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I *AM* good at breaking these things down.
And I assure you that AotC is a better constructed film than TLJ.
Sad truth on the state of Star Wars.
May The Force Be With You BITCHES!
- Thread starter NeoCverA
- Start date
I *AM* good at breaking these things down.
And I assure you that AotC is a better constructed film than TLJ.
Sad truth on the state of Star Wars.
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I have noticed a trend and it’s that you are easy to please. This can be a good thing.
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it’s a film full of unsympathetic characterless characters who serve as nothing more than cannon and exposition fodder
I’ve seen Rogue One four times in an attempt to glean some good qualities out of it and I still can’t name any of the characters off the top of my head except the droid (who ironically had the most character in the whole film)
I have the reverse feeling in that I can’t for the life of me find why people enjoy that movie
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Ha, you actually couldn't be much farther from the truth. The only movies I've commented on in the past year or so on here are Alien Covenant (sucked all the phallic Geiger airbrushings), Blade Runner 2049 (hated it first viewing, loved it on the second time around), Rogue One (loved it), Clone Wars (worst movie I've ever seen in a theater), and The Last Jedi (didn't hate it but very disappointed). Not sure how that forms a trend. Also, not sure if you've noticed my anime preferences, but I tend to only like anything from the '80s and early '90s (with Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo as exceptions). I think the only recently released game I've commented on is SkyCurser which I said was a complete and utter turd. The only other thing I can think of is music. I've said that every "reunion" album from my favorite bands from this year (At the Drive-In, Quicksand, etc.) has sucked. To be fair, I think both Brand New's and Glassjaw's new albums are amazing, but I doubt anyone with similar taste would disagree with me.
My friends in real life legitimately think I'm a snob. Even my movie friends. Err, especially my movie friends. Personally, I don't think I'm a snob. I just think I'm good at separating "good" from "enjoyable". The Fast and the Furious is ridiculous. Good? No way. Enjoyable? Sure. And not that this gets you an automatic "I have good taste" card, but I do have a degree in film and journalism. I'll take a Criterion movie over a Hollywood sequel pretty much any day unless I want some stupid fun. My IRL friends are probably sick of hearing me saying "99% of everything is shit." Also, I tend to like movies that others don't and vice versa. For example, I thought It kinda sucked but Guardians 2 was good.
Specifically regarding Rogue One, sure, outside of the context of Star Wars, it's not a great movie. If it were some original IP, it wouldn't be nearly as good. But I've always wanted a dark, gritty, hopeless Star Wars movie. I agree that a lot of the characters are throwaways (probably my biggest problem with the movie) and the CGI characters were awful, but the main character was excellent, the suspense had me on the edge of my seat, the Vader scenes were awesome, the set and prop designs were great, and the movie had the best ending since Empire. If the reviews come in and they say "This was too dark to be a Star Wars movie," then I'm probably going to like it.
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I don't, but I do like to have both a subjective opinion and an objective assessment when I'm reviewing things in my head. I still think Rogue One is a great movie. I don't think it was perfect, though, and I can see why some people would be disappointed: mainly the severely hardcore Star Wars fans. The movie had a very clear objective (explaining how the Rebels got the Death Star plans) and I think it did a great job of creating a story around that. I was shocked when I asked a close friend of mine / Star Wars fan what he thought and all he had to say was "It was OK." I still can't get over the last 5 minutes of that movie.
I liked rouge one the best out of the new movies.
I hate the fact that what worked before is sort of being exploited by Disney. Porgs are like Ewoks mixed with those stupid yellow minions that every fucking little kid has on their backpack . The death star redone. Supreme leader Voldemort. Etc.
I hate the fact that what worked before is sort of being exploited by Disney. Porgs are like Ewoks mixed with those stupid yellow minions that every fucking little kid has on their backpack . The death star redone. Supreme leader Voldemort. Etc.
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I finally watched Rogue One for the first time the other day, and I'd take the last 30 minutes of that movie over the entirety of TFA any day. I saw TFA once in the theater and never bothered again.
I'll probably catch TLJ later this week; hopefully I come away from it with a more positive impression than TFA.
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Storm's a-comin'
Taiso's energies inside of him are compelling him to write a big ole essay on why TLJ sucks
it's coming
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Rogue One was just as bad as the other Disney SW films but I would LOVE to see Gareth Edward's original vision unaltered by the Mouse's meddling. It probably would have been a much better deconstruction and re-establishment of the series' premises than The Last Jedi, at any rate.
