"And Here...We...GO." Watching THE DARK KNIGHT on IMAX for the First Time in 10 Years!

Last night, I drove down to Universal CityWalk in North Hollywood to watch The Dark Knight on IMAX for the first time since it opened at theaters nationwide in July of 2008. Needless to say, seeing the Christopher Nolan comic book/crime epic back on the (ultra-)big screen brought a smile to my face! From the opening aerial shot of that office building whose window is shattered by Joker goons as they prepare to conduct that bank heist, to Batman driving away on his Batpod after becoming a fugitive in the film's closing moments, The Dark Knight was as awesome to see at the theater yesterday as it was a decade ago. I'd go back if not for the fact that every single showing of the movie (it screened every night as of August 24; Warner Bros. extended its limited-engagement run through at least September 5) has been sold out for over a month! As it should be. We'll overlook the fact that I spent around $24 (excluding the online service fee) on the IMAX ticket!

2022 marks the 10-year anniversary since The Dark Knight Rises arrived in theaters. The movie's not a classic like the Batman Begins sequel before it, but I'd still see it on IMAX if Warner Bros. ever decides to show The Dark Knight Rises on this format four years from now. Happy Monday!

EPISODE IX Tidbit: A Star Wars Fan Theory That I ACTUALLY Like...

So for the past few days, the World Wide Web was abuzz with a rumored title for the final Star Wars episode that was conjured up by a user on Reddit before he/she deleted their account. The title that this person came up with is Star Wars: A New Order—which I actually like! Three reasons why:

1.) A New Order contains dual meanings that could apply to the First Order (now ruled by Supreme Leader Kylo Ren) and a possible new Jedi Order founded by Rey (assuming that she makes good use of the sacred Jedi texts she took from the cave on Ahch-To in The Last Jedi)...

2.) A New Order is a nice nod to the original Star Wars film, A New Hope...

and

3.) A New Order is consistent with the 3-worded title structure established by The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi before it.
Another rumored title for Episode IX is Spark of Hope—which is a term that actually appears in the opening crawl for the The Last Jedi. I like this title too...though it seems too feel-goody (does this phrase exist? It does now) and sounds a little obscure in regards to the story of Episode IX (which I obviously don't know yet). The Force Awakens applied to Rey unleashing her Jedi potential at the end of the film, and The Last Jedi was about Luke Skywalker...with Rey following in his footsteps by the end of this movie. Spark of Hope encompasses too many things: Rey finally becoming a Jedi, the Resistance prevailing over the First Order, Finn finally gettin' it on with Rose Tico(?), Finn finally gettin' it on with Rey(?), Ben Solo finally gettin' it on with Rey(?), or Rey finally gettin' it on with Poe Dameron. Or Poe Dameron finally gettin' it on with Fin— Nevermind.

So yea, if A New Order is the title that Lucasfilm announces as the name for the final episode in the Skywalker saga after it completes filming later this year, I'll be a happy camper. I'll be an even happier camper if J.J. Abrams chooses the title I came up with earlier this year: Battle of the Knights. (Not bloody likely!)

Hope you're having a great Tuesday.

Quick Review: ALPHA...

Earlier today, I watched Alpha—an action-adventure film that depicts life in the last Ice Age, and how the canine became man's best friend. Alpha is one of those flicks that looked pretty mediocre in the trailer (which was shown in the theater for about two years before it was finally given a release date), but turned out to be a very crowd-pleasing and visually-stunning movie in the final cut. A similar flick that comes to mind is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World...which, ironically, was also released in August (of 2010). You can read my very quick review of that film here.

So the gist of this entry: I give Alpha two thumbs up. The morale of the movie's story: When in trouble, look for the nearest cave to hide in! That is all.

STAR WARS: EPISODE IX Has Officially Begun Filming!

Earlier today, director J.J. Abrams posted the tweet below announcing that principal photography has officially started on Star Wars: Episode IX at Pinewood Studios near London! If you look closely at the photo, you can spot John Boyega (as Finn), Joonas Suotamo (as Chewbacca) and Abrams while he's sitting on the pilot's seat inside the Millennium Falcon's cockpit. In the foreground is Panavision's Panaflex camera that will be capturing Episode IX on celluloid...just like The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi before it. So cool!

Bittersweet starting this next chapter without Carrie, but thanks to an extraordinary cast and crew, we are ready to go. Grateful for @rianjohnson and special thanks to George Lucas for creating this incredible world and beginning a story of which we are lucky to be a part. #IX pic.twitter.com/FOfnGwVut5

— JJ Abrams (@jjabrams) August 1, 2018

The tweet below was my response to Abrams' post. I have no expectations as to how Rey and Kylo Ren will be portrayed in the 2019 installment (except to hope that Rey finally sports a double-bladed lightsaber a la Darth Maul, and Kylo can now shoot Force lightning from his fingertips 'cause that's how Supreme Leaders roll, heheh), but hope that the First Order will finally employ non-TIE Fighters in its arsenal for the final Skywalker episode. Specifically, the Assault Gunboats that I enjoyed fighting in the old X-Wing video game that I play on my laptop. Happy Hump Day!

Hey JJ! Any chance we'll see non-TIE Fighters being used by the First Order in #IX? Please bring the Assault Gunboats to the big screen! :) pic.twitter.com/WXQv5UfPLD

— Richard Par (@RichTPar) August 1, 2018