Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens Review

Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

Release Date: 17th December 2015 - Australia

Production Companies

Lucasfilm Ltd.

Bad Robot Productions

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia

Genre: Sci-Fi

Rating: M

Runtime: 135 minutes

Budget: $306,000,000

Box Office Gross: $2,069,521,700 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary

Thirty years have passed since the Galactic Empire's defeat, and a new threat has emerged in Kylo Ren and The First Order. A scavenger named Rey and a defecting stormtrooper called Finn found themselves tasked to get a droid safely to the Resistance as it contains a map that shows the whereabouts of the lost Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.

Cast
Mark Hamill - Luke Skywalker
Harrison Ford - Han Solo
Carrie Fisher - Gen. Leia Organa
Adam Driver - Kylo Ren
Daisy Ridley - Rey
John Boyega - Finn
Oscar Isaac - Poe Dameron
Lupita Nyong'o - Maz Kanata
Andy Serkis - Supreme Leader Snoke
Domhnall Gleeson - General Hux
Anthony Daniels - C-3PO

Peter Mayhew - Chewbacca
Joonas Suotamo - Chewbacca Double
Max Von Sydow - Lor San Tekka
Mike Quinn - Nien Numb
Kipsang Rotich - Nien Numb (Voice)
Tim Rose - Admiral Ackbar
Erik Bauersfield - Admiral Ackbar (Voice)
Gwendoline Christine - Capt. Phasma

Simon Pegg - Unkar Plutt
Warwick Davis - Wollivan
Cailey Fleming - Young Rey
Yayan Ruhian - Tasu Leech
Iko Uwais - Razoo Qin-Fee
Cecep Arif Rahman - Crokind
Shand
Kiran Shah - Teedo
Andrew Jack - Major Ematt
Rocky Marshall - Colonel Datoo
Greg Gunberg - Snap Wexley
Pip Torrens - Colonel Kaplan
Emun Elliott - Brance
Brian Vernel - Bala-Tik
Sebastian Armesto - Lt. Mitaka
Maisie Richardson-Sellers - Korr Sella
Ken Leung - Admiral Statura
Iko Uwais - Razoo Quin-Free
Anna Brewster - Bazine Netal
Harriet Walter - Dr. Kalonia
Billie Lourd - Lt. Connix
Leanne Best - Min Sakul
Crystal Clarke - Ensign Goode
Jeffery Kissoon - Rear Admiral Gulch
Claudia Sermbezis - Lema Eelyak
Gerald W. Abrams - Captain Cypress
James McGrath - Vice Admiral Resdox
Philicia Saunders - Tabala Zo
Morgan Dameron - Commodore Meta
Jessica Henwick - Jess Testor
Tosin Cole - Lt. Bastian
James McArdle - Niv Lek
Stefan Grube - Yolo Ziff
Brian Herring - BB-8 Performer
Dave Chapman - BB-8 Performer

Nigel Godrich - FN-9330 (Cameo)

Michael Giacchino - FN-3181 (Cameo)

Daniel Craig - First Order Stormtrooper (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Ben Schwartz - First Order Stormtrooper (Cameo) (Uncredited)
Ewan McGregor - Obi-Wan Kenobi (Voice)

(Cameo) (Uncredited)
Jimmy Vee - R2-D2 (Uncredited)
Nathalie Cuzner - PZ-4CO (Uncredited)
Stephanie Silva - ME-8D9 (Uncredited)
Liang Yang - FN-2199 (Uncredited)

David Acord - FN-2199 (Voice)

(Uncredited)
Ian Whyte - Bollie Prindel/Roodown (Uncredited)
Paul Kasey - Ello Asty (Uncredited)
Matthew Wood - Ello Asty (Voice)/
Quiggold/Nima Thug (Uncredited)

Crew
Writer/Producer/Director - J.J. Abrams
Based on Characters - George Lucas
Writer/Co-Producer (Uncredited)/

Creative Consultant - Lawrence Kasdan
Writer/Associate Producer - Michael Arndt
Creative Consultant - Simon Kinberg
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Tommy Harper
Executive Producer - Jason D. McGatlin
Producers - Bryan Burk and Kathleen Kennedy

Co-Producer/First Assistant Director -

Tommy Gormley
Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Susan Towner
Co-Producers - Pippa Anderson,

Michelle Rejwan, Ben Rosenblatt and

John Swartz

Casting Directors - Nina Gold,

April Webster and Alyssa Weinberg

Dialect Coach - Andrew Jack

Production Designers - Rick Carter and
Darren Gilford

Head of Design: Lucasfilm - Doug Chiang
Concept Artists - Matt Allsopp,

Tim Browning, Seth Engstrom, Lee Oliver,

Erik Tiemens, Christian Alzmann,

Ryan Church, Will Htay, Matthew Savage,

Dan Walker, Chris Baker, Iain McCaig

and Andrew Wallin
Supervising Art Director - Neil Lamont
Senior Art Director - Alastair Bullock

