SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Last Jedi…

When last I wrote about Star Wars, it was late 2015. I’d seen a screening of The Force Awakens, and I left the film feeling pumped. It’d been ten years since any of us had seen a Star Wars film on screen, and while 2005’s Revenge of the Sith was probably the very best of the prequel trilogy, I’d left that film somewhat disappointed – it just wasn’t the unqualified space opera tragedy I was looking for.

The Force Awakens, however, ticked off all of the boxes in the theater:

– Fast-paced
– Fresh, new characters
– Surprisingly heart-warming performances
– Suspense
– Fantastic effects
– Action Action Action

Star Wars: The Last Jedi immediately follows the events of The Force Awakens, with Rey looking to Luke Skywalker to train her in the ways of the Force, while the Resistance is in shambles as the First Order begins to make major power moves. However, there is still a lot we don’t know about the film. Luckily director Rian Johnson, along with stars Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis were at a recent press conference to talk as much about the film as they could without spoiling anything.

Geeks of Doom sat down with fellow journalists to talk to the cast and crew of the film, and discovered a few interesting things about the relationship between Kylo Ren and General Hux, moving on without Han Solo, and how the theme of “never meeting your hero” plays a role in the film. Check it out below.

Brigsby Bear
Blu-ray
Director: Dave McCary
Screenwriters: Kevin Costello, Kyle Mooney
Cast: Kyle Mooney, Mark Hamill, Claire Danes, Jane Adams, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh, Michaela Watkins, Ryan Simpkins, Alexa Demie, Jorge Lendeborg Jr.
Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Rated PG-13 | 97 Minutes
Release Date: November 14th, 2017

Combining elements of Blast From the Past, Room, and Perks of Being a Wallflower, Brigsby Bear is a wholly unique animal, and one to be greatly admired. This is a refreshingly original work of art that feels like a bizarro-world SNL sketch stretched into a 90+ minute film. Considering nearly everyone involved is connected to Saturday Night Live, it all kind of makes sense. Written by Kevin Costello and Kyle Mooney, and directed by their childhood friend Dave McCary, Brigsby Bear is full of wonder and creativity, a movie both heart-wrenching and heartwarming simultaneously. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at parts, and I spent most of the film doing some weird combination of the two.

More below.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Director: Rian Johnson
Screenwriter: Rian Johnson
Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern, Benicio del Toro
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Rated PG-13| 152 Minutes
Release Date: December 15, 2017

There truly is a Star Wars for every generation. Each and every one of them is unique in there own way and a fantastical commentary on the changing times. So as we enter a future where diversity, inclusivity, and feminism are becoming widely accepted, we are going to see a new Star Wars that speaks to that. So as J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens is that spark in feminism for Rey and Leia, and diversity in Finn and Poe, Rian Johnson‘s Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the fire that burns ever so brightly and shines a light on those themes ignited by its predecessor.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a Star Wars film through and through, and it is something else entirely at the same time. To say that this sequel will change the way you look at Star Wars really is just selling the film short. What it does is push its boundaries and test its limits by doing things no other Star Wars film has done in the past, both on a story front and on a visual level. The result is a near-flawless film that moves with fluidity and strikes with visual excitement. My full review below.

The last two Star Wars films have set the December weekend opening box office number bar high. Both The Force Awakens and Rogue One had record-breaking numbers and exceeded all expectations.

Still, it should come as no surprise that Star Wars: The Last Jedi has high expectations. And when I say high, I mean high. According to the latest projections, the sequel is on track to earn $200 million in its opening weekend. More on the story below.