Movie Advent Calendar #03 – Rogue One

“I’m one with the Force. The Force is with me.”

In 2011 I did a musical advent calendar that I posted to Google+ (remember that) and a final summary on this blog. In 2012 I did a cinematic advent calendar of twenty four films. These were films that I really liked and have enjoyed at the cinema. In 2019 I did a televisual advent calendar of twenty four television programmes. These were television programmes that I really liked and have enjoyed watching. This year on a similar theme I will be posting a movie advent calendar of twenty four movies.

As a young kid I didn’t go to the cinema very often, but one film I did go and see, and had to queue all around the market square in Cambridge for, was Star Wars. I didn’t go to the cinema very often when i was young, but I never remember really long queues for films, the queue for Star Wars was unprecedented, it was huge. I have never seen anything like this again. Star Wars was, and still is, an amazing piece of cinema. 

If you were to ask me what my favourite Star Wars film was before 2016, I would have had to say Star Wars: A New Hope. Now days though I would say Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Rogue One details the Rebel Alliance’s first effective victory against the Empire, first referenced in Star Wars’ opening crawl. The film is essentially the story referenced in that crawl.

This is not a hero film, in the way that the Skywalker films were, this is a spy film, a war film and an adventure film. It is in the Star Wars universe, but this is nothing like the trilogies. I like the roughness of the characters, but you still have that element of humour that makes a Star Wars film, a Star Wars film. The K-2SO droid is an example of this, with their characterisation and dialogue.

The assault on Scarif was very much filmed like a war film. The tropical beach setting was a change from the deserts of Tatooine and the ice of Hoth. I also through the cinematography of this section of the film was excellent.

I have also enjoyed Andor the prequel series on Disney+.

Get Rogue One at Amazon.

The Mandalorian

After the stories of Jango and Boba Fett, another warrior emerges in the Star Wars universe. “The Mandalorian” is set after the fall of the Empire and before the emergence of the First Order. We follow the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.

I do quite like the look of this series, then again I enjoyed Rogue One.

The question I have is, how can I watch this in the UK? I know it will be on Disney+ streaming service in the US, will it be the same for the UK?

Stuff: Top Ten Blog Posts 2018

Over the last twelve months I have published 89 posts.

The tenth most popular post on my personal blog was Cinematic Advent Calendar #07 – The Eagle has Landed.

Cinematic Advent Calendar #07 – The Eagle has Landed

In at number nine, is one of a few posts about the harbourside in Bristol, Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s Part Five

Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s Part Five

Eighth most popular post, was about how Trenchard Street in Bristol had changed from the 1970s to today.

Trenchard Street, Bristol, circa 1970s

At number seven, was a post about the Bryan Brothers’ Garage Demolition, Bristol, in 1999.

Bryan Brothers’ Garage Demolition, Bristol, 1999

The sixth most popular post was about A nice clean new shiny Millennium Falcon as would be seen in the Solo: Star Wars Story film.

A nice clean new shiny Millennium Falcon

The post at number five was a post containing photographs from the harbourside in Bristol. Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s

Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s

Fourth most popular post was Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s Part Three. This was another post containing photographs from the harbourside in Bristol.

Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s Part Three

Post at number three, Changes at the railway station, was how things have changed at Weston-super-Mare railway station.

Changes at the railway station

Second most popular post was some photographs from the Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s

Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s

The most popular blog post this year was Cinematic Advent Calendar #05 – Leon.

Cinematic Advent Calendar #05 – Leon

We’ve seen the teaser, now we have the trailer

After the teaser, we now have the trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story.

When I saw the teaser I was impressed with the shiny new Millennium Falcon, however I wasn’t sure about the story, as there wasn’t much to get from the teaser.

The new trailer though does provide a deeper insight into the story and I am now looking forward to seeing the film at the end of May.

I really enjoyed Rogue One and I think Solo has a lot to live up to, to match the quality of that film.

A nice clean new shiny Millennium Falcon

Millenium Falcon

With the release of the trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story we get to see an insight to the film which will be released in May.

One frame did strike me and that was the nice clean Millennium Falcon, all shiny and new.

Millennium Falcon interior

Very different to the Falcon we see in The New Hope.

Millennium Falcon interior

Looking forward to the film, how about you?

Legoland: May the fourth be with you…

May the 4th is seen by many as Star Wars Day. Over in Legoland there is a whole miniland scale exhibit on Star Wars.

The exhibit covers the six films, the original three and the three sequels.

A recent addition was a Miniland scale model of the trench run from the first film. There is Luke Skywalker flying down the trench in his X-Wing followed by Darth Vader and two TIE Fighters.

There is a also a model of the Death Star in the process of firing its primary weapon.

I like how they have used air conditioning to add an icy feel to the Assault on Hoth display. Here the rebel forces face attack from the might of the Imperium.

No Star Wars exhibit would be complete without the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy! This is the Millennium Falcon that “made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs.”

There is also an Endor display complete with Ewoks.

The three prequels make up quite a few models and includes this huge tank.

Virtually all the models have lights, like this palace from Naboo and the displays go from day to night.

Miniland scale droids.

As well as the Miniland scale exhibits there are also some larger Lego models too, such as R2-D2.

…and Lord Vader!

I wonder if at some future point the exhibit will cover episode VII or Rogue One?