Senior Art Director: Vehicles - Gary Tomkins

Art Directors - James Clyne,

Peter Dorme, Mark Harris, Ashley Lamont,

Oliver Roberts, James Collins,

Hayley Easton Street, Kevin Jenkins,

Mary Mackenzie, Stuart Rose,

Robert Cowper, Jordana Finkel,

Andrew Palmer and Stephen Swain

Construction Manager - Paul J. Hayes

Set Decorator - Lee Sandales

Property Master - Jamie Wilkinson
Costume Designer - Michael Kaplan

Costume Supervisor - David Crossman

Head of Department: Costume Effects

Supervising Modeller - Pierre Bohanna

Makeup Designer - Amanda Knight

Makeup Designer: Harrison Ford - Bill Corso

Hair Designer - Lisa Tomblin
R2-D2 Consultant - Kenny Baker
Director of Photography - Daniel Mindel

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Bruce McCleery

Aerial Director of Photography: Iceland

Unit - Adam Dale

Supervising Location Manager/Unit

Production Manager: Iceland Unit - Martin Joy

Supervising Location Manager/Unit

Production Manager: Abu Dhabi Unit -

Mark Somner

Location Manager: Iceland Unit - Thor Kjartansson

Second Assistant Directors - Ben Dixon,

Chloe Chesterton and Joey Coughlin

Second Unit Director/Visual Effects Supervisor -

Roger Guyett

Creature Movement Choreographer - Paul Kasey

Stunt Coordinator - Rob Inch

Sword Master - C.C. Smiff

Helicopter Pilot: Iceland Unit - Marc Wolff

Special Effects Supervisor - Chris Corbould
Special Effects Production Buyer - Lynne Corbould

Special Effects Floor Supervisors -

Peter Notley and Ian Lowe

Special Creature Effects - Neal Scanlan

Electronic Design and Development Supervisor -

Matthew Denton

Supervising Animatronic Designers -

Vanessa Bastian, Maria Cork and Gustav Hoegen

Key Animatronic Designers - Chris Clarke

and Adrian Parish

Visual Effects Supervisors: ILM - Patrick Tubach,

Ben Morris, Dave Dally and Michael Mulholland

Visual Effects Supervisor: Tippett Studios,

Chess Table - Chris Morley

Visual Effects Producers - Lucas Tewin

and Luke O'Byrne

Visual Effects Producers: ILM - Sophie Cullen,

Nina Fallon and Benjamin Lock

Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - Yanick Dausseault

ILM Art Department - Jennifer Coronado,

Nicole Letaw and David Nakabayashi

Visual Effects Creative Consultant: ILM -

Dennis Muren
Animation Supervisors: ILM - Paul Kavanagh

and Mike Eames
Animation Sequence Supervisor: Tippett

Studios, Chess Table - Phil Tippett

Computer Graphics Supervisor: BLIND LTD -

Andrew Booth

CG Supervisors: ILM - Polly Ing,

Ian Conley, Daniel Pearson, Tim Belsher,

Daniel Lobl and Kibum Kim

Previs/Postvis Supervisor: HALON -

Brad Alexander

Compositing Supervisors: ILM - Jay Cooper,

Marian Mavrovic, Jean LaPointe and

Alex Prichard

Asset and Environmental Supervisors: ILM -

Dave Fogler, Susumu Yukuhiro and

Carlos Munoz

Digital Artist Supervisors: ILM - Colin Benoit,

Trevor Hazel, Iain Morton, Steve Sauers,

Sylvania Degrotte, Cyrus Jam, Matt Rank and

James Tooley
Film Editors - Maryann Brandon and
Mary Jo Markey
Sound Design - Ben Burtt and Gary Rydstrom

Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer

(Uncredited) - David Acord

Sound Designers: Kelvin Optical, Inc. -

Will Files and Robert Stambler

Supervising Sound Editor - Matthew Wood

Assistant Supervising Sound Editor - Coya Elliott

Sound Effects Editors - EJ Holowicki

and Teresa Eckton

Foley Supervisor - Frank Rinella

Foley Artists - Ronni Brown,

Andrea Gard, Kimberly Patrick,

Dennie Thorpe and Jana Vance

Dialogue/ADR Editors - Cheryl Nardi

and Brad Semenoff

Production Sound Mixer - Stuart Wilson

Re-Recording Mixers - Andy Nelson

and Christopher Scarabosio
BB-8 Voice Consultants - Bill Hader and

Ben Schwartz
Music - John Williams

Composer: Additional Music - Lin-Manuel Miranda

Scoring Engineer - Shawn Murphy


Review
In the latest release from 2015, there have been some movies that audiences were eagerly anticipating. One, in particular, was the return of an old franchise that has taken place in a galaxy far, far away.

