Back Roads is the debut film from director Alex Pettyfer who also plays the lead here in a film that’s been receiving rave reviews for its tense, gritty narrative that’s based on the best-selling novel from Tawni O’Dell who also served as the screenwriter. Back Roads is set for wider release this winter.
About Back Roads
Official Description: A young man stuck in the Pennsylvania backwoods cares for his three younger sisters after the shooting death of his abusive father and the arrest of his mother. Family secrets and unspoken truths threaten to consume him.
Having the book’s author Tawni O’Dell on board as the screenwriter will surely make fans of the novel happy. Alex Pettyfer previously made waves as Jerry Schilling in Elvis & Nixon. Pettyfer also might look familiar to fans of the action, science fiction film I Am Number Four. The young actor is getting behind the camera here, and the early buzz is positive. The rest of the cast isn’t too shabby either with Juliette Lewis (Secrets and Lies) and Jennifer Morrison (Once Upon A Time) along for a film that looks like it can be described as modern Americana noir.
Back Roads features a cast that includes …
Juliette Lewis as Bonnie Altmyer
Jennifer Morrison as Callie Mercer
Robert Longstreet as Uncle Mike
Nicola Peltz as Amber Altmyer
Danika Yarosh as Ashlee
Alex Pettyfer as Harley Altmyer
Robert Patrick as Chief Mansour
Tom Everett Scott as Brad Mercer
Chiara Aurelia as Misty Altmyer
Sky Elobar as Church
Great source material. Great cast. Unproven director. The trailer here seems to indicate a compelling film with some dark twists and turns. The buzz is good too, so what’s not to like here? If you’re into thrillers, this looks like a good one to put your peepers on.
Did this trailer get you excited for Back Roads? Leave your comments below!
The final issue of the fan favorite series, Transformers: Lost Light from IDW Comics has been hailed as one of the best Transformers series ever written. After a change in name from Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye to Lost Light and a total of 99 issues (as explained by the writer in the afterward), this 100th issue finally brings the ending the fans have been waiting for. Does it stick the landing? It totally does. There will be no spoilers for this issue. It would be a disservice to such an incredible experience.
It all ends. The crew must deal with the fallout of their quest. It will punch you right in the gut.
Writing
Final issues are some of hardest to write. It leaves someone with a lasting impression for a story and characters they put their time and energy into appreciating. If an ending is bad, it can make some feel cheap, as if they have been cheated of their precious time. Then there is the rare ending, one which is so good, it causes the individual to experience such a powerful emotional experience they feel themselves re-energized, enlightened, and even at peace in the world. This is the ending of Transformers: Lost Light. The last installment of a series which meant so much to so many people.
Writer James Roberts shows incredible skill with how the issue plays out. He delivers an ending which will stay with you, hours after you read it. A mixture of happiness, speculation, and grief, which can only be described as pure heartache in the best way possible. Transformers: Lost Light has featured some of the most wonderful plots of not only Transformers but comics in general in recent years.
Artwork
The uplifting experience of this book would not have succeeded in such a great accomplishment without fantastic art. Jack Lawrence on pencils and inks finds a way to make sure the characters are drawn in a way which resonates with the reader. The crew themselves knows their journey is coming to an end and they are sad to see it happen. Sympathy resonates as goodbyes are said and new journeys begin.
The color work by Joana Lafuente finds a way to tell a story of its own. As goodbyes are said and it appears some are at their lowest point, colors are dull and muted. Later in the issue as it appears as if a few will find happiness, bright and joyful tones are used. It all helps to make sure the rollercoaster ride of drama plays out from page to page.
Tom B. Long is able to aid in the experience with great lettering. The passion is placed perfectly thank to how the drama unfolds beat by beat. Characters are able to more than meets the eye thanks to the fantastic letter work shown throughout this issue.
Not in the issue but it helps summarize the reading experience.
