[YT Edit] Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi

Yeah, your reaction is pretty much what most people thought of it the first time around. I'd watched and read reviews on it and purposesly spoiled it for mysel because I felt I was going to be less disappointed. All your conserns about characters, stories and theories are about to be upended because JJ Abrams was rehired to undue a lot of Rian Johnson's storylines. That was another huge problem with this trilogy. There was no master in control of the ship to keep the stories on track. You'll probably hear that criticism a lot too. But yeah, most of this movie seemed like wasted effort. Why bother setting up all these subplots when they don't matter in the end? Why use up fuel when in space objects will move in one direction forever and never have to use up fuel? The good news is the next movie will roll along so fast because it spends the movie tying up all those issues you have. Of course, there was a lot of behind the scenes drama on these movies. And there was no shortage of that on this movie as well.

Philip Davetas

I beg to differ. Please explain. They were in space when the bombs fell. I saw that you said this was the only one of the sequels worth watching. I don’t mean to attack your favorite or anything. This movie certainly has some moments worth watching. However, a lot of it is very far-fetched, even for Star Wars.

George Stapp

This is the only one of the three Sequel movies worth watching, honestly.

Patrick Flanagan

They didn't drop bombs in zero gravity.

Patrick Flanagan

I’ve never read this was the intent of American planners from before the battle kicked off but that is the way it worked out. It’s not clear that this generally happened in the early phases of the Russian attack but there are numerous reports of conscript formations leading the way into areas, getting chewed up by Ukrainian defenders while more veteran Russian formations sat idly relatively nearby. This could be incidental due to poor logistics or a more cynical, send-the-canary-into-the-coal-mine-first plan.

Lamar Smith

The next group of American planes to arrive over the Japanese fleet happened to be the worst planes in our frontline carrier squadrons, the lumbering and unescorted Devastator torpedo bombers. One of the US carrier’s torpedo squadrons suffered 100% aircraft lost, with only one pilot safely getting out of his plane after it hit the sea, junior pilot Ensign George Gay. He floated on or under his seat cushion for a day or two before a sea-plane picked him up but, oh, the view he had when the fighters and dive-bombers next showed up. He witnessed three of the four Japanese carriers set afire and sunk. Midway resembled at least some of the early reports of War in the Ukraine. Whether by luck or plan, the initial American attack was by the least experienced pilots with dismal results but each subsequent attack saw increasingly better aircraft and more experienced pilots delivering decisive blows against diminishing numbers of increasingly exhausted defenders.

Lamar Smith

The pilots sent to beef up the defenses of Midway were almost exclusively straight from flight school flying a hodge podge of newer and obsolete planes, including level bombers. I stand to be corrected but I’m unaware of a single hit on an underway vessel from any Navy being struck by a level bomber. Even the slowest vessels, so long as they’re underway, can elude heavy and medium bombers dropping their loads. The entire complement of planes, though they knew full well the Japanese were coming and more or less precisely where they’d be, failed to score a single hit on any Japanese ship, much less the high value carriers. The experienced pilots flying combat air patrol over the Japanese carriers absolutely had their way with the Midway strike and only a handful of all those planes returned to Midway. Again, I stand to be corrected, but I believe more planes and pilots that took off from carriers that morning ended the day on Midway due to diverting to Midway on account of lack of fuel, battle damage to the planes or wounded pilots being forced to land on Midway.

Lamar Smith

True enough, but the American almost-carrier battle at the Japanese base on the island of Santa Cruz, as well as the Battle of the Coral sea meant that the carrier squadrons had more experience than the flyers hurriedly sent out to bolster the defenses of Midway itself. Even before the Japanese code breakers had much of an inkling that Midway was to be the next target and major air battle, American brass recognized the qualitative edge of the ‘Kido Butai’ (First Striking Arm) pilots of the IJN. They ordered carrier air raids against the closest to Hawaii, most outlying Japanese bases such as Santa Cruz. No follow on US invasions occurred. US planners wanted to give their pilots opportunities to close the experience gap against more limited defenses and assumed lower tier Japanese pilots. The best IJN pilots were hand selected to serve aboard the carriers and the remainder parceled out to different locations around the newly conquered islands and atolls of the South Pacific. When the Americans raided Santa Cruz, however, unbeknownst to them, from memory, 2 of the 6 Pearl Harbor carriers were in the neighborhood but the Americans withdrew before any decisive engagement occurred.

Lamar Smith

"Deconstruction", at this point, is a dratted pox on good storytelling. Just TELL the story, you know?

Matt Blanchette

You should watch the 4th Indiana Jones movie its called Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the crystal skull

Please no. I am so tired of the perpetual franchises.

Mike Lemon

Most of those American pilots would have been pretty 'green' . Tremendous courage to dive bomb through the murderous flak thrown at them. But they virtually wiped out all Japan's best pilots. The breaking of the Japanese codes also a critical factor in the victory.

Darren Hill

Given Star Wars has happened a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, this would mean porgs predate chickens. So I guess it would be more fitting if chickens would taste porgs, wouldn't it? 😉

Gábor Árki

I didn't enjoy this at the cinema unfortunately. Disney has destroyed this franchise. Nice to hear your take on it Cassie.

Darren Hill

I won't be watching that. F Disney.

My_Cousin_Mose

Ok, so shifting to comparative reality. Far too many observers to be ignored noted the attitude and demeanor of the carrier pilots returning from the first strike on the Japanese carriers off Midway. There were four fleet carriers present, Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu & Soryu, all veterans of the strike on Pearl Harbor and, after the American planes headed back to their carriers after the first strike, 3 of them were burning, soon to litter the ocean floor. This was unparalleled success and revenge and the day the entire Pacific War turned from the Japanese winning to an inevitable Japanese defeat. Amongst the pilots returning to the carriers, noting the empty seats in their squadron ready rooms and the empty bunks of their lost comrades, the mood amongst the pilots was dark and depressed. They received the orders to rest and eat and prepare to go after the last surviving carrier, that they sunk, quietly and professionally but the mood, due to the huge losses in planes and men, was incredibly depressed. I simply draw the parallel between victorious but decimated squadrons don’t, historically, lead to whooping celebrations. To be fair, though, the mourning happens after the return to base where losses can be confirmed. It’s nearly impossible, in a dogfight situation, to even know for sure which of your squadron-mates are truly lost.

Lamar Smith

When did she say she is not sure she would react to it? I remember during one of the intros (or maybe outros?) for one of the SW reactions that she said she would react to Mandalorian.

Aaron Mann

Chewie and Han ran spice, we know they had seasoning onboard 😉

Todzilla

I'm guessing that Porg tastes like chicken. 😏

Robin Craft

The real question this movie poses: What does a porg taste like and did Chewie have any seasoning on board? Also, did he ever name any of the porgs and if not what would a good name for one be? Porgster? Porgie? Brrpbrrrrp? Snuffles?

Christoph Wolf

From the very first scene 'dropping bombs' in zero gravity all the way to adding the modern politics in this movie, it was pretty much terrible all the way around. It has some redeeming scenes but they are definitely sparse. The scene where Ben and Rey are connected and touch hands is probably the best scene in the movie followed by the scene where they killed Snoke and thrashed his guards. IX will redeem the story for you a bit and it ends well. As always thoroughly enjoyed your reaction!

George Stapp

This one is very divisive. I definitely get your feelings toward it tho. For me, I’ve always loved this movie.

pineapplvampire