Analizando The Acolyte: Wayseeker

Justina Ireland nos trae la siguiente aventura situada a un par de décadas de los sucesos de #TheAcolyte que sigue los pasos de la recién convertida en Caballero Jedi Andara en su cruzada por encontrar a Vernestra Rwoh, quien ha estado alejada de la Orden tras el desenlance de la Fase III de la Alta República.

Entre Casual #4

Descubre las recientes novedades del cine, el streaming y del Universo de Star Wars a través de Comunicante MX. 

Entre Casual #3

ENTRE CASUAL con Adrián Andrade, entérate de las novedades de cine recomendaciones y todo sobre Star Wars. #comunicantemx #entrecasual

La Segunda y Conclusiva Temporada de Andor + Rogue One

La Segunda Temporada de #Andor ha finalizado y que mejor que hacer un análisis general para darle el tan merecido cierre que se merece en conjunto con #RogueOne, la cual era inevitable no volver a visitarse. Sin duda, nos encontramos ante una trilogía narrativa maestra!

Fuerza Rebelde: Comentario arco final de la segunda temporada de #StarWars #Andor.

¡Llegamos al final de nuestros analisis de #StarWars #Andor en #FuerzaRebelde!! El último arco de #Andor ha llegado y ha estado repleto de emociones, revelaciones y un camino perfecto para llegar a #RogueOne, una de las películas más queridas de la franquicia. El paso definitivo de Cassian Andor en la Rebelión y una misión secreta en busca de respuestas: ¿el Imperio está construyendo un arma secreta?

A Busy Month at the Movies

This article is participating on Peliplat's May Challenge 
https://www.peliplat.com/es/article/10055478/a-busy-month-at-the-movies

 Last April, I had the opportunity and time to take advantage of the special ticket price for the entire month and went to the theater every weekend, resulting in a total of five films. Incredible. It took me almost five years to do what I used to do before the pandemic crisis.

This really made me reflect, as survivors, everyone here right now whether reading this article or just hanging out, is truly blessed to be alive, and being alive should not be taken for granted but with respect and awareness, because others were not as fortunate as we were.

So, Yes, it is important not to forget and to always enjoy life at much as possible and in my case, I ended up enjoying thanks to the following April’s releases:

A Working Man

I really enjoyed Beekeeper; therefore, the second collaboration between director David Ayer and Jason Statham will be almost as good as their first, and that’s due to not being the typical action vehicle for Statham. Well, it was in a certain degree but with feeling as it almost made me cry at the end.

It reminds me a lot of Liam Neeson’s Taken, and it certainly shares his spirit and formula. But it is clearly inspired by John Wick’s criminal underworld, in reference to the villainous group he must face to save her boss’s daughter. Judging by the ending, I wouldn’t be surprised if a sequel is greenlighted. If that is the case, I will probably go just for pure entertainment.

Sylvester Stallone’s influence on the script is a great help, in a way, the sentimentality is noticeable, offsetting the bloody violence that Ayer often unleashes. Every moment is well coordinated and each character is stronger, even the kidnapped woman proves to be as tough as her captors.

In addition to a balanced performance, Jason benefits from his interactions with David Harbour, who plays a blind ex-marine. Harbour is becoming a fan favorite because he is adept at balancing seriousness with comedy. I would have love it to see him in action, but writing him as blind was a bad decision, as he would have been a perfect sidekick.

In any case, I was expecting less and, in the end,, I got more in terms of performance, action and story. It is not a spectacular film, but it is enough to entertain, even if you get mad about police corruption. In a good way, it serves as a seriously reminder to always keep an eye to our love ones, especially women, who are always in the crosshairs of criminals.

The Amateur

I was expecting more from The Amateur and instead, A Working Man was the unexpected surprised. I say this because the rescue plot felt more powerful until the end, rather than Charlie’s personal revenge, which started to weaken in the middle of his quest. Not only did the screenplay feel generic, but also did James Hawes’s direction.

