posted
Well, I have to say I agree with you, not your sister. You're adorable, but not much like Anakin. For one thing, you look nothing like Uma Thurman, and the above-referenced pic of Anakin looks like Uma's long-lost fraternal twin.
Posts: 24 | Registered: Nov 2003
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quote:I can't believe not all sci-fi/fantasy fans haven't completely divorced themselves from this New Coke/Star Wars franchise.
Hating the travesty does not prevent one from enjoying good on-screen entertainment. Bad literature aside, special effects CAN make the movie. I was able to enjoy Fast and the Furious and Biker Boyz solely for entertaining visuals and in spite of horrible storyline.
Does every movie you watch have to be good literature/art? Does every meal have to be nutricious? What every happened to enjoyment of candy? Let us not forget that the original Star Wars was just a Space Opera with some Jungian psychology thrown in.
Posts: 186 | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted
I'm not sure if it was just the literature part.
First of all if we had gotten decent leading actors to tranlate that mediocre literature to the screen it probably would've done better. If the person who WROTE the literature didn't direct the film it probably would've been better. I think the problem most fans are having is the fact that it just doesn't live up to the actual Star Wars standards. The dedication and excitement has worn off and now we're just looking at desperate attempts to gain what the OT had when it first came out. The story is fabulous, there's no argument there, but Lucas needs to consult with some other writers/directors if he wants to have any chance of saving this last film, which has good potential I might add.
Luckily though, we still have The Lord of the Rings and The Matrix. I do anyway...
T-Smith, you have the Hayden eyes thing going on, but that's it. Don't worry about it, I've had people say I look like Meg Ryan *shudders* or Terri Hatcher and I don't think I look like either of them, even a little bit.
quote: Bad literature aside, special effects CAN make the movie.
Man, apart from the yoda fight scene, Attack of the Clones had horrible special effects. During certain scenes, I thought I was watching an episode of Reboot.
posted
Okay...the Yoda fight scene I thought was the only sad special effects part of the film. The fx was the strong point of it. The seismic charges were very cool and the Couruscant chase et cetera. I thought those were exceptional examples of special effects. But that's me.
Posts: 51 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
I am most definately seeing this when it comes out, even though I will probably criticize a good deal (Hayden Christensen's acting is TERRIBLE---he's hot, but his acting is so bad I shudder).
The yoda fight scene was laughable. Literally. I was in a theater full of people when I saw that and everyone busted out laughing and started singing "Kung Fu Fighting:"
"Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting/ And Yoda was fast as Lightning"
And this was a theater full of geeks and nerds (I fall under the nerd department). Nathan, you are a cutie. You may not look like Anakin (hafta agree--Uma Thurman's bro), but you are cute. Posts: 463 | Registered: Oct 2003
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quote:Does every movie you watch have to be good literature/art? Does every meal have to be nutricious? What every happened to enjoyment of candy? Let us not forget that the original Star Wars was just a Space Opera with some Jungian psychology thrown in.
I like Reeces Peanut Butter cups. I hate candy corn.
RPC have a rich, crushed peanuty center surrounded by a lovely milk chocolate coating. While about as bad for you as any food substance on the planet can get, someone put some effort into it's creation and it comes out rich, filling and extremely tasty. If your diet is entirely RPC, you will live long enough to become an amazing obese (but possibly very happy) person until finally the fat clogs your arteries and you die.
Candy corn is concentrated sugar and corn syrup with some food coloring thrown in for good measure. It's about as creative as dirt, and if you subsist on these entirely you will live long enough to be a jittery, sugar-coma induced diabetic and ultimately die of malnutrition.
Episode IV through VI of Star Wars was new, exciting and - while possibly not filled to it's chocolate brim with peanuty goodness - CREATIVE enough to prove someone had put some love into it.
Episode I, II and I can only guess III are the creative equivalent to Candy Corn from a chocolatier. George Lucas is better than this, but he decided that he's been making candy long enough to just sorta slap some corn syrup together confident that candy-starved audiences all over will by them to sate a sweet tooth started in the 70's.
He wasted his talents, his time and stripped some of the patina off a well-loved legacy. I'm irritated that George is passing his New Coke off on me as Coke Classic, and that he doesn't think I can tell the difference.
