STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

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(Great seventh episode)

If you are a tried and true “Star Wars” fan, you’ve already seen the movie – probably more than once. If not, read the recent Star Wars supplement in the Warwick Beacon or Cranston Herald for a quick primer on the first six films and go see this great seventh episode. The supplement will give you all the info you need to enjoy the movie and understand what happened in the previous episodes.

We were on vacation when the movie opened to sellout crowds over but were able to see it in 3D last Monday afternoon. 3D adds to the enjoyment, as the sci-fi movie gives you the feeling of being in other dimensions.

John Williams again provides the background music. The special effects are very special. The characters are as imaginative as ever, so watch what is going on in the background.

Speaking of background, director J.J. Abrams has filmed actual scenic views in places like Ireland, Iceland and Dubai that add so much to the film.

The mixture of new and veteran actors adds to the enjoyment, and there’s a special moment when Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) meet after all those years.

John Boyega is terrific as Finn, the trained stormtrooper with a conscience who helps Poe, a leader in the Resistance, escape to fight the forces of darkness. Finn teams up with Rey, a scavenger surviving on the desert environs of Jakku, and the two slowly become quite a pair.

We have a new droid, BB-8, that will charm you, along with Solo’s Wookiee friend, Chewbacca. We even get to see their earlier counterparts late in the movie.

There’s not a lot new to the story. Luke Skywalker has disappeared, but there is a secret map that will help find his location. It is the constant battle between good and evil, with lots of battles and chases to keep you interested for over two and a quarter hours, with a number of funny quips thrown in.

Whether you’re a fan or not, this heavily hyped classic is well worth your time and money.

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence. Let the Force be with you.

CONCUSSION

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(Forensic science & football clash)

Will Smith gives one powerful performance as Dr. Bennet Omalu in this extraordinary story based on true facts about one man taking on the NFL.

Dr. Omalu is a forensic neuropathologist from Nigeria with a long list of credentials and a passionate desire to find the truth in every case he is involved with. Bennet has fulfilled his dream of coming to the United States, landing in the Pittsburgh coroner’s office, where he examines the body of Pittsburgh Steeler Hall of Famer Iron Mike Webster (David Morse in a short but moving role).

What he discovers is that Webster and other football players who have died, many by committing suicide, had something in common: chronic traumatic encephalopathy. In layman’s terms: Too many hits to the head.

The intense, passionate plot takes us through Omalu’s discovery and his obsession with stopping these senseless deaths. He runs into a roadblock as the NFL blocks him at every turn, to the point of disgracing him right out of a job.

One of the best lines in the movie has Omalu’s boss (Albert Brooks) questioning how the doctor can succeed against an organization that “owns a day of the week.”

There is a love affair between another immigrant (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who supports and encourages him, along with the former trainer for the Steelers (Alec Baldwin).

This is the story of a real hero, a committed man who is not out to kill the sport of football but just wants those in charge to recognize the problem and do something about it. Will Smith becomes Dr. Omalu, giving one Oscar quality performance and making us feel for this man and his mission.

We get an update before the final credits and we know by following the news that the seriousness of concussions in football and other contact sports is finally being addressed, thanks to the efforts of this one brave man.

Don’t miss this great movie. Rated PG-13, with some profanity and a few scenes on the coroner’s table.

THE BIG SHORT

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(Another look at those nasty bankers)

“The Big Short" takes us back to the corrupt bankers and traders who put the world economy in danger, leading to financial disaster in 2008. The problem with the movie, which is based on true facts and events, is that you need a master’s degree in economics to follow it.

The recent “99 Homes” was a much simpler look at the housing crises and its effect on people who lost their homes and jobs as a result. While “The Big Short” does touch on them, it concentrates more on the traders, who are sometimes difficult to follow as the two hour and 10-minute marathon switches from one group to another.

Most interesting is Dr. Michael Berry (Christian Bale), who sees into the future and is scoffed at by his colleagues. Probably has something to do with his lifestyle, coming to Wall Street in a T-shirt, no shoes or socks, and constantly listening to heavy metal on his earphones.

Steve Carell, who has been taking on very interesting roles lately, plays a hedge fund manager who is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

The only character in the movie you will like is Ben, a Wall Street dropout who helps a pair of young traders profit from the “big short,” with no interest in profiting himself. You may not even recognize Brad Pitt as Ben.

Because Wall Street is not only shady but also very complicated, the writers and director intersperse explanations on terms and methods, using a sexy woman in a bubble bath, and even Anthony Bourdaine, who compares economics to cooking fish. While the movie is very well acted, it gets a bit tedious and overbearing at times.

Rated R because these big money operatives like to swear a lot.

DADDY’S HOME

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(Mean-spirited attempt at comedy)

Will Ferrell plays Brad, a dull, weak, frumpy stepfather who is threatened when Dusty (Mark Wahlberg), his wife’s ex-husband and father of her two children, comes back into her life. Linda Cardellini plays Sara, an attractive, seemingly intelligent woman who chose two jerks as her first and second husbands.

Dusty is reluctantly welcomed back into the family and immediately begins to steal the children’s affections from their stepfather. The “comedy” turns mean-spirited as the two jerks vie for the kids’ attention through a aeries of stupid, tedious ploys.

Ferrell is one big wimp who pouts his way through the movie, while Wahlberg shows off his muscled body at every turn. The maneuvering is a bit outrageous, with Brad riding a motorcycle through the house, jumping off the roof and trying to show his manliness.

There’s a side story about Sara wanting another child, which leads to some sophomoric humor about male genitalia that surely embarrassed the many parents who brought their young children.

The resolution of the conflict between biological father and stepdad is about as stupid as it gets.

Thomas Haden-Church is wasted as Brad’s boss, who likes to tell him long, unrelated stories that help stretch out the thin plot to an hour and 35 minutes. Hannibal Buress is funny as the contractor who came to dinner and stayed to further stretch the movie.

Ferrell fans will probably like his type of sophomoric humor. Not us.

Rated PG-13, with profanity and vulgar attempts at humor.