Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 11 deceMber 2017
Early praise for ‘The Last Jedi’ after elaborate premiere
By LINDSEY BAHR dedicated the night to the
AP Film Writer late Carrie Fisher, who died
LOS ANGELES (AP) — There after filming had complet-
were cheers, gasps, droid ed.
photo opportunities, ca- “She’s up there flipping
sino games and more than the bird and saying, ‘Don’t
a few standing ovations bring this night down with
at the jam-packed world solemn tributes,’” Johnson
premiere of “Star Wars: The said on stage at the Shrine
Last Jedi” Saturday night in Auditorium.
Los Angeles, which many It was in that spirit that
are already praising online. Johnson excitedly intro-
Rian Johnson, the writer duced his cast, including
and director of the eighth Mark Hamill, Adam Driver,
installment of the franchise, Daisy Ridley and Laura
Dern. Hamill and composer and guarded film, which Entertainment Weekly’s An-
John Williams, who Johnson sees the return of Hamill’s thony Breznican said the
called one of the “greatest Luke Skywalker as well as film “will shatter you and
Costumed fans line up outside the premiere of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” at the Shrine Auditorium
in Los Angeles on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2017.
(AP Photo/Nicole Evatt)
living film composers” were Fisher’s final performance. then make you feel whole
among the few who got Formal reviews won’t be again.”
standing ovations. out for a few days, but jour- Many who posted online
“Let’s watch a Star Wars nalists and others at the about the premiere said
movie!” Johnson exclaimed screening who shared their they were still processing
as the cast took their seats, initial reactions online said the film.
the lights dimmed and the “The Last Jedi” packed the Attendees at Saturday’s
yellow Star Wars logo and adventure expected in a premiere were the first peo-
iconic scrawl appeared on Star Wars film, but took it ple outside the cast, film-
screen to signal the start into new territory. makers and top executives
of the film. The enthusias- J.J. Abrams, who directed at Walt Disney Co. and
tic audience laughed and 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Lucasfilm who had seen
cheered throughout much Awakens” and will return to “The Last Jedi.” Director Ed-
of the two-and-a-half-hour direct Episode IX told The gar Wright, Patton Oswalt,
film. One audience mem- Associated Press that the Greta Gerwig, “Stranger
ber even shrieked “What?!” film was “great” and that Things” actor Gaten Mata-
at a key scene deep in the “Rian killed it.” razzo, and Constance Zim-
film. “Logan” director James mer were among the at-
The elaborate premiere Mangold also praised the tendees Saturday.
featured a massive assault film’s director, calling the At the after-party, which
vehicle and a procession of movie “a great chapter of was modeled after Canto
Stormtroopers and droids a blockbuster franchise,” Bight, a casino-based city
that preceded the first that also had Johnson’s in the Star Wars galaxy
showing of the film in ad- “voice shining through.” seen in “The Last Jedi,” at-
vance of its Dec. 15 release. Producer Adam F. Gold- tendees could play black-
The mood was joyous and berg wrote that the film jack, roulette and craps to
pregnant with anticipation made him feel like a kid win commemorative Star
for the highly anticipated again. Wars pins. q
Charlie Sheen sues tabloid on Haim claims
NEW YORK (AP) — Charlie tion includes a quote from film’s production.
Sheen is suing the National actor Dominick Brascia, Sheen is seeking unspeci-
Enquirer, saying that the saying that Sheen had as- fied damages.
magazine defamed him by saulted Haim when he was The Enquirer’s parent com-
alleging he sexually assault- in his mid-teens and Sheen pany, American Media
ed teen actor Corey Haim. around 20. Sheen and Inc., said in a statement
In papers filed Friday in Los Haim, who died in 2010, Saturday that it looked
Angeles, Sheen called the both appeared in the 1986 “forward to litigating” the
tabloid’s allegations “ri- release “Lucas.” Brascia case and welcomed the
diculous” and “disgusting.” told the Enquirer that the chance to expose Sheen’s
The Enquirer’s Nov. 8 edi- assault came during the “depravities.”q