My Top 10 Original Xbox Games

 I want to do a series where I rank the Top 10 games on each console I own or have played, mainly the original Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo 64, and maybe a PC or Xbox One.  I have played video games since I was a little lad, and I have developed some favorites over the years.  

First up, is the original Xbox.  I have put so many hours into my Xbox.  I still have the same one my family got in 2001, although I did replace the disc drive a few years ago since it got to a point where it wouldn't open on its own anymore.  Anyway, I'm going to rank my Top 10 Original Xbox games.  These are my opinion, and are mostly based on how much I enjoyed playing each game and how many hours I put into each.  Also, if there are multiple games from the same franchise, I will consider that as a single entry.  Here are my Top 10!

Honorable Mention: The Lord of the Rings (The Two Towers and Return of the King)
I had to technically include an 11th with The Lord of the Rings here.  I've never been the biggest fan of button mashers, which made this a bit difficult for me as a kid.  But eventually, I did get the hang of it enough to put in plenty of hours.  I loved playing battles from the films, most notably Helm's Deep.  They even had a few battles not seen in the films.  And I enjoyed the special features from the films they added for completing certain levels.  I would definitely consider going back to this someday.

10. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The Harry Potter franchise had a total of four games from the films (plus Quidditch World Cup) come out on the original Xbox, but the only one I really played on the Xbox was Chamber of Secrets.  It's still to this day one of my favorite Harry Potter video games.  I've beaten it several times.  The high amount of loading screens sucks, and dueling in the game is somewhat broken, but it's still enjoyable.  I especially love the open-world aspect and flying around Hogwarts and exchanging beans for items at Fred and George's shop.

9. Grand Theft Auto Series (III, Vice City, and San Andreas)
I have still not played GTA III much, but I put in plenty of hours into Vice City and San Andreas soon after I got them.  I remember when the games first came out on Playstation and hearing about how violent and bad for kids they were.  It just made me want to play it that much more.  When III and Vice City finally came to Xbox, I had to get my hands on them.  I have not played them much in the years since, because the newer GTA's have made these look old and obsolete, but perhaps someday. 

8. Star Wars: Obi-Wan
As a huge Star Wars fan, I've played my fair share of Star Wars video games, including Star Wars: Obi-Wan.  This was one of the first games my family got for the Xbox.  I remember struggling in the game at first, but once I got the hang of it, it was smooth sailing.  I've only beaten the game two times (or so), but I thoroughly enjoyed it each time.  I thought the combat elements and gameplay were better than what critics said.  

7. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (And Ghost Recon Island Thunder)
Ghost Recon became my favorite military-style FPS growing up.  I would play this over Call of Duty or anything else.  I loved having two teams and telling the other what to do.  I loved being the sniper and picking guys off from a distance.  The "expansion" Island Thunder was just as good, albeit a bit shorter.  I distinctly remember saving myself into a corner a few times.  That's when you save your game a split second before you die.  There was nothing I could do about it.  And that resulted in me having to restart the level.  Anyway, I definitely want to give Ghost Recon another playthrough someday.  Also, I never played the sequel Ghost Recon 2.  I saw my dad play it and realized it was too different from the original.

6. MLB 2K5
This might be my favorite baseball video game of all time.  I love the ESPN presentation and having Jon Miller and Joe Morgan as announcers.  The gameplay is solid and just about difficult enough.  I especially love constructing teams (trading players, signing and releasing players).  Sometimes I would construct a team and sim them for years to see if I could ever win a championship.  

5. Star Wars: Battlefront (and Battlefront II)
The original Battlefront games are maybe one of my favorite third-person shooters ever.  I love playing in basically every battle from the films and as either side AND as any unit on that side.  It still holds up well to this day.  I did play the remake, but it doesn't compare well to the simplicity of the original.  I loved playing as a Jedi or Sith in the second one, especially the "All Jedi/Sith" mode set on Mos Eisley.  

4. NBA Inside Drive 2003
This is, without a doubt, my favorite basketball video game of all time.  I have played through dozens of entire seasons where I created a team of players from scratch.  The player progression system in this game is one of my favorites of all time, where players earn points for doing well in games, and you can spend those points on certain attributes to make them better.  The created players all kind of look robotic, but there are plenty of customization options.  Plus, the gameplay is superb and I can't knock it.  

3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (and KOTOR II: The Sith Lords)
I have beaten the first game close to a dozen times, each of which takes me 20-24 hours to do.  So, do the math.  I've beaten the sequel close to half as many times.  It's just one of those games with immense replay value, because of all the different choices you can make.  Of course, the customization options make you want to play as someone completely different each time.  And the story... don't even get me started!  How has no one adapted this into a film or series yet?  The sequel's gameplay might even be a step up, although I think the story lacks.  I just put so many hours into these games, and they might still to this day be my favorite Star Wars video games of all time.

2. Halo: Combat Evolved (And Halo 2)
I'd wager this would be on and likely near the top of most people's favorite original Xbox games.  How could it not be?  When you think of OG Xbox, you think of Halo.  I don't know if I've put the absolute most hours into the first two games (I put in a ton to the third, though), but I have to say my enjoyment each time I play through the campaign hardly ever wavers.  There was simply nothing like playing through the campaign of either of these games in the early 2000s.  

1. ESPN NFL 2K5
My favorite sports video game ever.  It's just perfect.  The ESPN presentation, the gameplay, the roster-building, and the customization options, are all that make ESPN NFL 2K5 my favorite Xbox game ever.  The announcers they used could maybe be better, but they are still super solid.  There's a reason people keep modding this game and adding the current day's rosters to it.  Because it's that good!  And it was $20 at release!  Imagine what 2K sports could have accomplished if they were allowed to compete with EA/Madden to make NFL video games.  Imagine what we could have now, instead of the garbage EA churns out every year.  Such a shame.  Anyway, I still replay this game almost every year during football season because it's simply that much fun.  I love it.

Well, those were my top 10 original Xbox games of all time.  I may soon do a Top 10 for 360 and/or Nintendo 64.  

Five Things I would change about each Star Wars trilogy

Anyone who knows me knows I love Star Wars.  It's my favorite series of films and my all-time favorite fandom.  But Star Wars, like anything else, is not without its flaws.  I'm going to list 5 things that I would change about each of the three film trilogies.  Some of these I've known for a while, others like for the original trilogy, I had to really think hard for.  

Prequel Trilogy
1. Introduce Anakin at an older age
Do we really need to see the person that becomes Darth Vader at 9 years of age?  No.  We got introduced to Luke at age 19, why not split the difference and introduce Anakin at 14 or 15 years of age?  That's old enough that we could see a bit of his rebellious side already when he is introduced, but still young enough to show some innocence.  

2. Either cut out Jar Jar or change him completely
I get why Jar Jar Binks was put in the prequel trilogy, to appease and entertain children.  But Star Wars, for the most part, is enjoyed by adults, young and old(er).  I would either remove him or change him so he's not the clumsy fool that we know, but is maybe instead a wise-cracking Gungan that tries to bend the rules.  A Gungan Han Solo, if you will.  

3. Remove midiclorians
Was this a necessary inclusion?  Most Star Wars fans would say no.  There's no measure of a wizard's power or potential in the Harry Potter universe, why does there have to be that in the Star Wars universe?  

4. Don't have Anakin as a virgin birth/created by the Force
Is this even clear yet, 17 years after the release of Ep. III?  There's still speculation on how Anakin was created.  Anyway, I would have introduced Anakin's father, have him be a scumbag who deserted Shmi shortly after Anakin was born.  Maybe have a plot point where Anakin kills him, even?

5. Changing or removing the line, "What have I done?"
For a while, Anakin's full fall to the dark side has kind of bothered me.  And I realized the one little thing that's always bothered me.  It's after Anakin cuts off Mace Windu's hand to prevent him from killing Palpatine and Palpatine blasts him out the window.  Anakin then stumbles back and says in a regretful tone, "What have I done?".  Instead, I would have Anakin mad at Mace Windu for attempting to assassinate the chancellor (someone who he had grown close to), and just have him not saying anything.  He would simply breath heavily, realizing what he had done and how he had chosen Palpatine's dark side over the Jedi.  

Original Trilogy
1. Have things thought out ahead of time
One of the few flaws with the original trilogy is the fact that George didn't plan things out, seeing as when he was writing the original Star Wars, he was not planning on any sequels.  I would change how Obi-Wan describes how Luke's father dies, and I would remove any kisses between Luke and Leia and any desire Luke has for her (and have their relationship be more like Harry and Hermione in Harry Potter).  

2. Have a little better choreography between Obi-Wan and Vader in their final fight
Their fight scene has not aged well, but keep in mind it was the first lightsaber battle in Star Wars history.  If I could, I'd have the choreography be at least a little more intense.

3. Have the Ewoks be the final reason, not the sole reason, the rebellion wins in the end
It's been long criticized how a civilization such as the Ewoks, essentially giant teddy bears, were able to take down "A legion of the Empire's best troops".  I would make it so the rebellion had more forces and just needed a tiny bit more help, perhaps with stalling the Empire.  

4. Flesh out Boba Fett more or don't kill him off
Somehow Boba Fett developed a cult-like status after the original trilogy.  I'd either develop a bit more of a backstory for him (which lines up with the prequel trilogy) or I wouldn't have sent him down the sarlaac pit.  

5. Have Han be a bit younger
I'm grasping for straws here, but I'd have Han be a bit younger in the original trilogy.  At the start of Ep. IV, he is 31 while Leia is 19.  Not exactly an ideal age difference.  I'd make him somewhere between 25 and 28, old enough to still have some life experience.

