Star Wars [2]

I'm not sure I'm at liberty to say...

Me thinks he's had a conversation or two...

McGregor's performance was one of the best things about the prequels and I'd certainly be interested in an obi wan spin off...but how could they fit in a dramatic enough story without risking his reclusive overwatch duty on the young luke?

He's kinda lovable, isn't he?

halfwise wrote:He's kinda lovable, isn't he?

Actually...I wonder if they could slip him into Rogue one somehow...

Just remembered they are filming Trainspotting 2 shortly as well...

malickfan wrote:

I'm not sure I'm at liberty to say...

Me thinks he's had a conversation or two...

McGregor's performance was one of the best things about the prequels and I'd certainly be interested in an obi wan spin off...but how could they fit in a dramatic enough story without risking his reclusive overwatch duty on the young luke?

Ah, gief Obi Wan and Qui-Gon something-something, learning to be a force ghost or whatever. I want to see that

Obi-Wan coming to terms with his failure and being one of the last of the jedi and the empire crushes freedom over the galaxy, learning to become a force ghost, watching over Luke from afar and arguing with his aunt and uncle (Luke does seem to know him a little in ANH and his uncle seems less than fond of Obi Wan...they seemed to get along quite affably when he first handed over Luke to them...I wonder what caused their estrangement?), and maybe assisting the rebellion and/or having the odd brutal fight with a few of the more violent locals in Mos Eisley...there's actually quite an interesting, but low key, space western (or three) there for Obi Wan...

much as I like Mcgregor, I don't want reminding of those last 3 crappy Star Wars.

Does anyone have any expectations of EP:VIII of Star Wars quality wise? Has anyone seen any movie directed by Rian Johnson? My thoughts are that if Disney were the ones solely responsible for the reboot direction they took TFA, then that could be infectious to all the Star Wars sequels

All I know is that JJ Abrams liked the script so much for episode VIII he wished he had been directing it. But since I only hold JJ in moderate esteem at best my hopes are also moderate.

davidjoneshoward wrote:Does anyone have any expectations of EP:VII of Star Wars quality wise? Has anyone seen any movie directed by Rian Johnson? My thoughts are that if Disney were the ones solely responsible for the reboot direction they took TFA, then that could be infectious to all the Star Wars sequels

I really liked Rian Johnson's 'Looper'.

TFA (and Empire/ROTJ) co writer Lawrence Kasdan reportedly called Johnson's script for VII 'really weird' (weird is good in my book), and this article:

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/rian-johnson/39727/star-wars-episode-8-what-can-we-expect-from-rian-johnsons-film

I was never a huge fan of the saga to be honest (Empire was the only truly great film i.m.o) so I have no great opinion on Disney's handling so far either way, but I do think that some fans either under/over estimated how alienating the prequels were to many casual viewers and fell victim to the hype of TFA setting themselves up to be annoyed or dissapointed, when it was obvious from the start that Disney would be forced (and want) to play things safe with their first film.

Mrs Figg wrote:much as I like Mcgregor, I don't want reminding of those last 3 crappy Star Wars.

Yeah, that is the unfortunate problem with a Obi Wan spinoff...

Though I didn't personally care for the prequel's very much the backdrop and era in which they take place is fascinating and ripe for expansion in new movies books etc (I read somewhere that more than 85% of the old expanded universe was set in the prequel era) it would be a shame to completely ignore such a massive part of the universe just to play things safe...

The only Rian Johnson works I've seen are some of his episodes from Breaking Bad, which I thought were pretty good. I couldn't get past the paradoxes inherent in the premise (and what I gleaned from trailers) of Looper so I didn't see it, but I'm not a big time travel fan to begin with. SW is a producer driven franchise of course, but TFA felt enough like an Abrams film that I expect Johnson will be given a decent enough amount of slack.

malickfan wrote:Empire was the only truly great film i.m.o

{{{I would always say SW and ESB, SW for being ground breaking in editing, visuals and world building in cinema, ESB for not playing it safe and going off in a different direction that layered the world building and having the balls to stay dark right to the end, and leave out ROTJ because, you know, ewoks.
But Ive had to have a rethink on that}}

malickfan wrote:

davidjoneshoward wrote:Does anyone have any expectations of EP:VII of Star Wars ...

TFA (and Empire/ROTJ) co writer Lawrence Kasdan reportedly called Johnson's script for VII 'really weird'

Would you guys please quit calling it 'episode VII'?? It's episode VIII. What we just got was episode VII.

That video was great, Petty.

Eldorion wrote:

malickfan wrote:Empire was the only truly great film i.m.o

ANH's direction is ropey around the edges, the acting, pacing and dialogue is fairly poor in parts and it lacks the mystism of ESB and ROTJ

ROTJ's opening act is overlong and muddled, Han is fairly neutered in the film, the Ewoks are too cutesy and felt shoe horned in, the cinematography is a notch down from the previous 2 films i.m.o, and the 2nd Death Star was l.a.z.y...

