REVIEW: “How the Force Can Fix the World” by Stephen Kent

I’m a longtime listener of the Beltway Banthas podcast, so I’m familiar with Stephen Kent’s thoughts on the intersection between politics and Star Wars. How the Force Can Fix the World is a distillation of some of his discussions on the podcast. However, it’s probably better to characterize this book as a self-help manual than a political analysis. Howt the Force Can Fix the World does discuss how Star Wars can inform our approach to politics, but more than that it’s about how Star Wars can help us live more mindful lives and become better citizens.

Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View 2

My favorite Star Wars books as a kid were the “Tales of…” series edited by Kevin J. Anderson. Those books imbued the Galaxy Far, Far Away with the sense that Greedo, Dengar, Bib Fortuna, and the hundreds of minor background characters from the films each had stories of their own. Those books – and the fan hunger for more stories – are a major part of the reason why the Star Wars franchise has been able to grow beyond the Skywalker saga through shows like The Mandalorian.

The “From a Certain Point of View” books continue that tradition – but in both more expansive and limited ways. The first book, released in 2017, celebrated the 40th anniversary of A New Hope by collecting stories from a variety of science fiction and fantasy authors. As the title suggests, the stories are told from the point of background characters. This latest volume does the same for The Empire Strikes Back.

“Star Wars: Queen’s Peril” – by E.K. Johnston

Star Wars: Queen’s Peril is a prequel to E.K. Johnston’s other novel about Padme Amidala, Queen’s Shadow. However, I think this novel works better because it’s an origin story for Padme’s handmaidens. Where Queen’s Shadow seemed to assume we were already invested in the handmaidens, Queen’s Peril shows how and why they came to serve the queen – and therefore make me feel more invested.

“Poe Dameron: Free Fall” by Alex Segura

“You were a spice runner?” 

JJ Abrams and Chris Terrio wanted to create conflict between the main characters in The Rise of Skywalker and so gave each one a secret they were hiding. For Poe, this meant he now had a shady past as a drug dealer. This proved controversial. Some fans pointed out that the new backstory seemed to contradict other Star Wars stories about Poe Dameron, such as the novel Before the Awakening. Others noted that making the first Latino lead in the franchise a drug runner played into some unfortunate stereotypes. In the film, Finn and Rey seem to quickly forgive and forget Poe’s shady past, but Alex Segura’s Poe Dameron: Free Fall seems to exist largely to explain this new backstory.

“Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge”

I had the opportunity to visit the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge theme park in Disney World last December, just a few months before it closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a lifelong Star Wars fan, it was an incredible experience. I cam away extremely impressed with the attention to detail and the quality of the merchandise, food, and other amenities. Disney’s Imagineers went the extra mile to make the park feel immersive; once you enter, you can’t see anything to remind you that you’re still on Earth.

I had read Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire novel and the Galaxy’s Edge comics before I went, so I understood the importance of Batuu to the Resistance and the First Order. I loved having read about Dok-Ondar and then seeing him. My wife and I had fun trying to identify the Resistance spy.

Unfortunately, the park itself doesn’t make that backstory accessible to most visitors.

“The Star Wars Heresies” by Paul F. McDonald

Anakin as baby Jesus?

Like many Star Wars fans, I used to dislike the Prequel Trilogy. Unlike most of those fans, I’ve read The Star Wars Heresies.

The Original Trilogy rightly receives considerable praise for the ways in which it echoes Campbellian “hero’s journey” and other mythological themes. Paul F. McDonald, librarian and consummate Star Wars fan, applies the same thoughtful analysis to The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. While I was aware of some of the parallels between the Prequels and real-world mythology, this book showed me that I had barely scratched the surface.

How “Star Wars: Duel of the Fates” fixes “The Rise of Skywalker”

Writing movie reviews can be tricky because we can only judge a film based on what we see on screen. We can’t compare the movie we got with the one we might have gotten. Usually. With the leak of Colin Trevorrow’s script for Episode IX, we have a rare treat: a look at a possible alternative to the film we got. The story, titled Duel of the Fates, is quite different from the story told by J.J. Abrams and Chris Terrio. I don’t know if I’m ready to declare that it’s “better” than The Rise of Skywalker (TROS), but do think Trevorrow’s script does a better job than the final film of continuing the themes and character arcs set up in The Last Jedi.

“The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

I’ve made no secret of my disappointment in The Rise of Skywalker (TROS), particularly in Ben Solo’s redemption arc. However, whatever my feelings about the final film, I find the process of making Star Wars movies fascinating. I always make it a point to pick up the “Art of Star Wars” books by Lucasfilm creative art manager Phil Szostak, which collects concept art used to bring director J.J. Abram and writer Chris Terrio’s story to life.

“The Rise of Skywalker” & Redemption

I recently saw The Rise of Skywalker (TROS) for a second time and enjoyed the movie more than I did during my first viewing. All of the issues I raised in my review – such as the convoluted plot and pacing – still drag the movie down, but I also found myself better able to enjoy the spectacle. Unfortunately, I also became more frustrated with the resolution of Ben Solo’s arc and how it treated the theme of redemption. This is especially disappointing because I credit Return of the Jedi (ROTJ) with shaping a lot of my early thinking about redemption. As a child, seeing Anakin Skywalker ask for forgiveness made me realize that all people – even those who commit acts of evil – have the potential for good. 

WARNING: Major SPOILERS for TROS Ahead!

Review: “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

The final episode of the Skywalker saga is here and my feelings about it are… complicated. While I’ve criticized some of the story choices in JJ Abrams’ previous films (such as his 2009 Star Trek reboot), I’d always believe that he is a talented director who knows how to infuse a movie with energy and at least take viewers on a fun roller coaster ride. As such, I was incredibly disappointed that The Rise of Skywalker (TROS) felt so cluttered and rushed. There’s a lot of plot in the movie, partly because it seems Abrams didn’t agree with the direction that Rian Johnson took the story in The Last Jedi (TLJ). TROS retcons certain plot points and themes in TLJ, and in doing so crams enough plot for two movies into the space of just over two hours. It’s hard to escape the impression that Johnson and Abrams never met to discuss the overall direction of the story.