Star Wars: The Last Jedi (SPOILERS)

[Emperorjones]

It would've been a darker ending to the prequels but I think the prequels needed to be even darker.

Back in th' day, I've read in some interviews that Lucas wanted the prequels (particularly 'Episode I') to look like a golden age, with sunny afternoon lighting, beautiful sunsets and evenings.  For the most part, that effect was achieved.  He also wanted every other episode  after that to appear darker and darker, so that the fall of the Jedi Order would reflect that until the last light in the distant city skyline switched off like a light switch.*


What were your first impressions of Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace when you first saw it in the theaters?

Be honest!





*O.K. I got that imagery from 'Boomerang' but you get the picture! 

With what you described of Lucas's plan for the prequels I think he succeeded in making each one darker, but the execution needed work overall. As for Episode I, I was hype going into it. And I was enjoying it until Jar Jar Binks showed up. And it went downhill from there. I endured the rest of it until Darth Maul showed up and got excited all over again. "The Duel of the Fates" was awesome but then Maul is taken out (assumed killed at the time) and that left me very disappointed. I did enjoy the few Palpatine scenes and I got a chill when Palpatine first met Anakin and patted him on the shoulder.

In comparison to the other prequel films, which I liked much much better, I do think prefer the look and feel of Episode I. I don't know if Lucas used any practical effects for Episode I but that universe felt more lived in than the video gamey other prequels. But the story and characters in Episode I needed a lot of work. I consider Episode I largely a waste of time, which forced Lucas to rush too much stuff through in the other prequel films.

I went and saw The Mummy afterward and it had everything Episode I lacked. It had a good villain that actually was in the film. It had engaging characters, humor, romance, and adventure.

[Emperorjones]

Only thing cool about EP1 was Maul, Qui Gon, and Obi.

Mostly Maul

Tge rest was garbage

Starting anakin as a child was a mistake

I agree with you about Anakin. I'm one of the few people who liked Hayden Christensen actually and I wish the film had either started with him, or just cast an older person from jump. Someone like Rick Schroeder. I would've preferred an older Anakin and also an older Obi-Wan (though I really grew to appreciate Ewan McGregor's performance).

The prequels had a serious story to tell, of how good people and a democratic society falls, and should've had the same tone as the LOTR movies IMO. Where some kids can get it, but it's not necessarily kid friendly. And there are no blatantly silly or kid bait characters like Jar Jar Binks. Personally I don't think the original trilogy pandered to kids all that much, but as a kid I got it.

[Battle]

Interesting...

Visually, 'Episode I' was spectacular.  Saw the movie three times in the theater.

I was hanging on to every word of that opening crawl and every piece of dialogue spoken by every character.

There were a lot of "Wow!" moments like:

The establishing shot of the Naboo palace with the waterfall and landscape.

I wasn't bothered by Jar Jar as everyone else was; his antics reminded me of the Looney Tunes characters from Warner Bros. much like the pod racers on Tatooine and I love animation so wasn't bothered by that.  I actually laughed out loud at the scene where Jar Jar gets shocked between the pod's electric stream and when he tongue slurped the food on Shmi's dinnertable (the first time not when Qui-Gon caught his tongue) and goes, "S'cuse me." 
Blowing up one of the Trade Federation's tanks by accident with one of the blue energy balls rolling down the hill.
Surrendering to the enemy very quickly, "My give up!  My give up!" 
There were many more scenes with him but those are the scenes that immediately come to mind.

Of course, the pod race.

The arrival to Coruscant.

I was surprised how abrupt the movie ended when Anakin destroyed the droid controller, kinda reminded me how friends described how 'The Empire Strikes Back' ended.

I believe the soundtrack to 'Episode I' was the best stuff John Williams has ever put out there next to the original trilogy.


I had no idea there was a negative reaction by the general public until a week after release.  Everyone I personally knew love it but people I didn't  know didn't care for it.  At the time, when I was reading comments on the force dot net, there was a huge, online debate for years from old fans, and new fans arguing back and forth relentlessly.

Ridiculous.



I look at these new Star Wars movies and go, "Is this what the fans really wanted???"

"Really?"   

[MindofShadow]

Only thing cool about EP1 was Maul, Qui Gon, and Obi.

Mostly Maul

Tge rest was garbage

Starting anakin as a child was a mistake

I agree with you about Anakin. I'm one of the few people who liked Hayden Christensen actually and I wish the film had either started with him, or just cast an older person from jump. Someone like Rick Schroeder. I would've preferred an older Anakin and also an older Obi-Wan (though I really grew to appreciate Ewan McGregor's performance).

The prequels had a serious story to tell, of how good people and a democratic society falls, and should've had the same tone as the LOTR movies IMO. Where some kids can get it, but it's not necessarily kid friendly. And there are no blatantly silly or kid bait characters like Jar Jar Binks. Personally I don't think the original trilogy pandered to kids all that much, but as a kid I got it.

Ewan was overall the best thing to come out of the prequels

He was also the best part of the Clone Wars animated show. REALLY loved him there because they added layers upon layers with the Sabine stuff. The Sabine stuff was almost a reversal of Anakin and Padme... i wish it could have been mentioned in the movies since it was and still is cannon.


