TV & Streaming

Star Wars: Andor a more grown-up rebel series

Since its debut in 1977, the Star Wars universe has used the theme of heroic rebellion as one of its core values. e idea of a small group of underdogs ghting against the huge industrial machine that is e Empire became central to everything that followed. e notion of us against them, David versus Goliath, and the almost staggering levels of odds- defying bravery frame the saga in all its many forms.

Rebellion is, in many ways, Star Wars, and, now, Andor on Disney+ looks to address this and shake it to its core.

Set before the events of the 2016 lm Rogue One, and working as a 12-episode prequel, Andor follows our Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) as he rises from small time crook, thief and murderer to become a cunning and lethal central part of the Rebellion. A rebellion still in its infancy and still unknown to a bloated and arrogant Empire.

While attempting to sell on a particularly valuable piece of stolen empire equipment, our Cassian is brought into contact with the mysterious gure of Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgard) and our story begins in full. Luthen is focused, driven and seemingly devoid of emotion to those around him. He, we learn, is a major player in the infancy of the Rebel Alliance, a man who lives a double life. Publicly a rich, enigmatic arts and antique dealer and, in private, a ruthless agent building networks and planning operations to damage the Empire in whatever way he can. rough Luthen, the audience is shown the central theme of the show: sacri ce, and what men will do when faced with absolute adversity. e Star Wars series has been based on the idea of men and women giving everything they have, including their lives for the Rebellion.

Everything for a free galaxy out of Empire control.

Rest assured there are enough twists and turns, stand-out moments and beautifully crafted and shot set pieces to keep even the most hardcore Star Wars fan happy. Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor is a fantastic main character, fully engaging and well-rounded and as the show progresses we see him develop into what we already know he is from Rogue One.

After the success of Rogue One the decision was made to keep Andor in the hands of the original creator and writer Tony Gilroy. With a long history of writing for serious mature movies and television series, many saw this as a possibly dangerous move for a long-form Disney Plus television franchise show.

With a heavy and intricate plot, pacing bordering on glacial and new-found maturity, the show feels fresh and exciting. Andor feels real, gritty, alive and beautiful, with huge sweeping landscapes just as impressive and immersive as run- down shipyards and Empire prison facilities. We visit multiple planets, cities, camps, and facilities but they at no point look fake and distracting like they have done before. is is not a show aimed at the younger Star Wars audience. Its target is older and perhaps those now jaded with the saga after years of missteps. It is an adult show, dark, gritty, disturbing, political, thoughtful and realistic. Good people die, bad people survive, and in the background, a rebellion is formed. One based on brutality and the willingness to kill, survive, sacri ce and be as bad as the Empire they are looking to destroy. ere’s no Force, no Lightsabers and the show is all the better for that.

There’s a new Alien movie coming

Acclaimed horror director Fede Alvarez is bringing us a new Alien movie and it is reported that he has already found the lm’s lead star. e movie is set to be produced by the creator of the franchise, Ridley Scott, but it is thought that this one won’t be a sequel (or prequel) to the Aliens lms before it, but act as a standalone movie. e new Alien movie is set to be made for streaming. While doing it ‘direct to streaming’ would have had fans wincing in the past, the quality of the movies that have premiered on streaming services of late have been consistently good.

It also means that we could see one of the scariest Alien lms yet, given Alverez won’t have to tone down the lm for a big-screen audience.

Alvarez — who made the decent and grizzly Evil Dead remake and Don’t Breathe — is said to have found his lead for the new Alien movie, with sources reporting that Cailee Spaeny is in talks to star.

Spaeny will be known to fans of Mare Of Easttown and Devs and she will also be playing Pricilla Presley in the upcoming biopic by So a Coppola.

As for the plot of the lm, that is strictly under wraps for now.

Alien rst hit the big screen in 1979, directed by Ridley Scott, and has three sequels. While Aliens is a masterpiece, both Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection were middling additions to the franchise.

A prequel franchise was also made by Ridley Scott which started with Prometheus and ended (so far) with Alien: Covenant. ere have been two Alien Vs Predator lms, too, but the less said about them the better. It is thought that lming of the new Alien movie will begin in 2023.

5

best new movies to watch now

1. e Wonder

As a piece of cinema, e Wonder is up there with e Queen’s Gambit, M aid and e Father. It is a new psychological thriller on Net ix starring Florence Pugh, Irish-born actor Elaine Cassidy and her daughter Kila Lord Cassidy who, at just 13, gives, a memorable performance as the central protagonist. Set in the Irish countryside in 1862, it’s about an English nurse (Pugh) who arrives in a small village to solve the mystery of how an 11-yearold girl is managing to survive without food. It’s based on the novel by Emma Donoghue and inspired by real-life events.

2. Spirited (Apple TV +)

Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell make for an odd couple in this reimagining of -- you guessed it -- A Christmas Carol, streaming on Apple TV+’ Ferrell is the Ghost of Christmas Present, but instead of showing Reynolds’ Scrooge the error of his ways, it’s Present who must reexamine his own past, present and future. Expect big musical numbers and the hit of cheer you’re after from this serviceable bite of Christmas confectionary.

3. Disenchanted

While it’s not strictly a Christmas movie, Disenchanted on Disney+ is a no-brainer to watch over the silly season. It uses the genius idea of turning the pure and loving Giselle into an evil stepmother -- technically she became a stepmother in 2007’s Enchanted. is sequel brings back Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden and Idina Menzel, and adds Maya Rudolph.

4. 1899

1899 is a new series on Net ix from the creators of the mindbending time travel mystery series Dark. It’s about the passengers of an ocean liner in the 19th century who discover another ship while out at sea that was believed to have gone missing. Early reviews have praised the series for its elaborate story and central mystery, but be warned, this doesn’t sound like the kind of show that will make you feel warm and cosy inside.

5, FIFA Uncovered

If you are a fan of football, and give the controversies over the World Cup taking place in Qatar, then you have to watch this documentary to understand just how corrupt the beautiful game has gotten behind the scenes. is four-part doc on Net ix is an eye-opening and jaw- dropping look at the main players who are in it for greed and certainly not for the love of the game. Stream on Net ix

Christmas concert at set theatre to benefit Kilimanjaro project

By Peadar Dunphy

EARLIER this year, Sheila Ryan met me at The Pembroke hotel on Patrick Street. As I was catching a bus to Dublin I explained that I had thirty minutes or so to hear her story about her work in Tanzania and her charity ‘Kilimanjaro Direct.’ Two hours later, I was still sat in the same seat at The Pembroke, completely engrossed by the amazing story being related to me by Sheila.

Sheila came to Kilkenny in 1979 at twenty one years of age and taught Music and English in the Presentation Secondary school. This post was hers for forty one years .

Sheila was a native of Cappawhite, Co. Tipperary until she was ten, when the family moved to Doon, Co. Limerick, where her father was the village chemist.

However, Kilkenny folk claim Sheila as one of their own as she spent the best part of her life in the city of the Stripy men and women.

She now lives in Kilimanjaro, running her charity, and travels back to Kilkenny regularly to