Star Wars: The Force Awakens: 8/10

Let’s get one thing clear: there is absolutely no way in the modern economic structure of filmmaking and Hollywood are we ever going to get a sci-fi trifecta as good as the original Star Wars trilogy. Just ask Indiana Jones what happens when you try to revive a severely beloved franchise in a new era decades later (*screams in agony*). And with the Disney Regime having their fingerprints all over the product you know there will be limitations, there will be questionable decisions, and the eggs will never be in the same basket.

However, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is not just a step in the right direction; its many many steps in the right direction. Despite the impossible odds to live up to the Original Three, The Force Awakens delivers an exhilarating experience that will revitalize your love for the franchise, and will give you strong anticipation for what the future holds within the LucasFilm universe. Although the movie definitely scales back some of the plot for future installments, it is still chock full of surprises, lovable characters, and the Star Wars magic that we haven’t experienced in a very long time.

J.J. Abrams revs up the nostalgic factor by not only doing several callbacks to the original trilogy, but but by crafting a storyline that builds and evolves in similar fashion to the original 1977 masterpiece. Without spoiling too much secrets are being pursued, rising evil is threatening the galaxy, and we see heroes coming from unexpected sources--these are all factors coming into play in Episode VII. Force Awakens actually takes off a lot quicker than Episode IV, but the difference is the 2015 revival slows down slightly to allow for more storylines to build (and not always necessarily conclude within the two hour timeframe). Don’t let George Lucas fool you—there were no plans for a sequel back then as A New Hope tossed the entire kitchen sink in terms of budget to give you the most complete riveting experience possible.

The Star Wars tropes are all far too present, and some with upgraded elements: our villain is quite menacing, there is a great cast of characters we wish we could spend more time with, the robotic creatures are lovable every second they are on screen, and of course there is the underrated variety of vehicles and weapons and creatures that we see in the Star Wars universe. Those expecting or hoping for a big deviation might be slightly disappointed. The production value of The Force Awakens was mesmerizing, from the battles to the outstanding cinematography supported by the booming John Williams score. Complementing the art direction is the CGI being kept to an absolute minimum (although the film really should have taken a page from Return of the Jedi and reached out to the Jim Henson Company for a few scenes).

It paces like Star Wars, it looks like Star Wars, and it definitely feels like Star Wars. The Force Awakens has a major element preventing it from becoming the cinematic game-changer Star Wars was back in the 70s: the planned structure technique of Disney. The 1977 gem was layers ahead of the next best-looking film while simultaneously nearly bankrupting everyone around them. It would change the way we see, experience, and film special and visual effects. It was also a fresh new concept that had a wide open door of possibilities—leading to all the extra books and media filling in the structural blanks. Disney is going on a schedule, is going on strict guidelines (More money was spent on budgeting then the film itself if that’s saying anything), leading to less power to the fans (we won’t be seeing dozens of Star Wars books like in the past) and less attempts to ever fully finish the story. Love or hate Disney, they know how to keep a property from becoming stale but profitable.

Can The Force Awakens be a better film? Of course, with more time, less limitations, more actually-completed storylines, and a lack of planning of milking the franchise. But Abrams and company still gives us a very entertaining film that begs multiple viewings to witness the new coming, and skim through all the details and potential clues to where the franchise is heading. Star Wars fans should not be disappointed, especially after what we witnessed during the darkest of times being a fan (The Prequel Trilogy).

The Force Awakens is a dazzling blend of old-school Star Wars magic with new-school thrills and fresh blood that will revitalize the brand throughout the upcoming trilogy and all the spin-offs that follow. Thank you Abrams, thank you Disney, and thanks to all the participated: Star Wars is back and has removed all the stench of the past couple decades. 

The Muzzled Legacy of Kobe Bryant

There are a few awkward legacies that exist within sports, legacies that don’t quite get the full attention that it might deserve for a multitude of reasons. The New York Islanders winning four consecutive Stanley Cups is far less popular of a fact then the two consecutive decades of the Detroit Red Wings entering the playoffs. The 11 rings of Bill Russell and the 10 rings of Yogi Berra are far off the pop culture popularity of Jordan’s 6 rings or Mayweather’s so-called perfect record. The 85 Bears will forever be known for its defense and incredible playoff run---but the 2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were just as nasty, just as destructive. And now we have Kobe Bryant, probably the best player this millennium has to offer---buried underneath other players, other incidents, and other champions.

Kobe Bryant is definitely one of the 20 best players of all-time, but just doesn’t quite get that press. I mean, he does get press, but not really the press about his accomplishments and legacy. He never got the LeBron/Jordan press; heck even Shaq seemingly had more attention when the Big Aristotle was with the Lakers. Bryant couldn’t quite shake off the ballhog or teammate-killer status, even though in his later years he needed to be in full control in order for his Lakers to have a shot. And after Jordan finally stopped hogging the limelight, it wouldn’t be too long before we saw the likes of Wade, Carmelo, and LeBron step in (2003 NBA Draft, my goodness, it was that long ago?) and become the new faces of the NBA—with the Malice at the Palace and the Tim Donaghy scandal thrown in between. If Kobe had been a Jazz or a Hornets player, he would be at Tim Duncan level of attention..