I was one of those moviegoers eagerly anticipating a new Star Wars film since Disney bought the entire science fiction property and its production studio from the creator, George Lucas. We knew that a new trilogy was in the works with a few spin-offs and was about to explore the next generation of Jedi - as was requested by fans after reading the expanded universe in literature. George Lucas may not have wanted to direct the new trilogy himself. His updates to the original trilogy - Special Editions - did not go down well with fans. The prequels drew criticism for a supposed overdose of CGI, subpar dialogue and bland acting. But I don't mean to continue bashing Lucas' favourite character, Jar Jar Binks. The reins of the Star Wars series went to Disney, and only Star Trek alumnus J.J. Abrams would direct this instalment.

THE FORCE AWAKENS has wielded so much fun and action, bringing back as much of the series' old techniques as possible, with set design and special effects from its nostalgic roots. This movie provides drama and better dialogue, written by Lawrence Kasdan, who co-wrote the two original Star Wars films. The film had a few new concepts and many old and new characters, mainly Rey and Kylo Ren. I like how J.J. Abrams convinced the aging Harrison Ford to return as Han Solo, along with Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, who reprised their roles as Luke and Leia. The performances of the new actors were as outstanding as the original actors. With standouts such as Daisy Ridley as the heroine, John Boyega as the defector-turned-rebel and Adam Driver as the villain with a more complex evil than our favourite Sith Lord, Darth Vader.

The instrumental score is another example of John Williams' feat of composition. Williams revisited half of the themes from the previous films and remixed them with the newer ones composed for this movie.

I'm glad this didn't turn out as a rocky start to a trilogy that happened in the prequel trilogy with The Phantom Menace, but I'm confident that all hope gets restored with THE FORCE AWAKENS. My vote for my favourite Star Wars film is still The Empire Strikes Back. Now that THE FORCE AWAKENS is released, I will place it as the franchise's third-best. I now formally consider it the best movie I watched in 2015. For all those Star Wars fans, you must go to the cinema and see it for the first time. May the force be with you!

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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It's a Wonderful Life Review

It's a Wonderful Life

Release Date: 16th October 1947 - Australia

Production Companies

Liberty Films

Distribution

Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Drama/Fantasy

Rating: G

Runtime: 130 minutes


Budget: $3,180,000

Box Office Gross: $11,875,055 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

After spending his entire

life giving to the people

of Bedford Falls, George

Bailey's troubles are just

beginning when his

business loses its $8,000

on Christmas Eve. George

is about to take his own

life by jumping off the

bridge when, instead,

he rescues his guardian

angel, Clarence. Clarence

then shows George a world

where he had never been

born and what his town

would have been like if

it hadn't been for all of

his good deeds over the

years. Will Clarence

convince George to

return to his family and

forget suicide?

Cast

James Stewart - George Bailey

Donna Reed - Mary Hatch

Henry Travers - Clarence

Lionel Barrymore - Mr. Potter

Thomas Mitchell - Uncle Billy

Beulah Bondi - Ma Bailey

Frank Faylen - Ernie

Ward Bond - Bert

Gloria Grahame - Violet

H.B. Warner - Mr. Gower

Todd Karns - Harry Bailey

Samuel S. Hinds - Pa Bailey

Mary Treen - Cousin Billy

Frank Albertson - Sam Wainwright

Virginia Patton - Ruth Dakin

Charles Williams - Cousin Eustace

Sarah Edwards - Mrs. Hatch

William Edmunds - Mr. Martini

Lillian Randolph - Annie

Argentina Brunetti - Mrs. Martini

Robert J. Anderson - Little George

Ronnie Ralph - Little Sam

Jean Gale - Little Mary

Jeanine Anne Rose - Little Violet

Danny Murmett - Little Marty Hatch

Georgie Nokes - Little Harry Bailey

Sheldon Leonard - Nick

Frank Hagney - Potter's Bodyguard

Ray Walker - Joe (Luggage Shop)

Charles Lane - Real Estate Salesman

Edward Keane - Tom (Bldg. & Loan)

Carol Coombs - The Bailey Child - Janie

Karolyn Grimes - The Bailey Child - Zuzu

Larry Simms - The Bailey Child - Pete

Jimmy Hawkins - The Bailey Child - Tommy

Stanley Andrews - Mr. Welch (Uncredited)

Al Bridge - Sheriff (Uncredited)

Adriana Caselotti - Singer at Martini's (Uncredited)