However, that said, I think I'm becoming one of those grumpy long-timers around here and really shouldn't have crapped up this thread with my grumpy opinions. You're right - people have a right to their Candy Corn and I really shouldn't have shaken my fist at them just cause they like something I don't.
posted
I'm probably going to see it if for the sole reason that I can walk out of the theater and say, "That was okay." But then realize later that it really wasn't and feel like I should've spent that $7.00 on a month of Anarchy Online or something.
By the way, I hate Anarchy Online.
I suppose that it will give me the ability to have long cooperative rants with a buddy of mine who's as distressed by the series' as I am.
Posts: 903 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
I saw Attack of the Clones on opening day.... in France. It totally rocked. Yoda even inverts his sentences in French.
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
They spent too much money on these films. If I want to see bad sci-fi movies I'd rather watch those ones from the fifties with called titles like 'The Return of the Thing'. They have it all, spaceships which travel through space by being pulled along with a string, aliens made out of a man wearing some green facepaint and a roll of tinfoil, and a plot which usually involves the alien kidnaping someone and getting blown up for it's trouble. They're worth watching for the comedy value alone.
I really like the first Star Wars movies. They're funny and charming, and a million times better than those old movies. But there's nothing funny or charming about the new ones. I saw episode II at an IMAX and it was still soulless and stupid. I'll see episode III when it comes out on video. They're so glossy and the special effects are okay enough that they aren't even bad enough to laugh at.
Posts: 119 | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted
So do we not have a picture of Amidala because she is going to go from smothered (ep I) to scanty (ep II) to completely nude?
I think Anakin's hairdo look extremely special. I guess it explains the shape of the black helmet he wears in OT. (I'm assuming this means Original Trilogy and not Old Testament). A friend of mine said she wasn't going to see it, right after II came out. I guess we will probably see it. I've never really understood the difference between Coke and New Coke. To me, it seems more like Han Solo-Free Coke.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
ralphie, if you're talking about the original trilogy, that's episodes 4, 5, and 6. even if there was a set of sequels, which i have heard rumors of in the past, they would be 7, 8, and 9. i have no idea where you got 9, 10, and 11. if you find out that you're right somehow, let me know.
[edit: i thought maybe you just accidently used an 'x' instead of a 'v' for the roman numerals.]
posted
Hayden Christensen is NOT a bad actor. See My life as a house, or that new movie he's in Glass Houses?/ I have not seen it but he gets good reviews.
Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor... basically EVERYONE in the first two prequesla was capable of better acting than they were allowed to do. Mr. Lucas has said himself that the Star Wars movies are not abbout 'reality acting'. He actually wants the actors to come off stilted, or more like the old serials that heclaims Star Wars was modelled after.
I just really think it's not THEIR fault. The blame is Lucas' and the gaggle of people around him too cowed to say "This sucks" when it sucks.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
I agree. All of them can act well, but for some *cough*Lucas-related*cough* reason they're not doing so.
Posts: 2443 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
I'm with Ralphie on this. Lucas just simply lost the magic and replaced it with CGI.
And the acting for Episodes I and II? Laughable at best.
And the seismic charges thing --- how do sound and vibration travel through space again???
Honestly, when you go back and look at the aliens in the first movies, the make-up and latex prosthetics looked much more real than the CGI crap that Lucas has been throwing around like magic pixie plot dust.
Posts: 2848 | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Honestly, when you go back and look at the aliens in the first movies, the make-up and latex prosthetics looked much more real than the CGI crap that Lucas has been throwing around like magic pixie plot dust.
Much more real and much more interesting. CGI, at this stage, usually requires some slipperiness of focus to slide by. Either it's background stuff, or flying by really fast, or whatever, in order to "pass." That doesn't allow the time to linger on facial expressions and interpersonal stuff as with the prosthetic enhancements in the earlier episodes.
posted
Was I the only one who loved the story in Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones? I liked it for the same reason I liked the original Chris Claremont X-Men – it’s elaborately plotted, with maybe the most scheming villain in movie history, and the action scenes kick ass.
