Shadowing Practice: Is New Star Wars Movie Any Good - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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I feel like a lot of people didn't even know,
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I feel like a lot of people didn't even know,
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but a new Star Wars movie just came out today.
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First one to hit the big screen in,
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I think it's seven years since the last one,
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I can't fully recall, but it's been a while.
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And it's Mandalorian and Grogu.
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I feel like there wasn't a ton of hype around it.
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I haven't seen a whole lot of buzz or a lot of people,
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you know, biting at their nails,
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scratching at their neck, waiting at their fix of Star Wars in the cinema.
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which if you had told me even just a decade ago
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that would ever be the case I'd call you crazy spit in your mouth
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and then slap your bottom
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and tell you you filthy animal get out get out of here you're you're crazy
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but here we are a lot of people are really tuned
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out of Star Wars uh myself included The Mandalorian I never
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even finished season three I just slowly lost interest in it and never finish the series.
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Andor, I can't stop glazing.
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I'm constantly just fucking gobbling the goodness that Andor has served up in preaching the gospel,
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but Star Wars just hasn't had a whole lot of oomph to it in a while,
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so I guess Mandalorian
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and Grogu has just been one of those things where people just didn't even really keep tabs on it.
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I guess we'll see how it performs in the box office though.
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Anyway, I just saw it and it's all right.
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I didn't dislike it as much as a lot of other people seem to.
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It is truly a simple adventure that you can't think hard about because if you do,
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a lot of it falls apart.
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And really the biggest thing about it is it doesn't feel like I watched a movie.
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It feels like I watched maybe four episodes of a Mandalorian season
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that were squashed together without being broken up over the course of four weeks.
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I just don't feel like this justified its existence as a movie.
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It feels like a tiny little arc that would have unfolded episodically.
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So take for that what you will.
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Maybe that's exactly what you want,
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but for me, I would want like something that feels like a spectacle.
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Something that feels like it justifies its existence in this medium as opposed to just being part of the TV show.
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And maybe that was like a strategic decision
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because they knew there'd be a lot more like hype around
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it as opposed to just being like part of season four of The Mandalorian or something.
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I don't really know.
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But it really does feel that way where it's just a handful of episodes.
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Something I want to make a mention of,
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I saw this film in something called Screen X,
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which I'd never heard of in my life,
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but it was just the most convenient time for the film,
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and it happened to be Screen X.
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It was fucking expensive.
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Holy Toledo.
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Movie tickets are already pricey,
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but seeing it in Screen X, wow.
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And the experience was cool, I guess.
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So what it was, was you have like a big screen,
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normal big theater screen,
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but the walls outside of the theater screen like around the auditorium are also a screen too
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so it's supposed to be more immersive
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so what you're seeing on screen also expands out onto the sides
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but in a way where it feels like like in VR
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right where like in VR out of your peripheral vision you
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can see more of the scene playing out in front of
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you that's what it was like in ScreenX where like there
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was more happening on the sides nothing important obviously all of that's still on the main screen but like you could see,
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you know, more of the landscape,
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more of like the characters idly on the side,
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like doing stuff or working.
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Like it was interesting.
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Would I ever pay that much again to go see something in Screen X?
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Probably not, but I do think it was a pretty,
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I don't know, fun novelty, I suppose.
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It did help elevate a couple of things.
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Anyway though, let's dive into a bit of the spaghetti meatballs here.
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There's going to be spoilers, spoiler warning.
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The Mandalorian and Grogu follows an adventure where Mandalorian is just a fucking one-man army
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and he's taking scalp and he's working with the good guys now.
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Sigourney Weaver's in here, but I don't even know if she knew she was in the movie.
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It really feels like she didn't try at all,
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especially at the end where she's like the hero saving the day.
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She delivers her lines like she's falling asleep and is actually annoyed to even be a part of the production.
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I don't know why they wouldn't just ask her to like maybe put a little more gusto in there,
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but it seemed like she didn't want to be there at all.
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Everyone else seemed to be having a good time and,
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like, trying, but for some reason, she seemed miserable.
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I just wanted to make a mention of that.
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But anyway, Mando's now working with the good guys.
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Of course, him and Grogu are a tag team.
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They also have their pilot,
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their right-hand man, and they go out there and beat the bad guys.
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They're shooting and shitting, and,
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you know, it's fun, actually.
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I like the action.
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There's a lot of action here, and it's good.
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they get a new mission they got a new target they've got something
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that they have to do with the twins the huts they are big crime syndicate they contact the good guys
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and in exchange for some information on a big ex-imperial figure
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they agree to have mando temporarily like work with them the Hutts,
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to get Rod of the Hut,
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their nephew, the twins' nephew.
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So that leads us to the meat and potatoes of this,
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where he goes to this new world and finds Rod of the Hut,
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and he's yoked, this guy's fucking juiced to the gills,
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and he's fighting in the pits,
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and Mando has to try and rescue him,
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but he doesn't want to be rescued.
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Turns out he doesn't want to be anything like his father.
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The fact that he reminds you of,
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like, fucking four times throughout the film,
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He's like, I don't want to be like Dad.
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I know I'm the son of Jabba the Hutt, but I hate that.
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And I hate him, and I'm not like him.
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I like when they cheer for me.
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Did you know they cheer for me?
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I like when they cheer for me.
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I like when they cheer for me, Mando.
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So no, I don't need rescuing.
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Ultimately, he needs rescuing.
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He is under contract with the target that the Hutts were going to tell the good guys about,
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but Mando ends up getting that information anyway.
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so then he gets the the target brings him back
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and this ends up with like the huts believing they've been betrayed by him
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so then they hunt down mando getting a bounty hunter on
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his ass who outplays him fucking checkmates him separates him from
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grogu also captures rod of the hut he is being tortured
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and i'm sure i don't need to recap everything
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that happens you could probably piece together the the breadcrumbs here
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on where it where it goes there's there's no big surprises here
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or anything now the thing is
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when you start like actually thinking about what's unfolding it's pretty
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fucking nonsensical also Mando gets knocked out like he goes unconscious
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I think five times unironically I think it's five times once with gas
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when he was trying to save Rada
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and Rada's like I don't want to be saved you're not listening so then gas comes out knocks him out
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once
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when he gets electrocuted by uh the bounty hunter the first
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time outside of his outside of his house after he has
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uh grogu as well as like some some like babu fink characters i don't know what the what those aliens are called,
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but they're, like, basically this movie's equivalent to the fucking minions.
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They just have, like, high-pitched voices going,
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like, we gotta go this way,
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then we go that way,
