Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens—non-spoiler discussion
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- Voronwë the Faithful
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So far as it goes, it is encouraging. Of course, being a better film than Episode One is not a very high bar. I am hoping for something more in the realm of The Empire Strikes Back.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
I wouldn't set my expectations quite so high - that's like expecting a gangster movie to be as good as The Godfather! I just want a fun adventure that captures some of the OT's spirit.Voronwë the Faithful wrote:So far as it goes, it is encouraging. Of course, being a better film than Episode One is not a very high bar. I am hoping for something more in the realm of The Empire Strikes Back.
Last edited by kzer_za on Tue May 06, 2014 11:37 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Abrams, along with Ron Howard, are the most paint-by-numbers filmmakers in the spotlight today. Nothing they do veers one bit from the standard Hollywood model. Focus-grouped is the best way to describe their "products."
However, I hold out hope that the original Star Wars characters (and hopefully designs that are close to the OT) will stir some of the old feelings that the prequels utterly failed to stir.
However, I hold out hope that the original Star Wars characters (and hopefully designs that are close to the OT) will stir some of the old feelings that the prequels utterly failed to stir.
- Voronwë the Faithful
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While I can see what you are saying, I think you do Abrams a disservice by lumping him with Ron Howard. I think there is a wide gap between the two of them.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
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- Primula Baggins
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Speaking personally—Star Trek is dear to me, and has been all my life going back to the age of 8. And I thought the first film, especially, felt more like ST as I first loved it than any other Star Trek film. This from a man who, as has been pointed out upthread, was never particularly into Star Trek before he got the job.
But he loves Star Wars much as I love Star Trek (I came too late to Star Wars to love it that way; I'm 8 years older than he is). He has proved (to me) that he knows how to make an exciting and enjoyable film. He hires good actors and lets them act. And he writes so much better than Lucas.
I'm hopeful.
But he loves Star Wars much as I love Star Trek (I came too late to Star Wars to love it that way; I'm 8 years older than he is). He has proved (to me) that he knows how to make an exciting and enjoyable film. He hires good actors and lets them act. And he writes so much better than Lucas.
I'm hopeful.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
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So does this guy: https://theperfectdaughter.files.wordpr ... f-wood.jpgAnd he writes so much better than Lucas.
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- JewelSong
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I loved both the "rebooted" Star Trek movies. I admit to squealing out loud (in an almost empty theatre at a noontime showing) when Nimoy made his cameo appearance.
I adored the first three Star Wars sagas…at the time, they were ground-breaking and very, very cool indeed in 1977. And great fun with the quasi-spirituality and "The Force" and all that jazz.
But I never got past "The Phantom Menace" in the second three instalments. I remember my son had it on video and I was home from work one day and thought, "Gee, I liked that first ones so much - maybe I'll like this."
I sat there for the entire film, thinking to myself, "It cannot possibly get any worse" and then it would get worse and I would think "Well, it has GOT to get better at SOME point" and then it wouldn't get any better and when it was over I never wanted to hear anything about Star Wars ever again.
I adored the first three Star Wars sagas…at the time, they were ground-breaking and very, very cool indeed in 1977. And great fun with the quasi-spirituality and "The Force" and all that jazz.
But I never got past "The Phantom Menace" in the second three instalments. I remember my son had it on video and I was home from work one day and thought, "Gee, I liked that first ones so much - maybe I'll like this."
I sat there for the entire film, thinking to myself, "It cannot possibly get any worse" and then it would get worse and I would think "Well, it has GOT to get better at SOME point" and then it wouldn't get any better and when it was over I never wanted to hear anything about Star Wars ever again.
"Live! Live! Live! Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!" - Auntie Mame
- Primula Baggins
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What is this "Phantom Menace" of which you speak?
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
I don't know which Star Trek movies you watched but the ones I saw were stylish as all get out.Passdagas the Brown wrote:Abrams, along with Ron Howard, are the most paint-by-numbers filmmakers in the spotlight today. ... Honestly, I'd rather see Peter Jackson take on Star Wars. Even though I don't particularly care for his style, at least he has one!
I wanna love somebody but I don't know how
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
Attack of the Clones is even worse! People sometimes single out Revenge of the Sith as the good one, but it really is only marginally better - still bad (I liked it the first time I saw it in theaters, and every time I've seen it since I like it less).But I never got past "The Phantom Menace" in the second three instalments. I remember my son had it on video and I was home from work one day and thought, "Gee, I liked that first ones so much - maybe I'll like this."
I sat there for the entire film, thinking to myself, "It cannot possibly get any worse" and then it would get worse and I would think "Well, it has GOT to get better at SOME point" and then it wouldn't get any better and when it was over I never wanted to hear anything about Star Wars ever again.
Anyway, I enjoyed the first rebooted Star Trek film. Only saw it once, though, and no particular urge to see it again - but then, I've never watched much Trek. Haven't seen Into Darkness.
Last edited by kzer_za on Wed May 07, 2014 3:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
My favourite SW film was Return of the Jedi.
I enjoyed the Star Trek reboot. It was good, not great. And I confess I teared up when they had Nimoy do the voice-over at the end: "Space, the final frontier..."
I was thinking (and I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking this!) "This is probably the last time I will ever hear Nimoy's voice in Star Trek film!"
I enjoyed the Star Trek reboot. It was good, not great. And I confess I teared up when they had Nimoy do the voice-over at the end: "Space, the final frontier..."
I was thinking (and I'm sure I wasn't the only one thinking this!) "This is probably the last time I will ever hear Nimoy's voice in Star Trek film!"
When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes The Rose.
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes The Rose.
Look, we all know the prequels sucked, but without them, we never would have known Darth Vader's opinion on sand, so we can at least be thankful for that.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi5jjXTPtyY)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi5jjXTPtyY)
I wanna love somebody but I don't know how
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
I wanna throw my body in the river and drown
-The Decemberists
- Primula Baggins
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It just kills me what Lucas did with a mythic, wonderful story. Told right, it could have been a classic for the ages. Enthralling, emotionally wrenching, unforgettable. What he put upon the screen was the bloodless, desiccated, brainless corpse of that story.
Gah.
Gah.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Re: Disney buys Lucasfilm
Better than the original!