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Why 'The Last Jedi' proves that Star Wars' future is female

https://moneyish.com/ish/why-the-last-jedi-proves-that-star-...
Boyish queen of the night
  01/07/18
Turn everything they touch to shit.
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  01/07/18
...
Boyish queen of the night
  11/04/19
...
hilarious motley incel church building
  01/07/18
‘Star Wars’ Has Put Women in the Back Seat Before, But in ‘T...
Boyish queen of the night
  01/07/18
The “Star Wars” galaxy has long been fronted by young, white...
glittery shrine
  01/07/18
The inability to disentangle the value of IP from the value ...
honey-headed razzle-dazzle shitlib
  01/07/18
How the women of 'The Last Jedi' make 'Star Wars' a Force ...
Boyish queen of the night
  01/07/18
How Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the first truly feminist Sta...
Boyish queen of the night
  01/07/18
Even the lovely, "No, you go," moment with Holdo a...
Boyish queen of the night
  01/07/18
LJL just imagine that happening in a real war. Just respect ...
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Boyish queen of the night
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If the Universe was run by women, The Last Jedi's clear subt...
glittery shrine
  01/07/18
Yeah, cause we all know Carrie Fisher lived such a peaceful ...
Mischievous Cowardly Philosopher-king Brunch
  01/07/18
If the Universe was run by women, The Last Jedi's clear subt...
Boyish queen of the night
  01/07/18
The Last Jedi is the first properly feminist Star Wars Warn...
Boyish queen of the night
  01/07/18
Of course Kylo becomes even angrier and more violent, that’s...
Boyish queen of the night
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Jaina Solo: Sword of the Jedi Jacen and Anakin: :( The...
Fragrant mahogany ticket booth
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...
Boyish queen of the night
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PROOF!
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Well the series does appear to be bleeding out
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Boyish queen of the night
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show runners of star wars: (((disney))), kathleen kennedy, (...
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http://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3730883&mc=54&...
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From a $220m opening weekend to ending its domestic run like...
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cracking bossy tanning salon black woman
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jfc that's pathetic. the last Fast and the Furious did $1 bi...
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idiotic unhinged range
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Boyish queen of the night
  01/08/18
how many more of these shitty movies are they going to make?
Twinkling ceo
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there's a new trilogy after this one is finished and Solo. s...
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Just do alienate your main audience, give them no one to ide...
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this article aged about as well as most women do
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Boyish queen of the night
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This one movie completely destroyed the Star Wars franchise....
idiotic unhinged range
  12/22/19


Poast new message in this thread



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Date: January 7th, 2018 1:48 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night

https://moneyish.com/ish/why-the-last-jedi-proves-that-star-wars-future-is-female/

The latest movie, which raked in $220 million opening weekend, is fronted by women – which is an affront to some franchise fans blasting it on Rotten Tomatoes and social media.

Diversity Feminism Movies Star Wars

Women are the Force in the “The Last Jedi” – the ninth live-action film in the “Star Wars” franchise.

The “Star Wars” galaxy has long been fronted by young, white men swinging lightsabers and piloting spaceships, which has built a rabid fan base over 40 years.

But — spoilers ahead — the most recent installment that has reeled in $220 million and counting at the box office, making it the second highest opening weekend ever (after its predecessor “The Force Awakens”) features fierce females, including:

Jedi-in-training Rey (Daisy Ridley), who inherits the hero’s mantle from original trilogy lead Mark Hamill/Luke Skywalker. She’s also victorious in a jaw-dropping lightsaber battle in evil Supreme Leader Snokes’ throne room.

Daisy Ridley as Rey in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” (David James ©2017 Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Two respected, middle-aged Rebellion leaders, including Carrie Fisher’s General Leia – she’s dropped the “Princess” – and Laura Dern’s Vice Admiral Holdo. Fisher literally smacks down cocky pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) when he disobeys orders, telling him to “get your head out of your cockpit,” and Dern later shuts him down when he tries mansplaining her.

Laura Dern as Vice Admiral Holdo in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” (Lucasfilm Ltd. © 2017)

A female gunner (Veronica Ngo’s Paige Tico) sacrifices herself to destroy a weapon of mass destruction, and her sister Rose (Kelly Marie Tran), a maintenance worker, rises up to be a hero by the movie’s end. They’re also the first notable Asian women characters in the franchise.

Kelly Marie Tran as Rose in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”(Lucasfilm Ltd. © 2017)

In the original trilogy and the 2000-era sequels, you’d think that all of the powerful women in “Star Wars” were hidden in some galaxy far, far away. Yes, fangirls had Leia, a Rebel leader and sharpshooter with an even sharper tongue. But she was also dressed in a gratuitous gold bikini for a chunk of the third film.

“Carrie Fisher told me, ‘I would have liked to have had a lightsaber,’ and while she was happy to strangle Jabba the Hutt, she didn’t want to be in that metal bikini while she did it,” film critic and comic book writer Ethan Sacks told Moneyish. He’s also been a diehard fan of the series since seeing the original in 1977, when he was 4.

