Tag: Mark Hamill

10 Classic ’80s Sci-fi Moments: ‘The Empire Strikes Back’

Jeff Mitchell

#1 – “The Empire Strikes Back” – Darth Vader’s reveal – June 20, 1980 is a day that shook the world.  On this day, the much anticipated sequel to “Star Wars” (1977) hit the big screen, and in the film’s third act, Darth Vader (David Prowse/James Earl Jones) reveals that he is Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) father. What?? Absolutely no one saw this coming, and this seminal moment forever-altered fans perception of the series and its characters, and it became the fulcrum for every “Star Wars” film afterwards, except for…

‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ carries visual thrills and missed opportunities

Jeff Mitchell

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” – The marketing department behind the Star Wars franchise must be brilliant.  With billions of dollars in tickets sold over eight films (including “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)), hired advertising suits certainly know the cinematic beats that will attract their audience.  On the other hand, Star Wars probably does not need a marketing department at all, because after George Lucas’s visionary masterstroke arrived in 1977, fans bought into his wondrous space opera and the films that followed, and rightfully so! Well, as writer/director…

‘Brigsby Bear’ does not hibernate during its light, bizarre trip

Jeff Mitchell

“Brigsby Bear” – “We have dreams and imaginations to help us escape, and no one can take that away from you, ever.” – Ted (Mark Hamill) Kyle Mooney and Kevin Costello certainly possess vivid imaginations, because they penned “Brigsby Bear”, a most original and oddball story that follows James Pope’s (Mooney) odyssey in attempting to fit into society, whether he wants to or not. You see – for reasons that I will not disclose in this review – James spent the first 20 plus years of his life obsessed with a…