The Super-Late-To-The-Party Star Wars : Force Awakes thread

[Marek]

Yes I know how lttp I am, but guess what? My girlfriend never saw the originals and we cleared all the Harmy's Despecialized versions of the good stuff. I know, she's a keeper. Hence, I just saw the movie this afternoon.

I successfully avoided spoilers including all of your thoughts, sadly. I dont want my post to get totally lost in the mix because I was so lttp so here are my thoughts.

I fucking loved it. The ratio of things I loved about it versus new fangled hollywood bullshit was about 80/20, which far exceeded expectations.

Harrison Ford knocked it out of the fucking park. He even had his own "Bitches leave!" moment with, "Move, ball!" Surely Im not the only person that busted out laughing at that. Anyway his dialog was outstanding.

Didn't love the new antagonist, too much Hollywood perfect hair pretty boy, even if his character is supposed to be a tryhard wannabe evil master fag wearing a mask for no reason, etc. Still he is a marked improvement on Hayden Christiansen (worst ever). And hey! He killed fucking Han Solo so I will enjoy watching him die!

Finn is an odd character. How does a stormtrooper, raised by the empire from birth have pizzazz and character? I mean at times he was properly grim, and I like the character overall, but it seems bizarre that he's all goofy and animated... having just walked away from the first order. Possibly the first defection ever? Also glad they cleared up why this guy wasnt a clone because that was a brow-furrowing moment for sure.

Loved the new female protagonist (Rei? Raya?) and actually thought that the love angle was very believable and good. She is a believable hard-assed scrap scavenger, and there is room for development and whatnot.

The overall presence of old characters, however briefly, filled me with actual joy. Admiral Akbar, the look on Luke's face as he looks his new trainee in the face, Chewy's blaster rampage, I mean holy shit guys... Havent seen this much well-done fan service in such a short period of time since Batman : Arkham Asylum.

I thought the overall flow of the movie was balanced between joy and suspense.

Girlfriend loved it. Even wants to see the 1/2/3 episodes.

I'm sure I'll remember more stuff that crossed my mind in the ensuing conversation, and look forward to reading all of your thoughts in the other thread that I assume became the Star Wars discussion thread.

I also actually threatened to fight a drunk friend who had that look on his face like he was gonna ruin star wars for everyone (only a couple days after release). I was serious too.

 

[neojedi]

TFA was a solid, entertaining Star Wars movie. I'm hoping that the cast can carry the saga going forward.

Spoiler:

without Harrison Ford around

Disney seems to have found the formula to justify their investment - reuse all of the concepts that worked in the original trilogy and create new stories and worldbuilding only when they fall within that framework. Star Wars Rebels was the same thing... much simpler and more derivative than the Clone Wars series, but succeeds in being consistently entertaining whereas Clone Wars was hit or miss.

 

[Wachenroder]

I agree with most of your assessment...except for Rey. I found her great for the first half or so of the movie...then she started using the force. After that, I realized that she pretty much was a better ANH Luke Leia and Han all rolled into one. She could basically do everything she wanted and was even good at the force right away with no guidance or anything. I imagine they will try to explain it in the next movies but eh...

I still liked the movie a lot but man they really dropped the ball with her.

 

[Dr Shroom]

Stay away from the prequels.
Move along, move along.

 

[Cylotron]

I really want to see this(just haven't yet). I don't like being in a packed theater. Went to see 'The Forest' this weekend and lots of showing for Star Wars were still selling out.

 

[Wachenroder]

I really want to see this(just haven't yet). I don't like being in a packed theater. Went to see 'The Forest' this weekend and lots of showing for Star Wars were still selling out.

you sure you want to be in a late to the party thread? or were you already spoiled.

 

[Karou]

the Harmy's Despecialized version

what are those? I don't do star wars much. I'm not sure I've seen, theres three right ? all the new ones(disregarding awakens). I saw the go in the lava one in a theater though. it was overwhelming! that guy looks like I imagine my cousin would have if he had grown up...he went gas huffer and to jail and stuff, I'm not sure hes not dead.

 

[F4U57]

Still haven't seen it..

 

[smokehouse]

Stay away from the prequels.
Move along, move along.

Yeah...pretty much.

