fmalover

I don’t think the extended edition ever had prints struck for theatrical release.

It’s been a little over three years since kk650 last had any activity on these boards.

I hope he’s doing well.

Stardust1138 said:

I just watched the Heroes on Both Sides arc again and still consider it to be one of the most engaging and underrated bits of Star Wars. Padme’s humanitarian efforts shine through in a very meaningful way and it’s really good seeing things aren’t clearly defined. We’re all people at the end of the day. I think that’s something we all need reminding of.

This episode is probably the closest the series ever got to a “shades of grey” scenario.

Anakin Starkiller said:

OoT and MM 3D had a better art direction than their N64 counterparts regardless. Love me those deep, saturated greens.

I really hate the way the Boss fights were altered for the 3DS version of MM. I also don’t like that Zora Link can only swim like he’s supposed to by activating the electrical barrier.

I never understood why Marcus Brody is portrayed as a level-headed character who is quite knowledgeable about ancient history in ROTLA, but is later portrayed as an ignorant bumbling fool in TLC.

Anakin Starkiller said:

Just watched Shazam! It was pretty good, if a little ordinary.

I really enjoyed Shazam! It was a fun-for-all-ages type of movie which you don’t see much of these days.

For all the criticism the DCEU gets, I for one appreciate that each movie is so different from the other. Snyder’s mythological take on superheroes, Wonder Woman’s earnestness, Suicide Squad’s nihilistic humour (I really liked it but also hope the Ayer cut sees the light of day), Aquaman’s over-the-top blockbuster insanity, which contrasts with the MCU’s sameness, and as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life.

Basically all games from the fifth and sixth generations of console games.

The line “I don’t like Star Wars” is intended as a joke, as Freddie Mercury was fact a fan of the movie.

The amount of love Star Wars Rebels gets makes me wonder sometimes if I am some sort of extraterrestrial being, because frankly that show makes me angry.

Ezra learned his lesson far too quickly for my liking. Had it taken about 5-10 episodes I would have bought it, but learning his lesson after just one mistake is IMO cowardly storytelling.

Ezra mind controlling Imperials into killing each other was the only truly enjoyable moment for me throughout the series + when he’s a total dick to that Imperial officer.

jedi_bendu said:

I’ve finally come to the conclusion that Star Wars: Rebels is my favourite Star Wars series. It has my favourite romance in the franchise, my favourite master-apprentice duo, and many of my favourite moments - like Ben vs Maul and Ezra’s scene in the remaining piece of the Lothal Jedi temple. It tells a convincing account of the formation of the Rebel Alliance, while expanding the mythology of Star Wars in imaginative ways and keeping the story of a family unit forged in desperate times at its heart. Every character has episodes of development, including Chopper. It honours what came before by incorporating characters and vehicles from Legends and using McQuarrie’s art style as a basis for its visual style, as well as - for me at least - making the original trilogy more compelling. I could go on for hours.

At the end of the day, Rebels is the Star Wars story which makes me happy the most.

I have the opposite view.

For me Star Wars Rebels represents the absolute worst of Disney era SW. It’s Star Wars at its most sanitised and risk-averse. Every storyline ends with a cop out.

I honestly don’t get why this series is so popular.

JackNapier said:

The films Mission Impossible 2 and 3 are interesting looks at both the direction that early 2000s cinema was in, and a nice look into the early career of Tom Cruise.

Over the years I’ve come to notice that many view M:I2 as the weakest entry in the series. Why?

For me the first two M:I movies are the best, 3 for me was the weakest and GP, RN and Fallout are just fine.

Bumping up this thread.

So, any opinions on my proposed episode VIII?

Stardust1138 said:

fmalover said:

Hey guys, do you where I can watch the video for Nine Inch Nails’ “Happiness in Slavery”?

If any of you have watched it, is it really off-putting? I remember the official NIN YouTube account uploaded it a few years ago but it has since been removed.

