ENTERTAINMENT

LEGO BRINGS THE FORCE TO THE HOLIDAYS BY PETER CARAM

Lucasfilms has rewarded Star Wars fans who made the “nice list” with its amusing new holiday entry into the Star Wars Universe - The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special, currently streaming on Disney Plus. The Force is strong enough in this one to entertain both die hard and casual fans.

“Hello there,” said young Obi Wan Kenobi. This holiday entry into the universe takes place after The Rise of Skywalker, but it is in Lego animation-style, where the characters are Lego mini-figures instead of real life. The plot of the story is centered around Rey Skywalker training her friend, Finn, to be a Jedi because the final film of the last trilogy foreshadowed Finn being Force Sensitive. Rey begins to question her teaching methods as Finn struggles to learn the Jedi way. Meanwhile, Poe Dameron, Rose Tico, Chewbacca, C-3PO and the other droids are preparing for “Light Day,” which is Christmas in the Star Wars Universe.

As her frustration grows, Rey embarks on her own journey - accompanied by BB-8 - to go to an old Jedi temple where she finds a crystal that travels back to previous events that have happened in the saga. All is well until she crosses paths with Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine from the past. Palpatine sends Vader to catch Rey in a time traveling journey. The question is will Rey make it home in time for Light Day with her friends or will Darth Vader catch her and destroy all reality?

Nothing from the past has significantly changed, but we do see Vader humorously sporting an ugly Christmas sweater. The animation helps to move the farce along almost winking at the viewer as a reminder to not take things too seriously.

I thought this film was enjoyable, not just for kids to enjoy, but for Star Wars fans to enjoy and watch as well. This surprised me because I’m not as big of a fan of animated movies as I was when I was younger, but I am a big action and sci-fi movie guy and this movie spoke to that part of me. My overall score for this film is a solid 8.1/10 because it honors the history of the Star Wars saga, which has been a big part of my life, having seen all nine films from the Skywalker Saga, plus the spinoff films, the shows and the current entry -

The Mandalorian. I did find myself wishing at times that the film was live action because I think the sequel trilogy deserved a spin-off film like this after Rise Of Skywalker. I really enjoyed the humor, action and sly references in this film. I would recommend this to any Star Wars fan because although it appears targeted to kids, it ties in well with the Skywalker Saga, the TV shows and everything in the Star Wars Universe. “Do or do not, there is no try,” Yoda famously instructed Luke. For casual fans and diehards alike, seeing this fun-filled holiday entry to the universe should be a “do.”

Everyone should be “forced” to watch the Star Wars Holiday Special

A MOVIE TO KEEP YOU “SPELL”-BOUND BY SAVEA BRINEGAR

The majority of the time, people watch horror movies because they relish in the adrenaline and fear they receive after a jump scare. It can be enjoyable to yell at the TV saying “No! Don’t go in that door,” knowing that they can’t hear you. The movie, Spell, isn’t an exception. This movie invokes reactions from the watcher that lets them live vicariously through their experiences and feel emotions the characters would be feeling.

The beginning of the movie follows a man named Marquis (pronounced Markus) and his family flying to his father’s funeral. A storm results in Marq losing control of the plane and crashing in the middle of nowhere. He awakens in a home, owned by a woman named Ms. Eiloise. She tells him that his family died in the crash, but she can nurse him back to health using Hoodoo magic. Later on it is revealed that Ms. Eiloise’s intentions are not as pure as they seem, resulting in Marq trying to save himself and others.

The movie captures the theme of a thriller as well as providing an actual storyline, quite well. While horror movies sometimes focus more on the element of jump scares, this movie doesn’t do that. Instead, it focuses more on foreshadowing and keeps the watcher thinking about how this is all going to end. There are some parts that are a little difficult to watch, so if someone has a weak stomach then they probably should just skip this one. If you are able to stomach quite a bit of blood and overall violence, then you should be fine. Yet, it was very apparent from the start that this movie would feature those elements since it is about Hoodoo or VooDoo magic.