Director Rian Johnson on set with Carrie Fisher (Leia). (David James, ©2017 Lucasfilm Ltd.)

“I realize as I’m raising a 13-year-old daughter, who I’m trying to make as nerdy and geeky as I am, that when I was a kid, there were no action hero role models for girls in movies that weren’t R-rated,” he said. Sigourney Weaver’s “Alien” franchise and Linda Hamilton’s “Terminator 2” weren’t exactly family-friendly. “And I’m sure a lot of it had to do with the fact that studios were run by men, and they were hiring directors that were men.

“Now, the most important person in the whole ‘Star Wars’ franchise is a woman,” he added, referring to Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm.

Read also: Six box office milestones ‘Wonder Woman’ has smashed

And there’s been a disturbance in the space saga’s formula. “The Force Awakens” rebooted the franchise in 2015 with an inclusive cast that included Ridley’s Rey and John Boyega’s black Stormtrooper. Then 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” saw Felicity Jones’ Jyn Erso leading a motley crew of rebels (including a Hispanic rebel spy and two Asian men strongly hinted to be a gay couple) on a daring suicide mission.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” director Rian Johnson (c.) and producer Kathleen Kennedy (far r.) on set. (David James, ©2017 Lucasfilm Ltd.)

While “The Last Jedi” audience demographics haven’t been broken down yet, the filmmakers credited the film’s inclusive casting with drawing more than $220 million in tickets over the weekend. “The results speak to the power of representation,” Disney distribution chief Dave Hollis told the Associated Press. “The film really reflects our world and beyond. It becomes something people can see themselves in, whether they see themselves in Rey or Finn or Poe or Rose or Captain Phasma. They can relate to all those characters.”

Kelly Marie Tran as Rose in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”(David James, Lucasfilm Ltd. © 2017)

This diversity has helped divide the fanbase, however. “The Last Jedi” has scored a 93 out of 100 among critics on Rotten Tomatoes – but audiences have given it a dismal 57 rating on the site. There’s some evidence that trolls are skewing the numbers with bots automating the bad reviews to sink the ratings. ComScore/Screen Engine’s audience exit poll, which surveys moviegoers in real time, reported “The Last Jedi” earned an 89% overall positive score and a five-star rating from moviegoers, in comparison.

Read also: People who love Star Wars are way more likely to find love

Some of the Rotten Tomatoes’ armchair critics complain that “The Last Jedi” is “the same crap they did with Ghostbusters, female for the sake of female, not because it was a good idea.” Another wrote, “Why is the resistance leadership all women? What is this – Mother’s [sic] Against the First Order?”

Daisy Ridley as Rey in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” (Jules Heath Lucasfilm Ltd. © 2017)

“The Last Jedi” is not a perfect movie, and there are many fans, male and female, tweeting their disappointment from issues that have nothing to do with the female cast, including plot holes and a lengthy 2-hour, 32-minute runtime.

But then there are tweets like these:

17 Dec

IG-88

@IG8817

#StarWarsTheLastJedi Too much comedy and SJW references. Especially by Vice Admiral Purple Hair on the "RESISTANCE" It was clearly aimed at @realDonaldTrump and his supporters. Thanks for ruining the #StarWars franchise @Disney 👎

DeplorableGeorgeIV

@177618122016USA

The movie was garbage. The are making movies now for Feminists and Mainland China. The rest of us don't matter i guess!!!! #Disney #StarWars #NotMyStarWars

6:10 AM - Dec 17, 2017

2 2 Replies 2 2 Retweets 6 6 likes

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Gavin Hensley

@gavinjhensley

Has anyone noticed that the new Star Wars series is all feminist propaganda? #StarWarsTheLastJedi

8:05 PM - Dec 15, 2017

1 1 Reply 2 2 Retweets 3 3 likes

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Keiran Halcyon

@Lord_halcyon216

That movie #TheLastJedi is nothing but sjw bull. Total feminist crap. #notmystarwars

2:54 PM - Dec 15, 2017

Replies Retweets 2 2 likes

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Some fans also flipped online three years ago when John Boyega was cast as a black Stormtrooper in “The Force Awakens.” He wrote, “Get used to it,” in an Instagram post.

And audiences are going to have to get used to women going where “Star Wars” men have gone before. “They can’t just sell to white boys and expect to make $220 million on opening weekend – and they shouldn’t,” said Sacks. “Some people don’t like it going in a different direction, but you can’t placate people who have a problem with a female Jedi, a black Stormtrooper and a Hispanic pilot.”

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102539)



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Date: January 7th, 2018 1:52 PM
Author: Coral Anal Factory Reset Button Cruise Ship

Turn everything they touch to shit.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102578)



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Date: November 4th, 2019 11:53 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#39072615)



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Date: January 7th, 2018 1:54 PM
Author: hilarious motley incel church building



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102585)



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Date: January 7th, 2018 1:54 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night

‘Star Wars’ Has Put Women in the Back Seat Before, But in ‘The Last Jedi’ They Call the Shots

http://www.indiewire.com/2017/12/women-star-wars-the-last-jedi-kelly-marie-tran-gwendoline-christie-1201906136/

The second film in the newest trilogy shines its brightest light on compelling and complex female characters, from Rey and Leia to Rose and Captain Phasma — and many more.