K2-S0 was, however, the best post Lucas character introduced to the series. I am not kidding when I say that I felt his sacrifice was as noble as any I've ever seen in these films. They made me care about and admire a droid. But the popcorn tasted great when the other characters were getting offed.
One position I previously held and backed off of was the Vader scene at the end. The first time I saw the film, I really hated that oddly shoehorned sequence but when I realized that this is just a fan service film, why not embrace the most fan servicey thing in it? Now I think it's glorious, the high point of an otherwise muddled mess of a film.
K2-S0 was, however, the best post Lucas character introduced to the series. I am not kidding when I say that I felt his sacrifice was as noble as any I've ever seen in these films. They made me care about and admire a droid. But the popcorn tasted great when the other characters were getting offed.
One position I previously held and backed off of was the Vader scene at the end. The first time I saw the film, I really hated that oddly shoehorned sequence but when I realized that this is just a fan service film, why not embrace the most fan servicey thing in it? Now I think it's glorious, the high point of an otherwise muddled mess of a film.
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Well said. I really liked R1 the first time, but subsequent viewings review the flaws. Donnie Yen's character in particular is criminal in terms of stupidity.
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Donnie Yen was conned in to appeal to the Chinese market
he even had those reservations prior to shooting and was assured that wasn’t the case
he was right all along
he even had those reservations prior to shooting and was assured that wasn’t the case
he was right all along
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Chirrut could have been the main character in Rogue One, or he could have been the mentor in a much more focused and tightly executed story.
Instead, he's blind, jokey weird Chinese Kung Fu master whose every actions seem like a tacked on afterthought.
Saw Guerrer (SP) is another character that they could have done so much with in this movie. Jyn is looking for her father and Saw is the only person she's had as a father figure for a decade or so. The second -the SECOND- Saw is in this movie, it should have become a tale about father figures and the impressions they leave on their charges. These characters clearly have a lot of baggage that is worth exploring in the context of a Star Wars film. While the intention is to explore father figures, it mishandles Saw to the point that it's impossible to care about the theme.
But instead, this radical terrorist (because that's what he is, even if he's on the right side) suddenly just....gives up? How does that even make any fucking sense? Oh look, he can barely breathe and is hooked up to all this mechanical equipment. The character clearly wants to keep living and keep fighting because everything we see about him and in how he acts so aggressively tells us that he wants to keep living and fighting.
But he sees the Death Star and is suddenly 'No, I quit. I give up. Fuck this.' In order for us to understand just how such a character would give up the fight in the SAME FUCKING SCENE he was introduced in, the story needs to give us a reason to believe in it. But hey, like Tommy Wiseau says, 'Sometimes things happen that is life.'
This isn't about Rogue One just being a bad Star Wars film. It's a shit film being propped up by nostalgia and fan service.
It's not about nitpicking it as a Star Wars film. It's about looking at its building blocks, the mechanics of its story, and realizing they're vastly, VASTLY wanting. It's a video game plot that has nothing to do with compelling narrative or interesting storytelling. It's an entirely unnecessary movie that adds nothing to the franchise. This is a bonus DLC mission for Battlefront, and a badly written one like that. This is an EU novel. It's fan fiction. But hey, Tarkin and Death Stars and space lasers so get in line, buy your tickets and don't think to ask for better.
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Dude. That movie was garbage. The characters were the most forgettable cast ever assembled. Talk about no charisma what so ever outside of the wise cracking robot (which still doesn't make sense that they'd program a computer to have "good comedic timing" for fuck sake).
Take them out of the star wars universe and take off your rose colored glasses, and you know what you've got? A very forgettable film.
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The funny thing is that I'm not even a Star Wars fanatic. I like it, but not to the point where the creators can do no wrong. I'll have to watch it again.
I don't think that "Take out X and you have Y" is usually a good argument because X is there. The main character worked within the universe she was in. The fact that she may not have worked outside of that universe is a moot point.