Similar to all horror movies, there are moments the watcher is thinking, “Seriously dude? What are you doing?” but surprisingly this is kept to a minimum. While there have been some movies that a character ventures out alone knowing they’re going to die or just making questionable decisions, Marq seems to have quite a bit of common sense, which makes this movie enjoyable to watch. An annoyance about movies is when the main character is intolerable with every decision they make, making the viewer, in turn, want to stop watching. Thankfully, this movie does not make one want to turn it off and forget anything ever happened.

Some other elements of the movie that made it amazing were the audio and quality. A truly annoying aspect is when all the characters are mumbling so I turn up the volume, and then a big scene happens causing my eardrums to split. Even worse is when everything is dark and I can’t even tell what is happening. This movie is truly the opposite of that. All of these scenes were filled with vivid details and colors of what was happening. Everyone’s voices were crisp and clear, preventing any confusion for the watcher. The soundtrack of the movie was also amazing. The songs were very fitting to the scene it was playing for, whether that was “scary” or lighthearted. What makes this movie fall under the thriller category is the realistic feel of the characters and scenes. The watcher can sympathize with the characters and witness the pain they’re put through. With the graphics and special effects makeup, it truly does look and feel real in comparison to movies with poor quality effects. It can be very unsettling and uncomfortable, but these details truly make it scary to watch.

The only issue evident with this movie was the lack of closure. The watcher can’t help but have a few remaining questions about the ending. The big one being, is there going to be a second movie? The ending makes you believe that there will be a second one, but at the same time, it is just a thriller movie tactic to invoke questions about the plot. The amazing storyline and scenes override this issue though, and it is worth a rewatch. If you’re looking for a thriller movie that isn’t downright scary but keeps you thinking, this would be the perfect movie for you.

The iconic cover photo, which is also featured in a scene inside the movie.

MULAN’S (UN)PLEASANT RETURN BY PETER CARAM

The live-action Disney film Mulan has officially gone to streaming platforms and DVD after many postponements and delays, but it unfortunately did not stick the landing as fans of the animated film surely hoped it would.

The plot of the film starts with Mulan - played by newcomer actress Liu Yifel - showing off her martial arts skills, which her village and family disapproves of because they feel that a woman should be married rather than a warrior. Her chance at redemption comes when the emperor of China sends out a message that all the families in the country must send the nearest male in the family to join the war against Bori Khan (played by Jason Scottlee) and his mysterious friend Xianhiang (played by Gong Li). This forces Hua Zhou, Mulan’s father (played by Tzima), to be the chosen one in the family, but he is in no condition to go to war. This turn of events forces Mulan to take his weapons and armor and go to war with the other men, leading the viewer into the central question of the film: Will she be accepted by the other men as a woman, or will she need to continue to keep her lie?

Although there are many similarities to the animated classic, the live-action movie vears far from the original because there are no musical sequences at all. This void is made up, in part, by some great cinematography. The acting is solid and there are some great combat sequences highlighted by Mulan fighting off Bori Khan’s Soldiers and Xian Huang fighting off the Chinese soldiers.

Despite these great moments in the film, my overall impression lies somewhere in the middle. I really wanted to like it because I’m a big fan of woman-led films that show the audience that women can do anything that men can do. Unfortunately the story has too many plot holes - for example, an animal was supposed to be a symbol in the film but has absolutely nothing to do with the overall story. Also, the pacing of the film is wildly inconsistent. The first two acts of the film were slow but the third act feels rushed at the end due to all the action. My overall score for this film is a 6.8/10 because there were some enjoyable moments, including the moments Mulan has with her family reminding the audience that this is a Disney film, in between the many flaws. If you are a diehard Disney fan or a fan of the live-action films this would be a good movie to watch, especially during the pandemic. Perhaps it will inspire you to get out of your comfort zone and do some things society would not expect, like Mulan did.