Kate Erbland

Dec 12, 2017 1:29 pm

@katerbland

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi"

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

Disney

Life-long “Star Wars” fan Gwendoline Christie still remembers asking her mother if she could ever star in one of the seminal sci-fi features when she was just a kid. Christie wanted to live in that universe, alongside characters like Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia, the kind of woman even a youngster could recognize as being unique in the movie world. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh, I love her. She feels different. She feels like she won’t be told what to do. She’s really intelligent, and she’s smart, and she’s wickedly funny, and she’s really bold, and she’s brave,'” Christie recently told IndieWire.

And she thought to herself: “Well, yeah, and there’s not enough characters like that.”

It was a dream made all the more improbable by the fact that, for all intents and purposes, the original trilogy spelled the beginning and the end of the franchise. Fortunately for Christie and other fans like her, the saga continued, this time armed with a steadily growing cadre of exciting and unique female characters, of which Christie is now just one of many.

See More:‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Review: Here’s the Most Satisfying Star Wars Movie in Decades

A Galaxy of Stars

First cast as the fearsome Captain Phasma in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Christie is back for more space-set action in Rian Johnson’s follow-up, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi. While “Star Wars” has long had space for interesting female characters – from Princess Leia to Queen Amidala, Rey, and Jyn Erso – they’ve never been the majority. That’s changed, and the latest film shows off an enviable batch of female talent, all of whom are cast as very different leading ladies.

Among them: Newbie Kelly Marie Tran, who joins the series as brand-new character Rose Tico, a member of the Resistance who teams up with John Boyega’s Finn. While Tran didn’t grow up a fan like Christie, once she started boning up in the franchise, she said she was thrilled to find that the series had a history of inclusivity. “There’s so many people that love it, and have loved it for generations,” Train said. “It has done so much in terms of female roles, in terms of roles for people of color, and I think that that’s incredible.”

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi"

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

Johnson’s film includes a number of compelling roles for women, including Tran’s plucky Rose, her badass pilot sister Paige (Veronica Ngo), Christie’s malevolent Phasma, the legendary Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern), Billie Lourd in an expanded role as Lieutenant Connix, Hermione Corfield as Blue Leader pilot Tallie Lintra, Lupita Nyong’o back as wise Maz Kanata, and a slew of other members of the Resistance that are present at every stage of the story. That’s to say nothing of both Daisy Ridley and Carrie Fisher, who continue to lead the saga into the future with a firm nod to the past.

“I’m so thrilled that Disney have decided with ‘Star Wars,’ the most beloved series of films, one of the most beloved series of films in the world, to reflect the society we live in more,” Christie said. “What we’re hearing is that people want to see themselves reflected in their entertainment, because we’ve had a set of stories that’s felt fairly rigid, and not terribly imaginative about women in the past.”

Exceeding Expectations

It’s not just that “The Last Jedi” has roles for women, but that the franchise is pushing forward to include female characters that capture the kind of full spectrum often only available to male characters, from ethnic background to tradition-bucking personalities. With Rose, Tran is tasked with playing the first lead female character from an Asian-American background. And while she’s pleased to see that kind of diversity finally hitting the “Star Wars” screen, she’s more excited that Rose’s ethnic makeup doesn’t inform every aspect of her life, something she’s used to seeing in other scripts.

Read More:‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Star Kelly Marie Tran Warns Fans: The Film Will Be ‘Really Emotional for People to Watch’

“If it was specific to ethnicity, it would just be a two-dimensional character,” Tran said of other roles that she’s been offered in the past. “This was the first thing that I fell in love with instantly in terms of being a real person. We’re in a different universe, but in terms of being a three-dimensional character and someone who’s dealing with a lot of things that’s not specific to your ethnicity.”

Tran is hopeful that characters like Rose — and franchises like “Star Wars” — can continue to steer the conversation to a place where diversity is a given.

“I am so proud that I get to be this person [who] is representing something for people that may have not seen themselves in a movie like this before,” Tran said. “I would love for us to be having a different conversation, because I would love for so many Asian-Americans to be in every film franchise that it’s just normal. We’re still working towards that, so I’m excited to be part of that change.”

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

In a fantasy world divided by the dark and the light, Christie is similarly excited that Phasma is allowed to occupy the kind of villain role normally reserved for men, one whose character arc is wholly independent of typical gender expectations.

“Conventionally, it’s not common for us to see a female character that has violence coming from deep within her,” Christie said. “It’s something that feels forbidden in our society, that that’s not the way that women are to behave, and so to have a character that is unashamed of that, that that is what’s motivating her, I feel very excited by.”

The women of “The Last Jedi” subvert those kinds of expectations and more, moving beyond the sort of traditional parts for actresses that not only pigeonholed them, but did so in relation to the men in their life. The women of “The Last Jedi” are not beholden to any men, still a rarity the franchise-mad studio world.

