Thanks J.J.

[Prime Clone]

In a world where everything old is new again, one man took my two favourite franchises and gave them new life...

This might not be a popular opinion round these parts, but I think J.J. is to be commended for his work on both Wars and Trek. Of the four films he directed across both franchises, I felt three were good to great, and that ain't bad.

(In case you were wondering, TROS is the only one I didn't really take to. Yes, I even preferred STID!)

I know he's been compared to a modern Spielberg. I probably think of him more as a modern Burton: taking old franchises and reinventing them for a modern audience.

 

[punisher1974]

I do prefer his Trek movies to the Star wars movies. I love both Franchises but to me if it was a reimagining to Star Wars I would have liked it better. Force Awakens was alright with a few really solid scenes. Trek to me had better character growth but that's because they they had the same team on the first 2 movies. At least the last Trek movie still followed what was set out before. Hopefully whatever comes next in each series will be good. I have many childhood memories for both.

 

[JAWS]

In a world where everything old is new again, one man took my two favourite franchises and gave them new life...

This might not be a popular opinion round these parts, but I think J.J. is to be commended for his work on both Wars and Trek. Of the four films he directed across both franchises, I felt three were good to great, and that ain't bad.

(In case you were wondering, TROS is the only one I didn't really take to. Yes, I even preferred STID!)

I know he's been compared to a modern Spielberg. I probably think of him more as a modern Burton: taking old franchises and reinventing them for a modern audience.

I hated Into STID.. Loath might be a better word.. Just a waste IMO and Spock screaming Khan might be the most cringe worthy moment in modern cinema.

I loved the first one though.

I really didn't like TFA the first time but as we all know I loved TROS and that film helped me enjoy TFA.


So ultimately he 2.5 for 4.. Is that how it would work out

 

[Captain Clown]

 

[Deedzy]

I want some of whatever you're smoking brother.

 

[ZE_501]

The first Star Trek re-boot film was a lot of fun and inoffensive. I didn't even mind the other ones but just can't remember them, so they were obviously just a passing diversion.

At first I was willing to go along for the ride with TFA in spite of my numerous misgivings, but now I just disavow the ST and kudos to anyone who finds those films enjoyable, I never will. But I don't entirely blame Abrams for that. Disney, Kennedy and Johnson are all culpable.

It seems Abrams has no idea to how to end things, but he understands spectacle, I'll give him that.

 

[Prime Clone]

I want some of whatever you're smoking brother.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Star Trek 2009 is amazing. And he cast Adam Driver as Kylo Ren.

 

[Sachiel]

 

[Wor-Gar]

JJ equated with Spielberg. I could not find a gif or meme that could properly express the distaste I have for that idea.

Spielberg exists without JJ... JJ would not exist without Spielberg. Spielberg defines style. JJ copies.

JJ also never seems to grow as a director. Zemeckis grew hugely between Romancing the Stone to BTTF to Roger Rabbit. James Cameron from Terminator to Aliens to Abyss grew by leaps and bounds. JJ... just stays at that certain level... because he is mimicking rather than inventing.

And he will never make a truly great movie until he can focus long enough on a project to end it satisfactorily.

 

[Prime Clone]

JJ equated with Spielberg. I could not find a gif or meme that could properly express the distaste I have for that idea.

Well, maybe he's the closest the modern generation can muster - cos everything's already been done!

 

[zeiss]

Zemeckis grew hugely between Romancing the Stone to BTTF to Roger Rabbit.

I agree with everything you said except this. I think BTTF is his best film and nothing he did afterwards compares, including the BTTF sequels.

As for JJ, I liked Star Trek 2009. STID wasn't great but I wasn't invested enough to care that much. I enjoyed TFA and think it was an acceptable way to restart Star Wars even though the third act was pretty lackluster. TROS sucked hard. Maybe a three hour cut of the movie exists somewhere and would redeem the pacing issues. As it stands now, that was a truly disappointing movie. It's most redeeming quality is that it makes TLJ seem better because at least it didn't just feel like a rapid succession of scenes.