Ellen Corby - Mrs. Davis (Uncredited)

Jimmy the Crow - Crow in Bank (Uncredited)

Dick Elliot - Man on Porch (Uncredited)

Tom Fadden - Tollhouse Keeper (Uncredited)

Joseph Grandby - Elderly Man (Voice) (Uncredited)

Charles Halton - Carter (Uncredited)

Harry Holman - Mr. Partridge (Uncredited)

Arthur Stuart Hull - Mr. Randall (Uncredited)

J. Farrell MacDonald - Man Whose

Great-Grandfather Planted Tree (Uncredited)

Moroni Olsen - Senior Angel (Voice) (Uncredited)

Almira Sessions - Potter's Secretary (Uncredited)

Carl Switzer - Freddie Othello (Cameo)
(Uncredited)

Crew

Screenplay/Producer/Director - Frank Capra

Based on a Story - Phillip Van Doren Stern

Screenplay - Frances Goodrich and
Albert Hackett

Additional Scenes - Jo Swerling

Contributor to Screenplay - Michael Wilson (Uncredited)

Art Director - Jack Okey

Set Decorator - Emile Kuri
Costumes - Edward Stevenson
Directors of Photography - Joseph F. Biroc,
Joseph Walker and Victor Milner (Uncredited)

Special Photographic Effects - Russell A. Calley
Film Editor - William Hornbeck

Sound - Richard Van Hessen,

Clem Portman and John Aalberg (Uncredited)

Music - Dimitri Tiomkin

Awards

1947 Academy Awards

Best Picture (Nominated)

Best Director - Frank Capra (Nominated)

Best Actor in a Leading Role - James Stewart (Nominated)

Best Sound, Recording - John Aalberg (Nominated)

Best Film Editing - William Hornbeck (Nominated)

Review

Season's greetings, everyone! If there is one movie I want to review before the end of Christmas, it'll have to be IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. It is said to be one of the greatest holiday movies by many critics. Sadly, this wasn't always the case. The picture was unsuccessful at its release but became a Christmas classic after its copyright lapsed in 1974 and fell into the public domain. Since then, the film has gone to be considered by anyone who has seen it as a timeless classic.

I have never been anxious to watch this golden oldie as I have been dying to see this original film, not unlike those television episodes and other movies that parodied its conception. I would classify IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE as a melodrama just because the film isn't that endearing, but it has its special meaning and value that we've all learned from our experiences that gift is life. The late Frank Capra was a fabulous director who used his creative philosophies to convey this point. Capra said it was his favourite, and this is his last great picture to date. It's a shame that we didn't get more of his work.

Fortunately, the acting didn't hurt the film with names such as James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore. I heard so much about James and his versatility. I never knew he could act like his character, which started as an optimist into a troubled soul at his wit's end. I knew this was too good to be true. James Stewart is the movie's best actor and good luck charm.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE may remain in our hearts as a cultural heritage and a holiday classic that most young people wouldn't have remembered; many tend to be unaware of its existence. Furthermore, it is an entertaining, heartfelt and well-made movie. Eventually, I'll be watching it again next Christmas, and you should too when the twelve months have passed.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie 

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Top 20 Star Wars Moments (5-1)

Sorry, I've been so tardy. It's been three days since I counted down this list while watching the originals and the new film, but enough about that. It is the last part of the moments I have personally considered in the top twenty. Some moments that could have been on this list, such as the Battle of Endor, Luke entering the cave, and the chase and skirmish around the Death Star, are worth mentioning. Some endings could have come to this list, but it would get too long, so enjoy!

Be sure that any time you give me feedback. You'll read and watch the whole thing through. You can click on (20-16), (15-11) and (10-6) if you have yet to see these three parts. Also, remember to come back and check these reviews because a few are updated, and before you know it, you'll be able to see The Force Awakens on the big screen.

#5. Vader Redeems Himself (Return of the Jedi)

It's probably one of the good parts in RETURN OF THE JEDI before George mucked it up with a new piece of dialogue, which he added - where Darth Vader says "NOOOOOOOO!" before the character's eventual redemption and sacrifice. Vader wasn't always a good parent to Luke when, a few times, he tried to persuade his son to join the Empire. Then, the young Jedi finally defeated Vader in their second round. Luke then has to make a choice when the Emperor forces him to kill Vader, but he refuses to do so, which leads to his electrocution by the old Sith Lord. Vader has a change of heart and manages to save his son at the expense of his own life by pulling the Emperor away from Luke and dropping the Sith Lord to his doom. It leads to an emotionally poignant scene as Vader, now redeemed as Anakin Skywalker, lies dying while he begs Luke to remove his mask. It is so Luke can glimpse Vader's lost humanity before finally resting in peace with the Force.