Sequel Trilogy
1. Have Rey be Obi-Wan's great-niece, not Palpatine's granddaughter.  Or have her ancestry be inconsequential.
Rey's ancestry is one of the critical points of the sequel trilogy.  She is descended from pure evil.  This is equivalent to finding out Harry Potter is Voldemort's grandson.  I mean, they technically had a common ancestor, but it was back hundreds of years.  I think it would have been much better if Rey was related to someone else or no one (that we know of) at all.  My ideal choice would have been Obi-Wan.  We did see in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series Obi-Wan mention that he had a brother; that would have been a perfect opportunity to create Rey's lineage by making her Obi-Wan's great-niece.  Such a shame.

2. Have the Jedi appear as ghosts to help Rey
In TRoS, we hear from many different Jedi calling out to Rey.  I think what would have potentially saved the film is having them appear as Force ghosts and rallying behind her to help her.  Imagine seeing Obi-Wan, Anakin, Yoda, Mace Windu, Qui-Gon (potentially), and Ahsoka (also potentially) gathered behind her to help her.  It would have been equivalent to seeing all of the heroes and Avengers in Avengers: Endgame at the end fighting Thanos.  It would have given many Star Wars fans like myself goosebumps.  

3. Don't kill off Snoke in TLJ and replace him with Palpatine
I'm okay with Snoke being an altered clone or whatever he is, but I'm not okay with bringing Palpatine back.  It was Anakin's way of returning balance to the Force, and they undid all that.  Instead, I'd have Snoke survive TLJ and be the main antagonist in TRoS.  Not much needs to change.

4. Have Finn somewhat explore his force abilities and train with Rey
Another wasted opportunity.  We basically have it confirmed that Finn was Force-sensitive, so what they should have done was have his abilities be discovered in TFA (which they almost were), then in TLJ, he and Rey could be training together with Luke.  They don't have to necessarily be joined at the hip, but it would be cool to see two Jedi learning together.

5. Handle the OT characters better
The overall treatment of the OT characters was pretty bad, to put it nicely.  I'd have Luke and Han reunite, I'd have Leia and Luke reunite, likely with Luke leaving Ahch-To with Rey (and Finn in my version).  Also, imagine if it was Leia who talked to Ben in TRoS and was able to bring him back to the light.  We didn't even get to see Leia interact with her son.  

Honorable mention: Don't kill off Ben/Kylo Ren
I had to include a sixth, just because there are so many things I would change.  I would have Ben survive Exogol and form a bond with Rey (doesn't have to be romantic).  I know they wanted to end the Skywalker lineage, but they didn't have to kill off Ben.  Maybe, like Luke, he just doesn't have kids.  


Again, I can't stress this enough, I still love Star Wars.  I love the music, special and practical effects (outside of the prequel trilogy, maybe), and the action.  There are just a few plot points that could've made each trilogy even better.  

Ten Things Wrong with the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

After having a lot of time to digest the final film of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, I have realized the trilogy is not perfect.  In fact, it's far from it.  I've come to realize it is actually a fairly big disappointment.  It had so much potential.  It had the potential for people to argue for eons on which trilogy is better: the original or the sequel.  Nobody will ever legitimately think the prequel trilogy is better than the original trilogy, and now nobody will ever think the sequel trilogy is better.  I have ten reasons why this is the case; ten ways Disney, JJ Abrams, Rian Johnson, and Kathleen Kennedy screwed up.  These are in no particular order:

1. Rey is too much of a Mary Sue
You knew I was going to mention this.  She executes flying maneuvers you'd expect only out of a very experienced pilot.  She fixes the Millennium Falcon with ease.  She uses a Jedi Mind trick without practice.  She wields a lightsaber with competency against someone who's trained their entire life (although he was wounded).  Kylo should have easily been able to handle her in TFA.  It's hard to relate to a character that is so good at everything she does.  More on Rey later.

2. The back and forth between JJ and Rian
The sequel trilogy suffered from the inconsistency of directors.  Rian undid some of what JJ did, and then JJ undid some of what Rian did.  It left the trilogy feeling more like three separate barely connected films.  There's very little connecting the three films other than the characters.  One example is JJ hyping up Luke's lightsaber, only for Rian to have Luke toss it over his shoulder.  

3. No good romance story
Something prevalent in the first two trilogies is a romance sub-plot.  In the prequels, we had Anakin and Padme.  In the original trilogy, we had Han and Leia.  In the sequels, we have nothing even close.  We had a kiss between Finn and Rose in The Last Jedi, but that romance was forgotten about in the next film.  We then had a kiss between Kylo Ren/Ben Solo and Rey, but there was very little to zero romantic build up.  He had just barely turned to her side.  The kiss felt forced and out of place.  If they had started building up the romance in The Last Jedi (or TFA) then it would have made a bit more sense.

4. Force Powers introduced that add plot holes, ruin integrity of Star Wars
I'd say one of the things that bothers me most about the sequel trilogy are some of the force powers introduced in it.  I'm ok with the mind extraction power Kylo used on Poe (although why didn't Vader learn this power?).  But what I don't like are the dyad, force heal, and new force ghost powers.  The dyad allows matter to be transported thousands if not millions of miles.  This means people could be transported, right?  They basically introduced teleportation in Star Wars, which belongs more in Star Trek.  Force Heal means no one has to die, and makes us wonder why no Jedi ever learned it before.  I like how JK Rowling said that once a character dies in the wizarding world of Harry Potter, they're dead.  That is no longer the case in Star Wars.  And the last thing that really bothered me was Force Ghosts and their new "powers".  Apparently now they can cause lightning strikes, use the force to lift objects, and even hold solid objects (Luke holding the lightsaber).  Why don't they help out the living world more often, then?  What rules are there?

5. Missed opportunity at the end of The Rise of Skywalker
When Rey is laying down and the Jedi are speaking to her, we hear Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Anakin, Mace Windu, and even Kanan Jarrus I think.  It would have been a million times more awesome to see them as Force Ghosts.  To see all of those characters rally behind Rey and help her would have redeemed TROS and even the entire trilogy, more or less.  It would have been a way to tie all the films (as well as a couple TV shows) together and probably would have instantly become a Top 5 Star Wars moment.  But instead, all we get is their voices and it has nowhere near the impact it could have.  

6. The handling of the original trilogy characters
I feel like Luke, Leia, Han, and Lando all could have been handled better.  Even R2D2 and C3PO were mere afterthoughts, although I understand wanting to focus on BB-8 (and sell merch).  But there were so many things I wish we had seen with the four human characters.  I wanted to see a Han and Luke reunion, a Han and Lando reunion, and maybe even a Lando and Leia reunion.  The only "reunions" we got were Han and Leia who were "separated" (don't agree with that), and Luke projecting himself to Leia.  Meh.  And the way they all were killed off... did they even have to be killed off?  Why can't they just live out their last days in peace?  At least perhaps Lando does.  Han dies so violently at the hands of his son?  That's an awful fate for a fan favorite.  Luke dying from overprojecting?  Ok...

7. Rey's lineage is a massive head-shaker
My absolute preferred lineage for Rey would have been to have her somehow descended from Obi-Wan, perhaps a (great) niece.  What Rian Johnson did in TLJ was have her parents be nobody, which I definitely would have preferred over her being a Palpatine.  At least as a nobody, that teaches kids (mostly girls) that even if your parents are nobodies and not that successful, that doesn't mean you can't be.  Instead, it shows that there has to be some lineage in your family tree in order to make a name for yourself.  And knowing the main "hero" of the ST be descended from ultimate evil is just an unsettling feeling.

8. There is no clear villain throughout the trilogy
In the prequel trilogy, the main villain was Palpatine AKA Darth Sidious.  In the original trilogy, it was Darth Vader and then the Emperor.  In the sequel trilogy, there is no consistency.  It goes from Kylo/Snoke to Snoke dying leaving just Kylo to Palpatine and then Kylo turns.  There is no clear number one villain in the trilogy.  It's not Snoke, he was only in a film and a half.  It's not Palpatine, he was only in one film.  And it's not Kylo, because he turns and betrays his own "master".  There's no one clear villain for the audience to root against.  

9. Side characters that are discarded or boring
The sequel trilogy introduced a lot of side characters: Captain Phasma, Rose, Finn, Poe, General Hux, and Zorii Bliss.  Captain Phasma was built up with a bunch of hype but dies in a lame fashion in TLJ.  Rose was basically forgotten about in TROS.  Finn was possibly force-sensitive but we get no resolution on it.  Poe was an ace pilot and former smuggler... but what else?  His character had no substance.  General Hux was a villain who turned for a petty reason.  Zorii Bliss was someone from Poe's past who no one cared for.  There was very little to no depth for the secondary characters in the ST.  

10. Missing an epic lightsaber fight scene
There was no epic lightsaber fight scene in the ST.  The closest we got was in TLJ when Rey and Kylo teamed up to take out Snoke's guards, but that fight had flaws and wasn't exactly a fair fight.  There was no fight scene with the magnitude of any of the OT fight scenes.  There was no fight scene that left us thinking how awesome it was after it finished.  This is just my opinion, but I think it's an opinion generally agreed upon by the Star Wars fanbase.  


