NeverarGreat

I’m down with the sickness.

Here’s a bit more detailed outline:

Rogue One
It is a time of oppression. The Galactic Empire is secretly building a weapon which will crush any rebellion once and for all.

Desperate to halt its construction, the fledgling Rebel Alliance has sent an elite group of spies to capture the mastermind of this terror weapon, Galen Erso.

Little does the Rebellion know that the daughter of this Imperial scientist is hidden in their ranks…

Pan down to Eadu. The ship (whose only identifiable occupants are Jyn, Cassian, and K2SO) crashes on the planet and the two cloaked figures head out in the rain towards the facility. On Yavin 4, ships are scrambled to attack the base. We see the cloaked figures ascend the ridge and survey the assembled scientists, but when Krennic’s ship flies overhead, one figure (Jyn) disappears. Krennic informs Galen that he has an announcement, and to gather the scientists. Nothing is said of the Death Star’s completion. He tells the scientists that there is a traitor among them. We see Jyn climbing to the platform, and Cassian tries to call off the attack (not calling Jyn by her name), but it’s too late. The moment Krennic shouts ‘Fire!’, the entire platform explodes under fire from rebel ships. Jyn’s reunion with her father is brief, and he can only call her ‘Stardust’ and say that he has much to tell her before he dies. There is still no confirmation that Galen is not an Imperial agent, hence Jyn’s continued emotional distance later in the film. They escape on the stolen ship and head back to Yavin 4. The recriminations between Jyn and Cassian never take place in this cut (the costumes, wet hair, and tone are probably too different to incorporate into another scene). In fact, the entire Cassian ‘shades of grey’ subplot is cut, since not only does it have no logical space in this edit, it simply confuses the methods of the Rebellion as opposed to the extremism of Saw’s rebels.

Bodhi Meets Saw’s Rebels, and is taken to their base.

Back on Yavin, Alliance brass has learned of Jyn’s real name. They question her, realizing that they now have a potential in with Saw’s Rebels. Some continuity-breaking lines are gone. Jyn is formally introduced to K2SO, and her ‘I remember you’ line continues to make sense here.

We are introduced to Saw.

Krennic meets Tarkin in front of the Death Star, and they discuss the situation on Jedha.

The quest for Jedha remains largely unchanged. Her brief dream of Coruscant remains, but is lengthened to show the farm, the death of Lira from Jyn’s perspective, and Jyn’s escape into the hideout where she is found by Saw. She doesn’t recollect the conversation between Galen and Krennic. Galen’s hologram gains an added weight now that we know that Galen has just died. There is real tragedy this time, as Jyn learns that she was wrong to doubt her father all these years and they can never make amends.

After escaping the destruction of Jedha, Krennic and Tarkin discuss what is to be done. Tarkin informs Krennic that these security breaches ‘have laid bare your inadequacies as a military director’. Krennic responds with ‘we’ll see about this’ and exits.

There is a brief cut to Yavin 4 where they learn that Jedha has been destroyed. All other dialogue is cut.

Krennic departs the Death Star, and reminisces about his recruitment of Galen. We are shown what transpired from his perspective, and this completes the flashback.

On the U-wing, Jyn is deep in thought as well - seemingly reminiscing about the same event as Krennic - but is pulled back to the present by Bodhi, who asks if she is the daughter of Galen. The conversation happens largely unchanged, except of course that there is no going to Eadu.

Krennic meets with Vader. This scene is unchanged, and leads to the scene on Yavin 4 as in the original. The team departs for Scarif (sans the R2 and 3PO reference).

The final act proceeds roughly the same as the original. It is not necessary to change anything from here on out, but I would shift sections of the battle so that it makes sense from a logistical perspective. For example, the fighting on the beach, up to and including Bodhi’s death, all happens before Jyn decides to transmit the plans using the dish. This way, there can be no rescue in the transport. Similarly, Bodhi’s successful transmission to the fleet is what compels them to ‘begin probing that shield’. The bombing runs on the shield gate and the Star Destroyer decapitation maneuver are both the result of this communication. Krennic is told of the data breach the moment after Cassian fails to use the right hand of the officer, and the waves of Stormtroopers are a result of Krennic’s direct orders.

The film cuts to black after the final shot of Vader staring at the departing Blockade Runner. In this version, with the removal of the R2 and 3PO shot earlier, there is ambiguity as to whether this is the Tantive IV or whether it later beams the plans to another Blockade Runner. The final shot of the Tantive going to hyperspace could happen directly before or after Vader’s final shot, depending on how the music works out.

yhwx said:

Yikes.

https://gizmodo.com/exclusive-heres-the-full-10-page-anti-diversity-screed-1797564320

Sidenote: This is not to be anti-Google or pro-Apple or pro-/anti-anything. These sorts of ideas exist in many many companies in this country and I’m sure just as many abroad. I am 100% sure that Apple might have these problems in the same amount or maybe even worse. This happens to all corporations. It’s a systemic issue.