#4. Han Shot First (A New Hope)

I know what you're thinking, but this scene wasn't forgotten by anyone else when George Lucas changed the sequence to Greedo shooting first before Han Solo hit second. The worst is yet to come when Lucas keeps tinkering with that scene in the latest editions. Not to mention that fans didn't like this unnecessary change and felt it just switched Han around, seriously! Long before George altered this scene, it shows Han being confronted by the Rodian bounty hunter as he prepares to use his blaster, which he hid underneath his table, resulting in a fiery blast that took Greedo down by just one shot. Perhaps Lucas is missing the point that Han meant to shoot first, and the fact remains that it was the only iconic moment sought after by those who only watch the classic trilogy for its original versions.

#3. Luke vs. Vader/No, I Am Your Father (The Empire Strikes Back)

Coincidentally, in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, the sequence where Luke faces his father for the first time remains one of the most iconic lightsaber battles before the duel with Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. It wasn't the first time they had fought. They both were in orbit around the attack on the Death Star but did not see each other. When compared to Luke, Darth Vader is far more skilled and powerful. Vader can levitate many objects he throws at the young Jedi and has him "disarmed" of his lightsaber. This scene ends in a horrifying conclusion when Vader tells Luke he is Luke's father. This revelation causes the young Jedi to let out a big "NOOOOOOOO!" upon this shocking discovery. Like father, like son, now we know where Luke gets his genes from, and it was an iconic moment of revelation that no one ever expected. Behind the twist is the original line of the scene where Darth Vader says to Luke that Obi-Wan killed his father when it got improvised so that this line wouldn't get leaked to anyone before James Earl Jones dubbed it when that line is intact.

#2. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon vs. Darth Maul (The Phantom Menace)

Nothing can beat this magnificent scene with its masterful duel choreography and tension. Aside from the exhilarating Podracing scene in the ambitious but flawed and unequally notorious prequel of THE PHANTOM MENACE, it is the only exciting moment. This climactic scene demonstrates the aptitude of a lightsaber duel as it starts with Darth Maul arriving to deal with both the unwanted Jedi in Obi-Wan and his soon-to-be-dead master Qui-Gon, aka Liam Neeson. They face a dangerous Sith Lord who has ignited his double-edged lightsaber and is in for the kill, as only one should gain the upper hand for victory. While not as biblical as the other lightsaber duels, it shows its components of action, camerawork, and the instrumental piece of "Duel of the Fates" by John Williams match this scene in extra detail. There's so much of this scene that stops it from being number one, which, unfortunately, goes to the Trench Run in the Death Star moment.

#1. Death Star Assault (A New Hope)

Since all the other moment entries are in the top twenty, I should mention this scene of the attack on the Death Star may well be the granddaddy of all space battles. It's the scene in which Luke and the Rebels are piloting their X-wing fighters to try and take out the Imperials in their TIE fighters (with Darth Vader leading them) on the original Death Star. Luckily, with the help of Han in the Millennium Falcon, they managed to be victorious in that battle. It's very epic in all its cinematic portions. It demonstrated the incredible action with innovative special effects combined to make this original space battle, proving that it's cemented as the best moment in the Star Wars series.

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Top 20 Star Wars Moments (10-6)

Two days from now, after the long-awaited episode of The Force Awakens is finally showing in theatres, I've yet to have that film until I go and see it on Monday night. This list of the top twenty Star Wars scenes is still counting down for the movie. Everyone should know that parts one and two are now in this blog. We'll look at numbers #10 to #6 in this section as we are close to reaching the end of this list through No. #5 to No. #1. You better wait until tomorrow or after.

You can (click here for part one) and (here for part two) as they contained these previous entries through the beginning and the second, but there's no telling why or how you missed out.

#10. Destruction of Alderaan (A New Hope)

A nightmarish scene demonstrates how the Empire brings fear and destruction to the galaxy. The scene where a captive Princess Leia witnesses her home planet's demise by the Death Star after disclosing the hidden Rebel base shows how the battle station is fully operational when destroying peaceful planets like Alderaan. The worst-case scenario is that Grand Moff Tarkin is responsible for ordering its obliteration, as he knows Alderaan is a peaceful world with no weapons. It affectedly killed millions that were on the planet. So powerful that it caused a disturbance in the Force.

#9. Battle Over Coruscant (Revenge of the Sith)

This opening in REVENGE OF THE SITH starts the prequel in a flash of style as Anakin and Obi-Wan are in a massive space battle attempting to board General Grevious' ship to rescue Palpatine. There, they wound up with spider droids as they were about to dismantle their fighters, and a lot of action occurs in this space battle while attacking the droid fighters. It's a sturdy action-oriented scene with a lot of brilliant cinematography and visuals involved, and it's thanks to a massive overload of CGI effects with some witty dialogue that takes you back to the original trilogy for lines that include "This is where the fun begins."

