarkable ability to survive.  With a few jokes and a lot of heart, The Martian is a good start to what is now referred too as "Oscar Season."

RATING:  B

All the posters I looked online for said "November."  I didn't sleep through October did I?