Yesterday I went looking for a homeless person who probably wasn’t going to accept any help.  “Have you seen this person?” I asked two DPW workers doing landscaping in a nearby park.  “Try the supermarket,” one of them told me. “Might be there. Walks around town all day.”  “Thanks.”  I’d parked my car next to […]

The post A Walk Among The Tombstones. appeared first on Waiter Rant.

TheOneRing.net is hosting a series of four VIRTUAL 5K RACES in May. Each race will reflect a leg of the Fellowship’s journey through Middle-earth (though not in actual miles, of course). A new race will be posted on the first four Fridays in May. The 5k races (3.1 miles) can be run or walked at […]

The entire nation is currently locked down due to the Coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown has now been extended till May 3. However, Salman Khan's father and veteran writer Salim Khan was recently spotted taking a walk on the Bandra Promenade by one of the area's residents. This was reported by Pinkvilla. The resident said, "Initially, we thought maybe it's a one off thing but over the last 3 weeks, we have seen him walk for half an hour every alternate day. He comes by 8.30 am and is around till 9 am."

And talking about the reason behind the same, Khan spoke at length and said, "I have been adviced by the doctors to continue my walks as I have lower back issues. I have been walking for the last 40 years and the doctor has told me if I stop suddenly, it might affect my back more. Moreover, I have the pass issued by the government till April 30, and I am following all the norms possible."

He added, "It is only on medical grounds, that I am allowed to take a walk outside. I am a law-abiding citizen but people tend to pick on us given that we are celebrities. I am not the only one who walks around. There are so many people I see who are strolling with their pets. But no one reports them! Anyway, I am ensuring I take all safety measures and also, I hope everyone else does too."

We hope Salim Khan stays safe and healthy and takes care of himself!

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The whole world is currently locked down and maintaining social distance from their friends and even families. However, Alia Bhatt seems to be feeling very homesick and that's perhaps the reason why she recently visited her parents Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan. And this news was confirmed by the filmmaker himself to Mumbai Mirror.

Talking about it, he said, "We met a few days ago-she lives a few buildings away and it's a protected space. So, she just walked across with mask and gloves on and sat at a distance so she wouldn't endanger her parents. It warms the heart to see her fulfill the social role of a responsible young child and to see your children teach you what you taught them in their childhood."

Alia even shared a throwback picture with her father a few weeks ago and it was indeed a heartwarming one. In case you missed it, have a look right here again:

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Stay home &... go through old pictures when you're missing your daddy💗 #throwbackthursday #stayhomestaysafe

A post shared by Alia Bhatt ☀️ (@aliaabhatt) onMar 26, 2020 at 2:32am PDT

On the work front, Mahesh Bhatt returns to direction after 22 years with Sadak 2 that stars Alia, Pooja Bhatt, Sanjay Dutt, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Gulshan Grover. The film is slated to release on July 10!

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Take a trip to one of the oldest docks in the city. Named after Baghdadi Jewish trader David Sassoon, the 143-year-old Sassoon Dock is the first wet dock constructed in Mumbai. The site is a melting pot of cultures including the Kolis, Banjaras, Tamilians, Kannadigas, and North Indians. Witness fishing activities in the noisy market where you can find people selling rare and popular varieties of fish, crab and oysters.

"Another interesting aspect of the Docks that the walk covers is bits on the smuggling and Bollywood angle there," says Gajanan Khergamker, founder, DraftCraft International.

TILL May 19, 7 am to 8.30 am
MEETING POINT Sassoon Docks Clock Tower, Azad Nagar, Colaba
CALL 9323141593
COST Rs 499 per person

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Despite a nationwide lockdown, people continue to step out for morning and evening walks in Aarey Milk Colony. Moreover, there have been instances of locals venturing into the forest area surrounding the VIP guest house, which is known for wildlife activity.

Taking note of this, the Thane Forest Department has written to Aarey police station requesting action against those found flouting the lockdown rules.

The volunteers monitoring leopard activity in Aarey informed the Thane Forest Department about locals venturing into the forest area. A volunteer told mid-day, "I learned from my sources that many people, including some morning and evening walkers and Adarsh Nagar slum pocket residents, venture into the forest surrounding the VIP guest House, which is even frequently visited by wild animals. This information has been passed on to the forest department."

