It's Time to Talk about Cassian Andor (Guest Post by Hannah Ackman)

 My sister Hannah Ackman wrote a guest post last year ranking all of the Star Wars films. She's a huge fan of the franchise, and as her favorite movie is Rogue One, she was particularly excited about the new Andor series. Of course, I wanted to give her a platform to share her thoughts. 

NOTE: This review does not contain spoilers since the show just came out. While I do discuss the show, everything mentioned specifically has been said in interviews or trailers published before the release date. Please know there are spoilers for Rogue One

If you didn’t already know, I am a massive Rogue One fan. Cassian Andor is one of my favorite Star Wars men, so much so that my Nissan Rogue car is named after him. I could not have been more excited to see Diego Luna again in the Star Wars universe, and I am already mourning that we only have 9 episodes left (there will be 12 total). 

Andor takes place five years before Rogue One and four years after the Obi-Wan show. At the time that we are watching Cassian become a rebel, Jyn Erso is on the run, having been abandoned by Saw Gerrera a year prior. 

Besides having some of the same characters as Rogue One, the whole show has the same utilitarian and dystopian vibe. The costuming is amazing and consistent, but it is also used to show rank or positions among the different characters. Surprisingly, the actors have very varying ages, and they don’t stick in the 20-30 year-old range like usual. It’s very feminist without pushing for it, while at the same time, it made me grasp that everyone is essentially just a soldier for their cause. 

In Rogue One, Cassian says “We’ve all done bad things for the rebellion,” and I think we are going to see what drove him to that point where he is willing to kill, fight, and even sacrifice his own life for the greater good. Shockingly, we also are getting an insight into the Empire and their feelings as humans rather than just officers and troopers. The line “That’s what a reckoning sounds like,” in my opinion, almost characterizes the show. It’s a struggle, and it's messy, but lines of love and family are at the foreground too. 

Personally, I thought Andor was absolutely magical, and I can’t wait to see more. 

My 2021 Oscar Predictions


It sort of felt like the Oscars would never come around this year, I won't lie. While I've enjoyed so many of the films from 2021, I'm also excited to move on from these predictions and get into a new year of film. Obviously, I very much have my fingers crossed for Kenneth Branagh to win anything and everything he's nominated for. 

Best Picture
Prediction: CODA
Alternate: The Power of the Dog
My Winner: Belfast

Best Director
Prediction: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Alternate: Kenneth Branagh, Belfast
My Winner: Kenneth Branagh, Belfast

Best Actor
Prediction: Will Smith, King Richard
Alternate: Andrew Garfield, tick, tick...BOOM! 
My Winner: Andrew Garfield, tick, tick...BOOM!  

Best Actress
Prediction: Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Alternate: Kristen Stewart, Spencer
My Winner: Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye 

Best Supporting Actor
Prediction: Troy Kotsur, CODA
Alternate: Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog
My Winner: Troy Kotsur, CODA

Best Supporting Actress
Prediction: Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
Alternate: Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
My Winner: Ariana DeBose, West Side Story

Best Adapted Screenplay
Prediction: CODA
Alternate: The Power of the Dog
My Winner: Dune

Best Original Screenplay
Prediction: Belfast
Alternate: Licorice Pizza
My Winner: Belfast

Best Cinematography
Prediction: Dune
Alternate: The Power of the Dog
My Winner: Dune

Best Costume Design
Prediction: Cruella
Alternate: Dune
My Winner: Cyrano

Best Film Editing
Prediction: tick, tick...BOOM!
Alternate: King Richard
My Winner: tick, tick...BOOM!

Best Makeup and Hairstyling 
Prediction: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Alternate: Dune
My Winner: Dune

Best Production Design
Prediction: Dune
Alternate: Nightmare Alley
My Winner: Dune

Best Sound
Prediction: Dune
Alternate: No Time to Die
My Winner: Dune

Best Visual Effects
Prediction: Dune
Alternate: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
My Winner: Dune

Best Score
Prediction: Dune
Alternate: The Power of the Dog 
My Winner: Encanto

Best Original Song
Prediction: Encanto
Alternate: No Time to Die
My Winner: Encanto

Best Documentary Feature
Prediction: Summer of Soul
Alternate: Flee
My Winner: Flee

Best Animated Feature
Prediction: Encanto
Alternate: Flee
My Winner: Encanto

Best International Film
Prediction: Drive My Car
Alternate: The Worst Person in the World
My Winner: Flee

Best Animated Short
Prediction: Robin Robin
Alternate: The Windshield Wiper

Best Documentary Short
Prediction: The Queen of Basketball
Alternate: Audible

Best Live-Action Short
Prediction: The Long Goodbye
Alternate: Please Hold
My Winner: The Long Goodbye

Let me know what you think will win the Oscars on Twitter. x
Blogger Template Created by pipdig