I liked the Leia scene and I read it as intended: Leia instinctually acted to save her life with the latent powers we know her to have. Maybe the moment was too contrived or the execution a little funny, but it worked for me.
Wouldn’t Plo koon be able to do that when he got shot down or would the explosion of killed him?
Every situation is different. Leia avoided pretty much all harm except exposure to space.