Sources also said that residents of Adarsh Nagar slums regularly roam around the VIP guest house in groups, flouting social distancing norms.

Range Forest Officer (RFO), Santosh Kank said, "People are expected to stay indoors and maintain social distancing but volunteers, who have been doing camera trapping exercises to monitor leopard activity saw people roaming in the area surrounding the VIP guest House hillock. The area has seen leopard activity in the last few days and to prevent any man-animal conflict, people should not venture into the woods. We have already informed the Aarey police station through a letter and we expect them to take action against the violators."

Illegal encroachment taking place in Aarey

The boundary encroachers built surrounding a huge portion of land in Unit 13

A nature lover from Aarey has alleged that people have been trying to encroach Aarey Milk Colony Unit – 13 by axing trees and constructing boundaries around a huge chunk of land. Elijah Emmanuel, a teacher at the kindergarten for slum children, told mid-day, "For the last two-three weeks, I have seen people cutting down trees and building boundaries in Unit 13. During the monsoon, hutments will be constructed as no one comes to check. When I objected, they threatened me and my family. Today, more than 50 people from the area came to my house and abused and threatened me with harm. But the people from Aarey CEO office came and demolished the boundaries. I have registered a complaint with the local police station and hope they take necessary action against those threatening me."

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Zyada se zyada kya hoga? Mar hi jaunga na chalte chalte? (What's the worse that could happen? I'll die, right?) These disturbing words of a physically challenged migrant walking home to UP from Thane sum up the mood of hundreds like him trudging home. With no clarity from the government, the migrants continue to risk their lives on highways.

Hundreds of the migrant workers continue to walk to Uttar Pradesh and even Nagpur. As it is difficult to walk in the scorching heat, most rest during the day and walk at nights on highways. They poured their hearts out to mid-day.

A majority of the migrants work as labourers on at under-construction sites in MMR. They said they were leaving Mumbai as they had no access to food and essential items at their workplaces. At least 1,000 men, women and children were seen walking along the Mumbai-Agra highway between the Thane-Kalyan junctions.

Most of the migrants will walk over 1,600 km to UP. Pic/Ranjeet Jadhav

'Procedure not explained'
Some people expressed anger against the state and Central governments, alleging they were not taking the plight of migrants seriously, and this was happening because the authorities on the local level weren't cooperative. They alleged that local authorities were not explaining relevant procedures. Many have filled forms, taken medical certificates and got these and other papers stamped by the police to board the transport provided but say they are not being clearly told what is next.

Kisan Pawar who is heading back to his village near Nagpur with his wife, daughter and son, said they barely have any money left. "Staying in Thane with no job or money will be more burdening. So we started on the 800-km-long journey on foot," said Pawar. At night they rested at Kalyan phata for few hours. Most migrants have been resting or sleeping on the side of the highway.

Rajesh Pawar, 28, a resident of Gondia district in Maharashtra worked as a labourer at a construction site in Thane. Since work stopped and he has no money left, he and his wife have started walking with their two-year-old daughter. An emotional Rajesh said, "I pray that such difficult times don't befall anyone. No one really cares about the poor and that's why we have no other option but to walk. We don't even have money to buy tickets and food. We hope to reach our village because the safety of my daughter is very important."

'I would have died anyway'
A man with a deformed foot who did not wish to be named, will be walking over 1,600 km to reach his village in UP. "Aise bhi mar jaate kyon ki khaane ke liye kuch nahi hai. Us se behtar hai jahan tak chal saku wahan tak jaun, is umeed se ke ghar pohochunga. Jyada se jyada kya hoga? Mar hi jaunga na chalte chalte? (I would have died anyway because I wasn't getting any food. It's better that I walk as far as I can in the hope that I will reach home. What's the worst that could happen? I'll die, right?)," he said.

Suhel Ahmed and Irshad Khan who worked at a construction site in Thane, had approached local authorities to know about the procedure to go back home. But they claimed they weren't given clarity about when they would be allowed to go back, so they left for Uttar Pradesh on foot.

'No co-ordination'
Irshad Khan told mid-day, "We waited in Thane all this time because the government had told us it would make arrangements at the right time for migrants to go home. But there seems to be lack of coordination between the Centre and state. For the past two days, we ran from pillar to post getting medical certificates and filling forms but there was no clarity on what next. We have a few hundred rupees and before that too gets over, we want to reach home. God knows when we will reach."