SWITCH SWITCHED SEQUEL A SUCCESS BY HAILEY LANGFORD

In 2018 Netflix released The Princess inheritance and comes up with a plot to kidSwitch, a movie about a down-to-earth nap Margaret long enough to steal her crown Chicago baker named Tracy and her for fortune. As the women run around prebest friend Kevin who are accepted into tending to be each other, everything gets heca baking competition in Belgravia. While tic. there she runs into the soon-to-be princess This movie is something that you watch on (Margaret) and it turns out they look alike. Tracy and your couch with a cup of hot cocoa under a warm Margaret decide to switch places, leaving Margaret blanket on a snowy cold day. This movie brought me with Kevin and Tracy with Prince Edward. They both joy and really makes it feel like Christmas is here (insoon realize that they have fallen in love. Tracy has cidentally, I did watch this movie while drinking hot fallen in love with Prince Edward and Margaret has cocoa.). fallen in love with Kevin. This movie introduces you to plot complica-

The re- tions that lease clear- are barely ly gained real probenough lems. Both momentum couples in to warrant question a sequel. have no This 2020 more serirelease, ous issues The Prin- than having cess Switch been “too Switched busy” to Again, gives sit down to the viewers talk and see an update, that they two years are perfect later. Tra- Vanessa Hudgens takes on three roles in Switch for each cy and Prince Edward are married Switched. Margaret in the center with her beautiful white and gold dress and Tracy with the white shirt, gray blazer, and navy blue jean. The evil cousin Fiona other. Margret is worried about living and Margaret and who sports balck leather plants and blonde hair. up to being princess Kevin were together and Tracy has nebut split because Margaret’s dad died, and she had glected her husband when she didn’t even realize it, to get home and become queen of Montenaro. Tra- leading him to believe that she’s questioning getting cy revisits Chicago to see heartbroken Kevin and his married. adorable daughter Olivia and tries to talk them into This movie is fun, happy and gives just the right attending Margaret’s coronation. amount of suspense. If you are looking for a fun, hap-

Kevin agrees and when they arrive at Margaret’s py, cheerful movie that makes you feel like it’s already castle, the two clearly still have feelings for each oth- Christmas, this movie is for you. This movie really er and finally reunite after two years. This, of course, gives me joy and happiness during this COVID outcauses for a “switch,” but this switch takes an ugly turn break. Be safe and stay in the Christmas spirit. when Margaret’s evil cousin Fiona blows through her THE ROYAL NEWS | 23

HYRULE WARRIORS + BOTW = GAME WORTH THE HYPE BY JARET GOLD

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity had one job: placating Zelda fans while they waited for Breath of the Wild’s highly anticipated sequel. After playing through the game, Calamity definitely met that criteria and went a bit further than that. It was engaging, fun, and had more than enough surprises to make me want to play it again.

Set 100 years before Breath of the Wild, Age of Calamity gives new insights into the events leading up to the Calamity, which turned Hyrule into ruins. The story follows Link, Zelda, and the Champions as they attempt to prevent Calamity Ganon’s resurrection, aided by a mysterious Guardian from the bleak future. A trouble with prequels is that knowing how the story will end sometimes ruins the plot. However, this was not the case at all for Age of Calamity. There were several major surprises and additions to the story we didn’t see in BOTW, including a new villain, a mysterious sorcerer bent on bringing Ganon back into the world. I won’t spoil the ending, but it definitely was not what I was expecting.

