In this blog post, a mom with mental health issues and a love of Star Wars reflects on how Carrie Fisher, the actress who played Princess Leia, became an inspiration and role model. The post explores Fisher’s struggles with mental illness, her impact as a mental health advocate, and how her books have helped the author understand and accept her own mental health issues.
P.S. Return of the Jedi is in the theaters for a short time to celebrate its 40th anniversary. I saw it over the weekend and it is better than ever. Check your local theaters for tickets and showtimes.
I am the first to admit that my knowledge of this character only extends to the live-action Star Wars series. That being said, I am looking forward to this female-led program that once more proves that women kick ass.
Warning: this post contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.
A new season of a beloved television series always brings out feelings of excitement and questions about where the narrative will go.
The trailer for the 3rd season of The Mandalorian was released earlier this week. After breaking the #1 rule in Mandalore of removing his helmet, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) has to redeem himself. Traveling the galaxy with Grogu (otherwise known as Baby Yoda), politics mingles with meeting up with old associates and new foes.
As usual, the details are being kept close to the vest, which is perfectly fine with me. I would rather wait to know what happens rather than be spoiled.
Am I looking forward to it? Absolutely?
Season 3 of The Mandalorian premieres on DisneyPlus on 3/1/23.
Ridley Road: This PBS/Masterpiece program is based on the book of the same name by Jo Bloom. It tells the story of a young woman of Jewish descent in the 1960s who goes undercover to stop a Neo-Nazi group from destroying the UK.
Dangerous Liaisons: A sort of prelude Les Liaisons Dangereuses, it started off a bit slow and took a few episodes to get interesting. Unfortunately, Starz canceled it at the end of the first season.
Ms. Marvel: A young woman goes from an ordinary teenager to a superhero who saves the world.
Andor: The prequel to Rogue One, the series explains how Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) became the rebel leader who led the fight against the Empire.
This will be my last post for 2022. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for taking time out of your day to read this humble writer’s work. I’ll see you in 2023.
There are two arguments when it comes to a prequel. One is that it allows a formerly minor character to get a little bit of time in the narrative spotlight. The other is that it is a cheap copout by the studio. Instead of giving voice to new stories, they are relying on a known (and perhaps too reliable) IP.
Andor premiered last Wednesday on DisneyPlus. In short, it is a prequel of a prequel. Five years before the events of A New Hope, it follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) as he becomes the rebel that we know him to be in Rogue One.
While getting on the bad side of bureaucrat Syril Karn (Kyler Soller), he joins the rebellions by way of Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) and Bix Caleen (Adria Arjona).
So far, the first three episodes have been released. The connective tissue between the boy he was and the man he has become is starting to come together in a way that feels right for the character.
My favorite character so far is Maarva Andor (Fiona Shaw), Cassian’s adopted mother. She is not blind to what is happening and though she does not appear to have one, she has a spine made of steel.
Do I recommend it? Yes.
New episodes of Andor are released every Wednesday on DisneyPlus.
A wedding is supposed to represent a new chapter in our lives. It is an opportunity to walk hand in hand with our new spouse for what hopefully will be the rest of our lives. That doesn’t mean, however, that everything will be sunshine and roses.
After everything he has been through, Han Solo is ready for a fresh start. That fresh start includes settling down with Princess Leia Organa. When he proposes, she says yes. Though she knows that she wants to marry Han, Leia is still burdened by her experience during the war and her newly discovered bloodline.
After their vows are complete, they hope that their honeymoon on the Halcyon will be the break they both need. As usual “hope” is the keyword. Leia is still in work mode and Han stumbles upon a plan to kill his wife. With the remnants of the Empire still fighting for their cause, Han and Leia learn one thing: that they work best as a team.
I loved this book. It goes without saying that you have to know the characters and the narrative from the original trilogy to have a basic understanding of the story. That being said, there is more than enough (including plenty of easter eggs) to keep the fanbase happy.
It is a lovely extension of where their relationship, taking it in new directions while remaining true to the groundwork that has already been laid. In addition, knowing how their marriage ends, it’s nice to know that they had a few good years before everything fell apart.
Do I recommend it? Yes.
The Princess and the Scoundrel are available wherever books are sold.
When we think of films or TV shows, we often think of the boldface names at the top of the credits: the director, the actors, the producers, the screenwriter(s), etc. For every name that is in large letters, there are many others whose work is important, but unknown by the audience.
Over the decades, ILM would not just become the pioneer for special effects. The company would also be behind the success of some of the biggest movies of our era, creating visual imagery that has caused multiple generations of fans to ask “how did they do that?”.
I enjoyed this documentary. It proves that determination, creativity, diligence, and coloring outside the box can change the world.
Do I recommend it? Yes.
Light & Magic is available for streaming on Disneyplus.
Summer vacations, in their many forms, should be simple. A chance to get away from the every day, see something else, and generally take a breather. But anyone who has ever gone away will tell you that it can be far from simple.
Lego Star Wars Summer Vacation recently dropped on DisneyPlus. In this 45-minute kid-friendly film, Finn (voiced by Omar Miller) is more than excited to get away with his friends for a little while. But then they all scatter and Finn is left to wonder if his expectations were just a little too far from reality.
This movie is so much fun. it is adorable and fans of all ages will love it. The humor is mostly directed at a younger audience. However, there are a few easter eggs that the adults will recognize and get a chuckle out of.
Do I recommend it? Yes.
Lego Star Wars Summer Vacation is available for streaming on DisneyPlus.
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