I found myself agreeing with one of the guy’s main arguments, which is that there is a specific difference in gender regarding whether a person has an interest in people as opposed to things. See this for why that is, and a fascinating look at just the sort of problem this guy has encountered at Google. In short, there is a huge difference in genders in this specific area, and the cause for this single difference may be more biological than cultural. This in turn could force a company to resort to ever more aggressive policing of microagressions and perceived sexism in an attempt to attract more women to an area of a company that realistically will never reach complete employment equality.

Now, the 10 page ‘screed’ has many other issues and I’m not defending them, but it seems like the response to the essay is as problematic as the essay itself. I’ve found that a good rule of thumb for anyone interested in a serious discussion online is to always assume the best of the person you’re debating, and always seek to de-escalate the conversation in order to avoid ad homninems and other petty attacks. I find it concerning that the comments for this airing of grievances do not attempt this sort of thing, but are exactly the type of virtue-signaling that conservatives hate about liberals.

And yes, I get the issue that a member of a privileged group is complaining that his privilege is under attack, and I have no interest in defending his privileged status. But he clearly thinks there’s a problem, and a whole lot of people who elected our current government feel the same way. At some point it becomes counterproductive to antagonize conservatives for losing the culture wars, and it becomes important to find some common ground. This isn’t a zero sum game.

It’s pretty much all lightsaber and blaster effects.

I like the sound effects, but sometimes they interfere with the music. Making them more muted than the song would solve this.

That doesn’t sound too hard. I have a PhD in horribleness.

TV’s Frink said:

You’d never seen those before?

With so much posted to the internet, some things are bound to escape a mere human’s notice. I suppose that wouldn’t be a problem for you. 😃

Figured as much.

Apologies to Watterson, but these got a laugh out of me.
http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/donald-and-hobbes-is-genius/

From here: https://www.reddit.com/r/DonaldandHobbes/?count=50&after=t3_5f3ok2

Every Jedi has a Klingon Bird of Prey which beams them up whenever they’re in a tough spot. They can always just communicate later via hologram.

I quite like her introduction in the EU, much more than Mara. Never got around to reading the rest of her books though.

I see we’re all still ignoring Callista.

yhwx said:

Update, Saturday, August 5, 2017 at 1:43 A.M. EDT:

• Lord of the Rings : Extended Edition.

I approve.

Mark’s Down On Your Syntax said:

More well researched, quality journalism from some professionals in this article

Spoiler warning for all those who don’t know that Yoda dies in The Empire Strikes Back because it ruins that surprise for you.

Further proof that all online content is now created exclusively by bots for the sole purpose of waging psychological warfare on what remains of the human race.

I aim to misbehave.

JEDIT: Heck, as long as I’m redesigning them, I’d go with a light, golden green for Fellowship

…but mix that into a darker, tattered gray:

…and the design on the cover would be that of the doors of Moria:

I’d do dark blueish green and burnt sienna for Rohan, with the leaping horse and Celtic designs:

And a mixture of red and black for Return of the King, with the white tree insignia of Aragorn:

DuracellEnergizer said:

Lord Haseo said:

Death Note - 9/10

Never thought Anime could be this good.

Watched it myself some weeks back. I feel the show started running on fumes once L exited stage left and the final episode was a bit underwhelming, so I gave it an 8.

They clearly should have ended it on episode 25, and left it open-ended as to what Light would do now that his nemesis was gone.

Rebel Scumb said:

I heard it was going to be dark blue.

to me it would of made more sense to make TTT:ee the blue one and ROTK:ee the red one, because those colours are more consistent with the tones of the movie and what we see. Helms deep is very blue toned, and mordor in rotk is very red. ROTK in general had a very warm tone to it while TTT had a very cool tone to it.

Things like this prove that I need to get a life

After relocating my Extended Edition DVD’s after a move, I am still annoyed that they didn’t do blue for Two Towers and red for Return of the King. The biggest reason for it, other than the red of Mordor, is that this is the movie where Frodo writes down all their adventures in The Red Book of Westmarch!

Some of us still haven’t gotten a life.

Beard Crocks

There’s a typo in the RO cover - it should read ‘A REBELLION BUILT ON HOPE’.

There should be a space between ROGUE ONE: and A Star Wars Story.

