2016 Family-in-Mind Awards: Summary

   There were some great films in 2015! This was certainly a hard year to wade through nominees and eventual winners. Cinderella swept the Kids/Family category (and all of the nominated films) with a total of 8 awards, winning the major awards of Best Film, Best Actress, and Best Visual Effects.

   In the Teens/Adults categories, Tomorrowland, Beyond the Mask, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out on top, all with 3 awards (the first winning Best Film). Ant-Man won Best Visual Effects for its revolutionary visual techniques. Woman in Gold took both major acting awards for the Teens/Adults category, as well as Best Adapted Screenplay. 

A Newer New Hope: A Movie Review of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

It was the moment I had been anticipating for nearly two years: finally seeing the seventh Star Wars film. I sat down in the dimly-lit theater and prepared to watch the return of familiar faces, as well as the exciting debut of new ones. I was blown away by the experience, but I do have a mixed review as a Star Wars fan myself.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens has become the second film to open to an income of more than $500 billion (the other being Jurassic World). Its pre-release ticket sales broke box office records and it is the third highest-grossing film of all time. The film stars Daisy Ridley as orphaned scavenger Rey, John Boyega as stormtrooper Finn, Adam Driver as Sith warrior Kylo Ren, and Harrison Ford as smuggler Han Solo.

Lucasfilm and Disney have worked so hard to keep details about Star Wars: The Force Awakens a secret. I do not want to ruin this endeavor. I promise that I will make this review as spoiler-free as possible. Do be aware, however, that I will discuss some main plot points (and some potentially minor spoilers). But as a side note, if you are of the few who have not seen the film, you likely already have heard the major spoilers. So if your desire is not to be spoiled, it's high time to see the film...after reading the review, of course!

SUMMARY

   Thirty years have passed since Return of the Jedi. Luke Skywalker, the powerful Jedi, has gone missing! His twin sister General Leia plans to search the galaxy for her brother, in order to gain his assistance in fighting a new evil regime: the First Order. Resistance pilot Poe Dameron visits a small village and secures a piece of the map that leads to Luke. However, the First Order shows up, led the fearsome Kylo Ren, and they begin attacking the village. Dameron hides the map inside his droid BB-8. While Dameron is captured by Ren, BB-8 manages to escape the massacre. Kylo Ren interrogates Poe Dameron using his dark side Force powers. Ren learns that Dameron has hidden the map with BB-8, and he sends his troops to the planet Jakku to search for the fugitive droid. 

   Meanwhile, BB-8 is rescued by a scavenger named Rey. We learn that Rey is alone on Jakku and must find mechanical parts if she is to survive. However, back on Ren's command ship, there is a stormtrooper who is not so loyal as he seems. Stormtrooper FN-2187 believes that what the First Order has been doing is wrong, so he helps Poe Dameron escape. Poe suggests a new name for his new ally: Finn. In a stolen TIE fighter, Finn and Poe crash on Jakku.

   After Poe goes missing, Finn eventually meets Rey. The two are chased by First Order forces, and they are able to escape Jakku. After running into an unexpected ally, they plan to return BB-8 back to the Resistance. Finn makes it to  the Resistance, but Rey has been captured and taken to Starkiller Base.

   The Resistance sends a small group to the base in order to destroy the destructive weapon located there. Time is running short as the Resistance is threatened. However, the heroes must also rescue Rey and confront the evil Keylo Ren.

CONTENT

   The seventh installment of the Star Wars series is the second one to be rated PG-13, and for good reasons. While the content of this film is not necessarily as dark as Revenge of the Sith, it certainly has some violence. There is little blood in the film (a stormtrooper bleeds, though, and an interrogated Resistance pilot), but there are plenty of casualties. We see soldiers and pilots on both sides killed as a result of blaster guns, explosions, and other weapons of war. Beyond this, many starfighters explode and, therefore, their pilots also. People are eaten by an octopus-like creature, which also loses limbs in a battle. A person is stabbed with a lightsaber. One of the villains is a menacing alien with a disfigured face; he might frighten children, but his intimidating looks won't daunt adults. 

   Any foul language is pretty light, like other Star Wars films. There are two uses of h*** and d***. I'm pleased that director J.J. Abrams did not fully use the language limits of his PG-13 rating. 

