I shot first

dahmage said:

The Rathtars. i just don’t like their design, i agree that they feel like MIB monsters. but whatever. its in the movie now. The only other thing that sort of bugs me is in the final snow lightsaber battle (which i love btw), the purplish haze of the two light sabers, the lighting kind of bugs me in some of those shots.

I agree with the rathtars. They’re still too CG for me. But for some reason I didn’t mind them as much after a second viewing. Maybe it’s the fact that I love seeing Han finally kill a guy in an un-heroic manner, WITHOUT HESITATION, when he throws the guy into the rathtar’s mouth. I’m sure Lucas didn’t like that part. On the topic of purple light from the light sabers. I’m pretty confident that lighting is all natural. The light sabers (for the first time in any star wars movie) actually had their own real light source, meaning the props on set actually glowed. And since the 2 sabers are red and blue, what happens when the 2 clash? You get purple.

Here’s a shot from the director of photography on the set: https://www.instagram.com/p/_-vM-yPK6D/?taken-by=dan_mindel

agreed. I definitely got killed last night trying to watch a super star destroyer crash on the horizon.

Fang Zei said:

Haven’t made up my mind yet.

Thursday night 70mm screenings at Air & Space DC sold out before I even knew they were showing it there. As of now the only available opening weekend showtimes are 2:30 in the afternoon on Friday and Sunday. I might have a new job soon, which would likely rule out Friday (damn). Interview is tomorrow, so I’ll know soon.

One of my friends here was saying he wants to see it opening weekend but not opening night.

Meanwhile, the group Mrebo and I became acquainted with at a recent screening of Harmy’s ROTJ said they’ll be getting together to go see TFA as well, so I’ll have to look into that.

If no one I know wants to see it Thursday night I might just cave and go see it with my sister or something. All the opinion pieces and reviews are gonna start showing up and I hate having to avoid those things. I spoiled Interstellar for myself by not excercising self-control and simply waiting until I saw it several days after it opened. If I couldn’t do it for Interstellar, I’m not so sure I’ll be able to for Episode VII.

There are still plenty of 2D, non-reserved seating Thursday night showtimes near me that aren’t sold out. Well, not yet.

I’m also waiting to see if The Avalon, which is technically the closest movie theater to where I live, will be showing the movie at all. They haven’t posted their daily schedule past this coming week, so I might just stop by and ask.

Ah, decisions decisions.

70mm imax ftw! I’ll be seeing it opening weekend at a historic theater in Maryland called the Senator. My friends and I are doing a harmy trilogy screening at my house the same day before we go. After that we’re going to DC the following weekend for the 70mm experience. After seeing the Dark Knight, DK rises & Interstellar in the same format, to me there’s nothing that can top it. If anybody wants a list of theaters showing the 70mm print, here you go: https://www.reddit.com/r/StarWars/comments/3papjh/imax_70mm_2d_theatre_list/

I don’t play online games as much as I used to, but i’ve played the most recent battlefield games and while I liked them, to me they are TOO in-depth. I guess I’m just getting older with less time than I used to have (33, married) but they got a little overwhelming to me. Battlefront is a breath of fresh air. It’s got enough customization to keep it interesting but not so much that you’ll spend hours trying to figure out what gun is best and which of the 20 different attachments/camouflage for it you should use. o_O

Been meaning to comment on this for a while now that the game is out, but in case anyone was wondering, this game is a phenomenal representation of the original trilogy. A lot of people are complaining that there’s no single player story, space battles, etc., but personally I’m having a blast. It looks incredibly beautiful and makes me feel like I’m in the universe of the original trilogy more than anything else I’ve ever experienced in my life. Maybe it’s not a shooter for the “hardcore gamer” but it’s just so much damn fun. Seeing Hoth, Endor, and Tatooine in such beautiful fidelity, in an interactive way is jaw-dropping. Besides this being a great star wars experience, it’s probably the best looking/sounding video game I’ve ever seen. On top of that, the love of star wars that has been put into this game, fills every inch of the screen. From the wilhelm screams to the sparks from practical-effect-looking explosions & scorch marks on the side of the ships, you can tell the developers at DICE wanted to make you feel like you are IN the grungy, pre-CGI world of star wars. No small feat for a video game.

