Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/919364
maltatoday SUNDAY 24 DECEMBER 2017 42 This Week THE space opera to end all space operas returns to its regularly scheduled Christmastime pro- gramming in the wake of last year's 'side-quel' Rogue One, with 'Episode VIII' of the Star Wars "sequel trilogy" continu- ing where The Force Awakens (2015) left off, with a story that is equal parts exhilarating and grim, as handled by the genre- hopping auteur writer-director Rian Johnson With the orphaned, impov- erished by Force-sensitive Rey (Daisy Ridley) now roped in by the Resistance to lure the leg- endary Jedi Master Luke Sky- walker (Mark Hamill) out of his self-imposed exile on the remote planet of Ahch-To, the new face of the rebellion – led by Leia Organa Solo (Carrie Fisher) – is stuck in space trying not to get summarily slaughtered. This is because the First Order – the new face of the Empire, in turn, and led by the perma- sneering General Hux (Domn- hall Gleeson) – has figured out a way to track the rebels even as they jump through light speed. Joined by the resourceful main- tenance officer Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran), rebel heroes Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) come up with a plan to disable the First Order tech that's tracking them. But it's a high-risk mission that will take them to another edge of the galaxy – namely, the 'space Monaco' planet of Cantobight – while the clock is very much ticking. Meanwhile, the First Order's Head-Sith-in-waiting Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) finds a way to telepathically contact Rey as she struggles through her own Jedi training and journey of self- discovery. Can these two learn something meaningful from each other, even if they stand on opposing camps of Good and Evil? There is a darkness and matu- rity to the writing whose shades that evokes the overall tonal tex- ture of Rogue One, and which helps us truly invest in the characters and feel the pulse of their peril when it comes. Even the "dashing rogue" pilot Poe Dameron comes across as rash at best, downright pig-headed at worst as the action escalates. His head-butting with the assertive tactician Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) has stoked some interest- ing debate on toxic masculinity and its many malcontents, and to see even an ostensibly heroic figure like Poe scruitinised at that level – and the analysis is not all that reaching – is a sur- prising development. It's less surprising to view the angsty, conf licted and reeling-from- daddy-issues Kylo Ren tap into that same toxicity, but his tra- jectory is the biggest emotional coup of the film; here is a char- acter truly shorn in two, and the unlikely, tense relationship with Rey – dealing with similar identity issues of her own in an entirely different way – is an in- spired bit of writing which will hopefully come to full bloom in Episode IX. On the raw narrative level, this IN CINEMAS TODAY Embassy Cinemas Valletta Tel. 21 227436, 21 245818 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (3D) (12A) 10:25, 13:30, 16:05, 18:35, 21:10 Ferdinand (U) 10:15, 13:45, 16:05, 18:25, 20:50 The Man Who Invented Christmas (PG) 16:05, 18:25, 20:45 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (12A) 10:30, 14:00, 17:30, 20:40 Murder on the Orient Express (12A) 18:15, 20:50 The Star (U) 10:00, 14:10, 16:15 Daddy's Home 2 (12) 10:00, 12:15, 14:30, 19:00, 21:15 Paddington 2 (U) 12:00, 13:50, 16:35 Valletta Living History (U) 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 13:00 Eden Cinemas St Julian's Tel. 23 710400 A Bad Moms Christmas (15) 11:20, 14:05, 16:25, 18:40, 21:00, 23:20 Daddy's Home (12A) 14:10, 16:20, 18:30, 20:40, 23:30 Ferdinand (3D) (TBA) 11:15, 14:05, 16:25, 18:45, 21:05 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (12A) 11:10, 13:45, 16:15, 18:45, 21:15, 23:45 Justice League (12A) 11:15, 13:50, 16:20, 18:45, 21:10, 23:50 Murder on the Orient Express (12A) 14:30, 18:00, 20:30, 23:05 Paddington 2 (PG) 11:25, 14:00, 16:30, 18:45, 21:00 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2D) (12A) 10:50, 13:50, 17:00, 20:00, 23:05 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (3D) (12A) 14:45, 18:00, 21:15 Stronger (15) 20:35 The Golden Calf (PG) 14:15, 16:20, 18:30, 20:30 The Man Who Invented Christmas (PG) 14:15, 16:30, 18:45, 21:00 The Star (U) 11:30, 14:15, 16:25, 18:30 Wonder (PG) 14:00, 16:25, 18:50, 21:15 Empire Cinemas Bugibba Tel. 21 581787, 21 581909 Ferdinand (U) 10:45, 13:40, 16:20, 18:40, 20:55 Paddington 2 (PG) 10:45, 13:35, 16:00, 18:25, 20:50 Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (12A) 10:50, 13:35, 16:10, 18:40, 21:10 Star Wars: The Last Jedi (3D) (12A) 10:30, 14:00, 18:10, 21:15 Daddy's Home 2 (12A) 11:00, 13:40, 16:20, 18:40, 20:55 The Star (U) 11:15, 14:00, 16:30, 18:35 Wonder (PG) 20:45 The Man Who Invented Christmas (PG) 11:15, 13:45, 16:15, 18:30, 20:45 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ JEDI MASTER ★ ★ ★ ★ JEDI APPRENTICE ★ ★ ★ RETURN OF THE JEDI ★ ★ REVENGE OF THE SITH ★ LOST TO THE DARK SIDE FILM By Teodor Reljic When the old guard grows cynical, hope becomes elusive Rey of hope: Daisy Ridley tries to coax Mark Hamill out of exile in the latest instalment of the Star Wars 'sequel trilogy' x STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (12A) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Flyboy: Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron has a problem with authority