Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
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The latest (final) installment of the Star Wars series wraps up the final trilogy that began with the Force Awakens. It all comes down to family—for good or bad, they are a part of the legacy of Rey and Ben.

Rey (Daisy Ridley) and the resistance is hiding out and trying to bring down the evil First Order. Leia (Carrie Fisher) is training Rey in the Jedi order after the death of her brother, Luke, all while leading the resistance. Chewy, Poe and Finn are fighting alongside Rey as they search out pockets of resistance, hoping that more people are out there fighting.
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Ben/Kylo Ren is determined to bring Rey to the Dark Side as he strives to create a new Sith order. 

​With the death of Carrie Fisher before the movie began filming, the writers and director needed to make some changes to their original storyline. Using previous film scraps, they wove together Leia’s final storyline. It was sadly sweet to see her on the screen but there were many more surprises and surprising familiar faces. 

​With a familiar feel, The Rise of Skywalker brings to mind the original trilogy of Luke and Leia. From the bar scene to the character of Babu Frik, the movie felt like coming home. While there were plot holes and events which confused me, I was pleased with the overall movie. At times, I teared up and reached out toward my husband as I anticipated what would happen. And now that I’ve seen it once, seeing it again will give me the chance to catch all those small things I missed the first time… and there are so many!

​JJ Abrams has made a movie which will has all the notes of the original and evokes those feelings of nostalgia. One which you will want to see on the big screen!

In a season of holiday hits and Hallmark stories, Knives Out is a classic who-done-it. When world famous author,  Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his house after the author's  85th birthday, southern detective, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) comes to investigate and every person in the dead man's family is suspect.

Directed, written and produced by Rian Johnson, Knives Out features some of his favorite actors and is a refreshing change from the typical mysteries. Featuring a stellar ensemble cast (Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, and Chris Evans), the viewers will be entertained by the outlandish characters they play.  

Featuring many twists and red herrings, the plot keeps you guessing, even when you think you know what happened. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for all the references to notable detectives such as Sherlock Holmes and Murder She Wrote. Rian Johnson likes to even give you a sneak peek at what is about to happen. Too bad we don't get the foreshadowing until after it happens!

Looking for a fun movie with intellect rather than a spectacular car chase or super human powers?? Knives Out will have you smiling and debriefing after the film stops playing.