#8. The Asteroid Chase/This is No Cave (The Empire Strikes Back)

After the rip-roaring moments of the Battle of Hoth and the destruction of the Rebel base, the Millennium Falcon is attempting to outrun the Imperial fleet of Super Star Destroyers and TIE Fighters. Han Solo heads to an asteroid belt to evade capture, much to the discomfort of everyone on board. Even C3PO finds it impossible to survive the odds in an asteroid belt when Han says, "Never tell me the odds." The chase ensues with many TIE fighters blown to bits by oncoming asteroids, and Han and the others seek refuge in a cave below on a giant asteroid. Only to find themselves dealing with Mynocks and escaping the jaws of a gigantic space slug, which realises Han upon saying, "This is no cave." This scene put the special effects forward with the score by John Williams intact as a definitive moment of Star Wars.

#7. Opening with Star Destroyer (A New Hope)

The film starts with "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...," then STAR WARS lights up the screen, and John Williams' epic score announces the arrival of something special. This opening scene comes after the introduction crawl, demonstrating the size and power of the rebels compared to the Imperial fleet. The camera shows a tiny rebel ship bombarded by laser fire from a star destroyer that swallows the rebel spaceship whole. Then we are treated to invading Stormtroopers breaching the ship's interior, and Darth Vader makes his grand villainous entrance. He surveys the carnage and continues to hunt for Princess Leia and the stolen plans. Thirty-eight years ago, this introduced us to a new world of science fiction and embarked us on a scene no other moviegoer forgets.

#6. Battle of Hoth (The Empire Strikes Back)

Considering that the Star Wars series was a product of George Lucas's imagination, it was a plethora of large-scale action and innovative VFX (whether practical, CGI or both used in these films). The Hoth battle sequence remains at large as the second visually iconic moment of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and it shows that the Rebels are just more than capable of earning their victories in a war against the Empire. This scene proves that the Imperials have successfully invaded the Hoth system and taken down the Rebel base of its shield generators. Luckily for the Rebels, however, they managed to destroy only two Imperial Walkers and one Star Destroyer and bought some time to evacuate into orbit. This full-scale action scene came from the Star Wars visual effects house of ILM (known as Industrial Light and Magic) and has gone untouched because of the stop-motion and miniature effects achieved in this film.

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Top 20 Star Wars Moments (15-11)

It is only one day before The Force Awakens opens in theatres. I will continue the top twenty moments from the quintessential sci-fi franchise of Star Wars. Only this time, will include the lightsaber duels deemed the best aspect of the film series as they provide much of the action choreography.

For those of you who missed part one (click here) when you know the first picks are good for you.

#15. Anakin vs Obi-Wan/Yoda vs. Palpatine (Revenge of the Sith)

Many will conclude that these two lightsaber battles have merged into one ultimate fight scene in Star Wars. Two duels are happening in two worlds that show Anakin facing his former master, Obi-Wan, on the fiery planet of Mustafar. Meanwhile, on Coruscant, Yoda duels with the ultimate Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, known as Palpatine. The two Jedi Masters are now dealing with two of their common enemies of the Sith in an epic battle pitting good against evil. The outcome of these battles is that Palpatine defeated Yoda while Obi-Wan triumphed over Anakin. Many fans are immersed in the long ongoing action between Obi-Wan and Anakin in the volcanic world while this scene transitions to Yoda and Palpatine fighting in the Senate. If only a few lines of silly dialogue would get changed, for instance, "From my point of view, the Jedi were evil," which wouldn't have affected this climactic sequence.

#14. Order 66 (Revenge of the Sith)

REVENGE OF THE SITH is the only saving grace of the irredeemable prequel trilogy, the darkest among the Star Wars movies and way darker than The Empire Strikes Back. But this depressing moment of the film starts with Anakin marching to the steps of the Jedi Temple with his 501st legion of clone troopers. Then, a clone receives contact from Palpatine, who plays both sides of the war and orders him and his fellow clone troopers to wipe out their Jedi superiors as Palpatine's plans have come to fruition. It creates a montage where each Jedi throughout the galaxy is butchered by their clone troopers, resulting in their near-permanent extinction. Even those in Coruscant get killed as a result of that order. Luckily, both Obi-Wan and Yoda managed to survive their soon-to-be massacre, and this moment proves how Palpatine was willing to have the Jedi eradicated and sow the seeds in his new Galactic Empire to abolish the old Republic.

