20 Essential Indigenous Movies from North America - Rotten Tomatoes

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(Photo by Courtesy the Everett Collection)

For over a century, Native Americans have been the objects of film, their likeness projected onto screens, capturing the world’s attention with their buckskinned form, and giving John Wayne something to do with his career. But it wasn’t until they moved behind the camera, becoming producers, writers, and directors, that they truly became subjects of great works of cinema.

Films about North American Indians (or Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island) have often said little about Indigenous people, yet they speak volumes about the lack of relationship the film industry had to them. For most of the history of cinema, the world has known the Hollywood Indian stereotype – sometimes a white person in redface. But now Indigenous creators have stepped in to tell their own stories, wiping off the war paint, dropping the loin cloths, and filling movie screens with stories and characters that convey the complex nature of living as an Indigenous human being.

In 2019, Indigenous talents were finally recognized as major players in the American movie industry, with Academy Awards given to long-time actors like Wes Studi (Dances with Wolves, Hostiles, and 103 other movies), and screenwriters and directors like part-Maori Taika Waititi (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Jojo Rabbit). Netflix, Apple TV+, CBC Gem, The Sundance Channel, and many other streaming platforms are taking more works by Indigenous talent to global audiences. It’s been said that we are currently experiencing an Indigenous renaissance; regardless what you call the present moment across Indian country, it makes for amazing cinema.

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, the following list features some of the top films from the past 30 years made by Indigenous people (Native American, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) from across Turtle Island. We also included one series. The list runs the gamut, spanning genres from horror (Blood Quantum) and binge-worthy thrillers (Trickster), to documentaries (Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World, Trudell) and critically acclaimed classics (Smoke Signals, Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner). You’ll also find lesser-known but well-loved indie flicks (Empty Metal, The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open), and our guide will cross colonially imposed borders, reaching far north into Inuit territory (On the Ice, Angry Inuk), and southwest to Navajo and Seminole country (Mekko, Fukry).

However, this is only a very small taste of what’s out there, and truly, the best is yet to come. Some titles to watch for in the not-too-distant future include the coming-of-age-in-the-time-of-Oka-story Beans by director Tracey Deer; the stunning and timely documentary Akicita: The Battle of Standing Rock by director Cody Lucich; and Danis Goulet’s science-fiction thriller set in a North American dystopian future, Night Raiders. 

The following list of 20 includes some of the most heartbreakingly beautiful, hair-raising, hilarious, and innovative entertainment that you will find anywhere – ordered chronologically. And you won’t even miss the buckskin. – Kerry Potts

Kerry Potts (Ojibway of mixed heritage) is a college professor who teaches Indigenous film and media, and has spent the last 20-plus years working for Indigenous arts organizations, including the imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival.

#20

Adjusted Score: 83.932%

Critics Consensus: Smoke Signals tells a familiar story from an underrepresented point of view, proving that a fresh perspective can help subvert long-established expectations.

Synopsis: The unavoidable synopsis -- two young American Indians leave the reservation to resolve their problems and to find themselves --... [More]

#19

Adjusted Score: 93.26%

Critics Consensus: Compelling human drama and stunning cinematography make The Fast Runner an absorbing experience.

Synopsis: This sweeping epic features a cast of Inuit actors and is based on one of their ancient legends. Natar Ungalaaq... [More]

#18

Adjusted Score: 33.171%

Critics Consensus: John Trudell has led a fascinating life -- unfortunately, Trudell the documentary largely fails to translate it into a compelling viewing experience.