Here you go:

https://vimeo.com/226101550

I didn’t find the video disturbing at all, but I can see why it would be problematic for mainstream channels to show the video, considering it has full-frontal male nudity.

Hey guys, do you where I can watch the video for Nine Inch Nails’ “Happiness in Slavery”?

If any of you have watched it, is it really off-putting? I remember the official NIN YouTube account uploaded it a few years ago but it has since been removed.

As a German football fan I was rooting for Chelsea (Rüdiger, Havertz and Werner + head coach Thomas Tuchel), and I also didn’t want to put up with pundits all around the world having a collective orgasm over that smug Catalan winning his third CL, so I’m very happy with the result.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think the extended editions were never released theatrically.

From a visual standpoint, what bothers me the most is the muted colour palette and the underexposed look. This is in contrast with the comic book which is full of vibrant colours.

Then again, Chloe Zhao used the same bland look for Nomadland.

CatBus said:

fmalover said:

Wazzles said:

RU.08 said:

I don’t think it’s “finished” Wazzles.

I mean, you’re probably right, but he has at least claimed to have finished it. I’m trying to be a little careful though, since Mike is a controversial figure round these parts.

A controversial figure? How so?

Let’s not, please.

If you have the time please PM me so as to avoid any problems. I am genuinely ignorant on the matter.

Wazzles said:

RU.08 said:

I don’t think it’s “finished” Wazzles.

I mean, you’re probably right, but he has at least claimed to have finished it. I’m trying to be a little careful though, since Mike is a controversial figure round these parts.

A controversial figure? How so?

OK, here’s my proposed episode VIII:

One year has passed since episode VII, the Imperial Remnant is starting to consolidate its power through more overt attacks, sowing distrust within the governments, spreading misinformation and sowing distrust within the ranks of the regional governments, undermining Leia and her allies. Rey has been training under Luke, however unbeknownst to Luke, her fateful encounter with Kylo Ren has created an unusual Force bond between her and Kylo in which Rey represents embodies the light with a touch of darkness, and Kylo the dark with a touch of light. This bond allows for communication between them just like TLJ, and just like in TLJ, these events are involuntary and spontaneous. Initially Kylo tried to turn Rey to his cause, which Rey rejected, however a growing mutual understanding develops between them.

Meanwhile Poe, Chewbacca and Finn are aiding a local resistance militia in an outer rim system, and conquering this particular system will prove key in the IR’s rise to power. We learn here that Poe used to be a Republic soldier and an ace pilot whose problem with authority led to his reassignment as an Intel gatherer and a scout who reports to Leia on IR activities. Their mission is complicated when it is revealed that one of the Knights of Ren is leading the effort, and their very presence leads to the IR’s first major victory. Our trio of friends escape with the resistance militia thanks to the help of a Bespin fleet sent by Lando and Chewie’s contacts from his smuggler days. Other Knights of Ren achieve similar, lesser victories in other outer rim systems.

As Rey’s training and mastery of the Force progresses, so does Kylo’s, and we see him exploring places powerful with the dark side, such as the cave in Dagobah, and after being informed of the accomplishments of his fellow Knights, gathers them and informs them that the time has come to attack the New Republic, but the bond with Rey inadvertently alerts her of his plan. Luke views the encounter between Rey and the Knights of Ren as inevitable, and allows her to depart on her own, cryptically saying that will join her when the time is right.

Poe, Finn and Chewie arrive on Coruscant to present irrefutable evidence of the IR’s growing threat over the past three decades before the Senate, and suddenly the Imperial Remnant launches a surprise attack and Kylo, alongside two other Knights, personally takes Leia hostage. Upon sensing Leia’s Force potential, Kylo is puzzled about a Force wielder such as Leia not using her position to exert greater control upon the population through the Force, to which Leia responds that giving up such power is the true meaning of strength. Rey arrives in the nick of time to prevent Leia’s execution at Kylo’s hands, Kylo orders the other two Knights to stay away, as he wants to deal with Rey. Rey is no match for Kylo, at which point Luke makes his entrance with a renewed sense of justice, which evens the scales prompting Kylo to call upon the other two, and Luke and Rey being outnumbered three to two, it is then that Leia unconsciously uses her battle meditation by focusing on Luke and Rey, giving them the edge over the three Knights. Luke dispatches the two lesser Knights, but Rey and Kylo are cut off from Luke and Leia, however just when Rey is at Kylo’s mercy, Kylo realizes that he can’t bring himself to finish her off, and neither can Rey, even though they are at opposite ends, and so Kylo retreats along with the fleet.

