Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

• Hmm, where to begin. First of all, I will not tolerate any Force Awakens haters. I absolutely loved it when I saw it in theaters at 12 years old, and as a lifelong Star Wars fan, it did everything for me then, and does everything for me now (10 years later). It works for the same reasons that Scream 5 does: bring back legacy characters while introducing the new ones, and rehash previous events while still making it feel new. Some people reduce this film to a reboot, and how it’s copy and paste to A New Hope. In some ways, it can be, but it’s still its own thing leading in a new direction. JJ Abrams came out swinging, and all of his swings hit the mark. I love how the story dabbles with nostalgia, but for the entire time, I still feel like I’m watching a completely new film with its own unique premise. I think the First Order is even more terrifying than the Empire in some aspects, though it does feel like a recycled idea. But it still works. I do think the dialogue needs some work, because while some of it is sentimental, there’s a lot that feels really cheesy and a bit too relatable to our modern day. It takes you out of fun moments for a split second, but not enough for me to knock this too hard. The visual effects are freaking insane, and I dare you to try to find any jarring moments. Well, you probably can, but it’s hard to. Everything just looks so seamless and I love it. The cinematography is very good for the most part, and though there’s a few shots that are just whatever, there're SO many breathtaking moments that I could just put up on a wall. John Williams’ score is a masterpiece yet again, and he’s never failed at anything Star Wars related (obviously). Lastly, the performances are all pretty great, and though they’re nothing too memorable, I thoroughly enjoy them. All the characters are likable (at least in this one), and I will always be a Finn and Poe stan. Overall, it’s a magnificent beginning to the sequel trilogy. Surely it will only go uphill from here…….! I would recommend this to all Star Wars fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!