Synopsis: John Trudell is a poet, musician, actor, and political activist who has been speaking out on behalf of the Native... [More]

#17

Adjusted Score: 47.695%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: An Inuit boy and his beloved grandmother struggle to survive the Arctic wilderness.... [More]

#16

Adjusted Score: 51.582%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Native American and Aboriginal peoples have long played a part in Hollywood filmmaking, but the picture presented of them was... [More]

#15

Adjusted Score: 42.089%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Shot entirely on location in Barrow, Alaska, On The Ice is the engrossing and suspenseful feature film debut by filmmaker... [More]

#14

Adjusted Score: 0%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: An examination of Treaty 9, the 1905 agreement between the First Nations and the Canadian government.... [More]

#13

Adjusted Score: 0%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Mekko paints the portrait of a homeless Native American parolee in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As he struggles to find his way... [More]

#12

Adjusted Score: 25.848%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: This documentary examines the controversial Canadian commercial seal hunt protests by animal rights activists, which negatively impact remote Inuit subsistence... [More]

Starring:

#11

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Starring:

Directed By:

#10

Adjusted Score: 0%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Shipped thousands of miles away from the tropical islands of Hawaii to a private prison in the Arizona desert, two... [More]

Starring:

#9

Adjusted Score: 92.102%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Life is moving fast for whip-smart high school senior Deidra (Ashleigh Murray) and her younger sister Laney (Rachel Crow). Graduation... [More]

#8

Adjusted Score: 92.067%

Critics Consensus: RUMBLE shines a long overdue spotlight on key contributions to the American musical lexicon, satisfying rock scholars while offering a fascinating -- albeit sobering -- primer on the foundations of a genre.

Synopsis: RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World brings to light a profound and missing chapter in the history of American... [More]

#7

Adjusted Score: 23.327%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Set in the abusive police state of the contemporary United States, EMPTY METAL follows five groups of characters, each emblematic... [More]

#6

Adjusted Score: 23.173%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Edge of the Knife is a feature length Haida language film about pride, tragedy, and penance. Adiits'ii, the lead character... [More]

Starring:

#5

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

#4

Adjusted Score: 93.735%

Critics Consensus: Blood Quantum blends bloody horror with sociopolitical subtext, taking a fresh bite out of the crowded zombie genre in the bargain.

Synopsis: The dead are coming back to life outside the isolated Mi'gMaq reserve of Red Crow, except for its Indigenous inhabitants... [More]

#3

Adjusted Score: 32.79%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: On August 9, 2016, a young Cree man named Colten Boushie died from a gunshot to the back of his... [More]

Starring:

#2

Adjusted Score: 97.686%

Critics Consensus: The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open uses an encounter between two strangers as the catalyst for a thoughtful drama as poetic as its title.

Synopsis: Two Indigenous women from vastly different backgrounds find their worlds colliding on an East Vancouver, B.C. sidewalk when brutality and... [More]

Adjusted Score: 42.261%

Synopsis: Based on Eden Robinson?s bestselling novel, this series follows an Indigenous teen struggling to support his dysfunctional family as myth,... [More]

Thumbnail: © Array Releasing, © Shudder, courtesy Everett Collection

The Link Lonk


December 01, 2020 at 02:46AM
https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/essential-indigenous-movies-from-north-america/

20 Essential Indigenous Movies from North America - Rotten Tomatoes

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10 Best Survival Movies Like The Grey, Ranked According To Rotten Tomatoes - Screen Rant

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Writing and filming a survival drama for the big screen is no cakewalk; there are several unfilmable elements in any film that is so dependent on physical struggles and there’s a lot of work on body language that has to be perfected. The sense of danger and risk often needs to be translated via other functional ways and the special effects have to be practical and organic. Then there are other components like difficult terrains, navigating natural aspects, and acing the right kind of dynamic between actors, even if they are in the middle of a tumultuous ocean.

RELATED: 10 Best Practical Special Effects Seen In The Past Decade

Despite that, Hollywood has produced some very credible survival dramas. While films like 127 Hours and The Revenant became runaway hits, others like The Shallows or Open Water exceeded everyone’s expectations in terms of approach.

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10 Open Water (71%)

No one expected this 2003 release to do so well, but Open Water gets the memo right on survival horror. The film is loosely based on the true story of an American couple, Tom and Eileen Logan, who are stranded in shark-infested waters on the Great Barrier Reef after their scuba diving group abandons them.

RELATED: 10 Coming-Of-Dramas To Watch If You Like We Are Who We Are

The movie was well-received by audiences, and it balances environmental horror and elements of a thriller to make the storyline edgier. Although the ending was quite depressing, Open Water is a crisp, engaging watch.

