darthmaz314: Movies

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Friday, January 29, 2016

darthmaz314 Force Awakens Snapshot of the Day - Luke Skywalker Reveals Himself

Today's darthmaz314 Force Awakens Snapshot of the Day features one of the most dramatic moments of the film. From the opening crawl, we learn that Luke Skywalker has disappeared and that his sister Leia and her Resistance fighters are all in a vain search to find him. Once again, it seems that the fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of Luke, the last Jedi, who has hidden himself away after a failed attempt to re-establish the Jedi Order and a sinister betrayal at the hands of his nephew Ben Solo. After a wild two-hour adventure, the movie concludes with a final scene in which Rey, the apparent future of the Force, finds Luke on a remote planet and presents him with his original lost lightsaber, the same one that had belonged to his father Anakin Skywalker. Luke reaction to Rey's arrival and her offering of the lightsaber, which seems to be a plea for him to once again answer the call of destiny and save the galaxy, is a dizzying mix of amazement, anguish, and conflict, as he ponders whether he should accept his latest challenge. A phenomenal end to a film that hits the mark again and again, right until the final credits.

Luke Skywalker Reveals Himself in The Force Awakens
- courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

Keep checking back for more Force Awakens posts in the coming days and weeks...

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Friday, January 15, 2016

BB-8 Gives a Thumbs-Up - darthmaz314 Force Awakens Snapshot of the Day

darthmaz314's next Force Awakens Snapshot of the Day features one of the many funny moments of the newest Star Wars film. Early on in the The Force Awakens, Finn convinces Rey that he is a member of the Resistance during their daring escape from Jakku and the relentless First Order aboard the Millenium Falcon. Once off the planet, Rey questions Finn about the location of the Resistance base, which she will need as the pilot, if she is to help return BB-8 to his master. A very humorous scene ensues as Finn must convince BB-8, who does not know or trust him, to divulge the location of the Resistance base. After winning him over and providing Rey with the name of the star system, Finn celebrates his continued friendly deception of Rey and his newly-forged friendship with BB-8 by flashing him a thumbs- up and a huge cheesy grin. This beautifully well-acted scene of excellent comedic timing is then capped off with BB-8 delivering a thumbs-up of his own, as pictured below.

BB-8 Gives a "Thumbs-Up" from Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

Keep checking back for more Force Awakens posts in the coming days and weeks...

Darthmaz314

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Force Awakens Snapshot of the Day - Rey's AT-AT Home on Jakku

darthmaz314's next Force Awakens Snapshot of the Day features a familiar site to fans of the original Star Wars trilogy, which has been brought back for the new film, but which evokes a whole different set of emotions this time around. The Imperial AT-AT (All-Terrain Armored Transport) walker was first seen in The Empire Strikes Back during the Battle of Hoth. These massive machines of war stomped across the frozen tundra of the ice planet during the attack on the Rebel base and with armor too strong for Rebel blasters, they appeared unstoppable and seemed to spell certain doom for our Rebel heroes. Even though Luke Skywalker and his Rogue Squadron managed to take a few of these mammoth machines down, their appearance was meant to strike fear into the hearts of the Rebels and the audience who rooted for them in theaters.

Flash forward thirty years to the events of The Force Awakens and we are presented with a very different image featuring an AT-AT walker. The walker pictured here is a fallen casualty of the Battle of Jakku, which is said to have taken place several years after the events of Return of the Jedi. The Force Awakens makes no actual mention of this battle or its victor. However, the fact that the Empire had lost a second Death Star and was left leaderless after the events of Jedi, coupled with the fact that Jakku appears to be littered with fallen Empire weaponry and ships, it is a good bet that the battle did not go the Empire's way.

