Author Archives: Keith Garlington

REVIEW: “Star Wars: Episode VI – “The Return of the Jedi” (1983)

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A long time ago in a galaxy we call our own, an anxious 12-year-old me sat in my bedroom floor. In front of me a mass of Kenner Star Wars toys lay spread out like a Thanksgiving feast. My imaginary battlefield was littered with action figures by the dozens, a Tie-Fighter, an X-Wing, an Imperial walker, an AT-ST, even a Tauntaun for good measure. Yet another battle between the Rebel Alliance and the evil Galactic Empire was about to break out on our tan and beige carpet.

That may sound like a suspiciously vivid memory, but it’s really not. That was a routine event in my room. I was (and in many regards still am) a massive Star Wars fan. And I would play for hours, reliving George Lucas’ stories with my toys and making up plenty of new adventures of my own. Back then I had Star Wars toys galore, Star Wars storybooks, Star Wars blasters, a Star Wars lightsaber, Star Wars pajamas, Star Wars posters, etc. etc. etc. You name it.

And it was all because of the movies. I’ve watched the three original films more than any other movie in my life. And I remember the experience of seeing each of them for the first time. In the early summer of 1983, all I could think about was “Return of the Jedi”, the final film in Lucas’ original three. You couldn’t gauge my excitement for it. It was off the charts. And the movie didn’t disappoint. Even better, it’s still just as good today and even a little weightier considering all of the Star Wars storytelling we’ve had since it was first released.

That was 40 years ago and to celebrate its anniversary, Disney is bringing “Return of the Jedi” back to theaters. This essential third film saw Richard Marquand direct from a script written by Lawrence Kasdan and franchise mastermind George Lucas. The story picks up directly after the events of “The Empire Strikes Back” and kicks off with a terrific opening that is Star Wars in a nutshell. We get a classic location, our favorite heroes, alien creatures galore, a slimy new villain, and a daring rescue. It was an energetic welcome back into the galaxy far far away.

From there the movie begins setting the table for its big conclusion. We learn that the evil Emperor (Ian McDiarmid) and Darth Vader (David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) are nearing completion of a new planet-killing Death Star. It sits under construction in orbit over the forest moon of Endor. The Rebels hatch a daring plan to destroy the Death Star similarly to how they did in the original movie. But to get a shot at the space station they’ll need to lower its protective shield which is powered by a heavily guarded generator on Endor’s surface.

Enter our heroes. Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), accompanied by droids C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), lead a team to Endor to destroy the shield generator. In the meantime, Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), piloting the Millennium Falcon, lead the Rebel assault on the Death Star. The movie ends with an epic three-pronged finish as one team battles on Endor, another in space above, and Luke on the Death Star finally confronting Darth Vader.

While there is an argument to be made that the Endor scenes bog down with the introduction of a furry primitive tribe called Ewoks, I love both the story’s steady buildup and its fulfilling payoff. The back-and-forths between the three big climactic clashes is pure exhilaration for any fan, and the story’s ultimate finish is thrilling while also packing a strong emotional punch. And again, that punch has only been amplified by the wealth of Star Wars storytelling that has come since – storytelling that has made Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) the centerpiece of the saga.

Joining the fun space opera story and the great assortment of characters are the visual effects which were truly cutting edge for its time. Some may not have aged particularly well (something highlighted most in the various high-definition editions that have released over the years). Also, some of Lucas’ digital tinkering doesn’t help. But you can’t dismiss the amazing vision of Lucas and the work from Industrial Light and Magic who bring that vision to life.

Without fail “Return of the Jedi” ignites a near childlike enthusiasm inside of me every time I watch it. You can chip away at some aspects of the storytelling, and it’s certainly not a sequel that holds up as stand-alone movie. But at that point Star Wars had firmly defined itself as a trilogy, and this film offered a near perfect conclusion. Over time fans have spent countless hours examining and dissecting it while creators are still building upon it and expanding it. The influence of “Jedi” (and the original Star Wars trilogy as a whole) has gone well beyond the first three films and still entertains legions of fans today. It did me all those years ago. And it still does today.

