Tag: Star Wars

More Star Wars – News!

If you are anything like me, you will have watched all of the Star Wars films several times over the years. I was born in 1977 when the original Star Wars movie came out. This fact makes me feel like I am part of a Star Wars generation. TV series and movies come and go but right now I am excited to see that there have been more Star Wars news announcements over Easter.

I was beginning to wonder what comes next after the disappointing news that Willow won’t be renewed in the near future. Never say never though. It feels like this is the right time for some big feature films to appear on the horizon instead.

So we all need to get ourselves ready to be wowed by the amazing special effects of ILM (Industrial Light and Magic). I was recently watching a documentary about how they began with Star Wars – Episode 4. George Lucas gathered together a group of model makers and technology wizards to push the boundaries of film making. Now they make so many epic movies and lead the way with CGI.

Anyway, here is what we know so far about the new Star Wars developments. So, strap yourself in and get ready for more light-speed action and heart-warming Jedi orientated narratives.

Mandolurian Paved The Way

As the Mandolurians say quite often, ‘This is the way.’ For me, it is a no-brainer that Lucasfilm are continuing to extend the Star Wars Universe. George Lucas always saw the possibility of lots of storylines existing on the same timeline.

With the popularity of Baby Yoga (Grogu) and his companion Mando (the Mandolurian) there was bound to be more. The spin-off Star Wars series such as Obi-Wan and the Book of Bobba Fett have roped in younger fans and kept Star Wars popular and relevant. Rightly so.

What’s New?

Legendary Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy announced that there will be three more movies in the Star Wars franchise. They will be covering different aspects of the Galaxy and set at different times.

Dave Filoni, who fronted Mando and Bobba Fett, amongst other TV shows, is directing a film about the New Republic. I have been loving the new Disney Plus seasons and wondered how they all connected. Maybe this film will bridge the gaps.

James Mangold will apparently direct a movie taking us back to the dawn of the Jedi. Meanwhile, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will be directing as we watch Rey (played again by Daisy Ridley) trying to build a new Jedi order after the events of the last film.

In A Nutshell

I have to say I wish I had had tickets to the Disney Celebration event last weekend. It must have been amazing to witness Kathleen Kennedy announce these incredible new films. Since producing Jurassic Park, ET, Schindler’s List and the newer Star Wars movies, I have always found her an inspiring film maker.

Are you excited about three new Star Wars movies? Do you have fond memories of growing up with the franchise? Let me know what you think in the comments. Perhaps you are a lifetime fan of Yoda, Leia and R2D2, like me.

Also, have a look at my recent Dungeons and Dragons review. Perhaps also consider following my blog for future similar content. I especially love reviewing books, TV shows and movies. My blog also keeps you up to date with environmental issues and how to be ecofriendly.

Two TV Shows Worth Watching

Lately I have been watching a lot of TV, trying to catch up on all the series that I love. Some are shows that I have seen before, like the third season of ‘Emily In Paris’ and others are brand new, like ‘Wednesday’ (both of which are on Netflix).

I thought I would highlight a couple of brilliant TV shows that I am currently enjoying. These have been really entertaining in their own unique ways. So if you want to open that box of chocolates that is left over from the holidays and find some really good TV shows to watch, hopefully I can lead you in the direction of some that are both satisfying and moreish.

Andor (Disney Plus)

As a massive Star Wars fan, it was inevitable that I was going to check out the latest Lucasfilm production which is set during the times of Emporer Palpatine.

Andor even has Storm Troopers in it.

Having watched and enjoyed ‘The Mandalorian’ as well as ‘Obi-Wan’ but not been so keen on ‘The Book of Boba Fett’, Andor could have gone either way.

Luckily, its twelve episodes were cleverly written and its lead characters were compelling. Cassian Andor had a difficult past, being rescued from his troubled planet by Maarva Andor (played by the ever-brilliant Fiona Shaw) who brought him up on the industrial planet of Ferrix.

A Great Plot!

Cassian started the story searching for his sister but became wound up in a mission to destroy an Empire fortress on a planet not unlike Scotland. With a secretive Luthan (Stellan Skarsgard) directing him initially, he finds that later his efforts are being sniffed out by a formidable Empire Supervisor. Denise Gough plays the very serious Dedra who is determined to get to the bottom of stolen resources.

