Topic: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

[TAnimaL]

I was just wondering if anyone here had any interest in discussing this movie.

I just saw it, and a completely spoiler-free summation is: good. Good Star Wars, certainly better than Eps. 1-3 and I think better than 6. It's a fairly good movie, although I'm still ruminating on that, because it's such a "Star Wars" movie it's hard to separate that in a review. If you saw any of the trailers, they all "fit," as in, there wasn't anything really misleading about what you saw in them.

It's easy to hate on JJ because of what he did to our Trek, but fair's fair, he's a decent filmmaker. Nice practical FX, good compositions (after the prequels, thank gods for some closeups, rack focus, and decent editing), and, unlike Lucas, he let the actors act.

And you know what brought a tear to my eye? At the very end of the credits - "Shot on Kodak film".  Film, you punk kids. Him and Taratino, keeping it real.

[Tulwar]

The ubercute droid and the bad guy's 1950's chrome grill already turn me off.  We all know that it's in keeping with the spirit of the majority of SW films: a feature length toy commercial.

ps Can't wait for Star Wars Episode VIII: The Force Rolls Over and Goes Back to Sleep.

[d4v1ks]

I saw the movie today.
I really like it.
Of course it has flaws.
But was cool.

[Klingon Fanatic]

I just saw it tonight.

I left feeling like I had been on the Star Wars ride at Disney World...

It was a lot of fun but  left you wanting more explanation of things.

Hence the sequels.

[Vipre]

"Hence the sequels"...and tie-in books...and comics...and shampoo...


Just got back an hour ago from a 9pm showing.

I'd give it an A- out of the gate but think that would improve after a second viewing, without everyone cheering/clapping over dialog and taking me "out of focus". Only a couple sequences/scenes felt hammy, another dragged out the "joke" a handful of seconds too long, and one went from feeling pretty cool to way over the top.

Some are criticizing JJ for them but I liked the nods/callbacks to the previous films, with one exception that felt really tacked on. Can't exactly call them subtle though.

VII is the SW film I had hoped I'd see in '99.

Also where was this effort during "Into Darkness"

[Javora]

Just came back from seeing the movie myself.  I agree with just about everything Vipre said.  I think I see the problem with the new Star Trek movies now after seeing this movie.  First Disney spent a lot more time and money on writing and production of this movie, that much was obvious.  But more importantly Disney didn't try to reinvent the wheel by casting a new Luke, Leia, Han etc.  Star Wars focused on new characters who did an excellent job with their roles.  No matter how good an actor is, when you recast a character with a new actor people are going to make comparisons which brings negativity.    Star Trek has the ability to be just as good as Star Wars, it all comes down to how much blood, sweet, tears, and more importantly money Paramount wants to put into the production... and new characters.

[Corbomite]

Hmmm, seller's remorse maybe?

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35209648

To be fair the article is about Lucas retracting the "white slavers" comment (which I'm sure he is legally bound to do under the can't do harm clause of his sale contract), but just... wow. I'm actually finding myself agreeing with George Lucas about Star Wars. I never thought that would happen.

In the hour-long interview, broadcast in the US on Christmas Day, Lucas appeared to question Disney's choice of direction with the new film.

"They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that," he said.

"Every movie, I work very hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships, make it new."

He added: "They weren't that keen to have me involved anyway, but if I get in there, I'm just going to cause trouble, because they're not going to do what I want them to do. And I don't have the control to do that any more."

"When you break up with somebody... You have to put it behind you and it's a very, very, very hard thing to do," Lucas told Rose.

"These are my kids... All the Star Wars films. I loved them, I created them, I'm very intimately involved in them. I sold them to the white slavers that take these things."

[FPF-Tobin Dax]

I enjoyed it at the time, but having thought a bit about it, yeah it beats the crap out of the prequels, but it should have been a better story line for the new darth vader like villain. More on that if we do a spoilers thread. So iam am ranking it behind 4-6.

[Corbomite]

It should have been a better storyline period. We now have three movies with basically the same plot; two of them in a row. There are other things, but if we are still not going to get specific it can wait. I liked the movie overall, well shot, no truly cringe-worthy acting or dialog and well paced. I didn't really think the music was all that compelling for a SW movie. None of it really stood out for me. I guess another viewing will let me listen better later. And I was right, the cold open w/o the 20th Century Fox fanfare seemed wrong. One other thing, was the "A long time ago..." lead up there? I honestly can't remember.