Conclusion
The ending of Transformers: Lost Light leaves a lasting emotional experience which will stay with anyone who has enjoyed reading this series for so many years. Fans may be filled with a sense of emptiness with the book coming to an end but issues like this help to remind the reader why this series such a joy to read month after month. Goodbye crew of the Lost Light. Your journey will live on in the hearts of many forever.
ARROW continues its seventh season with another okay episode. Despite what the episode title promises, “Level Two” really doesn’t raise the stakes. So far, the season hasn’t adjusted to its new status quo. It’s not that the series has no interesting characters outside of Oliver Queen. The problem ARROW is running into is working around Oliver, and unfortunately, the series hasn’t figured out the best way to do it.
Juliana Harkavy holds together the good moments in “Level Two.” While there’s some interesting stuff going on with Felicity and Rene, Harkavy’s Dinah Drake gives us the best moments of the episode. While her conflict with Rene has stretched across the season, “Level Two” gives us her perspective. Her side of the fight gets clarified, but it also evolves throughout the episode. ARROW gives Dinah some development, and some bomber take-downs. It’s this kind of clear episode storyline that makes good ARROW episodes.
Unfortunately, the other storylines fall flat. Aside from some Zoe developments, none of the other characters grow in interesting ways. Oliver’s interactions with the psych offer little to engage with. The boat dream with William was interesting, but his revelation that he’s “Inmate 4587” isn’t new. He’s been saying he’s Inmate 4587 since the start of the season. Outside of Oliver, the other characters stay the same – Felicity is angry, Rene likes the new Hood, etc. Outside of Dinah, ARROW has no compelling growth within “Level Two.”
The flash-forwards don’t provide much intrigue either. Much like the present timeline, Dinah’s arrival into the bleak future works. However, it’s still unclear what’s happening in the future – and why it matters to the present. How does The Glades building a wall make the police corrupt? What is William supposed to do with a map? Does any of this have to do with Diaz? There aren’t enough new development in “Level Two” to push ARROW forward.
There are some nuggets of intrigue in ARROW, but they’re few and far between. This episode doesn’t appear to have a big impact on the season so far. Maybe future episodes will tie everything together, but why hang around for resolution we may never get? ARROW needs to fix its pacing problems, and give viewers more to be excited about on a weekly basis. It’s unfair to expect Felicity or Dinah can trade off carrying the show.
Rick Grimes is injured and drifting in and out of consciousness. He’s always been a fighter, and this episode was no exception. His visions were the perfect way to end his story on The Walking Dead. Rick Grimes, This is Your Life.
The first person to visit Rick (Andrew Lincoln) in his memories is his partner and best friend Shane (Jon Bernthal). The two brothers in arms chat over a few cheeseburgers in the squad car, shooting the shit like old times. There are the bromance jabs, the “asshole” name-calling, and a realization that there is still fight in Rick’s soul. This scene also included the best jump-scare that the series has had to date.
Next, we get a visit from father-figure Hershel (Scott Wilson). He tells Rick that he doesn’t need to worry about Maggie (Lauren Cohan), which is part of the reason that Rick is in the predicament that he’s in. Their embrace and conversation are heartfelt and bittersweet, as we lost Wilson just a few weeks ago.
Sasha’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) speech felt like a eulogy. She explains that the deaths of those who have gone before have all had a purpose. They have all given strength and meaning to the other characters’ futures. They’re standing on a pile of corpses of all of their loved ones while Sasha explains that they have paved the way for the future to be. Symbolic, but a little gross.
The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 5 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC
Rick’s final hallucination is the most realistic, and Michonne’s (Danai Gurira) dialogue brings everything back around. He knows that she loves him, he knows why, and he’s assured that he has truly found his family. It was almost like she was telling him that it’s ok to pass on.
Both Sasha and Michonne echoed the same proclamation: “We don’t die.” While that rings true in a zombie apocalypse setting, Rick truly does not die. Our white-horse-riding-knight-in-khaki-armor sacrificed himself with one last gunshot to blow the half-built bridge to smithereens, sending the walker herd into the raging waters below. Yet, the blast doesn’t kill him. We find him along the riverbank, and so does Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh).
Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis/Anne – The Walking Dead – Season 9, Episode 5 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC
As the plot must go on, Rick isn’t the only character we focus on in this episode. Jadis is still in communication with the helicopter people, whoever and wherever they may be. I did find it odd, though, that she was talking with them on the same walkie-talkie that she heard the commotion from the encampment on. Can others also hear her conversations with the helo-gang? Is her secret rendezvous really still a secret?
And, after several weeks of anticipation, Maggie is finally face-to-face with Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Their exchange beings in typical Negan-fashion with him acting like a total prick. But soon, he cracks like an egg and turns into a pile of sobbing goo. I really expected him to turn on Maggie, using his vulnerability as a ploy. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is a gifted actor, which makes Negan a gifted actor, but he sheepishly retreats to his personal hell. And so he shall rot.
Season nine’s second time-jump happens, and we’re introduced to a few new characters and one character that’s done a lot of growing up. Judith Grimes (Cailey Fleming) is poised and ready to take her place in the communities and make her father and late brother proud.
This episode had a very season-finale feel to it with storylines being tied up, pay-offs galore, and a time-jump that will put us another six years forward. There’s still a lot to see in this season, and I’m curious to see “What Comes After.”
Adam Dorn is a jazz musician and composer behind shows like Showtime’s Enemies, and documentaries like Richard Pryor: Omit the Logic and Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind and took the sonic reigns on the reboot of 80s action franchise Kickboxer. Is there nothing he can’t do? Actually, yes, “I would’ve made a terrible accountant.”
Adam Dorn’s musical life got a boost from an early age and a legendary musician “My father was a record producer for years. When I was born, I would say I was born into a musical family. I’ve never not known making music or being around music. At around nine or ten, my father was producing a record for the Neville Brothers. We were listening to rough mixes of the records, and I was keeping time and singing the bass lines. At the age of 10, Art Neville tells me “I don’t know what you’re going to do, but you’re going to be a musician.”
The young composer-to-be started working young “It’s lead to a lot of exposure to some great musicians. At around 16 I started working for a bass player named Marcus Miller. I sat and watched and learned. It was a real apprenticeship.” During his young life, Adam spent time in the studio with other legends such as David Sanborn, Luther Vandross, and Miles Davis.
Adam shares one story growing up with a music producer father “I shared chicken salad with Charlie Watts,” that’s the drummer for the Rolling Stones. “I was backstage at a Stones show and more interested in the video games they had set up.”
What sparked an interest in composing for film and television? “The first film I remember watching where the score really caught my attention was Midnight Express. I have to say that Giorgio Moroder is a big reason I fell in love with synthesizers and technology.”
About Enemies
Oscar and Emmy-winning director Alex Gibney took inspiration from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tim Weiner’s book, “Enemies: A History of the FBI” to make the Showtime docu-series Enemies. For Adam, it was an easy project to work on “I’m incredibly interested in history, including military history.
The process for Enemies was a rewarding one for Adam “Spending the last five months working on a doc that deals with a lot of reexamining of things like the Iran Contra. And how the military keeps things super-secretive and not loose with the details. It’s fascinating to me.”
Working Creatives
The conventional thinking is that people like composers are all having fun and it’s not work. However, though it is fun Adam reveals some of the drawbacks of the job “I just spent the last seven months working on a documentary about Donald Trump. Did I want to spend 15 hours a day looking at images of Donald Trump? No. But I wanted to add the musical narrative to a film that is pointing out the irregularities of this current government.”
Explaining a job like scoring to someone who doesn’t do it or remotely work in the industry is weird. Adam’s heard “That’s a job?” His reply “Do you watch movies? Do you hear the music in there? How do you think that happens?”
