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

[Silo5]

Originally Posted by Braktastic

Oh, c'mon, we all know C-3PO is seriously gay.

The topic you guys are currently discussing is frowned upon.

You guys are skating on thin ice and it's only a matter of time before mods either close this thread or delete posts.

Just FYI and hopefully we can steer this thread back on topic.

[Kaiju]

Originally Posted by Silo5

The topic you guys are currently discussing is frowned upon.

You guys are skating on thin ice and it's only a matter of time before mods either close this thread or delete posts.

Just FYI and hopefully we can steer this thread back on topic.

[blonde_devil]

Originally Posted by Silo5

The topic you guys are currently discussing is frowned upon.

You guys are skating on thin ice and it's only a matter of time before mods either close this thread or delete posts.

Just FYI and hopefully we can steer this thread back on topic.

For sure and you are right. Just meant that unless you are in the beginning credits of the show, your character's personal life is usually not mentioned on the screen and if you wear red(or yellow in the TNG-Voyager years), you have no personal life as no one is crazy enough to get involved with a redshirt.

Personally I am waiting on some real news about this movie. People are going gaga over the original actors being in it and the Falcon picture but none of this is really surprising or unexpected. How much you want to bet the next image to "leak" out is a lightsaber? They are screwing with the fans and the fans are eating it up. I still get the feeling that we are in for a big letdown - everyone will say they are happy to see the original cast one more time but we might have a new movie to replace Phantom Menace for biggest disappointment.

[MechaGodzilla]

Personally I'd love to see some LGBT representation in Star Wars, and I think it's sad such a thing is even controversial. But those of you that'd hate to see it have nothing to worry about, I can't see it happening.

[Lord Method Man]

Yep, can't just enjoy the film's story and visuals. You have to obsess over knowing what the characters do with their reproductive organs.

[MechaGodzilla]

If that was aimed at me, I don't obsess over it. And I wouldn't want graphic sex scenes or anything like that, that stuff doesn't belong in Star Wars no matter who or what is involved. But as we've had several examples of (straight) romance in the saga, I feel like a tiny bit of same sex romance wouldn't ruin anything, and would only be fair.

But, if it never happens I'm fine with that too. I love Star Wars and the sexual orientation of the characters doesn't really have anything to do with that.

[Lord Method Man]

Originally Posted by MechaGodzilla

But as we've had several examples of (straight) romance in the saga.

Hardly. Han and Leia I guess. I hope you don't consider Anakin and Padme an example of "romance." Their relationship couldn't have looked more forced if they both had guns pointed at the back of their heads.

[Ryan0503]

Originally Posted by AintNoSin

Not exactly. Naval ships like the U.S.S. Enterprise, built in the 1960s, were only recently decommissioned. The 747 is still in production. B-52 bombers are still in active service and probably will remain so for another 20 years, nearly 80 years after they were built.

Also, the Falcon was a "piece of junk" mostly because Han was always broke and could barely afford to keep her flying. Presumably, he's flush in Ep. VII. Realistically, the ship could not only be flying, but should be restored to cherry condition.

I love the idea of the Falcon being restored to Prime condition. Makes perfect sense to me ... Rebels won, Han is well off, what else would he wanna spend his money on!! Great idea!!

Originally Posted by madlost1

I don't know I really enjoyed the two Treck movies that he did. If not for him I would have never picked up The Original Series as I always thought that Trek was crap. Once I got it though I blew through all three seasons in a few days and enjoyed every second of it.

I loved the new Trek films too .. I was anti Star Trek my whole life until these films, after seeing them I went back and bought the old movies and the original series on blu and have loved em!!!! I havent dove into Next Generation but as of now I'm a huge fan of Captain James T Kirk!!!

[blonde_devil]

Originally Posted by Ryan0503

I love the idea of the Falcon being restored to Prime condition. Makes perfect sense to me ... Rebels won, Han is well off, what else would he wanna spend his money on!! Great idea!!



I loved the new Trek films too .. I was anti Star Trek my whole life until these films, after seeing them I went back and bought the old movies and the original series on blu and have loved em!!!! I havent dove into Next Generation but as of now I'm a huge fan of Captain James T Kirk!!!

Maybe the Falcon was a piece of junk because Lando threw too many parties in it before Han got it! I can see Han looking through the closets and finding a disco ball going "Damn Lando!"

I am glad you are a fan of Trek now but I have a question for you - had you watched the series first without seeing the JJ films, would you have hated them? The one thing I keep hearing about his Trek films is how it brings a new audience to Trek and now they watch the original series but they keep forgetting to mention that a) most people just didn't like Trek before this - no reason, just didn't like it even though they had never watched it and b) had Paramount put the amount of hype behind the other Trek films that they did with his, people would probably have been more into those films. They used a name to get people's attention - had they cast Matt Damon as Kirk and had any old director, people would have watched it the same way. Trek didn't suddenly get better because he was attached to it, people just started to watch it and realised what they missed. With Star Wars, are more people going to watch it now that he is directing it? Doubt it. He is going to have to prove now that he actually does have the skill and imagination to pull off a film like this and quit playing these silly games with the audience as Star Wars in known and doesn't need his name association to get people to interested even after the last 3 films. He doesn't need to hype Star Wars - they could not release a single image or trailer and just tell people the release date and it would still be the tops for that week.