Read More: ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ Star Gwendoline Christie Has a Charming Theory About Those New Porg Creatures

“It’s kind of no secret that women have been relegated to roles of the mother, or the girlfriend, or not the lead character,” Christie said. “What I love about these ‘Star Wars’ films is that we’re seeing female characters who are not just strong, they’re not just behaving like men do. That’s not what equals strong. The reason the characters are strong is that they’re multidimensional.”

The Original Princess

Still, for Christie and Tran, there’s nothing quite like the franchise’s original princess (now, of course, general), and both were understandably emotional when it came time to tout Fisher’s final performance as her beloved character, one that remains indelible because of what Fisher brought to the role, even off-screen.

Star Wars: The Last JediPhoto: Film Frames Industrial Light & Magic/Lucasfilm©2017 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

“The good thing about Carrie is that she’s still immortal and always will be, and nothing can change that,” Tran said. “Not only because she was Princess Leia, but also because of who she was a human being, and how she was so brave about being who she was.”

Even better, Christie expects that “The Last Jedi” and the rest of this stage of “Star Wars” will do for young viewers what it did for her when she was just a little dreamer.

“Think about new generations of kids growing up with ‘Star Wars’ and what they’re going to see, the way that I saw Carrie Fisher and I saw what felt like a new kind of woman,” Christie said. “The idea that more generations of women growing up with these more inclusive characters, it’s really thrilling to me, because it means that people’s consciousness in terms of how they perceive human beings can expand.”

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102588)



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Date: January 7th, 2018 1:54 PM
Author: glittery shrine

The “Star Wars” galaxy has long been fronted by young, white men swinging lightsabers and piloting spaceships, which has built a rabid fan base over 40 years.

holy fuck move to africa then and take advantage of their prosperous entertainment industry if you dont want all the actors to be white

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102590)



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Date: January 7th, 2018 1:56 PM
Author: honey-headed razzle-dazzle shitlib

The inability to disentangle the value of IP from the value of diversity is a bit disconcerting.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102610)



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Date: January 7th, 2018 1:57 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night

How the women of 'The Last Jedi' make 'Star Wars' a Force

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2017/12/14/star-wars-last-jedi-feminist-women/943736001/

There seemingly aren’t enough superlatives to describe the experience of seeing Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Elated, shocked and ultimately thirsty for more, I felt the wide range of my emotions while watching this weird, risky and fantastic film unfold before me.

Review: Stellar 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' throws a few twists into the franchise

But as a longtime female fan of the franchise, what made seeing Rian Johnson’s film, the second of the modern trilogy, just a little bit sweeter was the multitude of different women who populated the screen.

The film (in theaters Thursday evening) is packed with images of Princess-turned-General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher, in her final performance) in command of a blaster, new heroine Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) making daring escapes, and Rey (Daisy Ridley), the Jedi I always wanted to see, wielding a lightsaber alongside Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). The galaxy is, at long last, populated by women who are complicated, strong, weak, loyal, daring, young, old and everything in between. It’s hard to miss them — they’re everywhere, from the nameless X-wing pilots and First Order officers to the most important heroes of the day.

More: A refresher on your 'Force Awakens' favorites going into 'The Last Jedi'

The Last Jedi isn't the first Star Wars film to give its female characters a chance to take the spotlight: The Force Awakens opened with a bang when it gave its lead role to Rey, turned Leia into a general and included Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie), a female commander on the dark side. The standalone prequel Rogue One starred Felicity Jones as the Han Solo-esque Jyn Erso.

General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) has come a long way over the course of 'Star Wars' history.

General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) has come a long way over the course of 'Star Wars' history. (Photo: Lucasfilm)

But what The Last Jedi does, and what it is uniquely positioned to do as the middle chapter of the new trilogy, is take something that felt revolutionary two years ago and make it feel happily average, just another part of the saga we love.

The moment when Rey grabbed the lightsaber at the end of The Force Awakens was powerful and emotional, not unlike the No Man's Land sequence in Wonder Woman this year that brought female viewers to tears. And The Last Jedi is the natural step forward Hollywood should be taking with its representation, telling stories about its women that don't have to be the single defining narrative for the franchise. In doing so, the film finds room, alongside Rey’s epic hero’s journey, for subplots about the bonds of sisterhood or female authority figures dealing with hot-headed male underlings. It just scratches the surface of the stories these films can tell.

Also: The definitive ranking of all 9 'Star Wars' movies, including 'The Last Jedi'

Although Leia has long been a feminist icon, Star Wars hasn’t always had the best track record with its portrayal of women. Both its original and prequel trilogies had few speaking female roles and only one female lead each. Those female roles were often overly sexualized (like Leia in the metal bikini) or criminally underdeveloped (that Natalie Portman's Padmé dies of a “broken heart” at the end of Revenge of the Sith is a sin on par with Jar Jar Binks). Both women could hold their own on the battlefield, sure, but one woman among dozens of male characters is limiting at best and outright tokenism at worst.