The sequel trilogy was not entirely awful.  I only pointed out its flaws.  It had its strengths, too.  Kylo Ren had more depth than Anakin did in the PT, and Adam Driver killed it in the role.  The visual effects and music were all top-notch, with the visual effects the best Star Wars has seen so far.  They blended practical and visual effects better than the PT ever did.  The acting, even outside of Driver, was pretty good for the most part.  But it just pains me as a huge Star Wars fan to know that the ST could have been so much more.  I think someday we will get a Star Wars trilogy or movie series that people will universally regard as magnificent, but the sequel trilogy is unfortunately not that trilogy.  

Top 10 Acting Performances in Star Wars

As anyone who knows me would say, I am a huge huge fan of Star Wars.  I've seen every original trilogy and prequel trilogy film at least ten times, and now the sequel trilogy and spin-off films twice each at least.  One thing that does not get talked about enough is the acting in Star Wars.  There have been some really good acting performances in Star Wars and some not so good ones.  I'm going to rank my Top 10 Acting Performances, in order.  At the end, I'll list my favorite line of theirs that they delivered.  Here we go.

10. James Earl Jones/David Prowse, Darth Vader - Ep. V: The Empire Strikes Back
Hey, voice acting still counts as acting.  Even though they never met, James Earl Jones and David Prowse combined made one of cinema's greatest villains ever.  James Earl Jones especially was bone-chilling as Lord Vader, and his attempts to lure Luke to the dark side were certainly tempting.  And then at the end, Luke and Vader connecting through the force was awesome.
Favorite line delivery: "No, I am your father."

9. Harrison Ford, Han Solo - Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi
It was a toss-up between RotJ and A New Hope for me with Harrison/Han.  I went with Return of the Jedi just barely because his character had already been established and we got to see him go from being freed in carbonite to winning the Battle of Endor.  He conveyed being blinded from the carbonite freezing very well, and the way he shrugged at the Empire when he had them outnumbered was just classic Han.
Favorite line delivery: "I think my eyes are getting better. Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur."

8. Ian McDiarmid, Supreme Chancellor/Emperor Palpatine - Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith
This guy has so many meme worthy lines in Episode III, it's amazing.  And they were delivered so well, too.  Ian really shined in Episode III, turning Anakin to the dark side, starting with telling him the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise.  On some of my watches of Episode III, I really only pay attention to his lines because he was just that good.
Favorite line delivery: "I am the senate!"

7. Carrie Fisher, Princess Leia Organa - Ep. V: The Empire Strikes Back
Carrie was really good in all of the OT films, but I think she was at her best in The Empire Strikes Back.  Her annoyance at Han all the way to Bespin was very relatable.  The way she fell for him was as well.  And then her dismay at Han being frozen in carbonite and then trying to tell Luke it was a trap, I just can't imagine someone acting it better.
Favorite line delivery: "Why, you stuck up... half-witted... scruffy-looking... Nerf-herder!"

6. Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker - Ep. VIII: The Last Jedi
Thank goodness we got a decent amount of Hamill in one of the sequel films.  He was amazing in TLJ.  It's my least favorite film in the trilogy, but I can watch it through just for him alone.  Mark was fairly decent as Luke in the OT, but he clearly learned a few things since then.
Favorite line delivery: "Amazing. Every word of what you just said was wrong. The Rebellion is reborn today. The war is just beginning. And I will not be the last Jedi."

5. Felicity Jones, Jyn Erso - Rogue One
The best female acting performance in Star Wars?  In my opinion it is.  Felicity was perfect for the role of Jyn.  The way she fought for her father and inspired others was, well, inspiring.  I really felt connected to her character, partially because of the writing, but also because of her great performance.
Favorite line delivery: "We have hope!  Rebellions are built on hope!"

4. Adam Driver, Kylo Ren/Ben Solo - Ep. IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Many Star Wars fans have already stated Adam Driver's acting carried the sequel trilogy.  He was fantastic.  My favorite part is after he got the lightsaber from Rey, he shrugs at the Knights of Ren, much like his father Han Solo would have. Also, his conversation with his dad, which helped turn him back to the light side.
Favorite line delivery: "Look at yourself, you wanted to prove to my mother that you were a Jedi but you've proven something else. You can't go back to her now, like I can't."

3. Ian McDiarmid, Emperor Palpatine - Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi
Second time on the list?  Why not?  Ian McDiarmid is a terrific actor.  I'm surprised he hasn't been in more stuff.  The role of Emperor Palpatine seems to have been written around Ian McDiarmid's acting ability.  I find it amazing that George Lucas cast him while Ian was in his 30s and played the elderly Emperor at that age.  That would be like Jake Gyllenhaal or Zachary Levi playing the Emperor today.
Favorite line delivery: "Oh, I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive."

2. Alec Guinness, Obi-Wan Kenobi - Ep. IV: A New Hope
The only Star Wars actor to get nominated for an Oscar for their role in Star Wars is Alec Guinness.  He isn't often talked about for his performance, but he was amazing.  It's a shame he got killed off as early as he did.  Fortunately, Alec was able to continue his role as Obi-Wan as a Force Ghost in the next two films, albeit in a smaller capacity.
Favorite line delivery: "You can't win, Darth.  If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

1. Ewan McGregor, Obi-Wan Kenobi - Ep. III - Revenge of the Sith
The only way to top Obi-Wan Kenobi is with another version of Obi-Wan Kenobi.  It's a matter of my personal opinion, but I prefer Ewan's performance by a hair.  He was tremendous with the delivery of some of the most iconic lines in all of Star Wars.  How can I choose just one?
Favorite line delivery: "You were the chosen one!  It was said you would destroy the Sith, not join them!  Bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!"

Five Star Wars Video Game Ideas

Star Wars is a series filled with excellent video games.  A few of them I even consider my favorite all-time video games.  I have thought of some ideas (realistic ones, so no KOTOR III, although you better believe I'd want that) of games that someone should make.  There may have even been rumors about a few of these, so I may have had some insight on a couple of these.

- Star Wars: The Mandalorian Video Game
How can a video game not accompany this awesome show?  In the very first episode I thought this would make a great video game.  You would complete various bounties across the galaxy, and each time you would be able to earn beskar/credits to spend on new armor, guns, and upgrades.  It doesn't have to be based on "The Mandalorian" AKA Din Djarin, but it could be.  You could be another Mandalorian.  Although it would be cool to have "The Child" with you on missions like on the show.  One thing I thought of was it would be cool if they styled it as like a Star Wars version of "Destiny".  You can choose different missions on different planets, and sometimes try to find various items.  And it would be a great opportunity to have an open world Star Wars game.

- Star Wars: Battle Commander
I don't have the clearest idea for this game, but simply put I see this as a modern version of Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds.  It would probably be PC only.  You would gather resources, build up an army, and then attack an enemy.  There would be elements of the sequel trilogy in this.  You wouldn't control the actual army, (like where they aim), but you would be able to tell them what to do.  It just would be cool to have a more realistic-looking Star Wars strategy game.  I'd also like it if they let you simulate different scenarios to see who would win, such as 50 Gungans vs. 5 Droideka's, or 100 Clone Troopers vs. an AT-AT. 

- Star Wars: Casino Games
It's not the best title, but it's the best I could come up with.  I could see this as an Android/iPhone app.  The game would feature all of the board/card games from Star Wars, including Dejarik, Pazaak, Sabaac, and others (Maybe slots?).  You could have a profile, and try to accumulate credits by winning games.  And they could include different locales you could play games at, from Canto Bight (obviously) to perhaps cantinas on Tattooine or Coruscant.

- Star Wars: Stormtrooper
There have been countless Star Wars games where you fight against Stormtroopers: The Jedi Knight series, Battlefront, The Force Unleashed, and Jedi: Fallen Order.  But what about playing as a Stormtrooper?  Sure, you can do that in Battlefront, but I'd like a game where you go through the training of being a Stormtrooper.  You rise through the ranks and are forced to do some morally gray actions.  Then, when your character has had enough, they desert the Empire and fight as a renegade/outcast.  This could even be about a Clone Trooper or a First Order Stormtrooper if the developers wanted.  But being a character that we get to know in the suit would be pretty cool.  And of course, the ability to pilot a speeder, AT-ST, or even AT-AT would be pretty darn cool (from a first person perspective).  Basically, I'd like to see a Star Wars: Republic Commando, but from a Stormtrooper's perspective.

- Star Wars: Battle Experience
Again, don't hold the title against me.  This one I see as a Virtual Reality Game.  Once Virtual Reality or something similar becomes more common in households around the world, they could make this game.  You put on the VR headset and you get instantly immersed into a Star Wars battle.  Imagine VR and physically feeling like you're in the Battle of Hoth, the Battle of Endor, the Battle of Geonosis, or the Battle of Naboo.  I would just be in heaven.  I believe VR video games will be fairly common some day in the not so distant future, and they would have to make a Star Wars game to go with it.

Those are my Top 5 Star Wars video game ideas.  I really hope at least one or two of these are made.  If they are, I will definitely buy them and play them.  It will be interesting to see years from now how close these games are to happening, if they ever will.

Ranking the Nine Skywalker Saga Star Wars Films

Star Wars is my favorite film franchise of all time, and probably always will be.  There's not a single film in the series that I do not enjoy.  As a huge Star Wars fan, I obviously have my preferences and opinions on the films.  For this list, I am ranking the Nine "Skywalker Saga" Star Wars films, so Episode I through Episode IX. 