The physical fights are messy and not as believable as a I would have liked but the film’s strengths lie in the technology and its implementation thought Charlie’s tactics. Furthermore, Rami Malek needed to express more emotion or suffering for the audience to connect. Instead, Laurence Fishbourne ended up stealing the show thanks to his charisma, as did Jon Bernthal, who was only there to distract us for a quick moment.

Caitríona Balfe as Charlie’s anonymous contact, was wasted. Dead or alive, it did not matter because what began as a revenge story it drastically changed into an unmasking of an espionage conspiracy without adequately developing the circumstances that gave rise to it. The same could be said of our protagonist’s transformation from cryptographer to “vigilante”.

But it is not Rami’s lack of personality, but rather an unconventional adaptation with a much-needed rewrite at his core to justify the means to an end. At least it is entertaining thanks to the supporting cast, but I have seen better “spy” or “revenge” movies. Taking into account that it only grossed $ 37.5 million on a $ 60 million budget, I can easily understand why it wasn't the only one who thought this.

Sinners

Oh my God! What did a just see? My eyes! Oh, my eyes! They burn! They are really burning!

Honestly, I had my doubts regarding this period horror but director Ryan Coogler and his main actor Michael B. Jordan showed us why they are masters of what they do. Having made Black Panther and Creed, who would have thought that they had team up once more to deliver a bloody and fascinating vampire movie?

It is not an easy genre, but they approach it with great ease and with mastery in every aspect. I am even dare to predict it is a sure candidate for the upcoming Award Season. I am thinking of nominations in categories such as Film Editing, Cinematography, Visual Effects, Sound, Score, Make up, Production Design and even original screenplay and Best Picture. Hey, I believe everything is possible for this bloody and horror film.

The reference of how the music can summons spirits from the past and the future worked at its best due to a sequence where we see people from other generations dancing together. Racism and segregation were used to justify the vampirism purpose. Therefore, it is worth mentioning that the villain’s intentions are reasonable to a certain degree.

It even felt like a biography because of the way it ended, so it is very important that you stay after the credits because there is an epilogue that you would want to missed. It was disturbing seeing how everything you know changed in a matter of seconds.

As a special shout-out, Michael B. Jordan deserved a lot of credit for portraying the twins. I am not a fan of actors who play these types of roles, but he did perfectly. The same goes to Jack O’Connell as the Irish Vampire Remmick whose performance sent chills done my spine. Kudos to newcomer Miles Caton, who cements himself as the film’s soul, and who can forget the sassy and sexy Hailee Steinfeld. This girl’s career is getting better thanks to her mature and risky characters.

Warfare

What a ride! Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza direction deserves to be seen at the big screen because visually is stunning and it is such a faithful historical account of Mendoza’s experiences during the Iraq war as a U.S. Navy SEAL. Said that, it is impossible not to feel anxiety and anguish for all the physical pain and psychological suffering this platoon had to endure in the wake of the Battle of Ramadi on November 19, 2006.

I am not going to lie; this is a WAR movie and a very powerful one at that. I’d even go so far as to put it in the same league as Saving Private Ryan and Lone Survivor. We don’t need an explanation to get a sense of what is really happening. It is all about surviving for these soldiers, following rules and trusting their comrades, that is all a soldier needs to accomplish any mission and live to tell the tale, as was the case with Mendoza.

War is not pretty and directors Mendoza and Garland make sure to portray this side of terror unfiltered. The twenty minutes before the battle begins serve to introduce us to this squadron, of which Joseph Quinn and Charles Melton proves to be the true protagonists thanks to their amazing performances. Don’t get me wrong, the rest of the cast is brilliant in their diverse portrayals. Being impossible not to care for each one of them.

In the end, we don’t need to know what is happening or why, this is a bloody and tense modern war film that we will never understand, and that is good and necessary. Plus, the entire movie takes place inside a house. So, the directors deserved a lot of credit for getting the most of that location. I was restless the whole time, and for a 90-minute ride, it felt uncomfortably long.

The Accountant 2

Nine years after the first installment, not only Ben Affleck returns as Christian Wolf but also Jon Bernthal as his brother Braxton in this better than expected sequel, which follows the secret investigation left unfinished by former FBI agent Raymond King (J.K. Simmons) after his sudden murder. It is up to Deputy Director Medina to uncover the terrible truth that only Christian can see thanks to his condition.

