Plots Part 2/3: And Therefore . . .

In a previous discussion, I delved into the insights of South Park creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, who emphasized the importance of constructing a compelling plot with the judicious use of "therefore" or "but," as opposed to the mundane "and then." The crux of their argument was that a plot driven by the latter tends to be lackluster. In that context, I provided examples of movie plots, namely Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which unfortunately succumbed to the narrative trap of excessive "and then."

This post aims to exercise creative freedom by reimagining the summary of Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker, infusing it with the recommended narrative elements of "therefore" or "but."

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker

Kylo Ren, having suffered defeat in his latest battle, therefore embarks on a quest to amass greater power to overcome Rey. Driven by an unwavering commitment, he follows rumors that ultimately lead him to the ominous Palpatine (I am not trying to change everything about the movie, even thought this part was cringe). Despite the predictability of this plot twist, Kylo Ren is promised increased power, but the catch is that he must eliminate Rey. Faced with the daunting prospect of confronting an adversary he has never conquered and lacks the desire to defeat, therefore Kylo is torn. The allure of power echoes persistently in his mind, intensifying his inner conflict.

Simultaneously, Rey grows increasingly suspicious of the reformed Empire's silence. Her paranoia manifests in symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), therefore propels her to seek out Kylo Ren. Despite reservations about Rey's mental state, the rebels fortify their base, but allow her friends to accompany her in the search for Kylo Ren. As they investigate, they learn about the Sith wayfinder that Kylo obtained but they don’t know where to find one, so they meet up with Lando in search of one.

During a confrontation on Pasaana, Kylo attempts to eliminate Rey, resulting in the outcome in the movie. The apparent death of Chewbacca therefore Rey's PTSD exacerbates, intensifying her anger and determination to hunt down Kylo. Their fateful encounter on the moon in the Endor system sees Rey tapping into the dark side of the Force. But, her inexperience and struggle with the dark side, coupled with unresolved trauma therefore gives Kylo the upper hand. Recognizing Rey's vulnerability and PTSD, Kylo, unexpectedly, exhibits compassion and departs, leaving Rey to question his motives.

Reflecting on his actions, Kylo acknowledges the error of his ways Therefore wants to atone for his mistakes and resolves to confront Palpatine. Rey, committed to seeing this through, follows Kylo using the Force. Together, they confront Palpatine, facing overwhelming odds. In a crucial moment, Kylo sacrifices himself, absorbing a lethal blow intended for Rey. This selfless act leaves Palpatine vulnerable, allowing Rey to vanquish him definitively. Kylo's demise prompts Rey to commit to training the next generation of Jedi.

Conclusion

The question that looms is whether these nuanced changes would have elevated the movie's overall quality. Consideration of these alterations prompts a thoughtful reflection on the narrative structure and character dynamics, leaving room for speculation on potential improvements.

Plots part 1/3: And then...

Recently, I watched a video on YouTube from the creatures of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, giving helpful advice about developing good plots. I personally don’t like South Park, but I thought their advice sounded good and I supported it, but then I realized that there are surprising exceptions where a movie breaks this rule and still does very well in the box office. In this post I will go over their advice and give examples of how true and false their advice is.

In the video, Matt Stone and Trey Parker plot advice is “take the beats of the outline and if the words ‘and then . . .’ belong between those beats . . . you got you something pretty boring. What should happen between every beat that you’ve written down is either the world therefore or but.” 

So basically if you are describing a movie and use the words “and then this happens and then this . . .” that should be a pretty boring movie. Here are two examples of movies that follow "and then" advice, both did well in the box office, but one disappointed me more than the other.

Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker 51% / 86% Rotten Tomatoes (*Spoilers*)

In the movie Klyo Ren has a Sith wayfinder and then find Palpatine alive and then Palpatine shows a massive amount of star destroyers and then tells Klyo to kill Rey. Rey is looking for a Sith wayfinder and goes to Pasaana and then find Lando and then finds a Sith dagger and then Kylo finds her. And then Rey and most of the gang escape and travel to Kijmi to reboot C-3PO’s so he can tell them the location of a wayfinder. And then on a moon in the Endor system Rey realizes the dagger is a map and then she confronts Kylo. And then Kylo is redeemed because his mother died. And then Rey and the gang face Palpatine and then she finds out she is a Palpatine and then he is defeated and then she decides that she is a Skywalker.