And in my usual fashion with ranking things, I assign each one attributes and sort them.  The attributes are Rewatch-ability, Believability, Quality, and Lore. 
- Rewatch-ability is pretty self-explanatory, but to further explain, it's how much I look forward to watching the film if I am to rewatch the entire nine episode series. 
- Believability may seem odd for a sci-fi film, but it's more of if the Star Wars universe existed, how believable are certain actions and events that unfold.
- Quality is just how good of a film it is, from the plot to the acting to the visual effects.  We know the sound and music are always top-notch, but not always everything else.
- Lore is how well it contributes to the Star Wars lore.  Does it contradict other films?  Does it introduce too many new things?  If it does, I dock it a point or two at least.  Obviously the original trilogy will score best here.

Each rating is on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest.


9. Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 2
Quality: 2
Lore: 3
Total: 11/20

Comment: Most consider Episode I: The Phantom Menace as the worst in the series.  For a while, I considered it slightly above Episode II, but it really isn't.  It's at least got some rewatch value, as the lightsaber battle is always fun to watch.  There's a bit of meme-worthy stuff, as well.  It suffers in its believability, such as when Anakin pilots a Naboo fighter and doesn't take it seriously.  It's never been considered a great film, and this is probably the Star Wars film where the acting is the worst.  It is the earliest in Star Wars chronological order, so it contributes a bit to its lore and doesn't do much to make the OT look bad.

8. Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Rewatch-ability: 3
Believability: 3
Quality: 2
Lore: 4
Total: 12/20

Comment: Episode I for me is a tad more rewatchable than Episode II.  I can't explain it.  The visual effects are probably the worst, especially the awful green screens they had to use.  The worst is when Mace Windu jumps off a Republic warship shortly after the start of the Battle of Geonosis.  See what I mean here.  It is so clearly obvious he is in front of a green screen.  But this film signals the start of the Clone Wars, and I think it does a decent job of getting us hyped for it.

7. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Rewatch-ability: 3
Believability: 3
Quality: 4
Lore: 2
Total: 12/20

Comment: Is this really the third worst Star Wars film?  It might be.  It's not bad; it's just not as good as the others.  It may be partially due to my high expectations, but I feel J.J. Abrams started out the sequel trilogy so well only to have it lack in the end.  I have seen every Star Wars film at least twice in theaters, and this and the next are the two I just didn't care to watch a third time for a long time.  Anyway, Palpatine coming back from the dead?  Sigh.  At least the film did well in the technical aspects, and a shoutout to Adam Driver for his terrific acting.  I've shared my thoughts on how I feel about Force Heal and Force transport items.

6. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Rewatch-ability: 2
Believability: 4
Quality: 4
Lore: 3
Total: 13/20

Comment: That may seem like a low rewatch-ability score, but there's only two scenes I ever look forward to when rewatching TLJ: Kylo turning on Snoke and killing him and the ensuing fight, and Luke and Kylo's "fight" at the end.  It's a decently made film in terms of effects and acting and I found it probably the most believable of the sequel films.  It started the Force transport items technique, which I am not a fan of.

5. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 3
Quality: 4
Lore: 4
Total: 15/20

Comment: So many meme-worthy quotes and scenes in this, which makes it very rewatchable.  I'm still not a huge fan of how Anakin turned to the dark side, but it's definitely the best made prequel film.  I did like how Anakin became Darth Vader physically and they captured that very well.

4. Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 4
Quality: 4
Lore: 3
Total: 15/20

Comment: TFA is definitely the most rewatchable sequel film to me; I did see it three times in theaters.  Everything else was fairly decent and it was such a pleasant experience seeing a well-made Star Wars film with good acting and effects (and a well-written plot).  The part that was hardest to get over was how it cancelled out the Expanded Universe where Han and Leia had not just one kid but three, including a boy who turned to the dark side, just like Ben/Kylo.  But no one can say TFA is a bad film, and in my opinion, it's the best film outside of the Original Trilogy.

3. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 4
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 18/20

Comment: Most would agree RotJ is the worst of the Original Trilogy; but that's like saying The Fellowship of the Ring is the worst Lord of the Rings film.  It's still a really, really good movie.  I do find myself spacing out a little when I rewatch RotJ, if I'm being honest.  The only reason it doesn't get a 5 in believability is because of the Ewoks being able to take out the "entire legion of [The Emperor's] best troops".  It still fits in with the rest of the trilogy with being a high quality film and contributing mightily to the Star Wars lore.

2. Episode VII: The Empire Strikes Back
Rewatch-ability: 5
Believability: 4
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 19/20

Comment: Don't get me wrong, ESB is still amazing.  Most people consider it their favorite Star Wars film, and many consider it one of the greatest films ever made.  I just prefer the original over this.  I took off a point for believability (again) because of Luke heading to Bespin foolishly.  He also foolishly ignored Leia's screams of "It's a Trap!".  I guess Leia said it first.  But everything else is magnificent, and I'd feel overly critical to give this film less than a 19/20.

1. Episode IV: A New Hope
Rewatch-ability: 5
Believability: 5
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 20/20

Comment: To me, this feels like two movies in one.  There's the climax of escaping the Death Star and Obi-Wan and Darth Vader's fight, and then there's a second climax of Luke blowing up the Death Star.  This film epitomizes Star Wars, and not only have there been countless parodies of this film, but The Force Awakens is technically a re-imagining of this very plot.

So, here they are in order, from my least favorite to favorite:
9. Episode I TPM
8. Episode II AotC
7. Episode IX TRoS
6. Episode VIII TLJ
5. Episode III RotS
4. Episode VII TFA
3. Episode VI RoTJ
2. Episode V ESB
1. Episode IV ANH

If I were to include Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story, I would put Rogue One fifth behind The Force Awakens and I would put Solo between The Last Jedi and Revenge of the Sith.

And, let's see the average rank by trilogy:
Prequel: 7.3
Original: 2
Sequel: 5.6

A few of these could move up and down a spot, but not far.  The original trilogy is the best, and neither the prequel trilogy nor the sequel could live up to it.  The sequel trilogy, however, is better than the prequels as a whole. 

My Reviews of 2019 Movies

Hard to believe, but I saw 29 movies released in 2019 and 24 of them in theaters.  I think it was perhaps the best year for cinema ever.  Of course, if you haven't seen any of these films, this is your spoiler warning.  If you get to a film you're still planning on seeing don't read my review for it.  

Glass - 6.5/10
I don't know what it was.  It felt like it was missing something.  Or maybe I expected a movie with all three supernatural beings to be more exciting.  It kept me entertained, but that's about all I can say.  It was well acted by the big 3 of Jackson, Willis, and McAvoy, but that’s one of the few good things about it.

The Upside - 7.5/10
I definitely enjoyed this flick, but I wasn't really ever wowed by it.  Everything was pretty much expected from what I saw in the trailer.  Bryan Cranston was perfect as billionaire Phillip DeCasse.  Kevin Hart was believable as the ex-con father.  Kind of hard to believe Phillip would hire an ex-con to take care of him.  But Kevin and Bryan had great on-screen chemistry. 

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - 6.0/10
I can't explain it, but I just lost interest in this series as it went along.  The first one I really enjoyed, and the second one was okay, but I didn't enjoy quite as much.  This one was very meh.  The villain was so stereotypical and predictable.  I just lost interest at times.

The Lego Movie 2 - 5.5/10
I honestly didn't care for this one.  I think the magic of the first one didn't pass on to this one.  Also, I got spoiled a bit that Rex was Emmet because I saw Chris Pratt voiced both characters.  Oops.  Anyway, I didn't really see this film as necessary, although it did have some nice moments and I loved some of the voice casting.  Also they kind of copied Toy Story with the LEGO characters acting like sentient beings that could move.

Fighting with My Family - 7/10
It was fun and enjoyable, although a tad predictable.  I wish the brother had been able to advance as a wrestler, but seeing as this is based on a true story, they couldn’t make stuff up.  I fell in love with Florence Pugh’s portrayal of Saraya.  She did an amazing job and looked good while doing it.  Lena Headey and Nick Frost weren’t really believable as a married couple, but they somehow sort of made it work.

Dumbo - 7/10
Very cute and heartwarming.  Believable?  No.  But neither is a flying elephant.  The part that made me cringe was Michael Keaton's character basically destroying his own park's operations to try to get things under control.  It just made no sense.  The kid actors did a really good job.  Not my favorite Disney live action adaptation, but it certainly could've been worse.

Captain Marvel - 8/10
I'm torn with this one.  On one hand, Brie Larson killed at as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel.  On the other hand, I didn't really understand the mythos behind where she came from and how she lost her memories.  There were some parts that were too out there for me.  But I still enjoyed it as a whole.  And having Nick Fury lose his eye the way he did… too funny.

Us - 8.5/10
What Get Out lacked in violence this makes up for it in.  However, that doesn't mean it was better than Get Out.  The family we follow predictably makes some questionable choices.  And the twist was pretty obvious.  If Get Out had never happened, I think this would be a bit better received because people wouldn't have Get Out to compare it to.  But still it was thrilling, suspenseful, and captivating.

Avengers: Endgame - 10/10
This (slowly) became the biggest box office hit of all time, so I had to rate it high. It was everything I hoped for.  The only thing I wished for was that Spider-Man, Star Lord, and all the snapped Avengers appeared sooner.  But I totally understand why they didn't.  The Avengers saga was finished by all of the original Avengers.  My favorite moment by far was after all the Avengers appeared, Steve got Thor's Mjolnir, and he said his famous line: "Avengers... Assemble."  That gave me some of the biggest chills I have EVER experienced watching a movie.  And Captain Marvel's re-entrance was a close second.

