Take it with a grain of salt but IMDb claims George Lucas is writing two episodes for the show. I’d love for it to be true but they also said Ben Burtt was involved with The Rise of Skywalker and that proved to be false. Here’s hoping though as I’d love see him involved again and more stories from him!
I don’t really think TFA screwed over TLJ & TRoS that hard. Redoing the Rebels v Empire conflict was a mistake, but they could have brought in the Republic military as late as in Episode 9, and there’s more interesting subtext to the conflict you can read into TFA and TLJ.
They don’t develop on the new concepts of the ST that much, but TLJ picks up the slack enough that I don’t think it’s a problem. At least in TFA’s case.
The Knights of Ren should’ve been cut, because there’s not really anything you could do with them. That’s kind of indefensible, but it’s not that big a deal either.
I don’t really know what else could be a case of TFA screwing over the rest of the ST, though.
Rey’s identity shouldn’t have been a mystery, Poe should’ve died early on as planned (so that Finn could have his role instead of just being a jedi decoy for Rey), and if they were gonna put Luke on an island, then maybe don’t have him standing all elegantly with Jedi robes. I get that they wanted to take artistic license there for the sake of making the ending of TFA feel “hopeful,” but in-universe, it would’ve made more sense to just have him already in rags and maybe just sitting on a rock looking all sad or something. Make it clear right away to the audience that we’re getting a sad hermit Luke.
I’ve been meaning to say that last one. I agree completely with it. I think I agree with your other points too. I hadn’t really considered the Finn one in that scenario but I definitely do think he should’ve been given more to do as if anything we could’ve seen him and Poe clash heads about saving the stormtroopers and for them to join forces against a greater threat. The Knights of Ren perhaps? I think that would’ve been very interesting.
I do wonder if TFA would’ve helped bridge things better if it ended with the Falcon leaving D’Qar and we’d have no expectation of what Luke would look like. Our first true look at him would be in the rags and wondering why instead of the jarring shape shifting.
Episode numbers were a mistake.
The Mandalorian should never have brought in preexisting characters.
TLJ didn’t derail the sequel trilogy. TFA already did, halfway through its running time. TLJ just made people aware of the derailment.
Geonosis is the coolest looking planet shown in the saga.
Watto and Nute Gunray are worse than Jar Jar.
I agree with all of this (except for your fourth point)! Happy to find a like-minded individual!
I’m glad to hear you say that!
I have a soft spot for Geonosis. The landscape and architecture are just really cool to me. Something about it has always struck me as especially memorable.
I always hated Gunray, though, and not in the way you’re supposed to hate a villain. He’s basically the main antagonist of TPM, and he’s woefully unfit to fill that role.
Also, one more take. That one moment of the Ewok dying and his friend mourning him in RotJ is sadder than the entire Order 66 scene in RotS.
I’d argue that’s the whole point of Nute Gunray’s character. He’s supposed to be unfit and incompetent compared to Palpatine. He’s only a puppet after all. Similar to Hux but better executed and less comical.
I do agree though that The Last Jedi does bring out the flaws in The Force Awakens like a sore thumb.
Geonosis is an interesting planet too. It’s definitely one of the more interesting planets in the saga.
Ditto to that, jedi_bendu! Hopefully you’ll be able to get back into the hobby soon. Railways are always really cool. So I’d be curious to see your pictures.
Makes sense. Thanks for clarifying, RicOlie_2! I will have to go through it more so as I’d be curious to see your pictures as well.
Thank you, oojason! Didn’t realise that but I just created a new one.
Looking forward to seeing what everyone shares.
Let the shuttering begin! Haha
A thread to share photography you’ve taken or found.
Thank you kindly, jedi_bendu! I use my phone (Samsung) but I use all natural lighting as I never use flash or even filters unless it feels absolutely necessary. These three are all natural without any tinkering. I do however have a Fujifilm digital camera and a Lomography La Sardina film camera I received for Christmas. I hope to get a film scanner soon as I’d like to have them on my USB stick and to post on socials. I’ll have to share more of my photography. Maybe I should start a thread? Seeing other’s photography would be great too!
Oh thanks, RicOlie_2! Though I’d say this thread looks to be more for paintings and that type of art versus photography?
Haha, thank the maker he lives!
Those are beautiful pictures.
Here’s a handful of my own.
It’s tough to decide.
Empire has double meaning as if you’re watching in release order you assume that Darth Vader is the man who who killed Luke’s father, only for it to be reversed on its head. Both literally and figuratively. It also has a truly unique setting of rings within rings. Different dimensions if you will.
Jedi has the more immediate and emotional context. It’s interesting having the contrasting force of Palpatine in there to plant dark deeds he’s been planning since The Phantom Menace if you’re watching in chronological order. It’s concluded with redemption and the end of the Palpatine’s reign.
So? My conclusion is I’d lean Jedi because it has the greater sense of formality as it truly interweaves both Anakin and Luke’s story to bring them both full circle to conclude the six part story.
I do think Empire has the better setting though.