The chairperson of an NGO says the government must instill confidence in migrants. Jalpesh Mehta, chairperson, Empower Foundation, said, "Walking on the highway for kilometres is a risky affair and may also see migrants die due to hunger or exertion and not because of COVID-19. We have worked with government authorities and police in Maharashtra and Gujarat to provide food to the migrants and the support on the ground from authorities has been excellent. The living conditions of the migrants and support from their employers is indeed very poor, but the need of the hour is instillation of confidence in the migrants by the government on the ground that they will be taken care of and there are planned exits — trains and buses to help them reach back home safely."

1,000
No. of people seen walking along Mumbai-Agra highway

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Migrant workers continue to suffer amid the lockdown. In the latest incident, hundreds of labourers, who had set out for home on foot, were lathi-charged by police at Kashimira on Thursday. Police chased them away towards the city, and now they have nowhere to go.

Over 250 daily-wagers were headed towards Gujarat when they were stopped by the police on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway near Ghodbunder Road junction. As police rained lathis on them, many ran down the bridge and crossed to the other side. Others ran to hide behind vehicles. A mid-day team witnessed the baton charge that took place on the north-bound Versova bridge on the highway. With no food and to transportation back home, the workers had decided to walk hundreds of kilometres to reach home.

'Don't know where to go'

"Dhobi ke kutte wali haalat ho gayi hai humari… na ghar ke rahe na ghaat ke... kidhar jayein samajh nahin aata (We don't know where to go anymore)," said Baliram Choudhary, who left his rented house at Dahisar East on Thursday to walk home to Maharajganj in UP.

Police lathi charge workers near Ghodbunder Road junction on Thursday

"I filled the form five days ago to take a train home. But I have not received any response. I got a test done for COVID-19 and my report came back negative. I lost my patience and decided to walk home," he added.

"We are stuck at this tri-junction for three hours because the police are not allowing us to cross Versova bridge," said Choudhary, accompanied by his two friends Naushad Ahmed and Sahban Hussain. "We are all tailors and lived together in the rented room. Now, even if we decide to go back, the landlord won't take us back suspecting we may have contracted COVID-19," said Ahmed. "We are now jobless as well as homeless. Police are beating us up and not allowing us to go to our hometowns," said Hussain.

Gita was headed to Nalasopara with her two kids, spouse and a relative

Among the hundreds was Gita, who was headed to Nalasopara with her two kids, husband and a relative. They worked at a construction site before the lockdown. She had planned to go to her relative's place at Nalasopara and then arrange a transportation to UP. "Why are cops chasing us away and beating us? What is our fault?" asked her relative Mukesh.

Youth looted by auto driver

A youth Umesh Paswan had boarded an autorickshaw from Bhayandar for Nalasopara, but the driver and his two friends allegedly snatched his phone and Rs 50 cash. "A few minutes after I took the auto, the driver stopped midway and his two friends came, slapped me and snatched my mobile phone and the cash," said Paswan, who did not file a complaint fearing the police would book him for violating the stay-at-home order. He then decided to walk to Nalasopara where his brother stays.

However, the police have refuted the allegations of lathi charge. "I was present there on Versova bridge and they [migrant workers] were not lathi charged," said Assistant Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar, Thane Rural.

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'Videsh se log flight se laye ja rahe hain, aur gareeb patri par mar rahe hain (People are being brought back from abroad on flights and the poor are dying on railway tracks)," said a migrant, who was walking on the tracks to reach his hometown in UP, about the tragic incident at Aurangabad. Most migrants are aware of it, but choose to walk on the tracks to avoid police action on the highways.

They fear they will be stopped from walking home and beaten and quarantined by the police. Speaking to mid-day, many of them said they don't have a choice.

mid-day has been reporting about the plight of the migrants who claim the government is not helping them with food and have also spent all their money since the lockdown began as they have been out of work. Many of them also claimed they decided to walk home as despite giving all required documents to board the special trains, local authorities are not telling them of the next procedures. Some of them decided to walk as they don't have the required documents. After the disturbing sight of hundreds of migrants walking home on highways, comes another such sight of them walking on railway tracks.