9 The Way Back (74%)

This Peter Weir film unravels during World War II and much like Rescue Dawn, it has an action-packed prison-break subplot at the heart of it. It follows the story of a captured Polish soldier named Slawomir who was sent to a Gulag labor camp in Russia. He is able to convince a number of fellow prisoners to agree to his plans to escape and they eventually begin their journey towards British India via the Gobi desert.

The design of the movie is rather audacious, like a more elaborate chase through the toughest terrains and unpredictable natural calamities. Though Rotten Tomatoes ranks the film quite higher on its list, the audiences and critics of the film agreed that though the narration is ambitious, it needed to be a lot more engaging.

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8 Into The Wild (83%)

This 2007 biographical drama by Sean Penn isn’t your typical survival movie but as it progresses, the tonality of the film gets grittier and more poignant. It tells the story of Christopher McCandless, the famous hitchhiker who traveled from North America to the Alaskan jungles in the nineties.

RELATED: 5 Movie Characters Who Would Survive A Predator Hunt (& 5 Who Wouldn’t)

Into the Wild is not a traditional find-yourself film because there’s a lot of nuance to it, but the project had a lot of personal significance for Penn and the screenplay represented that. Although there are a lot of perspectives out there on whether McCandless's story is worth a glorified re-telling, it certainly makes for some very good cinema. 

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7 Quest for Fire (86%)

The prehistoric science adventure drama had no dialogue as it was set 80,000 years in the past and the characters communicated with grunts and hand signals. Critics were amused at the intense ‘gaminess’ of the film that was intriguing because of how realistic the design of the film was.

The script was simplistic, it was based on the novel of the same name by J-H Rosny and followed man’s quest to master fire and though nothing too big or substantial happens, it simply chronicled the grittiness of day-to-survival for the prehistoric man. The careful detailing of the cultural differences between each paleolithic tribe was also widely applauded by critics.

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6 Rabbit-Proof Fence (87%)

Based on a novel by Australian author Doris Pilkington, this takes a gripping look at the brutal governmental child removal policy that existed in Australia between 1905 and 1967, whose victims are now referred to as the ‘Stolen Generations.’

The film commences in 1930s Australia where the Chief Protector of Aborigines orders three mixed-breed girls to a camp where they can learn the means to become ‘servants.’ The girls escape the camp and start a treacherous walk home to the indigenous district of Jigalong and have to evade the relentless efforts of the Protector and his men to track them down.

5 Buried (87%)

This survival horror has been styled like a psychological thriller and features Ryan Reynolds in one of his career-defining performances. He plays a contract truck driver in Iraq who wakes up in a coffin without the memory of how he got there, although he gradually starts recollecting what may have happened.

He is equipped with a phone and a lighter and gets a call from his kidnapper who demands a ransom of $5 million. The film packs in a surprising amount of drama even with the limited opportunities, with the help of interesting camera movements and a fantastic script. 

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4 Cast Away (88%)

Robert Zemeckis’ Cast Away was a flawed film and was a cinematic innovation in many terms. It was one of the first films to fully commit to the idea of a survival ‘drama’ so seriously, which made the screenplay a lot more intense and would go on to become a very bankable genre in modern Hollywood.

RELATED: 10 Scariest 2010s Horror Movie Monsters, Ranked

The movie surprisingly had a happy ending, which critics found agreeable and Zemeckis revealed that he made the film to chronicle what four years of hopelessness could do to a man. Tom Hanks plays a time-obsessed delivery man who is stranded on a lonely island with no means to get back to civilization and earned an Oscar nod for his performance.

3 Rescue Dawn (90%)

Werner Herzog had already made a documentary titled Little Dieter Needs to Fly on the same subject in the nineties; but this war drama by the director is seriously gritty, intense and a taut survival watch.

The story follows German-American pilot Dieter Dengler (played by Christian Bale), who is captured and made a prisoner of war where he is tortured. Dengler eventually devises a plan to escape which goes awry but manages to get him out of prison. Afterward, he finds himself in a dense Thai jungle and is eventually rescued by an American helicopter. 

