Tom Hanks Movie Review: ***^ Burbs 1989

 Here Tom Hanks stars as Ray Peterson and Carrie Fisher portrays his wife.  They interact with neighbors Mark Rumsfeld (Bruce Dern and his wife Bonnie (Wendy Schaal) and Art Weingartner (Rick Ducommun).  The whole neighborhood is in uproar over a new family that has moved into the neighborhood, and the don't care for their hard.  They rarely come out and suspicions are aroused.  And when another neighbor disappears without taking his dog, suspicions are even higher.  The three men, Art, Ray and Mark are on a mission to prove the neighbors are guilty of murder.  They dig in their basement, and hit a gas main which destroys the house.  They are in really big trouble, because the neighbor who disappeared comes back from having been in the hospital a few days; and the police are now involved.  Ray needs to go to the hospital after being in the explosion in the house, but the neighbor who is a doctor, Dr. Werner Klopek (Henry Gibson) plans to murder him.  In trying to get away they crash the car, and expose the skulls in the trunk.  

I liked this movie much more than The Money Pit, and Dragnet.

Movie Review: ****^Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker

This review is very late. Only a couple years after the movie do i realize I had neglected to right a review for this movie. I actually watched this in theaters, several time, when it first came out. Over the months, there have been those who have expressed opinion about this episode, the final of the original ning episodes. Many want to trach the final three altogether, while others are the opposite and love them. I would put myself in the group that loves them. I must admit, "The Last Jedi" was a disappointment to me. This movie had to fix so many things--such as Luke Skywalker throwing a light saber over his shoulder. That was just too out of character for me. Anyway, this movie attempts to repair the damage with a different director. It also brings us to Exegol. This is a fitting environment for the last battle. Palpatine has returned, and Rey is his off spring. But Rey is not a Palpatine. The interaction between she and Kylo Ren is very well done. The story comes full circle. This movie keeps you on the edge of your seat to the end. Is was fantastic to see a cameo of Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker who had both passed away in previous episodes.

Movie Review: ****Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Loved this.  There are so many plot twists that excite .  I don't want to give anything away, but you must see this.
I went late night opening day, and when an old character returned everyone would clap.  These of course include:
Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa.  Seeing her on screen made me cry knowing she has passed away.
Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, An old Luke, now the wise sage.
Anthony Daniels as C3PO,  there is some humorous play between Leia and the robot.
Jimmy Vee as R2D2, happy reunion with Skywalker.
A new actor Jonas Suotomo as Chewbacca.  There is cute play between Chewbacca and some little critters.
Retuning from "The Force Awakens" are
Daisy Ridley as Rey, lots of fun between she and Skywalker, and more fun between she and
Adam Driver as Kylo Ren.   His darkness grows.
John Boyega as Finn who meets a new girl, Kelly Marie Tran as Rosa Tico.
Other new characters include:
Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, who has spunk but often makes the wrong decision.
Andy Serkis as Snoke, even more evil than Emperor Palpatine.
And Laura Dern as vice Admiral Holdo, who takes over after Leia goes down.
So in that, probably too many hints.  See this, it is a twist a minute.

However the director changed the character of Luke Skywalker too much which leaves a bad taste in your mouth.  This is the worse of this trilogy.  

Movie Review: *****Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)

This tar Wars film again introduces us to a new world.  In this case it is the moon of Endor, where the Empire is constructing another death star super station.  The Battle of Endor then has a battle on three different levels, each with its own significance.  On the surface the Ewoks join a small group from the rebellion to battle for entrance into the station so they can destroy the generator and bring down the shield surrounding the death star.  Then there is the battle in space, as the rebellion sends a fleet of fighters to destroy the new death star.  And finally inside the death star, Luke Skywalker battles his father, Darth Vader, and then also Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).  With battle on all these levels taking place at once, this is an amazing series of action and intrigue.  We are not introduced to new characters.  However Emperor Palpatine plays a much bigger role.

Movie Review: ****^Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

I still love this movie.  It was such a fascinating film.  From the World of Hoth, where Luke Skywalker runs into a snow creature, and Han Solo has to save him, to Han Solo being frozen, and Luke Skywalker is unable to save him, this movie jumps.  The information that Darth Vader shares as to Luke's parentage is classic, "I am your father." is in the vernacular now.  This movie also introduces us to Yoda (Frank Oz), the wise Jedi sage who completes Skywalker's training.  Again we are introduced to interesting worlds and tremendous conflicts, which makes for a great movie.  The ice planet Hoth is an inhospitable planet, Dagobah is over populated with plants and snakes, and the Cloud City of Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) is a mining community in the sky.  The other scene that is classic, is after a chase through an asteroid field and floating away with the garbage.  If not for Bobba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch) the bounty hunter, they would have gotten away.

Movie Review: *****Star Wars: A New Hope

This movie introduced a new universe.  It is the first of the Star Wars movies made.  It was exciting and full of new creatures and worlds and lots of fun.  I know it has been redone, to add more special effects, but the original version is good enough for me.  What is better than a group of young people saving the rebellion.  Lots of fun.
We were also introduced for the most part to a series of new actors:

	Mark Hamill	...	Luke Skywalker
	Harrison Ford	...	Han Solo
	Carrie Fisher	...	Princess Leia Organa
	Peter Cushing	...	Grand Moff Tarkin
	Alec Guinness	...	Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi
	Anthony Daniels	...	C-3PO
	Kenny Baker	...	R2-D2
	Peter Mayhew	...	Chewbacca
	David Prowse	...	Darth Vader