I just bought Topsy-Turvy on sale. I’m really looking forward to watching my first Mike Leigh film. I really wanted to get Naked as David Thewlis is my favourite actor but it wasn’t on sale. Maybe during the next Criterion sale. I hear Topsy-Turvy is a good one though and Rian mentioned it a couple of times in the commentary of The Last Jedi.
I suggest a little experiment.
Try watching TLJ after watching the OT, and you’ll find it works pretty well as a coda to the saga.
I’ve posted previously that if it were up to me, I would have started the ST with TLJ or at the very least a movie that bears a strong resemblance to it.
Well, that’s what George would’ve done and I agree with it. In his story Kira (one of several names) who became Rey finds a secluded Luke and helps him find his spark of hope in his Episode VII. So we nearly had it to some degree. The context would’ve obviously been much different but the core idea is similar to what we got.
The Last Jedi is certainly the best of the trilogy. I’ve definitely come around to accepting its flaws and find myself enjoying it more and more. I don’t know if it works on every level as a connection to the previous six but it at least tells the most compelling and interesting narratively speaking of the Disney trilogy. It tries some new things to a degree despite its clear references and beat for beat copy and paste at times. I appreciate it more than the other two for that reason alone. Even if it does at the same time I feel break the story and go heavy on the meta commentary.
It’s one of those things as in context to the Disney films it’s great but as a continuing of the story (of even The Force Awakens) I don’t think it works. However it’s really good and even great for what it is and certainly better than the other two in the trilogy.
Thank you so much for sharing all of that, LeperMessiah117. It’s very insightful, interesting, and a fun look at him as a person and yourself!
I’d be surprised if he’s not seen Andrei Rublev at this point as there’s a shot in the deleted scenes of The Last Jedi that is almost exactly the same as one found in the former.
I am the same and agree completely with you in regards to Stalker. I truthfully avoid any concrete looks at Andrei’s work as I like keeping the mystery of what I just watched to myself as I find everyone finds something different in his films.
Stalker is great on Blu Ray. The interview with Eduard Artemyev is very insightful.
I must confess though I do enjoy this BBC Radio 3 discussion about Stalker. It goes beyond the film I find and shows how cinema has a real cause and effect on society.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03rfgpd
Thought I’d pass it along!
Oh and this is great companion special for his eightieth birthday a few years back from Russia 1.
If you can’t tell, he’s indeed one of my heroes. 🙂
I think you’d really enjoy Andrei Rublev. Soon we will have Mirror on Blu Ray. I can’t wait! I just need to see Nostalghia and Ivan’s Childhood.
jedi_bendu, I sort of agree. I do think having Luke, Leia, and Han as failures definitely works on some level but it was never wrapped up in a satisfying way to give them an arc where they overcame their failures to pass the torch to the next generation in a way that still respects them. I think this is one way George’s treatments work better as they face adversity and failure, and yet presumably the grandchildren and new generation characters would face the more direct threats. Sort of like how Obi-Wan goes from the padawan to a more directly involved major player and mentor while Luke, Leia, and Han have the story passed on to them. He then serves more the function of torch passer. I could see Luke serving that kind of role. He’d be involved but not in a way that takes away from the accomplishments of the grandchildren or next generation. I think they were so worried Luke would overshadow the new generation.
That’s also sort of how I see The Last Jedi. I really like it for the most part but I also don’t think it connects to the previous six films in a satisfying way. I find watching the ending of Return of the Jedi now is filled with joy yet sadness for what could’ve been with George’s story. Thankfully learning to let go has made me slowly get better at separating and seeing things as two different Star Wars franchises.
Episode VII:
https://h1.makermoon.com/view/video/6025789fe82a286f1812e3c3/
I have an overall story arc for it and the Sequel Trilogy in general but I’m not sure where to begin with explaining. Perhaps another time.
Edited: Improved for more details and grammar errors.
Here you go:
https://www.criterionchannel.com/rian-johnson-s-adventures-in-moviegoing
Ahh, very nice that the page contains links to the films he’s talking about, that’s convenient.
You’ll have to let me know what he says, in particular about Stalker.
Here’s the preview of his talk from their YouTube channel.
Adding The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick and The Red Shoes by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger!
I am glad to see you watched and had such an experience with Solaris, LeparMessiah117. I’ll be curious to see how it goes on your second viewing.
I don’t have a subscription to the Criterion Channel but I know there’s some great films on offer. Recently they added Bertrand Tavernier who I’d really like to get into as their trailer looked very intriguing and lovely. I’m not sure I recall your opinion on The Last Jedi but there’s also an interview on there where Rian Johnson talks about his favourite films in the Collection with Alicia Malone.
Yes, Solaris is one of those films I refuse to give my full thoughts on until the 2nd viewing. Now some time later, even though so much of the film sticks out vividly in my mind, it deserves secondary analysis in order to form a fully realized assessment of my feelings on the film. But I’m saving that for blu-ray so I have bonus materials. I’m very much looking forward to Stalker now that I have the channel.
