The Starlight Journal

As many of you may know, describing Star Wars as a huge part of my life would be an understatement. I have seen the prequel trilogy, and as a result The Phantom Menace, more times than I could count. As I grew up and was introduced to the franchise when these films were first coming out, these were my childhood movies, and I love them dearly despite their flaws. Despite seeing this movie dozens of times, this was the 1st time I had seen it in theaters. I was just a year old when it first released, and it’s 3D re-release in 2012 came at a time in my life where I was not frequently going to the movies. So May began with my 1st big-screen viewing of one of the 4 remaining Star Wars films I had yet to see in theaters, and what a moment this was. Getting to watch Star Wars on the big-screen with friends is an experience I would recommend to everyone. There is simply nothing better. I could care less that I had every scene practically memorized, this was a special moment for me, and I loved every second of it.

Well, hello there again! Now, where was I?

I only planned on seeing this in theaters once. When I saw Return of the Jedi last year during it’s re-release, it didn’t have as wide of a release near me (I don’t want to talk about how they just didn’t re-release Rogue One near me in 2022 when Andor was approaching), so that time I was content with only seeing it once just for the bucket list moment of it all. However, I was bored and needed something to do, so what the heck, I saw Phantom Menace again. And of course I loved it.

This time I was able to put my feet up, sit in a comfy seat, and just admire the movie on the big-screen. Let me tell you, Duel of the Fates in theaters is something truly special. I planned on going one more time before it left theaters, but that did not end up happening. Regardless, these two screenings is what I will remember most about my May at the movies. I hope we continue to get these yearly re-releases, cause I will be seated every time.

Alright so I just keep watching the same shit this year, huh?

If you read last month’s Film Journal, I had caught the last hour of Prisoner of Azkaban, which inspired me to start rewatching the Harry Potter films a few days later. So yes, one full rewatch later, and we’re talking about this masterpiece of a film once more. This film’s 20th anniversary passed since my last article, and in those 20 years I have yet to see a better film of its genre. It’s the best Harry Potter film, it’s my personal favorite fantasy film of all time, and it’s just a perfect movie. Cuarón adapts the gradual maturation and darker tone of the series in a way that perfectly sets up the very dark turns the forthcoming films take, beautifully combining the childish whimsy of the Chris Columbus films with the dark fantasy tales of the later Potter films. This movie is just the absolute best.

And again, fuck J.K. Rowling.

Another absolute triumph of a film. Goblet of Fire has always been in my top 3 Potter films, but I think this most recent watch for me was when everything clicked for me more than it ever has, again for a movie I have seen dozens of times over close to 20 years. The Yule Ball is forever a key moment in my life, the Triwizard Tournament scenes are all amazing to watch, and the ending is where the series really begins to get dark, and never really turns back. After dozens of watches, this was the first time Goblet of Fire has entered my list of films I’d give my highest score to.

The Planet of the Apes reboot films were films I had heard tremendous things about, but had never taken the time to watch through the series. With Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes releasing in May and receiving a ton of praise, I felt it was a good time to finally start watching these movies. While Rise is the one I typically see regarding as the “least good” of the trilogy, I still really liked this movie. Caesar’s character development was a joy to watch, and the third act of the movie was incredibly strong. I knew a certain scene was coming, but seeing it for the first time had me pumping my fist in the air in excitement. I can tell this is just the beginning of good things with this series.

I have a complicated history with this movie. For years, I hated this movie, and thought it was easily the worst of the Harry Potter movies. I was either unaware that my hatred for Dolores Umbridge as a character made me actually hate the movie itself, or knew and just accepted it, but I just did not enjoy watching this movie for a decade of my life. When I did a rewatch of the series at the beginning of the pandemic, I began to change my tune and realized that, hey, this is still a really good movie with one of the most vile, unlikeable characters ever created. Every watch since then, I’m baffled I ever hated this. It’s such a good movie. I can’t put it with the likes of Prisoner or Goblet, but there are so many highlights, and I always find it funny that they made the longest book into the shortest film of the series, and the pacing never feels rushed or the quality of the movie never dips. David Yates directed every film in the series from here on out, and he started on a high note.

One thing is constant here at The Starlight Journal: Ryan Gosling will always be my guy. You put Gosling together with Emily Blunt, and hell yeah I’m sold. What a fun time. The chemistry between our two leads was off the charts, making the rom-com aspects by far the best parts of the movie, so much so I wish it was the centerpiece of it all. The action scenes were really fun, the soundtrack rules hard, and the movie works really well as a tribute to the stunt industry and movie-making as a whole. I don’t consider it to be a best of the year contender just yet like some did, but this was such a fun time at the movies, and even though it didn’t blow away the box-office like some hoped, I hope it does renew interest in finally giving stunt work a category at the major award shows.

This will make you think for days after watching it. To be honest, I’m writing this nearly a month after watching and I still haven’t fully processed my thoughts on it. An allegory for nostalgia and gender, how these concepts shape us. The performances are purposely muted and uncanny, characters come and go, time passes like it’s nothing, and the events of the TV show both our leads are obsessed with seamlessly blend into their lives in real-time. The visual storytelling here is next level. I was disturbed, provoked, terrified, at some points I didn’t know what the hell I was witnessing, but overall, I liked it. Amazing soundtrack as well that perfectly captures the tone and aesthetic of the film. The pacing can be off, and the ending did not personally land for me, this is going to connect deeply for some and not work at all for others, but I think it’s worth seeing alone for the direction and visuals. May need a future rewatch until I can fully form my thoughts on this.

This movie is a very interesting one. As an engaging thriller, it works really well. Insane cinematography and sound design, with nail-biting moments aplenty. The Jesse Plemons scene that is present in all of the trailers, even with that was far and away the best, most tense scene in the whole movie, one of the best scenes of the entire year. Where this movie doesn’t work for me is as a war story. Alex Garland makes the choice to not give us much of any information on why this war is occurring and what each side is and what they are fighting for. Having the movie be the perspective of war journalists led to some gripping moments, but also handicaps the movie from having much substance or an outright message in its narrative. Choosing to make a movie surrounding a modern-day civil war that each day makes this scary potential future look more like a reality, yet to not surround this in any kind of real political message, or at least answer any “Why’s” surrounding the events of the film just makes the movie feel incomplete. The closest we get to this is a “Racists and ultranationalists are bad” basic message. Alex Garland has made several films I love, but I feel like many of my issues with the narrative and structure fall on his direction.

I would’ve loved just a bit more exposition into the politics and deeper aspects of the war to truly make this a great film. It’s good, very good at points, just felt hollow in its biggest moments.