Rogue One

[Jangler]

I II III could be trimmed down into one long Peter Jackson movie, then it could be watchable. But the way they stand now, there's too much scanning forward...

[Porn Shop Clerk]

On 1/5/2017 at 3:36 PM, cookinwithgas said:

The Ewoks were simply low budget replacements for the Wookiees, which is why they could kill armored stormtroopers with sticks, it was written for giant monster guys to do originally.

 

In hindsight it seems to really dumb, so what if RoTJ cost 10-20 million more to make?

I don't think it was a cost saving move. I think it was a toy selling, revenue generating move.

 

[Doc Holiday]

15 minutes ago, Promethean Forerunner said:

Really? Haters gonna hate?

I'm so sorry I found the acting to be subpar, the constant scene hopping to be irritating, the lack of gravitas and character development (didn't give a poo that anybody died), the first half of the film dragging like a 30 year old who was out drinking the night before, etc.

RotS had a horrible lead actor (Hayden) but at least I gave a damn when Anakin killed Mace Windu, turned to the dark side and fought his brother/mentor to the death. There was nothing dark about this film at all. I don't see it. Anakin killing kids was dark.

Haters gonna hate

[cookinwithgas]

1 hour ago, Porn Shop Clerk said:

I don't think it was a cost saving move. I think it was a toy selling, revenue generating move.

 

Wookiees were in the original story treatment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewok

George Lucas created the Ewoks because he wanted Return of the Jedi to feature a tribe of some primitive creatures that bring down the technological Empire. He had originally intended the scenes to be set on the Wookiee home planet, but as the film series evolved, the Wookiees became technologically skilled. Lucas designed a new species instead, and as Wookiees were tall, he made Ewoks short.^[1] In addition, he also based the Ewoks' defeat of the Galactic Empire on the actions of the Viet Cong guerrillas who menaced American soldiers during the Vietnam War.^[2] The Ewoks are named after the Miwok, a Native American tribe, indigenous to the Redwood forest in which the Endor scenes were filmed for Return of the Jedi, near the San Rafael location of Lucas' Skywalker Ranch.^[3]

[Woodie]

This was a good movie.  I also liked many of the things that others have mentioned.  The story was good, and succeeded in setting the stage for A New Hope. 

However, the one thing that seems to be missing in most reviews are the lead actors.  They were both weak, and didn't exude the sense of purpose and power or make you care about them like you see in the other movies (I chose to burn the prequels out of my mind, so they do not count in my book).  It was their mission and the story that carried them, definitely not their acting (and no, Mark Hamill was not, and will never be considered a great actor, but he was able to make you care about Luke and believe in him).  To me, both seem more suited to supporting roles than leading ones. 

 

[Woodie]

As for The Force Awakens, yes, in most ways it is a rehash of ANH, but that was necessary.  A whole generation grew up with the prequels as the base of their Star Wars knowledge, and many didn't realize just how off the rails they were.  So, they had to re-set the Star Wars universe and get people back to where they needed them in order to move the story we all love forward. 

This isn't just my opinion, JJ Abrams came out and said as much in interviews after TFA was released.  Of course, he wasn't so direct in putting down the prequels, but the meaning was clear.  He did directly state that they needed to reset Star Wars so they could move the story forward. 

[Porn Shop Clerk]

23 hours ago, cookinwithgas said:

Wookiees were in the original story treatment

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewok

George Lucas created the Ewoks because he wanted Return of the Jedi to feature a tribe of some primitive creatures that bring down the technological Empire. He had originally intended the scenes to be set on the Wookiee home planet, but as the film series evolved, the Wookiees became technologically skilled. Lucas designed a new species instead, and as Wookiees were tall, he made Ewoks short.^[1] In addition, he also based the Ewoks' defeat of the Galactic Empire on the actions of the Viet Cong guerrillas who menaced American soldiers during the Vietnam War.^[2] The Ewoks are named after the Miwok, a Native American tribe, indigenous to the Redwood forest in which the Endor scenes were filmed for Return of the Jedi, near the San Rafael location of Lucas' Skywalker Ranch.^[3]

I know they were. I still think they were changed to cater to children and sell more toys.

[cookinwithgas]

Star Wars was in and of itself a response, in large part, to the cynicism prevalent in both movies and the movie industry at the time it was made, but I don't know Lucas' mind there so it could be true. He was very concerned with the financial success of ROTJ, as it allowed him to keep his company up near SF and expand it for sure - and he didn't want to make any more SW movies until the technology allowed him to make them cheaper and easier (don't think the cheaper part worked out LOL)

[CarolinaCoolin]

The prequels weren't as bad as older people claim them to be

[cookinwithgas]

the action sequences were for the most part terrific. Everything involving story or acting was not with the possible exception of Ewan MacGregor. When Natalie Portmans performance sucks, you know you have a bad movie to begin with.

[CarolinaCoolin]

1 hour ago, cookinwithgas said:

the action sequences were for the most part terrific. Everything involving story or acting was not with the possible exception of Ewan MacGregor. When Natalie Portmans performance sucks, you know you have a bad movie to begin with.

The prequels weren't made for you. They were made for a younger audience and buy in larger that younger audience loves the prequels and has hooks them on Star Wars for life just like the original movies did for the older generation. 

 

The story is actually one of the most compelling parts. Anakin as this tragic conflicted character, the Jedi not being as all good as they were made out to be, the clone wars, the sith plot to rule the Galaxy. All amazing. 

[Zaximus]

15 hours ago, CarolinaCoolin said:

The prequels weren't as bad as older people claim them to be

I think this is true.   I mean, I think Phantom Menace was kind of bad, with Darth Maul being a redeemable factor.   The kid actor and Jar Jar, so bad.  HOWEVER, I think Clone Wars was pretty good movie and I think Sith was really good.   Menace just put a sour taste in people's mouth, it's like the opposite Matrix-trilogy effect.  

[CarolinaCoolin]

4 hours ago, Zaximus said:

I think this is true.   I mean, I think Phantom Menace was kind of bad, with Darth Maul being a redeemable factor.   The kid actor and Jar Jar, so bad.  HOWEVER, I think Clone Wars was pretty good movie and I think Sith was really good.   Menace just put a sour taste in people's mouth, it's like the opposite Matrix-trilogy effect.  

Yeah menace definitely has some horrid parts to it and I don't think like the first half of that movie is even needed but the reemergence of the sith to the galaxy, obi becoming anakins master, the starting of the emperors plans. All great stuff

[fitty76]

Did not care at all about the characters except Donnie Yen.