So, Star Wars Episode VII has a release date and a name. On December 18, 2015, Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens will hit theatres. They have completed principle photography and now it's up to the editors and mixers and rest of the computer jockeys to make this movie into something fabulous. Focus: Will J.J. Abrams do the original trilogy justice, or will he fuck it up as badly as Lucas did with Phantom Menace? Alt-Focus: The fan-boys on Twitter went nuts about the film name when it was released yesterday. They HATE the name and are questioning why the Force would be awakening if it was never sleeping, or some shit like that. Some people take this stuff way too seriously. Fan-boys - discuss. Alt-Alt Focus: I think this is funny. Post other funny Star Wars shit because it's snowing outside, we had a forty minute fire drill in the snow, and I nearly peed my pants waiting to get back into the building.
Angel wins the nerdiest suggestion thread of the year award. Its going to be like the new Star Trek. Abrams didnt fuck it up, he just has a completely different vision that hes going to apply to it. The only way they can fuck it up is how the terminator series got so completely fucked. The directors of T3 and T4 focused way more on referencing T1 and T2 rather than writing a decent story and dialogue. Bump.
I hope I'm wrong, but I think it will be a shit show. Movies are a product of their time as much as the people involved. The last 'real' Star Wars movie was in 1983. That's 31 years ago. Time has moved on. The magic that was that trilogy will not be repeatable. Look at the more recent ones, all pure shit, even with Natalie Portman in them.
I saw Star Wars in the theater when it first came out. Fine, I was 6, but I still saw it. Can you nerds (cough Angel, FreeCorps cough) leave your Star Wars baggage at home and not froth at the mouth about how bad it is and just enjoy it for what it is? Fine, if it sucks as a movie, say it sucks, but if it doesn't fanatically adhere to whichever one of the 1,000 books and stories it's supposed to be based on can you keep that shit to yourselves?
It looks like they are trying harder to fuck up the next Terminator reboot reimagining bull dink. Genisys? Fucking really? The original Star Wars movies had just the right amount of mythos and old school popcorn fun. The prequal trilogy said fuck it and went full mythos, you didn't have one badass fun character to root for ala Han Solo, just a bunch of wooden character babbling about politics. I think Village Idiot is right as the first series was lightning in a bottle and the magic really can't be reclaimed again. The right ingredients of film making, story telling on a grand scale, and a jump ahead in special effects just hit at the right mark in the right time and place. Abrams seems to take the lesser view of mythos in film making as Star Trek was all one liners, explosions, and lens flare. He is much more competent in film making than 99% of directors, so it will be entertaining without pandering to absolute lowest common denominator (see: Michael Bay schlock). I just don't think he'll pull off something as treasured as the first films.
Yep, I think Abrams will make his classic formula of fast paced, effects heavy action with a lot of humour and just enough character development to please critics. It will be a good film that ticks all the boxes, but takes no creative or commercial risks. There will be a lot to like, but nothing to love. My main hope is that Abrams makes a solid opening movie that gives credibility to this new era of Star Wars films. Then when he hands it over to Rian Johnson for Episode VIII, a director who makes much darker and riskier films, they'll pivot towards an Empire Strikes Back level of serious and dark story telling. It probably won't happen, but I can hope.
Let me whip out my light saber Focus: Will J.J. Abrams do the original trilogy justice, or will he fuck it up as badly as Lucas did with Phantom Menace? I don't think it's possible to fuck up as bad as PM. The computer imaging fuckery had a lot to do with why PM and following were not as well received. It was just so jarring, compared to the film and basic stop-action effects from the originals. They're reported to have returned to some of that, or at least the look of that, for these. But, mostly, I think it'll be good because Kathleen Kennedy won't let them fuck it up.
I think the biggest fear is spending too much time trying to pander to the classic trilogy - he's clearly listened to the loudest complaints with things like real models instead of CG where appropriate, but just listening to 'what the fans want' doesn't necessarily translate to a good product
I loved the Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Maybe I just saw the original trilogy too late but I found it kind of dull and fake-looking. On the other hand, the newer ones had a bunch of cool stuff, like pod racing and double light sabers. I thought the love story was better done (no incest!) and it actually had funny parts.