If I have one gripe with the game it’s that the voice-work isn’t quite up to par with the rest of the game and Boba Fett’s voice is more like the voice from the prequels. But that’s my only complaint because everything else is a PERFECT representation of the OT.
If any of you play video games or want to start playing them again, you owe it to yourself to try this game. It IS lacking some content like more maps & game modes, but DICE is releasing more of these for free, starting with the Battle of Jakku expansion coming tomorrow FOR FREE.

VERY SLIGHT SPOILER for events that happened before Ep. 7 The Force Awakens:
If you wanna see the battle that brought down THAT star destroyer in the force awakens trailer, check out this video. Keep in mind this is supposed to have been right after the death star was destroyed in ROTJ and none of this happens in The Force Awakens, so it’s not really much of a spoiler for the movie. But here it is! You’ve been warned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDfbhM9rkAo

b4ifly2paradise said:

Does anybody have the original theatrical ESB poster? This version - textless and in pristine high resolution quality? Please help.

I’m also looking for original hi-res art from Empire (style A poster) without text, but the first draft that doesn’t have Yoda (or Lando, etc.,) Anybody seen this?

RicOlie_2 said:

I just interpret that (all of the Star Wars canon, actually, when I care enough about it) as being a retelling of the "actual" events. Thus, the prequels tell the real story of Anakin Skywalker's rise and fall, but they're just an adaption and are no more accurate than, say, Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. The original trilogy is closer to what "really" happened, however.

Couldn't help but laugh. This is probably the first time anyone has ever mentioned "the prequels" and "Shakespeare" in the same sentence. However, I see the point you're making.

Yeah, I'm sure if this game is profitable for EA (and it will be) we will see space battles in either DLC or the next Battlefront game. This is a reboot of sorts so I think it's wise that they are trying to master land battles before adding too much. 

And yes, Rouge Squadron was great. Hopefully this has the same spirit for the in-atmosphere dog fights at least.

John Doom said:

I shot first said:

While I probably will play this one, I totally agree with you. I'm sure there won't be much story in this game though (if any) because it's basically just an online multiplayer shooter. And who knows, we might get more backstory for the battle in Ep 7 than the game will even show.  

Battlefront 2 had a short but interesting singleplayer campaign, though. My hope is that they will at least make a similar campaign to connect the OT to the new movies, like from the Battle of Endor to wherever TFA's grand finale will take place. I'm not expecting too much, though.

 no dice.  (DICE... get it?)  Anyway, looks like there's no campaign. Just Missions with or without co-op (your choice). Whatever that means.  

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/04/17/star-wars-celebration-battlefront-does-not-have-a-campaign

John Doom said:

I shot first said:

While I probably will play this one, I totally agree with you. I'm sure there won't be much story in this game though (if any) because it's basically just an online multiplayer shooter. And who knows, we might get more backstory for the battle in Ep 7 than the game will even show.  

Battlefront 2 had a short but interesting singleplayer campaign, though. My hope is that they will at least make a similar campaign to connect the OT to the new movies, like from the Battle of Endor to wherever TFA's grand finale will take place. I'm not expecting too much, though.

 Really? Well, this game had my curiousity, but now it has my attention. 

While I probably will play this one, I totally agree with you. I'm sure there won't be much story in this game though (if any) because it's basically just an online multiplayer shooter. And who knows, we might get more backstory for the battle in Ep 7 than the game will even show.  

imperialscum said:

I was never into Battlefront. Not my type of game. I enjoy story-focused games Star Wars games like SWTOR, KOTOR, DF1/2, JK2, JKA.