And yes, I rather like The Last Jedi and the films of Rian Johnson. Is that interview a part of the same series where filmmakers talk about Criterion films and going through a closet of Criterion blu-rays? I saw one of those with Terry Gilliam a while back. I know Criterion puts out alot of filmmaker interview footage on Youtube and such, so maybe/maybe not.
That sounds like a great plan! As honestly Solaris is the only film by him (that I’ve seen) that I’ve not fully understood or got. I definitely need to give it a second viewing. The bonus features included though are great. I especially love the interview with Natalya Bondarchuk who plays Hari in the film. She’s such a warm and lovely person in the interview and from interacting with her a couple of times on social media.
I’m really excited to know what you think of Stalker. All I will say is that to this day it still haunts me and really changed my perception on a lot of things.
It’s a different series they did. I’d be curious to know what he says as coincidentally he mentions Stalker. Haha
Here you go:
https://www.criterionchannel.com/rian-johnson-s-adventures-in-moviegoing
Those closet pick videos are always entertaining. I don’t think I’ve seen that one. I need to watch Terry Gilliam’s films as apart from Monty Python I don’t have any experience with him. However The Adventures of Baron Munchausen appeals to me a lot as I love how it draws inspiration from ‘The Birth of Venus’ in a certain moment. I love when art is used in film. I think it’s one reason Barry Lyndon appealed to me so much.
Added The Red Shoes by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger!
I am glad to see you watched and had such an experience with Solaris, LeparMessiah117. I’ll be curious to see how it goes on your second viewing.
I don’t have a subscription to the Criterion Channel but I know there’s some great films on offer. Recently they added Bertrand Tavernier who I’d really like to get into as their trailer looked very intriguing and lovely. I’m not sure I recall your opinion on The Last Jedi but there’s also an interview on there where Rian Johnson talks about his favourite films in the Collection with Alicia Malone.
Good result for your boys last night, Stardust1138 👍
Tuchel seems a very marmite type of manager with fans (though most of us fans are quick to judge and quite fickle! 😃)
Man City up for my lot on Sunday, hopefully should be easier to play against than some of the organised and resolute low-block teams we’ve struggled to break down of late…
Thank you kindly, oojason! It was great to see. Hopefully soon the goals will start coming.
Hahaha, we are and that’s a great metaphor! I’m starting to like him more. He’ll never be on the levels of Frank for me but I do like him more and more. Winning helps but I think hearing Frank sent him a text the day after the Wolves game really spoke volumes to me. It really helped me to accept what is a little better.
Hope you pull it off! 🙂 Man City will be tough but anything can happen in the Premier League. We play Sheffield next. They’ve always played us tough and despite their record I think Chris Wilder is a great manager and would excel at a bigger club.
Not enough time for Lampard there - and hard to see why Chelsea went for Tuchel to replace him… time will tell, I suppose.
Given the money spent on new players at Chelsea of late it’ll be interesting to see if Tuchel has been given immediate funds to to bring in a few of his own players as well - or if he will have to ‘sell to buy’ (in the summer).
How do you think Tuchel will fare, Stardust1138?
Chelsea vs Wolves, in a few minutes should be a decent game.
I completely agree with you.
It’s hard to say as it all depends on if he’s given enough time to implement his style of play in the squad.
It could be interesting to see what players he’d bring in as I know he wanted Antonio Rudiger and Jorginho at PSG.
I just hope Mason Mount gets a fair chance as he’s by far our best youngster as he showed today coming off the bench.
Best Case Scenario: He builds on what Frank started and wins the league next year. The talent is there. Gets fired after inevitable drama.
Worse Case Scenario: He’s out after eighteen months like Frank but has helped Timo and Kai develop into quality Premier League players. As well as the rest of the squad inches closer to their potential for the next manager.
I also don’t think tonight’s game against Wolves gave us a full picture of what he’ll do yet as I think he was probably testing to see where the problems lay and will hopefully go about correcting them. I’m at least willing to give him a chance as he seems likable but I’m certainly missing Frank. He was always my favourite Chelsea player and having him as manager was like old times.
…
How Empire Changed Star Wars … Forever
This channel is so high quality. I just wish they had more content.
George Lucas: Flying Solo - BBC Omnibus
The blurb: A bio special about George. It includes rare interviews with the likes of Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck, amongst others.
Yub Nub is superior because of the part when Anakin’s ghost shows up.
I was thinking this too as while I like both and slightly do prefer Victory Celebration with all the planets from the Prequels, I have to agree that Yub Nub does sync up better with when we see Anakin’s Force Ghost.
Welp! Well this is so fucking stupid and hurtful. I honestly can’t believe Frank has been sacked.
This team needed time and patience to gel together. The board is truly forgetting how young this side is and how there was no pre-season. I really think were close to a breakthrough.
I do appreciate the classy statement from Roman at least but only winning will truly heal the uneasiness I feel.
Vindication! Mason Mount was our captain today in our 3-1 win over Luton Town.