The story is captivating, full of twists and turns and definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. With a stand-out performance by Andy Serkis (of Lord of the Rings) and such an incredible cast, this is by far the best series that the Star Wars people have made and I cannot wait until season two.

Young Royals (Netflix)

If this were a book it would be a YA fiction novel. We are now on the second series of Young Royals and I feel that the drama has got even better. Willhelm – the eventual Crowned Prince of Sweden – is at a private school and secretly fell in love with another student, Simon.

Not wishing to spoil anything but their love affair is the main context for the TV show and was explored in season one. Watching the students go through Swedish traditions, whilst negotiating going into adulthood is interesting and fraught.

The Queen was initially not impressed to find that Willhelm’s affair had been exposed by a mystery cameraman. Willhelm gave a statement to deny that it was him rolling around with poor Simon. The story then intensified from that point. I am currently midway through the action as twists and turns take these brilliant actors through fun, awkwardness and turmoil.

If you are not a Swedish speaker then obviously this is well subtitled. I find it hugely entertaining and great to see LGBTQ lead characters in a story about modern royalty.

In A Nutshell

In my opinion, both of these programmes are wonderful in their own distinct ways. Young Royals is modern and fresh, making my own stuffy royal family look very stale. This series explores great characters, beautiful settings and introducing us to swedish culture.

For meAndor is slow to start (as it needs to be) before charging full throttle. It whips us through a whole host of adventures at light-speed. The script is penned so that you often wonder why some remote bits are happening and then later realise they are all cleverly interwoven into the plot, connecting all of the dots in a thrilling narrative.

Final Thought

I hope that I have given you some ideas for interesting TV shows to view tonight. Maybe they will keep you coming back for more. They definitely kept me entertained as they drew me into their intriguing plots.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog post. I hope that you will comment your thoughts underneath and consider following my blog for more book and TV reviews as well as environmental articles.

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Cool TV Shows

As you all know, I am a massive TV addict and watch a lot of series all year round. I enjoy talking about them with my friends and, of course, discussing them on this little blog. My reviews are honest but I only ever bother to write about the programmes that I ended up really enjoying.

The Mandalorian

Baby Yoda really is cute.

Star Wars is a big part of my childhood and has gone on to become a series of movies that I absolutely love. So it is no surprise that I found the idea of ‘The Mandalurian’ really compelling. Set in the Star Wars galaxies and helmed by Disney, this show is easy watching.

One of the characters who grabbed everyone straight away is the baby Yoda, who looks very much like the well known Yoda who led the Jedi knights during the original George Lucas classics.

The adventures of the hooded Mandalurian are exciting and take us on journeys to familiar and unfamiliar parts of the Universe. ‘Mando’ has some regular allies and a recurring enemy who often unsettles his plans.

His job is to do bounty missions rescuing aliens or recovering treasures. Each episode is directed by a different person and the quality of directors is incredible, including Bryce Dallas Howard and Deborah Chow. Bryce is well known for Jurassic World and for being Ron Howard’s daughter.

You will find this show on Disney Plus and it is currently awaiting its third season. I totally recommend checking it out whether you are a Star Wars fan or otherwise.

The World According to Jeff Goldblum

I learned a lot about Denim from Jeff.

This is more of a documentary show, which is given a lift because of being hosted by one of the nicest guys on television. Jeff has a cool and very funny way of hosting these random one-offs about everything from ice cream to gaming.

He cleverly looks at the history of each topic and it’s origins and then explores its world happily, giving us an insight into that particular subject. I really found these episodes interesting and fun. I especially learned a lot about BBQs, sneakers (or ‘trainers’, as we call them in the UK), and Denim.

I never knew very much about the history or relevance of Denim before watching this, but his quick way of enlightening the viewer really does leave you feeling more knowledgeable and fulfilled. I would totally recommend looking at the list of documentaries and checking out one that grabs your interest. They are all less than half an hour and can also be found on Disney Plus, under the National Geographic banner.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and I hope that you may consider following it for more content about books, TV and the environment. Here is a link to a previous article about great TV series