DominicCobb

Interesting thread. It’s funny, even as a 9 year old (when I first saw ROTS) who loved the film as much as any other (in my mind it was a masterpiece on par with the OT [I never thought TPM or AOTC were]), there were things I didn’t like:

• Some really poor and strange editing choices (I distinctly remember seeing the film opening night and thinking “what the hell?” when Anakin says “General Grievous’s ship is dead ahead” and then it awkwardly cuts to him in obviously another take that doesn’t match at all saying “the one crawling with vulture droids.”
• Stupid battle droid humor and voices.
• Palpatine cheering during the Dooku duel.
• The weird and unnatural balcony scene between Anakin and Padme.
• The lightsaber battle with four-armed Grievous is done as soon as it begins because choreographing it was too hard.
• Palpatine transforms into wrinkly face rather than slowly aging into it.
• Palpatine wrinkly face looks nothing like in ROTJ (and it’s not just different, it’s a lot worse).
• “Unlimited Powah!”
• There’s some really bad dialogue and delivery from Anakin on Mustafar.

As the years passed, I still regarded the film highly, but some other things started to bug me too:

• Visually the film is overwhelmingly CG and simply looks nothing like the much more grounded OT.
• The dialogue, in general, is stiff and overly formal in many places (nothing like the more casual, human, and humorous dialogue in the OT).
• Certain ways in which Lucas came really close to greatness but didn’t quite make it there (The Jedi are not at all perfect and the fact that Anakin doesn’t actually have any ideological differences with them and simply buys Palpatine’s obviously BS “the Jedi are taking over” line, Anakin is never explicitly revealed to have been created by Plagueis and Palpatine which could have been a really compelling part of his seduction, etc.).
• Everyone constantly flipping.
• “It can’t be.” COME ON Ewan. You’re better than this.
• Certain things that just don’t really make sense (Padme losing the will to live).

In recent years, my opinion of the film has really dropped. It’s basically gone from great to alright. Every time I see it again I find more moments that just ring false and don’t work for me. A lot of the dialogue sucks, a lot of the environments feel cheap and unbelievable. The structure of the film is weak, and, most importantly (the main reason I can’t in good conscience say the film succeeds), the whole point of the movie - showing Anakin turning to the dark side - doesn’t work. It’s too sudden and unbelievable. I don’t mind that saving Padme factored into it, but to betray the Jedi the way he does means there should have been some stronger motivation for him. Especially now that I’ve read the excellent novelization of the film (which also isn’t totally perfect but still miles better), it’s really hard for me to take the film and Anakin’s fall seriously. There’s still stuff that I can enjoy, but on the whole, there’s a LOT to dislike.

TV’s Frink said:

You are giving the other teenagers here a bad name.

Thank god I’m not a teenager anymore.

Also, has this become the official “argue with swagmasta” thread?

The Finn/Ren duel is already really short. Unless you want it to be over in <10 seconds, I think it’s fine. If you pay attention to the choreography of it, it’s pretty believable. Stretching it out to 30 seconds or so as the movie does gives the scene some pretty cool tension. You know Finn is going to get destroyed, but since it doesn’t happen immediately there’s a bit of dread and suspense as to what will happen to Finn.

I don’t think the Resistance will turn bad but I certainly think considering their precarious political position there’s a possibility they might not always seem the straight up “good guys.” It’s possible that they just continue to remain the obvious heroes (like the Rebels) but they’ve been set up in a way that isn’t as cut and dry as in the OT (even if TFA doesn’t necessarily portray it as such, it’s still a clear decision that’s been made) and with EpVIII likely being the darker chapter I could see them going to some interesting places (Empire did add complicate the black and white morality after all with Lando and Vader’s reveal).

March of the Resistance is very militaristic. Real WWII vibe. I figure this has something to do with them being an unsanctioned off shoot of the New Republic. I wouldn’t call it sinister, but I wonder if it’s a hint that things might not be so black and white in the next installment.

Good for you hunds, don’t worry about these requests. Congrats on the job! (and good luck keeping it I guess)

NeverarGreat said:

DominicCobb said:

Honestly I’m not happy with either. I can enjoy Yub Nub through nostalgia goggles and can recognize Victory Celebration as a passable piece of music, but neither really seems to fit.

