Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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JANUARY 27 - FEBRUARY 2, 2016 UCW 23 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM I am writing this a few weeks after the release for a variety of reasons, and I will try to avoid spoilers while pointing out various plot holes and character issues, but I'm not making any promises. The thought of J.J. Abrams turning Star Wars into Star Trek had me worried. Early buzz from my friends who were able to stay up past 9 p.m. to see the midnight premiere gave me hope, and now that I've finally seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens (135 minutes) I think I would like to go back and see it again. It may well be, as some have alleged, derivative or even formulaic. That doesn't make the end product any less enjoyable. George Lucas can whine about the collapse of his "vision" all he wants. Considering that he can wipe his eyes with the big pile of money he earned selling out, and the fact that his "vision" for the prequel series included Jar Jar Binks, he will not be getting much sympathy from me. When the Star Wars scroll runs across the screen I can't help giving a little clap, which makes my husband roll his eyes. The scroll helpfully informs us that about thirty years have passed since the Return of the Jedi, and that General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) has sent her most daring pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) to find an AWOL Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). General Organa and Dameron are members of a so-called and slightly confusing "resistance." Specifically, if they brought down the Death Star and killed the Emperor and Vader I see them as the winners. Obviously, the Galaxy is a really big place and there would still be pockets of storm troopers fighting. However, I am unclear on why Leia and the gang call themselves the resistance since they never explain what they are resisting. The First Order is the big bad, but they don't seem to actually do anything. My position on this plot point resulted in a lengthy discussion with my husband. He kept insisting that the Empire evolved into the First Order, and I kept insisting that was stupid. Only time will tell. I'm going to let it slide because when Star Wars plots get too detailed we wind up with two hours on trade embargoes and political meetings. Maybe the writers were smart to keep both plot and character backgrounds simple and unexplained. For example, Rey (Daisy Ridley), a scavenger on the planet Jakku, is clearly meant to be somebody important — and some of the events in the film hint at exactly who she might be — but we are offered only a tantalizing glimpse of her past. Finn (John Boyega) is another character whose origin could be linked in an important way to the original trilogy. He plays an integral part in the film and suffers from an overabundance of empathy, but it is unclear where he came from. The final major new player, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), is the least effective evil guy in the Star Wars Universe, ever. I don't deny that he does his share of damage, but really take a good look at him. He is full of angst, doesn't know how to talk to girls or connect with other people, clearly dyes his hair black, and you just know he spends a lot of time listening to Joy Division and The Cure. This kid isn't evil, he's emo. He is Hayden Christensen from Episode II and III, but he is defining his character through evil depression as opposed to evil anger. They both have stupid hair. Of all the movies released in 2015, only Avengers: Age of Ultron delivered on its promise to fans the way that The Force Awakens did. There are callbacks to the original trilogy, respect for canon, the beginning elements of an intricate, delicately woven plot, and a real love of the material on display. And, best of all, no mention of midichlorians. Now playing at Patriot 14 + IMAX. That's Not How the Force Works Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Rated PG-13) by HEATHER GRIFFITHS HEATHER GRIFFITHS, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200. If you have breast cancer, BE STRONG. If you have breasts, BE INFORMED. For more information, visit www.valleyregionalimaging.com presented by Join us for a night of learning centered on the early detection and treatment of breast cancer. Congresswoman Renee Ellmers will also discuss how congress is aiding in the fight against breast cancer. Any woman, especially those with a history of cancer in their family, should not miss out on this event. Special meet and greet with Congresswoman Ellmers will begin at 6 p.m. [rsvp] Please reply if you'd like to attend: faybcef@gmail.com. Breast Cancer Education Forum Monday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Wiggins Conference Center, Embassy Suites 4760 Lake Valley Drive, Fayetteville Free admission, food, refreshments and giveaways breast cancer education forum Now online! Flip our pages for news, views art and entertainment! www.upandcomingweekly.com Call and ask one of our marketing representatives to help you grow your business. 484-6200