As prolific as Adam’s been, doubt and a bit of fear are a part of the creative business “Anytime there is this one or two-month lull in gigs, I think ‘That’s it, it’s over.’ It’s silly. Shut up. Take a breath and relax and things get going again. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
Kickboxer in the 21st Century
Perusing Adam’s filmography, there’s plenty to note. But as a child of the 80s who loved Van Damme movies, there are a couple of films that stand out. “No one brings up the Kickboxer films!”
Adam scores the new versions of the Kickboxer films. But how did it come about? “I was working on a documentary for Showtime about the life of Richard Pryor. The editor on that film, he calls me after the doc and asks ‘What do you know about action films?’ I’d never worked on one, ever, not even close but I said ‘I don’t know man, they seem like fun, non-stop music.’”
The response after that “My friend says ‘Get ready to write non-stop music. I’m editing the new Kickboxer film.”
Adam’s next words “Is Jean-Claude Van Damme in it?” In case you don’t know, the answer is yes.
About the amount of work on Kickboxer “These movies have a lot of music. The film is about 100 minutes or so and like 90 minutes have music. It’s wild.”
The fervor for action films never goes away “I go to premieres, and people go wild. And now we’re doing another one. We’ve got The Mountain (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson) from Game of Thrones in it, Mike Tyson is in it …”
Adam didn’t revisit the music of franchise “I didn’t want anything to feel repeated. I didn’t refer to the original films and their soundtracks. I didn’t want anything to seep in even subconsciously so I could create something entirely new.”
Though that’s not to say he didn’t give a shoutout to late-80s action soundtracks “There’s a moment in the first film where they escape from the prison where I did … something you’d hear in Miami Vice.”
Wrapping Up
Adam’s key to success as a composer “The most important thing is listening. Getting a sense of what the filmmakers need the music to do.”
About roles in filmmaking “It’s a team. You’re a writer, actor, director, and it all informs what the film will become.”
On an emotional level “Working on Serial at the same time as Enemies, each one gave me a break from the other. I could come back and look at them fresh after spending time with the other. It was great being able to go between the two.”
Adam gives a shout out to another composer “I admire Hans Zimmer and a big reason for that is that he and his team they really embrace technology.”
About his influences though, they stem from his roots as a jazz musician “I have to say my biggest influences come from jazz like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Bill Frisell. I draw the most influence from that and the basis of what I am as a composer.”
What’s next? “Well, two things I can’t talk about. So, that’s that,” we laugh. Then Adam offers a clue “Iconic pop culture.” Who doesn’t love a good mystery?
Thanks to Adam Dorn and Impact24 PR for making this interview possible.
The newest film from Joel and Ethan Coen (the minds behind Fargo and The Big Lebowski) is The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, an anthology-style western dramedy. Originally conceived as a web series, but instead cut into a feature-length film, the film features six stories, each dealing with a different aspect of life in the Old West.
Unfortunately, even filmmakers who are as talented and prolific as the Coen Brothers aren’t immune to the issues that plague the anthology film. Like a majority of films that follow this structure, there were some segments that were great and some that were not so impressive. The film starts off very strongly, but gradually declines to a mildly underwhelming finish.
The eponymous first segment is certainly the strongest of the batch. This segment follows a cocky gunslinger. This part of the film contains the most instances of the Coens’ signature style. The darkly comic and cynical humor is absolutely hilarious, and the twists on the genre tropes are refreshing. This segment is also a musical, which adds to the irony. Plus, Tim Blake Nelson’s performance is wonderful.
Zoe Kazan is Alice Longabaugh and Bill Heck is Billy Knapp in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a film by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Perhaps the weakest segment is “The Gal Who Got Rattled”, the fifth segment in the film, which follows a young woman travelling with a wagon train. Although the protagonist of this segment is compelling, this only goes so far, and the story itself is rather typical. Additionally, the supporting characters weren’t particularly likable. This segment felt overlong and dry compared to the rest of the film.
The other four segments, “Near Algodones”, “Meal Ticket”, “All Gold Canyon”, and “The Mortal Remains”, fall somewhere in-between. All three have glimpses of potential Coen greatness, but never quite capture the magic. That being said, they are all led by strong performances.
