Category: Movies

Woody Harrelson Joins Donald Glover and Emilia Clarke For Young Han Solo Standalone Film

Even if a lot of fans aren’t particularly interested in a young Han Solo tale (including myself since we’ve been down the well before), it’s impossible to stay jaded against it now with the cast they are assembling and the creative team behind the endeavor. Woody Harrelson is the latest to join the film, following other big stars like Donald Glover (as a young Lando Calrissian) and Emilia Clarke (her role’s yet to be announced). Now am I not only excited for the film, but it’s beginning to feel like it might be a great gateway drug to Star Wars fandom for more casual or new fans. Continue reading “Woody Harrelson Joins Donald Glover and Emilia Clarke For Young Han Solo Standalone Film”

Soundtrack Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One A Star Wars Story Soundtrack Review

(I met Elliot Marsh and his wife Felicia at Celebration Anaheim in 2015 and managed to stay in contact despite them living across the pond in England. At Celebration Europe 2016 I got to spend some good quality time with these two wonderful Star Wars fans and have been good friends with them ever since. This is Elliot’s first post for the Manor!)

It’s still a bit of a mystery why Academy Award winning composer Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel, The King’s Speech) was suddenly removed from his duties on Rogue One in September 2016, just three months before the movie opened. Whatever the reason given (and “scheduling difficulties” was the official explanation offered by Lucasfilm) Desplat’s replacement Michael Giacchino (Lost, Star Trek Into Darkness) apparently had only four and a half weeks to compose his Rogue One score. His musical challenge: to answer the same question no doubt also then burdening director Gareth Edwards – how to break new ground in the Star Wars franchise with these standalone movies, without alienating a passionate fanbase?  Continue reading “Soundtrack Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”

Star Wars Rebels Review: “Ghosts of Geonosis”

Star Wars Rebels Ghosts of Geonosis

Spoiler Review –

Star Wars Rebels returns from its winter break with “Ghosts of Geonosis,” an episode that contains its own ties to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (which had quite a few Rebels references) including Saw Gerrera appearing, as the crew tries to uncover what the Empire was so keen to hide they’d been building at Geonosis. Continue reading “Star Wars Rebels Review: “Ghosts of Geonosis””

Canon Novel Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

-Spoiler Review-

In 2015, Alexander Freed wrote Battlefront: Twilight Company, a great novel unfortunately surrounded by the Journey to The Force Awakens imprints and the actual movie itself in December. Despite it’s low-key status, Twilight Company may be one of the canon’s most solid novels. How does Freed stack up when adapting a movie to a novel? Continue reading “Canon Novel Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”

Saw Gerrera Re-Animated in Star Wars Rebels’ Mid-season Three Premiere (UPDATED)

This is the crossover you’ve been waiting for: Saw Gerrera, voiced by Forest Whitaker, who portrays the character in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, will be coming to Star Wars Rebels’ third season in a special two-part midseason premiere airing January 7. There’s now a second video for the premiere, cutting in footage of RO and the new episodes, below. Continue reading “Saw Gerrera Re-Animated in Star Wars Rebels’ Mid-season Three Premiere (UPDATED)”

Movie Review: Rogue One – A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

— Spoiler-Free and Spoiler-Filled Reviews —

Rogue One – A Star Wars Story, directed by Gareth Edwards, is Star Wars like you’ve never really seen it before, but it still feels, looks, and sounds like it. This is the film’s greatest strength, as it takes what you already know about a galaxy far, far away and tells a new story through a different lens, providing plenty for long-time fans and relative newcomers to feast on and enjoy. It isn’t all perfect of course, like its slow but jumpy start and its great cast might not get all the time they deserve, but it’s a great benchmark for the A Star Wars Story line of films and a rousing kickoff to the venture. Continue reading “Movie Review: Rogue One – A Star Wars Story”

Canon Novel Review: Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel

Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel

Spoiler Review –

Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel, written by James Luceno, is an important prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, as it charts the earliest days of the Death Star, how important the parents of Jyn, Galen and Lyra Erso, are to the project, and just how Orson Krennic fits among what we already know regarding the superweapon. While it might lack a lot of action, its true strength distracts from that omission: the fully-realized, well-written, and engaging characters and their interpersonal relationships. The tale of Catalyst feels complete, even though the ending is obvious from lightyears away, but as the saying goes, “It’s about the journey, not the destination,” and that is truly what makes this novel such a great read, prequel status to Rogue One notwithstanding. Continue reading “Canon Novel Review: Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel”

Latest Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Trailer Brings Hope to the Rebellion

The latest trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is here and brings tons of new details, including looks into the story of the Ersos, mainly Jyn and her father Galen, while trying to show there could be hope in such a dark time for the Rebellion. It also showcases how the film, as previously reported, was shot over the shoulder by director Gareth Edwards to make it feel like viewers were right down in the trenches with the rebels. This perspective also has the effect of making the Empire feel much larger and even more insurmountable than ever before (plus that shot of Vader busting through mist has me shaking in my boots every time I see it, especially after reading the excellent Darth Vader comic series). It’s hard to have hope looking at the daunting power of the Empire, but damn it Jyn is going to try to make us have a little of it just to see this through. I know I’ll give hope, and Rogue One, a try come December 16 later this year. Check below the cut for the new poster! Continue reading “Latest Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Trailer Brings Hope to the Rebellion”

Young Reader Review: The Force Awakens: Finn’s Story

The Force Awakens: Finn's Story

-Spoiler Review-

Set in the same vein as Rey’s Story, a young reader’s adaptation of The Force Awakens which showed the events of the film through Rey’s eyes, released earlier this year, comes Finn’s Story. Jesse Holland re-tells the narrative of The Force Awakens through Finn’s eyes, maybe one of the most undeveloped points of the view in the Sequel Trilogy so far. Is there enough worth gleaning from Finn’s eyes to justify another retreading of the film?

Continue reading “Young Reader Review: The Force Awakens: Finn’s Story”

Rogue One Merchandising Blitz Begins, Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel Synopsis Reveals Film’s Backstory

Jyn Erso Go RogueWhile you might have gotten excited for all the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story merchandise that was revealed recently, your wallet is doing its best to hide in a corner somewhere because it knows what’s best for you. Much like with The Force Awaken‘s merchandise, Rogue One‘s will also get a “Force Friday” release, this time on September 30. But if winning contests by making cool Star Wars related videos is more your speed, there’s been a Go Rogue contest announced, launching alongside a series of sorts involving upcoming Rogue One toys. And lastly, the prequel tie-in novel for the film, Catalyst, gets a detailed synopsis which includes some possible slight spoilers for RO. Find out more about all the news below! Continue reading “Rogue One Merchandising Blitz Begins, Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel Synopsis Reveals Film’s Backstory”