If I were talking to any SW noob, I'd strongly recommend they simply skip over I-III...or at least, not take the key plot points worth a grain of salt. If they insisted, I'd say skip Ep I entirely. You could basically sum up the one key plot point of the film as "Obi Wan finds Anakin as a child and takes him on as a Padawn learner"...that's about all you need to take from that burning pile of shit. The rest of the film mucks up the waters......and then there's enduring Jar Jar...and 40 min of trade negotiation shit...god, I fucking hate episode I...

Spoiler:

The "virgin birth", midi-chlorian, and Anakin creating C-3PO shit need to be erased from history...such abominations...

 

[starfighter]

Seen it in regualr theater and wondering if its worth seeing again in 3D???

 

[LoneSage]

considering vader's a force ghost

you think he woulda just talked kylo ren out of being an asshole

 

[smokehouse]

considering vader's a force ghost

you think he woulda just talked kylo ren out of being an asshole

Good point...never thought of that one...

Possibly it's a "gotta want to see it" type of thing. If not, why didn't Yoda and Obi Wan just fuck with the emperor non stop?

That would have been some funny shit...ghost Yoda and Obi Wan fucking with the emperor while he on the toilet, trying to sleep, or while trying to make a tough put in "sith-golf" or whatever he did in his free time...

Maybe they did, that's why he was such a grumpy asshole...

 

[Electric Grave]

As much as I want to agree with the common hate for the prequels but when it comes to Phantom Menace there's too many good things to just trashed it like the other 2. For starters Darth Maul's character design was phenomenal, Qui-Gon is my favorite Jedi, his lines were awesome and delivered well even though the story was craptastic, I hate whinny kids in movies but that Pod Race was awesome for me at the time, the CG work on that was superb, then we have the best light saber fights ever too!

I know people care more about the story than anything else when it comes to star wars but I'll be honest and say that I love Phantom Menace for the eye candy and the overall feeling, although Jar-Jar Binks always makes me cringe with hatred, nothing in this life is perfect so I guess I just gotta take the good with the bad.

On topic, I saw the movie and I enjoyed it, I felt the black kid felt too generic but I guess that's the whole point. The girl having that much control over the force was lame as hell, I did not like that at all and it almost ruined this new story for me, it still is too early to tell though, there's still hope. However, this movie is like WWE, rehashing moves that brought the glory days to see if people bite, whatever, I guess is fun nonetheless. Almost every scene felt familiar which is a good thing but you can also see the fear in the producers' eyes at trying something new that brings the series to a whole new level and leave everyone feeling better about the series as a whole, not the case yet, I guess we'll just wait and see...

Also the "new" vader was great until he took that helmet off...fucking stupid nerd trend going on makes people think that Icabod Crane can come in and steal the show...really?!

Also the Black guy looks like on of them aliens from star wars, you know, the one that looks like a boar...

 

[smokehouse]

As much as I want to agree with the common hate for the prequels but when it comes to Phantom Menace there's too many good things to just trashed it like the other 2. For starters Darth Maul's character design was phenomenal, Qui-Gon is my favorite Jedi, his lines were awesome and delivered well even though the story was craptastic, I hate whinny kids in movies but that Pod Race was awesome for me at the time, the CG work on that was superb, then we have the best light saber fights ever too!

I know people care more about the story than anything else when it comes to star wars but I'll be honest and say that I love Phantom Menace for the eye candy and the overall feeling, although Jar-Jar Binks always makes me cringe with hatred, nothing in this life is perfect so I guess I just gotta take the good with the bad.

On topic, I saw the movie and I enjoyed it, I felt the black kid felt too generic but I guess that's the whole point. The girl having that much control over the force was lame as hell, I did not like that at all and it almost ruined this new story for me, it still is too early to tell though, there's still hope. However, this movie is like WWE, rehashing moves that brought the glory days to see if people bite, whatever, I guess is fun nonetheless. Almost every scene felt familiar which is a good thing but you can also see the fear in the producers' eyes at trying something new that brings the series to a whole new level and leave everyone feeling better about the series as a whole, not the case yet, I guess we'll just wait and see...

Also the "new" vader was great until he took that helmet off...fucking stupid nerd trend going on makes people think that Icabod Crane can come in and steal the show...really?!

The problem with Episode 1...and why I've denounced it, it enduring the shit to get to the good. The percentage of bad to good is easily 90-10, or even 95-5.