[Lieutenant_Q]

A friend of mine commented that it looked like it was a stage play rather than a movie.  The main actors never have their back to the camera, unless it is done intentionally.  There is NEVER anyone between the main actors and the camera (minus an occasional OTHER main actor)  The only time that this may have been broken, and I don't remember the scene that well, is the moment that Rey and Fin first meet.  Thinking back to the Star Trek movies, it's pretty much the same thing.  JJ isn't directing a movie, he's directing plays.

Also, yes, the A Long Time ago, in a Galaxy Far far away...  was on the screen.  And I did miss the 20th Century Fox, the opening just didn't sound right without it.

One last quibble, I really didn't like the absence of the Imperial March... There were plenty of opportunities for it, and you only hear it one, when you see Vader's crispy helmet.

[ObsidianShiar]

JJ isn't directing a movie, he's directing plays.

I really don't see why everyone hates JJ so much as a director. The Force Awakens is a great film to be 100% (or more) frank. His old series, Fringe, while I didn't watch much of it, has one of the most intriguing premises in a sci-fi series since the X-Files. While he threw the old Star Trek lore through the nearest airlock, he made two films that had good acting (don't blame Beyond on him, blame the Furious 5 thug).


This is more of a Star Wars film than the prequels were (well, not like it's hard to do that) and is a complete back-to-roots formula done right. I can see he even tried hard not to repeat Lucas' mistakes and took it *very* easy on the CGI. Respect for that alone.

[Corbomite]

The Force Awakens is a great film to be 100% (or more) frank.

It was entertaining, but also quite derivative of its own lore, which in itself is derivative. Great is too strong an adjective IMO. It was a good installment, if you like watching the same plot over and over again.

[EschelonOfJudgemnt]

I'm with George Lucas on this one.  While I didn't enjoy Episode III at all, the Force Awakens is a story set in the Star Wars universe, not the story George was trying to continue to tell.  It's someone else playing in George's sandbox, and based on what I've read, it comes across as just that.  I may see it when it comes to DVD...

I just wish George and the other writers had put more thought into the script of Episode III.  Going in, we KNEW what was going to happen with Anakin, and they did absolutely nothing to make us think it might turn out any other way.  Hence, despite the spectacular backdrops and such in III, yeah I left that movie very disappointed.

That being said, Rogue One does very much intrigue me.  Apparently, that'll  cover the backstory that leads up to Episode IV (i.e. stealing the Death Star plans).  The small snippet I saw this morning looked interesting.

JJ isn't directing a movie, he's directing plays.

I really don't see why everyone hates JJ so much as a director. (snip). While he threw the old Star Trek lore through the nearest airlock, he made two films that had good acting (don't blame Beyond on him, blame the Furious 5 thug).

It's that very lore that has all so many fans so interested in Trek.  I doubt that many people will be pursuing careers in NASA or SpaceX based on being inspired by ST 2009 or Into Darkness, because JJ has absolutely no respect for the science behind the story.
There have been MANY  that have cited the original Star Trek series, or TNG as a major influence as to why they decided on Space Sciences and Engineering.

If you've ever looked at the cutaway views of the TMP Enterprise, you really begin to appreciate why the warp core is set up the way it is.  There IS logic behind why the intermix chamber is where it is.  By comparison, JJ tried passing off a beer factory as the Enterprise's engineering section...

You CAN have both in a good story.  AND THAT is why I despise JJ's version so much.  He paid lip service to the lore, instead of giving it the respect it deserves.

That and JJ loves pulling rabbits out of hats in his version of storytelling, instead of thinking things through and writing a truly in depth script.  Sure it makes for flashy storytelling, but it gets annoying after awhile.  And it has no place in Trek, based on what most of the hardcore trekkies have been saying in recent years.  Thank god he's gone.

[Brush Wolf]

Hmmm, seller's remorse maybe?

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35209648

To be fair the article is about Lucas retracting the "white slavers" comment (which I'm sure he is legally bound to do under the can't do harm clause of his sale contract), but just... wow. I'm actually finding myself agreeing with George Lucas about Star Wars. I never thought that would happen.

In the hour-long interview, broadcast in the US on Christmas Day, Lucas appeared to question Disney's choice of direction with the new film.

"They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that," he said.

"Every movie, I work very hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships, make it new."