Laura Dern's Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo adds a new kind of conflict to 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi.'

Laura Dern's Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo adds a new kind of conflict to 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi.' (Photo: David James/Lucasfilm)

The Last Jedi understands that the experience of seeing a female hero onscreen isn't enough. The women of the film embody a spectrum of femininity, and they can be a part of the saga in long dresses or a maintenance uniform or with a lightsaber.

The most surprising form this takes in The Last Jedi is in the relationship between new character Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo (Laura Dern) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), which is inevitably a story about a young, brash male employee who can’t quite follow the instructions of an older female boss. It's such a specific story with real-world implications that I never thought I’d see something like it in a Star Wars film. But The Last Jedi includes that plot thread more effortlessly than, say, its merchandising-mandated cute animals, the porgs. Holdo's role suggests that The Last Jedi endeavors not just to tell stories about women, but about womanhood.

Earlier: Mark Hamill is still having galactic fun as old Luke in 'The Last Jedi'

That expands to Rose Tico, a character type the franchise has had little time for in the past. Not only is she a woman of color (and, unlike Lupita Nyong'o's motion-capture performance as Maz Kanata, audiences can see her) but she is a rather unremarkable person in the galaxy, not a chosen one nor a storied smuggler nor royalty. Still, Rose's unique perspective and Tran's innate charm make her a worthy part of the story, and she teams up with Finn (John Boyega) for a side adventure that offers a slightly political point of view about economic inequality.

Kelly Marie Tran makes history as Rose Tico in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi,' the franchise's first Asian-American female lead.

Kelly Marie Tran makes history as Rose Tico in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi,' the franchise's first Asian-American female lead. (Photo: Jonathan Olley/Lucasfilm)

The list of moments, big and small, that express the depth of the film's female characters goes on. They aren't defined by stereotypes or by how well they hew to the male point of view. It's worth noting that the film does so well with its women because it makes time for all of its characters, from a briefly seen female Resistance fighter to discovering new depths in Luke Skywalker. It feels like a big moment because this treatment isn't always afforded to multiple female characters, especially in big-budget action franchises. Wonder Woman may have won our hearts in her solo movie, but she was still the only woman in the Justice League.

Representation in film is a process, and The Last Jedi made some great leaps forward, especially with Rose. But there’s always room for improvement, and the onscreen franchise still lacks any LGBTQ characters (although a spinoff book series does). There's more to explore, and The Last Jedi helped open that door. The galaxy is limitless, and the fact that Star Wars is sticking around for many future films (and that Johnson is helming his own new trilogy) is encouraging.

And in the meantime, it's still pretty thrilling to see Rey with that lightsaber.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102616)



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Date: January 7th, 2018 1:58 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night

How Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the first truly feminist Star Wars film

Who run the worlds? Girls.

http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/star-wars/feature/a845869/star-wars-the-last-jedi-feminist-feminism/

BY ROSIE FLETCHER

20 DECEMBER 2017

188

*Note: contains spoilers*

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is dominating the box office. The critics, including us, loved it, but some audiences – like the guy who started a petition to have it officially removed from canon (by who, the Pope?) – aren't totally convinced.

That might be partly because The Last Jedi, while very much feeling like a Star Wars film, does things a bit differently. While the original trilogy was a classic battle between good and evil, things are just a bit more nuanced than that this time around. Within these changes, Rian Johnson has introduced the first truly feminist instalment to the franchise.

star wars, star wars the last jedi, star wars porg

© DISNEY LUCASFILM

The original Star Wars trilogy featured one awesome female character, but she was reduced to a bikini-wearing slave in Episode VI and she never got to talk substantively to another woman (unless she had an off-screen chat with ill-fated, green dancer Oola).

Leia notwithstanding, the original trilogy's women (er... Mon Mothma? Sy Snootles?) were vastly outnumbered by men. The prequel trilogy had Padme and... nope, just Padme. Oh wait: Shmi! Yay.

The Force Awakens redressed the balance, comfortably passing the Bechdel test – ie, it (a) had more than one woman (b) those women talked to each other (c) about something other than a man. It introduced new female characters Rey (Daisy Ridley), Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o) and Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie), while bringing back Leia as the head of the Resistance. It was a start.

Rogue One had a great female lead in Jyn Erso, but again: no other women of note.

The Last Jedi takes things much further. It's the first time we can comfortably say that a Star Wars movie is actively feminist.

The movie is structured around several set-ups:

• Rey is trying to persuade Luke to re-join the Resistance. Later, she attempts to bring Kylo Ren (aka Ben Solo) back to the light side.

© LUCASFILM

• Leia leads the Resistance, attempting to look after its remaining members with as little loss of life as possible.

• When Leia is hurt, command falls to Holdo (Laura Dern) who has a plan to save the remaining Resistance members by using their main ship's last dregs of fuel to send smaller escape craft to a planet away from the First Order.

This would have been fine were it not for Poe's counter-plan, which goes completely wrong and ultimately leads to further loss of life and the exposure of their safe planet.

