Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12/18/15)

[GasparZizou]

Actually, I think he's the one baiting here, Prince, someone is challenging your master baiter tittle.

Now the T1 comments make sense. Brilliant bait m80 I'll give you that

 

[Khev]

For better or worse WWEJedi I think any discussion about the "saga" of SW does require those taking part to state whether or not they "count" the prequels. Because the context of anything said is going to be quite different if you're talking about OT story arcs, OT + TFA story arcs, or PT + OT:SE + TFA story arcs. No one is forced to adhere to someone else's take on a film series, and "official canon" is hardly a common ground. I mean really, does anyone look at ALIEN - > ALIENS -> Alien 3 > ALIEN:Resurrection + AvP and Prometheus as one continuous interlocking story? Just because a movie studio owns the totality of the franchise? Or Batman -> Batman Returns -> Batman Forever -> Batman & Robin? All the Terminator films? No way.

So for the sake of clarity depending on who I'm addressing I'll probably give some indication that with regard to SW I don't count anything except the original theatrical OT and TFA. Heck I'll even give the Holiday Special Fett cartoon a pass because it features all the principal actors and they pretty much behave as their characters would seem to behave. With that in mind I'd do yourself a favor and skim or ignore posts from fellows like me (actually that's probably good advice for ALL of you now that I think of it but unfortunately for you guys I guess you still can't put a mod on ignore) and try not to let yourself get too worked up about it.

I love the Hobbit films but I know that most people who discuss them here pretty much equate them with the SW PT so I don't participate in the Hobbit threads anymore. You might want to consider doing the same as much as you can with PT discussions.

 

[Asta]

I'm surprised JJ didn't put a shot of Jar Jar's skeleton somewhere in TFA, just as they put Jaxxon's in The Clone Wars.

Acknowledge the canon, and bring closure to it...

 

[Khev]

I'm surprised JJ didn't put a shot of Jar Jar's skeleton somewhere in TFA, just as they put Jaxxon's in The Clone Wars.

I was *sure* he and Kasdan would have Han in a scene where he blows someone away at point blank range to the roar of the crowd. But with the way things played out I actually think it was a pretty classy move to NOT have any in-your-face anti-Special Edtion/Prequel moments. Nothing is more damning than simply not acknowledging them at all.

 

[Asta]

I was *sure* he and Kasdan would have Han in a scene where he blows someone away at point blank range to the roar of the crowd. But with the way things played out I actually think it was a pretty classy move to NOT have any in-your-face anti-Special Edtion/Prequel moments. Nothing is more damning than simply not acknowledging them at all.

There is that.

Maybe we'll get some PT Special Editions that will continue to "make things right".

Edit out as much of Jar Jar as possible. Re-voice the battle droids. And then improve all the other things.

By the time they've finished the films will be down to ten minutes each.

 

[GasparZizou]

The prequels suck, they are as close to being objectively bad in a society where stupidity and lack of logic are considered bad traits and vices, as anything will ever be, or at least, they have things that qualify as such, a plethora. But nevertheless they are part of the official canon and it should be that way imo.

And this is coming from someone who absolutely loves The Phantom Menace. I love every minute of it, some of it is great and some of it is so bad it's good, it's part The Room and part A New Hope, I probably like it more than A New Hope for all the wrong reasons, but I recognize ANH as the obvious superior film.

 

[DiFabio]

My personal canon goes like this.

- Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back actually happened . . . annnnd that's it.

- Shadows of the Empire, Dark Forces I and II and the old Battlefront games are fun video games to play
- Return of the Jedi has a couple of great previews for a better movie I'll never see
- Phantom Menace has some cool samurai inspired Jedi action that captivates the child in me
- Revenge of the Sith is a nice way of seeing a version of gleefully sinister Palpatine in all of his glory at the height of his power
- Force Awakens is a decent, competent "what if" story if I wanted to see my heroes as senior citizens and new kids I don't care about

 

[automaton]