The STAR WARS cover should probably have four ellipses after ‘far, far away’.

On a related note, the two OT sequel covers also have periods after the taglines, whereas no other cover has this convention.

Other than that, beautiful work!

If a candidate is inexperienced in politics, they should at least be intellectually curious about the job.

Failing that, they should at least be mentally able to do the job.

Failing that, they should at least be ethical.

Failing that, they should at least be morally consistent.

Failing that, they should at least not be morally repugnant.

Failing that, they can apparently still get elected.

TV’s Frink said:

http://www.grapplefruits.com/

What.

So is there a way to fix the links?

CatBus said:

TV’s Frink said:

Bummer, if I had just waited a few minutes someone would have made a better joke and I could have just stayed silent.

CatBus, failing to silence Frink since 2011.

So this is all your fault, eh?

I just want you to understand all the trouble you’ve caused around here, letting Frink run loose. For shame.

The Original Trilogy was made for its own time, and people like me who were born years after they were made are perhaps robbed of a great part of their meaning. It’s up to us to try and understand what made it special, so here goes.

I’ve heard it said that the message of Star Wars was very much a thesis against the straight laced, moralistic attitudes of people’s parents in the 70’s. Han solo represents the hot-rod rebellious youth of decades past, very much valuing strength and displaying casual sexism, and while Luke recognizes this he finds his own way through a distinctly hippie mix of new-age spiritualism and youthful idealism.

In Empire the youthful rebel must grow up, and he is brought before Yoda who explains that a Jedi must have ‘the deepest commitment, the most serious mind’. This runs counter to the idea of Star Wars that one should just go with the flow, and is a recognition that all idealism must give way to hard realism. Luke is torn between following his rebel friends and completing a serious spiritual transformation, and fails in both tasks when it is made clear that his destiny is to follow in his father’s footsteps and become part of the ‘machine’. To become serious in the pursuit of any aim is to abandon the value of ‘just go with it’ that guided his previous existence.

By the Return of the Jedi, Luke has begun his journey to the Dark Side, capable of using the abilities of his father’s generation in order to rescue his friends from the folly of their simplistic ideology. He stands apart from them, and there is tragedy in this. To gain power in this world can mean forsaking your friends, and Luke struggles with his choice. In the end, he cannot fully accept the mantle of the machine which his father represents. He is forever touched by it, as represented by his metal hand, but now he understands why he can never be so rigid in his black and white morality, accepting that he will never be so blindly nationalistic or puritanical. His story ends as a master of two worlds, and yet never fully belonging in either.

So where does Rey fit into all of this?

She is like Luke in that she is stuck in an unfortunate situation, desperate to leave yet yearning for a belonging that was denied her as she grew up. Even Luke, who was raised by his Aunt and Uncle, still had a home and a family of sorts. Perhaps Rey’s childhood was intended to speak to children of divorced or separated parents as incidence of divorce rose during the 80’s. The generation raised by the original Star Wars generation of the Baby Boomers inherited the shifting moral landscape which was mirrored by the subtext of the Original Trilogy. Similarly, she doesn’t work on a farm, as fewer and fewer people can identify with such an occupation. Rather, she scavenges from the hulks of the previous generation’s machines, gleaning whatever of value she can find from a culture so deconstructed that it appears post-apocalyptic. Whereas Luke desired to get into the academy against the wishes of his hardworking uncle, Rey has been able to educate herself with the glut of Imperial data tapes left behind in the wreckage. The tragedy is that nobody recognizes this education, and although she is overqualified for many jobs, she nevertheless makes barely enough to survive.

Han has shown the weaknesses of his laid-back philosophy, as he recognizes that he lacked the parenting skills necessary to raise Kylo Ren. Rey is taken with Han, but as Kylo says, ‘he would have disappointed you’. After all, he just watched Rey get captured, and resigned her to her fate. Han is a man wasting time, never applying himself fully to the task at hand and eventually dying because of it. His love, in the end, was not enough to save his own son. Speaking of the son, Kylo is the result of a man who knows just how bad his actions are, but like a college student following Objectivist philosophy, he bends his better judgement to the task because there is still great personal power to be gained in making the world a darker place. Rey, in seeing both of these extremes in Han (and Maz) contrasted against Kylo, is desperate for a sense of belonging. She is being pulled in every direction at once, she is angry, she is conflicted, she is alone. In the end, she finally finds the man who had gone there before her, who mastered the two worlds yet who never felt at home in them.

So what is Rey’s story going forward? If history is our guide, she will find some of her answers with Luke but will need to travel much further to truly achieve a sense of belonging.

Oh I’m sure they did, hence the winky.