Age of Calamity harkens back to previous games, in both the setting and gameplay. The world of the game is essentially the same as BOTW, albeit with the Kingdom of Hyrule not laying in ruins. Fans of the first game will find themselves fighting enemies in familiar locations. While Calamity has the look and design of BOTW, the gameplay is much more similar to that of the first Hyrule Warriors, a game which brought battlefield combat and tactics to the Zelda universe. However, there are some

A strange little guardian returns to the past to prevent the Calamity and help the heroes save Hyrule. gameplay elements from BOTW that have carried over here, including cooking and performing quests for assorted characters. However, I found these mechanics didn’t work as well without the open-world layout of BOTW; the quests are only performed from the map interface, rather than actually meeting the characters. Because of this, I found it doesn’t feel as personal. On the other hand, I found the weapon customization mechanic to be

The hand-to-hand combat of Hyrule Warriors meets BOTW’s familiar sites, such as Gerudo Town.

unique, unseen in both of the game’s predecessors. The characters can combine weapons to forge new, powerful ones, which is not a new game mechanic by any means, but is certainly an addition to Zelda.

It is always a delight to return to the land of Hyrule and especially with the characters fans have grown to love from Breath of the Wild. The game wasn’t intended to be a sequel to BOTW, but rather a unique window into the world of that game by bringing added complexity to the story and new mysteries for players to ponder. Those who enjoyed either BOTW or Hyrule Warriors will definitely find Age of Calamity a fun, engaging game. For fans looking for a BOTW sequel, they just have to keep waiting (and play Age of Calamity while you do so). As a Zelda fan, I really enjoyed my playthrough of the game, and as someone who enjoys a good story, I became engrossed with trying to prevent the seemingly inevitable Calamity. I think this is a solid Zelda spinoff and will keep me busy for months to come.

THE BEST GAME IS ALREADY AMONG US BY HAILEY LANGFORD

The game Among Us, produced by with all the funny slang and disappointment InnerSloth, was released on June 15, when they vote the wrong person out. 2018, but gained popularity in 2020 The other factor that makes this game so due to COVID. The game went viral amazing to me is partly the comedy. Among Us and has been marketed across the United States teaches how to lie (don’t ever lie to your parwith merch, a clothing franchise, and more. ents but in this game lie all you want without Among Us is free on IOS or Android and has getting in trouble) in hilarious ways. Among Us been a big help during these hard times by shining just a also has put slang in my mind that I would have never little bit of light on the days of COVID by making play- thought I would use. Most of all this game has made ers use teamwork, creativity and strategy. me laugh, enjoy my time, and not worry about, for one

The game Among Us is a suspicion game where second, what is going in a world that is dangerous and players are the crewmate or the imposter. The imposter heartbreaking. Whenever I am stressed or just in the has to pretend to do an assigned task in the game and mood for a little laugh, I play Among Us to just feel kill the crewmates one by good about bad situations. one. If a body is discov- Among Us also offers a ered, a crewmate can call wide variety of skins and an emergency meeting even little pets go with and text in the group chat the skins, just to add a litto try to figure out who the tle comedy to the game. A true imposter is. great quality about Among

The main task of the Us is the minimum time game is to go to each room investment, meaning peoto complete a task without ple can play Among Us as getting voted out. In the much as they want or as emergency meeting they little as they want without discuss who they think is losing any benefits like if suspicious and who is not, they would in games like and whoever gets the most Gameplay from Among Us. When you’re the im- Clash Of Clans. votes gets booted out and poster you have your sabotage button where you The game has an amazthey become “ghosts.” The can close doors and trap people, the kill button to ing amount of controls ghosts can watch the game be kill the crewmates and the joystick to move around. and settings. If you create a played out and find out who’s game and adjust the game the imposter. to the speed you want, you

Now for the part that is the main concept of the can choose as many imposters as you want (well, up game--the imposter. The imposter has to fake tasks to three). You can also change the chat language and and walk around to eat the crewmates without getting choose how many players you want in the game (up caught by the other crewmates. The imposter can vent to 10). You can choose control the game by joystick or to help not get caught first, but the players have to watch touch depending on how you want to move (I like joyout because if another crewmate sees that one vented, stick better). You can also have the option to leave or they could snitch and that player can lose the game. return to the game.