The good:
-Qui Gon: great character and actor, but he is bound to dumb fucking dialog and horrible story telling
-Jedi-sith battle: the one mega fight scene between Darth Maul and Qui Gon/Obi Won is epic...but that's one fight and during that fight you're forced to watch Llyod horrifically green screen act his way through a dumb-as-hell space battle.
-Pod Race: Another great scene...scattered with adolescent George Lucas humor and Llyod's terrible acting painfully scattered in the mix.

The bad:
-The cardboard performance from Natalie Portman (which I do not blame on her)...her character is just horrible throughout the film.
-The actual over-plot...which is horribly boring, fucking trade negotiations? Really?
-The horrific acting abilities of Jake LLyod...the kid was a serious hack, his horrific acting fucked up many a scene
-Anything to do with the over the top, borderline racist Gungans. Jar Jar isn't the only bad here...anything involving the slapstick, retarded Gungans is fucking painful to endure
-The force wrecking and pointless midi-chlorian horse shit...

What good parts there are in the film are scattered in an ocean of boring plot, terrible acting, plain old dumb humor and other assorted bit of shit that make for a terrible overall film. I literally cannot bring myself to watch that train wreck again...it's that bad. Sitting there, watching a completely CG battle between the Gungans and those stupid robots is a great example of how much of a hack director Lucas is. Two totally fake groups, that the viewer doesn't give a flying fuck about, needlessly fighting in a pointless scene that drags on and on.

What a steaming pile of shit Episode 1 is...I'd rather see a short film of Lucas cumming on some poor homeless woman's face (CG enhanced cum, for sure), then chucking a pile of $100 bills at her , saying "may the force be with you, whore" and then walking off, pant-less. That would have been more appropriate, and probably more entertaining, then Episode 1.

 

[Electric Grave]

Still the best out of the three.

I didn't mind Anakin nor the Queen as much, the Gungans...meh, let them live, don't bother me as much as Jar-Jar, the plot? lol, is George Lucas, please.

To me Episode One is just like another decent Chinese martial arts movie, I have my reasons to watch it but I know full well there are plenty of short comings there. I guess I'm not a fanboy by any means like many others but I do like the series as a whole.

Also, just 'cause it needs to be said...

THULSA DOOM >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> x1000 Darth Vader

 

[smokehouse]

Still the best out of the three.

I didn't mind Anakin nor the Queen as much, the Gungans...meh, let them live, don't bother me as much as Jar-Jar, the plot? lol, is George Lucas, please.

To me Episode One is just like another decent Chinese martial arts movie, I have my reasons to watch it but I know full well there are plenty of short comings there. I guess I'm not a fanboy by any means like many others but I do like the series as a whole.

Also, just 'cause it needs to be said...

THULSA DOOM >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> x1000 Darth Vader

I think what gets me is the wasted effort and potential. Anyone can make a bad film, and they do. But fuck up Star Wars? With all of that $$, and time, and potential...Lucas still managed to fuck it horribly.

One point of note...the Kylo Ren thing...he is a whiny bitch, I won't deny that. But...most dark force users seem to be. Vader was a bitch, a whiny teen bitch in his youth, a more seasoned, slower to react bitch in his elder years. So was the Emperor...who was a bitchy ass hole. I think that if Kylo Ren had his shit together, he wouldn't have turned...it kind of goes hand in hand. A seasoned, evil mentor finds a troubled but talented youth and corrupts him...pretty straight forward stuff.

*EDIT*
I look forward to more Knights of Ren stuff...

 

[LoneSage]

kylo ren in the marines

 

[Poonman]

During that improv comedy jam that was the war between gungans and robots.... there was that part where jar jar was fumbling waterballs like a stupid fuck....

It was then that my second cousin yelled 'someone fucking kill that guy!!!' In the theatre and more than half the people gave him a standing ovation.

 

[BladeDancer314]

Best movie ever, not.

 

[Renmauzo]

Still haven't seen it yet.

 

[DevilRedeemed]

I think this film revealed that the force is fundamentally a female energy. it is non rational, instinctive and tied to the emotion. that's why Rey masters it so quickly. the mind has always been an obstacle with regards to the use of the force, and the mind is a masculine related facet of our makeup.
overall it mirrors where things stand today. women are equal, not just in abstract terms and ultimately as consumers.

 

[SudoShinji]

3 was better than 7 and I hate the prequels. Hopefully they get a real director for 8 so we can get a story that makes sense.

