Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The ConnoReview | JJ's Labor of Love

The force has awakened indeed.

J. J. did it. Supplied with a deconstructed universe and a killer cast, Star Wars has returned with vigor, hitting all of the right notes in the process. Killer cinematography, cute robots, and a lovingly crafted story certainly help too.

The cinematography and production values are all sky-high, and all of the beautiful special effects and (apparently real) explosions show it. This film was built with fans in mind, be it camera work very much reminiscent of the old films or the iconic opening crawl.

The main triad from the original trilogy reprise their roles, and do so with energy and vigor. Harrison Ford specifically is outstanding, bringing back the old Han Solo like he never left in the first place.

This film isn't about them, though; at least, not as much. The Force Awakens follows a new path: a younger, bombastic group of would-be heroes. Daisy Ridley plays a plucky and immensely attractive scavenger named Rey, who appears opposite Finn, John Boyega’s captivating and stressed former stormtrooper. The dark side has very strong characters too, with Kylo Ren’s character being very different and much more interesting than I expected. The best thing about these characters is that they have their entire characters fleshed out by the end of the film. J. J. obviously ensured this so that his successors in the sequels have these fully formed and strong protagonists to work with and build upon. They are wonderful and bring new life to the franchise, which makes me quite hopeful for the next film.

But that's the thing about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Everything it does right seems to be setting up for something else. For all of the breathtaking dogfights and tense, character-constructing moments, it falls a bit shallow in the overall story category, falling in line as a modern A New Hope in not simply function but also form. I won't head into spoiler territory, but don't expect a Citizen Kane of Star Wars storytelling. 

This film triumphs in its spectacle, revels in its storied heritage, and creates absolutely fabulous new characters. If you have ever seen a Star Wars film, see this film. If you've stayed away from Star Wars and are interested in an extremely entertaining and well-made film, see this film.

I'm certainly looking forward to more. May the force be with you.

Spectre: The ConnoReview | Sam Mendes Falls From Skyfall

Four years after Sam Mendes' brilliant Skyfall, the director returns to the Bond series in a significantly weaker outing. Bond finds himself up against an organization that has (apparently) orchestrated everything that has happened since Casino Royale, and the film rests on its laurels far too much than is comfortable.

The most prominent issue that presents itself is how inferior Christoph Waltz' Franz Oberhauser is in comparison to Skyfall's brilliant, calculating, mentally disturbed Raoul Silva. Skyfall made me fearful of this man. I felt as if he was around every corner, always a step ahead. It portrayed him as an absolute monster, and created depth and personality to his violent and criminally insane exterior. Waltz just feels so much more... muted. Oberhauser has little, if any reasoning for going after Bond and MI6 besides "ahhaha, I'm the bad guy, and I have been behind it all!". It's genuinely disappointing. 

Secondly, Spectre refuses to innovate upon anything or build on the strong character study provided in its predecessor. Bond barely seems to care that M died at the end of the last one, and simply is strung along, raring to go on a new mission. Where is the emotion? Where is the pained, weathered 007, struck numb from the death of his mentor, acting to deliver on her final wish? Craig does not show a single iota of feeling for the events of Skyfall in the film, and it severely dampers his character. 

Not to mention overall, Spectre doesn't at any point do anything new. It's filled to the brim with the old 007 tropes that have been around forever: Bond fighting thugs without recieving a scratch on him, Bond seducing lovely ladies at the drop of a pin, Bond racing down staircases in sports cars, Bond at the end of the day never actually seeming in danger. It's tiresome and a huge step backwards from Skyfall's sense of foreboding conflict and actual possibility that someone could die at a certain point.

That all being said, this is not to say that Spectre is a poorly produced film. Mendes brings back the miles-high sense of production value that he so wonderfully provided in the previous flick. The sound design is spectacular, each scene expertly synchronizing the sights and sounds of the locales, the strong soundtrack providing tension and creating depth depending on Bond's actions. I repeatedly found myself marveling over this specific facet, as so many films fail to make wonderful sound and fast-paced action play off each other. The cinematography is spot-on as well, each scene feeling like a beautiful, effortless setpiece. These make me respect Mendes as a director despite his decision to take it easy this time and ease off on the weight in favor of a more carefree 007 story. (This is also not discounting the performances of the supporting cast, Fiennes is wonderful as ever, and Léa Seydoux's Madeleine is one of my favorite Bond girls ever.)

So, to conclude, if you're looking for a Bond film that does what it says on the tin, look no further, Spectre has you covered. If you're after a more mature, visceral spy film, I would look elsewhere.

An Ode to Turkey and the Folly of Black Friday

Ah, turkey. How wonderful and significant you are. For years upon years, Americans have eaten you on one day and one day only, the national day of giving thanks. But why?

Turkey sits as the cornerstone of this holiday, serving as a symbol of sorts for it; a bird in replacement of a large fat bloke from the North Pole. Which begs the question, why turkey? It isn't historically significant, as the pilgrims did not actually consume the bird during their encounter with the Indians. Somehow, the humble turkey found a way to ingrain itself into American culture and become something of a nationwide tradition.

This is not to discount the deliciousness of turkey, as it goes exceptionally well with the other dishes served at Thanksgiving, serving as a light, yet uniquely flavorful proponent of the meal. Strangely, on any other day of the year the great bird stands unnoticed, shackled to lunchmeat and the like (though does go quite well on sandwiches with a bit of dijon. Tasty.) 

So, rather than serve it once a year and discount its worth, eat your turkey in other ways, and bring it to true fruition.