Tom Waits is Prospector in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a film by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Additionally, many of the segments felt incohesive. Only “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” and “All Gold Canyon” felt like they had a complete arc. The endings of the other segments were all abrupt or left questions unresolved. Furthermore, the film as a whole feels extremely fragmented because there is little thematically tying the segments together — only the genre and setting of the Old West.
However, the film is as aesthetically strong as one can expect of the Coens. They have a very distinct visual style, and that certainly shines through in this film. Plus, the anthology structure allows them to experiment in combining their distinct visual tones, like the ironically bright (“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs”) and the dark and cynical (“The Mortal Remains”).
There were a few great moments in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, but it is likely one of the Coens’ weaker films overall because some of its segments that were lacking. Nonetheless, it is still worth a watch.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs opens in select theaters November 8 and is on Netflix beginning November 16.
What They Had is the debut of writer-director Elizabeth Chomko. It is about a woman (Hilary Swank) who returns home at the request of her brother (Michael Shannon) to deal with their ailing mother and their father’s reluctance to let her go.
This film certainly has some important and impactful things to say, but unfortunately, it cannot get past its small-scale character study narrative to express them. Rather than feeling like a broad commentary on Alzheimer’s, it felt like an evaluation of the effects of that disease on these specific characters. Although it still works quite well, it seems that the movie wanted to be something more.
Additionally, there are a few subplots that are never fully developed. These storylines do add a bit to the characterization, but never really impact the main story or its message. The storylines involving the protagonist’s marriage and her brother’s lack thereof come to mind as not entirely necessary.
(L to R) Michael Shannon as “Nick”, Taissa Farmiga as “Emma”, Hilary Swank as “Bridget”, Blythe Danner as “Ruth”, and Robert Forster as “Bert” in Elizabeth Chomko’s WHAT THEY HAD, a Bleecker Street release. Photo Credit: Bleecker Street.
That being said, the movie is certainly well-written and features characters that are quite compelling. The protagonist, Bridget, is a likable and flawed character that easily gains the sympathy of the audience. Her various relationships — with her daughter, brother, and parents — all go a long way to making her sympathetic.
Her father is also an extremely sympathetic character. He is probably the character with whom most audience members can most easily empathize. Many people have gone through the experience of losing a loved one, not through death, but through a disease that is even worse, causing a person to still be alive, but not themself.
Hilary Swank (left) stars as “Bridget” and Michael Shannon (right) stars as “Nick” in Elizabeth Chomko’s WHAT THEY HAD, a Bleecker Street release. Photo Credit: Bleecker Street.
The film is a surprisingly breezy watch given its subject matter. There are definitely some sad moments, and even some that could be considered overly melodramatic and tear-jerking. However, the movie uses the talents of Swank, Shannon, and Forster to infuse some moments that are endearing and funny as well, making it rather enjoyable.
The performances absolutely drive the film. All of the actors capture the nuance of their characters with grace and ease. Swank delivers her best performance in quite a while, nailing the emotional complexity of the character. Michael Shannon is great too, having great chemistry with the other actors and adding a lot to the movie comedically. Perhaps most impressive, though, is Robert Forster. His role easily could have been flat and stolid, but instead, he takes it and makes it much richer and deeper.
Overall, What They Had is compelling, but somewhat quaint. The great performances elevate what may have otherwise been a mostly average film.
SUPERGIRL has its first lull in the season with “Ahimsa.” Lull is a relative term, in this case, as the episode isn’t bad. However, it’s the season’s weakest episode as of yet. “Ahimsa” has some good character work, but the standalone story is rather weak. The episode also doesn’t do much to move the season as a whole along either. The good character beats aren’t enough to keep “Ahimsa” as exciting as the other episodes this season.