However, this AT-AT is significant not only in that it represents the fall of the once mighty Empire. In The Force Awakens, this instrument of death and destruction now serves a home for our heroine Rey, providing her safety and shelter from the harsh elements of Jakku and its many shady inhabitants. Like many, many moments in the Force Awakens, this one harks back to the original trilogy and then connects it almost seamlessly to the the events taking place in the new film. The force and the nostalgia have most definitely been awakened.

Rey's AT-AT Home on Jakku - courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

Keep checking back for more Force Awakens posts in the coming days and weeks...

Darthmaz314

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Force Awakens Snapshot of the Day - Rey Uses the Jedi Mind Trick on Her Stormtrooper Guard

Today darthmaz314 brings you the first Force Awakens Snapshot of the Day. Here we see, the Star Wars saga's newest heroine..Rey, as she uses the Jedi mind trick to coerce the stormtrooper standing guard over her to release her while captive on Starkiller Base. A bit of Force Awakens trivia for you...the stormtrooper featured in this scene is played by none other than James Bond himself, Daniel Craig.

"You will remove these restraints and leave this cell with the door open." - Rey Uses the Jedi Mind Trick on Her Stormtrooper Guard from The Force Awakens - courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

Check back for more Force Awakens posts in the coming days and weeks...

Darthmaz314

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Star Wars The Force Awakens: You Will See This Movie and Enjoy It - No Jedi Mind Trick Required

Star Wars The Force Awakens Main Title - courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

darthmaz314 returns from a long hiatus during the normally insane month of December and there is really only one thing to write about...The Force Awakens. The film opened fourteen days ago (which includes the December 17 evening showings) and it has already raked in over $1.1 billion worldwide and has yet to open in China, the world's second largest film market. So it has certainly made a lot of money and secured the financial futures of Disney, Lucasfilm, and a lot of product licensees. But was it worth all of the anticipation, speculation, prognostication, and the plain old hype? Absolutely, positively, undoubtedly, unequivocally YES!

If you are among those few who have not yet made it to the movies to see this seventh installment of the Star Wars saga, you must do two things right now:

1. Finish reading this post and bookmark darthmaz314.com to visit in the future.

2. Purchase tickets now for the next showing that you are physically able to attend.

Han Solo from Star Wars The Force Awakens - courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

If you were a prequel hater and rolled your eyes when you heard that there would be another Star Wars film released to further destroy your once warm feelings of love for the franchise, fear not! You will not leave the theater with that post-prequel sour taste in your mouth. Check your cynicism at the theater door and you will be won over once again. This movie fires on all cylinders and hit the bullseye almost without fail in terms of meeting or exceeding expectations.

Everything you wanted from a Star Wars film is delivered in this film. JJ Abrams has made the ultimate fanboy movie, purposefully avoiding all the traps that made the diehards cringe in the prequels. Gone are the incessant shots of completely digital sets and characters, sprinkled with a human actor or two. The lived-in "real world feel" of Star Wars is back, with scenes shot on actual sets and locations, with CGI being the exception not the rule.

Rey from Star Wars The Force Awakens - courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

There are great performances from the new cast members across the board. First and foremost, who has seen this movie and not fallen in love with everything about Daisy Ridley's Rey? I was a Natalie Portman fan before she was cast in the prequels and was very excited to see her bring her beauty and talents to the Star Wars universe but she was absolutely blown away by what Daisy Ridley brings to this new film. Ridley delivers beauty, likeability, compassion, intensity, emotional depth, and an ability to crank the dial all the way up to near ferocity for the action scenes. Hands down the best Star Wars female character ever. In fact, one of the top five characters of any gender in the Star Wars films thus far. I can't wait to see the next film for many reasons, one of which is where Lucasfilm will next take the character of Rey. Star Wars finally has a true heroine and little girls everywhere are suddenly feeling the Force. It may have all been well planned-out to tap a left behind demographic in the Star Wars universe, but who cares? It works. It isn't phony and contrived and you don't get the sense that feminism is being forced down your throat for its own sake.