And Kobe knows this.



This is why he pushed so hard, so damn long, for one last playoff run. He had 5 rings—right below Jordan. He was 3rd on scoring---below Kareem (another Laker great). Bryant was defiant and so badly wanted that sixth ring and scoring title he was willing to scorch the earth to achieve this. Bryant would destroy relationships with every teammate if he felt that they weren’t going to help him accomplish one last playoff run. Dwight Howard’s time in Los Angeles was a disaster because Bryant never accepted him. Steve Nash’s run in Los Angeles didn’t go well partially because Bryant didn’t like his end-of-career outlook. Kobe knows the only way to brush past the thick walls of the LeBron Era (which would compare James with the older NBA legend Jordan as opposed to Kobe) he needed to absorb that one final elusive ring and take in some records to finally stand out. Kobe threw 20 years of intense labor into the game he loved, and leaves behind a legacy that struggles because of its timing and circumstances.

Kobe Bryant started playing in the Michael Jordan Era, which ran from the late 80s to the early 2000s. Bryant played under Peak Shaq, who dominated the late 90s with his size, personality, and sheer strength. The early 2000s saw the Lakers dominating, but it also came with some boring uninspired NBA basketball (run by the Spurs) that would begin after the NBA on NBC ended. After NBA/NBC, Michael Jordan and the 90s stars started departing, as did the popularity of the league, and the best player at the time (there’s also that rape case that made Kobe look bad….) .

Then in 2003, the NBA changed forever because of the slew of hip, youthful, motivated new stars ranging from LeBron to Wade to Bosh to Carmelo to Dwight Howard (Dwightmare began in 2004). Even with back-to-back rings, Kobe couldn’t quite shake off the more popular stories of the Cavs, Heat, Thunder, and even the Big 3 Boston Celtics. And then came the referee that admitted to tainting games, including the greatest playoff series in the history of the NBA known as the Kings/Lakers Western Conference Finals—which should have ended with the Kings winning the Finals over the Lakers and eventual Nets and altering the entire NBA landscape.

Similar to the criminally underrated Tim Raines, the second-greatest leadoff hitter of all-time, being eternally in the shadows of Rickey Henderson (the greatest leadoff hitter of all-time), Kobe was always in the shadows of other people and other situations throughout his run. He knows that unless he could win 3 without Shaq, 1 without Phil Jackson and the infamous Triangle Offense, and 6 overall, it won’t be enough to certify him as the best of his generation, and among the best since the departure of Michael Jordan.

He needed one more run. One more push. Father Time did not allow this. The ruthless Western Conference wouldn’t allow this. And now we have a man breaking apart in front of us on his final season—a slow goodbye that is painful to watch because it won’t have the happy ending that he deserves after all his hard work and dedication. Perhaps down the road we will give Kobe his “era” much like how Jordan got his, the Bad Boys got theirs, the Celtics/Lakers got theirs, and LeBron would also have his. As of now, we are witnessing the last season of a great player that is one of the last links to the awesome 90s NBA period. Nothing more, nothing less.



Take care, Kobe.

The Doomsday Trailer that Killed Batman vs. Superman

(I would put spoiler alert, but....its in the stinkin' movie trailer....)






This is how you destroy momentum, by delivering what is probably the worst movie trailer in the last decade. And I honestly mean that, from the bottom of my heart. It ruined every single bit of excitement that had been delivered from the first trailer, it revealed the entire plot, and showed off so much that we weren’t thirsty for more---unlike the Civil War trailer (Yea, I had to throw in a Marvel reference).

Many revelations could have been kept as a nice surprise for when the movie actually comes out—which included Lex Luthor jumping in on the tense Wayne/Kent conversation, Batman and Superman eventually joining forces, Doomsday making an appearance, and Wonder Woman stepping in to help the other heroes. The entire storyline of this film has been spoiled to no end in the already-lengthy 3 minute trailer.

Now we know what Lex is up to. Now we know this Lex Luthor resembles very little of the villain we all know (Jesse Eisenberg needs more of his Social Network banter and edge). Now we know that the climax won’t be the Superman/Batman fight (when it really, really should). Now we know Superman figures out who Batman is. Now we know how Doomsday came about. Now we know that Wonder Woman will also be battling at the climax. We’ve just seen so much. We’ve seen too much. And it has left very little to the imagination to debate, to ponder, or really do much of anything before May rolls around and we see the surprise-free film. The movie shifted from a great-looking film with two superheroes that operate very differently, to an overbloated DC project that is merely using the brand names to sell tickets.

I have no idea why DC and Warner Brothers thought that a second 3-minute trailer would do anything but harm to the mystique and intrigue of the Superman vs. Batman premise. I have no idea why they thought this footage would have a chance at matching the far-superior Civil War trailer. It was too long, too stretched out, revealed far too much, and lacked the epic feel of the first teaser that actually gave DC and comic book fans some hope that there would be some redemption for the final act of Man of Steel and Dark Knight Rises (you know it to be true).

This will be known as the trailer that killed Batman vs. Superman, and only further pushed Marvel’s grip on all things comic books---including television (Agents of Shield, Jessica Jones and Daredevil are creeping closer to DC’s entourage of television shows).



DC, get your act together.