He added: "They weren't that keen to have me involved anyway, but if I get in there, I'm just going to cause trouble, because they're not going to do what I want them to do. And I don't have the control to do that any more."

"When you break up with somebody... You have to put it behind you and it's a very, very, very hard thing to do," Lucas told Rose.

"These are my kids... All the Star Wars films. I loved them, I created them, I'm very intimately involved in them. I sold them to the white slavers that take these things."

The reason this Star Wars was not what Lucas wanted is he ran off the rails with really stupid ideas in the three prequels and still has them. Too bad there was no one around to Gibbs Slap him for being so stupid.

[Tulwar]

Since my sister-in-brother wouldn't go, my brother roped me into going.  I actually thought this was going to be good, but no.  It really makes me appreciate the work of George Lucas.  There was no young male hero in the film.  The black guy was doing a typical black man's Hollywood role: a boob with his heart in the right place.  The girl, What's Her Name, was the only real hero.

The musical score was not worked in well.  The villain, What's His Name, wasn't even remotely interesting.  There was no sense of urgency to destroying the new version of the Death Star.  It was all rather bland.

I also made the mistake of watching it in 3-D.  Big mistake.  Perhaps, seeing the spaceships as 1/72 scale models detracted from the drama.  Actors in the foreground looked like cardboard cutouts.  Maybe, the film would have been more compelling in 2-D.

If you really have the money to burn, you won't get bored for the time you spend watching it, but it won't fire your imagination, either.

[Tulwar]

With reviews like this I'm glad I'm waiting. I'll just wait and watch at home. No need to rush. That's what's good about being an adult. We gain patience. 15 years ago I would have waited on line like a lunatic on opening night. Not any mooooore. Lol


Adam

Not really, you've had 15 years of getting burned.  It's more aversion than patience.

[Corbomite]

There was no young male hero in the film.  The black guy was doing a typical black man's Hollywood role: a boob with his heart in the right place.  The girl, What's Her Name, was the only real hero.

To be fair, Luke was also a clueless boob with his heart in the right place. Finn freaked out in his first battle and spent the rest of the movie running until he decided to go rescue Rey. My jury will be out on Finn until the next installment. If he acts the same I'll agree with you. I think Poe Dameron (the X-Wing pilot) was supposed to fill the role of young male hero in this one. I guess he didn't do it for you.

The musical score was not worked in well.

OK, I guess I'm not the only one who sensed that. JW seemed bored with the whole thing.

The villain, What's His Name, wasn't even remotely interesting.

Yes, Kylo Ren is weaksauce to the extreme. Who thought a whiny emo millennial with daddy and  grandaddy issues would be an interesting and dread inducing opponent? What, your pops didn't buy you a PlayStation as a kid and now you feel you have to kill him to prove yourself to a cardboard cutout "master villain"? Ren got beaten by a girl with no training whatsoever. Darth Sidious would have killed that wimp out of embarrassment to the Sith order.

I also made the mistake of watching it in 3-D.  Big mistake.  Perhaps, seeing the spaceships as 1/72 scale models detracted from the drama.  Actors in the foreground looked like cardboard cutouts.  Maybe, the film would have been more compelling in 2-D.

If you really have the money to burn, you won't get bored for the time you spend watching it, but it won't fire your imagination, either.

I went to a $5 2D matinee. It was worth that much to see on a big screen.

[Tulwar]

There was no young male hero in the film.  The black guy was doing a typical black man's Hollywood role: a boob with his heart in the right place.  The girl, What's Her Name, was the only real hero.

To be fair, Luke was also a clueless boob with his heart in the right place. Finn freaked out in his first battle and spent the rest of the movie running until he decided to go rescue Rey. My jury will be out on Finn until the next installment. If he acts the same I'll agree with you. I think Poe Dameron (the X-Wing pilot) was supposed to fill the role of young male hero in this one. I guess he didn't do it for you.

How many frames did we see of Poe?  It's not like they showed enough of him for anybody to care about him.  Finn, on the other hand, we're made to care about, but he doesn't display exceptional prowess in anything.  That is, unless you count the fact he suddenly gets crazy light saber skills when fighting the main bad guy.

[Corbomite]

Oh, you'll get no disagreement from me there. Poe was barely on the screen. And that whole ending was just "Mmmmmmm... yeah."

[Vipre]

There was no young male hero in the film.

So?

Is this a generational thing?