The Missed Opportunity of “Episode 7”

SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE NEWEST STAR WARS FILM AND SOMEHOW HAVE MANAGED TO AVOID ALL SPOILERS, STOP READING NOW! (And wow, if that’s the case, let me commend you. That’s nearly three months of avoiding every review, article, Tweet, meme, post, etc. about the biggest film of the past year, if not the past decade. That’s some serious self control. Anyway, on to the review ….) 

The biggest mistake Disney made in continuing the Star Wars saga wasn’t retreading familiar A New Hope territory. It wasn’t the heroine’s acquiring Force skills at light speed. It wasn’t the bigger, badder Death Star (aka, the nonsensical Starkiller). It wasn’t even killing off Han Solo (although that was wrong on so many levels).

Nope, Disney got it wrong at hello – the title. But not Force Awakens. Not that part of the title.

The real problem with the latest installment in the storied franchise is that it’s labeled “Episode 7.” That’s a rip-off for all the true SW fans out there.

You see, unlike passing fans of Star Wars, the Star Wars mega-fan hasn’t lost touch with the original trilogy storylines and characters for the last 30+ years. That’s because many mega-fans like me – typically in our 40s now — were in the real “sweet spot” of prime toy-buying age when the original trilogy premiered. The opportunity to play with an endless parade of action figures, ships, vehicles and so on etched those characters and that universe into my generation’s hearts forever, and most importantly it engendered our own storytelling. We didn’t just see Star Wars and love it; we saw it, played it, and fantasized new storylines. In short, we made it our own.

We super-fans can quote New Hope and Empire Strikes Back dialog verbatim, we spent endless hours from 1980 to 1983 debating who the “other” hope was, or whether Luke would try to turn his father back to the Light Side. We were disappointed at the Muppet-heavy Return of the Jedi, with its out-of-thin air plot twist of twins Luke and Leia, a de-masked Darth Vader that resembled Humpty Dumpty, and, at the top of the list, those god-awful Ewoks. Of course, we later learned what real disappointment was with Phantom Menace … but that’s a whole other essay.

For uber fans like me, Star Wars wasn’t out of sight, out of mind just because the movies ended. Oh sure, there was Star Wars silence for about 10 years after Return debuted. But the Heir to the Empire book series in the early ‘90s, followed by the re-release of the original trilogy, opened the floodgates for an Expanded Universe of video games, comic books and novels that continued the adventures of Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie and the droids far into the future. Real fans flocked to the EU, because for us these characters are like old friends – and ultimately, that’s what draws us to this universe. Yes, starships and alien planets are cool, and the mystical Force is fun, but when you get down to it, it’s the archetypal main characters who made us fall in love.

Unfortunately, though, while the new characters and actors (Ridley, Boyega, Driver) are fairly enjoyable, it’s the treatment of the old characters where Force Awakens falls flat. Primarily Han, who in the latest installment has regressed to his out-for-himself mercenary A New Hope ways. He’s lost his son to the Dark Side and the Millennium Falcon to some CGI character on Jakku; run away from wife Leia; and abandoned the New Republic/Rebellion/Resistance.

Remember our beloved Han, who raced into a Hoth blizzard to save Luke, despite the fact his Tauntaun was sure to freeze before the first marker (“Then I’ll see you in Hell!)? Who, even as early as the end of ANH, sullenly told Chewbacca he “knew what he was doing” while he collected his prize money, but returned to shoot Vader out of the sky? The scoundrel with a gruff exterior but  who on the inside, we just knew, had the heart of a hero? Yeah, that Han’s gone. In his place is a bitter, gruff old geezer who, when confronted with the possibility of a map to his vanished dear friend Luke, basically tells our new heroes he’ll take them to Maz and then, kids – well, you’re on your own.

Yes, Han does get some small redemption by reconciling with Leia, setting out to destroy the Death Star (uh, I mean, Starkiller) and confronting his son. But it’s all done at such breakneck speed that it leaves the fan unfulfilled.

And speaking of “vanished” Luke – his disappearance seems so out-of-character as to be insulting. Remember, this is the Luke who disobeyed Yoda and Obi-Wan by leaving Dagobah and going to save his friends. The one who refused to give up on his father, despite the counsel of his sage mentors (you know, those wise old Jedi who failed to see Palpatine/Sidious right in front of their eyes, and whose solution to the rise of Palpatine and Vader was to hang out on backwater planets and wait for some newborn babies to come of age and save the galaxy – yeah, those guys).

Some argue that Luke’s loss against Vader in ESB proves that he was wrong to dismiss Yoda’s advice, but I always thought this was proof of Luke’s progression beyond the old, failed ways. That he was destined to lead the way to a new – and better – Jedi order. A Jedi order that didn’t have to be monastic and disavow close relationships, but instead could recognize and draw real strength from friendship and even (gasp!) romantic love.

