Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[georgec]

Just cast the ST actors and be done with it.

Too much crossover! World colliding! Boundaries blurring!

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by Duffy12

Alfonso Cuaron Lining Up For STAR WARS Ep VIII?

Now that would be an awesome Star Wars film.

[BJ Blazkowicz]

I'd l

[MCT]

Alfonso Cuaron directiong Ep VIII = SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY

I think he'd do for this trilogy what Kershner did for the OT with TESB. I think I see what Disney is going for, as far as mirroring the OT's themes. JJ's intro will lay out the playing field, will be somewhat light in tone, and a blast to watch (ANH), Cuaron will take us into the depths of despair and drive the stakes even higher (ESB), and whoever directs EP 9 will just have to wrap it all up and give us a memorable climax (ROTJ).

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by MCT

Alfonso Cuaron directiong Ep VIII = SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY

I think he'd do for this trilogy what Kershner did for the OT with TESB. I think I see what Disney is going for, as far as mirroring the OT's themes. JJ's intro will lay out the playing field, will be somewhat light in tone, and a blast to watch (ANH), Cuaron will take us into the depths of despair and drive the stakes even higher (ESB), and whoever directs EP 9 will just have to wrap it all up and give us a memorable climax (ROTJ).

Not a huge fan of Cuaron. I thought he garbled the whole point of Azkaban. Everyone oohs and aahs over the visuals, ask those who haven't read the books why it is reasonable that young Harry thinks he sees his father at the end, you won't get any sound at all...just a puzzled look. Cuaron has time to show a tree killing a bird in one of the more WTF moments in recent fantasy filmmaking, but doesn't have time to properly set-up the ending of the film.

Also, allegedly, the kids hated working with him, which is why he wasn't invited back.

[Rblu-Dblu]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Not a huge fan of Cuaron. I thought he garbled the whole point of Azkaban. Everyone oohs and aahs over the visuals, ask those who haven't read the books why it is reasonable that young Harry thinks he sees his father at the end, you won't get any sound at all...just a puzzled look. Cuaron has time to show a tree killing a bird in one of the more WTF moments in recent fantasy filmmaking, but doesn't have time to properly set-up the ending of the film.

Also, allegedly, the kids hated working with him, which is why he wasn't invited back.

I thought Prisoner of Azkaban was one of the better done Harry Potter movies. I disliked all of them except that one and Deathly Hallows.

[gettodamoofies]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Also, allegedly, the kids hated working with him, which is why he wasn't invited back.

As has been mentioned publicly Cuaron was unable to commit to the schedule because final touches were still being put to Azkaban (released end of May '04) when Goblet of Fire commenced filming (April '04). He wasn't able to commit to pre-production of one film while still in the midst of post-production on another.

Regarding holes created due to the excision of large portions of the story in order to make the film a decent run time, all the Potter films suffered from this to an extent. Similar criticisms could be levelled and the other directors as well as the screenwriters, producers and Rowling herself.

I personally find Cuaron managed to tap a perfect middle ground between the lighter nature of the first two films and the darkness of what was to come and for that it seems a very well rounded film. John Williams also seemed to work well with him creating what is in my opinion not only the finest score of the franchise but also one of Williams' finer scores of his career. If Cuaron does indeed take the reigns on a future Star Wars film I'm very keen to hear of what Cuaron's storytelling approach might inspire Williams to create, assuming of course that Williams is either interested or around to score them.

[IronWaffle]

For kicks, just saw this. Rancor one-off, anyone?

http://bitcast-r.v1.iad1.bitgravity....ZZ672C2D0F.jpg

[Buddy Ackerman]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Also, allegedly, the kids hated working with him, which is why he wasn't invited back.

That's not true - they loved him, Watson especially. Any interview where he's brought up they rave about him in a way I haven't heard them do with Columbus or Newell. The main attraction seems to be that they were at the turning point in their adolescence and Cauron understood that and treated them more like adults and serious artists than they were treated on the previous two films.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by Buddy Ackerman

That's not true - they loved him, Watson especially. Any interview where he's brought up they rave about him in a way I haven't heard them do with Columbus or Newell. The main attraction seems to be that they were at the turning point in their adolescence and Cauron understood that and treated them more like adults and serious artists than they were treated on the previous two films.

Azkaban was a transitional film for the trio, because under Columbus, they were treated as children, with multiple takes upon takes, with the director giving them line readings -- in effect, they weren't acting, they were doing imitations. Cuaron, however, expected them to act, and he treated them like actors and it was a transition for them, and not always a smooth one. Of course, I've also heard that Mike Newell's bombastic and aggressive style was an issue, as he was even harder on them than Cuaron.

