dude… i have now seen the new kingdom of the planet of the apes in cinema twice and the first time around i wasn’t all that impressed and i left the theatre kinda disappointed but the second time around i left a little more impressed and a little less disappointed.
the movie was still weak compared to the first three films, (the rise, dawn and war) but im glad it was made.
as a whole i believe this franchise is criminally underrated on multiple different levels. The poetic nature of the films is something i don’t think i would ever articulate or write on paper to perfectly capture how beautifully made these films are, they are just chefs kiss
proximus caesar was a funny villain that i think deserved more screen time and back story, it makes me kinda sad to think that we wont really see his character again.
the symbolism that links all four films together is incredibly well done and throughout the entire series there are crumbs of the films that came before them, which is a part of the reason why i love these films so much. i like how they made noa so similar to caesar, not only in his appearance but in his characteristics. i like to believe it was intentional that noa and caesar (particularly in dawn of the planet of the apes with malcolm) cautiously but willingly trusted a human. noa is so incredibly similar to caesar it would be criminal to suggest otherwise.
dude these films are so visually well done you almost forget you are watching cgi. the visual effects alone blow my mind but the accuracy and attention to detail when it comes to the mannerisms of the apes is out of this world and deserves more recognition. in terms of cinematography planet of the apes have always been amazing at beautifully capturing emotions from all the apes and even better at showing the wonders of a post-human run world. the forests and surroundings that the apes find themselves in continue to amaze me, especially in this newest film were we see a variety of different landscapes.
as much as i am growing to love kingdom of the planet of the apes, i feel as though we could have waited for noa and his story. i think cornelius and the others that were left behind after caesars death deserved a closing chapter. i would have loved to know how the community handled the loss of their leader and saviour and how they all moved on. also i feel as though we needed back story on how the apes separated and became different clans spread all across the continent. as an example i would have also loved to see how the misinterpretation of caesar and what he stood for became so strong and wide spread, as well as why noas clan and their elders knew nothing of caesar or chose to leave him out of their history. there were a lot of open ends and unfinished stories that deserved more screen time, but in saying that, that could mean an eternity of story telling that everyone may not want to see.
at the end of kingdom of the planet of the apes they left it open for another film which i am looking forward to seeing where they take story line. are they going to fully circle around to the original films were they capture more humans and start to use them as slaves or will the story begin to get repetitive? i hope repetition won’t sneak its way into these films like is has with so many other franchises, but we can only hope right?
anyways-
long live monkeys… i love monkeys and we need more monkey movies
also- i know i don’t really do this sort of this thing on this account but i was beginning to genuinely tweak if i didn’t word vomit my thoughts on these movies <3
for years i have avoided star wars like the plague for a reason i dont even really fully understand, and i would never consider myself a star wars fan. i've seen some of the movies; the majority of the star wars media i have consumed is largely the original trilogy. but i recently just watched the new mandalorian and grogu movie in theatres.
for a lot of people, star wars is sacred. people grow up with it and know every detail, and they care about where the franchise goes next. i understand why people are so protective over it; i often feel the same about several other films and series, but at the same time, i think star wars fans can be their own worst enemies and are often times so hypercritical about every new release.
as someone that sits on the outside of the fanbase, i recently went to the new mando and grogu movie with my boyfriend, and since watching the movie, at the time of writing this i have started and finished the first two seasons of the mandalorian. as much of a bad rap the new movie is getting i think it stood out to me for a number of reasons. what immediately stood out to me about the movie was that it didn't feel overwhelming.
as an outsider to the star wars fanbase, a lot of the star wars movies can feel really intense if you're not already familiar with the universe, and similar to things like the mcu it can be incredibly scary to look at the dozens of films and series and have no clue where to start. there are so many characters, timelines, planets, family connections, and political story lines that sometimes it feels easier to give up before i have even begun to watch the movies or series.
