Favorite Films of All Time, No. 28

 


In 2022 I'm revisiting my favorite films of all time, doing a countdown of the Top 50 throughout the year. Check back each Friday for the latest installment in the countdown of films, which include releases through 2019. Agree? Disagree? Have a thought on the choice? Be sure to share in the comments below!

Luke Skywalker: So it is time for the Jedi Order to end.
Yoda: Time it is for you to look past a pile of old books, hmm?
Luke Skywalker: The sacred Jedi texts?
Yoda: Oh, read them, have you? Page-turners they were not. Yes, yes, yes. Wisdom they held, but that library contained nothing that the girl Rey does not already possess. Skywalker, still looking to the horizon. Never here, now, hmm? The need in front of your nose.
Luke Skywalker: I was weak. Unwise.
Yoda: Lost Ben Solo you did. Lose Rey we must not.
Luke Skywalker: I can't be what she needs me to be.
Yoda: Heeded my words not, did you? Pass on what you have learned. Strength. Mastery. But weakness, folly, failure also. Yes, failure most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is. Luke, we are what they grow beyond. That is the true burden of all masters.

Star Wars: Episode VIII, The Last Jedi (2017)
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Laura Dern, Oscar Isaac, John Boyega, and Kellie Marie Tran
Director: Rian Johnson
About: For years, when anyone asked my favorite Star Wars film, it was easy to respond Empire Strikes Back. That changed in 2017. The sequel trilogy wasn't always incredible and in many ways probably didn't turn out how many expected. But in Johnson's second piece of that series, we got a true masterpiece. We also got the most polarizing Star Wars film ever and likely the most polarizing film on this countdown. Johnson's film is not only visually stunning, it's incredibly emotionally engaging. It features some of the best shots and sequences of the series and also some of the most moving and engaging performances. Dern, whose character is only in this film, is outstanding. Her character was memorable and moving. I also loved the work of Driver and Ridley in this film. Their emotional intensity and connection was palpable, one of the most engaging and memorable things about this film. Finally, I thought this was an incredibly showcase for Hamill as Luke Skywalker. It's a different kind of Luke but it's a beautiful arc. I know that's the part that many people struggled with the most when it comes to this film, but it worked beautifully for me. I loved this film and have seen it a number of times since. It still lands. I think it's a true master work, my favorite Star Wars film of all time and one of my favorite films of all time.

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