The attack on Coruscant has galvanized the Republic into freeing the oppressed systems and stopping the Imperial Remnant once and for all.

IMO The Clone Wars (2008) is a tad overrated.

Clone Wars (2003) does a way better job bridging AotC and RotS.

Cadavra said:

Totally valid. I was just thinking in the context of what could be done with a less ambitious rearrangement of existing elements.

Any thoughts on my proposed episode VII and ST setup?

Cadavra said:

Thinking smaller, the core elements of what we got could have made for a perfectly solid ST with a few tweaks. For instance…

EPISODE VII: A SHATTERED BALANCE

30 years after the Battle of Endor, the New Republic is established and a free galaxy has fallen into complacency. Leia Organa-Solo serves in the Galactic Senate, Han Solo adjusts to retirement as well as can be expected, and Luke Skywalker trains their son Ben along with a handful of students in the Jedi arts—with the help of Snoke, a surviving Jedi Master from the days of the Old Republic.

But when the deserting ex-stormtrooper Finn arrives to warn the Senate that an Imperial remnant calling itself the First Order is gathering strength in the Unknown Regions, Snoke—secretly a darksider in league with the First Order—reveals himself and accelerates his plans to retake the galaxy.

Responding to a distress call from the Jedi Temple, Han finds that Snoke has completed his seduction of Ben Solo, and in doing so decimated the Academy. The newly-christened Kylo Ren murders his father in a tense confrontation, and Chewbacca rescues the only two Jedi who haven’t been killed or captured—Luke and one student, a young orphan named Rey.

With Finn’s help, the grief-stricken heroes organize a plan of attack, infiltrating and destroying the First Order superweapon Starkiller Base…but not before it obliterates the New Republic’s capital. Leia assumes command of the New Republic’s surviving military forces, while Luke takes Rey to complete her training on the remote Jedi world of Ahch-To, just as Yoda had trained him on Dagobah decades before.

This would allow us to spend time with the heroes at peace and show a glimpse of the free galaxy they fought for in the OT. It would eliminate Han and Leia’s estrangement, give Luke a similar struggle with guilt without having to explain why he tapped out of the galaxy for years, introduce us to Ben Solo before things go to hell, and eliminate the controversy over Rey being skilled without Jedi training, all while preserving the good elements the ST gave us.

In particular, having Kylo’s turn, Han’s death (which, let’s face it, would probably be a Harrison Ford requirement no matter what), and the fall of Luke’s academy all happen simultaneously onscreen, as the immediate precursors to the trilogy’s central war, alleviates The Force Awakens’ implication that Luke, Han, and Leia’s lives all sucked before we see them again. Having characters meet tragic ends in the course of facing a new crisis is a lot easier to swallow than having them suffer losses, withdraw from their loved ones for years, regress to old habits, AND THEN meet tragic ends.