 

[joe8]

Yes I know how lttp I am, but guess what? My girlfriend never saw the originals and we cleared all the Harmy's Despecialized versions of the good stuff. I know, she's a keeper. Hence, I just saw the movie this afternoon.

I successfully avoided spoilers including all of your thoughts, sadly. I dont want my post to get totally lost in the mix because I was so lttp so here are my thoughts.

I fucking loved it. The ratio of things I loved about it versus new fangled hollywood bullshit was about 80/20, which far exceeded expectations.

Harrison Ford knocked it out of the fucking park. He even had his own "Bitches leave!" moment with, "Move, ball!" Surely Im not the only person that busted out laughing at that. Anyway his dialog was outstanding.

Didn't love the new antagonist, too much Hollywood perfect hair pretty boy, even if his character is supposed to be a tryhard wannabe evil master fag wearing a mask for no reason, etc. Still he is a marked improvement on Hayden Christiansen (worst ever). And hey! He killed fucking Han Solo so I will enjoy watching him die!

Finn is an odd character. How does a stormtrooper, raised by the empire from birth have pizzazz and character? I mean at times he was properly grim, and I like the character overall, but it seems bizarre that he's all goofy and animated... having just walked away from the first order. Possibly the first defection ever? Also glad they cleared up why this guy wasnt a clone because that was a brow-furrowing moment for sure.

Loved the new female protagonist (Rei? Raya?) and actually thought that the love angle was very believable and good. She is a believable hard-assed scrap scavenger, and there is room for development and whatnot.

The overall presence of old characters, however briefly, filled me with actual joy. Admiral Akbar, the look on Luke's face as he looks his new trainee in the face, Chewy's blaster rampage, I mean holy shit guys... Havent seen this much well-done fan service in such a short period of time since Batman : Arkham Asylum.

I thought the overall flow of the movie was balanced between joy and suspense.

Girlfriend loved it. Even wants to see the 1/2/3 episodes.

I'm sure I'll remember more stuff that crossed my mind in the ensuing conversation, and look forward to reading all of your thoughts in the other thread that I assume became the Star Wars discussion thread.

I also actually threatened to fight a drunk friend who had that look on his face like he was gonna ruin star wars for everyone (only a couple days after release). I was serious too.

The original trilogy (and maybe the prequels as well) were better than Force Awakens. At least they were real Star Wars movies, with George Lucas at the helm.
The "Star Trek" reboot movie was good, but you could argue it wasn't a real Star Trek movie, as it didn't have the focus on technology and social issues that Star Trek Trek is supposed to have. So maybe it's the same with Force Awakens. Aspects of the story, like the Force, are glossed over, or just treated in a superficial fanboy way (but, at least it ignores the concept of "midichlorians" that Lucas introduced in the prequels). The prequel trilogy had new spaceships and planets, whereas Force Awakens is just a retread of everything. There isn't enough exposition, the movie is just all action, which is typical of J. J. Abrams. It might be a better movie if they release an extended version on blu-ray (some important scenes were outtakes from the movie, like the introduction of Leia earlier in the film than in the final version). The storyline is very similar to Episode IV, with some elements thrown in from Episodes V and VI. Usually when movies (for example, sequels) recycle so much from previous movies, they don't end up being movies that are very good. An exception might be Terminator 2, which has many elements from Terminator 1, but presents them in a different way, that makes them seem new and interesting. So if you have the right director, revisiting the first movie can work well.
Lucas should have chosen a more established director, like James Cameron or Ridley Scott, who would have a deeper understanding of what a Star Wars movie should be.

 

[evil wasabi]

please give your opinions on this in a month or so when you see it again and realize the writing was shit and it didn't have anything close to the scale of the original movies (not the prequilogy)

 

[HDRchampion]

My guess Rey got her memory erased...Its probably just muscle memory how she was able to tap into it faster then others.

Thought the movie was pretty good but there was really no iconic scenes throughout the whole movie except maybe for Han w/ Ben but even that felt a bit flat. Kylo Ren should have never took off his mask until the end. I think it would have had more of an impact if we didn't see his face until the confrontation.

A really cool scenario would have been Han yelling for Ben. Then stormtroopers shoots at Han & Kylo saves him by stopping the blaster shot like he did earlier. Then Kylo takes of his mask showing his face for the first time. Have the whole father and son chat & then son does the deed.

I do like the Mystery Box Abrams did for the film. Really want to know who these new characters are & hopefully will be answered next episode.