Last Jedi is a movie where the male characters are ruled by emotion: Luke is a guilty, angry recluse who initially won't help Rey or the Resistance and who almost decided to kill his own nephew based on his sense that he might turn evil, thereby setting into motion a chain of events which result in Han's death and the creation of the franchise's most complex and dangerous baddie ever.

Kylo (né Ben) is so full of rage and abandonment issues that he's completely unable to control himself and chooses to kill indiscriminately rather than face his parents.

Adam Driver

© LUCASFILM

Poe is arrogant, reckless and can't be trusted – it's his call to Finn that reveals Holdo's plan to DJ/the code breaker, who ultimately sells out the whole of the Resistance.

Even Finn, who's largely speaking a good chap, plans to leave the Resistance ship in an escape pod (with good intentions, but still) until Rose catches him and convinces him otherwise.

ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW

And Chewie – heroic Wookiee that he is – was totally going to eat a Porg.

Meanwhile Rey discovers her parents literally sold her out – but doesn't let her issues affect her behaviour. She refuses to give up on Luke (until she has to), refuses to give up on Ben (until she has to) and maintains her own sense of honour and morality in the face of serious adversity. She makes Kylo look like the big, petulant child he is.

Hux of course is no better, vying for the attention of cruel father-figure Snoke and trying to out-do his de facto brother Ren, rather than working together to achieve greater success (as we see Leia and Holdo doing).

Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo, Laura Dern, Star Wars, The Last Jedi

© LUCASFILM

OK, Holdo doesn't tell Poe her plan, which arguably could have solved a few issues, but hell, she doesn't owe it to him to explain herself – Leia left her in charge for a reason. And later Holdo manages to destroy the First Order ship by sacrificing herself for the greater good.

In Poe's early offensive on the Dreadnought, which directly went against Leia's orders and cost huge Resistance casualties, it's Paige (Rose's sister) who drops the bombs, again, sacrificing herself: Poe walks out scot free without so much as an apology.

Though roped into Poe's dubious plan, Rose maintains her integrity throughout, rescuing the enslaved 'fathiers' (sad horse-dogs) and inspiring the next generation of potential Resistance members and Force users. The kid at the end with the magic broom is wearing her Resistance ring.

Even the lovely, "No, you go," moment with Holdo and Leia both wanting to say, "May the Force be with you," when Holdo stays behind on the main Resistance ship – knowing this will mean certain death – is a nod towards female friendship dynamics. That they don't want to interrupt each other, and that the more senior Leia wants to give Holdo that moment of respect is a small but significant moment.

© LUCASFILM

Rose even risks her own life to keep Finn from sacrificing himself, explaining that the real Resistance is about saving those you love, not killing those you hate.

If the Universe was run by women, The Last Jedi's clear subtext runs, things would be kinder, more humane, better organised and a lot more peaceful. What a perfect tribute to Carrie Fisher and what a wonderful message in 2017 for young women, at a time when it's becoming clear that the film industry has long been stacked against them.

Now all we need is an actual female director for a Star Wars movie...

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102624)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 2:01 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night

Even the lovely, "No, you go," moment with Holdo and Leia both wanting to say, "May the Force be with you," when Holdo stays behind on the main Resistance ship – knowing this will mean certain death – is a nod towards female friendship dynamics. That they don't want to interrupt each other, and that the more senior Leia wants to give Holdo that moment of respect is a small but significant moment.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102645)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 3:58 PM
Author: Mischievous Cowardly Philosopher-king Brunch

LJL just imagine that happening in a real war. Just respect your squad mates until you all die.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35103432)



Reply Favorite

Date: September 15th, 2018 7:12 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#36815873)



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Date: January 7th, 2018 2:01 PM
Author: glittery shrine

If the Universe was run by women, The Last Jedi's clear subtext runs, things would be kinder, more humane, better organised and a lot more peaceful. What a perfect tribute to Carrie Fisher and what a wonderful message in 2017 for young women, at a time when it's becoming clear that the film industry has long been stacked against them.

ljl

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102648)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 3:59 PM
Author: Mischievous Cowardly Philosopher-king Brunch

Yeah, cause we all know Carrie Fisher lived such a peaceful and conflict free life....

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35103439)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 2:01 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night

If the Universe was run by women, The Last Jedi's clear subtext runs, things would be kinder, more humane, better organised and a lot more peaceful. What a perfect tribute to Carrie Fisher and what a wonderful message in 2017 for young women, at a time when it's becoming clear that the film industry has long been stacked against them.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102649)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 2:03 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night

The Last Jedi is the first properly feminist Star Wars

Warning: spoilers and deconstruction of the patriarchy ahead.

https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/film/2017/12/last-jedi-first-properly-feminist-star-wars

Several years ago, some time after Revenge of the Sith but well before any of the latest crop of Star Wars films were announced, I wrote a humorous open letter in which I broke up with my boyfriend, Darth Vader. Really it was a plea for the internet and fandom to drop its Star Wars obsession. This was because all I could see, as a former Star Wars enthusiast, was endless and overwhelmingly male worship of a franchise which should have died when Queen Amidala did. The prequels had killed Star Wars, I thought, and I was tired of seeing the corpse still twitching.

