After watching several nominated films like The Revenant, The Danish Girl, Room, Spotlight and The Martian on my quest to see every Oscar movie, the new Star Wars still stands out to me as the best film of 2015. It was well-paced, it introduced fabulous new characters (major girl crush on Rey), there were great nostalgic moments harkening back to the original trilogy, and it single-handedly returned Star Wars to its pre-prequel glory. (For the record, I don’t hate the prequels — in fact, I think Anakin Skywalker is the ultimate bae — but I know plenty of people who do.) Honestly, I think it blew the Oscar noms out of the water. Here are my two main reasons:
I Wasn’t Expecting Greatness
I was so skeptical of Disney’s ability to take over where George Lucas left off that I only agreed to see The Force Awakens in the first place for a laugh. I figured it would be cute, probably entertaining, but nowhere near as epic as the original trilogy. However, I can’t deny that when those scrolling yellow title words appeared on the big screen and that heart-pounding opening music met my ears for the first time in years, I actually cried. My friends and I gripped hands — and didn’t let go. We hung onto every scene of the movie because it was so much better than we expected. I know that I wouldn’t have been as thrilled with Star Wars if I had been expecting such greatness, and that my low expectations contributed to how much the film impressed me. There’s always something about a film that completely destroys your expectations that make it stand out. In contrast, I thought many of the Oscar nominated movies did not live up to their nominated status. (More on this next week.)
It Was a Successful Testament to the Original Trilogy
One of the biggest criticisms circulating about The Force Awakens is that the plot is too similar to Episode IV: A New Hope. This is a solid argument, but it didn’t bother me. The fact is, A New Hope completely captivated America in 1977, and that’s exactly what The Force Awakens had to do in order to recapture the spirit of the original Star Wars. I don’t mind that VII used some familiar plot points because it made me feel the same way as the original trilogy. The movie also sets up episodes VIII and IX to be very different from Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. The greatest success of The Force Awakens is that, as millennials, we could really imagine what it felt like to sit in a theater in 1977 and experience Star Wars for the first time. It was magical, truly. I felt it in my chest.
In the end, I think this is really why Star Wars was the most successful movie of the year. It revived an incredibly classic series with humor and respect — and with the same spunk that George Lucas brought to the original trilogy. Sure, people have pointed out plot holes and general complaints. That’s to be expected when such a popular series produces a new installment. For me, it’s about how I felt when the movie ended. I was filled with intense love and excitement about a world that I’ve known since my dad made me watch A New Hope sixteen years ago. Somehow, this movie captured the essence of a story that both parents and children have been enjoying since its conception.
The Force Awakens made me feel like we could have our own Star Wars generation — and one in which a female protagonist saves the galaxy. Thanks, Disney — you did alright.