now don't get me wrong; i love the depth that star wars has. i wish more films and series got the same kind of depth that star wars has; however, for casual viewers it can be exhausting. the mando and grogu movie and the series, for that matter – personally – feel way more accessible. you can watch it without needing a full understanding of any other film or series in the franchise, and i think that may be one of the biggest reasons why I and so many others enjoyed it. In fact, after the release of the mandalorian series on disney plus their subscriber number had surpassed over 100 million, with analysts crediting that to the mandalorian series.
of course, having background knowledge probably helps and makes it all the more exciting. but i think it's important to note that the show still works even if you don't catch every reference. at its core the series and even the movie are simple stories about a man protecting a child trying to survive in a dangerous world. that emotional and more heartfelt storyline is easy for anyone to connect with, regardless of how much of a diehard fan you are. mando and grogu's relationship carries the whole show and film, and it works because it feels genuine and emotional instead of overly dramatic.
i also think the tone of the film and series is what separates it from a lot of other star wars content. the movies are often built around massive galactic conflicts and huge political issues, which can sometimes make them feel so complicated and exhausting as someone that is newer to the franchise or just a casual watcher. whereas the mandalorian and grogu series and film feel more personal. the movie and series feel like a western. the main character enters a town, helps solve a problem, and moves on. It's simple in the best way possible.
the show doesn't consistently try to overwhelm the audience with giant stakes or non-stop action scenes. instead it focuses more on atmosphere, character development and emotional moments, which personally make it more enjoyable to watch.
din djarin is also just a compelling main character. he's not presented as some perfect hero or the "chosen one" destined to save the universe. he is flawed, quiet, and clearly trying to figure things out as he goes. that makes him feel a lot more relatable than some of the larger-than-life characters in the star wars movies. pedro pascal also brings an amazing amount of emotion to the role despite wearing a helmet for 99% of the series. the show and movie prove that you don't need massive speeches or dramatic monologues to create a strong emotional connection with an audience.
and obviously grogu became such a huge part of the show's success. grogu - also known as baby yoda - became a massive cultural phenomenon online, generating billions of views, memes, and social media interactions within months of the original series release. even poeple who had zero interest in star wars suddenly knew who he was, myself included. but i don't think grogu became as popular as he did just from being cute, although it certainly does help; i mean look at the little fella!
i think people genuinely connected with the relationship between mando and grogu. their bond gave the series and film warmth and emotional depth. a lot of modern franchises seem to focus so heavily on action and spectacle that sometimes they forget audiences also just want emotional storytelling. i truly believe the mandalorian and grogu sotry balances both really well.
whats interesting to me is how divided the star wars fanbase can be about newer content. every time a new movie or series comes out, there seem to be endless online arguments about how disney ruined star wars. some of the criticisms are definitely fair. disney has made some questionable decisions with the franchise. i think this was best seen with the sequel trilogy focusing on kylo ren and rey. i only watched two of the three films, but i think these films relied too heavily on nostalgia without fully knowing where the story was going.
with saying this, i honestly think parts of the fanbase can be way too hypercritical sometimes. it feels like some fans go into new projects already expecting to hate them, and then every small flaw becomes proof that the franchise is falling apart. but i think when you step back from all the online theatrics, there's actually been plenty of good modern-day star wars content. i truly believe the mandalorian is a huge example of that, but even shows like andor have been well received.
was the mandalorian and grogu movie an outstanding film? not nessicarly, but i don't think it is as terrible as everyone is making it out to be. would it have been better as another season rather than a film? maybe. but i guess we will never know, and i think the film served its purpose. it was adventurous and emotional, just like the series, and its variety is important because if lucas films and disney kept making movies exactly like the original trillogy i think everyone would be getting sick of the same formula.
we have seen the "hero's journey" done a thousand times with not only star wars but many other films and series. what i like about the mandalorian series is that they are more experimental with their styles and tones instead of constantly trying to recreate the original trilogy and its nostalgia. in a way i also think the series aspect of Star Wars works better. in movies, especially giant franchise blockbusters, everything can feel rushed because there's pressure to fit huge storylines into two hours. whereas tv shows allow slower storytelling and more emotional buildup, which is probably why i and many others became so attached to mando and grogu.
