Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Film Review

by The World Weary

Director: George Lucas
Cast: Liam Neeson, Jake Lloyd, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Ian McDiarmid
Series: Star Wars
MPAA Rating: PG
Length: 133 Minutes

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Naboo History 101

This article features spoilers for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

I'll be honest...

When I was a kid, and The Phantom Menace hit theaters, I could not be more excited. I had the opportunity to see the re-release of the Original Trilogy in theaters and now, there was a brand new film, with new characters and worlds. Obviously, Darth Maul and the epic lightsaber battle at the end of the film were the highlights for me and my friends who, after the film, would pretend to be engaged in vicious lightsaber battles for the fate of the galaxy. I was a child, and as a child, it was impossible not to get swept away by the bombardment of toys, books, games, and comics, even if the movie felt a little different from the original films.

So now that I'm an adult, how do I feel about a film I once loved?

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Predictions

by The World Weary

One Week to Go. A Million Questions to Be Answered.

This article features spoilers for Episodes 1-6 of the Star Wars film franchise, and some educated guesses, as well as utterly baseless conjecture, about the plot, characters, and overarching narrative of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Read at your own risk!

Here we are.

One week (technically six days, because of the "day before screenings") until the seventh chapter in the most renowned and beloved sci-fi series of all time finally hits theaters. This is a pretty big moment, as it always has been whenever a new Star Wars film came out. Even with the second and third prequel films, there was still an electricity in the air just before the big opening day. Star Wars just has that effect on people.

Perhaps it's because we love the characters. We love their personalities and quirks, or their interactions with one another (like the famous "I love you." "I know." exchange from The Empire Strikes Back). We want to be them, we want to know them, and ironically, they are us. They are the visual avatars of our fears, hopes, and thoughts, and as they live out their two hour lifespan in front of our eyes, we're right beside them. Unseen and unheard, but needed, so we can bear witness to their stories and give them life.

Ptolemy's Gate Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: Bartimaeus Book Three
Pages: 501

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(Spoilers for the previous two Bartimaeus books are below … also contains spoilers to the Harry Potter series).

As I was winding down Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows it looked like J.K. Rowling was going to do what needed to be done: she was going to kill Harry Potter … and the way she had set him up to be killed was perfect.  Then something got to Rowling: maybe it was the raging fan base, the publishers, the pressure … who knows, but whatever it was, it gave Rowling cold feet and the King’s Cross Station revival happened.

This ending spawned a new verb in my lexicon … she J.K. Rowling’d it.  Meaning she didn’t have the courage to do what needed to be done, she couldn’t kill Harry Potter – or for that matter – make her characters undergo the traumatic changes that the epic events they were centered around were calling for.

The Golem's Eye Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: Bartimaeus Book Two
Pages: 562

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(Spoilers for the Amulet of Samarkand are below).

As the Amulet of Samarkand closed, I was left wondering how far Stroud would take Nathaniel’s admiration and support for the oppressive magicians.  In the Golem’s Eye I found out … pretty far.

Where the Amulet of Samarkand was a fairly straight forward good vs evil story, Golem’s Eye is complicated by the morality of its characters.  True, there were moral complications in the last book, but in Golem’s Eye the question isn’t who will win the good vs. evil battle, but rather who is good and who is evil?

I didn’t think Stroud would be able to surpass his first novel, but I was wrong. Golem’s Eye is certainly one of the best middle grade fantasy series’ out there. If the first book didn’t have you convinced, then the second one should.

The Amulet of Samarkand Book Review

by The Wanderer

Author: Jonathan Stroud
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: Bartimaeus Book One
Pages: 462

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The Amulet of Samarkand may be one of the most cynical middle grade fantasy books out there. The story focuses on eleven year old Nathaniel, who is trying to get revenge on an elite magician who publicly humiliated him.  He goes over his head when he summons Bartimaeus, a smart ass demon, to help him.

Pairing the naive eleven year old Nathaniel with the sarcastic djinni Bartimaeus creates one of the most dysfunctional partnerships I’ve ever seen.  All though the book is anchored with a traditional good vs. evil style plot; the prose, strong characters, and biting humor make this a great story that doesn’t feel like another fantasy knock off.