The Star Wars Thread

[hivemind]

Originally Posted by keirarts

I much prefer force awakens and last Jedi to any of the prequels . The prequels are bad film making plain and simple. The new ones from a purely technical standpoint are much better. Last Jedi for me is probably even better than return of the Jedi.

Have you been on the Vodka keirats?

I think I need a triple shot of SC after that comment.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

I wonder what children think of these new films? Are they capturing the imagination like the original trilogy did for kids like me? Do they wow them? Can't they wait to get a new action figure or comic? Or has social media and bollocks like that become the new 'must have' Star Wars like phenomenon?

I suspect not due to the sheer volume of franchises of the superhero variety doing the rounds at the same time. Yes there was Superman back then but that was it. Nowadays we need Superman + Batman + Wonder Woman and they can't even get that right. Incidentally like Star Wars there hasn't been a better Superman film since that period either.

In that ten year period George Lucas practically rewrote the book on film making. Can a modern film do today what Star Wars did in the late 70's? I truly doubt it.

[trebor8273]

just bought these kindle books

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by keirarts

I much prefer force awakens and last Jedi to any of the prequels . The prequels are bad film making plain and simple. The new ones from a purely technical standpoint are much better. Last Jedi for me is probably even better than return of the Jedi.

Originally Posted by hivemind

Have you been on the Vodka keirats?

I think I need a triple shot of SC after that comment.

I agree with kierarts on this; the prequel trilogy films are horribly written, flat, uninspiring, clumsily directed, largely devoid of excitement, and (with the possible exceptions of Liam Neeson and Christopher Lee) have wooden acting across the board.

The Last Jedi, objectively speaking, features fully developed characters, exciting and engaging action sequences which further the narrative and fine performances from the entire cast.

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by hivemind

Have you been on the Vodka keirats?

I think I need a triple shot of SC after that comment.

No. I just think some of the reactions to last Jedi have been a little silly. From a technical standpoint there's no criticism of the film I wouldn't also direct at the original films or the prequels.

On online forums it's been a little bit of a circle jerk for people to shit on a film that's a continuation of a franchise that had run out of steam years ago.

It's easy to forget that the original star wars was actually quite badly directed in many scenes and was saved in the editing room. Jedi became one big toy commercial in the final act.

I think force awakens main flaw was that it felt like a fan film rather than it's own picture. Last Jedi remedies a lot of those problems. It also wisely let's the audience know that star wars from now on won't be simply slavish to the previous films but instead is going to do it's own thing. That's much better than producing $200 million plus wank mags for 30 year old fans bound by decades of novelization, comics and other lore. It gives the setting an opening for new audiences.

[trebor8273]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

I agree with kierarts on this; the prequel trilogy films are horribly written, flat, uninspiring, clumsily directed, largely devoid of excitement, and (with the possible exceptions of Liam Neeson and Christopher Lee) have wooden acting across the board.

The Last Jedi, objectively speaking, features fully developed characters, exciting and engaging action sequences which further the narrative and fine performances from the entire cast.

agree, people can complain about the character of Kylo Ren but you can't complain about Andrew Driver's performance that far outshone most of what was on offer in the prequels, especially Anakin the mannequin

[hivemind]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I think the original actors had a certain something, that one off star power. Harrison Ford for example became one of the legendary film stars of all time. I truly can't see John Boyega or Daisy Ridley having that quality. Think the first time you saw Darth Vader... Wow. Can anyone who's not just seen the new film even picture what Kylo Ren or Snoke look like? I know i can't.

Nos mentioned The Exorcist. Another film that had that certain something. That timeless classic aura. I bet the majority of people don't even know it has another four films attached to it.

They did, but I think with any film like Star Wars, you have to create the chemistry and develop characters with a decent, well told story + have a director that actually understands the notion and value of working with actors like Richard Marquand did in Return of the Jedi. I found The Last Jedi very disjointed with how it approached the story in general. You had no real idea who hell Snoke was at all. What his back story was etc. The story jumps all over the place, and you really don't feel any warmth with the Rey/Skywalker relationship. The most pivotal relationship in the entire film for God's sake.

This whole film never connected or gave me a feeling of WOW! with goosebumps, not once. Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and even Return had moments that made you feel that you had fully invested in the characters, and you as a cinemagoer went on a epic journey across the stars with a trusted band of friends.

RIP STAR WARS. It was great whilst it lasted

1977-05

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Demdike@Cult Labs

I wonder what children think of these new films? Are they capturing the imagination like the original trilogy did for kids like me? Do they wow them? Can't they wait to get a new action figure or comic? Or has social media and bollocks like that become the new 'must have' Star Wars like phenomenon?

I suspect not due to the sheer volume of franchises of the superhero variety doing the rounds at the same time. Yes there was Superman back then but that was it. Nowadays we need Superman + Batman + Wonder Woman and they can't even get that right. Incidentally like Star Wars there hasn't been a better Superman film since that period either.

In that ten year period George Lucas practically rewrote the book on film making. Can a modern film do today what Star Wars did in the late 70's? I truly doubt it.

When the first Star Wars film was released, films classified as 'blockbuster' or 'tentpole' releases were rare and a new occurrence. Looking at the releases over the last month or so: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Star Wars – The Last Jedi, The Greatest Showman, The Disaster Artist, Paddington 2, or even Battle of the Sexes would have been things which attracted massive audiences and stuck around in cinemas for months. As it is, only Paddington 2 is sticking around (just as TLJ will) and most of the others will either have disappeared, or will do very quickly after the holidays.

When the spectacle is possibly the only thing that makes people go to the cinema because of the price, large flatscreen TVs at home and the knowledge the film will be available to buy in a few months, it's no surprise that relatively small films without the 'wow' factor are either not released, disappear quickly or are only available in small arthouse cinemas.

[keirarts]

I went with a friend who is autistic who's convinced kylo ren/Ben solo is autistic.
He loved the film.
I like that both he and ray break free of their mentors and the weight of their legacy and opt to decide things for themselves. Kylo ren may make a terrible decision but you get the sense it's the first one he's made for himself.
Ray gets shown the ropes as far as the force is concerned. She also learns about the failures of the Jedi which is probably the more important lesson as you cannot change things without learning about the past.
Finn learns that both the first order and the rebels are buying their weapons from the same source and that the constant war only profits the wealthy arms dealers. Ultimately the rebeĺlion is now about the pawns finding a new game.
Legacy, bloodlines, birthright are all horseshit. It's about the decisions people make. Ultimately there's lots going on in last Jedi. Probably more than a lot of previous star wars films

[trebor8273]

Originally Posted by hivemind

They did, but I think with any film like Star Wars, you have to create the chemistry and develop characters with a decent, well told story + have a director that actually understands the notion and value of working with actors like Richard Marquand did in Return of the Jedi. I found The Last Jedi very disjointed with how it approached the story in general. You had no real idea who hell Snoke was at all. What his back story was etc. The story jumps all over the place, and you really don't feel any warmth with the Rey/Skywalker relationship. The most pivotal relationship in the entire film for God's sake.

This whole film never connected or gave me a feeling of WOW! with goosebumps, not once. Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and even Return had moments that made you feel that you had fully invested in the characters, and you as a cinemagoer went on a epic journey across the stars with a trusted band of friends.



RIP STAR WARS. It was great whilst it lasted

1977-05

the same can be said about the emperor, he had no real back story in the original trilogy all you knew he was the emperor and Vaders master, that was it, yep i would of like them to explore more about Snoke, but i glad they did what they did so Kylo Ren can move on as a character, a book will be done about him or more will be explained in the next film.