Daisy Ridley's Fiery Rey from Star Wars The Force Awakens - courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

John Boyega's Finn, a stormtrooper with a crisis of conscience that defects from the evil First Order (the Empire sympathizers who have risen up to reclaim the galaxy), is instantly a character you want to root for. His humility, humor, and uncertainty about his ability to succeed are disarming and allow the character to develop as a flawed but well intentioned hero that we can all identify with. His chemistry with the rest of the cast is so fluid that it feels like he has known them all for years. Ridley and Boyega's portrayals are not unique in how they connect to the audience. Nearly all the cast's performances deliver in similar fashion to the original trilogy. You immediately care about the characters, at a level beyond the fact that they are needed to progress the plot.

Finn from Star Wars The Force Awakens - courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

There is so much more to report, so darthmaz314 will return with more posts on The Force Awakens in the coming days. Come back and visit us again and go see this film, you will not be disappointed.

Finn and Rey from Star Wars The Force Awakens - courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

Darthmaz314

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

The Force Awakens Official Final Trailer - See it Here on darthmaz314.com

Everyone else on the internet has re-posted it, so why not us?Here it is, in case you live under a rock and have not seen it yet, the final trailer for the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens film, which opens on December 18th, 2015.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Trailer -

courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

darthmaz314 always welcomes your comments and asks you to share this and all our posts with your friends (or enemies) if you like what you see. Also, please visit, follow, and like our facebook page...

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The Force Awakens Final Trailer and the NFL Combine Their Strengths to Rule the Television Galaxy On Monday October 19, 2015

Kylo Ren From the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer
- courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

On Monday, October 19th, during halftime of Monday Night Football, the third trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens debuted in one of the greatest cross-branding promotions ever devised by a parent company. ESPN, home to Monday Night Football for several years now, and Lucasfilm, the studio that gives life to all things Star Wars, are both owned by parent company and media giant, Disney. The NFL and Star Wars are two of the most popular brands in America, so why not cross promote them and bring the two audiences together for two and a half minutes in order to crush the television competition on a Monday night?

Rey and Finn from the Final Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer
- courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

Monday Night Football scored an 8.7 Neilsen household rating for the Giants vs. Eagles game on Monday, making it the most watched show on television (source: latimes.com.) Viewership peaked during the final moments of the second half and through the halftime break as Star Wars and NFL fans came together to boost the shows ratings to nearly 17 million before settling back at 14.2 at the start of the second half.

Han Solo from The Force Awakens Final Trailer
- courtesy Lucasfilm/Disney

As a Giants and Star Wars fan, darthmaz314 was tuned in to the entire game and I can honestly say that the trailer was by far the highlight of the night. Let's just say that on Monday, the Force was not strong with the Giants. In any case, the final trailer has been released and as fans dissect it and purchase their opening night tickets, the countdown to the premier of the saga's seventh film and the dawn of a new era of Star Wars has officially begun.

Check back in our next post to watch the trailer, if you haven't already done so...

Darthmaz314

Friday, November 28, 2014

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Official Teaser Trailer

Now we all have something else to be thankful for. The official teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens has been released. See it here, courtesy of Lucasfilm and darthmaz314.

What are your thoughts? Send us your comments.

darthmaz314 always welcomes your comments and shamelessly asks you to share this and all our posts with your friends (or enemies) if you like what you see. Also, please visit, follow, and like our facebook page...

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Friday, November 7, 2014

Lucasfilm Announces Title of Episode VII: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Lucasfilm announced yesterday that principal photography has concluded on Episode VII and that the official title of the much anticipated film will be Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Announced Title of Episode VII: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- copyright Disney/Lucasfilm

darthmaz314's approach to Episode VII has been to reluctantly keep its distance, not scratching too deeply at the surface and basically waiting back to see how this newest chapter in the Star Wars saga will unfold. Truthfully, I was doubtful of Lucasfilm's ability to have the film ready for the December 2015 release date, particularly given the fact that they fired an Oscar winning screenwriter early on in the process. However, with principal photography wrapped and with the Disney/Lucasfilm machine behind the project, all seems on track for the film to hit theaters in a little over a year.

