Star Wars Episode VIII: A New Thread

[namkcuR]

I have several friends in their late 20s-early 30s who are knowledgeable film guys and will debate people who make negative passing remarks about the films. They feel as strongly as I do, even if we all know we're in the minority.

If you want more of a professional opinion, Matt Zoller Seitz is one of the best film writers online, he started the House Next Door Blog (and became known for his long musings on Terrence Malick's The New World) and now writes for Roger Ebert's official site.

Here's something he wrote way back when about Revenge of the Sith that's pretty in-line with what I feel:

Fellowship of the Sith | The House Next Door | Slant Magazine

That's a fair and well-written review of Sith. And I tend to agree with the majority that it's the best of the prequels. The second half of it particularly, is extremely well done. The only real problems with it are the unnecessary Obi-Wan/Grievous stuff, the way Padme was handled(poor dialogue, not enough emphasis on the political side of her, and the childbirth death), and of course, Hayden's portryal of Anakin(which is like 50% dialogue and direction issues and 50% acting issues). Oh, and Vader's NOOO.

But for the most part it's a solid film with great performances from McDiarmad, McGregor, and, you may disagree, Samuel L. Jackson, and a really affecting portrayal of the fall of the Jedi.

I think you could get away with making ROTS the only prequel you watch when watching the films in series and not miss all that much.

I think we pretty much see eye to eye on TPM, its strengths and weaknesses, except that you go out of your way to defend the gungan drudgery.

AOTC is where we differ the most. It's easily at the bottom of my rankings. EASILY. It's slow-paced, one plot contrivance after another - I get that the detective Obi-Wan thing is different, and maybe even interesting, but it doesn't belong in a Star Wars film imo, at least not a main Saga one - Jango and kid Boba annoy me, the explanation for the clones doesn't do it for me, the climax is the least satisfying - both from an action and emotional resonance standpoint - of any Star Wars film, just a bunch of all-over-the-place action with no real point...etc.

You, on the other hand, list it as one of your favorites, if I recall. Different strokes.

But I think the most bizarre prequel-related thing I've ever seen you say is that you hoped the unaltered OT never gets released in HD. It's one thing to like the SE, even to prefer it to the OT, but to feel so strongly about it that you wish for the unaltered versions never to get their fair treatment? I don't get it.

Anyway, you know I'm not trying to start anything here, I just like having these debates.

 

[namkcuR]

All the transitions to the various locations in the first section of the film were not necessarily disorienting but certainly not put together in a momentum-building way. It just wasn't very engaging.

Critics disagree with you guys. Still 85% on RT.

Ok, I know that's a lame argument to make to defend your position. But I'll just quote two review snippets from RT:

The good news is that Edwards' effort to make a storm-the-beach war film produces a tense third act that earns most of its big moments and also justifies much of what's come before.

A a tense, well-made spacefaring war movie about a desperate and demoralized band of insurgents standing up against a rising authoritarian regime.

Those two quotes sum it up for me, I think. The film is about the few attempting to stand up to an ascendant authoritarian regime, a theme that would continue in the OT, and with the film being released right after the election, it just resonated a lot with me.

Which in turn, is why I'm ok with the slower first part of the film, because it's essentially planning, setup, and showing why the few that end up going to battle are motivated to do so. Like the first quote above says, all the action in the second half justifies the first half.

I've only seen it the one time in the theater, so maybe I'll change my tune after a second viewing, but we'll see.

 

[cobl04]

Well, it's worth noting that Vader didn't send Luke plummeting anywhere in Empire. Vader had his hand reached out to Luke, offering him help to get back up to the platform, when Luke voluntarily let go and fell.

With the caveat that he join the Dark Side. Hardly an olive branch.

 

[lazarus]

That's a fair and well-written review of Sith. And I tend to agree with the majority that it's the best of the prequels. The second half of it particularly, is extremely well done. The only real problems with it are the unnecessary Obi-Wan/Grievous stuff, the way Padme was handled(poor dialogue, not enough emphasis on the political side of her, and the childbirth death), and of course, Hayden's portryal of Anakin(which is like 50% dialogue and direction issues and 50% acting issues). Oh, and Vader's NOOO.