EPISODE VIII: THE LEGEND OF SKYWALKER

The broad strokes could be similar to The Last Jedi, especially the exploration on Luke’s mythic status (hence the new title). The above outline for A Shattered Balance leaves the exact circumstances of Kylo’s turn somewhat ambiguous, so there would still be room for a similar set of flashbacks as in the official TLJ. I don’t have strong feelings about whether Rey should be Luke’s daughter or remain a nobody, but this basic idea could work with either decision. Another possibility might be that Rey is the daughter of a darksider Luke was forced to kill years ago. [EDIT] I’d be fine with a version of the Canto Bight subplot pruned like Hal’s version, but for the sake of the trilogy as a whole perhaps it would be better if Finn and Rose’s mission was instead focused on finding allies to help what’s left of the New Republic regroup in the wake of the Starkiller disaster. [END EDIT]

EPISODE IX: POWER OF THE FORCE

😃 Maybe a little something like this:

https://originaltrilogy.com/topic/THE-RISE-OF-SKYWALKER-THE-TEAM-DALE-REWRITE-AVAILABLE-NOW/id/85493

I like your proposed ST, but I would take Starkiller Base out of the equation. I just don’t like the idea of an underpowered organization creating a superpowered weapon.

jedi_bendu said:

fmalover said:

I still haven’t come up with any ideas for episodes VIII and IX, but at the risk of appearing needy, I would like to read some feedback on my proposed episode VII.

Sure thing. I really like the idea of the New Republic doing well while the Imperial Remnant resorts to more subtle and sinister tactics - to differentiate from the OT more, I’d have liked the sequel trilogy to have had the bad guys be the underdogs, but a growing threat which the Republic does not take seriously. The scenario in the sequels, where the FO suddenly have all this amazing military force somehow, is rather bad worldbuilding and a large contrivance.

I’m with you on keeping Luke as he is in TLJ - I think that’s a really compelling story. My issue would be that you’re cutting it in half. In TLJ, it’s crucial that Luke regains his optimism and sense of self at the end of the film, finding purpose in letting the Resistance fight another day. He is the heart of that film, but in this version he’s just a vehicle for some character conflict (Rey persuading him to train her), the necessary method of getting Rey that crucial training, and then being killed off to further the arc of the main villain. Regarding that last part, I’m fine with Snoke being treated that way in TLJ, but not Luke. He also would never get the chance to emerge from that state of pessimism and lack of self-belief that so many fans hated.

Another criticism would be that this seems like a lot to happen in one film and might be too ambitious, but that’s a minor one. It’s a structural issue, while I think the premise of your ep VII is very solid! I also like that the Knights of Ren would provide insight into the supremacist ideology of dark siders, and have a more interesting motive than ‘standing around and looking cool’. I also like that you don’t feel the need to continue the ‘Skywalker saga’ as such, making Kylo a villain not tied directly to this group of characters we’ve already been following. A complaint I have about the sequels is that too many characters feel part of this interconnected tight-knit group. In this version, Rey has no special heritage to define her, and neither does Kylo. I don’t mind him being Han and Leia’s son at all, but thematically this is much nicer. Great thoughts.

I think you’re right jedi_bendu. Killing Luke off without him overcoming his pessimism would be a terrible idea, so I’ll revise that part and have him survive until the final act of episode VIII, giving him time to restore his sense of justice.

I want to further delve into the details of my proposed ST. I previously mentioned the IR would have old Star Destroyers as mobile bases, and I want to add that they are equipped with miniaturised Death Star cannons which, while not powerful enough to destroy planets, can still raze entire cities and are quite useful at reducing the numbers of enemy fleets, their major drawback is their recharge time. The starfighters employed by the IR would have an aesthetic similar to that of the TIE Fighters, but unlike their predecessors are self-sufficient, having perks such as hyperdrives, taking off and landing on their own, all this because the IR can’t afford to mass produce TIE Fighters dependent on a base, thus we are presented with smaller fighter squadrons that make up for the numbers by their efficiency.

Although the Knights of Ren clearly draw from the Dark Side, what differentiates them from the Sith is that they aren’t concerned with proving the superiority of the dark over the light, but rather believe that Force wielders are inherently superior and should rule over what they consider to be lesser beings, and their ultimate goal is to create an Empire in which Force wielders are the ultimate authority, similar to the Tevinter Imperium from the Dragon Age games, where mages are the ruling class and everyone else is a second class citizen.

OK, now the ideas for my proposed episode VIII are starting to flow. I will post them later.