The critics tried to kill it, but “Star Wars” lives.

“Rise of Skywalker” scored $40 million in previews Thursday night and is headed to a record weekend.

American audiences went crazy for the last chapter in George Lucas’s saga even if Chinese theaters were unimpressed. Over there, “Skywalker” failed to get much reaction with just $1.5 million on its opening day.

But word of mouth has been excellent here on social media, with fans posting favorable reactions. Many said they loved it and wanted to see it again. And so they shall.

This is the 5th best preview opening ever, but behind the last two “Star Wars” movies. But it’s the worst- reviewed, so that speak to the popularity of the franchise. Tonight, with excellent word of mouth, “Rise” should rise again!

From the looks of it, Sam Mendes “1917” might knock off “The Irishman” and “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” as the best pic frontrunner. Last night was the premiere at the IMAX in Hollywood, which capped weeks of press and industry screenings that have garnered raves across the board. Steven Spielberg’s Amblin was one of the producers along with Universal.

Spielberg hosted a reception the previous night at the Landmark in Culver City. He promised the crowd before the screening that they were “about to have an experience that is quite extraordinary.” He went on to say that, “This is such a revolutionary and groundbreaking film. In 1997 I was making a film in London [Saving Private Ryan] and I saw an amazing musical that Sam directed called “Oliver.” A couple of years later I got this script called “American Beauty” and sent it to Sam. Sam made it as his first film, and won his first Oscar as Best Director and Best film for Dreamworks.”

“There are scripts I read, and then there are scripts that I get lost in, the experience of when I get so deeply in it. That’s how I felt reading Sam and Krysty Wilson-Cairns script. The screenplay put me right back into a period that I’m very personally interested in WW1. It’s a moral story, it’s a human story, it’s a story about survival and it’s a story about brotherhood and a story with many qualities to aspire too. This is a movie where the images and the words are together, they are interchangeable with each other. “

Spielberg praised the two young actors, George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, who were in attendance. Also there were cinematographer Roger Deakins. and actor Andrew Scott, who plays the hot priest on “Fleabag” but has a more somber role here.

The eminent director noted that, “Sam told me he was going to shoot the entire picture in one shot. I said, ‘Sam this is not ‘Birdman,’ this is outside. This covers miles, acres and is under a sky and is day and its night. Sam explained to me the concept of the one shot is not to show off or be inventive or him showing off as the cineaste he is, but that it’s literally to make all of you that third character in trying to get to A to Z on this amazing survival trip. It makes you feel you’re watching it in real time. It’s a way to deeply involve you and press all your empathy buttons. This is one of the most revolutionary pictures I’ve ever seen and one of the greatest examples of filmmaking I’ve ever experienced.”

Spielberg introduced Mendes, then Sam did the honors with some of the crew and cast. Mendes observed “one of the greatest privileges of this is that Steven Spielberg treats me like an equal. But the truth is, he treated me as an equal the first day he met me. One of his great gifts is that he makes any filmmaker feel a million dollars the second he walks in the room. He looks you in the eye and he says, ‘come along, I can make a movie, you can too.’ So, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to bring this project back to my friend.”

Christoper Nolan is the king of mind bending epics. “Tenet” starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson looks like it will follow the pattern of “Memento,” “Interstellar,” and “Inception,” among others. Can it really be 20 years since “Memento”? Where did the time go? Don’t ask Nolan. He bends it back and forth and around our heads!

The box office will be crazy tonight as “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” opens tonight in preview shows around the country.

Because we don’t like to give away actual spoilers, no one knows yet about major surprises in the final installment of the franchise. There are HUGE ones. And once the word spreads about a cameo, and a plot twist at the end of the movie, that should send the numbers over the top.

So far, audiences have no idea what’s actually in the movie. Half or more of critics and bloggers have panned the film because it doesn’t expand “Star Wars” or isn’t adventurous enough. But they don’t seem to realize, this is THE END, the last chapter, and this movie is about tying up loose ends and bringing 42 years to a conclusion.

Director JJ Abrams does all of those things. And when the audiences start seeing the film tonight, the box office is going to take off like crazy. I just hope the fans can keep themselves from writing about specifics on social media. The temptation to announce what happens is severe. But clamp it down, kids. Let’s not ruin it for others!

And no, Jar Jar Binks does not make a comeback! But “Marriage Story” now has an ironic moment in it, and I wonder if it’s intentional.

“Cats” may prove to be a bigger test of critics vs. movie audience starting tonight.

The Tom Hooper directed movie has scored a lowly 16 on Rotten Tomatoes as critics have gotten catty about the translation of the hit Broadway show to the big screen.  There are few positive reviews, and even those are stingy. For the most part, every movie reviewer and blogger has hated this movie, especially the CGI. The main complaint is no script or story, which means they didn’t really get the stage show in the first place. “Cats” never had a plot.

Entertainment Weekly, for example: Even after 110 tumbling, tail-swishing, deeply psychedelic minutes, it’s hard to know if you ever really knew anything – except that C is for Cats, C is for Crazy, and C is probably the grade this cinematic lunacy deserves.”

But there may be hope: social media indicates a HUGE interest in this movie despite the critics. I’ve noted more social media action on “Cats” than on the new “Star Wars.” It’s quite possible “Cats” will catch on with the show’s fans, who will come out to see it just to defy the movie critics.

And the critics? A big chunk of the Rotten Tomatoes audience are bloggers with small followings. This is their time to shine. Who can be the most clever tearing apart “Cats”? My favorite quote is from Edward Douglas of The Beat: “Cats is the worst thing to happen to cats since dogs.”

Well, let’s see how it goes in previews tonight and in the real showings on Friday. “Cats” may claw its way to the top. But I still need to know what jellicle means, and where Grizabella goes in her chandelier topped hot air balloon. To Oz, perhaps?

If nothing else, check out “Cats” for Jennifer Hudson’s glorious performance of “Memory.” It’s spot on.