The entire original cast, except one, returns to this sequel under Gavin O’Connor direction but now under Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artist Equity Productions. This time the story revolves around human trafficking in Los Angeles and Ciudad Juárez. This compels me to confess that it was somewhat unexpected, as it had recently become a “popular theme” not only in movies but also in television series, to mention the second season of Lioness.

At least here it was achieved with heart and plenty of military action. Especially in the final act, where we see together Christian and Braxton giving it their all to fulfill their unsanctioned mission. It helped that there was more buildup between Affleck and Bernthal characters, as they shared incredible chemistry that makes it impossible not to laugh at how different they behave. One tough, the other sensitive, but both equal on the fight scenes and shootouts.

But it is not all men, women dominate here too, as Cynthia Addai-Robinson is amazing as also Daniella Pineda, who steals the show as Anais. Their physical combat felt so brutal and real: I love how different they are, their expressions are pure gold. I am looking forward to seeing more from these actresses in The Accountant 3, hoping that their stories continue in the same way that Allison Robertson’s role got expanded from the first.

By the way, great editing. Richard Pearson relied on his previous work on The Bourne Supremacy and Quantum of Solace to developed a technological sequence were Justine and the autistic children break into a civilian home just to steal an important photo. That, along with the fantastic fight sequences, also makes the story dynamic and enjoyable. It is a good sequel, but I still preferred the first one.

In conclusion, it was a good month to go to the movies because I enjoyed every film, and I hope the fun continues to accompany me this summer. If I had to choose a movie, I think I would go for Sinners although Warfare wouldn't be that far behind.

The Acolyte Never Really Started

This article is participating on Peliplat Challenge May 2025. 
https://www.peliplat.com/es/article/10055855/the-acolyte-never-really-started
Likes are welcome. 

I may have been one of the few who enjoyed the first season of The Acolyte; set 100 years before The Phantom Menace, it was a breath of fresh air for the Star Wars saga. Seeing the High Republic finally on television was exciting, even if it was during the final years. Of course, it wasn't perfect, and Leslye Headland was responsible for this failure, due to her inability to write a simpler and more lineal story.

For a series that cost $230 million to produce, the art direction and cinematography were very poor and it needed proper lighting on the sets because at times it was barely visible to the eye. Furthermore, many interesting characters died very quickly and without development. If it weren’t for the episodes set in the past, many of the cast would have been completely in vain. I am glad Keanu Reeves was not able to participate, it would have been wasted.

Also, the timing and space wasn't right, for a recognizable talent that it is Leslye, her work seemed like that of a rookie. It hurts me to say that, despite the constant suspense and the promise of a mystery to be solved, it always felt predictable and therefore lacked a strong impact toward the end.

I would have started with the Brendok arc first. If a lot of money had already been spent, why not dedicate an entire season on this planet to fully develop Sol, Torbin, Kelnacca and Indara's investigation about the convergence in the Force? At least the origins of Mae and Osha could have been better explained and understood.

I'd even go so far as to extend it to four episodes and then six more to address the consequences 16 years later. I say this because Yord Fandar and Jecki Lon were too good to be killed in the middle of the season. The same goes for Torbin, Kelnacca and Indara, none of them had the opportunity to really shine except for one episode, and if it weren't for that one, why bother showing up for the shoot.

Yes, Master Sun had plenty of time, but he was always destined to become a means to an end for Vernestra Rwoh, who was undoubtedly one of the standout characters as the Stranger. Manny Jacinto was the real star and his scenes with Lee Jung-jae as Master Sol were epic. Both dialogues and duels with the lightsaber was the best of the show. It never disappointed. But in the end, this was Osha and Mae's story from the beginning, and Amandla Stenberg did his best but the characters were poorly written.

The promise of a mysterious plot to unravel was resolved in the first two episodes. It quickly became a conspiracy that relied heavily on the tragedy committed by Master Sol 16 years ago. He was responsible to what happened to Osha and her family. It is a shame that Carrie-Anne Moss presence felt more like a flower vase. Her character was undoubtedly one of the more interesting. Just imagine all the potential in devoting an entire season to the events occurred in Brendok.