I could have kept talking about the plot and kept adding more “and then” statements, but I believe this makes my point clear; that the sequel trilogy has the wrong beats and to me was disappointing.

I personally am tired of Star Wars, and this validated my explanations on why the movie failed and then I recently watched another movie, and I enjoyed it a lot, but like Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker if I took the beats of the movie the narrative follows the “and then” outline. So the question is why is this movie better?

The Super Mario Bros. Movie 59% / 95% Rotten Tomatoes (*Spoilers*)

At the beginning of the movie, Mario and Luigi started a plumbing business that is struggling and then the city got flooded and they try to fix the plumbing problem to gain cliental and then they are sucked into a warp from a pip separating the two brothers. Mario ends up in the Mushroom Kingdom and wants to find his brother and then finds toad and then meets Princess Peach and then trains to rescue his brother and help save the mushroom kingdom. And then goes to Jungle Kingdom and then Mario faces Donkey Kong and wins and then the Jungle kingdom allies with the mushroom kingdom. And then they use go karts to head back to the Mushroom Kingdom and then Bowser’s army ambushes them on Rainbow Road and peach is taken away. And then a wedding happens and Mario crashes it to save Luigi and Peach. And then they go back to Brooklyn and Mario and Lugi face Bowser and win.   

Again, I could have added more plot points increasing the number of “and then” statements to this summary. But the point that I am making is that both movies have the same style of beats. Some of you may like Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker over The Super Mario Bros. Movie. While others like me like the latter more. The reason I like the latter more is because it was supposed to be a fun adventure with light plot points and that is exactly what I got from watching it. I expected the sequel Star Wars trilogy to be more complex having consequences that play into the plot, but that never happened.

When I listened to these creators talking about plot, I agreed with them 100% until I found an exception to their reasoning. I believe that story telling generally does better when there are “but and therefore” in the beats of the summary. However, there are miracles of when plots with “and then” perform well. 

In the next part I will discuss a way of how these movies could have been different if the format supported but and therefore. The final part I will go over one movie that executes this well.

4th of July Disney Movie Recommendations

(Guest Post by David T)

This Saturday, people across the United States will gather together with family and friends to celebrate America’s birthday with barbecues, fireworks, and activities. One such activity is movie watching, particularly films about freedom. If you are having a difficult time selecting a movie, or just don’t know what to watch, here are four Disney movie recommendations that are sure to get you into the spirit of this Independence Day.

Aladdin (1992) 

Some may not consider this animated feature film a flag waving tribute to liberty. However, Aladdin is a movie about freedom. It’s about Aladdin’s desire to be able to move upward economically and socially. It is about Jasmine’s yearning to have a choice in whom to marry, and have that marriage based on love instead of a restrictive law dictating she marry royalty by the deadline of her birthday. It’s about Genie’s ultimate wish to be free from the magical rules and servitude bound by the lamp. And it is about real liberty that comes from being yourself.

A Bug’s Life (1998) 

One of the themes of this film is that there is strength through unity. Near the beginning of A Bug’s Life it is made clear that the queen of the ants and her subjects are oppressed by Hopper and his grasshopper gang due to the latter’s large size. Believing that insects in equal proportion or even bigger is the key to liberating the ants, the underdog or under-ant, Flik, with the guise of approval from the colony council, sets out to find them. Through his journey, and at one point in the face of death, Flik realizes that the way to free himself and his fellow invertebrates is to stand up to Hopper and the other locusts. Inspired by Flik’s words and courage, the Queen, Princesses Atta and Dot, and the entire ant colony unite and, with the help of the circus bugs, fight the gang of grasshoppers. The diminutive ants gain and enjoy their new found independence.