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then we go that way, that kind of stuff.
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So he got knocked out there when the bounty hunter got him there.
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He then woke up on the ship to have a couple of words with the bounty hunter,
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got knocked out again,
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and then he got knocked out one more time after being poisoned by the creature under the hut's lair
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when they captured him.
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But I also think there was one more that I'm forgetting.
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So he spends a good chunk of this movie unconscious,
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which is, you know, makes me question,
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is he really the most,
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like, elite bounty hunter there is?
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You know what I mean?
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He keeps falling for it over and over again.
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It's like, they keep getting him with the pull my finger gag.
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Also, I just looked it up.
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Babu Frick.
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They're Anzelins or something like that.
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Sorry I butchered the name,
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but it's hard to remember every new glup shito that's been been hitting the Disney Star Wars circuit.
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But yeah, they get into the Megamix here because he was,
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you know, consulting them, commissioning them to fix his ship.
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Anyway, not important.
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Point is, when you start like actually looking at the scenes and thinking about them,
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it completely falls apart.
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For example, Grogu has the Force,
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and there are so many times where him using the force would have been unbelievably helpful
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but he just doesn't he uses it to like get some food sometimes
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and at the end of the movie he gets it to like pick up rada at a very important moment
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so that was a good time to use the force
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but you also then have to ask yourself well why didn't he do
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that numerous other times
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when it really would have fucking put the kibosh on some
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problems they were experiencing another thing the twins the huts they're fucking idiots
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and they're not like meant to be idiots they're supposed to be like scary intimidating bad guys
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but like when they have the mandalorian
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when they have mando captured they drop them into this pit
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with like a bunch of the aqua soldier aliens one thing
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i will be giving a big compliment to the two though
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is the amount of aliens you see i think that's really hype i always like seeing star wars
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when it's just throwing a bunch of cool new aliens at you
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or like bringing aliens from way back in the day into the fold again.
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I think that's cool.
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It reminds you that it's more than just the same shit we've seen a million times.
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I like that.
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So that's actually a compliment I give it.
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These alien swimming guys that have spears, that was cool.
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They're space Atlanteans or whatever.
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Mando starts disposing of them.
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Then there's a giant dragon that pops out,
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this huge leviathan sea snake.
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And for some reason, the Hutts let Mando keep all of his armor on, basically impervious armor.
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They let him keep that for some reason.
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I don't know why they're letting him stay with his full fucking loadout.
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They take his helmet off,
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which is of course a big no-no.
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That's a disgrace to Mandalorians.
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And then when he's dropped into the pit,
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he doesn't have his helmet.
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But then they give him his helmet.
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They just say, here's your reward because you entertained us.
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You made us go ha-ha.
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So they drop his helmet in there,
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which obviously gives him the edge.
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It helps get him back on his feet and be able to fight this monster.
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Why did they do that?
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They even made a point of saying how priceless
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that helmet is on the black market
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and presumably his armor too why let him keep
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that why keep doing that and it's not like they're honorable
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or something like that's never been something expressed like it just made no sense the reason is
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because this is the mandalorian he's gotta have his armor he's gotta have his helmet
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so they just lazily have them do that inexplicably.
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And then Grogu and the Anzalans,
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they somehow were able to find Mando at the twins' lair.
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Convenient that they found him there
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and then they blew it up like blew up the the the pipe there
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so that way Mando could escape but he did get hit by the Leviathan
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which poisoned him which was killing him and then he passes out
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and Grogu then goes on his own solo adventure where now
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he has to fend for himself without Mando being there which was kind of cool to see
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And another thing I really like is the puppetry.
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I like that it's not just CGI.
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I said that from the very beginning with Baby Yoda.
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I think that's very cool.
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And they do have that as well with the mechanics,
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the Anzolans that travel with them and became a pretty important piece of this film.
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They look cool.
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now when grogu's doing his own thing he heals well he closes up mando's wound with the force
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which i don't again i didn't i didn't finish season three i don't know
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when grogu got force healing maybe it was in seasons one
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and two and i forgot at some point i i really don't know
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but it doesn't instantly save him it doesn't just revive him give him the fucking chug jug or anything,
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which is good.
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But how he does revive him is in this desolate area,
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devoid of life, he happens across an alien catfish guy who's fishing.
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And so Grogu starts stealing his fish.
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And then the catfish guy decides to,
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for some reason, like put his ass on the line,
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protecting the little guy.
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So the bounty hunter ends up at this guy's house asking about the Mandalorian and exposition dropping,
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just fucking lore dumping everything about what's been going on.
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So now this catfish alien has the whole scoop and he's like,
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so he got bit by that Leviathan dragon snake thing.
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Yeah.
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That's poison.
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You know, he's probably going to die from it,
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but here, I'm going to whip him up the antidote real quick.
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Now you give them this,
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it might be too late,
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but we got to try, right?
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So this guy in the middle of nowhere just happens to also have the antidote
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and all of the supplies needed to make it on hand
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gives it to grogu again a creature he has no knowledge of it all no reason to help
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or anything and then he goes and gives it to mando
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which saves him like there's plenty of things like
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that where it's just so extraordinarily convenient
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and nonsensical how we're going from point a to point b
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which i can suspend disbelief fun because this really feels like a film
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that was just meant to be like fun and nothing else.
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And I think if that's the goal, it did succeed.
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I was entertained, but there's nothing about this film that convinced me it's more than just a few episodes stitched together.
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I don't know.
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I didn't hate it.
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It was fine.
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If you're willing to just go in there and not think
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and just have some fun watching Mando and Grogu and a couple of pals beat up some aliens,
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beat up some bad guys,
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shoot some guys, and that's really it.
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But I imagine a lot of people,
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especially like with the current state of Star Wars,
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were probably hoping for something with a bit more substance because it has fallen out of like the cultural impact.
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Again, this is a new Star Wars film that I think a lot of people didn't even know was on the horizon.
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So I don't think Mando and Grogu is the one to really like bust it wide open again,
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like Star Wars is back,
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baby, or anything like that.
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That to me was Andor.
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Andor, I think, is the best Star Wars thing we've gotten in a long,
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long, long, long time.
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It is an incredible show.
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This is just fine if you've got a couple hours,
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you don't mind, you know,
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sitting there and watching some action and eating popcorn and going into a bit of autopilot mode for it.
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That's really about it.
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See ya.