The primary story isn’t super interesting. The two brainwashed aliens aren’t really that much of a threat. There’s also next to nothing new added with Agent Liberty or the Graves twins. This has been a trend in several SUPERGIRL episodes this season (and THE FLASH, too). There’s clearly a lot of focus on character work, which makes for a stronger season. However, the episode solo stories often feel like afterthoughts, which makes the episode feel like a slog. A few meaningful moments with characters don’t make up for a poor forty minutes.
Photo copyright CW
That said, there are some good character developments in the episode. Alex and Brainy get put under a lot of pressure, bringing more emotion out of both. David Harewood also gets to shine a little more, as J’onn J’onzz goes back into battle. Harewood did a lot of great work last year, as his dying father brought out a lot of emotion. It’s nice that the series clearly isn’t done with exploring the emotions of the newly peace-minded Manhunter. These moments don’t save the episode, but they make it watchable.
Manchester Black may be the strongest element of the episode. He’s an interesting new character that doesn’t distract from the plot. He is perhaps the strongest example of how to balance out character and story. Manchester shows up as a way to help J’onn find Fiona, giving the two an episode arc. However, this arc also provides J’onn the guidance he needs to understand his less violent path. Manchester gives J’onn peace of mind, which SUPERGIRL has built up over the past three episodes. Manchester shows that SUPERGIRL knows how to write a good solo story.
There are cool character moments, but the story-by-story action should be stronger. SUPERGIRL isn’t bad, but it’s disconnected. As illustrated with Manchester, the strong elements only make the weaker elements more confusing. The bond between episode and season arcs needs to be stronger for the season to work. Hopefully, this disconnect is mostly due to Supergirl’s smaller role, due to Kryptonite poisoning. Now that she’s free from her “armor” (c’mon, it’s just a costume with a helmet), SUPERGIRL will return as strong as it should be.
The Happy Prince is the directorial debut of Rupert Everett, known for acting in films such as My Best Friend’s Wedding and Inspector Gadget. In the movie, Everett stars as famous poet and playwright Oscar Wilde after he is cast out of society because of his homosexuality.
This film offers a thoroughly interesting snapshot of the society in which it is set, though it also sadly and eerily rings true in today’s society. Thankfully, the literal exile of people due to their sexual orientation has ended in most parts of the world; however, there is still a large amount of discrimination against these human beings. As such, Wilde’s story is just as important now as it was then.
The story is certainly emotionally affecting, as over the course of the movie, the audience comes to sympathize with Wilde as a person that has been mistreated by society. The film makes the wise decision of not introducing Wilde in his prime, instead throwing the audience straight into his struggle. An early scene in which Wilde asks for a handout from a once adoring fan establishes and cements an emotional connection.
Left to right: Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde. Photo by Wilhelm Moser, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
The story also does a good job of creating subplots that effectively mirror elements of the main plot. For example, the plot about the two younger boys on the street does a good job of further developing the storyline about Wilde’s desire to reconcile with his sons. The story with Robbie Ross complements the story with Alfred Douglas well.
That being said, the story does lack clarity at times. The plot is somewhat muddled, jumping between different times in Wilde’s life, often without justification. A few of the supporting characters are also left underdeveloped. The character Reggie jumps out as a character that seemed to be important but had no real impact on the story.
Left to right: Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde. Photo by Wilhelm Moser, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
The performances are the absolute highlight of the film, though. Rupert Everett’s performance is phenomenal. His passion for the project shows in his dedication to the role. He truly nails both the positives and negatives of Wilde’s life and personality. Everett captures both the caustic wit for which Wilde was known for much of his life and the bleak cynicism that came with his exile.
The supporting cast is also quite impressive. Colin Morgan, who plays Alfred Douglas, is a clear standout. He has some truly great scenes and excellent chemistry with Everett. Edwin Thomas is also strong in his supporting role. Emily Watson, Colin Firth, and Tom Wilkinson all give solid turns too, but are underused.
Overall, The Happy Prince is a very good movie. Despite some flaws in the script, the story is compelling, and the film is well-made as a whole, driven by great performances.
The Happy Prince is now playing in select theaters nationwide.
