Mielr said:

I also am aware of the "weight" issue with CGI. The CGI characters don't move with the same gravity that real people/animals do. The CGI stormtroopers in ANH:SE and the action scenes in the Spiderman movies spring to mind. They just don't look/feel/move like organic beings. It was really obvious when Spidey was CGI and when he wasn't.

You're definitely right about that one. I'll have to add that to my oh-so masterful list. ;)

Hmm, anyways, it occurs to me that effects are sort of a one way street for me. Particularly with new films, I'll expect them to not have worse effects than previous films unless the effect they're going for is more difficult. I hate the idea of making an effect noticeable or obvious on purpose.

Also, I like what thecolorsblend2 had to say about eye candy. There definitely is a difference between eye candy and realism. The prequel trilogy often went overboard in the eye candy department. I love just about every effect and CG model in the prequels for their neat-looking nature. Unfortunately, the dramatic element is totally dependent upon the realistic nature of an effect and whether or not that effect is of a likable character. While the effects in the original trilogy were glorious eye candy (for their time) they were also aimed towards realism and character which served to enhance the emotional drama of the stories. Eye candy is not necessarily incompatible with real, likable drama and the OT proves this despite the failure of the PT to do the same.