Tukaram Kuldip and his friends are walking from Mumbai Central to UP

Tukaram Kuldip, a resident of Basti, Uttar Pradesh, started walking from Mumbai Central on Thursday night, and by Friday morning had reached Thane. "We are a group of 30 people going to Basti. We submitted relevant documents at Nagpada police station to board the special trains, but there is no response. We are starving. Sarkar theek hai achche ke liye band kiya hai, lekin ham gareebon ka kya ? Videsh se log flight se laye ja rahe hai aur gareeb patri par mar rahe hai. (It's good the government has implemented the lockdown, but what about us poor people? People are being brought back from abroad on flights and the poor are dying on the railway tracks) We heard about the Aurangabad incident. Nobody wants to die like that but we have no options left. Ghar par hamare log bhi hain. (We have family at home)."

'Should we starve here?'

Another group of 30 migrants was walking on the railway tracks near Mulund railway station. A member of the group, Jalaluddin Khan, told mid-day. "We know it's dangerous. So should we starve here? Should we get beaten up by the police? Nobody knows what we are going through since the past one month. We are given half-cooked rice by the local civic corporation to eat once a day. We just want the government to take us home." This group belongs to Basti, Uttar Pradesh.

"Our group members submitted the forms at the concerned police station for the special trains but they got rejected. We don't know why. No one told us anything. We will see if there are any arrangements in Thane, otherwise we will continue walking," Khan said.

Udaybhan Yadav and his family are walking to Basti 

Another migrant worker, Udaybhan Yadav, a resident of Basti, started his journey from Mulund along with his wife and eight-year-old child. Yadav used to work at a hotel in Mumbai. "My parents are worried about us as we have no money and are not getting enough food here. We don't know when things will return to normalcy."

Railway speak

"We have been on alert since the lockdown was announced. The gateman and the keymen have been briefed to alert us about the movement of migrants. We have been counselling and taking action against those walking on the tracks," said Atul Pathak, IG Central Railway Mumbai division.

Inputs by Vishal Singh

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Most athletes in India are looking at Olympic postponement as more time in hand for training but not race walker Bhawana Jat, who isn't quite sure about the Games going ahead even in 2021 after the mayhem unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic this year. Bhawana, who qualified for the Olympics in 20km race walk after pulling off a shock win at the National Championships in February, feels that the athletes are staring at an uncertain future due to the pandemic, which has caused over 100,000 deaths globally.

"I was disappointed at Olympics being postponed because I was in a very good shape and I was hoping to do well. The Asian Championships (to be held in March in Japan) was an ideal platform to test myself at the international level. That also got postponed due to COVID-19," she told PTI. "It's uncertain now when the competitions will restart, the season for this year is over in this situation. It is a relief that I have already qualified for the Olympics.

"I don't know what will happen next year. I will have to start from scratch. I don't know whether the Olympics will even be held next year," she added. The 24-year-old is currently based at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Bengaluru where there is no outdoor training due to the lockdown. She is the only woman race walker at the centre which also has eight other male athletes of the same event. "We do weight training, core strength training or skipping or work with the medicine ball. I walk inside the hall for 15 or 20 minutes," she said.

"Our coach (Alexander Artsybashev) has told us not to rest too much and be active all the time unless we are sleeping at night. So, I play carrom for one hour and then dance to Hindi songs with other athletes from other sports. That is how we keep moving," she added. Hockey players are also currently staying at the SAI Centre Bengaluru. Bhawana had clocked a national record 1:29.54, well inside the Olympic qualification time of 1:31:00, to win the gold in the National Championships held in Ranchi in February.

"Since the time I took up this sport, I have been dreaming of an Olympic medal. That is my ultimate aim. But as of now I am not thinking about Olympics, I am thinking about when this pandemic will end," she said. She said the athletes follow strict social distancing rules at the SAI Centre. "Nobody can go outside and nobody is coming in the centre from outside. While standing in queue for food at the mess, we have to be two metre apart. To get own stuff like shampoo or toothpaste, we have to tell the hostel people who bring them for us.

"Earlier, at least four trainees coud sit at the mess table but now only two can sit there." Bhawana comes from a poor farmer's family at Kabra village in Rajasthan's Rajsamand district, which is adjacent to Bhilwara, considered a model district in the country's fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Asked if she feels anxious about her parents' well being in Rajasthan, she said, "I will not exactly say that but of course I am concerned about them but I can't do anything. I cannot go there unless the lockdown is lifted.