Given the ending of the first season, with the promise that Yoda and Darth Plagueis would intervene in some capacity while Osha grows more powerful in the dark side of the force thanks to The Stranger's training. Yes, Leslye and company got this wrong from the beginning. Therefore, The Acolyte never really began and now it looks like that it never will.

Week after week, I always felt like this series was too long and naïve. But I always had faith that a Second Season could better address the mystery of the Sith. Because it's very important to discover whether Yoda or Vernestra actually knew about the them and chose to keep it a secret. A common mistake that Yoda made with the Nameless, as he opted to keep it a secret as he did again with Mace regarding their diminished ability to use the Force.

I would love to see the origin of Anakin Skywalker creation. I am pretty sure Osha and Mae are the key to unlocking this secret. I want to know if Mother Koril survived and is still out there seeking revenge. I wish to see the consequences of Master Sol actions been discussed and investigated by the Republic Senate. How did Palpatine get involved in politics, and what was Darth Plagueis’s purpose for him, taking into account the Rule of Two. Is Qimir the first Knight of Ren and what happened to his destructive relationship with Vernestra?

As you can see, there is so much untapped potential, even though the First Season was an enjoyable disaster. I truly hope they at least consider doing a spinoff, I’d even settle for just one movie about these darkside users operating in the shadows as the Jedi Orders slowly begin its inevitable fall.

For now, I will hold on to hope and wait, as many did with Clone Wars. When it comes to Star Wars, there are always second chances, so I don’t see any reason why The Acolyte can’t continue. Not when it still has a destiny to fulfill.

Fingers crossed.

The Call of the Force (A Star Wars Fanfic Audio)

Esta entrada se encuentra participando en el Desafío de Peliplat Mayo 2025. 

https://www.peliplat.com/es/article/10056138/star-wars-the-call-of-the-force-updated-with-audio

Likes son bienvenidos. 

It is happening again. I don’t know how to explain it but it is here, the Call of the Force, a feeling I haven’t felt in a long time, and it has been a long time after all, and I am to be blamed of what is happening.

I wish I have never come to this naïve and innocent planet. If I had known my arrival would trigger the sudden disappearance of some children, eventually leading to a pirate invasion with the New Republic intervention, I probably would have never, ever, followed my master’s advice to leave Coruscant.

It is difficult to explain, but my story began when I was very young, younger than I am now. To say I lived in a time of peace, before the Empire and after the invasion of Naboo, then I would consider myself lucky to have grown up when the Galactic Republic was still capable of maintaining the peace on all the systems.

“We are all the Republic”. Yes, I was obsessed with all the mythology surrounding the High Republic, and I remembered just wanting to play Jedi or Nihil all the time. Obviously, my friends wanted to be Jedi, but I thought it was cooler to be a pirate, because of the gadgets, weaponry and treasure hunting. For a young kid like me, it never crossed my mind all the damage that was done until I heard the stories.

It is hard to recognize how certain things from our past becomes famous tales, or worse, pure entertainment instead of knowledge and awareness. If I have learned anything from the past, it is that no matter who we are, where we come from, or what we believe, we seem destined to make the same mistakes because we never actually learn. Instead, we forget. It is easier to ignore and just move on. Never mind that one day it will come back to haunt us, not only ourselves, but everyone.

The true of the matter is that no one is truly is exempt, not even me.

And after so many years of staying hidden and safe, the past has found me again through my dreams, visions, premonitions or whatever you want to call them. It all started before the children disappeared, I was somehow aware of it. Very aware that something had suddenly gone wrong, because that very night I was back at the Jedi Temple when Anakin Skywalker executed Order 66 with his 501st Legion.

Since the murder of the Jedi younglings, I didn’t dare look at the children's faces, not a single one of them, because Sors Bandeam’s last words immediately sounded in my head. Words like: "Master Skywalker, there are too many of them! What are we going to do? And just like that, Anakin ignited his blue lightsaber and slaughtered them all without mercy, without hesitation, because that man was not longer the good person that I knew when I was five years old and he was nine.