VERDICT – 5 STARS

REVIEW: ”Brian and Charles” (2022)

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I have this deep and hard to explain affection for these small quirky indie comedies that are both light-hearted and melancholy. Last year it was “The Man in the Hat”, a wonderfully moving and whimsical road-trip movie starring Ciarán Hinds that deserved a much bigger audience. This year “Brian and Charles” most certainly scratches that itch. Its story about a lonely inventor who builds a seven-foot-tall cabbage-loving robot is every bit as wacky as it sounds. It’s also endlessly charming and as big-hearted as anything else you’ll see this year.

First time director Jim Archer employs a genuinely funny mockumentary style to introduce us to Brian (David Earl), a down-on-his-luck handyman living alone in rural Wales. He spends most of his time doing small jobs in a nearby village and playing darts with himself at home. To help ease his sense of loneliness and boredom, Brian began inventing things – odd creations such as a pine cone bag, an egg belt, and my personal favorite, a flying cuckoo clock.

Image Courtesy of Focus Features

In town, Brian shares small talk with a sympathetic general store owner named June (Cara Chase) and struggles to get a word out to a young woman named Hazel (Louise Brealey) who he clearly has eyes for. Meanwhile his timidity makes him fodder for the village bully, Eddie (Jamie Michie) and his roughneck daughters (Lowri and Mari Izzard). Then it’s back home where he sits alone with his inventions.

One day he spots some junk on the side of the road. In it he finds a mannequin heads which inspires him to build something new – a robot. It takes him 72 hours piecing together whatever parts he has around his house. And with a few clicks of a switch, Charles is “born”. With his mannequin head and washing machine torso, the awkwardly tall Charles (wonderfully voiced by Chris Hayward) is a hilariously unusual sight.

Co-written by the the films stars Earl and Hayward, “Brian and Charles” starts off hysterically exploring a budding friendship. Early on, Brian is more like a father as Charles’ personality goes from playful child to a rebellious teen. But as Charles quickly “matures” the two become chums. In addition to their funny exchanges, there are numerous touches that amp up the humor. Like the hilariously on-the-nose “Happy Together” by The Turtles as the two buddies play in the yard.

Image Courtesy of Focus Features

While Charles offers Brian the companionship he has so desperately longed for, he also opens Brian up to realities in his life – chances that are worth taking, antagonism that’s worth standing up against. And the second half really showcases the film’s humanity as it explores a bevy of themes that include isolation, loneliness, and longing.

Simply put, “Brian and Charles” is an absolute delight. It’s one of the funniest movies of the year and easily one of the most endearing. Its ending may seem a touch too tidy, but it’s such a fitting and warm-hearted finish that hits you right in the feels. And be sure to stay through the end credits. I missed it the first time watching but caught it during my second viewing. You’ll love it. “Brian and Charles” opens in select theaters on June 17th.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Jurassic World: Dominion” (2022)

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Hot on the heels of the mega-hit “Top Gun: Maverick”, “Jurassic World: Dominion” is the next big blockbuster on the 2022 summer movie calendar. It’s predecessor, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” was a monumental disappointment, lacking the awe and wonder that made even the lesser Jurassic installments entertaining. And its story devolved into something too absurd, even for a movie based on a modern day dinosaur amusement park.

Still, “Fallen Kingdom” earned well over $1 billion at the box office and a sequel was all but assured. Enter “Dominion” which takes place four years after the events of the previous film. To “Fallen Kingdom’s” credit, it did leave the series in an interesting place. If you remember, dinosaurs were suddenly loose across our country. The fabulous Jeff Goldblum pops up in a cameo (reprising his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm) and tells a U.S. Senate committee that we have entered a neo-Jurassic Age where humans and dinos must co-exist.

