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![Heights: chalamets:
The Last Jedi resolved the intrigue surrounding the heroine of this new sequel-trilogy, Rey, and her parentage with a gracefully simple, bold assertion: Rey is⊠just Rey. Not the daughter of some space aristocracy or legacy lineage, but a hero of her own making. [âŠ] That Reyâs parents were ordinary people meant anyone from anywhere could be born a hero; what determined a personâs place in the world was who they chose to be, rather than their last name. âRey is our protagonist. And the truth is, in the story, the toughest possible thing for her to hear is, you know, youâre not gonna get the easy answer that youâre so-and-soâs daughter, this is your place,â [Rian] Johnson told me after The Last Jediâs release. âYouâre gonna have to stand on your own two feet and define yourself in this world.â
Instead of taking the baton from Last Jedi and running with it to new heights, The Rise of Skywalker retreats right back into the safety of nostalgia. [âŠ] Itâs as if Abrams and Terrio scrambled for a loophole specifically to mollify the âfansâ upset that this heroâworse, this girlâdared to wield such incredible abilities with only her own strength [âŠ] Bookending the saga Anakin began with the story of a girl from nowhere who sets right what he helped unbalance might have been resonant. But who cares for that when thereâs another billion-dollar franchise to set up and potential spin-offs to tease?
â Melissa Leon, âThe Rise of Skywalkerâ Erases the Power of Reyâs Story and Surrenders to Sexist Trolls](https://pics.conservativememes.com/chalamets-the-last-jedi-resolved-the-intrigue-surrounding-the-heroine-68241554.png)
![Heights: MY MUST LIST
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA
He stars as an aeronaut on HBO's His Dark Materials, is at work on movie adaptations of
Jonathan Larson's tick, tick...BOOM! and his own In the Heights, is enjoying the success of his latest
Broadway undertaking, Freestyle Love Supreme, and gives us daily pep talks on Twitter. But
the mega-multitasker still found time to tell EW about a few of the things he really, really loves.
TV
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
I just binged. It is so genius. The history of incredibly
brilliant movies to TV spin-offs is alarmingly poor. They
don't usually stick the landing, but I think it's because
it's [director Taika Waititi] and the original team, it's
just a brilliant expansion of the conceit of the movie.
MOVIE
Cabaret
It's a master class in how
to translate the essence of
something from stage to
screen without literally
translating it. The show is
really different from the
movie, but no one's mad
at that movie, because
it's brilliant, and that's
the toughest act to follow.
We're golng for it with In
the Heights. I'm going for
it with tick, tick...B0OM!
I have a lot of projects, so
Cabaret is a big source
material for inspiration.
STAGE
Octet
This Off Broadway show
by Dave Malloy, the com-
poser of Natasha, Pierre
& the Great Comet
of 1812, was the last thing
I saw that really knocked
my socks off. It's a com-
pletely a cappella musical
about internet addiction.
My wife, who Is a tough
audience when it comes
to musicals, it was her
favorite thing she saw
all year.
MUSIC
Judee Sill
The podcast Wonderful, by
my friend Griffin McElroy,
turned me on to this song-
writer from the early '70s.
She doesn't have a lot-it's,
Wke, two albums and a
posthumous album, Just
Tke [rapper] Big Pun-but
m devouring it because
it's like this Southern Joni
Mitchell voice that I've
never heard. It's gorgeous.
HERE BOR IT
BOOK
Here for It
R. Eric Thomas, a
Baltimore-bred writer
and playwright, is one of
my favorite writers. I look
forward to his columns
every day. His first mem-
oir, Here for it [out Feb. 18,
2020], is like if David
Sedarls was completely
steeped In pop culture
Instead of living some-
where far away writing
about it. It's like pop cul-
ture-obsessed, Sedarls-
level laugh-out-loud funny
BONUS
Mister Rogers
Neighborhood
Can I make a request from the uni-
verse? I've watched my children fall
In love with Mister Rogers, but I can
only find it on demand once a week.
It's crazy. They fell In love with it via
Daniel Tiger. When they watch, they
feel like they're watching Daniel origin
stories. But I'd like more, please,
because it makes my kids very calm
and kind.-As told to Sarah Rodman
PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIC RAY DAVIDSON
EW COM
Oh baby, @EW let me do a Must List!
None of this will be a surprise to YOU, but mentions include @TaikaWaititi, @oureric, Griffy & @rachelcmcelroyâs Wonderful!, Judee Sill, Liza Minnelli, @dave_malloy, Daniel Tiger... https://t.co/4PEFEmIGuh](https://pics.conservativememes.com/my-must-list-lin-manuel-miranda-he-stars-as-an-aeronaut-64377993.png)
![Heights: LAD
BIBLE
[NEWSFLARE]
This glass walkway isn't for those with a fear of heights đłđ](https://pics.conservativememes.com/lad-bible-newsflare-this-glass-walkway-isnt-for-those-with-60841815.png)