Secondly on our list of topics for today is the maligned "holiday" of department store civil war sidling in right after a day of love and togetherness. There's plenty of irony there, but I won't dive into that.

Black Friday, against all odds, still stands in our digital age. The conveniences of Amazon and other online retaliers have dampered it somewhat, but earlier today I still heard stories of grown adults tackling each other over some toy their child "needed". 

Which brings me to my main point. Is Black Friday still relevant? Is there a legitimate reason for functional members of society barreling into one another for quasi-mediocre discounts? Online alternatives should be fully embraced now, a world filled with this amount of aggression over materialism should be restructured and structured in a competent way. The "holiday" is a nuisance, a way for stores to make a buck while whipping brave souls into a frenzy. Next year, shop smartly, and consider more convenient options before strangling someone over an HDTV.

That's all from me. Enjoy your weekend, folks!

The Annual Connor Miles Christmas List

You're sitting on a chair in a dark room. Silence. Endless silence. There is one thought on your mind. A single ruling idea that plagues your subconscious. One so dominant that even primal desires such as sleeping have escaped you. You see it while eating, while walking, and even while resting. The only noise you hear other than your own breath is the whistling of the bitterly cold wind on occasion. You close your eyes. All you see is red. Red everywhere. Stripes of white appear streaking through the sea of crimson, but all you can think about is one color: a deep, deep red.
You're picked up by powerful arms. The dark room leaves and you're surrounded by white. A fierce cold runs down your spine. You're hefted into a great brown sled. You glance upwards and catch a glimpse of your kidnapper. A kind, rosy face is visible, clouded by a beard as white as the snow. The man steps into the sled and utters a phrase you'll not soon forget.
"On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer and Vixen, on Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!"
Within moments you're in the air. You're terrified, knowing nothing of your location or the identity of your kidnapper. The man turns in your direction, seemingly acknowledging you for the first time. The next words coming from the man's mouth seemed enchanted, and though unaware of your situation you answer without hesitation.
"Now then. What would you like for Christmas?"

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I suppose I'll tell you. For years I've penned this list, each time more incoherent and frenzied, though usually focused on one central concept: I want stuff, and you are my way of which said stuff is acquired. It's a symbiotic relationship, of sorts. I get stuff, you receive my endless gratitude and affection (I may need to Google the definition of "symbiotic").
Anyway, that's beside the point. I usually make some mention of the season we're in currently so here's a weather report: it's November now and there still hasn't been a whiff of snow of any description, what is that nonsense? Overall, the hope is that at some point in the next few weeks we have at least one snow day. Just one. You see, snow days have always fascinated me in the system they follow, causing joy immediately but anguish later on.
I'm getting sidetracked again.
Anyway, this season is more of a lovely one than any of them, snow (hopefully) falls from the sky, and bright lights are everywhere. However, the best part of this season is the receiving and giving of gifts, supposedly delivered by the aforementioned man in the red suit. This year, as per usual, I shall provide a comprehensive and easy to use wish list for your viewing pleasure.

I hope you enjoyed this year's intro, I certainly enjoyed writing it. Perhaps more so than usual; first-person narrative is one of my favorites.

Let's begin. 

This year, I wish for a few simple things. Broad concepts that encompass a wide spectrum. That may be giving myself too much credit.

Firstly, assuming at some point in time I can actually get this computer in gear in a reasonable amount of time, Steam wallet cards are always a great thing, especially with the massive sales put on by the service during the holidays. Great value for myself, and come in several different increments. Good stuff.
Secondly, PAX is coming upon us at a relatively swift pace, so some extra padding of my pockets for that as well as other things would be much appreciated.
Thirdly, our pals at Nintendo haven't been particularly active lately, though have brought out one thing I particularly take interest in, and that's this guy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KWFCU4M/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_U2InwbBXCNX26
Finally, I'll leave the rest for a later date. There are a couple of really neat fangamer posters and shirts I want, and other digital currency would be greatly appreciated! By all means make your own calls, but these things top the list. As per usual if something else pops up I'll be sure to let you know. Cheers. 

Indubitably yours,

Connor

Hello world (and why one should pause instead of um)

Man, is it odd typing that. Honestly, I'd never thought of going through this before now. Having clarity with one's audience is important, and as that audience appears to be no one at the moment, what a great time it is to start.
So... about me... well, I'm in 11th grade and see writing as a fun thing to do sometimes. I also like to casually review film and media, and I will probably be migrating those over here at some point soon. Allows me to speak out without speaking up at all, which is great because in writing, no one can hear you stutter, and most importantly say all of those umms, yeah like y'knows, and the like.
While we're on that subject, can I just say in earnest how much I detest people who say these standin words constantly, rather than pausing to collect their thoughts? Because it's a real issue. All of those ums make you seem insecure, unsure of yourself, and overall unprepared, three things you most certainly do not want when speaking to a superior- or worse,  in an interview.
So, ladies and gentlemen, I will now advocate a little friend I affectionately call the pause. He's all arouund us, creating silences that are at times warranted and at others simply awkward. He easily stands in for the um, and does so with flair, allowing the user of it to collect his thoughts instead of find a way to fill the space while he does so. Used well, a person can pause to look more professional,  taking a quick breath between points to allow their audience to take a break as well.
So, to wrap this up in a friendly way, rather than stuttering, just stop. Your argument will be all the better for it, and your audience will happily wait for you. So do give that a try.
Thanks for reading, I do appreciate it. This is my first time doing something like this, so leave feedback in the comments below and I'll see if I can take those into consideration.
Cheers