I was not chosen by the Jedi order, but rather by someone independent of even the Galactic Republic. As a child, I was very strange, that I had no choice but to withdraw from people. Said that, I had a hard time socializing with my peers, and having speech impediment made it worse because I couldn’t truly connect. I was constantly bullied. So, when I meet this slave boy from Tatooine, something inside me woke up and in the blink of an eye, I was personally chosen to be part of an important and secretive group of historians whose origins, I am forbidden to reveal.

I can share the purpose of our existence, which was to preserve all the story from beginning to end. My master chose me because of that feeling that I displayed upon meeting young Anakin Skywalker, as he was perceived as someone who would bring balance to the Force, a well-studied prophecy within the group. My master believed I had been chosen to witness it, and so it was decided that only I would remain very close to Anakin to record all of his steps until fulfillment of the prophecy that only Qui-Gon treasured, unlike the rest of the Jedi Council.

Imagine the horror I felt when I saw the Chosen One enter the Jedi Temple and begin wreaking hell on every Jedi and non-Jedi present. It was horrible, and being alive was a curse, because I should have died in that massacre, but he spared my life, not because of our “friendship”, but because the Emperor asked him to because he knew of my existence, not thanks to my master.

Don’t get me wrong, before the fall of the Jedi, all elected chancellors were informed of our existence as an additional means to a dignified future. What better way to govern or aid in a difficult situation than by drawing on the past? Problems often had their origins in certain forgotten events, therefore, it was more appropriate to study the roots in order to find a proper solution. But with this new Empire on the rise, the past was merely a means to revenge and, eventually, galactic dominance.

I was aware of this when I did not recognize young Skywalker: now twisted by the dark side he had become, the boy that Obi-Wan Kenobi trained, gone he was, consumed by Darth Vader. And you are probably wondering how I know all of this. As Master Kenobi said long ago, we have indeed different points of view; for me, these so call different points of view are provided by the Force. Let’s call them gifts that I receive mainly when I am sleep or in complete trance.

Before he died, my Master gave me the gift of seeing the past, he did so because he was formally part of the Jedi Order and could have fled, but he had sworn an oath even before I was born. To preserve our Legacy, we need it to pass on everything we know by transferring our knowledge. Think of it as a personal library in a corner of our mind. A repository to access whenever we meditate or are at peace. Not just for reading, but also for viewing records dating back to the early days of the Old Republic.

Now, you would imagine that this source of knowledge was very important to the Emperor, especially if he was a Sith Lord, said for the endless possibilities it offered not only in studying the origins of the Jedi or the Sith, but also in tracking down Holocrons or mainly the two Way finders created to lead to Exegol, the homeworld of the Sith. I must confess I have blood on my hands and I am not proud of what I have become, and all of this due to a traditional oath I made to remain the last of the Historians.

I promised my Master that I would keep the past intact by surviving until the time came to pass this legacy, but I feared that under Palpatine’s dictatorship, there would be nothing left of our way of life. The past would eventually cease to exist without a future now that a fully operational battle station was created to destroy what I swore to protect. The only way to avoid breaking my oath, was to escape and remain hidden until the Empire was defeated, or better yet, the Emperor somehow ended up dying and a new, wiser leader were to be chosen so a new oath could be taken.

Escaping was easy, but staying hidden was hell. What better way than to take advantage of the attack on Scarif. The Emperor and Darth Vader were too distracted to even notice my change of feelings as I planned my escape. And then, the destruction of the Death Star awakened in my mind a legendary planet among the Jewels of the Old Republic. I remember my Master telling me that, if things got tough, there was an old planet with an impenetrable barrier I could go to, to remain hidden and safe.

Only one of the eight planets had endured. Well, I hope it still existed but getting there was not going to be easy because it had to be done with the correct transport, since it had to be as a Republic Emissary to cross the nebula and so gain access to At Attin, the last of the Old Republic Jewels. It was not easy because, somehow, a rebel intelligence officer discovered my identity and was sent to kill me, as well as the Emperor, because neither of them could afford for me to fall into the wrong hands. Imagine the knowledge of the Past at their disposal. Even thought I had sworn allegiance to the Emperor, he distrusted everyone, so I was not immune of thwarting his plans, just as the rebels had done with the destruction of the first Death Star.