Image Courtesy of Universal Pictures

That leads to “Dominion”, an ambitious movie that attempts to bring together the old and the new. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return from the “Jurassic World” movies while Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum are reunited from the “Jurassic Park” films. It’s a cool idea and there are moments of nostalgic glee even for a lukewarm Jurassic fan like me. But “Dominion” is a weird movie that struggles to find a rhythm. There’s entertainment to be found, but you have to wade through some messy parts to find it.

With so many characters, director and co-writer Colin Trevorrow backs himself into a corner. He has to introduce each in a way that gives them stakes in the story. He has to develop them so that they have purpose beyond just refilling their character’s shoes. So we get the film’s first half that is literally and figuratively all over the map. It does set the table for its better second half, but getting there is a bit of a chore.

The most disappointing thing is how “Dominion” never really lives up to its promise. Ian Malcolm’s words in the “Fallen Kingdom” cameo made it sound like “Dominion” was going to give us mankind and dinosaurs fighting to co-exist. Instead the bulk of the movie once again moves to a fairly confined space and again features an overambitious (and in this case utterly mad) scientist who never questions what he’s doing. It fits with original writer Michael Crichton’s sharp critique of genetic tinkering. But it doesn’t expand on Crichton’s idea in the way it advertised.

Image Courtesy of Universal Pictures

The movie sets its two batches of character on different paths before inevitably bringing them together in the final third. Everyone’s favorite (and I’m quite sure only) Velociraptor trainer Owen (Pratt) and former Jurassic World park manager Claire (Howard) are living a secluded life high up in the the mountains. They have adopted young Maisie (Isabella Sermon), the world’s first successful human clone (I had completely forgotten her angle). But when a group of baddies kidnap Maisie, Owen and Claire set out to find her.

Meanwhile, paleobotanist Ellie Sattler (Dern) is secretly studying a destructive swarm of giant prehistoric locusts. She traces their origin to an evil corporation called BioSyn that is headed by the slimy Dr. Lewis Dodgson (Campbell Scott). Ellie wants to link Dodgson to the swarm and convinces her old colleague, paleontologist Alan Grant to help. And it just so happens Ellie has an inside man – mathematician and smooth-talker extraordinaire, Ian Malcolm (Goldblum).

As things play out we do get a cool action sequence in Malta (although the story surrounding it is pretty absurd). That’s where we’re introduced to a new character, Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise). She’s a pilot-for-hire who out-of-the-blue decides to help Owen and Claire. Kayla adds a little toughness to the story but not much else.

Image Courtesy of Universal Pictures

All roads eventually lead to the BioSyn laboratories and dinosaur reserve where the movie finally picks up a little steam. There, Ellie, Alan, and Ian are reunited and do a little super-sleuthing. That also happens to be where Maisie is being held. You can probably already see how all of the character pieces start coming together. The final act plays much more like a traditional Jurassic Park movie, with our heroes caught in a madman’s domain where dinosaurs are roaming free. Here we get some genuinely fun moments and it’s where the characters feel most like themselves.

Again, “Jurassic World: Dominion” is messy and it takes forever to get its footing. And I can’t help but be disappointed by it shortchanging the who “coexisting” angle. And there are logic questions galore. For example, I’m still trying to figure how the dinosaurs multiplied to such vast numbers and spread all over the globe in only four years. But “Dominion” is a pretty dramatic step up from “Fallen Kingdom”. There is a big variety of dinosaurs for old and new for fans. And we get plenty of scene-stealing lines from the terrific Jeff Goldblum (he’s also part of the funniest laugh-out-loud joke I’ve seen in a movie this year). But these things can’t fully cover the film’s numerous shortcomings. I can appreciate the ambition, but this is a case where Trevorrow and company bit off more than they could chew. “Jurassic World: Dominion” opens today (June 10th) exclusively in theaters.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “11M: Terror in Madrid” (2022)

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On March 11, 2004, one of the largest terrorist attacks in European history took place in Madrid, Spain. On that deadly Thursday morning, during the city’s busy rush hour, terrorists linked to Al-Qaeda detonated a series of bombs along Madrid’s commuter train system in an unprecedented coordinated attack. A total of 191 people were killed and around 2,000 were injured.