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2 127 Hours (93%)

Clearly one of the most gut-wrenching survival dramas ever made, this James Franco piece has the actor playing Aron Ralston, who gets his right arm trapped under a boulder that descended upon a rock wall. Ralston had to slowly and painfully amputate his trapped arm after he gets a vision of his future child.

127 Hours scored six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and Franco received a lot of praise for his performances, particularly the camcorder scenes which had just the right element of drama. The film famously led to audiences falling ill and vomiting during its run-time and some viewers even had panic attacks.

1 Touching The Void (94%)

This 2003 docu-drama is considered to be one of the best British documentaries ever made and is definitely one of the most intense survival dramas. Mountaineering films are exceptionally hard to design considering there’s very little space to experiment with visual elements, however, this one has a rather controversial premise to fall back on. It follows Joe Simpson and Simon Yates's attempt to ascend the previously unclimbed West Face of Peru’s Siula Grande.

On their way down from the summit, Simpson slips off the side of the mountain and shatters his right leg. After many attempts to lower Simpson to the ground, Yates failed and realized his efforts may be in vain. So he cut the rope and continued down on his descent; Simpson survived the fall but Yates was criticized harshly by the mountaineering circuits for cutting the rope and leaving Simpson to die. When Simpson was invited to Siula Grande for the making of the film, he found it very difficult and experienced some PTSD, though he was happy with the film’s depictions.

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The Link Lonk


November 30, 2020 at 02:30AM
https://screenrant.com/survival-films-similar-the-grey-rotten-tomatoes/

10 Best Survival Movies Like The Grey, Ranked According To Rotten Tomatoes - Screen Rant

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Otherwise-rotten 2020 has a winning glow at Iowa State - The Gazette

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Find a lumberyard, Iowa State fans, and knock on all the wood you can find.

Of the 65 Power Five football teams, 49 have had games postponed or canceled because of COVID-19. The Cyclones have played all nine of their scheduled games so far, and a good thing it’s been for them. Knock on wood.

No matter what happens this day forward, they will have earned their first spot in a Big 12 championship game. They will have a first-place finish in the conference’s regular-season standings.

Had they not played Oklahoma or Texas, many would have called it a tainted title. Iowa State defeated both.

We’ll all forever remember 2020 for being a rotten set of 366 days. While football is as trivial as a thing can get, at least this year will have a warm and fuzzy compartment in Ames and throughout Cycloneland. The last time ISU won a football title was 1912 when it went 2-0 in the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association. That was the year the Titanic ran into a little ice.

It was the year Woodrow Wilson unseated William Howard Taft as president. Wilson got 435 electoral college votes. Taft got just 8, and didn’t even suggest there was voting fraud.

The last Cyclones football championship came six years before the Spanish Flu pandemic ravaged the world. This year, 100 FBS games have been postponed or canceled because of COVID-19. Iowa State has played all its scheduled contests, and since Big 12 play started, has played them well.

The Cyclones were behind from the end of Texas’ first possession until they scored to go up 23-20 with 1:25 left. They trailed 10-0 in the first half, 20-10 in the second half. When they needed to go 69 yards for a touchdown late in the game, they did it. When they needed to keep Texas from scoring on its final possession, they did it.

They didn’t dominate the statistics. They didn’t dominate the game. They just played like winners, poised and clutch.

The work isn’t done, as the Cyclones are the first to insist. Before the Dec. 19 Big 12 championship in Arlington, Texas, Iowa State can secure the outright regular-season title next Saturday at home against West Virginia. If, that is, both teams stay out of the coronavirus’ reach.

Oklahoma, the Cyclones’ likely opponent for the league’s automatic spot in a New Year’s Six bowl, couldn’t play at West Virginia Saturday because of the virus. That made five Big 12 teams that have had their schedules disrupted.

Wisconsin has played only three of its six scheduled games to date. Ohio State missed a second one this fall when it couldn’t play at Illinois Saturday. Tulsa, a Top 25 team, has had more games called off than it has played.

