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Bob Morris
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2886 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2015 5:43 pm Post subject: Star Wars Thread |
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io9.com has somebody who is going back to watch the first six Star Wars films, one each week until Force Awakens hits theaters, so I'll try to pull his reviews here.
First up, Phantom Menace, in which he has a good synopsis of why the film doesn't hold up.
http://io9.com/star-wars-the-phantom-menace-doesnt-really-get-what-it-1742188503
Quote: | The Phantom Menace truly begins when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan finally meet Queen Amidala. Unfortunately, it takes about 25 minutes for that to happen. I can’t think of a worse mishandling of a franchise start than the beginning of The Phantom Menace. It’s like George Lucas lined up for the 100 yard dash at the Olympics and not only tripped at the start, but crawled the first half of the race with bloody nose. |
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jdw Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 17247
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Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2015 7:24 pm Post subject: |
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As tempting as this concept is, there is no way that I could get Cheetah to watch Clones and Sith before we watch The Force Awakens. ;) |
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jdw Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 17247
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Bob Morris
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2886 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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The Attack of the Clones review.
http://io9.com/attack-of-the-clones-is-a-star-wars-wish-fulfillment-ch-1743553858
Quote: | Basically, Attack of the Clones is PG-rated Star Wars pornography. It’s an hodgepodge of wish-fulfillment, linked together by dialogue and plot that rarely justify their existence. In scene after scene, we’re presented with events, characters and more that we’d always dreamed of seeing in a Star Wars movie, then we see those events and characters bungled thanks to bad digital effects, dialogue and acting. |
The bolded part belongs in a quote machine. :) |
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Steve Yohe
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 3124 Location: Wonderful Montebello CA
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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I just have the feeling their going to stink it up. I'm a negative guy. Seen nothing good yet.--Yohe |
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jdw Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 17247
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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Bob Morris wrote: | The Attack of the Clones review.
http://io9.com/attack-of-the-clones-is-a-star-wars-wish-fulfillment-ch-1743553858
Quote: | Basically, Attack of the Clones is PG-rated Star Wars pornography. It’s an hodgepodge of wish-fulfillment, linked together by dialogue and plot that rarely justify their existence. In scene after scene, we’re presented with events, characters and more that we’d always dreamed of seeing in a Star Wars movie, then we see those events and characters bungled thanks to bad digital effects, dialogue and acting. |
The bolded part belongs in a quote machine. :) |
This isn't going to be any help in getting Cheetah to break down and finally watch this. :P |
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jdw Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 17247
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2015 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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Steve Yohe wrote: | I just have the feeling their going to stink it up. I'm a negative guy. Seen nothing good yet.--Yohe |
Every promo has been terrific. :) |
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Bob Morris
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2886 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2015 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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The Revenge of the Sith review:
http://io9.com/sure-revenge-of-the-sith-is-the-best-star-wars-prequel-1744646183
Reviewer's summary was that it had some very good moments mixed in with some very bad things.
Quote: | That fight is intercut with one of the biggest moments of the film. Palpatine finally reveals himself to Anakin as a Sith Lord. Watching this scene, I was amazed at how underwhelming it was. “Why,” I wondered? Well, it’s because this isn’t a reveal at all. We knew in The Phantom Menace, from plot hints as well as the casting of Ian McDiarmid, that Palpatine was a Sith. Attack of the Clones offered even more obvious clues and in first hour of Revenge of the Sith it’s banged into your head. So, the moment is completely undercut because Anakin and the Jedi are the only people who haven’t figured this out. I imagine at some point this was considered a big, “I am your father” type reveal, but it’s the opposite. It makes us think less of our heroes, because they’ve missed so many clues and look so dumb.
Juxtapose that with a simpler, wonderful moment a few scenes later. Obi-Wan is still fighting Grievous, Anakin has told Mace Windu about Palpatine and Windu has demanded that Anakin go to the Jedi Council chambers while they take care of the situation. Obviously, he doesn’t want to, but he’s also conflicted. So he goes. And the movie takes a pause. It slowly cuts between Padme and Anakin, both looking troubled. Anakin is weighing the biggest decision of his life, and Christensen even sheds a tear. The scene is kind of stunning because it lets the audience revel in this critical moment. THE moment. The moment where Anakin decides to disobey Windu to help Palpatine, even before he kills him in the next scene. |
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Steve Yohe
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 3124 Location: Wonderful Montebello CA
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Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2015 4:20 am Post subject: |
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"Every promo has been terrific. :)"
Not to me....maybe your a mark.....We'll see.--Yohe |
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Bob Morris
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2886 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 9:34 am Post subject: |
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Lussier rewatches Star Wars: A New Hope.
http://io9.com/the-original-star-wars-is-a-great-movie-because-it-asks-1745802421
One of his points goes back to something I shared elsewhere, in which George Lucas seems to think the story is about Anakin, but it really works better when it's about Luke.
Quote: | Then, finally, after almost an entire act of the film, we meet our hero: Luke Skywalker. As unrelatable as the ultra-powerful brat as Anakin Skywalker was, Luke Skywalker is completely relatable. He’s a wide-eyed kid who just wants to see the world, something every single person can understand. He’s a perfect everyman hero to follow on this journey and yet, by this point in the film, we’re still scratching our head about where this is all going. |
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Bob Morris
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2886 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2015 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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Lussier talks about The Empire Strikes Back.
http://io9.com/the-empire-strikes-back-is-everything-you-love-about-st-1747211618
Quote: | In very first scene of the movie, Luke Skywalker gets attacked and captured. Han Solo’s first real dialogue scene is about him being on the run. The Rebels are forced to leave their base on Hoth. The Millennium Falcon gets attacked and has constant troubles with the hyperdrive. Han and Leia are betrayed by Lando. Han is tortured. C-3PO gets blown up. Han is kidnapped. Luke loses his hand and Darth Vader reveals his true identity. We become bigger fans of these people because we see them go through hell. |
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Bob Morris
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2886 Location: New Mexico
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jdw Site Admin
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 17247
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Bob Morris
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2886 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 9:45 am Post subject: |
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And Lussier finishes it up with a Return of the Jedi review.
http://io9.gizmodo.com/no-matter-if-you-love-or-hate-return-of-the-jedi-youre-1748161502
Quote: | Growing up, I always said Return of the Jedi was my favorite Star Wars movie. It wasn’t until years later I realized I was in the minority by saying that. Watching it again, I now know exactly why I enjoy it so much, why others don’t, and why we’re both completely right. |
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Bob Morris
Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 2886 Location: New Mexico
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Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2015 11:01 am Post subject: |
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Box Office Mojo lists the records Force Awakens could break.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4131&p=.htm
On another note, please keep spoilers out of this thread. I know that's not listed in the title, so I'll create another one. Just trying to avoid spoilers since I won't get to see it until I join the family for the holidays next week. |
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