My reluctant impatience wasn’t cured by the announcement of new films, particularly because they were to bring back Luke, Han, Chewie and Leia. I saw that as an attempt to capitalise on what made Star Wars great in the first place, but I have never believed you can go back by revisiting characters.

Everything from the hell of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull to the bafflingly dumb Gilmore Girls reboot failed precisely because it’s impossible to recapture in old age what was loved about youth. And I don’t mean just the characters, I mean the fans too. Everyone was taking Star Wars way too seriously, while I was always more in tune with Yoda comedically clambering around for snacks.

But of course old Star Wars fans die hard, so I went to see The Force Awakens and even enjoyed it. Fan service sat neatly alongside new characters. Rey was established as being as self-sufficient – “stop holding my hand!” – as Leia ever was, but without Leia’s royal resources. Rey is a true equal in a galaxy obsessed with balance.

But it still felt overwhelmingly like the domain of men. There has never been a female Star Wars director, and before Rey, the coolest characters were Luke and Han. The bad guys were precisely that, too – guys. Female role models were limited to Leia, a princess who began as a rebel with a blaster but was reduced to a pinup by the gold bikini slave costume Carrie Fisher eventually admitted was not her choice. That Leia used her chains against her captor doesn’t change the distinctly male gaze that turned that scene into a grubby bedroom fantasy for boys.

In the prequels, Queen Amidala couldn’t offer any feminist hope because her entire existence was to fulfill her biological destiny. Whatever character arc she was allowed was undone in the ridiculous and disrespectful birth scene in which Amidala, screaming in pain and seemingly trapped under some sort of metal band, gives birth to the twins she randomly names Luke and Leia, before dying of something (the film seems to want us to think it’s a broken heart, but given the midwife droids didn’t administer any pain relief, I suspect Amidala actually died from substandard medical care and the Skywalkers should sue).

But then, a new hope, for me. The Last Jedi is the first Star Wars film for women. (Massive spoilers ahead). Most obviously, there are women in The Last Jedi at every level, from high-ranking military to starship basements. I haven’t done a screen time count but if women aren’t onscreen – and speaking – for more time than any other Star Wars film I will eat my womp rat. New character Rose, played by Kelly Marie Tran, has a taser and a brain and isn’t afraid to use either. In an early scene, John Boyega’s Finn stands in front of her, mansplaining, until she loudly interrupts him because dude, shush. Lupita Nyong'o’s “wise old mysteriously foreign alien” Maz Kanata gets a frenetic action scene seemingly designed to make up for how poorly she was served in The Force Awakens.

There are no lone heroes in The Last Jedi, everything is a team effort, but what heroics there are truly belong to the ladies, from the very early bombing scene to the final rocky rescue. General Leia leads the rebellion, eventually replaced by Laura Dern’s Admiral Holdo after a bit of Force flying that lazy commenters compared with Mary Poppins because apparently 1964 was the last time a woman did anything cool on screen.

Holdo takes charge of the rebellion fleet, but the cocky, Solo-esque half-hero of The Force Awakens, Poe Damaron, is exasperated by Holdo’s refusal to respect his superior manly tactics and mind, so leads a mutiny that in any other Star Wars film would have succeeded. It fails, because he doesn’t know what he’s doing and didn’t respect the vastly superior and more experienced woman above him.

Compare the dignified and graceful exchanges between Holdo – who eventually pulls off the most badass kamikaze move in sci fi history – and Leia to those between darkly brooding men’s rights activist Kylo Ren and the red-haired punchbag General Hux, who can’t share a scene without fighting because neither of them truly earned their position. Their respective scrambling and scrapping for power reveals an immaturity and insecurity in contrast to Poe Damaron’s arrogance but no less patriarchal for it. While the guys fight over power, the women simply get on with the job.

And that of course is why Kylo reacts as he does when his new love, Rey, rejects him and his offer to rule in favour of saving her friends, the rebellion, and ultimately the Force itself. Of course Kylo becomes even angrier and more violent, that’s exactly how men who feel entitled to sex but are denied it act. He’s a 2017 baddie. It’s almost like writer director Rian Johnson has done his feminist homework (or maybe just hangs around on Reddit like the rest of us).

The early scene of Kylo smashing his own helmet is another clue to Johnson’s brave new world. No more hiding behind silly masks, no more blind worship or fear of the masked man. Characters are stripped bare. Gwendoline Christie’s Captain Phasma is a sad victim of this, her helmet punctured to reveal a vulnerable but unrepentant eye, before she too is (presumably) killed off as belonging to the old order of silly helmets. It's sad to lose a female character – but clothes no longer maketh the woman, and she wasn’t given much more to work with than a fancy hat.

Rey’s rejection of Kylo’s love and power is a feminist triumph. Unlike Leia, who earns her credential as General but was adopted into royalty and born into her Skywalker family destiny, Rey is revealed to be absolutely nobody. I cheered, I cried. The Force Awakens was so desperately trying to hint that Rey’s parentage was Luke-and-Leia special and the internet was agog with speculation for months, but The Last Jedi threw that old trope into a trash compactor where it belongs.