The Rise of Skywalker (2019) 

ATTENTION: Spoilers are ahead for those who haven’t seen The Rise of Skywalker. A New Hope, The Return of the Jedi, and The Phantom Menace contain amazing battles between good and evil. With that said, The Rise of Skywalker is specifically recommended here because of the inspiring last stand between the Resistance and the Final Order. In the epic climatic battle on Exegol, when it appeared the Resistance’ fight was lost, Poe Dameron was ready to resign himself to defeat. This changed as ships piloted by species from numberless star systems led by Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca in the Millennium Falcon fill the skies of the planet. From this sight,  and after hearing his friend, Zori Bliss’ encouragement, Poe, Finn, and the Resistance’s faith and determination is renewed. They (with Rey’s help during her own battle on the planet with Emperor Palpatine), successfully vanquish the Final Order, restoring freedom across the galaxy.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) 

For those who want to watch a patriotic, freedom loving hero, Captain America is the movie to see. The origin story of scrawny, sickly Steve Rogers who through a super soldier serum becomes the brawny first Avenger, Captain America is an inspiring one. While physically Cap is an enhanced warrior who can best any adversary in combat, it’s the strength and purity of his heart that makes him such a beloved hero. It’s his service oriented heart that leads Steve to reject the celebrity life as a poster boy for the war effort and join with his best bud, Bucky, and fellow soldiers, in carrying out operations against Hydra. It is Cap’s courageous heart that propels him to stop Red Skull’s sinister plans for world domination. And it’s the First Avenger’s selfless heart that allows him to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save millions of people’s lives in the United States.

So on this Independence Day, between the eating, games, and fireworks, watch one (or maybe two) of these recommended Disney movies, and feel your appreciation renewed and strengthened for your individual and communal freedoms. Happy 4th of July!

Agency: Palpatine or Skywalker?

"Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life." (2 Nephi 10:23)

So I finally made time to go see Star Wars. It’s not easy to do when you have a newborn. I really enjoyed it, so I don’t really know what people’s complaints are about. But this isn’t about that. I’m not doing a review. We’ve already done two of those. I want to talk about the concept of agency.

Throughout the sequel trilogy, Rey was haunted by her heritage and why her parents left her and why they never came back. Among everything else that perspired during the trilogy, this finally came to a point in Rise of Skywalker.

I had seen some spoilers about her being related to Emperor Palpatine, but I didn’t think it would be revealed quite so early in the movie. I thought it was just going to be a plot point in the finale. But instead it was an important part for like half the movie.

Throughout the whole trilogy, Rey was tempted by the Dark Side on and off. I don’t think it was really until she learned about her heritage that she really felt that temptation strongly. What I take from her inner battle is about rising above who we are.

You might be born that way or this way. You may have grown up with abusive parents. You might have genetics that put you at risk for disease or depression. That’s all part of living in a fallen world. The natural man embraces all these flaws and makes excuses for them. But the gospel and the atonement give us the opportunity and the blessing to rise above the natural man. Do you want to follow the gospel? Or do you want to be who you’ve always been?

Are you a Palpatine? Or are you a Skywalker?

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord..." (Mosiah 3:19)

Star Wars IX Review: The Dark Side

To see a more positive review of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, click here.

**Minor Spoilers Ahead**

They say that the biggest Star Wars critics are Star Wars fans. And as one of the biggest Star Wars fans out there, I’ll be the first to admit that I had my issues with the latest Star Wars. This was a good movie: the acting was terrific. (Daisy Ridley was the best she’s ever been, and Adam Driver continues to be amazing -- they both provided the emotional heart of the film. And Oscar Isaac was just plain fun.) The movie was beautifully shot and the cinematography was complementary to the scope of the show. But while the technicals of the movie were all in check, the story overall had so many issues that a bit of good acting and photography really don’t make up for the pandering fan service. Let’s get into it.

Star Wars IX had a lot of the same problems that most of the Star Wars movies have: Rey can levitate, lift rocks, and hold entire vehicles in some scenes, but she can’t lift herself or her friends out of quicksand? Too many characters do nothing and are in the film for just a handful of lines. (Hello, Rose!) Alliances and relationships happen way too quickly and with very little development. (Rey talks about how important her friends are, but we don’t really see the personal connections advance throughout the course of the film.) Things happen way too conveniently. (A mysterious MacGuffin is suddenly found without any trouble. Rey happens to be standing in the exact correct spot to find a new location.)