Shazam! - 7.5/10
D.C. finally puts out a light-hearted and funny superhero film.  It didn't make me laugh as much I was hoping, probably because most of the funny moments were in the trailers.  Zachary Levi was an absolute perfect casting choice for Shazam.  There hasn't been a sequel announced yet, but they sure set up for one with the post-credits scene.  I hope they have a sequel and include an actual D.C. superhero to join Shazam.

Pet Sematary - 6.5/10
First off I wasn't a huge fan of the changes they made from the book: Most notably being Gage surviving and Ellie dying.  I wasn't a huge fan of Jason Clarke as Louis Creed, either.  He's not a bad actor, just not someone who I think fits the role.  And Lithgow, while a good actor himself, isn't 80+ years old like the book describes Jud Crandall as.  Despite all that, the movie was still enjoyable and thrilling.  It captured a lot of the same elements and feelings the book had.  However, I think the original film adaptation was a bit better at staying true to the book.

Aladdin - 8/10
One of the more enjoyable Disney live action adaptations.  Will Smith was surprisingly good and put his own take on the Genie.  Mena Massoud was very believable as Aladdin and did his singing parts well.  My biggest gripe with Aladdin was Jafar.  He sounded and looked almost nothing like the original.  He did, however, capture the evilness of Jafar, I'll give him that.  Also the climax/ending seemed a bit rushed.  It was definitely more suspenseful in the original animated version.  I did love how Genie introduced the story and then we find out he had kids with Jasmine's handmaiden.  Very cool addition.

Rocketman - 8.5/10
If Taron Egerton doesn't win awards for his portrayal of Sir Elton John, I'll be shocked and flabbergasted (He won a Golden Globe, at least).  Aside from Egerton, I still really enjoyed the film.  I learned a lot about "Reginald's" upbringing.  Richard Madden did a fantastic job.  And I like how they had Taron do his own versions of Elton's songs.  They were still very catchy and enjoyable.  My favorite would probably be "I'm Still Standing", the song done at the end.

John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum - 8/10
I'll start out by saying John kicked ass with Halle Berry's character Sofia.  That scene with the two of them and her dogs was easily the highlight.  It's unfortunate she wasn't in the film at the end.  Of course the scene that was hard to watch was John having to cut off his own finger... ouch.  He is one tough motherf***er.  My favorite kill of John's would have to be the giant guy towards the beginning who he killed with just a book.  Either that or the horse kicking the one guy.  What'll he kill someone with next?  And then the ending... how the hell did John survive being shot and falling that far?  But it makes me excited for Chapter 4 for sure.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters - 6/10
These Godzilla films just aren't doing it for me.  I found my believability in the film waning a lot.  I was entertained for most of the film, but I was never really wowed.  Millie Bobby Brown was great, but her character wasn't that well written.  I also didn't like how her dad played by Kyle Chandler basically become the decision maker when it came to Godzilla, yet he had no official rank or position. 

Detective Pikachu - 7.5/10
Never did I think we'd ever see a live action Pokemon movie.  First off I thought Justice Smith did a great job in the lead role.  But my favorite was of course Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu.  He was hilarious as usual.  And I saw him being Tim's (Justice Smith) father from a mile away.  Bill Nighy was predictably cast as the villain.  I would definitely watch this again on a rainy day.

Toy Story 4 - 8.5/10
The toys get separated and have to work and scheme to make their way back to each other.  Sound familiar?  This time it's Woody going after Bonnie's new favorite toy "Forky".  I mean you could make a hundred Toy Story films with the same general plot.  But I liked the additions of the new toys.  And they did such a great job of turning Gabby Gabby from a villain to a toy to root for.  I actually got tears in my eyes when she was accepted by that little girl and her family.  The main gripe I have is that Woody was separated from all the other toys.  Maybe they're setting up for Toy Story 5.  We'll see.

Yesterday  - 7.5/10
So Earth experiences a worldwide flash/loss of power and a British-born Indian fellow named Jack Malik is one of a few people who remembers the Beatles.  It's an interesting premise, but never really explained.  I did really like Himesh Patel's performance; both his singing and acting were great.  It was also funnier than I thought it would be with Joel Fry's character of Rocky providing most of the comic relief.  Lily James was as lovely as ever.  When Jack went to visit one of the Beatles, I so wish Paul McCartney was going to make a cameo appearance.  Instead, they cast an actor to play John Lennon.  Oh well.  Still a very enjoyable film, despite its lack of believability.

The Lion King - 8.5/10
Say what you want, I loved it.  It was well cast, my favorite being Billy Eichner as Timon.  I just didn't really like Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar.  Apparently Jeremy Irons was willing to reprise his role of Scar (just like James Earl Jones reprised his role as Mufasa), so why not let him?  Anyway, the film didn't deviate too much from the animated original which I liked.  I liked the new hyenas, and they stayed true to actual hyenas by having female be the leader and the biggest which is true in real life.  The thing that made this film was the chemistry between Eichner, Seth Rogen,  and Donald Glover.  They really did seem like old friends.

Spider-Man: Far From Home - 9/10
Best standalone superhero movie I've seen in years.  Jake Gyllenhaal's character being the bad guy was pretty obvious, but the film was entertaining from start to finish.  Tom Holland again absolutely KILLED it as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and even Zendaya did a great job as MJ.  I loved the illusions Mysterio made Spider-Man see and how Spider-Man had to fight against it to finally beat him.  And then the post-credits scene... biggest jaw dropper of a post credits scene I’ve ever scene.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - 8.5/10
Boy I sure could tell this was a Tarantino flick.  DiCaprio was awesome, but Brad Pitt may have been even better.  Could Pitt get a supporting actor nomination?  I could definitely see it (He did).  This film was quite drawn out and long, as are many Tarantino films, but sometimes I wondered why certain scenes and dialogue was in there.  But at the end it sure had a great climax and surprisingly for a Tarantino film, had a happy ending.  At first I didn’t like how he basically “rewrote history”, but after contemplating on it for a bit, I’m glad he did.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw - 8/10
I can see why they made this F&F spinoff film.  Johnson and Statham have great chemistry.  Throw in Kirby and that threesome really gelled well together.  Idris Elba was awesome as the villain and seemed unbeatable.  It was also surprisingly funny.  I didn't like how they had to force the romance between Hobbs and Hattie (Kirby).  Didn't seem natural.  Another thing that bugged me was how it was portrayed Deckard Shaw was only a few years older than his sister Hattie, when in reality Statham is over TWENTY years older than Vanessa Kirby.  I guess Statham just ages really well, but I wish they had been portrayed as further apart in age.  Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this film and I loved how they showed Hobbs' Samoan roots.

Angel Has Fallen - 7/10
Hard to say which film in the "Has Fallen" series is best, but Angel Has Fallen may be it.  It was enjoyable throughout, and Nick Nolte as Mike's father was a nice addition.  I didn't like how they recast Mike's wife, Leah.  Also this marks the second straight in the series a black female authority figure dies.  I liked Morgan Freeman as the president, and Tim Blake Nelson as the deceitful and villainous VP.  Lastly, the premise of this movie is timid at best.  Why wouldn't the FBI at least give Mike a chance that he was set up?  Hasn't he proven his integrity and worth time and time again?  Other than that, solid film. 

It : Chapter Two - 7.5/10
This film was a mixed bag.  There were parts I liked and parts I didn't.  I don't think it was as good as its predecessor.  I really liked the scene at the Chinese restaurant and how they imagined everything transforming and trying to hurt them.  I didn't like the end and how they tried to get back to Pennywise.  I lost interest.  The ending in how they defeated Pennywise was a bit underwhelming.  I will say they cast very well for the most part, and the actors did a pretty decent job.

Joker - 9.5/10
Holy shit.  Excuse my language, but this movie stunned me.  I should've seen some things coming, but I didn't.  I tried not to predict what would happen or think too much during the film, and I'm glad I did.  If there ever were a film based on a comic book that showed how some fairly normal person can turn into a murdering lunatic, this is it.  Joaquin Phoenix was absolutely tremendous, and it certainly was the best acting I've ever seen from him.  He should at least be nominated for an Oscar.  Will they make a sequel?  They might just have to.

The Addams Family - 6.5/10
Honestly, it wasn't bad.  But there were too many moments that were eye roll-inducing.  The pink house being the worst.  I don't know why this had to be made, and I don't know how they already have a sequel in the works.  I liked the voice casting choices and they all did a great job.  Writing?  Meh at best.

Doctor Sleep - 7.5/10
This film was so close to being a lot better.  Ewan McGregor was a decent choice for Danny, but the original Danny had brown eyes and they had to change that... Anyway, the villains weren't too compelling and Rebecca Ferguson's "Rosie" character--what was her power again?  But it kept me entertained which isn't easy to do for a 2 and a half hour movie.

Knives Out - 9/10
A great murder mystery film.  The set-up was great, and I was able to keep track of (most of) the characters and their ties to the family.  I thought Ana De Armas was perfect as the caretaker that we could root for.  Chris Evans proved he can go from a hero to basically being the villain.  I think this is a film that requires a rewatch just so you can see everyone’s motives again and better understand the choices they make.  Daniel Craig’s southern accent wasn’t bad, but I’m so used to hearing his British one that it was a bit of a distraction.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - 7.0/10
I hate rating a Star Wars movie less than 8/10, but “The Rise of Skywalker” doesn’t deserve it.  There are too many things that, upon reflection, bother me about the film and the way the “Skywalker Saga” concluded.  Rey being Palpatine’s granddaughter is probably worse than being a nobody.  I liked the idea that a girl (or anyone) doesn’t have to have special parents (or ancestors) to be a special person themselves.  The Chewbacca red herring was unnecessary.  What did BB-8 do, again?  Oh yeah, he helped with Rey’s training… at the beginning.  And I do not like how you can now transport matter using the Force, although that was technically introduced in The Last Jedi.  And I don’t like how you can Force heal anyone.  Makes me wonder why it wasn’t a necessary part of Jedi training and why Obi-Wan didn’t use it to save Qui-Gon, or why Anakin didn’t use it to save his mother.  Sometimes introducing plot devices in a series creates plot holes for the other films.  JJ started out the sequel trilogy pretty great with The Force Awakens, but he finished it rather lamely with this one.

