Page Turners They Were Not

Emperor Palpatine is a Machiavellian politician of the highest caliber. It would therefore not surprise me at all if he were secretly responsible for the death of Anakin Skywalker's mother. Even though she died as a result of her treatment at the hands of the Sandpeople, it is entirely possible that her abduction was planned by the evil Lord Sidious. Join with me as I present my fan theory.

Star Wars as a mythology includes many of the archetypes common in all human storytelling. One of these archetypes is the wise old man, a mentor-figure to the hero who has been many places and seen many things. The wisdom that these elders have accumulated often prove invaluable to our hero on his or her journey. Join with me as we discuss the many faces worn by this common archetype in the Star W...

First introduced to us in The Empire Strikes Back, telekinesis has become perhaps the most iconic use of the Force in the Star Wars saga. In fact, my favorite scene in the franchise involves this power and a certain little green master. Join with me as we discuss...

No discussion of Star Wars would be complete without referencing Akira Kurosawa's 1958 samurai epic The Hidden Fortress. Not only is this film similar to Star Wars in many respects, but it is one of the few to be mentioned as an inspiration by George Lucas himself. Join with me as we discuss what is easily the most accessible works of one of the world's greatest filmmakers.

Occurring during the first act of The Empire Strikes Back, the Battle of Hoth is unique in the world of Star Wars because it is an attempt at retreat as opposed to an attempt to win. The Rebel Alliance could have chosen to make a 300-style last stand, but they chose instead to save life rather than take it needlessly. Join with me as we discuss one of the most iconic battles in cinematic history.

Throughout the Star Wars saga, Luke Skywalker has had a variety of amazing and/or iconic moments. From his birth on the asteroid of Polis Massa to his death on the watery world of Ahch-To, our beloved Jedi master has cemented himself as one of the greatest film characters of all time. Join with me today as I give you my five favorite moments from his illustrious career.

Released between 1991 and 1993, Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy tells the story of a brilliant Imperial tactician attempting to take back the galaxy from the New Republic five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. Not only does this saga tell a great story, but it is also credited with revitalizing a waning Star Wars franchise. Join with me as I discuss...

Perhaps the most iconic use of the Force in the Star Wars saga is Obi-Wan's use of the Jedi mind trick on the hapless stormtroopers in Mos Eisley. Join with me today as we discuss this unique power, and how it can have a "strong influence on the weak-minded."

Michael Curtiz' The Adventures of Robin Hood, released in 1938, is quite simply one of the most entertaining films of all time. Not only has the film defined our modern view of the legendary outlaw, but it also gave us the most iconic performance of said character in the person of Errol Flynn. Join with me as I discuss this legendary movie, as well as give my thoughts on how it connects with that...

George Lucas' space opera masterpiece culminates in a fierce battle to destroy the Death Star before it can blow up the rebel base on the moon Yavin 4. In one of the most pulse-pounding scenes in cinematic history, Luke Skywalker pilots his X-wing in a desperate gamble to reach the thermal reactor shaft in time.  Can he make it? Join with me as we discuss what makes this battle an incredible...

Have you ever noticed the difference between the acting in old films versus the acting in new films? I believe the difference is due to the rise of what is called "method acting." Beginning in the 1950's with actors such as Marlon Brando, acting changed to become more natural as opposed to the "stagey" style of yore. Join with me as we discuss the history of this modern approach. And trust me: Sta...

Today I ask a simple question: Who is a Star Wars fan? Well, it is my opinion that anyone who loves Star Wars in any way has the right to call himself/herself a fan. Join me as we celebrate a franchise that's big enough for anyone to enjoy.

First seen in 1983's Return of the Jedi, Force Lightning is a hallmark of the Dark Side and Dark Side users. After failing to convince Luke Skywalker to accept his offers, Emperor Palpatine uses this evil power to torture the young Jedi to death. Of course, this act backfires. Join with me as we discuss this unique and visually compelling use of the Dark Side of the Force.

John Ford's classic Western Stagecoach, released in 1939, was considered by the great Orson Welles to be a textbook example of filmmaking. The rest of the film community seems to agree with this assessment, as Stagecoach is considered to be one of the most iconic and influential films of all time. Join with me as I celebrate this contribution to cinema as well as discuss the parallels I see betwee...

The Battle of Scarif was an event Star Wars fans have known about since 1977. In the opening crawl of the original film, a battle in which rebel spies had stolen the plans to the Death Star was referenced. It wasn't until 2016's Rogue One that we got to see this event play out.. Join with me as we discuss the explosive conclusion of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

With the character of Ahsoka Tano coming from cartoon to live-action in The Mandalorian Season 2, many questions were raised as to her casting. While most fans seem satisfied with the casting of Rosario Dawson, some have wondered why Lucasfilm did not choose to bring Ashley Eckstein, Ahsoka's voice actress, to the role in live-action. Join with me as I give my thoughts on the matter...

Now that the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy is complete, we can begin to have discussions regarding our favorite film of these new entries. Join with me as I share with you my current favorite, as well as discuss how having the final piece of the puzzle can change our perspectives on the other films in the trilogy.

A fairly rare Force power, psychometry is the ability to touch an object and sense the history of those who held it previously. While never specifically identified as such, it is my contention that Rey unknowingly exercised this power when she touched Luke's lightsaber in Maz Kanata's castle in The Force Awakens. Join me as I explain further...

In honor of Throwback Thursday, I'm very pleased to bring you the inaugural episode in a new Thursdays' only series entitled Cinema and Star Wars. On these particular episodes, we'll discuss the influence specific films have had on that galaxy far, far away...

2005's Revenge of the Sith broke tradition by having a major battle take place at the very beginning of a Star Wars film (The Empire Strikes Back had a battle *near* the beginning, but not *at* the beginning.) The Battle of Coruscant is both a space battle and rescue mission, with our heroes Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi racing against time to rescue the captured Chancellor Palpatine. Join m...

Though she had a small claim to fame prior to Star Wars, Natalie Portman came to international attention with her appearance in The Phantom Menace as Padme Amidala. Since then, her career has taken her all the way to the Academy Awards, winning Best Actress for her performance in Black Swan. If you had told me in 1999 that she would one day win an Oscar, I would have laughed it off as a ridiculous...

Imagine for a moment you would like to introduce a friend who has never seen a Star Wars film to that galaxy far, far away. The inevitable question that would come up is what order to watch the films in. Let me give you some insights into my preferred order.

Obi-Wan Kenobi's explanation of the mystical energy field known as "the Force" may be the greatest piece of exposition in film history. Not only is it a concise description of the chief conceit of the Star Wars saga, but it is so simple that anyone of any spiritual persuasion can see the parallels with their own beliefs. Much has been said of the Force, but I thought I would add my own insights in...

It has been 15 years since the end of the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. In that time, the online discourse in regards to the prequels has undergone a drastic change. If one were to go on the internet at any given moment nowadays, one would see a huge degree of positivity where there was, only a few years ago, a huge degree of negativity. So, what changed? Join with me as I share some thoughts.

At the end of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, the various plotlines converge of the desert planet Geonosis. Sentenced to death by the Geonosians for sticking their noses where they don't belong, our heroes face off against savage beasts in a public arena. When hope seems to be lost, the Jedi appear en masse to save the day. What follows is the inaugural battle of the Clone Wars. Join m...