   There is an embrace between lovers Han and Leia. The two had a child and later separated, but it is not clear whether they were ever married. A young woman kisses a man's forehead, though this didn't seem to be sexual in nature.

   If it's not broke, don't fix it. I guess J.J. Abrams took this phrase to heart in creating The Force Awakens. Why? It could be said this seventh film is a revised remake of the classic 1977 Star Wars film. The basic plot and events constantly bring back to mind the original film. It works, but I feel like Abrams didn't use the full potential available for a truly original story. The new characters Rey, Finn, and Poe were nice additions to the galaxy far, far away, but Rey and Poe certainly are the new "Luke and Han." BB-8 is the new R2-D2. Abrams wanted to bring a new generation into the Star Wars universe, so it seems like he figured George Lucas' original formula would be best for this, if slightly modified. In honesty, though, this film is both nostalgic and new for old fans. It also is a fresh story for those new to the film series.

   The Force Awakens did what previous films did best: provide important life lessons set in an adventure-filled world (or rather galaxy) of good versus evil. Friendship and teamwork are at the heart of this story. The scavenger Rey meets and befriends the ex-stormtrooper Finn. The two work against the First Order to bring a Resistance droid safely home to deliver classified data. Another story is one of attempted, yet failed redemption. A hero tries to redeem the villain, but with disastrous consequences. This points to real life where sometimes we can't save those who are too far gone down a dark path. Every sinner will not be saved, but that never should stop Christians from trying!

   The film's music is stunning! The score is a perfect mix of old musical themes with new melodies. Composer John Williams earned his fiftieth Oscar nomination for this film's score (though he did not win, one of the biggest disappointments of this year's Academy Awards). His new scores remind us of his past Star Wars accomplishments.

   So what about bringing the kids? I would advise caution there. Yes, this is a classic Star Wars adventure, but like the previous two films (from 2002, 2005), the violence is enough to keep parents from bringing their youngest children. After all, this is the second film in the series rated PG-13, and there is a reason. As you've read above, the content can be dark and intense at moments. For younger fans, parents will have to discern the maturity of their own children. I wouldn't recommend viewers to be younger than 11 or 12. 

   In summary, The Force Awakens is a nostalgic adventure from the galaxy we've come to know and love over the past thirty years. Yet like Revenge of the Sith, the seventh film is more violence-ridden than its lighter predecessors. Abrams was trying to reach a younger generation of fans...but not that young. Still, as a big fan of the films, I highly recommend this for a delightful experience of action, adventure, drama, and, yes, even some fun! 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Length: 135 minutes

Rating: PG-13 (for sci-fi action violence)

Director: J.J. Abrams

Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk

Music: John Williams

Year of release: 2015

Primary audience: Teens, adults

Update: A Letter to the Readers (Family-in-Mind Hiatus End, FIM Awards, etc.)

Dear Family-in-Mind Readers,


   After a Christmas through mid-spring hiatus, reviews are hopefully going to start being posted once again. Due to technical issues, the FIM Award nominations have yet to be released. With the release of the nominations, the date for the awards post will also be announced.
   In the recent hiatus, the "Movie of the Month" section also has not been updated. Keep an eye out for changes to that, too.
   Here are a few reviews to look for that will hopefully be published in the coming weeks and months:

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens
• Beyond the Mask
• Avengers: Age of Ultron
• Various book reviews

   Also, plans are being made for some additions and branching out of the FIM blog. This includes the possibility of a YouTube channel, though nothing has been set in stone just yet. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
   For now, while you wait patiently for future reviews and award nominations, here are some recent DVD releases you might like to check out (FIM has not yet reviewed these films, so as a note, some of these are not recommended for the entire family):

• The Good Dinosaur (suitable for families; some cartoon violence and emotional scenes)
• War Room (suitable for pre-teens, teens, adults; suggestions of extramarital attraction, emotional scenes)
• Ant-Man (suitable for teens and adults; action violence, language, brief sexual references)
• Inside Out (suitable for families; some mild cartoon violence and emotional scenes)

   Every reader and comment for FIM is hugely appreciated! Feedback, comments, and suggestions are always welcome. Hopefully you will continue to enjoy our current and future content!

Sincerely,

Family-in-Mind Reviews

(Philippians 4:8)