I've Just Seen: Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

 Director: Rian Johnson

Well, I liked it.

So much has been said about Johnson's installment in the Star Wars trilogy, and a lot of it is divisive, that it is hard to formulate your own individual response. You end up answering the criticisms of others. And as I heard a few of the general criticisms before I saw the film, I had them floating in my mind while watching the film.

I am not someone who engages with any of the non-films storylines of the Star Wars saga. So for me the films have to work with the other films; you can't explain away any plot holes or inconsistencies with "Oh it is explained here in this story, or comic, or wherever." They have to work as a whole, which is one of the reasons the prequels don't work; they created more answers, and I do wonder if Lucas actually watched the first three before he scripted them.

I was excited to see the new Star Wars films, having enjoyed The Force Awakens with its new characters, well-constructed script and polished and rather beautiful cinematography. And for the most part, The Last Jedi delivered similar levels of brilliance. The only area I thought needed work was the structure of the script regarding Finn and Rose's plotline (a criticism others have made).

I enjoyed the focus on the nature of The Force and the platonic attraction between Rey and Ren. The "good guys" and "bad guys" in Star Wars are usually so diametrically opposed that it is hard to imagine a "good" character going bad (hello Anakin in the prequels). But Johnson cleverly explored this through the Force channel between the two, as well as Luke's fall from grace.

I could say a lot about the film, but simply saying I overall enjoyed it feels enough. Seeing Carrie Fisher on the big screen one last time was bittersweet. She is wonderful, and though it was not intended to be a farewell the film does provide a lovely last arc for Leia's story.

It is certainly a different Star Wars than what we are used to seeing, but for me that is fine.

I've Just Seen: Cinderella (2015)

Cinderella (2015)



Director: Kenneth Branagh

Disney's current trend of making "live action re-imaginings" of classic animations sound like a purely financial decision; squeezing new life out of stories already very familiar to children. On the other hand, fairytales (which most of the films are based upon) are the ideal stories to re-tell over and over again, each generation having their own version to enjoy. So rather than approaching this Cinderella with trepidation, I watched with interest.

The original Disney Cinderella film, from 1950, is my least favourite of the Disney princess films, with a Cinderella whose character is less developed than her mouse companions. And while the animation is lovely, particularly the transformation scene, it doesn't have the beauty of the Golden Age in the 90s. Branagh knows how to do visual spectacle, and his Cinderella has plenty of visual flair, from the costumes and sets, to the heighten colour of the image itself. Lily James is a sweet Cinderella, and Cate Blanchett gives depth to the Stepmother, whose nastiness is more complex than previous films.

The influence of other Cinderella films is apparent, from the early meeting of Cinderella and the Prince (Ever After) and Cinderella's final words to her stepmother (The Slipper and the Rose). The film is certainly aimed at young audiences, and did boarder on too sweet in places for my taste. However, I liked it overall, and it is definitely an improvement on the animation.

I've Just Seen: Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)


Director: Robert Stevenson

The influence of Mary Poppins is strong with this film. A magical lady meets a bunch of isolated  children (here physically and emotionally so), teams with a slightly down-on-his-luck man and goes on several adventures, some involving animated creatures. This may be derivative, but Angela Lansbury is always fun to watch and listen to sing, that I am able to enjoy this film without thinking about it too much.

Its biggest failing is that the story is it not stream-lined enough: there is too much going on. They go off looking for David Thomlinson's character, then go looking for a medallion, then come back to save England from the Germans. Had it chosen one overarching story, with one anatagonist, it would have been better. The songs are also not as memorable as Mary Poppins, which is always a shame in a musical film. Best suited to young children, and those with nostalgia complexes.