#13. Speeder Bike Chase (Return of the Jedi)

In another brilliant effects scene of the Star Wars franchise, the speeder bike pursuit is one of those highlights that were to die for in RETURN OF THE JEDI. Initially, I'd be thinking about adding the Battle of Endor on this rank, but I've decided for this particular moment instead. It features Luke and Leia chasing a scout trooper on a speeder bike. And this causes the other Imperials to follow them. It causes a tag-along in the immediate pursuit, and the action soon follows. This incredible scene had happened before all the cuteness of the Ewoks began to appear.

#12. Anakin and Palpatine at the Opera House (Revenge of the Sith)

REVENGE OF THE SITH has some of the best acting performances from Ian McDiarmid and Ewan McGregor. This scene is no exception. Hayden Christensen is still Anakin, but his acting has improved after being featured in Shattered Glass. This scene shows when Anakin meets with Chancellor Palpatine in the opera house after reluctantly being sent by the Jedi Knights to spy on him. The latter tells him about the Jedi and the Sith from their perspectives and a Sith Lord who uses his power to save his loved ones from death. This temptation will lead Anakin to join the dark side to keep Padme from dying.

#11. Frozen in Carbonite (The Empire Strikes Back)

In the Star Wars movies, there are heartbreaking moments in each chapter. For this case on THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, I've included the one where our favourite hero, Han Solo, is about to face his doom in the Carbonite freezing chamber. Many people will cry a lot for this character to accept his fate, and if that isn't giving you tears enough, how about this small scene when Leia says to Han, "I love you," and then Han says to her back, "I know." See Lucas, that is how a beautiful line of dialogue gets written or improvised. Not to mention Harrison Ford, the actor you hired to portray Han, is responsible for this take of dialogue! I won't forget how Han Solo is essential to the movie because of this scene. Fortunately, the character did return three years later in Return of the Jedi.

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Top 20 Star Wars Moments (20-16)

In anticipation of the newest Star Wars episode of The Force Awakens, two days ahead of its release in Australia, we'll be looking at the first part of the top twenty best moments that have made Star Wars very special to all of us. Even some who liked the widely-despised, CGI-overblown prequels will find some of its moments on this list. Unfortunately, I won't include any lightsaber duels, which will be in the next part. So until then, may the force be with you.

#20. Podracing (The Phantom Menace)

First, I'll start with the podrace sequence, one of the few redeeming moments worth watching in THE PHANTOM MENACE. Some may see it as redundant to the story, but I thought it was an important plot point in this film. We see how young Anakin Skywalker has gained his piloting skills and Jedi reflexes, which are put to the test when he enters the podracing tournament when pitted against Sebulba and the other racers through the desert lands of Tatooine. This particular action set piece has ingenious visual effects and dazzling camera angles. It is so fun to watch, but it would have gone much higher on the top spot if Jar Jar is deleted now (along with every other scene he is in in the entire film).

#19. Battle at Geonosis (Attack of the Clones)

ATTACK OF THE CLONES may not be as bad as The Phantom Menace, maybe not as good as it could be, but the film reaches one of its climaxes on Geonosis, where Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme are trying to avoid their execution. Then suddenly, Mace shows up and ignites his purple lightsaber before starting a battle in the arena with his fellow Jedi comrades. He immediately says to Count Dooku, "This party's over." This sequence contains many Jedi fighting against monsters and droids in a skirmish. It nearly held the record as the ultimate Star Wars battle with a long duration that any fan has to envision if you are wondering why this moment didn't go in the top 10, probably because of the unnecessary comic scenes courtesy of C-3PO.

#18. The Birth of Darth Vader (Revenge of the Sith)

Say what you want about this scene. I know that it ended with Darth Vader saying, "NOOOOOOOO!" that remains one of the cheesiest lines of Star Wars. It shows how Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader, becomes more machine than man when outfitted with mechanical prosthetics and special armour that keeps him alive after the damage he had sustained on the lava planet Mustafar. He's now turned into a black-clad warrior that we all love to hate and begins that recognisable breathing through his mask. No one cares how it closes with that cheesy line. It helps that James Earl Jones is reprising Vader's voice at the end of the character's dramatic transformation.

#17. Fight at the Great Pit of Carkoon (Return of the Jedi)

In this scene of RETURN OF THE JEDI, Luke, Han and Chewie have to walk over the sail barge to enter the Great Pit of Carkoon and are to be fed in the Sarlacc's belly as part of execution by Jabba the Hutt. Fortunately, Luke receives a new lightsaber from R2-D2 as he catches it, and this is where the action begins. We see a whole skirmish of Luke and the other heroes fending off Jabba's minions and bounty hunters while Leia, in her slave bikini costume, gives Jabba a dose of his medicine by choking with the chains. So much action was delivered and choreographed for this scene, and it came with a spectacular display of acrobatics, laser-firing and explosions.