I really think, overall, the prequel trilogy failed because it focused on too much of the wrong sh*t IMO.

[MindofShadow]

Interesting...

Visually, 'Episode I' was spectacular.  Saw the movie three times in the theater.

I was hanging on to every word of that opening crawl and every piece of dialogue spoken by every character.

There were a lot of "Wow!" moments like:

The establishing shot of the Naboo palace with the waterfall and landscape.

I wasn't bothered by Jar Jar as everyone else was; his antics reminded me of the Looney Tunes characters from Warner Bros. much like the pod racers on Tatooine and I love animation so wasn't bothered by that.  I actually laughed out loud at the scene where Jar Jar gets shocked between the pod's electric stream and when he tongue slurped the food on Shmi's dinnertable (the first time not when Qui-Gon caught his tongue) and goes, "S'cuse me." 
Blowing up one of the Trade Federation's tanks by accident with one of the blue energy balls rolling down the hill.
Surrendering to the enemy very quickly, "My give up!  My give up!" 
There were many more scenes with him but those are the scenes that immediately come to mind.

Of course, the pod race.

The arrival to Coruscant.

I was surprised how abrupt the movie ended when Anakin destroyed the droid controller, kinda reminded me how friends described how 'The Empire Strikes Back' ended.

I believe the soundtrack to 'Episode I' was the best stuff John Williams has ever put out there next to the original trilogy.


I had no idea there was a negative reaction by the general public until a week after release.  Everyone I personally knew love it but people I didn't  know didn't care for it.  At the time, when I was reading comments on the force dot net, there was a huge, online debate for years from old fans, and new fans arguing back and forth relentlessly.

Ridiculous.



I look at these new Star Wars movies and go, "Is this what the fans really wanted???"

"Really?"   

People were so excited just ot have star wars back

Plus... the prequels basically needed to show 3 things

1. How did Darth Vader, one of the coolest people in all of movies, come to be?

2. What happened to all the Jedi?

3. How did Palpatine/The Empire come to power?


All those things sound really really really exciting on paper so people were f*cking amped.

Unforunately, overall, the prequels outright failed #1 and #2. I think Palpatine using politics to take power throughout the 3 movies was actually kinda well done and unexpected. You would think the most powerful sith lord ever would simply take over by brute force. But that's what makes Palpatine Palpatine and not Vader or Maul.

[Battle]

People were so excited just ot have star wars back

Plus... the prequels basically needed to show 3 things

1. How did Darth Vader, one of the coolest people in all of movies, come to be?

2. What happened to all the Jedi?

3. How did Palpatine/The Empire come to power?


All those things sound really really really exciting on paper so people were f*cking amped.

Unforunately, overall, the prequels outright failed #1 and #2. I think Palpatine using politics to take power throughout the 3 movies was actually kinda well done and unexpected. You would think the most powerful sith lord ever would simply take over by brute force. But that's what makes Palpatine Palpatine and not Vader or Maul.

How do you feel about the new Star Wars movies like 'The Force Awakens' and 'Rogue One'  as well as the next two on the way?

[MindofShadow]

People were so excited just ot have star wars back

Plus... the prequels basically needed to show 3 things

1. How did Darth Vader, one of the coolest people in all of movies, come to be?

2. What happened to all the Jedi?

3. How did Palpatine/The Empire come to power?


All those things sound really really really exciting on paper so people were f*cking amped.

Unforunately, overall, the prequels outright failed #1 and #2. I think Palpatine using politics to take power throughout the 3 movies was actually kinda well done and unexpected. You would think the most powerful sith lord ever would simply take over by brute force. But that's what makes Palpatine Palpatine and not Vader or Maul.

How do you feel about the new Star Wars movies like 'The Force Awakens' and 'Rogue One'  as well as the next two on the way?

Rogue One was bold and took balls. It was, however, kinda boring until the climatic battle andi had problems with the heroine on screen vs what was advertised. I liked that it was a 'different' star was movie though and it had a lot of potential... could have been better. solid-ish though

There was nothing fundamentally bad about TFW i guess. It was just such a rehash of the OT... kind of sick of the "jedi in exile bc we failed" sh*t... i wanted to see Luke's Jedi academy.

I also think all the mystery behind everything (who is snoke, what are the knights of ren, who are reys parents and why is she good at everything, why did luke leave) to be a gigantic f*cking cop out and ridiculous. It only exists to keep people talking in between movies.

and finn being a bitch

[Battle]

Rogue One was bold and took balls. It was, however, kinda boring until the climatic battle andi had problems with the heroine on screen vs what was advertised. I liked that it was a 'different' star was movie though and it had a lot of potential... could have been better. solid-ish though

I felt that the live cutscenes from the video game, the Dark Forces series, this movie adapted ideas from was far more exciting.
 
It felt as if I was watching a British version of a Star Wars movie, even though the only well known American actor cast was Forest Whitaker, who knocked it out the park, by the way...

Oh, and Jimmy Smits!

