What News Guys?

First of all, let me alleviate the concern that this film is a rehash of Empire Strikes Back by affirming that it is indeed not. The La...

First of all, let me alleviate the concern that this film is a rehash of Empire Strikes Back by affirming that it is indeed not. The Last Jedi is by far the most original, surprising and exhilarating Star Wars film since the Disney-Lucasfilm acquisition in 2012. It's also a high point in the Star Wars saga, and I have no doubt it will be remembered as one of the most consequential chapters in the Star Wars mythos in the years to come.

The Last Jedi opens right where The Force Awakens left off. The First Order remains hellbent on extinguishing the remnants of the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). Attempts to evade the military forces commandeered by General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) cause friction among the rebels, as the charmingly impulsive Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) clashes with flinty war hero Vice-Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern). Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley) tries to drag the legendary Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) out of his self-imposed exile - but finds him broken and bitter following his failure to keep his nephew, Ben Solo a.k.a. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), from turning to the Dark Side.

In one of the many trailers for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, we hear Luke Skywalker say, “This is not going to go the way you think.” That is a pretty fair description of the experience of watching The Last Jedi. Fans who think they know what to expect from this movie are going to have those expectations blown right out of the water when they get into The Last Jedi. The first 100 minutes are the strangest - and potentially most offputting - thing about The Last Jedi. For much of its first half, the film feels almost as if it's been stitched together from a handful of very different movies. It may open on an exhilarating intergalactic space opera, but it also dives deep into the shifting moods of an existentialist drama (featuring a 'hall-of-mirrors' sequence straight out of a drug-drenched arthouse flick), before landing smack in the middle of an odd-couple road-trip comedy.

The cast continues to be the best part of this entire franchise. Mark Hamill absolutely kills it. Daisy Ridley and Adam Driver also perform their roles as Rey and Kylo Ren perfectly. The rest of the cast is sound. Any moment Carrie Fisher is on screen is just a reminder of what a wonderful actress and person we lost. It makes every one of her scenes that much more moving and heartbreaking.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is an emotional roller coaster of a movie. It fakes you out with what you think is going to happen, and then completely flips that on its head.

Former The Voice contestant Melanie Martinez has been accused of sexually assaulting her BFF after mentally and physically manipula...

Former The Voice contestant Melanie Martinez has been accused of sexually assaulting her BFF after mentally and physically manipulating her and taking advantage of her trust and friendship. "When I wrote this story about my assault, I initially wasn’t going to [name] the abuser. But I think it’s important for you all to know this is about Melanie Martinez," Timothy Heller wrote on Twitter Dec. 4.

In an emotional and raw string of tweets, Timothy (who is female) described Melanie as "my best friend. She took me in, which I was so grateful for. I felt like I owed her my life." However, Timothy alleges that Melanie took advantage of this love, and tried to push her to do things she didn't want to, despite having a boyfriend. But she says Melanie kept pushing, for two nights in a row. Finally, things allegedly got physical.

"I said every form of no I could think of...I never said yes, I said no repeatedly," Timothy explained, revealing that her friendship ended soon after.

While Timothy still feels like "the thought of accepting that my best friend [assaulted] me seemed insane," fans don't feel that way. They quickly took to Twitter to bash Melanie, delete her music and destroy her merch. "Make sure y'all go at Melanie Martinez the same way Y'all go at other rapists, don't go easy on her because she's not a man," wrote one supporter. No proof is readily available of the assault, but fans of Timothy's and Melanie's have followed their friendship and seem to believe Timothy. Melanie, who appeared on The Voice in 2012, commented on the grave situation late last night.

"I am horrified and saddened by the statements and story told tonight by Timothy Heller. What she and I shared was a close friendship for a period of time. We came into each other's lives as we were both starting our careers as artists, and we tried to help each other," she wrote on Twitter. "We both had pain in dealing with our individual demons and the new paths we were forging, but I truly felt we were trying to lit each other up. She never said no to what we chose to do together. And although we parted ways, I am sending her love and light always."

Coco is an animated film co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina. It is a story set in the fictitious Mexican town of Santa Cecilia, w...

Coco is an animated film co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina. It is a story set in the fictitious Mexican town of Santa Cecilia, where young Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) embarks on a journey when his passion in life and dreams are called into question by his family. All Miguel wants from this life is emulating the great and famous singer Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt) but his abuela and relatives oppose. Miguel must come to terms with his family and return back home after he disrespects the "Dia De Los Muertos" tradition and a curse falls upon him, trapping him with the dead. He finds help from the deceased Hector (Gael Garcia) and members of his family like Mama Imelda (Alana Ubach) as he finds a way to express his talents and learns family history.

With a stellar cast of voices by Benjamin Bratt, Gael Garcia Bernal, Alanna Ubach, Edward James Olmos, and newcomer Anthony Gonzales as the main protagonist Miguel, all providing flawless characterizations along with magnificent singing voices.

With the very sure hand of directors, Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina we are transported to the very colorful and vibrant world of Mexican folklore, combining it with a modern aesthetic that is both appealing and mysterious.

Coco is a flawlessly crafted movie. It's a visual marvel, a musical phenomenon that has three-dimensional characters, great sense of humor, a wonderful, deep message and some really emotional moments that will surely make you cry. Coco is about death, life, love, music, and hope. It's also the best and most loyal representation of Mexican culture and the Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday I've ever seen. At the same time, it's very refreshing, creative and authentic, which will surprise those who think it's a carbon copy of "Book of Life". The music is such a treasure here and sparks a range from traditional Mexican songs to the very touching and moving song "Remember Me" which serves as the vital core of the entire movie. It now has a special place in my heart and it's yet another masterpiece from the studio that reinvented the animation genre. One of my favorite scenes is when Miguel first enters and gazes upon the world of the dead, that is among the most impresses shots visually that I have seen in quite some time.

With a few twists and turns, well-developed characters, dazzling visuals, and one epic journey, Coco is yet another solid entry into Disney/Pixar's long list of animated adventures. I cried a lot during this movie. For me, this is the best animation movie in 2017.

What News Guys?

Review Star Wars : The Last Jedi

Best Friend Accuses Melanie Martinez of Rape

Review Coco

Songs of The Month (December 2017)

About me

Popular Posts

Blog Archive

recent posts

Follow Us