Opening this week

From left: Joonas Suotamo, Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega in “Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise of Skywalker”

Star Wars: Episode IX—The Rise of Skywalker

Directed by JJ Abrams; stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Keri Russell, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, John Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels and Carrie Fischer

In “Rise of Skywalker,” the surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more in the final chapter of the Skywalker saga.

The eagerly anticipated finale of the sci-fi franchise is the first “Star Wars” movie since 1983’s “Return of the Jedi” to be shot entirely on celluloid.

Producers had a bigger role intended for Leia prior to Carrie Fisher’s death. Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy was quoted as saying, “[Carrie] grabbed me and said, ‘I’d better be at the forefront of IX!’ Because Harrison was front and center on VII, and Mark was front and center on VIII. She thought IX would be her movie. And it would have been.”

After her death, Fischer’s family granted Disney and Lucasfilm permission to use her likeness in the form of unused footage.”

However that plays out, it’ll be a bittersweet experience for the fans of one of cinema’s most-loved film series of all time.

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” will be shown in the Philippines between Dec. 20-22, before it temporarily gives way to the two-week run of the entries of the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival in local theaters beginning Dec. 25.

Elijah Canlas (left) with Jaclyn Jose

Kalel, 15

Directed by Jun Robles Lana; stars Elijah Canlas, Jaclyn Jose, Gabby Padilla, Cedrick Juan, Elora Españo, Sue Prado and Eddie Garcia.The film follows the plight of15-year-old Kalel, who gets diagnosed with HIV and, therefore, has to make difficult choices no child should ever make. It won for Lana the best director award at the 2019 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia.

Lead star Elijah told Inquirer Entertainment that the film is more insightful and enlightening than traumatizing, making him realize that isn’t right to “judge” people without understanding their story.

According to Marina Richter of Asian Movie Pulse, “Kalel, 15” benefits from a script that has “very little to complain about, except that the bridge between the dysfunctional family members is built only halfway.” She adds, “Strangely enough, its narrative doesn’t get damaged and the holes in it are being patched by the interesting framing and an excellent ensemble cast, led by Elijah Canlas in the titular role.”

Kevin Pollak (center) in “Apparition”

Apparition

Directed by Waymon Boone; stars Mena Suvari, Kevin Pollak, Jon Abrahams and Megan WestA group of young people guided by an app that connects the living and the dead ends up in an abandoned castle with a horrific history tied to each of them.

Sean Evans of Back to the Movies describes the film as “dark, twisted and relevant.” He says that “lower budget doesn’t necessarily mean low quality.” It’s a film that is “full of twists and turns,” with Pollak “scaring the hell out of us” and is “one of those horror movies that is actually scary.”