I honestly don't give a hoot about Star Wars anymore. I dug them as a kid, hated the prequels. Episode 3 had some of the best visual effects ever. It was absolutely stunning to watch, but otherwise dreadful because even Ewan McGregor and OSCAR WINNER Natalie Portman can't do shit with a script written by the ultimate Sperg Lord. Shit read more like fan fiction, though, way less butt sex. The best thing the series had going for it has always been screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan. He was able to polish George Lucas' mind feces into two delightful sequels. Kasdan also wrote Raiders of The Lost Ark, another property spit shined for Lucas, and The Big Chill. Dude has 3 Oscar nominations for best screenplay. That's some good pedigree. I should add he's on board for Episode 7's script.
So, is this the guy who is responsible for Indy not having any influence on the storyline of Raiders? Interesting... (I first heard about this on The Big Bang Theory. Sue me.) Focus: Honestly, as pretty much anything feature-length I watch is sci-fi, I am excited as hell about this. Not because I think it will be great, not because I think it will be good, but the more that comes out means someone has to hit the mark... eventually. I do have faith in Abrams though. I've enjoyed his movies thus far, even though some have been nothing more than popcorn entertainment for me. And with the original cast back (especially Ford, the others haven't done much of note since) I do have some hopes.
I enjoyed the prequels. The three way light saber fight at the end of phantom menace was epic, and everything I wanted to see jedis do with light sabers that was lacking in the originals. The original trilogy stands on its own. I don't see it as so related to the modern movies, which are not nearly as good, but perfectly fine for what they are. Yeah, the story has plot holes and some unconvincing character development, but so does most science fiction and comic book film. I felt like a kid while watching the prequels, and I was kind of ok with that. I think the reason most people were turned off from the prequels is that the storyline asks you to take it seriously, but you can't, so you either disconnect from that and enjoy or fawn over the flaws.
Honestly this is my biggest concern. It should be fine as long as they're relegated to the background, with maybe a scene here or there, but anything more than that and it'll fail horribly. I don't want to see 72 year old Harrison Ford try gallivanting around like 35 year old Harrison Ford; it would just be too awkward to watch. Same goes with the rest of the original cast. Yet on the other hand, why even have Han Solo in the movie if he's not going to be doing Han Solo things? I just don't see how this is going to work.
Yeah when Kevin Smith says he was crying with joy when he visited the set, it really doesn't inspire hope that fanboys should be listened to.
Kevin Smith is an idiot who makes shit movies. Of course he cries when he visits the set, only a loser would put that much emotional stock into something like that.
Easy Han Solo is now is antagonist. And he kills Luke and Leia in the first 20 minute action sequence. Then Luke's jedi students band together as outlaws and seek to "balance the force" They eventually team up with Han and Leia's kids who are upset. Then 90 more minutes of action sequences. To Be Continued... and credits.
I grew up on the original trilogy, and was exited when they announced the prequels would be made. We went to see them, I enjoyed them, but to compare them to the originals is a huge mistake. While a fan, I dont consider myself a "fan boy" meticulously dissecting the movies. I went, was entertained, despite the shitty acting and dialouge Lucas may have vision, but he can't write to save his life, as was made obvious in the script for the prequels. When I heard three more were coming out I was relieved to hear someone else would be directing them. I'll give Abrams a chance, but I won't even begin to try and compare them to the originals.
I just want to see people with lights sabers, blasters, and magical powers fight a lot. Everything else is just window dressing. I will see these movies and I will be entertained. Everyone thinks about Star Wars so goddamn much. Where has JJ Abrams fucked up? What? Where? Cool. I'll be there.
Me too. And Princess Leia in a gold bikini.* And Padme Amidala in a midriff baring, skin tight outfit. But, yeah, just the light saber stuff. Maybe some space. *Well, not now.