After watching the movie yesterday and processing dialogue, possible motives, probabilities and such I'm going with Rey being Luke's daughter.
I know wow that came out of left field right?
I haven't read many theories but I'm sure it's a popular one.
But here's the rest of it: Rey's mother/Luke's wife was at the Jedi academy when it got hit by Kylo and the Knights of Ren and died at their hands.
Reys mother was also a Jedi or at least a student. This is the explanation for Reys accelerated progression and strength in the Force,she is the offspring of two Jedi.
Think about it: Ben is the product of just just one parent strong in the Force but Rey has two. Remember the Jedi in the prequels were forbidden to marry and have offspring for what ever reason so we don't really know in movie canon what would happen. But obviously it did happen in fan fiction with Mara Jade marrying Luke.
But I don't recall that that made Luke's offspring more powerful than Leia's. Well I think this is now the official answer from Kasdan on what happens when two Jedis get busy. As for why Han and Leia don't know her? Luke probably thought it best that the Jedi train in solitude and away from Republic and Resistance oversight and not have official ties. (One of the few lessons learned from the Chancellor Palpatine era). Luke of course wanting to protect his Uber Jedi daughter from baddies pulls a Kenobi and even sends her to a sand planet (at least Kasdan is smart enough to realize putting yet a third Skywalker to grow up on Tatooine is beyond the pale for even the most die hard StarWars fan to swallow) Still pretty sad Luke would do that to his only(?) child seeing how he didn't really like it himself. Von Sydow was probably the one who was watching over her from a distance and of course had to die like Owen and Beru. No coincidence that Sydow has the missing map piece and is revealed at the right time to set things in motion.

Anyway that's my theory and I'm sure someone else had it before me. But I havent read many other articles or come into this thread much before seeing the movie yesterday so as to avoid spoilers.

i got the impression that both Han and Leia did know who Rey was... Han offered her a gig... rey spoke Wookie... perhaps it just wasn't their place to tell.

 

[jye4ever]

My personal canon goes like this.

- Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back actually happened . . . annnnd that's it.

- Shadows of the Empire, Dark Forces I and II and the old Battlefront games are fun video games to play
- Return of the Jedi has a couple of great previews for a better movie I'll never see
- Phantom Menace has some cool samurai inspired Jedi action that captivates the child in me
- Revenge of the Sith is a nice way of seeing a version of gleefully sinister Palpatine in all of his glory at the height of his power
- Force Awakens is a decent, competent "what if" story if I wanted to see my heroes as senior citizens and new kids I don't care about

Videogames mentioned but no AOTC.

 

[Spartan Rex]

i got the impression that both Han and Leia did know who Rey was... Han offered her a gig... rey spoke Wookie... perhaps it just wasn't their place to tell.

Disagree.
She had unusually good skills piloting the Falcon, knew how to fix the Falcon, understood Wookie language and helped Han and Chewie get out of that jam with the gangs then Han offered a job. (Han knows he's getting old)
Remember after initially getting the Falcon Han was just going to dump them off.
Hell he asked Luke to join up after just shooting two TIE fighters.
Im sure Leia would've said something by the end of the movie. I mean it's her niece, a fellow Skywalker!

 

[jye4ever]

Nah, Han/Leia/Luke were well aware of where she was.

They need gotchya moments, they should've hired M Night to write and direct E9 instead of Colin Dinosaur.

I can see Force ghosts.

 

[xipotec]

After watching the movie yesterday and processing dialogue, possible motives, probabilities and such I'm going with Rey being Luke's daughter.
I know wow that came out of left field right?
I haven't read many theories but I'm sure it's a popular one.
But here's the rest of it: Rey's mother/Luke's wife was at the Jedi academy when it got hit by Kylo and the Knights of Ren and died at their hands.
Reys mother was also a Jedi or at least a student. This is the explanation for Reys accelerated progression and strength in the Force,she is the offspring of two Jedi.
Think about it: Ben is the product of just just one parent strong in the Force but Rey has two. Remember the Jedi in the prequels were forbidden to marry and have offspring for what ever reason so we don't really know in movie canon what would happen. But obviously it did happen in fan fiction with Mara Jade marrying Luke.
But I don't recall that that made Luke's offspring more powerful than Leia's. Well I think this is now the official answer from Kasdan on what happens when two Jedis get busy. As for why Han and Leia don't know her? Luke probably thought it best that the Jedi train in solitude and away from Republic and Resistance oversight and not have official ties. (One of the few lessons learned from the Chancellor Palpatine era). Luke of course wanting to protect his Uber Jedi daughter from baddies pulls a Kenobi and even sends her to a sand planet (at least Kasdan is smart enough to realize putting yet a third Skywalker to grow up on Tatooine is beyond the pale for even the most die hard StarWars fan to swallow) Still pretty sad Luke would do that to his only(?) child seeing how he didn't really like it himself. Von Sydow was probably the one who was watching over her from a distance and of course had to die like Owen and Beru. No coincidence that Sydow has the missing map piece and is revealed at the right time to set things in motion.

