Moviw Review: ****American Graffiti (1973)

 This movie was written and directed by George Lucas.  This movie is ripe with future stars.  Richard Dreyfuss portrays Curt, who is suppose to fly to college in the east the next morning, but is wondering if he should go.  Ron Howard portrays Steve, who is planning to attend college with Curt.  Cindy Williams plays Laurie, his girlfriend.  She is torn about Steve's leaving and when he says they should date others it is even worse, and starts an argument that lasts through the night.  Paul Le Mat portrays John, who is the number one street racer.  Charles Martin Smith plays Terry "the toad" who is a bit of a nerd driving a moped.  However Steve gives him his wheels while he goes to school, and through the car he meets Debbie (Candy Clark) who is a bit of a rebel and wants Terry to get some hard alcohol.  Mackenzie Phillips plays Carol who ends up palling with John for the night despite being younger than he.  They end up having a good time despite John's efforts to be cool and not to b e seen with a younger girl.  Lastly Bob Falfa (Harrison Ford) meets up with John and challenges him to a race.  

An interesting side story is Curt's trying to meet a girl he sees and falls for madly.  He looks for her all night, but is unab le to find her.  He finally resorts to the disc jockey (Wolf Man Jack) and asks him to have her call.  Which she does, just as he has decided to leave and go to school.  He never gets her name.

Laurie is in Bob Falfa's car for the race as a result of her argument with Steve.  She asks he let her out, but he refuses.  They race and Bob Falfa is starting to overtake John when Bob's car pops a tire and he rolls the vehicle.  Steve had heard about the race, and went to intervene.  He is able to get her out of the car before it bursts into flames.  Bob Falfa also escapes.  They profess their love, and decide to stay together in Modesto rather than Steve's going to school.  The next morning it is Curt who goes to school and Steve who stays.  

TV Review: ****^Star Wars: The Bad Batch

 I thoroughly enjoyed Star War: The Bad Batch, as I generally enjoy anything Star Wars.  This is a new animated series.  The original premise we have about the Bad Batch, is they are just that, clones who were mismade some how.  However it has been an advantage to them as they are generally more aggressive and they fight outside the general mode of the other clones, which makes them a more formidable fighter.  However, as this series progresses we find that perhaps their differences were not accidental.  Each has special skills.  Hunter is the leader and has intuitive insight, Cross Hair is a superior marksman, Wrecker has great strength and also a reinforced skeletal system, Tech is a Tech genius, Echo was a regular droid but captured by the drones and hooked up to a computer and so can now access any computer. And then we add a fifth member to the Bad Batch, a young girl.  She too has her own special abilities and by the end of the series we begin to figure out what those are.  

Conflict is created when one member of the Bad Batch is very intense on following orders, and as such leaves the group and joins the empire.  However we are never sure how much the empire actually appreciates him, or are they just using him.  All of the episodes from the first season are now available through Disney+.  

A few years later all of the Bad Batch Seasons are available.  There are three seasons in total.  Omega, the young girl mentioned is vital the the Empire as they want to utilize her in making more clines.  She is a force sensitive clone.  She is captured and held prisoner.  The emperor wants to use her blood to be able to make force sensitive clones.  The rest of the Bad Batch is determined to rescue her.  This puts them all in harms way; but they are a team.

From season to season this series only gets better.  As in all dangerous situations; they are in great peril and not all survive.

The Primary cast:

Omega, Michelle Ang

The Bad Batch; Cross Hair, Wrecker, Hunter, Tech and Echo, Dee Bradley Baker. Baker also voices most of the other clones.

There are three seasons with 47 episodes.  This is great Star Wars fun.

Movie Review: ****Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

  In this movie the whole unierse descends into chaos.  The emperor AKA Darth Sidious, (Ian McDiarmid) thrives on chaos.  He uses his influence over Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) to bring about his transformation into a powerful Sith Lord.  Anakin does unspeakable things, including the murder of children and women, the Sand People in the last movie, and the younglings in training at the Jedi temple in this movie.  He also dispenses with Count Dooku.  Sidious gives Anakin bad dreams about the demise of his wife, Padme (Natalie Portman) in childbirth.  Anakin is determined not to let her die, and is willing to delve into the dark side to save her.  He is also part of the demise of Mace Windu (Samuel Jackson) who had Sidious, until Anakin intervened.  In the end, the clones turn on the Jedi, as Sidious had planned.  Yoda (Frank Oz) and Sidious meet in a great battle.  At the same time, Obi Wan (Ewan McGregor) faces Anakin in an epoch battle.  Anakin’s action do just the opposite of what he intended; he injures her instead of saving her.  The Jedi go into hiding, and the universe falls into the control of the Galactic Empire. 