Well, that was all the films I saw in 2019!  I don’t think I’ll see quite as many in 2020.  One, because I don’t think there’s as many films coming out that I want to see, and two, because I’m going to try to save a bit more money, and constantly going to the theaters to see films adds up.  But if it’s a special film that I will enjoy, then it’s worth it.  But I will definitely be more selective here in 2020.  Check my other post here to see what films I’m looking forward to in 2020.

Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies

I thought I'd go for a fun kind of post and I was thinking about what my favorite guilty pleasure movies are the other day.  I have come up with my Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies.  None of these are critically acclaimed, but every single one of them is entertaining and I have seen multiple times.  It's just something about these films; I just enjoy sitting back and turning my brain off and watching these every few years.  And, in order for a film to be on here, it has to have less than a 7.0 rating on IMDB, and the ratings on IMDB follow the titles of the films.  Here they are:


Honorable Mention: Smart House - 6.3
I had to give honorable mention to my favorite Disney Channel original movie growing up, Smart House.  It's only a TV Movie, so I couldn't quite count it.  But as a kid I wanted a smart house just like the one in the movie, one that would make me meals, instantly clean up messes, and play whatever I want to watch on the entire wall.  And I would know better than to disobey it and piss it off, unlike the family in this movie.

Second Honorable Mention: Rat Race - 6.4
I remember my parents taking me to see this in theaters, and yes, I was only 12 at the time, so a bit raunchy for 12-year-old me.  But I thought it was one of the funniest movies I had ever seen, and it still to this day makes me laugh.  I got it on DVD in the early 2000s and watched it every few years as I got older, each time understanding a new joke or two.  And the cast is just terrific, from Jon Lovitz to Cuba Gooding Jr. to Rowan Atkinson to Seth Green to Whoopi Goldberg.  


10. Jack Frost - 5.4
Another film with a hard-to-believe premise: A father dies, but his spirit/soul brings a snowman to life and he is able to interact and talk to his son a year after passing.  I liked this movie growing up, and it always made a great movie to watch around the winter holidays.  I particularly like the song "Hey Now Now" by Swirl 360 that plays when Charlie and his "dad" get away from the bullies.  It's so 1990's.

9. Like Mike - 5.2
A kid finds some of Michael Jordan's old sneakers and suddenly gains his basketball ability by wearing the shoes.  It's an interesting story, but I like that it has a basketball theme.  There's a sub-plot of the kid being at an orphanage and trying to get adopted, and eventually does.  Jesse Plemons is in this in the first role I saw him in, as a fellow kid/bully in the orphanage.  I also like the cameos by all the NBA players in this, although no Michael Jordan.

8. Jingle All the Way - 5.6
My favorite guilty pleasure Christmas Movie, Jingle All the Way is fun to watch even outside the Christmas season.  There are so many hard to believe things in this film, but there are so many classic scenes and lines such as "Put the cookie down, now!" and "I'm not a puh-vert!".  It's just a fun film and Arnie just kills it.  And this is not the only time a film Jake Lloyd acted in is on this list.

7. Bruce Almighty - 6.7
This is one of my favorite Jim Carrey roles.  Carrey, playing the titular role, gets the powers of God and uses them with hilarious results.  The casting of Morgan Freeman as God was absolutely perfect.  And Jim perfectly inserts some of his funny and quirky mannerisms into the role.  I'm surprised this doesn't have a bit higher rating, but there are times when the movie just tries too hard to be funny.  I like Jennifer Aniston in this, but she seems a bit out of Bruce's league. 

6. The Island - 6.8
Ewan McGregor in a sci-fi movie?  I'll always go for that. 😉  In this, he plays a clone that escapes his institution along side a very fine looking Scarlett Johansson who also plays a clone.  This movie has been out for a while now, so much so that when this film was shot and set "in the future", well that future is now the past.  I happened to watch The Island the day this was set, July 19, 2019.  This film was also made by Michael Bay, maybe the king of guilty pleasure directors, but he's only on this list once for me.  My favorite line(s): "I'm Tom Lincoln!" "No, I'm Tom Lincoln!"

5. Godzilla (1998) - 5.4
Yes, the 1998 Godzilla starring Matthew Broderick is one of my favorite guilty pleasure films.  I remember how hyped the movie was when it came out, and I even owned a Godzilla toy from that film that screamed like the movie version and stomped and "wagged" it's tail.  I remember seeing it as a kid and it scaring me a bit, but not anymore obviously.  As a sports fan, I loved how the climax was set at Madison Square Garden where the Knicks play.  They set up for a possible sequel with one of Godzilla's babies surviving in the end, but nothing came of it.  Oh well, the sequel probably would have been even worse.

4. Click - 6.4
This is my favorite Adam Sandler movie, believe it or not.  And I just found out, for the longest time this film had Adam Sandler's only death scene (until "Uncut Gems", I believe).  It's got such an interesting (but flawed) concept, but I love it.  He controls the universe with a remote, with unfortunate side effects.  I like how the film teaches us to enjoy moments in life we take for granted, such as time with our parents, working, and foreplay with the wife 🤣.  I also love all the actors in this and their connections to other things or people.  Adam Sandler's mom was played by Julie Kavner, who voices Marge Simpson.  We also see his kids played by Lorraine Nicholson and Jake Hoffman, the children of Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman, respectively.  And we see a small role from Jonah Hill.

3. National Treasure: Book of Secrets - 6.5
You knew Nicolas Cage had to be on here at some point, right?  He's the king of guilty pleasure actors.  In this sequel, he "kidnaps the president" and goes to a secret cave inside Mount Rushmore.  I just love the two National Treasure films, and I wish they had made another.  By this point, a third National Treasure film would feel forced, irrelevant, and not as interesting.  However, a third one is listed on IMDB as "In Development", although I believe it has been that way for a few years.   I believe they are having trouble either writing the script or finding writers for it.

2. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - 6.5
What, I can have a Star Wars film on here!  And there's no better example of a guilty pleasure Star Wars film than Episode I: The Phantom Menace.  I do enjoy watching this and I never skip over it when I watch the Star Wars films (or prequel trilogy).  I remember all the promotions for the film when it came out and each time I watch Episode I, it gives me that feeling of nostalgia.  Sometimes I even get the urge to watch just this film and not Episodes II or III.  Jar Jar doesn't annoy me quite as much as he annoys other Star Wars fans.

1. National Treasure - 6.8
Well, you knew if National Treasure 2 was on here, the first one would have to be on here as well.  I have lost count of the amount of times I have seen this.  I love the history they incorporated into this movie, even if it's not all true.  And, this was for the longest time the only thing I had seen Sean Bean in where he doesn't die.  And, I could be mistaken, but it might be the only film where he plays the villain but doesn't die.

Like I said, I just enjoy turning my brain off and watching any of these films.  I think the thing they have in common is that each one has something happen in it that is just never possible in the real world: A person coming back to life, a dog playing football, a universal remote that controls the universe, and stealing the Declaration of Independence.  Oh, and Star Wars.

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker Thoughts/Review

I have now seen the final film in the Skywalker saga of Star Wars films.  Honestly, I'm pretty bummed it's over and there won't be another.  We won't ever see Luke, Han, Leia, or Lando again; at least not played by their respective actors and not in a Star Wars episodic film.  However, the final film tied up the saga, but the question is, did it do it well?  In my opinion, it did.  It answered a bunch of questions, had drama, and kept me entertained throughout.  Also, from here on out there will be spoilers, so you have been warned.

I have to admit I read some reviews of The Rise of Skywalker before seeing it, and most of what I saw was pretty negative.  One person even called it the "worst Star Wars film".  No way is TROS the worst Star Wars film, but it is not without its faults.  I want to get these out of the way first.  This is not a perfect film, or even excellent.  I think this film is going to divide fans for a long time.  It currently has a 6.9 rating on IMDB and a 58% score on Rotten Tomatoes.  I think it was better than what those scores indicate.  But I certainly don't think it was close to perfect.

First off, I had trouble accepting such a light and goodhearted character we've grown to know and love could be descended from someone so despicably evil in Palpatine.  It's nothing against what JJ did, but if this was the direction they were going to take, I would've liked a hint of it in "The Last Jedi".  Another thing I didn't particularly like was how Rey and Kylo could transport matter.  We saw a hint of it in "The Last Jedi" when rainwater from Ahch-To got transported to Kylo's hand far away.  Then, in this film, we had a necklace and a lightsaber be transported from Rey to Kylo.  I just can't wrap my head around it, and it seems like something that should be in Star Trek, not Star Wars.  Also, I've had trouble accepting that Force Ghosts can influence matter as well.  We saw Yoda cause a lightning strike in TLJ, and in TROS we saw Luke block a lightsaber from being thrown into a fire, and we saw him levitate his old X-Wing out of the water.  They're called "ghosts" for a reason.  Heck, if they're going to go that route, they might as well have a Force Ghost army in some Star Wars spin-off TV series or film.  They can't be killed, after all.  Finally, I just did not like the opening space fight scene in the Millennium Falcon.  WAY too many jumpcuts and it was paced WAY too quickly.  Too fast-paced of a scene way too early in the film.  Every film in the original trilogy started out slow, or at least not that intense so soon.  Those were my main four gripes.

