Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

[LoathedVermin72]

[Strat]

It's true

Spoiler: show

all of it

[tragabigzanda]

Star Wars sucks now

[Strat]

I love star wars

[stip]

I think the OT has held up pretty well, effects wise. I'm not sure i know what skitch means by whether they have help up "technically."? Like, craft wise? Execution? Performances? Editing? I would need specifics before j can choose a side here.

oddly enough it is the later effects added in that have aged a bit more poorly

[stip]

I think the OT qualifies as "great moviemaking," or whatever you guys are calling it, because the sum is far more than its parts. It's flawed and hokey at times, but goddamn -- they created an entire world for viewers to get lost in. If you start dissecting dramatic arcs, bits of dialogue, individual performances, Ewoks, then sure, there's a lot that misses its mark. But overall the OT is superb.

and that's why Force Awakens is great movie making. Despite some real issues with the movie, and some originality problems (by design, for better or worse) it introduced a new generation to what star wars is, awoke an old commitment from the generations that grew up with it, and really pretty seamlessly blended the nostalgia hooks to make it all seem familiar with new characters that have gone over exceptionally well with people and has them excited to see where the story goes.


It delivered in spades on everything it needed.

[tragabigzanda]

Star Wars sucks now

[stip]

Ina lot of ways I feel that someone like myself is a great test case for this. I used to adore star wars, and had a nostalgic attachment to the OT, but as something foundational, not an active, living interest. I didn't care about the new movies other than an 'oh, hopefully it's good' wait and see attitude--until the first teaser. Even then I didn't really care about any of it (I thought it was a fan film, actually) until the shot of Falcon, at which point I was immediately all in and it hasn't let up.

BUT, and this is important, is that what sustained it was not seeing the Falcon in the film, or the X-wings, or anything else (those these were great). While they helped ground the movie and make it feel like star wars, it really was the new characters and wanting to see what happens next to Rey, Ren, Finn, Poe, BB-8, etc. that has me super excited going forward.

[bada]

models/puppets>cgi

[McParadigm]

models/puppets>cgi

They can both be done well. Maz doesn't look "real," but I buy into her existence because she is handled well. Puppet Yoda doesn't look "real," but he is to me because of how he is portrayed, and how the movie respects him as real. Most of the "hey look an alien" moments in New Hope/prequels/Force Awakens look super fake. Watto and the new fat suit Watto on Jakku are good examples of how cgi and practical effects can both standout as unnatural or somehow calculated looking.

[Strat]

Fat Suit watto. LOL. True.

[LoathedVermin72]

Kill me

[dimejinky99]

Theres some weird magic in the original Star Wars films. If you take any part of them alone and break it down it should t work but it does.

Force Awakens somehow managed to capture that lightning in a bottle again. Whatever that mystery element is, it has it.

[LoathedVermin72]

Kill you

[dimejinky99]

Kill me

I would but that's not the Jedi way.

[BurtReynolds]

That's a lot of movies!

I've seen... maybe 10? And at least a few of them were better, for sure. Sisters was not better. An Honest Liar wasn't better. X-Men: Days of Future Past CERTAINLY wasn't better. The One I Love and Hello My Name is Doris are definitely both better.

I think I said it in my SCV segment but TFA is a good (or decent) movie but it's a great Star Wars movie. But, again, that bar isn't especially high for me. Empire is really the only Star Wars movie I'd call exceptional on a cinematic level.

Days of the Future Past is probably worse, yeah.

I still don't understand this whole "not a great movie, but a great Star Wars movie" logic. That makes no sense to me.

Because the aim is entirely different. A GREAT movie carves its own niche. Has it's own vision and own narrative (even if its a remake or reboot). This movie was aiming to recreate a feeling, to undo the sterile prequels. To reintroduce the fanbase into a "universe." Whether or not YOU felt that was successful is up for debate. For a lot of people The Force Awakens accomplished what they wanted it to do... make them feel like Star Wars was more Empire and less Clones.

I don't understanding how recapturing a feeling makes it a great Star Wars movie. That's not what the great Star Wars movies did.

Are the Star Wars movies technically great movies? Have the effects held up to still seem modern? Not at all. They just happened to strike that right balance (and frankly luck and timing) that speaks to the generation of people that demanded sequels and toys and millions of tie ins... which basically made the society, by and large, become nostalgic for what is at its core a decent movie series. The Force Awakens did a very good job of tapping into that for the masses. So there is no way to judge what a great Star Wars movie is. Either this movie gave you that feeling or it didnt... even if objectively you can say "yah, this movie isn't great"

You realize he is basically calling TFA a toy commercial for idiot manchildren, right?

[Strat]

That's a lot of movies!

I've seen... maybe 10? And at least a few of them were better, for sure. Sisters was not better. An Honest Liar wasn't better. X-Men: Days of Future Past CERTAINLY wasn't better. The One I Love and Hello My Name is Doris are definitely both better.

I think I said it in my SCV segment but TFA is a good (or decent) movie but it's a great Star Wars movie. But, again, that bar isn't especially high for me. Empire is really the only Star Wars movie I'd call exceptional on a cinematic level.

Days of the Future Past is probably worse, yeah.

I still don't understand this whole "not a great movie, but a great Star Wars movie" logic. That makes no sense to me.

Because the aim is entirely different. A GREAT movie carves its own niche. Has it's own vision and own narrative (even if its a remake or reboot). This movie was aiming to recreate a feeling, to undo the sterile prequels. To reintroduce the fanbase into a "universe." Whether or not YOU felt that was successful is up for debate. For a lot of people The Force Awakens accomplished what they wanted it to do... make them feel like Star Wars was more Empire and less Clones.

I don't understanding how recapturing a feeling makes it a great Star Wars movie. That's not what the great Star Wars movies did.

Are the Star Wars movies technically great movies? Have the effects held up to still seem modern? Not at all. They just happened to strike that right balance (and frankly luck and timing) that speaks to the generation of people that demanded sequels and toys and millions of tie ins... which basically made the society, by and large, become nostalgic for what is at its core a decent movie series. The Force Awakens did a very good job of tapping into that for the masses. So there is no way to judge what a great Star Wars movie is. Either this movie gave you that feeling or it didnt... even if objectively you can say "yah, this movie isn't great"

You realize he is basically calling TFA a toy commercial for idiot manchildren, right?

You draw cartoons. Shut up.

[Strat]

I didn't mean that

[BurtReynolds]

I didn't mean that

Are you gonna vote Dev/Reynolds or not?

[Strat]

I didn't mean that

Are you gonna vote Dev/Reynolds or not?

Of course.