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

[WWEJedi]

Perhaps you are taking the criticism of those films too seriously. They're just movies, not your family or people you know. There are a handful of people here who like to criticize Man of Steel and the Nolan Batman films, but it doesn't bother me even though I really like those films. You see, I kind of feel bad for them that they don't or can't enjoy those movies because they must really love the source material or those characters enough to hate those films so much, so at the very least I say, let them get some enjoyment out of criticizing them and making jokes about those films. You don't criticize something so much unless you truly care about it on some level.

Great line, I agree with that 100%.

I can understand what you are saying, but it still gets annoying.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Well, the arc is a slow build. Stars with TPM and ends with ROTS. For as much bashing you do on the PT, you do realize how the Anakin transformation went down, right? Saying TPM and AOTC as not needed and saying Revenge of the Sith can be trimmed down to an hour is somewhat foolish. As with the OT, there are many scenes not needed that would still get the point across.

Nothing is wrong with Padme. Not sure what scene you are referring to.

As for Palpatine saying no, you should look when Luke says no. Not sure how you can hate one, but not the other.

Acting is fine. I am not sure what you expect from a space drama. There are scenes from the OT that can be picked on for acting, but nostalgia clouds judgement.

You lost me when you asked if I knew how Anakin's transformation went down. Are you saying that's the only possible way it could happen? No other options? You needed every scene, every word as it was presented to fully understand the great drama?

You know, I had a lengthy explanation of points... but then I re-read your post and realized I'd be wasting your time and mine. You like the movie. "Acting is fine" and "nothing is wrong". There's really nothing to respond to.

There's a reason people bash the PT. It's not a conspiracy of a few trolls. I know you'll get it one day. And I know you don't think you will right now. I was 18 once. But trust me, you will see these films differently in time.

Wor-Gar, if I came of as a jerk in my reply to you, that was not my intention. Apologies.

That's very kind of you to say. Thank you.

Just so you know I didn't think you were a jerk, just maybe being defensive. But I was being... provocative.

 

[Wor-Gar]

You see, I kind of feel bad for them that they don't or can't enjoy those movies, because they must really love the source material or those characters enough to hate those films so much...

There is great truth in this. Makes us all seem romantically tragic, doesn't it?

 

[WWEJedi]

You lost me when you asked if I knew how Anakin's transformation went down. Are you saying that's the only possible way it could happen? No other options? You needed every scene, every word as it was presented to fully understand the great drama?

You know, I had a lengthy explanation of points... but then I re-read your post and realized I'd be wasting your time and mine. You like the movie. "Acting is fine" and "nothing is wrong". There's really nothing to respond to.

There's a reason people bash the PT. It's not a conspiracy of a few trolls. I know you'll get it one day. And I know you don't think you will right now. I was 18 once.



That's very kind of you to say. Thank you.

Just so you know I didn't think you were a jerk, just maybe being defensive. But I was being... provocative.

I only really like ROTS, the other two are just meh, but as I said before I have come to appreciate them for what they are. There are scenes in every movie where the acting can be nitpicked, I just let it slide. I do not really look at Star Wars with a critics eye. If I did I am not sure I would love them all as much as I do now. I can understand your point, but I guess I just try not to be so critical with Star Wars as I am with other things. I think Episode 3 is great. As for the other two I can agree with you to an extent. Pod race was to long. The stupid frolicking scene in AOTC. Sure Jar Jar is not needed, I understand the hate, but I do not want myself to fall into the depths of it and not enjoy all the movies. I really enjoyed the Clone Wars comics and novels, so having scenes in Episode 3 about the end of the Clone Wars is very cool for me. If I put my critics hat on, there are scenes not needed. Pretty much the whole rescuing Palpatine, Grievous Battle, etc.... But I enjoyed them.

I don't know, I enjoy the films, I can understand the hate they get, I just don't let myself view the movies in that light.

All I can say is that I enjoy them all.

And that I am 20!

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

There is great truth in this. Makes us all seem romantically tragic, doesn't it?

I have a feeling that if Episode 7 and BvS do not deliver the goods, we are all going to reach a Shakespearean level of tragedy. It will be glorious...yet horrible.

 

[creature4000]

I'm 40 and I like the PT. I like them because I took that parts I enjoyed and can (painfully) look past all the bad writing that filled these flicks. They are no where near as good or complete as the OT.

TPM:
1) Everything that had Maul in it was awesome and well done.. despite him being cut short.
2) The Pod race was a cool aspect and visual experience, but all the dumb characters... yikes.
3) battle droids disembarking against the JarJars
-the rest was horrible-

CW:
1) Jango was cool
2) Clones in battle
-the rest was horrible-

ROTS:
1) Anakin falling and the storm on the temple. (regardless of the acting)
2) Order 66
-the rest was horrible-

I just pray these new SW films are better, but I feel it's going to be saturated with too much.

 

[Prime Clone]

Well said. The prequels had some great set pieces, they just didn't hang together well.

 

[Matt S]

Well said. The prequels had some great set pieces, they just didn't hang together well.

They had Jar Jar - nuff said.

 

[KitFisto]

At some point people stopped just looking to be entertained and have fun at the movies and started looking at everything as critical as possible. I blame Nirvana and the 90's.