Totally agree. However it may be that neither seems to fit because the ending itself doesn’t fit. Images of random rebel pilots and Ewoks dancing in the trees feels as strange to me as the worst of the Ewok scenes. It’s rather…undignified. Yub Nub fits the visuals, but reminds the audience of how silly they are. Victory Celebration strives for something more, but disconnects with the campy scene.

Yeah you’re right.

Honestly I’m not happy with either. I can enjoy Yub Nub through nostalgia goggles and can recognize Victory Celebration as a passable piece of music, but neither really seems to fit.

But…but… celebrate the love…

Glad to hear it Possessed.

I think I may also have some advice for you on your love life too. When I first read your situation I thought “well that’s some depressing shit, not much to be done about that.” I wasn’t in a good frame of mind though. At the time I was in some depressing relationship shit too, as I was also super into someone who wasn’t into me. Somehow word got to her how I felt and it was a little weird between us, but we never talked about it and it wasn’t really that big a deal when we interacted. Then she went abroad and I haven’t seen her since. And you know what? Once she was out of my life it became a lot easier to get over her.

BUT then, about a week ago (and a month after the last time I saw her) I get a message from one of her friends saying she was and is super into me. So we’re talking now and maybe it’ll turn into something and maybe it won’t. Point being, don’t be too quick to make assumptions in your head and get worked up about how things will go down. I’m not saying necessarily that she’ll be into you, but it’s possible, and, even if she’s not, the fallout from telling her might not be nearly as bad as you expect.

The invisible thread that ranks all the invisible threads is obviously the greatestest.

TV’s Frink said:

imperialscum said:

moviefreakedmind said:

He exploited a loophole regarding overtime laws that are probably determined on a state by state basis anyway, so the American justice system specifically cannot be blamed.

I didn’t say American. I just said that the particular justice system under which it happened is to be blamed.

Oh FFS, are you a person or a fucking debate robot?

This might be one of my all time favorite posts.

There’s no reason to watch the show and not watch the movie (unless you’re skipping ahead to later seasons). The movie is basically the first four episodes edited together (and if you want to watch them, the only way to do so is the movie). Quality wise it is on par with the rest of the first season.

Same ranking as OP though not necessarily the same thoughts because, while terrible, I actually sort of enjoy the two AVP flicks, in a guilty pleasure sort of way.

Blade Runner is definitely NOT a film that needed a sequel. But I trust Villeneuve won’t turn it into some mainstream dreck. And Ford’s back, and they got Gosling and Deakins. So I’m looking forward to it.

Masters of the Universe

The Dark Empire said:

DavidMerrick said:

Ah. Spoke to a TIE engineer about that?

Yeah i did!

And by the way… There is a technical manual, u know. Cross-sections, technology etc.
This is a official Disney thing.

And it has the two-seater-TIE in it. And the named every cable, every thing like the engines and the weapon system. And well, there is no repulsorlift in it. Some other ships and vehicles have it.

If there was no official technical manual for TFA this TIE details would be not interesting to me.

But there is one and the film is not accurate to it.

Don’t you mean the book is not accurate to the film?

Smithers said:

So ANH and TFA both start off in space, then they cut to our hero, then our earlier introduced characters end up meeting and needing them. So in order to make TPM mirror ANH more, wouldn’t it be better to introduce Anakin before the other characters meet him?

Which version of ANH are you watching? The lost cut? Did you find it? We meet Luke when the sand crawler shows up at the homestead. I was semi-surprised when TFA didn’t follow this model and instead went with the way ANH originally went (and the way it is in the adaptations).

Hal’s TPM edit is probably the closest you can get to ANH, with the amount of time it takes to get to Anakin only a couple minutes or so more than it takes to get to Luke.

I always figured it was Anakin yelling “Noooooo!”

I think certainly parts of it are flat.

The truth is (and I apologize if I’m generalizing a bit here) most of us were kids when we saw the OT, so the “plot holes” and contrivances flew over our heads.

dingus-hole

DuracellEnergizer said:

DominicCobb said:

RicOlie_2 said:

Possessed said:

You’re a cat right?

That would explain why all the girls used to pet my hair in grade 7. 😛

Too much info. The bad news never ends.

Bad news for you. Good news for him.

DOUBLE STANDARDS(?)

Duracell, you’re no greenie.

(more bad news)

Having just seen Brooklyn I can honestly say that the best choice for young Han Solo might very well be Emory Cohen. He’s got the look, the smile, the charm, the sense of humor, and, most importantly, the talent. If they go with him I think we’ll be in for a real treat.