Coaches Nick Saban of Alabama and Ryan Day of Ohio State tested positive for COVID-19 within the last few days. Even the wizards of the superpowers can’t hide from it. Yet, Iowa State has. Iowa, too.

The Hawkeyes are one of those 16 Power Five teams that have played every game. They’re on a 4-game win streak they could extend to seven or even eight before this thing is through if they get their games played.

Let’s say the Hawkeyes beat Illinois, Wisconsin, and whomever the Big Ten puts in front of it on Dec. 19. That isn’t far-fetched. That would be a 7-2 record, seven straight wins, and a ticket to a pretty good bowl. Assuming there are good bowl options left by then.

What a bizarre year for the planet and American football. Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz voluntarily and happily got into snarky sniping sessions with both P.J. Fleck and Scott Frost within a 14-day period. If that isn’t an apocalypse-is-nigh sign, none exist.

If Ferentz has a wrestling match with Illinois Coach Lovie Smith at midfield next Saturday in Champaign, I’m going into hibernation until spring and will strongly urge you to do likewise.

On second thought, let’s see when and how this season comes to a conclusion. We’ve got a regular-season game in Ames in December that means a lot. Seek lumber, not slumber.

Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas@thegazette.com

The Link Lonk


November 29, 2020 at 02:58AM
https://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/otherwise-rotten-2020-has-a-winning-glow-at-iowa-state-20201128

Otherwise-rotten 2020 has a winning glow at Iowa State - The Gazette

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The Mandalorian Chapter 13 Introduces a Highly-Anticipated Jedi Character - Rotten Tomatoes

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(Photo by Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

This week’s episode of The Mandalorian wastes no time revealing its special guest and confirming the most pivotal casting decision of the second season. It is also, potentially, the most pivotal episode overall as Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) gets closer to the Force and one Star Wars’ best-established television story. So let’s dive in and see what the Mandalorian’s latest meeting could mean for his journey and the galaxy.

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The following contains spoilers about The Mandalorian, season 2, episode 5, “Chapter 13: The Jedi.” Stop here if you have not watched the episode.

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Bo-Katan Kryze Put the Mandalorian on the Path to Jedi Ahsoka Tano

(Photo by Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Receiving a tip from Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) in Chapter 11, Djarin began a journey to the planet Corvus in the hopes a Jedi named Ahsoka Tano could help him with his quest to reunite the Child with his people. But as the Razor Crest was badly damaged, he made a pit-stop on Nevarro for repairs in Chapter 12. While there, he aided Greef Carga (Carl Weathers) and Cara Dune (Gina Carano) in raiding a Imperial Remnant base, where he learned Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito) is still alive and conducting experiments with the Child’s blood.

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Chapter 13 Quickly Introduces Ahsoka Tano

(Photo by Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

On Corvus, Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) is locked in a struggle against Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto), a Clone Wars profiteer with information the Jedi exile desperately needs. Unfortunately, Elsbeth, a magistrate, holds the entire town of Calodan under her thumb, making Ahsoka’s usual plan of attack nonviable.

When Djarin arrives on Corvus, Elsbeth immediately hires him to kill Ahsoka; of course, he has no intention of fulfilling the contract as he sussed out the situation in Calodan and needs the Jedi’s help with the Child.

Tracking Ahsoka to the burned out forest outside the city walls, the two immediately fight, but a mention of Bo-Katan gives Ahoska reason to listen to the Mandalorian. Upon seeing the Child, though, her attention is swayed. The two meditate and, at long last, Djarin learns the Child has a name: Grogu. He also learns a few key pieces of his history. Djarin asks for her help training the child in the Jedi arts, but she refuses. He manages to strike a bargain, though: he will assist her raid on Calodan if she will train Grogu.

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(Photo by Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Ahsoka arrives in town feigning Djarin’s defeat at her lightsabers. She also takes out a number of Elsbeth’s guards on her own. But as the fight moves to the rooftops, Elsbeth orders the execution of her prisoners and the townsfolk. Luckily, Djarin arrives via jetpack to stop the slayings. He also corners Lang (Micheal Biehn), Elsbeth’s chief mercenary.