There can be plenty of ways a player can be vot- Among Us is a huge phenomenon and even has ed out; say someone is “green” and another crewmate been streamed on Youtube, which is interesting to me thinks the player is “sus,” meaning suspicious, then the to watch and just as fun as playing Among Us. crewmate has to convince them they are not. This game honestly and truly has become a staple

What makes this game so fun and amusing is when of 2020 and brings happiness during the terrifying panthe people turn against each other, lie to each other, and demic. I would recommend playing Among Us to feel engage in the chat, which makes it ten times funnier better and just get your mind off of things.

“THIS IS THE WAY” THE MANDALORIAN NEEDS TO GO: A REVIEW OF THE FIRST FIVE EPISODES OF SEASON TWO BY DYLAN SAUNDERS

Fans of The Mandalorian had high expectations for the show’s second season, and so far, it hasn’t disappointed. In just the first five episodes, The Mandalorian earned a 91% Rotten Tomatoes rating. This compelling story, coupled with extremely talented actors and a $15 million-per-episode budget, might just be the Star Wars franchise’s redemption after their controversial sequel trilogy. The story picks up where season one left off, with the Mandalorian and The Child (aka Baby Yoda) searching the galaxy for more Mandalorians. It’s Mando’s duty to bring The Child to his own people, and he is hoping the network of Mandalorians spread across the galaxy will help him on his mission. With that in mind, here’s a spoiler-free review of what made the first five episodes of The Mandalorian great, as well as what fans might like to see more of in the future. WHAT THE MANDALORIAN DID RIGHT STYLE

The Mandalorian stands out from other Star Wars media because it tells a different kind of story than fans have come to expect. The Mandalorian has all the elements of the sci-fi/fantasy hybrid genre Star Wars is known for, but is primarily a western. Without getting too far into the details, Mando spends much of his time traveling to and cleaning up small towns in exchange for a local’s help. The first episode of season two includes an iconic showdown between a town sheriff and Mando in a saloon that has been reimagined to fit the Star Wars universe. The quick-draw, the dirty bar, and the local sheriff (or marshal) are just a few of the western tropes that have translated beautifully into Star Wars content. The parallels between these two worlds are immediately recognizable, even to casual viewers.

The Mandalorian’s departure from the grandiose military conflicts and epic struggles portrayed by the films is a breath of fresh air for Star Wars fans. After nine films about roughly the same war with roughly the same characters, The Mandalorian puts the well-established Star Wars universe under a microscope and allows fans to see the parts of the galaxy the movies never bothered with. Season two highlights the gritty reality of post-war life following the collapse of the Empire using a western With his rifle slung across his back and his cloak billowing in the wind, Mando disappears into the sunset. Concept art from season 2 episode 5 draws attention to The Mandalorian’s western inspirations. lens: the massive power vacuum in neglected towns makes them battlefields for gangs, Concept art by Brian Matyas, owned by Lucasfilm Ltd. profiteers, extremists, and self-appointed law enforcement. No matter where Mando goes, he seems to run into the kind of action and excitement that makes for a captivating series. CONTINUITY

One thing season two makes very clear is that actions have consequences. Mando’s activities in season one are not completely in the past. For example, his split-second decision to show compassion to a character in season one saves his life in season two. It’s a reminder that even in the vast Star Wars universe, one’s actions do not go unnoticed. The writers made sure to include several key characters from season one into the new season. Such characters undergo their own subtle development, which prevents them from feeling two dimensional and replaceable.