Rey is herself, no resources inherited or bought, self-made with no help from anyone. Not even Luke, really. His rejection of her request for training, and the entire Jedi religion itself is what causes Rey to reinvent the Force on her own terms. Forget the Master/Padawan relationship, that stuff belongs to the failed patriarchy of the old films. New Star Wars belongs to a new generation, and this time it’s women.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102660)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 2:05 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night

Of course Kylo becomes even angrier and more violent, that’s exactly how men who feel entitled to sex but are denied it act.

Forget the Master/Padawan relationship, that stuff belongs to the failed patriarchy of the old films. New Star Wars belongs to a new generation, and this time it’s women.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102676)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 2:15 PM
Author: Fragrant mahogany ticket booth

Jaina Solo: Sword of the Jedi

Jacen and Anakin: :(

The BS started with Del Ray.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35102744)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 3:40 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35103312)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 3:44 PM
Author: glassy fanboi corner

PROOF!

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35103339)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 3:45 PM
Author: cracking bossy tanning salon black woman

Well the series does appear to be bleeding out

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35103348)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 3:58 PM
Author: Big chrome elastic band



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35103428)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 3:58 PM
Author: Thriller peach selfie abode



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35103431)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 7:09 PM
Author: Swashbuckling indigo azn alpha



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35104679)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 7:10 PM
Author: Bat-shit-crazy sadistic scourge upon the earth



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35104684)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 10:00 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35105670)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 10:01 PM
Author: costumed gas station

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOF

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35105679)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 10:02 PM
Author: glassy fanboi corner



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35105682)



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Date: January 7th, 2018 10:05 PM
Author: curious brilliant native idiot



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35105710)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2018 9:59 AM
Author: impertinent place of business



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35108202)



Reply Favorite

Date: September 15th, 2018 1:53 PM
Author: cerise theatre



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#36814319)



Reply Favorite

Date: July 22nd, 2019 1:16 AM
Author: primrose spectacular area useless brakes



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#38568427)



Reply Favorite

Date: October 3rd, 2019 9:51 AM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#38922753)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 3:56 PM
Author: onyx haunting becky box office

show runners of star wars: (((disney))), kathleen kennedy, (((jj abrams)))...

need i say more?



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35103422)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 7:04 PM
Author: costumed gas station

http://autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3730883&mc=54&forum_id=2#34930505

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35104653)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 4:04 PM
Author: Heady menage genital piercing

From a $220m opening weekend to ending its domestic run likely under $600m. Cucks will spin the gaudy numbers but that's panic territory. Not to mention that it opened under $70m in China.

They're already writing off Solo on top of it. We're watching a golden goose get strangled to death.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35103481)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 7:02 PM
Author: costumed gas station



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35104645)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 7:03 PM
Author: cracking bossy tanning salon black woman



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35104651)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 7th, 2018 7:04 PM
Author: Twisted lascivious parlour

jfc that's pathetic. the last Fast and the Furious did $1 billion domestic iirc

edit: nevermind FF8 did $225 million domestic

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35104655)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2018 9:51 AM
Author: chocolate sexy stage police squad
Subject: !

Well, at least you were close

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35108151)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 22nd, 2019 3:33 PM
Author: idiotic unhinged range



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#39308588)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2018 9:48 AM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35108136)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2018 9:48 AM
Author: Twinkling ceo

how many more of these shitty movies are they going to make?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35108138)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2018 9:51 AM
Author: cracking bossy tanning salon black woman

there's a new trilogy after this one is finished and Solo. so at least 5

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35108155)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 8th, 2018 9:56 AM
Author: impertinent place of business

Just do alienate your main audience, give them no one to identify with, & tell them they are rash, stupid, & inferior. All so libs will praise you for feminism.

Embarrassing. I hope the franchise implodes.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35108178)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 27th, 2018 11:27 AM
Author: cocky love of her life kitchen



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#36318547)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 15th, 2018 8:02 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35163609)



Reply Favorite

Date: January 16th, 2018 9:54 AM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#35167001)



Reply Favorite

Date: June 27th, 2018 10:40 AM
Author: Vermilion Gaped Dilemma



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#36318183)



Reply Favorite

Date: August 28th, 2018 9:12 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#36705012)



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Date: September 15th, 2018 1:33 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#36814228)



Reply Favorite

Date: July 15th, 2019 12:01 AM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#38533555)



Reply Favorite

Date: July 22nd, 2019 1:07 AM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#38568410)



Reply Favorite

Date: July 22nd, 2019 1:34 AM
Author: Blue den

this article aged about as well as most women do

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#38568467)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 26th, 2019 9:17 PM
Author: Boyish queen of the night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#39178465)



Reply Favorite

Date: December 22nd, 2019 2:24 PM
Author: idiotic unhinged range

This one movie completely destroyed the Star Wars franchise. LMAO

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3852212&forum_id=2#39308290)