Like previous installments, this one is scheduled to drop in December, the 20th to be exact and it looks very promising. Overseen by the genius that is J.J Abrams (Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek, Super 8, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and much more), The Rise of Skywalker includes a cryptic story line with Rotten Tomatoes simply describing it as “no one’s ever really gone… Rey’s journey continues and the Skywalker saga concludes in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”. That’s it, one thing is for sure though this one is set the close out the year on a great note.

We may not be full blown fan boys but we definitely have a massive appreciation for the Star Wars trilogy and we are more than excited for its latest edition. For now we wait and until it drops…May The Force Be With You.

Cast – Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Kelly Marie Tran, Laura Dern & Benicio del Toro

Director – Rian Johnson

Genre – Fantasy/Science fiction film

Running Time – 2h 32m

Star Wars…whenever I hear or see that title I’m always reminded of my childhood. The title has been existence for as long as I can remember and if anyone isn’t familiar with it then, honestly, my question to you is which rock have you been living under exactly? Even if you are not a fan or have not seen any of the movies (which is quite a shame if you haven’t), most are familiar with the franchise. The latest instalment in the franchise comes in the shape of The Last Jedi.

Nothing but great things was all I saw and heard before I saw this movie and no wonder why. This movie is beyond impressive with some saying it may just be the best in the whole franchise, again, it’s no wonder why. It’s got a mix of everything including the feel of a classic Star Wars movie with a mix of humour, bags of action sequences, great special effects and beautiful scenery. 

I’ll admit to not being a full-blown fan boy of this franchise, very familiar with it is what I’m. So the scene was me (an avid movie watcher) taking their place and checking out the hottest title on the circuit at the moment. A great experience that was amplified even more by Ster-Kinekor’s new offering D-Box.

The D-Box Experience

I’m one individual who likes to try out new things and the more innovative they are the better. D-Box was just that, a new fantastic experience that I was originally not quite ready for. At first it was a bit off putting and distracting from the movie, but I eventually warmed up to it. I’ve experienced 4dx before, but D-Box is different mainly due to the actual sensations it offers in relation to what’s happening on screen. What’s even more nifty is the fact that you can adjust the level of intensity you require by easily using the button located on the right-hand side of the seats. Another great new addition to the Ster-Kinekor roaster that will no doubt be a winner with many…I’m definitely looking forward to experiencing more movies like this!

Back to the movie…

A perfect blend of past, present and future, The Last Jedi is one perfectly assembled movie with evidence of major work and planning going into it. It’s seamless and won’t have you getting bored whilst watching that’s for sure. Fanboys (and girls), sci-fi movie fanatics and just general admirers of good movies will easily enjoy this one.

The Guardian put it perfectly when they stated:

“In this eighth episode in the official Star Wars saga, writer-director Rian Johnson (who made his name with such adventurous features as Brick and Looper) proves himself the master of the balancing act, keeping the warring forces of this intergalactic franchise in near-perfect harmony. Just as the film’s sound designers understand the tactical use of silence, so Johnson instinctively knows when to internalise or externalise the film’s multiple explosions – conjuring vast attack ships on fire and tiny individuals in torment with equal ease.”

My friends at Rotten Tomatoes went a step further by saying that “Star Wars: The Last Jedi honors the saga’s rich legacy while adding some surprising twists — and delivering all the emotion-rich action fans could hope for.”

So yes, there is something to it, something special that is. The balance of it is perfect and honours every inch of what a Star Wars was, is and will be. The movie further sets the scene for what’s to come and where the franchise is heading, a seemingly exciting future it seems to be. I can’t wait to see the next instalment.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is one of this year’s best movies that is well worth all the fantastic attention and reception it’s been getting all-round. Perfect for the whole family, the movie makes for a great family outing especially during this holiday season. Even if you are not particularly a fan of the franchise, it’s worth checking out and will no doubt endear itself to general movie lovers. And if you do so in 3D, IMAX and/or D-Box even better! The movie gets a cool 4.3 out of 5 rating from me.

Special thanks to Ster-Kinekor for the screening and the oh so cool D-Box experience…very classy.

Ster-Kinekor is installing D-BOX, an immersive motion cinema seating technology at four theatres in Johannesburg (The Zone Rosebank and Mall of Africa), Cape Town (Cavendish Square), and Durban (Gateway Shopping Mall). Each theatre will be equipped with 50 D-BOX seats, amongst the regular seating. This will cater to a growing number of moviegoers who are looking for cutting-edge, premium entertainment experiences.