While it’s fun to see some familiar faces in the show, it’s even more exciting to see how the writers tie other Star Wars properties into The Mandalorian. Just about everything is fair game: the prequels, original trilogy, sequels, and animated shows are all referenced. These tie-ins range from important plot elements that casual viewers can understand to obscure Easter Eggs for only the most eagle-eyed fans. Again, most of these references aren’t just fan service; continuity has a double-sided impact on fan perception of The Mandalorian. It’s comparable to how the MCU functions: characters frequently reference different Marvel properties to let the audience know that a given story co-exists with other storylines. At the same time, a given story doesn’t have to be about the pre-existing stories. The idea that everything in the Star Wars

galaxy is connected makes season two of The Mandalorian feel grounded in spite of its fantasy and sci-fi elements. DANGER In television and movies, a “power creep” is a problem where characters become too strong. When characters get too strong, the audience no longer believes that they face any real challenges (picture Superman in a fistfight: he’s so ridiculously strong that there are no real stakes for him). The Mandalorian addresses the power creep by not giving Mando any special abilities to begin with; he’s just a human navigating a galaxy with space wizards, killer robots, and dangerous aliens. Sure, he’s a great fighter, a sharpshooter, and has indestructible armor, but he’s far from invincible. These skills, coupled with the allies he makes, are just enough to keep him alive. The final episode of season one set an important precedent for season two: Mando can be fatally injured, even in his tough armor. In a film franchise that isn’t afraid to dismember its main characters, it’s concerning to see Mando actively seek out people who wield laser swords. Mando constantly puts himself in danger and runs the risk of needing to replace one of his limbs with a prosthetic. For an original storyline, anything is possible. Season two of The Mandalorian pushes all of Mando’s skills to their limits; the omnipresent element of danger keeps fans engaged. WHAT THE MANDALORIAN NEEDS MORE OF CREATIVE FIGHT SCENES In the first episode of season two, Mando fights off a group of gangsters with a very unorthodox technique. He uses his helmet as a blunt weapon, ramming it into the fists of his attackers. Many films and shows have a scaled-down power creep, where it seems like every character is a skilled martial artist. The same can be said for most characters in The Mandalorian. This stunt work adds an element of flashiness to the action and fight scenes, but it gets old fast (even when the main character has an arsenal of gadgets at his disposal). The show stresses how Mando based his entire life around fighting; he grew up in a violence-worshipping cult, after all. When every other character knows space-karate, Mando needs to show what sets him apart as a great hunter and warrior. Simple adjustments to fight scenes can help remind fans that Mando isn’t skilled just because he can out-punch a gang member, but he’s skilled because his creativity carries him through tough situations. DEVELOPMENT Even though it developed a unique style of storytelling, The Mandalorian has become a bit predictable in the layout of its episodes. Without giving too much away, the average seaWith his rifle slung across his back and his cloak billowing in the wind, Mando disappears into the sunset. Concept art from season 2 episode 5 draws attention to The Mandalorian’s western inspirations. son two episode follows this structure: Mando lands on a new planet in search of X. Then, he meets somebody who can help him with X if Mando helps them with Y. Mando helps them with Y, and in exchange, the person offers Mando the name or location of someone Concept art by Brian Matyas, owned by Lucasfilm Ltd. who can help him with X. The cycle restarts itself in the next episode. This episode structure works for a little bit. It introduces the audience to a variety of new characters and locations. It’s also very effective when paired with the sci-fi/western style discussed earlier. However, the effectiveness of the structure wanes as season two progresses. With only a filler episode to punctuate an otherwise constant stream of the structure, the show gets predictable. Important and exciting things happen in each episode, but the overall plot of The Mandalorian seems to be spinning its wheels. What started as a fun planet-hopping adventure feels like getting dragged across the galaxy for minimal gain. The slow pace of the plot doesn’t match the speed at which Mando moves through locations. What the plot needs is a clear direction with a digestible pace. Above all, Star Wars material tells the story of human experience through elements of space opera, sci-fi, fantasy, and now, westerns. Season one of The Mandalorian understood this to some extent. Audiences watched a battle-hardened man struggle with his humanity and realize the cost of doing the right thing. They watched him try and fail to detach himself from the people around him. They even got to see him overcome his own prejudices. Season two has not yet given the audience any of this development. The show provides a few cute scenes to highlight the father-son relationship between Mando and The Child. Now, it needs to expand on those moments, introduce conflict, and drive the plot in a meaningful way besides a formulaic episode structure.