"I talk to them on phone everyday. Our village is not affected but they will have to go out for farming. My parents will not tell me anything about small matters in the family. They will think that it will affect me."

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

In a tragic case of migrant labour crisis, a 12-year-old girl, working at a chilli farm in Telangana, collapsed and died on Saturday while trying to make her way back home in Bijapur district in Chhatisgarh, amid the Coronavirus lockdown. According to the officials, the deceased, Jamalo Madkam, who left home in Bijapur’s Aded village just two months ago, was barely 11 km away from reaching there when she collapsed, Indian Express reported.

Officials also said that Madkam is suspected to have died of electrolyte imbalance as she was walking for three days with 13 others working in Telangana to her village, covering the distance of 100 km. The girl has also tested for Coronavirus that came negative. The results of the test came a day after she died.

Other than Madkam, the group included three children and eight women. Madkam’s father Andoram said that he had heard she left with a group from Peruru village in Telangana on April 16. “They decided to come back after realising that the lockdown had got extended and they would not get any work,” he said.

They'd gone to Telangana to work in chilli fields. Since there's no mode of transportation they walked from Telangana. Her body was preserved&samples were sent for testing as a precautionary measure. It came negative so further action is being taken after postmortem: CMHO Bijapur https://t.co/UR23YXW71L

— ANI (@ANI) April 21, 2020

The girl was the only daughter of Andoram (32) and his wife Sukamati (30), who were barely surviving on forest produce until she went to Telangana for the first time to work on a chilli farm. He said that she had gone to work with some women from the village.

Medical Officer of Bijapur district Dr B R Pujari was quoted by the newspaper as saying that the group had walked through forests and in one place, the girl had a fall. The newspaper quoted sources saying that the girl had died at 8 am on Saturday when the group had reached the border of Bijapur district. They could not inform her family earlier as only among them carried a phone whose battery died.

When the group reached Bhandarpal village, they managed to inform the girl’s family by requesting a resident of the village to help them make a call to her parents. They also informed the police about the girl’s death to the police.

Pujari said that the medical team rushed to the spot as soon as they got the news. “Since Telangana had cases, we immediately sent our teams, but we couldn’t find them,” he said.  Then the team found the group who handed over Madkam’s body to them. The group was then sent to a quarantine facility whereas the girl’s body was sent to a morgue. Andoram and Sukamati collected the girl’s body on Sunday evening.

Chhatisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel announced Rs 1 lakh compensation for the girl’s family on Monday.

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Manchester City's Kyle Walker says he is being "harassed" after admitting he breached coronavirus lockdown rules to visit his sister and parents. The defender was forced to issue an apology last month after media reports that he had hosted a party at his home. But Walker has hit back at the latest stories, insisting that he is being targeted and that the ongoing controversy is affecting his family's health.

In a statement on his official Twitter feed, Walker wrote: "I have recently gone through one of the toughest periods of my life, which I take full responsibility for. "However, I now feel as though I am being harassed. "This is no longer solely affecting me, but affecting the health of my family and my young children too." Walker admitted contravening coronavirus regulations again by visiting Sheffield to see his sister and his parents -- for which he could be fined and cautioned by police.
"In relation to the events on Wednesday, I travelled to Sheffield to give my sister a birthday card and present, but also to speak to one of the few people I believe I can trust in my life," he said.

"She hugged me to remind me that she cares and that I am loved. What am I meant to do -- push her away? "I then travelled to my parents' house to pick up some home-cooked meals. Again, it's been an extremely tough couple of months for them." He criticised the media for invading the privacy of his family, saying he constantly felt he was being followed.

Aston Villa's Jack Grealish was forced to apologise in March after breaching lockdown rules, while Everton strongly criticised Moises Kean for hosting a party last month.

Walker said the response to his actions had been disproportionate, raising mental health concerns and saying his family had been "torn apart" by the continuing scrutiny.

