The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of The Last Jedi

Lucasfilm

     It’s hard to believe that one of the most divisive things in 2017 would be a Star Wars film, but here we are. The eighth installment in the main series, not counting Rogue One, is brought to us by Rian Johnson (Looper, The Brothers Bloom), and features the continuing adventures of Rey and Finn while also featuring the return of Luke Skywalker. So what could have possibly gone wrong with this to earn such a harsh audience reaction? Let’s try to answer that here.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Review

tmc.io

     In the wake of Quentin Tarantino’s massive entrance in the early 90’s, a whole wave of imitators popped up to try and ride his movement to fame and fortune. While some like Guy Ritchie were successful, most had some one-offs and then fizzled away into obscurity. Then in 2007 the most recent of these imitators, a plucky Irishman named Martin McDonagh, burst onto the scene. With his two films In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, McDonagh was able to successfully blend Tarantino-style filmmaking and storytelling with a very unique brand of dark humor and social observation. Does Three Billboards continue this winning streak? Let’s find out.