STAR WARS: The Force Awakens  4****

       JOY. I don't believe many people realize just how hard it is, what kind of skill it takes, or how rare it is for someone to create a work that truly gives people a sense of true joy. Something that transports them out of their lives  and makes them feel good, something that makes audiences laugh with delight and marvel at the sheer excitement. Director JJ Abrams and crew have pulled off the most rare of magic tricks. The true “feel good “of JOY.

SPOILER-FREE. Don't worry I won’t give anything away and DON”T read other reviews. You should go in with as little knowledge about the movie as possible so you can be surprised and thrilled.

"Star Wars" has been a way of life in any film lover's life. It has been around for two generations now, and JJ Abrams brings us the beginning of a third generation of Star Wars films, and the first installment of the new trilogy is easily the best since the original trilogy, and is perhaps better than some of the originals. Starting with the acting, we are given four new main characters: Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), Rey (Daisy RIdley) and Kilo Ren (Adam Driver).  Starting with Oscar Isaac, he delivers a fun role and brings tons of energy to the screen. Next is John Boyega, who in the role of Finn, is one of the young new actors, but makes himself known with a very involved performance, showcasing the perfect amount of humor, strength, and distress. . Daisy Ridley as Rey is not only beautiful to look at, but delivers genuine emotion and passion to her role. It hasn't been since we met Ridley in “Alien” that we have seen such a badass female character  and she is easily the best surprise in the film. .The villain, Kilo Ren ( a look-a-like to Darth Vader in all black and head mask), played by Adam Driver, is excellent and gives a great new energy to the dark side. These four main characters are perfectly cast.  As for returning characters, I'm sure that anyone would be lying if they said that they didn't enjoy seeing Luke (Mark Hamill),Princess Leia ( Carrie Fisher), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and Chewbacca on the big screen again after so many years. Their performances are excellent in so many ways, and their talent has only grown with their age. Also, C3PO and R2D2 are there with the same amount of joy and fun that they brought to the earlier movies. But there's still one more character that is not only one of the best parts of the film, but will surely be selling off the shelves once the kids see him, and it's BB-8. The design of the droid is incredible, and it's just such an adorable character that brings some of the best humor and fun to the film.

As you can see, a lot of the movie has to give its credit to the acting, but there's still more to this film that makes it one of the best of the year. JJ Abrams is the true quarterback of this production, and this film has the stunning JJ-style, but also keeps its roots in the original George Lucas design. Unlike the prequels, the visual effects seem natural and real, and CGI is only used in the most necessary cases. The practical effects are great, and proves that films don't need big computer effects to be brilliantly gorgeous and action-packed.  The dialogue is understandable, but still real and not overdone like in the prequels, and the score written beautifully by John Williams is flawless as always.  There are numerous parallels and recurring themes between this movie and the original trilogy. You'll notice Rey's desert-like home world reminiscent of Luke’s Tatooine, a bar scene so similar to amazing one in the 1^st “Star Wars”, BB8 as the lovable successor to R2D2  also happens to carry important information. There's the destructive evil super-weapon that must be destroyed much like the Death Star of old, and of course, the eternal struggle between good and evil that is the light side versus the dark side. However, the parallel that makes the biggest impact is the family affair between a father and his son which has a shocking outcome. 

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is Hollywood at its absolute best and J.J. Abrams has definitely brought us back into that Galaxy Far, Far Away, in more ways than  we could have ever asked for. I can praise the hell out of this film all day, because that is just what this film is. A crowd pleaser all around. It welcomes newcomers with its fresh characters, and it will blow the minds of the diehard fans (of which I am one).  It is amazing entertainment . Oh the JOY of seeing a terrific movie.

You MUST see this on the BIG screen. Too much will be lost to watch it on TV.

Clark