Meanwhile, on the magistrate’s estate, Ahsoka fights Elsbeth, who brandishes a Beskar spear. Though she holds her own for a bit, Elsbeth is ultimately no match for Anakin Skywalker’s former apprentice. And as it happens, the information vital to Ahsoka is the location of Elsbeth’s master, Grand Admiral Thrawn.

With Elsbeth’s regime toppled, Djarin returns to the Razor Crest to get Gorgu ready for his training and say goodbye. But Djarin allows the child to sleep, and Ahsoka makes her own way to the ship and says, once again, she cannot train him. Instead, she suggests taking him to the ruins of a Jedi temple on Tython, where Grogu can choose his own destiny and reach out to a Jedi better suited for an apprentice.

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Once Again The Fulcrum

(Photo by Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

While Ahsoka is the most important guest character to appear in The Mandalorian, Djarin and Grogu managed to become high-profile guests in Ahsoka’s ongoing story and, in a way, the continuing storyline of Star Wars Rebels.

In that series’ final moments, Ahsoka returned to the planet Lothal to tell Mandalorian Sabine Wren that the time had come to find their lost comrade, Ezra Bridger. The young Jedi vanished alongside Grand Admiral Thrawn during the liberation of Lothal, a confrontation which occurred shortly before the Battle of Yavin.

Four years after their reunion on Lothal, it is unclear if Ahsoka and Sabine ever found Ezra. Her quest to find Thrawn could mean any number of things. If he’s active in the galaxy again, it is possible Ezra has already been found and this is part of the aftermath. Alternatively, the pair could still be on the search for their friend after all this time.

If the search ended in tragedy, though, it may explain a certain ruthlessness on Ahsoka’s part. As played by Dawson, the character is surprisingly vicious while dispatching Elsbeth’s goons and, seemingly, Elsbeth herself. Ahsoka’s path is not exactly in keeping with the Jedi Code, of course — she walked away from the Order during the Clone Wars — and it is easy to see how she could be as formidable as her former master.

Also, Djarin meets a surprisingly somber Ahsoka. This is in contrast to the character as voiced by Ashley Eckstein, who voiced Ahsoka throughout Clone Wars and her various appearances on Star Wars Rebels. Though the character went through dark times on those shows, she always retained a youthful sparkle that is completely missing here — even when she is pleased to meet Grogu. At the same time, though, it totally makes sense for Djarin to meet a grimmer version of her, as she is a guest character here and, really, Jedi should be terrifying.

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(Photo by Disney+/Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Speaking of the child (we’re letting go of the capitalization now that he has a name), we learned some key details about his past. He was raised in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and began his training sometime before or during the Clone Wars. Hidden after the fall of the Old Republic, his memories of the ensuing two decades become hazy.

This new intel rewrites our perception of Grogu as he is not quite the infant we assumed him to be. Although younglings were brought to the Order very early in their lives — Ahsoka herself was only 3 when she began training — the longevity of Yoda’s species led us to believe Grogu, at age 50, was still, essentially, a newborn. But if the Jedi deemed him old enough to be trained, he has some understanding of the wider galaxy and his place in it.

We also think he plays up the childlike innocence as a defense mechanism, much like Ahsoka’s suggestion that he hides his powers in order to survive.

Back on the rumor front, Dawson was long associated with Ahsoka and this proved to be correct. Biehn, meanwhile, ended up playing a far more minor figure than anyone guessed. Although, we noticed the initial reports of his involvement indicated he would play a bounty hunter. A merc is not far off from that, so those early reports were also more or less true; that said, we would’ve liked to see him in a more pivotal role.

With the conclusion of this episode, nearly all the credible rumors have been resolved and just about everything anticipated about the season has come to pass. It means next week’s episode will be something fresh and surprising. Although, we wonder if the season’s established pace means another detour before reaching Tython. As it happens, the planet is nestled in the Deep Core, so it will take the Razor Crest some time to get there.