I do agree with Johnny Utah in that he should be appreciated for giving us Kylo Ren. Ren and the Mandalorian are easily the most interesting characters in the disney era.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I agree with everything you said except this. I think BTTF is his best film and nothing he did afterwards compares, including the BTTF sequels.

Certainly I didn't care for Roger Rabbit either, but I wasn't referring to taste or preference -- I was referring to his cinematic style, creativity and technical expertise.

For instance, I think most people prefer Raiders of the Lost Ark to Close Encounters from Spielberg (like me),yet CE3K is a masterful example of a huge leap forward from Jaws in style and technical expertise from Spielberg. In fact, its likely his greatest leap -- so many of his camera moves and staging were perfected in that movie; most of the cliche shots we think of when we think Spielberg were likely first tested in that film.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Well, maybe he's the closest the modern generation can muster - cos everything's already been done!

That might be true. Sadly.

Long ago, they use to say Cecil B Demille was a great filmmaker because he gave the audience amazing spectacle back in the day -- but today I'm not sure too many film students study Cecil B Demille for style tips or how he expanded the language of filmmaking.

Its like the difference between Mozart and Salieri.

 

[JAWS]

Certainly I didn't care for Roger Rabbit either, but I wasn't referring to taste or preference -- I was referring to his cinematic style, creativity and technical expertise.

For instance, I think most people prefer Raiders of the Lost Ark to Close Encounters from Spielberg (like me),yet CE3K is a masterful example of a huge leap forward from Jaws in style and technical expertise from Spielberg. In fact, its likely his greatest leap -- so many of his camera moves and staging were perfected in that movie; most of the cliche shots we think of when we think Spielberg were likely first tested in that film.

Ummmmmmm Spielberg Peeked with JAWS.

But when you make the best movie ever you got nowhere to go but down.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Ummmmmmm Spielberg Peeked with JAWS.

It was the movie that changed my life... Jaws holds a very special place for me, and its way more inventive than, say, Raiders...

But CE3K is a film where its director has reached his full capacity as an artist. He was so far ahead of even his closest rival at the time. I know its not his best film from a story perspective, and many people don't even remember it well -- glowing spaceships, Puck and making mountains out of mash potatoes -- but if you can sit through it and just watch it from a cinematic skill POV -- the camera moves, blocking, framing, shot choices, etc -- its insane what he did in that film.

 

[ZE_501]

It was the movie that changed my life... Jaws holds a very special place for me, and its way more inventive than, say, Raiders...

But CE3K is a film where its director has reached his full capacity as an artist. He was so far ahead of even his closest rival at the time. I know its not his best film from a story perspective, and many people don't even remember it well -- glowing spaceships, Puck and making mountains out of mash potatoes -- but if you can sit through it and just watch it from a cinematic skill POV -- the camera moves, blocking, framing, shot choices, etc -- its insane what he did in that film.

I only came to appreciate that as an adult. Unbelievable work. As for everything being done...while it's true to an extent, I still think there are other places to go in cinema, but Hollywood's too conservative these days.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Ummmmmmm Spielberg Peeked with JAWS.

But when you make the best movie ever you got nowhere to go but down.

You might be a bit biased.

 

[JAWS]

It was the movie that changed my life... Jaws holds a very special place for me, and its way more inventive than, say, Raiders...

But CE3K is a film where its director has reached his full capacity as an artist. He was so far ahead of even his closest rival at the time. I know its not his best film from a story perspective, and many people don't even remember it well -- glowing spaceships, Puck and making mountains out of mash potatoes -- but if you can sit through it and just watch it from a cinematic skill POV -- the camera moves, blocking, framing, shot choices, etc -- its insane what he did in that film.

Oh I agree... CE3K might be Spielberg's most Spielbergian film... Even more then E.T. Its just all there. I am a fan!!

Still no JAWS though

You might be a bit biased.

What? Not me.

 

[DiFabio]

Jaws sucks.

Lost World: Jurassic Park and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are way better.