..and what was the point of a CG performance of Darth Vader? ?
I can understand Tarkin considering he's a computer generated reincarnation made flesh or even Princess Leia but an actor (anyone actually) costumed  with the cape, outfit and helmet could've easily played Vader without any of the pre/post-production costs and/or hassles behind the computer.

There was nothing fundamentally bad about TFW i guess. It was just such a rehash of the OT... kind of sick of the "jedi in exile bc we failed" sh*t... i wanted to see Luke's Jedi academy.

I also think all the mystery behind everything (who is snoke, what are the knights of ren, who are reys parents and why is she good at everything, why did luke leave) to be a gigantic f*cking cop out and ridiculous. It only exists to keep people talking in between movies.

and finn being a bitch

Y'know how one can tell when a movie isn't very good...?

--- when you hardly remember anything from it.

That's why when you commented that Finn getting beat up by a stormtrooper in 'The Force Awakens' earlier in this thread, I wasn't being rude... I honestly don't remember the scene 'cause I was tryin' to follow the storyline.


What's interesting is that when George Lucas worked on the Star Wars movies, I was willing to walk into the theaters with no expectations, or anything... and be pleasantly surprised. 


These new Star Wars movies...?
I wouldn't even walk into the theaters to see them.  Why?  Because the George Lucas Quality Seal of Approval™ just isn't there.


NOW, I understand why George shoots Star Wars the way he did. 
'The shoe is on the other foot now', as the idiom goes...   it's the fans who wanted to be George Lucas' turn to catch the heat for screwing up Star Wars! 




Anyway...

Last night, was checking out some of the winners, nominees and participants of the 69th annual Emmy Awards and noticed that one of the bruthas winning multiple awards was Donald Glover earning one particularly for Outstanding Lead Actor - Comedy Series from the show, Atlanta.

If I'm not mistaken (and correct me if I am), this is the brutha who is cast as young, Lando Calrissian in a up-coming Star Wars movie.

Listening to Mr. Glover make his acceptance speech, yeah... I can picture him playin' the charismatic gambler.  This is Lando.

[Emperorjones]

http://www.yahoo.com/news/j-j-abrams-deliver-unique-233231601.html

[Battle]

http://www.yahoo.com/news/j-j-abrams-deliver-unique-233231601.html

From the article:

  The petition doesn't offer up any alternative directors, though some critics suggested Ava Duvernay (A Wrinkle in Time) and Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman) before Abrams was announced. 

A woman movie director to guide scenes in Star Wars?

That would be a first! 

[MindofShadow]

I'll never get the ridiculous praise of Patty Jenkins with WW

[Battle]

I'll never get the ridiculous praise of Patty Jenkins with WW

It was reported that James Cameron expressed similar concerns, not about the director of 'Wonder Woman' but the superheroine, Wonder Woman herself.  The rumor goes on that the female characters in his films are much more hardier than how Wonder Woman was characterized.

Personally, I couldn't give a  ___ck about Wonder Woman 'cause I despise dc comics & all of their characters. 

[Vic Vega]

I'll never get the ridiculous praise of Patty Jenkins with WW

She didn't take a year and a day to get to the point.

It's a minor problem in Marvel movies but its a really BIG problem with DC films. It doesn't take
all that long to get to Amazons v Nazis and the movie takes off from there.

It was reported that James Cameron expressed similar concerns, not about the director of 'Wonder Woman' but the superheroine, Wonder Woman herself.  The rumor goes on that the female characters in his films are much more hardier than how Wonder Woman was characterized.

Personally, I couldn't give a  ___ck about Wonder Woman 'cause I despise dc comics & all of their characters. 

Cameron is the type of dude who when asked how to do something is gonna answer "Do it the way I would, of course". All Cameron's action heroines are scruffy and somewhat mannish(Titanic's Rose ISN'T an Action Heroine).

NOBODY wanted a scruffy and somewhat mannish Wonder Woman but Cameron's ego's is way to big to acknowledge that.
 

[MindofShadow]

I'll never get the ridiculous praise of Patty Jenkins with WW

She didn't take a year and a day to get to the point.

It's a minor problem in Marvel movies but its a really BIG problem with DC films. It doesn't take
all that long to get to Amazons v Nazis and the movie takes off from there.

I really hope she has help on the action scenes next movie.

THe character moments were very good

[Battle]

Cameron is the type of dude who when asked how to do something is gonna answer "Do it the way I would, of course". All Cameron's action heroines are scruffy and somewhat mannish(Titanic's Rose ISN'T an Action Heroine).

NOBODY wanted a scruffy and somewhat mannish Wonder Woman but Cameron's ego's is way to big to acknowledge that.

Wasn't Rose the narrator of the story in 'Titanic'?
She and her mother were the uptight, aristocrats on economic decline attempting to 'marry up', yes?
It was Leonardo DiCaprio's character who got Rose all scruffy & loose at the low class festivities in the lower decks of the ship that inspired her to greater independence when the hull was breached by the iceberg.  Remember when Rose volunteered to stay behind when everyone else evacuated?

It was Rose who rescued DiCaprio's character that was handcuffed and about to drown.  Indeed, Rose became the action heroine.