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Questions for the Jedi

(Photo by John Wilson/© Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

While we ponder how lightspeed travel will affect the pace of the show, there are some other questions to consider. Now that the Jedi have invaded The Mandalorian, it is time to wonder about some other key Star Wars characters.

Where is Sabine Wren? Is she still looking for Ezra or did she find him? If things went poorly, is she also on the hunt for Thrawn? And, perhaps more importantly, will Djarin’s journey bring him into contact with her? Presumably, she’ll want to be part of the Bo-Katan’s liberation force. Provided Sabine is still alive, of course.

Has Ahsoka Reached Out to Luke Skywalker? While we’re happy to never have a Skywalker appear on The Mandalorian, one would think Ahsoka would reach out to him and offer some guidance in rebuilding the Order. Then again, considering how disastrously Luke’s attempt to rebuild the Jedi will go, maybe their conversation was ill-fated. He may be the Jedi she alluded to in her parting words with Djarin, but his track record suggests he is not the person to teach Grogu.

Is Ezra Fated To Teach Grogu? Considering The Mandalorian wanders in Dave Filoni’s quadrant of the galaxy, it is possible Ezra is best suited to aid the child. He may also be one of the Jedi Ahsoka mentioned and his journey to become one — chronicled in Rebels — makes him a far better candidate than Luke. Granted, we always prefer Jedi with more shades of gray to their philosophy than the absolutism Luke was taught. Also, we’re assuming Grogu will want to be a Jedi. The visit to Tython may show him a different Way to follow.

Is Grogu Related to Yoda? Now that we know he was in the Jedi Temple, the question must be asked. Considering how rare examples of Yoda’s species seem to be — Ahoska apparently never met Jedi Master Yaddle, who left the council before the Clone Wars — a direct relationship between Grogu and Yoda is likely. Also, the longevity of the species and their high midi-chlorian counts suggest they may be more directly tied to the will of the Force than anyone suspects. Once again, we look to Tython with the hope its connection to the Force will shed more light on The Mandalorian‘s mysteries.

The Mandalorian releases new episodes each Friday on Disney+.

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The Link Lonk


November 28, 2020 at 09:22AM
https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/the-mandalorian-chapter-13-introduces-jedi-character/

The Mandalorian Chapter 13 Introduces a Highly-Anticipated Jedi Character - Rotten Tomatoes

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10 Funniest Christmas Comedies, Ranked According To Rotten Tomatoes - Screen Rant

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The holidays are a time of great food, twinkling lights, family, presents, and, of course, holiday movies. No other time of year seems to have captured Hollywood the way that Christmas has. Every year, new movies are released, and, with the popularity of the Hallmark Channel and Netflix, it seems like hilarious holiday movies are more easily accessible than ever before!

RELATED: 10 Christmas Movies '90s Kids Love

Here are the 10 funniest Christmas comedies, ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes scores. Can you guess what the most crucially lauded comedies are? Here's a hint... classics like Home Alone and Love Actually did not make the list.

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10 The Night Before (2015) - 68%

The Night Before starred Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie as three friends who have always spent Christmas Eve together. However, now that one of them is about to be a father, the group realizes this could be their last Christmas Eve together. To celebrate, they decide to have a night full of debauchery. It's kind of like if The Hangover was turned into a Christmas movie.

9 National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) - 68%

This tale of family dysfunction has really stuck with audiences. Upon its release, the movie was a massive box office hit, and, throughout the years, it has only gained more and more fame.

RELATED: The 5 Best (& 5 Worst) Families In Christmas Movie History

These days, it's considered a quintessential Christmas classic, and it's easy to see why, as the film was full of powerhouse performances by comedic legends like Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Doris Roberts, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and many more.

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8 A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas (2011) - 68%

In the third Harold and Kumar film, the duo set out on a whacky night of holiday mischief. The movie is filled with raunchy humor and feels like a modern version of a classic Cheech and Chong film. The movie is also loaded with a famous supporting cast, including Neil Patrick Harris, Danny Trejo, RZA, Patton Oswalt, and many more. It's the perfect Christmas film for fans of stoner comedies.