Anyway, sure, some movies just plan suck and aren't enjoyable on any level. I call those "foreign films". Seriously though, I just want to be entertained and taken away for everyday life for a couple of hours. Have some popcorn and a soda and just enjoy a fun movie. I guess that's why I enjoyed Jurassic World despite the constant criticism from most. It was just fun IMO. Some stupid scenes? Sure, but overall fun and pretty much what I expected. As for the PT I will say I was disappointed overall, but I can still find enjoyment watching them.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

To me, the arc of Anakin is very well done.

Force sensitive beings were taken as soon as birth or as young as three. Anakin was nine when he started training in the ways of the force. He knows hate, love, passion, ignorance, chaos, jealousy because he was raised as a normal slave boy. Jedi younglings are more like cult children. One way, conformity. Taught from birth the Jedi Code.

They know no love, passion, jealously because there earliest memories are this code that they forcefully live there lives buy and are trained to uphold this code since there first moments as a living being.

Anakin has these emotions already. He can not be taught to control them at this age. Sure, TPM goes long on the pod race, but finding Anakin and learning that he has a mom, is a slave, the emotions are there of love and hate, passion and jealousy. Paths to the dark side are planted in this young boy from an early age. Then he has to leave the only person he ever loved, his mother, not letting her come with him, small patches of hate toward the jedi in that reason alone start to grow in young Ani.

Fast forward to AOTC. A teenage Anakin. The death of his mother, slaughtering the Tusken Raider men, women and children even. The emotions carry over from TPM to AOTC, he never could control his emotions. Throw in the love of Padme, it clouds his judgement, even his love for Obi-Wan clouds his judgement in the rescue mission for him on Geonosis, that and his willingness to please/protect/do anything for Padme. He marries Padme and vows to basically do anyting to protect her.

Fast forward to ROTS. The constant badgering of Palpatine slowly manipulating this emotionally unstable young adult. Killing Dooku, worrying about the fate of Padme, the same fate of his mother, that she could die. Do you see how AOTC is connected to ROTS. The inability to stop death has warped his mind throughout that time span to the point in his mind everything he does is to save Padme, which was saving Palpatine, killing hundreds of Jedi and Jedi youngling. All for Padme. Of course it his eagerness to save Padme which ultimately kills her, to me completing the transformation.

When you summarize the PT like you just did, it sounds okay. The big problem is that GL went ahead with making the movies with only those broad strokes. Or at least that's how they play out. He didn't seem to really pay attention to the details, like real characterization and character motivation. There was no "why" to how the characters behaved, and there was no solid logic as to how events occurred. At best, the stories were a first draft. But they came across as no more than just a rough outline. Those that enjoy the PT to any extent have learned to look past those "details". But to me they are the most important aspects of any story. If you want the audience to empathize with the characters, you should be able to understand what they are feeling and why they are behaving like they are. To get an audience to follow the story, you have to show logical progression from one situation to the next. The PTs feel like just a series of events just happening with no real reason. The only reason we do feel anything is because we are already familiar with these characters and are carrying that knowledge of them in to the PT.

I don't remember where I came across this, but Trey Parker and Matt Stone of all people explain it best.

Storytelling Tip: The Principle of "Buts" and "Therefores" - StoryFirst Media

He says most people think of storytelling like this:

This happens, then this happens, then this happens, then this happens, then this happens, then this happens.....

...etc. until the end. He says that's a big mistake. The trick is to think of storytelling this way:

This happens, therefore this happens, therefore this happens. But then this happens. Therefore this happens, therefore this happens, and therefore this happens. But then this happens, therefore this happens......

...etc. until the end. See the difference? The first is just a sequence of events. It's a portrait, not a story. The second is a cause-and-effect sequence. That is a story.

 

[Magpie 7]

Like the PT isn't the same as Love the PT, same as liking one of the PT isn't the same the same as liking the whole PT. The PT is as a whole deservedly derided for many genuine reasons, not least poor dialogue and wooden acting.

 

[spindrift]

PT without the innovative effects and nice designs are complete misfires..probably the greatest set of disasters in mainstream cinema(because of anticipation, talent(?) involved and just plain fact they are SW)

 

[Medusoid]

PT without the innovative effects and nice designs are complete misfires..probably the greatest set of disasters in mainstream cinema(because of anticipation, talent(?) involved and just plain fact they are SW)

I think the Hobbit trilogy was worse...

 

[jungle jom]

I think the Hobbit trilogy was worse...

I agree what a bore!

 

[Prime Clone]

Yeah, was gonna say, the PT's problem is it's only ever compared to the OT. When it's compared to 90% of the other dross out there it doesn't measure up too badly.

 

[spindrift]

I think the Hobbit trilogy was worse...

Oh I don't think so- but they weren't great I know that

 

[Prime Clone]

Back on topic, but in a similar vein: Controversial element of Star Wars canon won't be in Force Awakens

 

[Wor-Gar]

Back on topic, but in a similar vein: Controversial element of Star Wars canon won't be in Force Awakens

blastr not found.

Why do you post stuff that makes me read? Just sum it up in a fast sentence. Godddddddddddddd!

 

[pixletwin]

No midichlorians. Article is just click bait.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

No midichlorians. Article is just click bait.

Thank you. I hate to reeed