I still don’t like the character of Anakin Skywalker, who is dead as Darth Vader emerges.  However I love Yoda, and Mace Windu.  And the line where Kenobi informs Anakin that he has the high ground, that further battle is pointless. 

Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones

This movie starts with an impressive explosion, and it doesn't let go.  There are the cloners, and Jenga Fett (Temuera Morrison) as the bounty hunter and gene supply for the clones.  Obi Wan (Ewan McGregor) continues in his roll of training Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen).  the most complex roll is that of Anakin, and I don't know if anyone could pull this off 100 percent, but Anakin has to go from a little boy, to Darth Vader in three easy steps.  Sometimes he comes off as a whining spoiled brat.  Padme (Natalie Portman) puts up with his antics, and in fact falls in love with him.  The wed secretly to end this episode.  Count Dooku (Christopher Lee) is here again.  He is leading the separatist, under the direction of Lord Sidious/Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid).  He is such a manipulator, and in fact the Clone Army, which saves the empire, is just that, a big manipulation.  However the Clones are able to save our heroes from certain death at the hands of the drone army.  There is a cameo part of the owner of a cantina.  He is such a fascinating characters.  "Cloners!" is a line so well given.  I don't know if this character was computer generated or not but it was voiced by Ronald Falk.  After Dooku defeats Anakin and Obi Wan, we get to see Yoda in action with his light saber.  It is fun to see him bouncing around.  Story is again provided by George Lucas.

Movie Review: Star Wars: Episode 1: The Phantom Menace

In my opinion, the prequel trilogy is not near as good as the three originally made.  That being said, The Phantom Menace has lots going for it.  In this series, we are introduced to a whole new cast of characters,  The holdouts are Darth Sidious/Senator Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and Anakin Skywalker; later Darth Vader (Jake Lloyd) as a boy; and then Yoda (Frank Oz) in a smaller roll.  Two Jedi, Obi Wan and his master, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neesom) head to a planet to help with negotiations, and land in the middle of a droid army invasion.  Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) is able to escape with the Jedi.  They end up stranded on Tatooine, the Luke Skywalker planet.  Her they meet Anakin and his mother Shmi (Pernilla August).  they are both slaves.  However Anakin has a skill which leads to his freedom, and the Jedi being able to repair their ship.  This is a racing sport, unlike any we have seen, as big chariots, pulled by two engines each, race around the sand dunes.  This race is very dangerous.  To this cast of characters, we add Darth Maul (Ray Park), a Sith Lord.  He challenges the Jedi on a couple of occasions, and Tatooine, and then back on Naboo.  There are two people that live on Naboo.  Queen Amidala only represents half.  In the ocean lives another sentient culture, and it is only with their aide, that the people of Naboo can defeat the droids.  Both peoples must overcome pride to except help from the other.  Jar Jar Binks (Ahmed Best) befriends the Jedi, but is not on good terms with his own people due to his clumsiness.  All tis leads to a classic battle involving Anakin, the Jedi against Darth Maul, and the people of Naboo against the droid army. 
This is a very creative film.  Especially with the sand  racers.  Star Wars keeps introducing us to new worlds and situations, and is always a good ride. 

Book Review: Star Wars The Force Awakens

Star Wars The Force Awakens, Alan Dean Foster, screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt based on Character of George Lucas, Del Rey, New York, 2015.

The book added more depth to the story; but even after the movie and the book, I still have questions about motivation.  The biggest question of course is why did Ben Solo become Kylo Ren, turning to the dark side.  The book points out the manipulations and scheming of Supreme Leader Snoke.  I am at a loss to explain when Luke Skywalker would have run away.  He is not the type.  To me this is the biggest hole in this whole plat thing, and I am waiting for explanation.  Just because Ben went to the dark side is not enough reason for his actions.  This part doesn't make sense.  
As for the rest of it, I understand better where the storm troopers come from and why one of them might go rogue and join the rebellion.  We are still waiting for the parentage of Rey, and why she would be so great in the force.
However, I enjoy a good Star Wars read and found this book very entertaining.

TV Review: ****Star Wars: Clone Wars: Season One

Just a week ago there was an announcement that only the Lucas generated Star Wars projects are part of the official history of Star Wars, not the other books and literature in the Star Wars genre.  However, Clone Wars is included in the official Star Wars History, and there is a lot of history here.  In this war we have most of the traditional characters as portrayed in Star Wars episode III.  The most significant character added is Ahsoka Tano, who is Anakin Skywalker's Jedi trainee.  She does add much to the series.  There are many adventures, and this show would take place between episodes II and III of the movie series.  There is still hope for the republic, and much of the series shows the struggle of the Jedi assisted by the clones, to help and free planets which have been captured by the drones.  The drones have many sophisticated and often secret weapons which they incorporate into their attacks.
I have enjoyed watching all 22 episodes.  They are entertaining.