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7 Scrooged (1988) - 71%

Scrooged was a modern retelling of Charles Dicken's popular tale, A Christmas Carol. The movie used the excess and gaudiness of the 80s to really emphasize how timeless the story is.

In the film, Bill Murray plays a high-strung, self-centered TV executive who belittles everyone around him. However, as he begins production on a big Christmas Eve special, he's visited by three spirits who attempt to make him a better man. The movie was a huge hit upon release and remains one of Murray's most notable roles.

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6 The Santa Clause (1994) - 71%

The Santa Clause not only holds a 71% critical rating, but it's also certified "Fresh" by Rotten Tomatoes. The film centers around Scott Calvin, who accidentally kills Santa... and ends up becoming the new Santa to replace him. The movie holds a sort of magic and wonder that keeps it a perennial holiday favorite season after season.

RELATED: 10 Best Santa Claus Movies, Ranked

In their review, People magazine even called it "the most playfully amusing, inventive new cinematic Christmas fable in several decades."

5 The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - 76%

Another certified "Fresh" film, The Muppet Christmas Carol once again reinterpreted Dicken's A Christmas Carol, although this outing incorporated that classic Muppets twist. Joining Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the rest of the gang was comedic legend Michael Caine, who played Scrooge. The movie was praised for its original songs, elaborate sets, wit and humor, and Caine's outstanding performance.

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4 Bad Santa (2003) - 79%

In what is easily the most offensive Christmas movie ever made, Billy Bob Thornton plays Willie, a depressed, alcoholic sex fiend who plays a mall Santa in order to pull off robberies. However, after befriending a bullied young boy, Willie starts to learn that there might be more to life than cheap highs.

RELATED: Billy Bob Thornton's 10 Best Rolls, According To Rotten Tomatoes

Joining Thorton in the cast was Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham and the late Bernie Mac. In their positive review of the film, Time Out humorously called Bad Santa, "wonderfully tasteless, gloriously non-PC, admirably bilious; humorless souls should steer clear."

3 Elf (2003) - 84%

In what many consider to be a modern classic, Elf follows Buddy, a human who was mistakenly taken to the North Pole and raised as one of Santa's elves. However, as Buddy grows into adulthood, he realizes something isn't right. He decides to head to New York City to find his birth father... and madness soon follows.

The film also has a phenomenal supporting cast, including Mary Steenburgen, Amy Sedaris, Zoey Deschanel, Ed Asner, and many more.

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2 A Christmas Story (1983) - 89%

Many people don't know that this certified "Fresh" movie, which has become a holiday classic, actually bombed upon its initial release. During its opening weekend, it only grossed $2 million in sales. It wasn't until the movie began playing on TV that a following really began.

RELATED: A Christmas Story: 10 Iconic Quotes We will Always Remember

Nowadays, it's played for 24-hours straight on Christmas, it's performed in theaters, and the house where the movie was filmed is now a museum. Audiences connect to the lovable and relatable Parker family, and they've become an integral part of many people's Christmas traditions.

1 How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) - 100%

1967's How the Grinch Stole Christmas not only introduced the world to The Grinch, but also to other memorable characters like Cindy Lou Who, and Max the dog. It also gave the world the now-famous theme song, sung by Thurl Ravenscroft. The Grinch has been adapted numerous times and has helped show kids everywhere the true meaning of the season.

The 26-minute long TV movie was at times sad, at others hilarious, but always iconic, and it's safe to say that How the Grinch Stole Christmas changed holiday entertainment forever.

NEXT: 10 Holiday Movies For People Who Don't Like The Holidays

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About The Author

Keith Langston (62 Articles Published)

Keith Langston is a writer for ScreenRant, as well as Travel Channel and Passport Magazine. He holds a deep passion for film, travel, and adventure. He fully believes that 'The Faculty' is the greatest movie ever made.

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November 28, 2020 at 11:00AM
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10 Funniest Christmas Comedies, Ranked According To Rotten Tomatoes - Screen Rant

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