Breaking down STAR WARS NEWS from week 1, November 2018. BECAUSE IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR, AWAY — THERE’S NEVER A DULL MOMENT.
Now that Resistance is well underway, Disney has put the brakes on releasing breaking Star Wars news. Saving the opportunity to blow fans away at Celebration in Chicago next year, it’s not a surprising move. However, just because Lucasfilm and Disney are quiet, doesn’t mean there aren’t Star Wars news topics to discuss.
Richard E. Grant Joins Episode IX Cast
Image via 20th Century Fox, Logan
Cast in an unidentifiable role, Richard E. Grant has joined with J.J. Abrams, Lucasfilm, and Disney for Episode IX. Grant is best known for his work in Logan and Game of Thrones, and yet, joining the Star Wars team has him full-on geeking out.
“J.J. was sitting with Daisy Ridley and said, ‘Hey! Great. Come in,” relates Grant while talking about joining Episode IX on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. So, you’re gonna do it?’ and I said, ‘Do what?’ And at this point, the room went upside-down, and I’m sure he was telling me in detail what part I was playing and what the character is called. I have no memory of that whatsoever. I just kept thinking: I might be in Star Wars. I kept waiting for them to say, ‘Well you’re going to come in and stand in for somebody else because we need somebody to test your height or your age or whatever.’ But no, they kept saying ‘So you are going to do this aren’t you?’ and I said, ‘Of course I’m going to do this.”
Reylo Spoiler Episode IX Rumor
Image via Raven-Punch deviantart.com
Love or hate the new saga trilogy, but you can’t deny the entertainment value behind the Reylo ship. J.J. Abrams set up it up in The Force Awakens and it sounds like he plans to resolve it in Episode IX. Special thanks to Raven-Punch for this amazing fan art.
The newest rumor concerning Reylo to hit the interweb involves a final duel between the two, with Rey besting Kylo. Apparently, this battle also leads to a redemption moment from Kylo Ren before passing on into the Force. While this sounds an awful lot like the final scene between Luke and Vader in Return of the Jedi, it has the potential to work. Plus, it’s not exactly a secret that Abrams likes to pull themes from the original trilogy.
A final battle between Rey and Kylo is what most fans want, and it’s sure to pack a visual punch. After all, a Kylo redemption arc seems inevitable. Having him turn back to the light side of the Force in his final moments seems fitting for one who idolized everything about Darth Vader.
Battlefront II Geonosis Leaked Image
Image via EA, Battlefront II, and Reddit user u/Dangercato
Things are heating up in Battlefront II, with the addition of General Grievous and an upcoming DLC Geonosis map. The sound glitch is fixed, and while there are still mechanical issues, the overall gameplay of Battlefront II is considerably better than it was at launch. Starship pilot players, however, are still patiently waiting for updates to Starfighter Assault.
Other noteworthy additions to Battlefront II in November include Obi-Wan Kenobi and 212th Attack Battalion clone soldiers skins. In addition to the Geonosis map are three new vehicles which include the STAP, BARC speeder, and the AT-TE.
Other Star Wars News
Image via Lucasfilm and Disney Studios
Life gets interesting when Star Wars news is quiet. Especially when pieces start popping up about Star Wars: The Clone Wars being canceled back in 2015 because of violent storylines and images. Grant it, this may have played a small role. But it didn’t matter because the real issue was all about a red tape contract dispute between Disney and Cartoon Network. Now that Disney has its streaming service on the way, it makes sense they would allow for it to return, targeting the older and mature fanbase.
In other Star Wars news, J.J. Abrams is fishing for a major blockbuster Hollywood contract. And some fans believe Disney might offer him up one within the Star Wars universe. Abrams, however, seems to already have an idea of what he wants to create. And it’s likely not related to Star Wars.
What’s got you the most excited this week in Star Wars news? Let us know in the comments below and tune in weekly for the Star Wars News Spiel only on Monkeys Fighting Robots. “May the Force be with you, always.”