D-BOX is changing the way you watch movies by moving your body and sparking your imagination through the power of motion.  Using extraordinary precision and hyper-realistic vibrations, D-BOX delivers a whole new level of immersive entertainment that connects you to the movie like never before. Because you control the intensity, you can move with the movie and feel every scene as if you were in it. In addition, the line between you and the screen, it creates highly believable, one-of-a-kind movie-watching experiences that pull you into the story in ways you never thought imaginable. Sounds quite insane doesn’t it?

CEO of Ster-Kinekor Theatres Wanda Matandela echoes the sentiment: “We make every effort to offer our customers new ways to watch movies and keep giving them reasons to visit our cinemas. We’ve had great success in the past with IMAX and Cine Prestige and D-BOX is the next logical step in our evolution because their technology and expertise fit perfectly into our overall vision of pushing boundaries to give our customers innovative and unparalleled premium experiences.” 

Motheo Matsau, Chief of Ster-Kinekor and Sales of Ster-Kinekor Theatres, says: “As technology changes the world, we are keeping abreast of global cinema innovations with D-BOX. We are committed to our customers and delivering the latest technology to enhance their movie experience by providing a feast for the senses.”

The first D-BOX-equipped auditorium has already opened at Mall of Africa. Officially launched on the 23 November, the launch came in conjunction with the release of Justice League.

The next D-BOX title releasing this year is the much anticipated Star Wars, The Last Jedi flick (lookout for our review soon!). If you’d like to check it out earlier then good news as Ster-Kinekor will be hosting pre-release screenings on all screens (IMAX & Ster-Kinekor screens) at 8pm this Thursday, 14 December.

No doubt this is literally going to redefine the term behind movie watching. I for one am super excited and can’t wait to officially check it out this Friday! 

The Premiere

East Gate Mall Ster-Kinekor cinema was the place to be last week Thursday. Second time at an IMAX experience with the first time being when it involved this small matter. I was blown away then, second time around was even better. There’s no better way to watch a movie than in IMAX, literally nothing better, even said so in this earlier post.

The curved ginormous 3D screen sucks you in and you can’t help but feel that you are one with the movie…anyone whose experienced it before will know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, well, please do yourself a favor and do it…all movies should be in IMAX now that I think about it.

The Star Wars trilogy

I’m not going to pretend to be one of those die-hard Star Wars fans who know the ins and outs of the trilogy and how each episode relates to who, where, what and how. From a general point of view though I’m familiar with most of the movies from the franchise and can confidently hold my own in an argument around it. The likes of Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Han Solo etc., are characters I’m familiar with – I’ve always enjoyed the movies from the trilogy and watched them for fun – that’s exactly why I was hooked on Rogue One from the onset.

Cast – Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Jiang Wen & Forest Whitaker

Director – Gareth Edwards

Genre – Science fiction film/Action

Running Time – 133 minutes

And what about the movie itself?

Rogue One is the first in what is known as the Star Wars Anthology series with other films in the series expected to focus on Han Solo and Boba Fett. These (stand-alone films) will not cross over with the films of the sequel trilogy and this is clear in Rogue One. Even though it has the same look and feel of an original Star Wars movie, you get the sense that Rogue One is unique.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frdj1zb9sMY

The plot in detail

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, or simply Rogue One, is the first Star Wars Anthology film, a standalone story set shortly before the events of the original Star Wars 2016. After the formation of the Galactic Empire, the Rebel Alliance recruits Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) to work with a team including Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) to steal the design schematics of the Empire’s new superweapon, the Death Star.

Rogue One has an easy flow to it with a fairly uncomplicated story-line carried out by an impressive cast led by a fresh-faced Felicity Jones who does a stellar job as the lead. The movie has a PG13 rating meaning it’s perfect for most members of the family and anyone will enjoy it, this also applies to you who’s not a huge fan of the franchise but are at least open to something new that’s a good watch and don’t mind sci-fi.

Whilst watching the movie you’ll also find yourself chuckling every now and then with clever inclusions of funny moments. It doesn’t end there as the flick also comes packed with impressive amounts action sequences that are guaranteed to keep you interested. In all, the movie has a perfect balance and a little bit of everything.

I had a great time watching Rogue One. It allowed me to escape to a galaxy far far away (for those two or so hours). It is the perfect filler to keep us busy and interested until the next Star Wars offering eventually comes. Rogue One gets a well-deserved 3.5 out of 5 rating from me. Go watch it and if presented with the option, do so in IMAX!