It was hard, and somehow, I ended up reliving the same anxiety when some children flew off aboard the Onyx Cinder. And it was my fault, because a few months ago, I started digging that place for historical reasons. It never occurred to me that some naïve kids would discover the hidden starship and, as a consequence, trigger a pirate invasion that would end with the New Republic taking over, right where I was. What were the odds?

I was afraid to face Darth Vader once again, I did not know what really happened after I disappeared, the last thing I remembered was the invasion on Hoth, then I went to At Attin and got myself cut from the Force because of the planet’s barrier, but once the barrier faded, somehow my ability to connect with the Force returned and I immediately felt a presence I had never felt in so many, many years but I was no longer afraid, instead, I felt quite safe and at peace. Then, when I looked at the now star-filled sky, that is when I recognize the Tantive IV spacecraft.

Only one name came to mind, and she was aware of my presence, as once Anakin Skywalker was before turning to the dark side. I did not need to go find her, she was on her way, because it was inevitable, and like her, I had questions and now was the time to face the past to look towards a brighter future, or at least that is what I wished when I looked into her eyes as she looked into my soul.

The destruction around us became more and more visible as the sun emerged from the burning forests. The streets were a mess, chaos and uncertainty were everywhere as also death and suffering due to the ones that perished during this awful invasion. At least the missing kids and their parents were reunited, but at what cost?

Was this part of the Force? My arrival here to put into motion these events to get me back on track to fulfill my purpose. Only one way to know, and for that I waited for her to say the first word.

—How come I feel like I know you from somewhere, even though I have never seen you in my entire life?

I just laughed, probably because I was both nervous and happy to have been able to experience her journey, especially everything that came after the Battle of Endor and Jakku. That is when I realized the Prophecy had been fulfilled.

—Yes —I revealed in a state of peace and satisfaction that I fear sounded sarcastic although that was not my intention—, I understand the feeling, as he did when I first encounter him as I am encountering you.

Leia looked confused, which was to be expected.

—To whom you are referring to —Leia remained expectant, although deep down she knew what I meant.

—I am speaking of you father, of course —I said confidently and with a mocking laugh—. I am aware that you’re Princess Leia of Alderaan, the daughter of Anakin Skywalker, The Chosen One,

—You knew my father —the question sounded awkward, which was understandable considering the shadow cast over her shoulders due to the terrible tragedy.

—I'd be lying if I said yes —I tried to be understanding and, above all, not to be too clever. — After what happened so long ago, I'm not sure if I ever knew him, but I can feel that all the good he represented is still present in you, and for now, that will be enough.

—How is it, that you know about me when I have never heard of you?

This was a good question, and luckily, I had the perfect answer. Although she probably wouldn't like it.

—My mere existence put the future of both the rebels and the Empire at risk. That's why I'm not surprised they kept me a secret, until now.

—What exactly does this mean?

Leia waited in suspense as the citizens of At Attin received medical assistance in the surrounding area.

—Let’s say the Force works in mysterious ways.

—Speaking in riddles… —Leia smiled— You are going to enjoy talking to my brother.

—Most likely —I said with a touch of uncertainty—, I hope.

—Yes —agreed with a beautiful smile—, hope.

Somehow, Leia understood as I eventually did, that she was destined to shape the New Republic in through the reestablished Senate just as Luke would do the same through the New Jedi Order. The real question was whether they would both truly listened. Obviously, my loyalty was to the new Chancellor, a woman called Mom Mothma.

It was great to know that she truly cared about people, but will she be able to really act accordingly? The least I can do is give my best and hope that others follow my example. But first, I think the people of At Attin need me more than anyone, after all, someone has to teach them about the Rise and Fall of the Empire, and what better way than to start with the Clone Wars and why not, some old-fashioned young Jedi adventures.

Happy Star Wars Day and May the 4th be with you!