Yoda Says, "Of A Great Movie Spoilers There Be!"

Rating: 10/10 (8 January 2018)

I just returned from finally seeing Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and I just loved the movie. I did as much as possible to avoid spoilers while waiting to see it, but I do know that many people complained about it-even as it set new revenue records. Having seen it myself, I have to say that I don't understand all the complaining.
Sure there was one weak story line in particular, the side-trip to the casino, which served as a sort of half-tribute, half-satire of Casino Royale, with a Free Willy kicker at the end. The side trip piles contrivance upon contrivance, wherein they don't find the code-breaker they're seeking (the Bond character), but conveniently end up in a cell with another code-breaker of epic proportions, who then ends up conveniently turning them over to the First Order. What would have turned the side-trip from irrelevant and contrived to outstanding would have been having the real code-breaker turn out to be notorious gambler, Lando Calrissian, played by Billy Dee Williams. Even if Billy Dee's health would have forced him to lean on the table, or sit at the table, his presence as Lando would have made the whole side-trip worthwhile, and even more so if he'd actually gotten them aboard the First Order ship undetected.
Other than the terrible side-trip (and the lack of Lando), however, the movie was just outstanding. I laughed through half the scenes where I didn't cry-or maybe I cried through half the scenes where I didn't laugh. The film's humor, pathos, and nostalgia reached epic proportions. I particularly loved the scene where Yoda's Force ghost showed up to scold "young Skywalker" for not having changed much since Yoda last scolded him some 35 years ago while first training him. I laughed and cried at the same time!
Daisy Ridley once again served as the standout member of the new cast, demonstrating her ability to play strength, vulnerability, humility and confidence all at the same time. I also found Kelly Marie Tran appealing at Rose, the Everywoman of the Rebellion. She didn't have Jedi powers or roguish luck, but she exemplified why the average member of the Rebellion joins-and remains. I don't understand all the hatred I'm seeing for her character online. I could marry Rose and live happily every after (if I weren't old enough to be her father, of course), and maybe that's exactly what Poe will do.
I also don't understand the people claiming that this is the last Star Wars movie. Star Wars Episode IX is already in preproduction, and while it's too soon to use CGI to feature Carrie Fisher's Leia the way Rogue One did with Peter Cushing's Tarkin, there's no reason that Luke can't return as a Force ghost to help Rey put the Rebellion back together and oppose his nephew Ben (or help turn him back from the Dark Side, as Luke did with his father). There's no reason that Poe, Finn and Rose can't return to carry on the fight against Kylo Ren's version of the First Order. Disney didn't pay $4 billion to buy Lucas Films only to let the Star Wars franchise die, and despite some overly dramatic criticisms of The Last Jedi, it has set new box office records. Not only is Disney making an Episode IX, but it announced a while back that it's planning an Episode X as well. So not only will Star Wars continue, but giving The Last Jedi 9.5 out of 10 Stars, I greatly look forward to it continuing.