Instead, Force Awakens gives us a Luke who’s seemingly repeated the mistakes of the past, who’s failed to stop an apprentice from killing off the entire Jedi Order (again!), and whose answer, ala Yoda and Obi-Wan, is to run away and let the galaxy go to ruin. I read somewhere that JJ Abrams was convinced to direct Force Awakens because he was intrigued by the question “Who is Luke Skywalker?” Well, all I can say is that if this is who JJ thinks Luke is … Sir, I watched Luke Skywalker, I knew Luke Skywalker, I dreamed of Luke Skywalker. This, sir, is no Luke Skywalker.

Or rather, it’s a broken Luke after many years of pain. And that – as well as his sure-to-happen redemption and return to glory in the next two films – would all be well and good, if we weren’t getting cheated out of the 30 years of intervening story between ROTJ and FA. Which brings us back to Disney’s incomprehensible decision to call this Episode VII (I know, reader, it took me a while to get back to this point – thanks for your patience).
We as fans aren’t getting to see, at least on the big screen, the fruits of our heroes’ labors. We don’t see Luke reestablish the Jedi Order and rebuild the Jedi Temple; we don’t see Han and Leia enjoy some happiness as a couple and start a family, or Leia become a political leader; and we don’t see the Rebellion morph into the New Republic, with successes and growing pains alike. I think I could have swallowed the misery of FA if I had been able, just a little, to behold some small amount of happiness before the heartbreak set in – to see, once again, the trio reunited.

Some will say that ship has sailed, since Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford are all too old now. But that’s malarkey – a young Han Solo film is already in the works, and Abrams’ reboot of Star Trek has proven that it is possible to recast younger actors, even when the original performances were iconic.

If Disney had any foresight, it would have made Force Awakens Episode X – or even later – leaving plenty of room to tell those stories. They’ve announced plans for lots of standalone films focusing on side characters and I’m sure they’ll all be successful, but I maintain that nothing would pack fans in like the continuing saga of Luke, Leia and Han.
It may well be that there are lots of novels (now the official “canon), video games, comics, etc. in the works that are set to fill in the gaps post-ROTJ. Time will tell if that will fill the void. For now, though, “using up” Episode VII on Force Awakens feels like a real missed opportunity – for fans and Disney alike.

In Zootopia, Acceptance Out Trumps Fear

Disney’s latest animated film, Zootopia, is fine family entertainment but what makes it stand out in this election year is its uplifting presentation of an inclusive society where you can follow your dreams free of stereotypes and bias.

Zootopia may not offer as much adult humor as some other Disney offerings of years gone by, like Inside Out, Big Hero 6 and Aladdin (although I’m probably mostly remembering Robin Williams’ genie), but its heart is in the right place. Ginnifer Goodwin is lovable as the can’t-keep-a-good-bunny-down Judy Hopps, who refuses to give up her dream of being the first rabbit police officer. Jason Bateman — wait, can we talk a second about the awesome career of Bateman? Loved him from his first appearances as the wise-alecky friend on Silver Spoons, to his own short-lived sitcom It’s Your Move, through that long period where he seemed to have disappeared, to his reemergence in recent years as not only the everyman comedic lead, but also one with surprising depth (see: Bad Words, which he also directed) and perhaps even menace when the part calls for it (see also: The Gift). I heart you, Jason! But I digress…

As the fox Nick Wilde in Zootopia, Jason Bateman is the just-right combination of sly conman and reluctant hero, with a heart of gold hiding under some painful childhood memories. Together, Nick and Judy team up to solve a missing persons (um, make that otter) case in the land of Zootopia: an all-animal society where beasts of every breed live together in supposed harmony. Whether you’re predator or prey, in Zootopia you’re not restricted by biology. Small bunnies can be cops, and foxes don’t have to give in to their natural predisposition to eat bunnies. In the United States (er, I mean, Zootopia), you can be whatever you want when you grow up.

Except something is amiss in Zootopia land – animals of the predator class are mysteriously vanishing and turning “savage,” regressing to their predatory roots. Judy and Nick are on the case, along the way running into the sloths who run the Department of Motor Vehicles (if you’ve not seen this hysterical trailer, go watch it right now), a hilarious Godfather-esque family of moles, and a nod to Breaking Bad (ok, so maybe this movie does have some good adult humor for parents to enjoy).

What you’ll remember most, though, about this film is its overall message – that society is at its best when we accept one another, for all our differences and without prejudice.  That we need to overcome stereotypes and see beyond the color of skin (or in this case, the sharpness of claws and fangs). That you should not be defined by your nationality or race or religion, but instead, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, by the content of your character. That just because you’re a bunny, you don’t have to be relegated to life as a carrot farmer – you can be whatever you dream.