Anyway that's my theory and I'm sure someone else had it before me. But I havent read many other articles or come into this thread much before seeing the movie yesterday so as to avoid spoilers.

I posted a very similar assessment after opening day. It's clear in the end that Luke is standing over a grave on that island. Also there must have been a reason why Jedi were prohibited from having relationships beyond the whole distraction/vulnerability issue.

I for one would like to see them go I that direction, your greatest strength and weakness comes from those you love, be it wife , daughter or son..(Han and Leia I am looking at you!!')

 

[rushmore223]

There has been an Awakening...

...in China.

TFA earns 32 million on opening day in China, which according to what I read, is huge.

Put that in comparison to The Lost Worlds opening day gross of 17 million.

Glad much of the pessimism I read was wrong, who knows, maybe Avatars unseating is still possible.

 

[jye4ever]

But it lost friday to Revenant.

Oh the irony.

No matter, it made a ton already domestic.

 

[Darth Snoopy]

After watching the movie yesterday and processing dialogue, possible motives, probabilities and such I'm going with Rey being Luke's daughter.
I know wow that came out of left field right?
I haven't read many theories but I'm sure it's a popular one.
But here's the rest of it: Rey's mother/Luke's wife was at the Jedi academy when it got hit by Kylo and the Knights of Ren and died at their hands.
Reys mother was also a Jedi or at least a student. This is the explanation for Reys accelerated progression and strength in the Force,she is the offspring of two Jedi.
Think about it: Ben is the product of just just one parent strong in the Force but Rey has two. Remember the Jedi in the prequels were forbidden to marry and have offspring for what ever reason so we don't really know in movie canon what would happen. But obviously it did happen in fan fiction with Mara Jade marrying Luke.
But I don't recall that that made Luke's offspring more powerful than Leia's. Well I think this is now the official answer from Kasdan on what happens when two Jedis get busy. As for why Han and Leia don't know her? Luke probably thought it best that the Jedi train in solitude and away from Republic and Resistance oversight and not have official ties. (One of the few lessons learned from the Chancellor Palpatine era). Luke of course wanting to protect his Uber Jedi daughter from baddies pulls a Kenobi and even sends her to a sand planet (at least Kasdan is smart enough to realize putting yet a third Skywalker to grow up on Tatooine is beyond the pale for even the most die hard StarWars fan to swallow) Still pretty sad Luke would do that to his only(?) child seeing how he didn't really like it himself. Von Sydow was probably the one who was watching over her from a distance and of course had to die like Owen and Beru. No coincidence that Sydow has the missing map piece and is revealed at the right time to set things in motion.

Anyway that's my theory and I'm sure someone else had it before me. But I havent read many other articles or come into this thread much before seeing the movie yesterday so as to avoid spoilers.

Interesting theory, Spartan Rex, it's the first time I've heard that one.

 

[Khev]

I don't think TFA overtaking Avatar's global is possible. It would still need to earn more than a *billion* dollars to do so. I'm totally content with it obliterating the domestic record. Kind of like Japan and Spirited Away. I've always considered Japan a bit "cooler" than the rest of the world due to Spirited Away outgrossing Titanic and Avatar there (Avatar barely cracked their Top 10 in fact.) Avatar can remain a generic lowest common denominator world pleaser with the US and Japan marching to our own drummers with regard to Star Wars and Spirited Away, respectively.

Do what you want overseas Cameron, no one pushes Star Wars around on our own soil anymore.

 

[DiFabio]

But it lost friday to Revenant.

Oh the irony.

No matter, it made a ton already domestic.

And in China this weekend it's opening was average. Ranked behind Fast and the Furious, Transformers, Avengers, etc. Disney promoted and marketed the hell out of China too, they wanted them bad. Chinese reviewers slammed Force Awakens in their reviews, but then again, they did the same thing with the original Star Wars release when they saw it in the summer last year.

Fingers crossed that this monster doesn't dethrone King JAMES' masterpiece, Abatap.

 

[Khev]

Highest grossing films in China:

1. Monster Hunter
2. Furious 7
3. Transformers: Age of Extinction

NOT company that TFA needs to be in. They clearly aren't big on quality over there. I won't be surprised in the slightest if TFA simply does "okay" numbers there.

 

[The Ween]

Was China the last country this was being released in?

 

[DiFabio]

It should be in it though, like you said, lowest common denominator! That's the Force Awakens to a tee.

Hopefully our Asian brothers and sisters pick up the pace (or Howard Chan and his Hot Toys employees see it multiple times each) so it can get up there in the hall of fame.