Here's what I thought they did well: The handling of Princess Leia.  If I had not known, I would've thought they filmed Leia's/Carrie's scenes especially for this film.  JJ and Chris did a great job of incorporating what they had of Carrie into this film.  And her passing was done very well and tastefully.  I hate that she never really got to see her son, but I think had Carrie not passed away, JJ had it mind to have her meet Kylo/Ben, or at least project herself to him so that she could try to turn him back to the light.  I think they used Harrison Ford/Han Solo in her place.  His scene with Ben mirrored their scene on the bridge in "The Force Awakens", even down to some of the quotes.  This time, instead of Kylo going from confused to dark side, he went from confused to light side.

I also liked Kylo/Ben turning back to the light.  You could tell he was conflicted and when Rey saved his life after stabbing him, he knew he had to be on her side from that point on.  Him going after her on Exegol with as much haste and determination as he had shows he cared about her.  And his sacrifice to her, very touching.  I was hoping he would be able to survive, because how often do you see a redeemed bad guy character that doesn't die?  However, the Skywalker saga had to end and it still technically could continue with Ben still alive.  And to be honest, I was a Rey/Ben shipper so their kiss was definitely something I wanted to see.

Now to go over technical aspects.  To be expected, visual effects and sound were top-notch.  Costumes and makeup were very well done, although I think I noticed Kylo/Ben's scar on his face disappearing, but that could be just it fading over time.  I'd be surprised if TROS didn't get an Oscar nomination for something, with their likeliest nomination probably being visual effects.  Acting was decent; my favorite was Daisy Ridley as Rey.  The writing was less than stellar, but they stayed true to the characters at least.  Perhaps the best was John Williams' score, his last time scoring a Star Wars film.  I always felt the music perfectly suited the scene at the time.

Hard to say if I enjoyed this more than "The Force Awakens".  I know I enjoyed it more than "The Last Jedi".  I definitely want to see it again in theaters.  I wonder if people's second viewings of TROS will make them like it more or less.  Based on how the IMDB rating for this film is going up (It was at 6.8, it's now at 7.0), it seems like people like it more on multiple viewings.  Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge Star Wars fan, and if I say this is a satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga, then it probably is.

Top Ten Star Wars Movie Ideas (with pictures!)

With Disney's acquisition of Star Wars in 2012, they finally allowed us to see non-episodic Star Wars films.  There have been two so far: Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story.  Many consider Rogue One to be the best written film since the Original Trilogy, and many consider Solo to be underrated, myself included.  Solo suffered at the box office, not because it was a bad film, but because it was released less than 6 months after The Last Jedi and many were suffering from "Star Wars fatigue".  If there was a film released every 6 months, you wouldn't really look forward to them as much, would you?  It seems as though the poor box office results of Solo have scared Disney from making more spin-off films.  But we know they'll get back to it, and we'll have one 2-5 years after Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is out.  So, here are my Top 10 Ideas (ranked) for Star Wars films they could make.  I ranked them mainly based on how likely they are to be made, but also I factored in a little bit of how much I'd want them to be made as well.  Keep in mind I did my best to come up with titles.  Also, I really had to focus on films that have at least a small shot of happening some day.  So there won't be any films with Darth Vader as the main character, unfortunately.

10. Qui-Gon Jinn: A Bigger Fish Story
Qui-Gon Jinn is a beloved Star Wars character.  If you remember in Ep. II, Count Dooku revealed to us he was Qui-Gon's master.  I would love to see their relationship and Qui-Gon's training.  We could see hints of Dooku's fall to the dark side.  Obviously, two new actors would have to play them (RIP Christopher Lee).  My ideas are Colin Farrell for Dooku and Tom Holland for Qui-Gon.  Would Star Wars fans still go for this?  Meh, but I know I would.  Also, the title is a joke (mostly), but I just could not resist.

9. Star Wars: The Formation of the Alliance
I could see a film set between Ep. III and IV revolving around the formation of the Rebel Alliance.  I mean, technically we saw the very beginnings of it in the Episode III deleted scene, but this could greatly expand upon that.  It would have another chance to feature Darth Vader (who wouldn't want that?).  And it could show the very first conflicts between the Alliance and the Empire.  One reason I want this to happen (and soon) is I think Millie Bobby Brown would make a really great young Princess Leia.  But they would have to make the movie soon before she gets too old.  Otherwise they'd have to have a casting call and audition hundreds of young actresses.  Also, if they could make this soon they could recast Jimmy Smits in the role of Senator Bail Organa.


8. Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the New Order
Now I know I've heard after Episode IX, Star Wars will forever be done with the Skywalker saga. I don't think that's entirely true.  I mean, they'll be done with the story of the Skywalkers after IX, with Luke dead and Kylo Ren either dead or redeemed (probably).  However, I think they still could make a film between Episodes VI and VII about Luke starting the New Jedi Order and how it fell after he lost his nephew, Ben Solo.  The reason I think this COULD be possible is because there is a decent and well-known actor named Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes in the MCU) who looks SO much like Mark Hamill.  It's crazy.  Hamill and Stan are even aware of it.  And I'm pretty darn sure Mark Hamill would be happy with Stan playing Luke.  The problem being of course is if Stan wanted to do it and if he could pull it off.



7. Windu: A Star Wars Story
In order to have a film centered around a certain character, that character has to be two things: One, he has to be human (Sorry Yoda, Chewbacca, and R2/Threepio), and two, he has to be good/light side.  The audience has to be able to relate to the main character.  So with that in mind, one of the few characters that fits this that isn't a Skywalker is Mace Windu.  And Star Wars would greatly benefit from a film centered around a black character, as it could draw a lot of African-American people into the Star Wars films.  It could maybe even be the "Black Panther" of Star Wars films.  Also, I'd love to see Mace as a young Jedi, learning from his master, Cyslin Myr.  Any tough female actress could play Cyslin, perhaps Danai Gurira.  As for Mace, I'd like to see Corey Hawkins in the role (24, Straight Outta Compton, The Walking Dead).



6. Star Wars: A Jedi's Path I would love to see a Star Wars film about a new character, but with a familiar setting.  This film would follow a Jedi and her path through training and fighting in the Clone Wars.  And I think it should be a female Jedi because there aren't enough female heroines in Star Wars.  The film would have a sad ending more than likely, as nearly all of the Jedi were wiped out in the great Jedi purge of Order 66.  Maybe she could survive at the end and live as an outcast (but would obviously lose her master).  But to see parts of Episodes II and III from someone else's perspective could be really cool.  If this film is done soon enough, a lot of the same actors could be used in the roles they had (Samuel L. Jackson, Ian McDiarmid).  Honestly, if they cast a well-known or up and coming actress and they market it well enough, this could be one of the biggest Star Wars spin-off films, perhaps the "Wonder Woman" of Star Wars spin-off films.



5. Dash Rendar: A Smuggler's Story 

The debate rages on about what is considered Star Wars canon and what is not.  I think ultimately Disney will need to decide if they want to "borrow" characters and character traits from what they call "Legends".  As I was thinking of EU/Legend characters, Dash Rendar came to me.  He is actually considered canon now because he was mentioned in a canonized Star Wars book (Solo: A Star Wars Story: Tales from Vandor).  Does that mean they'll make a film about him?  No.  But imagine if they did, and borrowed from "Shadows of the Empire".  If they could recreate anything from that, it would bring so many of us right back to our childhoods.  And Dash could be played by any actor deserving of the part as his appearance has not been canonized in any way.  Personally, I'd like Charlie Cox (Daredevil) for the role, as he screen tested for Han Solo in "Solo: A Star Wars Story" but didn't get the part.




4. The Adventures of Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron is a fan favorite character. We know Disney will be fond of the Sequel Trilogy after "Rise of Skywalker" has been out and might want to spin off from it with one of the sequel trilogy characters.  It comes down to Finn and Poe, and I pick Poe.  We could hopefully see him as a teen growing up and learning how to pilot, and see him right before the events of "The Force Awakens" and see what lead to him being on Jakku and how well he knew Lor San Tekka.  And we could see him after "Rise of Skywalker" and see if he has a partner and/or kids.  He might be leading the Resistance at this point, but could still have some action.  We'd have to have BB-8 of course.  And this is the first film on here that wouldn't have to be recast as Oscar Isaac could still play the role.  The only additional casting for Poe they might do is for a younger version of him.  I don't see this as a huge box office hit, and may end up being a TV show instead (Poe is featured on Star Wars Resistance).

3. FETT
I think a movie about Boba Fett is possible, despite what I said earlier in the Mace Windu movie about the protagonist having to be good and light-sided.  Boba is a very complex character, more morally gray than anything.  It could even be set after the events of Episodes IV or V (or between III and IV).  And I would love them to show Fett escaping from the sarlaac pit; maybe even show him fighting it.  In order to draw in fans, they'd have to cast a bigger name than Daniel Logan.  The problem is that Boba is an unaltered clone of Jango Fett, meaning as an adult he would look just like Temuera Morrison.  However, the writers could come up with a clever tactic as to why he doesn't look exactly like him; something like the cloning process wasn't perfect.  Therefore, my choice for Boba would be Toby Sebastian (Game of Thrones).  He looks the part and has a leading man kind of appearance.