But bigger issues abound. This film is supposed to be the culmination of 42 years of films. 9 of the biggest films in history. Films that have transformed culture and shaped countless lives. The end of the Skywalker Saga. But instead, this feels like the end of a smaller story about Rey and Kylo Ren. And it’s a decent ending for them, it really is! But calling the film “Rise of Skywalker”, and making Kylo Ren a Skywalker by blood (if not by name), doesn’t quite give the gravitas needed to end the Skywalker Saga.

The movie almost feels like a reaction to Rian Johnson’s divisive penultimate film, The Last Jedi. Fans were so torn about that film and its strong choices that the backlash was palpable. It’s almost like J.J. Abrams didn’t want to have any of that negative talk, so he chose safe routes so as to not upset the fans. It’s not a spoiler to say that Palpatine is back; but he is underserved, and seems more like a shadow of the menacing overlord he played in the past 42 years. Towards the beginning of the film, two characters die … for a few minutes, and then they don’t die. And even though we say goodbye (in more ways than one) to our favorite Disney Princess, death doesn’t really have much of an impact in Rise of Skywalker. Rey trains and fights and wins, but there’s almost no cost to her sacrifice. The deaths in this Star Wars don’t have much emotional hold, and don’t represent the price and sacrifice it takes to win.

Don’t get me wrong, this was a good movie. But it doesn’t feel like the epic saga conclusion it should be. It doesn’t really feel like an epic saga at all. There were great moments -- Rey in the desert, C-3PO’s Sith translation, the return of the great Billy Dee, every line by Poe, and anytime Rey and Kylo Ren shared the screen -- but there were so many missed moments and opportunities for greatness. J.J. Abrams played this one safe, and it made for a very good movie. But when I watch Star Wars, I don’t want “very good”. I want epic. And this was not.

To see a more positive review of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, click here.

Star Wars IX Review: The Light Side

To see a more negative review of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, click here.

**Minor Spoilers Ahead**

Where do I even begin? WOW.

This is a movie I've waited for since I first watched A New Hope as an 8 year old back in 1997, when George Lucas re-released the original trilogy in theaters. 

I have to hand it to Disney and Lucasfilm -- they had the almost impossible task of creating a finale to one of the most celebrated and groundbreaking franchises in cinema history. And they delivered.

While imperfect, Star Wars Episode IX has a little bit of everything for even the most avid Star Wars fan. The most epic space battle in any of the nine episodes, fantastic lightsaber duels, a healthy dose of Jedi and Sith lore, cameos and Easter eggs, questions answered, identities revealed, redemption, triumph, comedy, moving scenes of loss and love, and (in my opinion) the best ending scene I could have imagined for the Skywalker Saga. 

What I Liked Most

• Learning more of Rey's story and identity and her connection to the Star Wars universe. While not fully explained, her origin and connection to the Force makes so much more sense now.
• The depth of character that finally came to Kylo Ren aka Ben Solo. I've really struggled with the character of Kylo Ren in Episodes VII and VIII, but his story in Episode IX was compelling, real, and meaningful.
• Deeper understanding of Kylo's and Rey's Force connection first explored in The Last Jedi. This was kind of weird for me in Episode VIII, but I feel like it lent itself well to the story in Episode IX and makes more sense learning Rey's identity.
• A story arc that actually made me care for the character of C-3PO
• The films tribute to the original characters of Luke, Leia and Han. These three actors and characters defined the original trilogy and in my opinion led to much of its success.
• Leia's farewell and presence in the film. Knowing Carrie Fisher is no longer with us, this was a particularly meaningful component of my viewing experience
• The ending scene with Rey. Pure perfection.

I hope Disney continues to explore this universe and the wealth of story-telling opportunities it provides.

There are some answers I still don't have, but putting all of that aside (and leaving some to the imagination) The Rise of Skywalker takes its rightful place as a fitting finale to one of the greatest and most endearing stories ever told.

To see a more negative review of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, click here.