usually when franchises move from tv to film, there's a risk that the story becomes too big and loses what made it so special in the first place. i think this did happen in the film; however, i am not entirely mad about it. it was still an enjoyable film to watch. i believe the movie had a lot of potential and even more potential as a fourth season. the emotional connection is already there, which gave the story a strong foundation. it also helps that the mandalorian has managed to attract audiences outside the traditional star wars fanbase. people who normally wouldn’t watch a star wars series ended up loving it because it focused on universal themes like loyalty, protection, and connection rather than just franchise mythology.
honestly, i think the mandalorian proves that star wars doesn’t always need to rely on nostalgia or giant lightsaber battles to succeed or even draw in an audience. sometimes simpler stories are more effective. the series understands that emotional storytelling matters more than constant references and fan service. it respects the larger universe without making casual viewers feel excluded, which is something more franchises should learn from.
at the end of the day, i understand why hardcore fans are protective of star wars. it’s one of the most beloved franchises ever made, and when something means that much to people, emotions are naturally going to run high. but i also think it’s important to acknowledge when the franchise actually does something well. disney hasn’t handled everything perfectly, but the recent shows prove there’s still creativity and potential in the star wars universe.
for me personally, the mandalorian made star wars feel enjoyable in a way it never really had before. it felt emotional, cinematic, accessible, and genuinely entertaining without requiring hours of background knowledge. and honestly, i think that’s exactly why it resonated with so many people, even outside the traditional fanbase.
but that's just me.
if you made it this far, are you okay? do you need a glass of water? thank you for reading x
✦ killing everyone is lazy. corpses are boring. the real cruelty is survival—but the kind of survival where the character will never sleep right again. give them trauma, paranoia, scars that don’t heal. it’s way worse than a clean death.
✦ horror endings should feel unfinished. neat bows are for romance novels. if your reader closes the book thinking “oh good, it’s over,” you’ve failed. the best endings itch. they should feel like there’s still something lurking just off the page.
✦ leave something unresolved. don’t describe the monster’s body—describe the mug it left behind. the voicemail still playing. the dog still waiting at the door. absence is scarier than closure.
✦ the last line is everything. it should feel like a splinter under the skin. short, sharp, unforgettable.
examples:
“she turned off the light. something else turned it back on.”
“the baby monitor crackled: don’t forget to feed me.”
“his reflection waved first.”
“she tucked herself into bed. then felt the blanket tuck tighter from the other side.”
✦ horror doesn’t end when the book closes. horror ends when the reader stops thinking about it… which should be never. the goal is for them to set your story down, turn off the lights, and then immediately turn them back on again because something in the silence feels too heavy.
how to write monsters that actually scare and not sparkle
✦ first rule: don’t over-explain. once you give me the monster’s exact height, weight, claw count, and dental record, it’s not scary anymore. it’s a pokémon. mystery is the muscle. a shadow that almost looks human will always hit harder than a full description of a swamp beast. leave gaps. let the reader’s brain fill them in with their own worst fear.
✦ physics should not apply. horror monsters are terrifying when they break the rules of the world we think we understand. a body folding in ways it shouldn’t. joints bending the wrong direction. silence in a place that should echo. footsteps that sound like they’re coming from the ceiling instead of the floor. once you warp reality, the reader doesn’t feel safe in their own.
✦ chasing is fine. but waiting is worse. scarier than claws, scarier than snarling—try a monster that just stands in the corner and watches. even scarier? it smiles. because predators don’t smile unless they know something you don’t.
✦ let it act like it knows you. a growl is scary, sure, but a whisper of your name in the dark is worse. a hiss of your birthday. a laugh in your mother’s voice. monsters are no longer “other” once they feel personal. they’re invasive. they’re inside your head.
✦ bonus tip: give them wrong appetites. a monster that eats flesh is cliché. a monster that eats wallpaper? horrifying. one that eats memories, so a character wakes up without knowing their own name? disgusting. one that eats reflections from mirrors so you don’t see yourself anymore? revolting.
