Film News South Africa

#OnTheBigScreen: The 'Star Wars' Skywalker saga concludes and Asian cinema

Films opening at South African cinemas, this week, include: the final chapter in the Star Wars saga, Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker and the story of the first Chinese climbers ever to summit Mount Everest in The Climbers.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker

Lucasfilm and director J.J. Abrams joined forces once again to take viewers on an epic journey to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the riveting conclusion of the seminal Skywalker saga, where new legends will be born and the final battle for freedom is yet to come.

Resistance leader Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), former stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) and scavenger-turned-Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) are facing down a familiar threat that’s linked to villain Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and his quasi-fascist First Order. This fight leads them on a long, planet-hopping adventure that doubles as a cat-and-mouse game between Kylo Ren and Rey, who share a mysterious connection with each other.

It is the third and final instalment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the ninth and final instalment of the Star Wars Skywalker saga, following The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017)

There’s plenty of spectacle and space-fighting to keep fans entertained and captures Star Wars at its best.

The Climbers

It’s 1960 and the first Chinese climbers ever to summit Mount Everest are also the first people ever to do so from the North Ridge – well-known as the most challenging side of the mountain. The perilous journey takes its toll on the mountaineers, physically and mentally, forcing them to make life-or-death decisions at every turn.

This Chinese adventure drama is directed by Daniel Lee and written by Alai and forms part of the series of new films from Asia being screened by Nu Metro – launched with Parasite just over a month ago.

Read more about the latest and upcoming film releases.  

About Daniel Dercksen

Daniel Dercksen has been a contributor for Lifestyle since 2012. As the driving force behind the successful independent training initiative The Writing Studio and a published film and theatre journalist of 40 years, teaching workshops in creative writing, playwriting and screenwriting throughout South Africa and internationally the past 22 years. Visit www.writingstudio.co.za
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