Since the announcement of Episode VII, darthmaz314 has been (cautiously) optimistic about the future of the franchise, which now sits securely in the four-fingered white glove of the Mouse. Let's hope optimism translates into reality.

Darthmaz314

Friday, January 17, 2014

Godfather Trivia: Round II

Ready for Round II? darthmaz314.com makes you an offer you can't refuse and brings you our second installment of trivia on The Godfather. Buona fortuna!

"You have to answer for Santino, Carlo"

1. At Connie and Carlo’s wedding, photographers take a photo of one of the guests and immediately afterward, that guest signals to his men, who swoop in and grab the camera. That guest then opens the camera and rips out the film and throws it on the floor. Who was that guest?

A. Barzini

B. Tattaglia

C. Vito Corleone

D. Sonny Corleone

2. What was Sollozzo’s nickname?

A. Virgil

B. The Turk

C. The Black Hand

D. The Prince of Powder

3. Johnny Fontaine goes to his godfather Don Corleone for help in convincing Hollywood studio chief Jack Woltz to give him a role in his upcoming war film. Although the name of the fictional film is never mentioned in The Godfather, the character of Johnny Fontaine is said to be based on a real life singer/actor whose career was revived by appearing in what actual film?

A. The Bridge on the River Kwai

B. The Caine Mutiny

C. Tora, Tora, Tora

D. From Here to Eternity

"and in a month from now, this Hollywood big shot is gonna give you what you want." Don Corleone to his Godson Johnny Fontaine

4. Don Corleone sends Luca Brasi to meet with which rival family hoping to deceive them into believing he is unhappy with the Corleone family and willing to betray them?

A. Barzini

B. Tattaglia

C. Cuneo

D. Tommasino

Luca Brasi Before He Slept With the Fishes

5. Where does Michael hide after assassinating Sollozzo and McCluskey?

A. Palermo

B. Taormina

C. Rome

D. Corleone

6. What is the name of the girl Michael marries while he is in hiding?

A. Kay

B. Talia

C. Apollonia

D. Francesca

"Michael, the women in Sicily are more dangerous than shotguns" Calo to Michael in The Godfather

7. Which of the following was not involved in the protection of Michael while he was in hiding?

A. Calo

B. Don Tomassino

C. Fabrizio

D. Don Altobello

8. Who betrays Michael while he is in hiding?

A. Calo

B. Don Tomassino

C. Fabrizio

D. Signore Vitelli

9. How is Apollonia killed?

A. She is shot

B. She is in Michael’s car which explodes when started

C. She is poisoned

D. She is strangled

No! No! Apollonia!

10 . On the day of which occasion does Michael settle all family business?

A. The wedding of his daughter

B. The Communion of his son

C. The Baptism of Connie and Carlo’s son

D. The funeral of his father

Don Vito Corleone

Answers:

1. A. Barzini

2. B. The Turk

"I think you and I can do business." Sollozzo to Luca Brasi in The Godfather

3. D. From Here to Eternity

4. B. Tattaglia

5. D. Corleone

Michael Corleone in Hiding After the Assassination of Sollozzo and McCluskey

6. C. Apollonia

7. D. Don Altobello

8. C. Fabrizio

Fabrizio Realizes His Plan Has Gone Wrong and Runs

9. B. She is in Michael’s car which explodes when started

10. C. The Baptism of Connie and Carlo’s son

Today He Settles All Family Business

Check out Godfather Trivia Round I by clicking here:

Godfather Trivia Round I

Find out the significance of oranges in The Godfather in darthmaz314's "Godfather Orange Omen" post by clicking here:

The Godfather Orange Omen

All images copyright Paramount Pictures

Darthmaz314