 I've never actually played any of the Battlefront games before, but I'm excited for this.  I love the fact that it looks like about 90% (or more) of the in game content is influenced by the OT.  To be honest the last SW games I played were the Dark Forces/Jedi Knight ones. But I do like DICE's battlefield games (when they work) so this game might bring me back.

yeah, I kinda raised an eyebrow to that shield thing too. But seeing Boba Fett using his jetpack made up for it.  Also during a panel with DICE today they said the star destroyer ruins in the new Force Awakens teaser will be explained in this game:  

 SLIGHT SPOILERISH info for Episode 7:

.

.

.

.  They said the Star Destroyer & Xwing ruins are from a battle that took place on the desert planet of Jakku and that you will get to play that battle in free DLC in early December

http://starwars.ea.com/starwars/battlefront/news/jakku-pre-order-offer

Sorry if there's already a thread about this, but I didn't find one.  Any other gamers excited about this?  

New trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwWLns7-xN8

John Doom said:

Is IMAX still on film, or is that fake grain on those screenshots?

Also, I wonder why there's channel misalignment in the one with the army: is it because of the camera lenses?

this was tweeted by JJ

For anybody that didn't see the "This Christmas"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngElkyQ6Rhs

And that's Star Wars' official youtube channel.

And btw, Unbroken was a movie about a guy who was tortured as a POW and then became an outspoken Christian after meeting Billy Graham, so I'm not really surprised there.

Akton said:

Just wanted to add that I also love the unabashedly un-pc tack they've taken in eschewing the mealy mouthed vaguery currently in vogue by announcing the film will be released not "This Holiday Season," but rather "This Christmas," just how the first film would have been advertised if it had met its original release date in December 1976. But then, I love pretty much any show of defiance against 21st Century America's despicable repudiation of Christmas as a cultural touchstone.  

 Great point. And I could not agree with you more. I'm surprised I didn't even think about this when seeing it the first time. Love it.

I noticed the fast camera zoom on the falcon right away and while it definitely looks different that any shots in the OT I don't mind it as much as some might because it looks like JJ's style of directing. This movie will have cinematography (ie lens flares) that have JJ's stamp on it.  As long as the story, environments and characters keep the genuine feeling and charm that the OT had, I can overlook a few of those camera movements. 

Also

For the record I'm annoyed as well, but not "f*ck you" annoyed.  So much for seeing this at the theatre I've seen them all in... they'll definitely be doing 3D.

Conversions don't make as much money.  People seem to know the difference between native 3D and postproduction 3D.  
I really hope the Village Theatre in Westwood has 2D showings, too.

 I used to say the same thing until I saw Gravity in Imax 3D. Was shocked when I found out the 3D was done in post.  That being said, I will probably see this in 2d if possible.

Akton said:

Did anybody notice that when the garrulous dudebro moderator asked about the prequels (which happened at least once - a question about balancing the asthetics of the OT and the PT) Abrams steered the discussion back to the OT, and his love for its lived in look? He didn't even acknowledge the PT in passing, which I fully expected (something along the lines of "And because the prequels introduced some interesting new vistas and in the same universe, there will be a little of that" etc.) Nothing. Just praise for the OT.

Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted by that. And I know it might be seen as corporate pandering to a fanbase that overwhelmingly (and with good reason) favors the OT over the PT. But I still didn't expect it because I thought it'd be seen as an outright indictment of Lucas (who is still alive and, presumably, still on good terms with Lucasfilm).

If this attitude carries over into the ST (i.e. no references to anything PT-specific, midichlorians, gungans, clonetroopers, etc.) I will be even more (delightfully) stunned. And I will find myself holding on to hope for something I've hoped for since the Disney acquisition was first announced in 2012 - a remake of the Prequel trilogy.

...or was there actually a reference to the PT and I just missed it? In which case, well... move along... move along... 

 

 Sadly, I don't think under any circumstances, there would ever be a remake of the prequels. I wish there could be. Don't get me wrong.  But the only way the prequels would be redone, is if the whole episodes 1-9 were rebooted.  We'll much more likely see extended universe movies from now on.  

By the way, I loved the trailer, especially the opening shot, and am glad they're still not showing too much.