Well, I'd disagree about Obi-Wan and Grievous. It's not "necessary" but neither was the scene with the Millennium Falcon landing on the asteroid and going into the "cave" sequence. Both are a lot of fun. Now I'm actually not a big fan of the earlier stuff on Grievous's ship; I find his introduction and interaction with Obi-Wan and Anakin to be pretty poorly written (though his henchmen look cool with those electrostick weapons). I really enjoyed the detour on Utapau though, with the tiered rock design of the planet, the odd-looking city director, the bleating creature that Obi-Wan rides, and his very entertaining chase and final stand-off with Grievous.

You're right in that Padme's political dealings are given short shrift, and from the deleted scenes you can watch on the DVD, at least one of them featuring the formation of the rebellion should have been added. However, her observation of Palpatine declaring the Empire has a fantastically written and delivered line "So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause. And on the personal side, I think the scene in her apartment where Obi-Wan finally reveals the truth about Anakin followed by her protective defense of him is maybe the best acting by both of those actors in the trilogy.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Can we all agree that it would be nice to sleep with Daisy Ridley?

 

[DaveC]

Well, it's worth noting that Vader didn't send Luke plummeting anywhere in Empire. Vader had his hand reached out to Luke, offering him help to get back up to the platform, when Luke voluntarily let go and fell.

well i would too, it looks like it would be a lot more fun than hanging out with vader:

 

[Hewson]

Can we all agree that it would be nice to sleep with Daisy Ridley?

I'd like to pluck her daisy if you get my meaning.

 

[coolian2]

I'd Ridley me that.

 

[nbelcik]

Harrison Ford turned 75 today, which if my calculations are correct, means he should be able to lift 7500 pounds and run 75 miles

 

[lazarus]

Like a fine wine.


When is Cobbler taking his Phantom Menace medicine?

 

[cobl04]

I have to buy them first. Has everyone recovered from me thinking ROTJ is better than A New Hope?

 

[LemonMelon]

I still wake up in a cold sweat occasionally.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I almost had until you reminded me

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I have to buy them first. Has everyone recovered from me thinking ROTJ is better than A New Hope?

What we learned is that you were the real New Hope all along, cobbs.

 

[monkeyskin]

Trevorrow's out.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I will be taking over as director of Episode IX and, in a move not unlike what David Lynch pulled with Madchen Amick back in the '90s, I will write a character for myself so that I can kiss Daisy Ridley on screen.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

But seriously, let's just have Lucas direct the thing.

 

[monkeyskin]

Nah, he's too busy digitally inserting random dance numbers and overdubbing Kylo Ren's dialogue to "NOOOOOOOO" on his Force Awakens blu ray to jump in at short notice.

 

[trevgreg]

Abrams is writing and directing Episode IX now.

http://www.starwars.com/news/j-j-abrams-to-write-and-direct-star-wars-episode-ix?cmp=smc|1069686719

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Good.

 

[lazarus]

Nope.

 

[cobl04]

Fantastic news, very happy.

 

[LemonMelon]

Yeah, I'm happy too. Not over the moon about the strife and inconsistency following each and every one of these films, but I liked TFA and I like Abrams.

 

[lazarus]

Fantastic news, very happy.

Shouldn't you be busy finishing your Star Wars saga viewing?

 

[monkeyskin]

Feel lucky that Rian Johnson is in charge of Ep VIII, because otherwise there would be nothing to get excited about in the next 4 films.

I'd much rather have the highs and lows of Rogue One than the apathy of TFA. Neither is a great film on par with the OT (give or take RotJ), but at least one of them has a few fantastic scenes.

(This feels like a discussion of recent U2. I'd sooner have a mix of 9s and 3s on an album than all 6s.)

As ElMel refers to, the behind the scenes issues has been troublesome recently for Star Wars and this is a safe bet to get a safe film that people like just fine. And as it's a trilogy capper, I HOPE that he refrains from his usual 'mystery box' shenanigans and gives us closure to the narrative. And no silly business like with the Khan fiasco on Into Darkness. But I won't get my hopes up as Disney won't just walk away from this franchise.

 

[cobl04]

Shouldn't you be busy finishing your Star Wars saga viewing?

You got me, I'm just trolling, haha. I still need to buy the prequel trilogy.

 

[monkeyskin]

You got me, I'm just trolling, haha. I still need to buy the prequel trilogy.

You really don't.

 

[lazarus]

You got me, I'm just trolling, haha. I still need to buy the prequel trilogy.

You can't stream it?

 

[cobl04]

it's not on any streaming services here. is it over there?

 

[coolian2]

Steal it, nobody's losing any sleep over it.