I mean, look at what Palpatine has accomplished. First he dupes the Trade Federation into attacking a peaceful planet that will get lots of sympathy. (BTW, I love the fact that the Federation is evil in Star Wars, mainly because I think Gene Rodenberry is a naïve, idealistic twit.) Knowing the Jedi are on there way, he fails to warn the Federation and instead orders them to kill the Jedi and launch an attack. He knows the Fed will fail to kill the Jedi, letting them come back to warn the Senate of the invasion.
Next, he sends Darth Maul to Tatooine to underscore the importance of what’s happening on Naboo. He can’t really have thought that DM would be able to stop them there – he wants the Jedi and the Senate scurrying around like chipmunks trying to figure out what’s going on. “The Sith! The Sith!”
He then counts on the inadequacy of the Senate to get himself appointed Chancellor. He has no stake in the outcome of the battle of Naboo, but again he wants the Jedi thinking the Sith actually cared about conquering Naboo, so he sends Darth Maul. Remember, he has no personal feelings for his apprentice.
Fast forward 10 years. In that time, Palpatine has been leading the Senate and befriending possibly the most powerful force-sensitive boy in history, while at the same time filling his head with ideas about the inadequacy of the Republic as a government.
He gets his new apprentice to start seducing worlds to secede from the Republic, and also gets him to order an army of clones in the purported name of the Jedi. Then he stages an attack on Senator Padme. If it succeeds, he’ll have made the Trade Federation even more loyal. If he fails, the Jedi will find evidence that will lead them to the clone army.
Meanwhile, back at the Capitol, Palpatine gets Jar Jar to propose the Chancellor receive emergency powers.
His apprentice, meanwhile, is continuing to stir up trouble. Seizing the initiative he gains when he captures Kenobi, he lures the Jedi into a trap, killing a large fraction of them and encouraging Yoda to bring back the army, thinking it is his idea. His apprentice also makes sure there is no doubt that the separatists are at war with the Republic, justifying the need for the army and the emergency powers.
So the soon-to-be Emperor has gotten his greatest enemies to give him an army, grant him more power, and sacrifice half their warriors before they even know who they’re fighting.
A masterpiece of political intrigue, deftly executed. I love it!
posted
Ah, well, I guess a story you have to think about is too much for some people to take with their action...
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Many of us have been Star Wars fans for longer than you have been alive. We're very familiar, as a consequence, with the story arc, and have been exposed to a number of cool betrayals -- real and literary -- over the course of our lives.
Yes, Palpatine's ascent to power is kind of cool. It is not, however, cool enough to redeem a movie with few other good qualities.
I'm even somebody who liked the last Matrix movie; clearly, my standards aren't all that high. And even by THOSE standards, the Star Wars prequels are pretty weak.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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quote:TomDavidson said: Many of us have been Star Wars fans for longer than you have been alive. We're very familiar, as a consequence, with the story arc, and have been exposed to a number of cool betrayals -- real and literary -- over the course of our lives.
Not possible. Unless you were fans of whatever scraps of the stories existed in Lucas’s brains before I was born.
I saw Star Wars opening day when it first came out in 1977. I saw Empire Strikes Back the first day it came out. Ditto Return of the Jedi.
Episodes I-III are about someone turning evil and helping his master conquer the galaxy in a believable enough way that his ultimate redemption is believable. It’s not a story that can be told simply.
The Ewoks were a mistake. Jar Jar was a betrayal. Natalie Portman’s white shirt getting torn exactly enough to make it a belly shirt was ridiculous. But the movie has countless redeeming qualities beyond the sophistication of the takeover scheme.
Dagonee PS, and for the record, I thought the last Matrix movie wasn’t worth the celluloid it was printed on.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
3) Hayden Christiansen does far better than most people give him credit for. He’s playing a rebellious teenage mystic who’s had years of intensive training controlling every aspect of his body and mind. He pulls off typical “nobody understands me” rants while still showing the emotional reticence that has been shown by Guinness, Hamill (in RotJ only), Oz as Yoda, and McGregor. The idea here is people who have learned (badly in Anakin’s case) to control their anger so they don’t accidentally kill people. This has an effect on their mannerisms. The reason he annoyed people is because Anakin is annoying. Ultimately he will turn to the dark side in the belief it is the only way to help the world, only to be redeemed by his son years later. I think the setup to make that arc believable was incredibly well done.