2. Star Wars: The Old Republic
Ever since the Knights of the Old Republic video game, I've wanted a movie set around the era of the Old Republic.  Specifically, I would want it centered around Darth Revan, Bastila, and Carth.  With Disney's acquisition of Star Wars that story lost it's canonization, but they could still make a film with a lot of the same elements (and could borrow some characters, too).  It would be very cool to see some characters here and there from KOTOR that us players of the game could pick up on in the film.  The biggest downside to this is that it would be the first film (unless one comes out before it) that isn't set anywhere close to the lives of likable characters such as Yoda, C-3PO and R2D2.  It would feel a lot different and not having a single recognizable character could hurt the film at the box office by dissuading a lot of the casual fans from seeing it.

1. Star Wars: Obi-Wan
Fans have been clamoring for an Obi-Wan film for years.  It would be set between episodes III and IV, and we'd see Obi-Wan on Tattooine looking after Luke.  Ewan McGregor is more than ready and willing to reprise his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi.  His character is beloved throughout the Star Wars fandom.  One problem with this I see is writing out a plot that is worthy of a solo film but also doesn't contradict Episode IV.  Remember, the Empire was still unaware of his presence in Ep. IV.  So who would he fight?  We know he fights and kills Maul for good thanks to Star Wars Rebels, but who else?  My only thought is the criminal organization revealed in Solo called "Crimson Dawn".  Could be a way to tie up Solo to this.  Also, there's only so much you can do on a desert planet, he'd almost have to leave Tatooine so that the entire film is not set there.  He could meet up with Yoda on Dagobah and get some advice, and we could see part of how you become a Force ghost and become one with the Force.


There is my list of the Top Ten Star Wars Movie Ideas.  I'd be willing to bet money at least one of these (if not more) becomes a film some day.  If indeed that does happen, I will probably come back here and add my comments to the film that actually got made.  Honestly, I'd love it if ANY of these got made.  It's really a shame Disney handicapped itself by declaring Expanded Universe material as non-canon, but as I said earlier, that doesn't mean those characters can not or did not exist.  Also, if on the very off chance that any Disney/Lucasfilm executive happens to be reading this, please consider making the films on this list, especially the ones towards the end!  Also name me lead screenwriter (lol just kidding... or am I?)

Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker - Five Questions and Predictions

With Avengers Endgame out (and having seen it), the next movie I am REALLY hyped to see is Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.  The teaser trailer and title were announced/released two weeks ago, and I've had some time to dwell on them.  Below are five questions people might have about the film, and I put forth multiple choice possibilities and choose my answer with reasoning.  It'll be interesting to go back here 8 months from now (Yikes!) and see how close I was.

I have now seen the Rise of Skywalker.  For my full thoughts on it, you'll have to see my more recent post here.  *SPOILER ALERT* I will of course be discussing spoilers so this is your warning.

1. So, apparently Palpatine returns, based on his cackle at the end of the teaser trailer.  How is he able to return?
A. He returns as a spirit, much like a Force Ghost (The dark side version of it possibly).  Not able to physically appear but in spirit.
B. A clone was made of him
C. He survived falling down the ventilation shaft.
D. He inhabits the body of someone or something else (Like Voldemort)

Answer: I'm gonna go with A, but neither C nor D would surprise me.  My prediction is that there is a Dark Side way of becoming one with the Force.  Obviously, we'd hear him and he'd be able to influence Kylo Ren and say things like, "Do what your grandfather failed to do."  I only included B because I believe that happened in the Expanded Universe novels, although I doubt they'd take that idea straight from them. Option D would be cool to see, however.  Could we see him inhabit Snoke's body?

The closest actual answer would be C.  He had some assistance, clearly, but never fully died.  

2. What will the relationship of Kylo Ren and Rey be like at the end of Episode IX?
A. Non-existent, as one will be dead.
B. Still enemies
C. Allies, or at least will have a truce
D. Romantic

Answer: I want it to be D, but Rey's parentage is still in question.  Kylo told Rey her parents were nobodies, but he could have been lying (or possibly misled by Snoke).  She still could be his sister or cousin.  I'll go with C as my prediction, but I want it to be D.  They won't kill Rey off, and I don't think JJ Abrams will want to kill Kylo off either, so I don't think it will be A.  And I highly doubt they'll still be enemies; it would just feel like we need another film to resolve their conflict.

Officially it is A 😢, but for a brief moment is was C and D.  I should have known Ben/Kylo would die because this film was billed for it "concluding the Skywalker saga", and if he had survived, the Skywalkers would live on.

3. Speaking of Rey's parentage, what is it?
A. Kylo was telling the truth.  Her parents were nobodies.
B. Luke is her father.  He abandoned her mother, and her mother (And stepfather?) left her on Jakku.
C. Han and Leia are her parents.  She was conceived in secret and hidden on Jakku.
D. She is a manifestation of the Force, much like Anakin.

Answer: I just find it difficult to be B or C.  Wouldn't they know about it and want to tell her?  Also, I've noticed a bit of a conflict between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson, who directed Episode VIII.  They had different ideas for the films, so I think it might not be A.  I'm leaning more and more to D.  It would be kind of a copy cat origin story, but if they do it differently and uniquely it could work.  So I'll go with D, with A as my second choice.  They have to address this in Ep. IX, at least to some extent.

Wow, none of the above.  Technically A is right, but they were trying to be nobodies in order to protect their daughter from her grandfather.  I had a feeling JJ would decide Rian Johnson's choice wasn't good enough, I just had no idea she would be related to him.


4. What does the title, "The Rise of Skywalker" mean?
A. Skywalker is or becomes a title for Jedi.  Much like "Darth" is for the Sith, Skywalker becomes a title for Jedi as the Jedi rise and Rey (and possibly Kylo/Ben) start a new Jedi order.  So Rey would be "Skywalker Rey".
B. Rey is a Skywalker, and she learns her true identity.
C. Luke's influence as a Force Ghost is critical to the Resistance and he aids in their victory.
D. Luke and Palpatine have a Force Ghost battle and Luke comes out on top.
E. Kylo sheds his name "Kylo Ren" and becomes "Ben Skywalker" (Not Solo).

Answer: It's a pretty vague title.  I got answer "A" from someone's theory on Reddit, which I really liked obviously.  Although you wouldn't see a title called "The Rise of Darth".  But I can see Skywalker referring to a group of people and not just one person.  B is obviously a candidate.  C and D kind of go together and both could be possible.  I know D sounds ludicrous but I could see it happening.  E could mean the title is about Kylo Ren, since he has Skywalker blood.  If he returns to the light he could identify himself "as a Skywalker".  The title of Episode VII referred to Rey (indirectly).  The title of Episode VIII referred to Luke.  I think the title of Episode IX will refer to someone else as well, which leaves only Kylo Ren.  It could be about his redemption and return to the light side, so I'll go with E.  However, most people are figuring this must refer to Luke, so my next best guess would be "C".

The actual answer is kind of a cross between A and B.  Rey assumed the Skywalker name, almost as if it were a title.  My friend even said it was like Luke or Leia adopted her from beyond the grave. 

5. The fates of the following people:
A. Kylo Ren:
                a. Dead
                b. Alive, but still Dark
                c. Alive and turned to Light

Answer: C.  It's gotta be, right?  I touched on this in question in number 3, and I said I don't think they'll kill Kylo off.  At least I hope they don't.  If it was B they would need another film or something to resolve this, wouldn't they?  It would be like leaving Darth Vader alive and still dark side oriented after "Return of the Jedi".

I should have known, like I said above.  He sacrificed himself for Rey and hopefully Rey would respect his memory and tell everyone he was a hero.

B. Captain Phasma:
                a. She died in Episode VIII
                b. She comes back in IX but dies
                c. She comes back in IX and lives
               
Answer: B.  JJ and Rian have an internal conflict going on from what I've gathered.  JJ will want to undo what Rian did and bring back Captain Phasma, only to have her die for real.

Falling that far into a pit of fire on a ship going down is hard to survive, especially for a non-Sith/Jedi.  I think bringing her back would've been a slap in the face to Rian Johnson.

C. General Hux:
                a. Dead
                b. Dead
                c. Dead

Answer: All of the above.  Is there any chance this guy survives?  He clearly has no good in his heart.  The only question is how he will die.

Well, yes, but who saw him helping out the good guys?  Not me!  Kylo clearly got on his bad side, so Hux took action.  Too bad for him General Pryde saw right through him.

                C. a. How  will Hux die?
                                1. Rey kills him
                                2. Finn or Poe kills him
                                3. Kylo turns on him and kills him

Answer: Number 1 wouldn't be satisfying enough.  I'd like to see 2, have a battle between non-Force users.  But I think it will be 3.

I didn't even consider him being a spy and one of the first order generals killing him.  Gotta consider every possibility.

D. Leia:
                a. Alive and present
                b. Alive but gone away/missing
                c. Dead

Answer: I almost forgot about Leia.  Hard to say how much of an impact she'll have, with Carrie Fisher passing before they could film any of Episode IX.  I will say C, and they'll make it as tear-inducing as possible.

I was right.  I was impressed with how much footage they had of Carrie and how they were able to use it.  It was tear-inducing, although I didn't cry myself.  But I felt like it after seeing Chewbacca's reacting to Leia's passing.

Well, there you  have it.  I answered the five (plus) biggest questions about Episode IX.  It's still almost 8 months away and I cannot wait for it to get here! 

Meh, not terrible predictions, but some really caught me off guard.  Click the link above to see my full thoughts on Rise of Skywalker. 🙂