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The franchise of STAR WARS has always enjoyed a massive cult like following worldwide. STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999), followed by STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES (2002), STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005), STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE (1977), STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980), STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983), STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015) and STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (2017), with every new film, the expectation from the franchise has increased. The ninth and supposedly the last chapter has arrived and it brings a lot of nostalgia. STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER is destined to have mixed reactions considering the flick is the conclusion to the story that began in the year 1977.  While the franchise enjoys a huge following, we analyze whether this conclusion to the 42-year saga is the most satisfying on or a controversial one. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1054446 size-full" title="Movie Review: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker (English)" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Star-Wars-The-Rise-of-Skywalker-Review-12.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker (English)" width="750" height="450" /> STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER begins with Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), who is now the Supreme Leader of the First Order is in search of the ancient threat called Sith Lord Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). On the other side, Resistance leader Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) and their droid friends C3-P0 (Anthony Daniels), and BB-8 are on a quest which quickly turns into a stunning action showdown between the heroes and the villains while they jump from one planet to another with light speed skipping technique. Meanwhile, Jedi Rey (Daisy Ridley) is still in dilemma about her story, her parentage as she has a dark vision which showcases her mysterious connection to Kylo Ren. The two Jedi continue to connect with each other in different ways as they Resistance prepare to fight the Emperor Palpatine. Following the orders of Princess Leia (Carrier Fisher) and lessons of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the space heroes begin their final journey to win the biggest battle. STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER upped their game as the film boasts of mind-blowing and truly astounding cinematography that leaves the audience wanting for more. The visual effects are seamless which create magic on screen. From the beginning itself, the story leaves you hooked as the galactic world of STAR WARS begins with action packed scenes. The battles, the duals, the light speed jumps, everything seems seamless. Though the story is bit slow in some parts with lesser words and more emotions, it picks up in the second half with some interesting and crazy cameos. The stakes are high in this film and major focus is on Rey and Kylo Ren. However, though JJ Abrams does a marvelous job in directing this last film in the franchise, STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER does not come across as something to write home about. In fact, for the most part the film looks like a series of montages that have been developed to fill certain check boxes that appeal to the audience and fan base strung together. Though the chemistry between Kylo Ren and Rey is worth watching, the predictability of the film’s story is a massive dampener. More often than not, the viewer is able to foretell the coming sequences, and if discerning will also more or less be able to gauge what the climax of the film will be. Despite this, STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER does have its high points, but sadly they are few and far between. For a quintessential Star Wars fan who has followed the series, this film would be more of a walk down memory lane. <img class="aligncenter wp-image-1054447 size-full" title="Movie Review: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker (English)" src="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Star-Wars-The-Rise-of-Skywalker-Review-2.jpg" alt="Movie Review: Star Wars - The Rise of Skywalker (English)" width="750" height="450" /> Coming to the performances, every actor shines bright in the film but it is hands down Daisy Ridley’s show. This time around, she has matured while portraying Rey. Two instances stand out and both scenes are shared with Adam Driver. Adam Driver Kylo Ren gets his due in this film with powerful performance as Kylo Ren as he gets the audience emotionally involved in his storyline. Rey and Kylo Ren’s scenes are some of the most engaging scenes in the film with some complex lightsaber battles involved. Late Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) returns as the makers use the limited footage that was left of her as they pay tribute to the original girl of Star Wars. Her scenes are sensitively projected. Oscar Isaac as Resistance leader Poe Dameron along with John Boyega’s Finn along and BB-8, C-3PO and Chewbecca bring banter, humor and emotions to their scenes. Oscar and John’s bromance has hits hilarious moments as they continue to be the heroes who wear their hearts of their sleeves. Dominic Monaghan, new member of Resistance, hardly has any time to establish his character. Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine is astounding. Meanwhile, Kelly Marie Tran's character Rose Tico hardly gets any screen time besides a few moments during the final battle. We get introduced to Keri Russell as Zorri Bliss who is decent in her scenes. The certain cameos are nostalgia – filled which makes this end of the sage a memorable one. JJ Abrams direction is crisp and tight as he delivers some of the biggest questions that were left answered during STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015) and STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (2017). JJ Abrams captures the essence of this galactic world as he brings out the best in every character especially Ren and Rey. John Williams background score is incredible. The story by JJ Abramas, Chris Terio, Colin Tervorrow, Derek Connolly is moving. JJ Abrams and Chris Terrior is impressive. On the whole, STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER may not be for everyone but it gives a bittersweet yet endearing ending to saga which is a tribute to the legacy. The die-hard fans might enjoy some of the stunning intergalactic moments.