#16. Chase at Coruscant (Attack of the Clones)

It's one of the better moments in ATTACK OF THE CLONES, aside from the non-stop action in the arena battle at Geonosis, considering how big Coruscant is of its splendour and beauty. It is the perfect setting for a chase scene as Anakin and Obi-Wan are in a flying speeder while in hot pursuit of a bounty hunter named Zam Wessell. It is after they foiled her attempt to assassinate Padme Amidala. Though it was incredible enough for this scene to be in AOTC, it was not enough to land the film in my favourites since it got hindered by the awkwardly acted and terribly-written romantic subplot of Anakin and Padme.

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Hotel Transylvania 2 Review

Hotel Transylvania 2

Release Date: 26th November 2015 - Australia

Production Companies 

Columbia Pictures

L Star Capital (in association with)

Sony Pictures Animation

Distribution 

Sony Pictures Australia 

Genre: Animation/Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 89 minutes


Budget: $80,000,000

Box Office Gross: $473,226,958
(Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Dracula, worried that his
adorable human/vampire
grandson Dennis isn't
showing signs of being a
vampire, enlists his friends
to put Dennis through a
"monster in training"
boot camp. But little do
they know that Drac's
grumpy, old school dad
Vlad is about to pay a
family visit to the hotel...
and when he finds out
that his great-grandson
is not a pure blood--and
that humans are now
welcome at Hotel
Transylvania--things
are going to get batty! (Source - Metro Cinemas)

Voice Cast

Adam Sandler - Dracula

Selena Gomez - Mavis

Andy Samberg - Jonathan
Asher Blinkoff - Dennis

David Spade - Griffin the Invisible Man
Keegan-Michael Key - Murray

Kevin James - Frank/
Frankenstein

Steve Buscemi - Wayne
Molly Shannon - Wanda

Mel Brooks - Vlad
Rob Riggle - Bela
Fran Drescher - Eunice
Jon Lovitz - The Phantom of the Opera
Nick Offerman - Grandpa Mike
Megan Mullally - Grandma Linda
Dana Carvey - Dana
Jonny Solomon - Blobby
Sadie Sandler - Winnie
Nick Swardson - Kelsey
Chris Parnell - Mr. Fly

Robert Smigel - Marty/Harry Three-Eye/Navigator

Chris Kattan - Kakie

Sunny Sandler - Infant Dennis/Vampire Kid
Paul Brittain - Pandragora
Nick Swardson - Kelsey
Doug Dale - Kal
Ethan Smigel - Troy

Crew

Director - Genndy Tartakovsky
Based on Characters - Todd Durham

Writer/Executive Producers -
Robert Smigel and Adam Sandler
Producer - Michelle Murdocca
Co-Producer - Skye Lyons

Executive Producers - Allen
Covert and Ben Waisbren

Character Designers - Andre
Medina, Stephen DeStefano, 

Tony Siruno and Craig Kellman
Production Designer - Michael Kurinsky
Heads of Story - David Wachtenheim
and Robert Marianetti

Senior Animation Supervisor - Alan Hawkins
Supervising Animators - Joshua Beveridge,
Jeff Panko and John Vassallo
Layout Supervisor - James C.J. Williams
Visual Effects Supervisor - Karl Herbst
Additional Visual Effects Supervisor -
Daniel Kramer
Film Editor - Catherine Apple

Music - Mark Mothersbaugh

Review

In 2012, I was at one time in the cinema when I began to enjoy the screening of 'Hotel Transylvania' and reviewed the film shortly after its showing. Two years later, a sequel has been announced and Genndy Tartakovsky is reprising the directional helm of this newest chapter with Adam Sandler and his buddies returning to do the voice-overs. Though Sandler is now in the online streaming of Netflix since he's no longer interested to have his films released in cinemas which they under-performed at the box office, thanks to lowest common denominators like 'Jack and Jill' and now this has continued in the latest setback 'Pixels'. Fortunately for the middle-aged comedian, he had a few recent successes under his belt, but 'HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2' is no exception, it was on par with the first movie and is more comical mainly it's to do with Sandler's contributions to the film's writing.

The plot wasn't quite as humanising and could have been more skeletal with several characters that have been added and could have had a few more scenes. For example, Mel Brooks' cantankerous old vampire Vlad is the important factor and he would have not instead shown up in the last third of the film. The comedy is getting clever, cheesy or cartoonish in more sight of contrast to the first movie and the animation is at its very finest of simplicity.

I have nothing to turn against this sequel, but the fact remains that not so much bad has happened in 'HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2'. It's certainly a worth a watch for children and their families who have wanted to see the film before the holidays come.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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