Anyway, my issue with Azkaban remains...unless you've read the book, Harry's statement that he saw his father comes out of nowhere. It's the central emotional moment in the entire story -- how much screentime could it possibly take to explain that Harry's father could shapeshift into a deer? Movies are an assemblage of choices, every shot is a choice, every line of dialog a choice. The decision not to explain why Harry thinks he saw his father is, for me, akin to cutting the moment at the climax of Star Wars where Luke hears Obi-Wan and decides to turn off the computer and use "the Force". The end result would be the same - Luke blowing up the Death Star - but all the poetry and meaning would be gutted. It's that important. If Cuaron can miss something so essential to the story, then tone and style be damned, it's the story that suffers, and Cuaron was at the helm and he made the choice to let it happen.

So while everyone else seems to be excited at the prospect of Cuaron directing a new Star Wars film, I remain wary, because for me, story is everything in these films. Storytelling and writing sank the prequels. I want great scripts and great storytellers tackling Star Wars, not stylists. Cuaron has a visual motif in Azkaban that runs throughout the movie, with his camera passing through panes of glass and mirrors. It looks great, it calls attention to the director (look at me, Ma!), but what does it have to do with the story? Style without substance is a white elephant. Give me substance, great storytelling and narrative coherence any day.

[Buddy Ackerman]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Azkaban was a transitional film for the trio, because under Columbus, they were treated as children, with multiple takes upon takes, with the director giving them line readings -- in effect, they weren't acting, they were doing imitations. Cuaron, however, expected them to act, and he treated them like actors and it was a transition for them, and not always a smooth one. Of course, I've also heard that Mike Newell's bombastic and aggressive style was an issue, as he was even harder on them than Cuaron.

Every interview I've seen/read about his style though says it was really appreciated by the trio. And this includes interviews from when the film was first out right up to one done during all the retrospective look-backs at the films when the final film came out. The three loved that they were bieng treated like actors, and as adults - especially Watson (who I'm certain listed Cuaron as her favourite of the directors). I'm not saying that transition was always smooth but it was favoured by the kids and certainly the rumour that "the kids hated him" is untrue hyperbole.

EDIT - This isn't where I read Watson talking about Cuaron (I'm sure it was in an Empire interview) but whatever I read there was similar to this -

“Well, I shouldn’t say I have a favorite director—that wouldn’t be very diplomatic,” said Watson. “But one of the people I enjoyed working with most was Alfonso Cuarón [who directed Watson in the third Potter film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)]. I have a real thing for Mexican directors. And I love Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro González Iñárritu.”

[Cook]

Everything I've ever read and seen points to great affection from the cast to Cuaron. They all seem to appreciate him pushing them and coaing them out of their shells. Newell on the other hand while appreciated seemed to slightly overwhelm and annoy.

As for him not returning to GOF, if I'm not mistaken, he was one that entertained the notion with Heyman of splitting GOF. I'm not a fan of what Newell did with GOF so I would love to have seen what Cuaron would have done with the material split or no split. He was asked to come back, but couldn't commit to the schedule nor the undertaking for a second time. POA, shortcommings aside, imo the film perfectly captured the magic and atmosphere of the world. Something that I feel was completely sapped out by DH Part 2. God almighty, Yate's Hogwarts was so bland. It was just one brown/grey block hallway after another.

[tilallr1]

Originally Posted by HD2Blu

Seriously, while this youtube clip make me laugh everytime I see it, now I can NOT watch any movies with shia in them. I never noticed this on my own until I watched these clips and I will never be able to shake this "trigger". Its going to pull my focus out of EVERY movie he is in from now on.

Sorry that last vid made me think of this awesome fan made montage of Vader.

Star Wars: No Easy Way Out - YouTube

[aiman04]

Originally Posted by IronWaffle

For kicks, just saw this. Rancor one-off, anyone?

http://bitcast-r.v1.iad1.bitgravity....ZZ672C2D0F.jpg

Maybe a Sarlacc pit one-off. That could take 1000 years of the timeline.

[Blu-21]

Originally Posted by tilallr1

Sorry that last vid made me think of this awesome fan made montage of Vader.

Star Wars: No Easy Way Out - YouTube

The prequels do have a purpose after all, they were needed to make that awesome video!

[tilallr1]

Originally Posted by Blu-21

The prequels do have a purpose after all, they were needed to make that awesome video!

LOL.

.
.
.
.

Yup ... your right!

[Pondosinatra]

Can they do a remake of Ewok Christmas???

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Can they do a remake of Ewok Christmas???

They did! I believe it's called Attack of the Clones.

[Jennifer Lawrence Fan]

I heard Mark Wahlberg wants to be in the new movies.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Michael Bay Fan

I heard Mark Wahlberg wants to be in the new movies.

LOL! Does he understand the names, places, and things in the script!