The Force Awakens.....Yes, It's Good!

I'm taking a quick break from nutrition posts to share my glee about the latest geek phenomenon.

Today I went and saw the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, with my family.  I have always been a big Star Wars fan, even from a young age.  I saw the first movie three times in its original release in 1977 and have seen every movie in the theaters since then.  Growing up I had more Star Wars toys than any other kinds of toys.  As an adult I've never gotten too much into the "Expanded Universe" books and novels, but have always retained a huge love for the movies.  So it was with great anticipation that I awaited this movie.  Thankfully I avoided spoilers and went into it only with knowledge from the trailers (which I devoured many times!).  

It was great!  And I'll avoid spoilers since it's worth seeing it without knowing too much.  So here are some impressions.....

The opening crawl and music made me grin and squirm in my seat.  I really started feeling like I was eight all over again. 

Daisy Ridley and John Boyega are great.  They have a good, natural chemistry, are great actors, and it's nice not having seen them in much before.  I really think they are perfect as inheritors of the new Star Wars franchise.  I love both characters, and how they're both very different and yet a little familiar to what we've seen before.

The first flight in the Millennium Falcon.....WOW!  I was so giddy during that whole scene!  Really amazing with some great beats of action and humor.

BB-8 is as cute as we have hoped for!  He's a worthy successor to R2-D2, and got me almost as excited as I did with R2 in the original trilogy.  I'll admit that I still like R2 better because he has more attitude, but BB-8 is a close second.

Han and Chewie!  Harrison Ford puts that role back on like a well-worn glove.  The presence of the two of them is amazing and really helps closely tie together this movie with the older ones.  I'm so glad that they actually got Peter Mayhew to play Chewie again, despite his age.  They could have put almost anyone in the suit, so it says a lot to me about J.J. Abrams and the other creators that they cared enough to get him back.

I may be in the minority compared to some of my friends, but I actually liked Adam Driver as Kylo Ren.  He's a different sort of dark lord than we've seen, and I really like the writers' take on the character.

The big surprise.....there's only one really big one, so I'm not going to spoil it.  You'll see it coming, the whole time thinking "no, no, no!"  Even though you have time to expect and prepare it doesn't lessen the gut punch that you'll feel.  I understand the plot and character need for it, but it still hits hard.  It's the one part of the movie I think I'll always have a hard time watching.  

The reveal at the end?  Too short, too small.  But it really does tease Episode VIII and leaves you wanting more.

This is a better Star Wars movie than any of the Prequels, and to me compares in quality to Return of the Jedi.  I can't wait to see it again, and I'll be buying it as soon as it comes out on DVD.  My family also liked it and my daughter now wants a costume to cosplay Rey.

In honor of this new movie, to keep everything spoiler-free, and to celebrate the love of all things Star Wars, here are a couple of covers of the music from the films that I love.  The first is something I just found while the second is one I've known and loved for a few years.

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