As U2 frontman Bono once said, “America is not just a country but an idea, a great idea about opportunity for all and responsibility to your fellow man.” Has the United States achieved to perfection the idea of a utopian melting pot society, where immigrants can escape the confines of class and caste to make a better life? No, far from it; we have a history marred by slavery, income inequality is on the rise, and the ability to climb the economic ladder is still far too elusive for far too many Americans.

But in this election cycle, amid calls to “build a wall” and ban Muslims; to torture our enemies; to break up families with deportation; and to incite violence against protestors because, hey, that’s how things worked in the “good old days”; right now, in 2016, Zootopia is a wonderful reminder that the seeds for our own utopia – peace, love, understanding and acceptance- are within our grasp, if we don’t give in to hate and fear-mongering. America’s greatness lies not in its past, but in our steadfast belief and will to make our ideas reality. To quote from (and slightly paraphrase) U2 again, we’ve got to “dream up the world we want to live in; we’ve got to dream out loud.”

A More Mature Muppets Delivers Laughs, Heart

I can’t get rid of the smile on my face. Why? Because The Muppets season finale was so darn adorable.

I know, I know, I think I’m one of the few fans of the Muppets reboot. Following a creative ad campaign last summer, the show premiered to a lot of hype and build-up. But it seems viewers weren’t ready for a more mature Muppets gang – ratings steadily declined throughout the first half of the season.

It’s easy to understand why this new take on the Muppets may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Kermit and gang were never your average kids’ fare, of course – they always had a healthy dose of somewhat adult humor thrown in with the  zaniness. But the latest incarnation takes things one step further. These Muppets drink and go to bars after work; they crush on co-workers (who could have guessed Sam the Eagle had a thing for Surfer Girl Janice?); they even make subtle pot jokes. Heck, if this were on HBO, there’d probably be plenty more adult language and situations.

They also pull off some really funny dialogue, but you have to listen closely to catch all of it. (Miss Piggy’s assistant and confidante, Deadly, is particularly hilarious and the Swedish Chef rapping during a karaoke session? Priceless.) Saying the show employs a “sophisticated” humor may be overstating things, but viewers who were expecting sight gags and Crazy Harry blowing things up every episode were probably disappointed. (Ok, Crazy Harry did make an appearance in the season finale, but it was super-fast.)

To be sure, the show struggled a bit to find its identity, especially in the first half of the season. The “mockumentary” style, made so popular by The Office and Modern Family, didn’t work quite as well here. These are puppets, after all, with limited ability for the facial expressions and deadpan stares that worked so well for John Krasinski and company.

And in the first few episodes, the tone seemed a little, well, mean. Kermit, fresh off his break-up with Miss Piggy, appeared too harsh and jaded, while Miss Piggy, of course always a diva, came off as overly cartoonish and caricature-like. There were glimpses of the old Muppets heart (like the episode devoted to Kermit’s and Fozzie’s friendship), but the show took a while to find its footing.

A retooling and some production staffing changes during the winter break produced a re-energized second half of the season. Most importantly, the show’s heart was back and back in a big way. Miss Piggy, enlightened from her trip to Argentina to find herself and with the world’s cutest penguin in tow (seriously, it will make you want a pet penguin, or at least a pet penguin Muppet) became much more sympathetic and less the butt of jokes. Meanwhile, our Kermie returned to being more of the good guy/Jimmy Stewart hero that we all remember, as he slowly comes to the realization that he does, in fact, love Miss Piggy (well d’uh!).

The last batch of episodes also did a better job of balancing nostalgia with a fresh take. The new character Big Mean Carl (according to the Google, Carl apparently actually debuted several years ago but who knew — he’s new to me) continued to deliver jokes, while old fan favorites were better integrated into the show. The season finale gave nods to Rowlf and the Veterinarians Hospital skit from the original show, the “Ma na ma na” singers, and Dr. Bunsen HoneyDew and Beaker. Yes, the corny musical guest in each episode is a little awkward, but it is a Muppets staple so I’ll give it a pass.

Pepe the Prawn also shines in the season ender, as the captain of “Team Love,” the camp of Muppets in favor of a Kermit/Miss Piggy reunion (“I said ‘but love’!”). Will love win out in the end? Will our star-crossed lovers find their way back to each other? Will the Muppets even return next season? I’m not sure; the mid-season retool may not have been enough to boost ratings. Which is too bad, because I think these grown-up Muppets would have caught on if folks had given them a chance. But even if we’ve seen the last of Kermit and company on Tv for a while, it’s nice to know that they ended in a good place, with their funny bones and, most importantly, their heart well in tact.