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Rogue One is a big missed opportunity to expand the universe and let us see what else is out there and what can be done in the Star Wars cinematic universe—instead it’s just Force-fed (puns!) nostalgia dipped in standard fair action
my biggest grip isn’t what the film is, but what it could’ve been (partially true as I really do hate the whole cardboard cast)
I would’ve loved to see a decent chunk of the film dedicated to establishing character plot and individual motivations while our main protagonists hunt down a ragtag group of rebel misfits (with special skills/abilities/quirks) to help steal the plans for the Death Star—maybe some kind of Misson Impossible type security breaching would’ve been a good backdrop or even anything other than what they gave us which was as boilerplate as it comes
we already knew the fate of these Rebels and developing empathetic characters should’ve been priority number one for the writers/director so we have a reason to care when they inevitably die
it’s a competent action film, but if you tossed out the Star Wars name and fanfare you’d just get Standard Action Movie #762
my biggest grip isn’t what the film is, but what it could’ve been (partially true as I really do hate the whole cardboard cast)
I would’ve loved to see a decent chunk of the film dedicated to establishing character plot and individual motivations while our main protagonists hunt down a ragtag group of rebel misfits (with special skills/abilities/quirks) to help steal the plans for the Death Star—maybe some kind of Misson Impossible type security breaching would’ve been a good backdrop or even anything other than what they gave us which was as boilerplate as it comes
we already knew the fate of these Rebels and developing empathetic characters should’ve been priority number one for the writers/director so we have a reason to care when they inevitably die
it’s a competent action film, but if you tossed out the Star Wars name and fanfare you’d just get Standard Action Movie #762
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Why would they program a droid to be passive aggressive and cowardly (3PO)? Why would they program an astro droid to be plucky and courageous when it only "speaks" in bleeps and bloops and all it really needs to do is make sure the shields on your X-Wing stay up (R2)?
The version I watched (Netflix) didn't have the fanfare at the beginning. Just the title card, no vanishing "Star Wars" or plot summary. Set the wrong tone from the beginning. I guess they're reserving that for the official numbered films in the saga.
I'd still take it over TFA, which is an even more cynical ploy to recycle the plot of ANH and sprinkle it with some nostalgia so it's more likable. And it had the benefit of the bar being set extremely low by the prequels, so its mediocre writing paired with familiar characters to get the audience excited again was enough to guarantee a hit. They didn't have to try very hard, and they succeeded. Unfortunately, Vader and weird CGI Tarkin and Leia weren't enough nostalgia to save R1.
Based on what I'm hearing about TLJ, I'm expecting to at least respect it for trying something different, even if it misfires in some aspects.
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I will agree with fakexsound on the whole 'if you take away Star Wars' criticism being invalid.
Guess what?
If you take Star Wars, what is a A New Hope? Standard hero adventure story #875896732096795476
Star Wars (the first one) proves that sometimes, updating the blueprint is all that's necessary.
In fact, I'd say it's the familiarity with the material that makes it so much more accessible than, say, Star Trek, which challenges human behavior and challenges its audience. Star Wars is comfort food for the masses.
Lucas was a prototype James Cameron, Cameron before Cameron if you will. Telling basic stories with stunning presentation in order to draw in the largest audience.
Guess what?
If you take Star Wars, what is a A New Hope? Standard hero adventure story #875896732096795476
Star Wars (the first one) proves that sometimes, updating the blueprint is all that's necessary.
In fact, I'd say it's the familiarity with the material that makes it so much more accessible than, say, Star Trek, which challenges human behavior and challenges its audience. Star Wars is comfort food for the masses.
Lucas was a prototype James Cameron, Cameron before Cameron if you will. Telling basic stories with stunning presentation in order to draw in the largest audience.
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Yes, exactly! Star Wars 101 is that Star Wars is just another version of the typical narrative Joseph Campbell mapped out as The Hero of 1000 Faces. Star Wars is the SAME FUCKING STORY we read and watch over and over and over again. It's the world - the art direction, the names, the allusions - that get your mind running and make Star Wars what it is. Superficial elements are what define most stories. Want to do something different? Go for it! Make an art film. Make Upstream Color. And hey, I'd love to see a Star Wars art film. Give Jodo Star Wars. Why the fuck not? But actually expecting some transcendent shit from LucasFilm, Fox, or Disney is just stupid.
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Well yeah that's not exclusive to netflix, that's normal.
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Umm, if you didn't rate a new hope, why have you been watching star wars films for decades?
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Dude, I don't even know what the hell you're talking about. You aren't even speaking English. Please read what I wrote.
Rot
Calvin & Hobbes, ,
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Not all Brits are like this Taiso pal... don't hate us
xROTx
PS. On Topic... I shall re-iterate... FFFFUUCCKKK.... DDIISSNNEEYY!!!:angorzgif:
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Not all Brits are like this Taiso pal... don't hate us
xROTx
PS. On Topic... I shall re-iterate... FFFFUUCCKKK.... DDIISSNNEEYY!!!:angorzgif:
We good fam
I just...I need to go read some Jung or Hawking now because I'm desperate to get back the brain cells I lost reading SteveNK's comment.
And for the record, I'm not going to have some vendetta against SteveNK. Maybe he's not the guy to pull off a 'gotcha' moment is all.