Now 18 years later, many of the survivors come together in the new Netflix documentary “11M: Terror in Madrid”. The film not only covers the horrendous attacks, but also the government’s handling of the investigation that followed and the various conspiracy theories that sprang up. And of course it examines the lasting impact the bombings have had on the city and on those who lived through it yet are still haunted by the trauma.

Director Jose Gomez covers a lot of ground in this documentary that delves into the violence of the attacks, the queasy politics, the media’s part in spreading disinformation, and the investigation that finally rooted out the real perpetrators. Gomez even goes back in time as far as 1994, showing the roots of the Al-Qaeda cell in Spain that eventually carried out the horrendous attacks. All together it tells a sobering, enlightening, and infuriating true story.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

For those not familiar with the meticulously planned attack, Gomez opens the movie by giving a detailed timeline of the events. He starts with survivors sharing how March 11th began as just another normal day. From there, the same people painful recall the detonations in crowded train stations as wagons begin exploding across the route. Gomez’s approach is sensitive yet also revealing. And we get an even fuller image of the devastating injuries and loss of life through the accounts of first responders, many of whom steal bear the scars of that horrific day.

But a bigger focus is put on the aftermath, mainly the government’s determined efforts to place the blame for the bombings on the Basque separatist group ETA. Designated as a terrorist group, the ETA made for an easy but also beneficial culprit for President José María Aznar. The problem is, there was no evidence linking the ETA with the attacks. But that didn’t stop Aznar and his cabinet from using the media to push their ETA ruse despite growing evidence pointing to Islamist radicals as those responsible.

Gomez lays out the politics behind Aznar’s actions and shows how it not only managed to influence the investigation but also the upcoming election. It’s truly appalling stuff. But Gomez makes sure the victims aren’t overshadowed by the unfathomable acts of the government and media. He circles back to them in the final minutes to ensure we remember those who suffered most. It’s the right move and it helps the movie anchor our emotions on top of opening our eyes to how ambitious leadership will go to any lengths to hand onto power. “11M: Terror in Madrid” is now streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Movie Poster Spotlight: “Prey”

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Yesterday I shared the first full trailer for “Prey”, the next installment in the shaky “Predator” franchise. This film is actually a prequel that shows the technically evolved alien hunter combing Comanche territory some 300 years ago. I have to admit, the trailer looks pretty good. I say that as someone who adores the 1987 original film but hasn’t cared for any of the follow-ups. I’m really hoping this one turns out different. It’s streaming only release is a little worrisome, but I like the looks of it so far. And the new poster only excites me more. It’s simply but really clever, especially for those of us who knows that isn’t green paint under the warrior’s eyes.

DIRECTOR – Dan Trachtenberg

WRITER – Patrick Aison

STARRING – Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, Julian Black Antelope

RELEASE – August 5, 2022

First Glance: “Black Adam”

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The next installment in DC’s Extended Universe has been a long time coming. The anti-hero Black Adam was originally scheduled to be the villain in 2019’s “Shazam!”. Instead, the producers chose to give him his own movie with Dwayne Johnson set to star and produce. After a significant COVID-19 delay, the movie is finally set to release this year with Jaume Collet-Serra attached to direct. And now we have our first full trailer.

5,000 years after being imbued with the powers of the Egyptian gods, Johnson’s angry Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb and sets out to unleash his special brand of justice. But not only does the movie focus on Teth-Adam, but we also get Doctor fate (Pierce Brosnan), Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Isis (Sarah Shahi). What a cool batch of supporting superheros. And Black Adam is a fascinating character himself. If the movie gives him the edge he deserves, this could be a lot of fun.

“Black Adam” is scheduled to release October 21st. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.