4) The subtle yet constant use of the Force by Anakin, as compared to Yoda’s use of a walking stick when he could use the Force to not require one. I think people miss most of it; it’s crafted as part of his natural behavior so it doesn’t stand out. It helps underscore two points: Anakin’s treatment of the Force as a tool as opposed to a guide, and why Yoda couldn’t go finish off the emperor when he was clearly more powerful than Luke ever became by the end of RotJ.
5) Chase scene in Coruscant was pretty cool. Especially the Cantina scene at the end of it.
6) Kenobi/Fett battle in the rain.
7) Asteroid field chase.
8) The final duel. Perfect setup of Anakin’s impetuousness and the hint of his power to come. A good explanation of what different levels of power the Jedi have. And the sigh before Yoda takes up his weapon is one of the best CGI emotive moments in movies so far – only Gollum surpasses it. Yeah, the froggy jumping by Yoda is a little cheesy, but I don’t know how else to shoot that scene – and I think it was necessary.
9) The sheer scope of the world-building – Lucas continues to do this so well that people forget how hard it is to pull off. Compare to the Matrix, with only 3 real settings (the Matrix, Zion, and the underworld/machine city). This was Lucas’s original innovation and no one does it as well as he.
10) The gladiator arena scene.
Scenes I didn’t like:
1) The factory fight scene.
2) The diner scene where Kenobi finds out about the cloners.
3) The idyll on Naboo (although at least an abbreviated portion of it was necessary). Although it did a decent, if slightly heavy-handed, job of hinting at Anakin’s ultimate justification for joining Palpatine.
posted
Oh, TOM! I was really holding out for some righteous indignation from you. You've disappointed me, man. <sniffs>
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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posted
I think Count Dooku is a good guy. I think he's trying to dupe Sidious into a comfort zone, and then will try to kill him in the next movie, which is why Anakin kills him in the first ten minutes.
Posts: 7 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
We’ve been implicitly promised two things for the next movie:
1. Anakin is going to kick Dooku’s ass all over the galaxy in an epic lightsaber duel.
2. This duel will pale in comparison to the one between Anakin and Obi-Wan which results in Anakin falling into a molten pit of some kind, resulting in the breathing device, the helmet , and the James Earl Jones voice.
If the next movie doesn’t fulfill both these promises, I’m going to be highly annoyed.
Has anyone seen the Clone Wars cartoons done by the Samurai Jack guy? I heard they were awesome but haven’t seen one yet. Supposedly there’s an underwater lightsaber duel that is unbelievable.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
Not that it counts for much but I enjoyed episode one, and thought two was okay. I enjoy watching them from time to time. They aren't as brillant as 4-6 but I like them.
Posts: 1132 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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I have always been a huge Star Wars fan. I own three copies of the original trilogy like I'm sure many of you do.(the originals, remastered, and special edition)I've enjoyed each set because in my opinion more and better Star Wars = more and better fun! So, when the new episodes came out I was also disapointed like many with the strength of the scripts and some of the performances, But... Like I just said more and better Star Wars = more and better fun. So although the new episodes have in ways let me down and are in no way nearly as good as the originals I am still a fan. I own them both on DVD and do rewatch from time to time.
And the bottom line is that these are only movies. They are here to entertain and well, episodes I & II entertained me. I enjoyed sitting in a theater watching them, I enjoy sitting at home and watching the DVD's, and I'm going to enjoy watching Episode III when it comes out.
Will there be parts that I think sucked, will I be let down, will Mr. Lucas do things with the story I wish he wouldn't have? Probably, but I am also possitive I will be entertained, I know I will own the DVD, and I know houndreds of thousands of "angry" Fans will watch the movie over and over again in the theaters and at home.
Rememeber: Movies are art and George Lucas is the artist. Like it or not these movies are his vision and we are only spectators.
Posts: 1294 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
But, behold...the BUNS!!! The origin of the Buns will be explained in Episode III. And for this, we watch. *bows head*
Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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CGI, at this stage, usually requires some slipperiness of focus to slide by. Either it's background stuff, or flying by really fast, or whatever, in order to "pass." That doesn't allow the time to linger on facial expressions and interpersonal stuff as with the prosthetic enhancements in the earlier episodes. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
