Skywalker saga.
THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
By Lori Vernon
Star Wars:
The Rise of Skywalker
Directed by J.J. Abrams
December 20th - Rated PG-13
Hopefully, all of our lingering questions
will finally be answered in the final chapter
of the Skywalker saga. Who are Rey’s par-
ents? Is Luke really dead? And what hap-
pens to Princess Leia? J.J. Abrams is back as
the director as the surviving Resistance
members face off against the First Order in
the final chapter of the original saga. Carrie
Fisher, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Adam
Driver, Daisy Ridley, and John Boyega are
all back to wrap up the original franchise.
The Aeronauts
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
T
here is no denying the release of Star
Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the end
of an era. An era that started for me
as a child when my dad took me to the
Edens Theater in Northbrook to see a little
film called Star Wars (now known as Star
Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope). My dad
and I were movie buddies, but I had never
heard of the film. It wasn’t even playing
anywhere near my suburban home, but
my dad assured me that I would be blown
away. And I totally was. Star Wars changed
my life and fueled a life-long passion for
the Science Fiction genre and an already
budding love of film in general.
As a little girl, Carrie Fisher’s Princess
Leia was a heroine I could get behind. She
was strong, sassy, and had great hair! She
had both teen-heartthrob Luke Skywalker
and the rakishly attractive Han Solo
wrapped around her finger. But I think I
loved Chewie, R2D2, and C3PO even
more. The Rise of Skywalker is the conclu-
sion to the original series reboot, and with
the assumed cinematic “deaths” of Han
and Luke, and the real-life loss of Carrie
Fisher (Leia), we all know it's going to be a
stunning, emotional climax to the
12 illinoisentertainer.com december 2019
Directed by Tom Harper
December 6 - Rated PG-13
Set in 1862, headstrong scientist James
Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) and a wealthy
young widow and daredevil Amelia Wren
(Felicity Jones) team up to mount a balloon
expedition to fly higher than anyone in his-
tory while advancing human knowledge of
the weather. While facing perilous condi-
tions and emotional challenges, the unlikely
duo soon discovers things about themselves
that help both of them find their place in the
world. Tom Courtenay, Tim McInnerny,
Vincent Perez, and Phoebe Fox round out
the cast.
Jumanji: The Next Level
Directed by Jake Kasdan
December 13th - Rated PG-13
The gang is back, but the game has
changed - and so have their characters! As
the four players return to Jumanji to rescue
one of their own they discover that nothing
is as they expect, and they’ll have to brave
everything from the arid deserts to the
snowy mountains to escape the world's
most dangerous game. Jack Black, Dwayne
Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Alex
Wolff, and Nick Jonas return to the sequel.
Seberg
Directed by Benedict Andrews
December 13 - Rated R
In the late 1960s, bored American actress
Jean Seberg (Kristen Stewart) becomes
enthralled with the politics of the era,
including The Black Panthers. The FBI's sur-
veillance program COINTELPRO targets
her because of her relationship with activist
Hakim Jamal (Anthony Mackie). Jack
O’Connell, Colm Meaney, Zazie Beetz,
Vince Vaughn, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, and
Margaret Qualley also appear.
Uncut Gems
Directed by Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie
December 13th - Rated R
The Safdie Brothers are back with anoth-
er electrifying crime thriller. Adam Sandler
stars as Howard Ratner, a jeweler/compul-
sive gambler looking for his next big score.
After a series of high stakes bets that could
lead to a windfall, Howard must juggle his
business, his family, and his very life as
everything hangs in the balance as he pur-
sues the ultimate win. Idina Menzel, Lakeith
Stanfield, Eric Bogosian, Judd Hirsch, and
The Weeknd also star.
Cats
Directed by Tom Hooper
December 20th - Rated PG
Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical
tribute to cats, based on the 1939 poetry col-
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