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Engaging with a video like "Is New Star Wars Movie Any Good" offers English learners the chance to immerse themselves in contemporary pop culture conversation. It presents a relatable context where learners can practice speaking about opinions, reviews, and personal experiences. By discussing popular topics, such as movies in the Star Wars franchise, learners can effortlessly build fluency and confidence in expressing their thoughts, an essential part of effective communication. This speaking context also allows learners to understand how to navigate discussions when initial excitement is tempered by disappointment, making it invaluable for real-life interactions.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In the video, several key grammatical constructs and expressions are noteworthy. Here are some you can practice:

  • I feel like – This phrase is often used to introduce personal opinions or feelings. For example, "I feel like a lot of people didn't even know..." This expression can help you articulate your thoughts in a conversational manner.
  • It feels like – Another expression indicating perception, as in "It feels like I watched maybe four episodes..." This structure is useful for sharing impressions or experiences.
  • Maybe that was like a strategic decision – This construction uses “was like” to imply speculation, making discussions about motivations smoother. It's great for discussing hypothetical situations.
  • Something I want to make a mention of – This phrase can help you transition to new points in a conversation effectively, keeping the dialogue organized.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you practice speaking, pay attention to the following words and phrases that might pose pronunciation challenges:

  • Spectacle – This word can be tricky. Focus on the first syllable: spec-ta-cle, emphasizing each part distinctly.
  • Oomph – A playful term that might seem small but can catch non-native speakers off guard. Practice saying it to get comfortable with the “oom” sound, as in "oomph to it."
  • Expensive – Often mispronounced, this word should have the emphasis on the second syllable: ex-pen-sive.

Utilizing resources like shadowing apps or shadowing sites can enhance your practice. You can watch this video, listen closely, and repeat after the speaker, focusing on these key grammar structures and pronunciation cues to perfect your English fluency with popular content. Take the leap into shadowspeak and learn English with YouTube today!

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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