Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017)

I missed my posting schedule last week entirely.  I don't really have a good excuse.  Getting through the semester and trying to make up time at work have really sucked the life out of me.  It's hard enough to get home, watch maybe an episode of TV while I shovel in dinner, and then pass out.  I'm trying to do better for you guys.  Fortunately, the weekend is here and I managed to get in to the hottest ticket in town.  So here is my SPOILER-FREE review of The Last Jedi.
  Don't worry, nerds.  This movie was totally amazing.  And beautifully shot.  Holy shit.

The rebels are on the run from First Order troops still.  General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) is tired of the constant loss of life, lives she feels responsible for, but knows she cannot stop this fight.  Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) is convinced that if they can just lead one more attack, one more run, victory will be at hand.  Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley) has searched for and found Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the hope of the resistance, only to discover that he is a tired, bitter man burdened by his failures.  He has no interest in teaching another pupil after what happened to his nephew, Ben Solo aka Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).  Rey and Kylo have also found themselves linked through the Force after their battle in the woods.  Rey is convinced there is good in him still, even if no one can see it but her.  Meanwhile, meanwhile, Finn (John Boyega) and his new friend Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) are on a super secret mission to a casino world.

First, the good.  Great giant fuckballs, this movie was gorgeous.  We had to see it in 3D, ugh, I know, but it wasn't intrusive or murky at all.  It was also way funnier than I thought it would be.  Most of Star Wars has its own little humor but it tends to happen in the downbeats.  This was much lighter and snappier throughout, without (take note, DC Extended Universe) sacrificing the pathos or tension.  And there are plenty of both in this film.

Now, the bad.  People are the absolute worst.  We were in a packed theater, as you can imagine, and the crowd was mostly great.  Except Tyler, who was wasted and super loud.  There was a moment in the film which I can't describe because MAJOR SPOILER but it was so fucking beautiful and awe-inspiring.  This is the shit that wins Oscars.  And some fucking teenager screamed and ruined the entire goddamn thing.  Just sucked the magic out.  And his idiot friends started laughing at him and talking, in that nervous way you do after you've been really tense, and I could have just killed all of them but they were on the other side of the theater.  Little bastards.

Anyway, you should definitely go see this.  Critics have started comparing it favorably to The Empire Strikes Back, and it is definitely a callback, but Rian Johnson manages to subvert those direct nods into a more unique take.  It is absolutely worth the money, even for 3D.