Star Wars

[Caya]

Also, tv tropes doesn't name one of its tropes Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy for nothing .

 

And well, nothing "beats" Episode I imho. Even Weird Al's parody version is better .

 

[T.o.b.y]

I thought the Ewoks were pleasantly sinister.

[Arcadia]

Wow, I never realized Weird Al was that good looking.

[Caya]

The padawan hairstyle sure becomes him .

[Caya]

 

A puppet - a real, actual guy walking around a real set, and not just actors forced to interact with sticks in front of a greenscreen .

 

 

There is plenty of justified criticism against Abrams's work, but stuff just looks so much more real when done like that, imho.

[Carol the Dabbler]

There is plenty of justified criticism against Abrams's work, but stuff just looks so much more real when done like that, imho.

 

I think all I've seen of his is the two Star Trek movies.  Sure, I could quibble about some things, but all in all I think he did a marvelous job, especially with his canon connections.  What sort of justified criticism did you have in mind?

 

And thanks for posting the GIF!  I agree that real stuff is generally much more satisfying than animation (though motion-capture animation may be the best of both worlds).

 

[Caya]

Well, on top of my head I can think of a] they're more slanted towards pew-pew action than Star Trek oughta, imho, b] his predilection for odd aliens in bit roles (because he loves to design such, apparently) instead of races actually appearing in Star Trek canon and c] the stupid lens flare. I'm sure I can think of more once I'm fully awake, but I really don't want to gripe about the Star Trek films (don't get me started about Lost, though, and I only saw one season). For the most part, he did an amazing job with them.

[Arcadia]

Lost was brilliant at first, but it sort of -ahem- lost its way ... too many characters added in, too many plot holes, kept adding mysteries instead of resolving them. And the romantic triangle never felt real to me. If it had been kept to 2-3 seasons it would've been soooo much better.

I really liked Super 8, altho I admit I don't remember that much about it. It starred kids so the acting wasn't that brilliant but it was enjoyable.

I liked everything about the Star Trek movies, except the replay of the "Wrath of Khan" scene (where Kirk "dies" instead of Spock) - a bit melodramatic, I thought, esp. since we all knew Kirk wasn't going to die.

 

Didn't see Mission Impossible, not a big Tom Cruise fan.

Lens flare ... I kinda like it!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Well, on top of my head I can think of a] they're more slanted towards pew-pew action than Star Trek oughta, imho, b] his predilection for odd aliens in bit roles (because he loves to design such, apparently) instead of races actually appearing in Star Trek canon and c] the stupid lens flare. I'm sure I can think of more once I'm fully awake, but I really don't want to gripe about the Star Trek films (don't get me started about Lost, though, and I only saw one season). For the most part, he did an amazing job with them.

 

 

Yeah, well, like I said, I could quibble about some things!  But as you say, he's generally done a great job -- when nobody else seemed interested in trying.

 

(However -- I will agree with Arcadia regarding that parallel-universe "death" scene.  Once was more than enough!)

 

[Caya]

Wow, somebody seems to have noticed that the cast of the ep. VII has been a little white-guy-centric so far ... Lupita Nyong'ö and Gwendoline Christie have joined the cast now. Also, on the real set front:

 

 

I so love JJ Abrams for this.

[Dragonslayer]

I don't know.

 

Lupita Nyong'o and Andy Serkis are perhaps the only reasons I may see this one.

 

We have had just two good movies in SW so far. Let's see if JJ can deliver.

(no doubt, visually he will. As is evident from the ST movies)

[T.o.b.y]

Just two? No, no, I think "The Return of the Jedi" was great as well. Three good movies, please. For me, at least.

[Caya]

Yeah, I liked the original trilogy just fine, too (might help that I was twelve when Jedi came out, though ).

 

Otherwise, I think Radioactive Panda has a brilliant take on it:

 

[Dragonslayer]

"Jedi" was rather okay. Maybe a bit better than okay.
But among films it is nothing special, unlike "Hope" and "Empire".

I believe that is the film where the series began getting downhill and I began losing interest.

Two good movies. An average one. Followed by two terrible ones. And then a better one. Should we expect a rise after this?

 

IMO as always!
 

PS: I can't stand the Ewoks!
 

[Caya]

 

JJ Abrams's response to the leaked photo (see above) . I'm really starting to like his style.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I've always like the Ewoks.  But then I really enjoyed Little Fuzzy too, and am disappointed that Wikipedia has chosen to departmentalize it as "a work of juvenile fiction" -- note that it won the "best novel" Hugo Award.  I guess small furry people just don't get no respect.

 

As you say, Dragonslayer, Abrams is really good with the visuals.  But I think he's also very good with keeping the fans of his source-material happy.  So I'm expecting a satisfying reunion at the very least.

 

[Caya]

JJ Abrams, however, is only directing episode VII according to the newest rumours - Rian Johnson is said to be tagged to write and direct VIII and IX.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh.  Any idea what this is likely to mean, in terms of the finished product?  He seems to be kind of a new kid on the block, and I'm not really familiar with any of his work to date.

 

From a quick Google search, I get the impression that he's considered "innovative" (which may not be the best trait for someone entrusted with a "future nostalgia" type of franchise), but he does seem to have an endearing sense of humor (assuming he's the one who supplied the description "The mostly useless website of writer and director Rian Johnson").

 

[Caya]

Must admit I'd never heard of him before either, but both my husband and the boys over at brokenforum speak highly of Looper. What I find kind of curious, however, is that Abrams was de facto replaced for the next two parts while they're still doing the first of the new films, without waiting for, dunno, ratings, revenue or critical acclaim or lack thereof. Thereby probably hangs a tale or three, but I couldn't find anything so far.

[Arcadia]

I think I read somewhere that Abrams simply didn't want to do the other two, but I'm not actually sure of that. I might be thinking of Star Trek....

[Caya]

That would be a possible explanation, though it sounds odd coming from him, since he's declared himself such a huge Star Wars fan on several occasions. I think I prefer the Peter "I can't believe I've been given the chance to do this" Jackson level of enthusiasm .

[Carol the Dabbler]

Of course who knows what'll happen by the time they actually start filming the second and third installments?  Guillermo del Toro was supposed to direct both of the Hobbit movies, remember?

 

[Ruthyone]

I loved the trilogy, 'Star Wars,' 'Empire Strikes Back,' & 'Return of the Jedi,' - so am hoping new film will be brilliant!

[Redbeard]

Have any of you seen the new Star Wars teaser trailer that was released today? Some speculation has been that the voice over / narrator is our BC.  You guys surely know the nuances of his voice!  What do you think?  Does anyone know for sure?

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I saw/listened to the trailer twice and it does kind of sound like Benedict, a little like his Smaug meets Sean Connery.  Not sure if it is actually him but that would be cool if it were.