Both are still very entertaining, and atomspheric and solid films in their own right, but ESB was by far the most mature and interesting film i.m.o.

The prequels are fairly crappy overall, but they've got alot to like and plenty more to hate than the OT, so the scope at least is in some ways more interesting.

TFA I've already explained my thoughts.

The Holiday Special

halfwise wrote:

malickfan wrote:

davidjoneshoward wrote:Does anyone have any expectations of EP:VII of Star Wars ...

TFA (and Empire/ROTJ) co writer Lawrence Kasdan reportedly called Johnson's script for VII 'really weird'  

Would you guys please quit calling it 'episode VII'??  It's episode VIII.  What we just got was episode VII.

Whoops, not good with Roman Numerals

I'm not gonna claim that ROTJ was a great movie cause I don't think it was, but ANH is one of the most finely crafted pieces of pure entertainment ever created. It doesn't have the same strength of story and character as TESB, I agree, but it's the distillation of decades of popular cinema and pulp influences into a film of near-universal appeal. It was a revolution not just for VFX but for the whole concept of cinematic worldbuilding (the used future idea, especially). The acting and dialogue sometimes being corny is kinda beside the point IMO, though there was a good deal of impressive talent lined up. I gotta strongly disagree with you on the pacing. It takes its time early on but I think that's essential to get the emotional investment in the stakes and the main character. All of which grows and builds into one of the most perfect and cathartic cinematic climaxes of all time. It's simple, but it works so well.

^ all imo obvs

Eldorion wrote:

malickfan wrote:Empire was the only truly great film i.m.o

The original Star Wars was the only movie that truly deserved to be called "Star Wars". The Empire Strikes Back would have qualified except for the patently goofy title which makes it hard to take seriously.

Eldorion wrote:I'm not gonna claim that ROTJ was a great movie cause I don't think it was, but ANH is one of the most finely crafted pieces of pure entertainment ever created. It doesn't have the same strength of story and character as TESB, I agree, but it's the distillation of decades of popular cinema and pulp influences into a film of near-universal appeal. It was a revolution not just for VFX but for the whole concept of cinematic worldbuilding (the used future idea, especially). The acting and dialogue sometimes being corny is kinda beside the point IMO, though there was a good deal of impressive talent lined up. I gotta strongly disagree with you on the pacing. It takes its time early on but I think that's essential to get the emotional investment in the stakes and the main character. All of which grows and builds into one of the most perfect and cathartic cinematic climaxes of all time. It's simple, but it works so well.

^ all imo obvs

I understand where you are coming from, my problem with ANH, whilst it's a very fun film that I'll watch again and again, I find the world and special effects more interesting than the story and characters, it's certainly a very good film and Lucas's imagination and perseverance shouldn't be forgotten, but I just personally found ESB more interesting and better made on all levels-ANH is perhaps a more entertaining movie, TSB is the better film.

{{{The pace of SW is very like that of LotR's- its longer in the build up than in the journey- we spend almost an hour getting off Tattoine about the same as the rest of the film. (But I would argue there is not a shot of it wasted in either progressing character, narrative, or world building).

Eldo-Cracked's channel is well worth a look, there is some very entertaining stuff on there- I am a big fan of After-hours (the bloke that presents that is also in it), and they improve with each one in that you get to know the 'characters' better making it all the more entertaining, its sort of like Friends, if all the Friends did was sit in a diner and talk about films in very engaging ways }}}

Nah, I get where you're coming from Malick. TESB is amazing too so I'm not trying to drag that down for sure.

Petty - I used to read Cracked daily for a number of years, but was never as into their video content. Will have to give more of it a try. I may have seen a couple episodes of After Hours before, not sure.

Has anyone bought TFA yet? I was thinking about getting it, but seeing as I waited so long to buy the original films I was thinking I would hold off for a boxed set if I like the upcoming movies, or just not get it at all.

I might have been tempted to buy it right after seeing it, but the more I thought about it the more hacked off I got at what a lazy retread it was. There's a lot to like, but not enough for me to buy until it comes out in the cheap Walmart bargain bin.

halfwise wrote:I might have been tempted to buy it right after seeing it, but the more I thought about it the more hacked off I got at what a lazy retread it was.  There's a lot to like, but not enough for me to buy until it comes out in the cheap Walmart bargain bin.

That's mostly how I felt too. It's like, if I watch it a couple more times I'm afraid I might end up hating it.

Haven't felt a pressing desire to rewatch TFA again quite yet, but it's only been like four months. I might buy a copy to rewatch before Episode VIII comes out, or I might hold off for a sequel trilogy box set.