“The Last Jedi is better than The Force Awakens. There, I said it.”

The Last Jedi: 5 out of 5

Let me start off by saying that I do understand the position of a shocking number of fans who didn’t enjoy it. I do! There is a lot of hard to believe sort of spiritual moments in this movie. There is also a lot of childish puppet aliens and one liners throughout. For those who wanted a more raw, realistic, Dark Knight type vibe — this movie probably felt a little cheesy and ridiculous.

I, however, LOVED it for these exact reasons. One of the things that makes Star Wars such a beloved franchise is that it is the ultimate viewing experience for parent and child, old generation and new to share together. They explore the harsh realities of war, aging, relationships, and religion — the themes and moments from the movies that make them ageless — while at the same time having all of the fun of an epic adventure through a fictional galaxy filled with aliens, spaceships, and laser blasters.

Mark Hamill crushed it as a conflicted and aging Luke. Adam Driver crushed it as Kylo Ren struggling with his path down the dark side. Carrie Fisher crushed it as the embodiment of wisdom and grace. Everyone in this movie crushed it, well except perhaps one character who almost ruined the entire movie for my wife, but that was her opinion. Check out our podcast for more on that.

Overall, I loved it. I emerged from a theater full of cheering fans with a massive smile on my face.

That’s what it’s all about.