[Ryan0503]

Originally Posted by blonde_devil

Maybe the Falcon was a piece of junk because Lando threw too many parties in it before Han got it! I can see Han looking through the closets and finding a disco ball going "Damn Lando!"

I am glad you are a fan of Trek now but I have a question for you - had you watched the series first without seeing the JJ films, would you have hated them? The one thing I keep hearing about his Trek films is how it brings a new audience to Trek and now they watch the original series but they keep forgetting to mention that a) most people just didn't like Trek before this - no reason, just didn't like it even though they had never watched it and b) had Paramount put the amount of hype behind the other Trek films that they did with his, people would probably have been more into those films. They used a name to get people's attention - had they cast Matt Damon as Kirk and had any old director, people would have watched it the same way. Trek didn't suddenly get better because he was attached to it, people just started to watch it and realised what they missed. With Star Wars, are more people going to watch it now that he is directing it? Doubt it. He is going to have to prove now that he actually does have the skill and imagination to pull off a film like this and quit playing these silly games with the audience as Star Wars in known and doesn't need his name association to get people to interested even after the last 3 films. He doesn't need to hype Star Wars - they could not release a single image or trailer and just tell people the release date and it would still be the tops for that week.

I was not a fan of Trek for no paticular reason. I was a Star Wars fan and Trek was the opposing team lol. I did watch the original movies prior to the release of JJ's first film, but only because the trailers for the new film peaked my interest. I do think the new Trek movies are brilliant, not perfect, but brilliant and I have a lot of faith in what Disney and JJ will do with the next Star Wars. I may be a bit biaest as I do enjoy all the prequels lol, even though I see them as a missed opportunity.

[blonde_devil]

Originally Posted by Ryan0503

I was not a fan of Trek for no paticular reason. I was a Star Wars fan and Trek was the opposing team lol. I did watch the original movies prior to the release of JJ's first film, but only because the trailers for the new film peaked my interest. I do think the new Trek movies are brilliant, not perfect, but brilliant and I have a lot of faith in what Disney and JJ will do with the next Star Wars. I may be a bit biaest as I do enjoy all the prequels lol, even though I see them as a missed opportunity.

you liked the prequels? oh, well that's it then - your opinion doesn't count.

[Ryan0503]

Originally Posted by blonde_devil

you liked the prequels? oh, well that's it then - your opinion doesn't count.

Lol ... I appreciate them is probably a better term ... all three movies pushed the special effects envelope and paved the way for a lot of todays movies ... as bad as most parts of them are ... I can still enjoy them. Even as just a guilty pleasure lol

[Guydowood]

I am going to predict that is Harrison gets his wish and

[Show spoiler]Han gets axed in Ep.VII, he will die in Lea's arms and as he slips into his Galaxy Far Far Away he'll mutter those words "I Love you to Lea, and she'll simply say "I know".

.....followed by JJ's screen flair and a Lucas wipe.....

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by camper

I don't have an issue with the acting skills of Pine or Quinto at all, and when Quinto isn't being "Angst Ridden Spock Who Needs Anger Management" I think he plays the roll well. And I prefer Pine over Shatner, because Kirk is much more toned down and not so melodramatic.

But I do agree, the movies are less 'smart' and more 'action packed' than the TV show was. And really...think about it. The original movies were more "action packed" than the TV show and not as smart as the show. He's rebooting the movie franchise, not the TV show. Nodding to the show in acknowledgement, but not rebooting that. Enough for people 'roughly' familiar with it to get some of the references, but not enough (or in the right measure) to keep the most critical of the Trekkies and Trekkers happy.

"The enemy of art is the absence of limitations" - Orson Welles

Many of the TV shows were great precisely because the budgets were relatively small. Because there wasn't lots of money for special effects, big set pieces and explosions, the TV shows were forced to deal with thought-provoking issues. That made many of the various Star Trek TV series episodes far superior to the movies.

Once you give an immature director tons of money, all they want to do is blow up everything and as loudly as possible and the studio wants this also because it fills theatre seats. So the movies skip all the thought-provoking stuff and concentrate on action.

And that's how we get movies like the Transformers franchise. Even the worst of the Star Trek movies is like Shakespeare compared to that.

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by camper

The answer as to why she won an Oscar afterwards could be something as simple and obvious as "she got better." Of course, her acting skills in the Thor movies (post Oscar) are more reminiscent of her Star Wars role than her Oscar winning role.

There are plenty of Oscar winners who were terrible before they won, and were just as terrible after.

The true test of a good actor/actress is that they are incredible despite being in a terrible role, and Portman does not fall into this caliber of talent. At all.

Well that definitely DID have something to do with it-- Both her and Hayden were younger and relatively inexperienced actors, so it stands to reason their performances would suffer the worst. But I'd still say the fault lies in Lucas' directing-- hell, Samual L. Freakin' Jackson is way more stale and wooden in the films than I've ever seen him before, and he's been in like, a million movies.

The only actors in the prequels I thought were able to pull off their acting chops despite the script and direction were the really seasoned acting veterans Ian McDiarmid and Christopher Lee. Ewan McGregor was a phenomenal casting choice as Obi Wan, but I still thought he could have been much better if he had something more to work with.

[Auditor55]

Originally Posted by Torgon

Zachary Quinto (as Spock) was Captain of the Enterprise briefly .

I don't mean in real life. I'm talking about the role of captain. Spock was is in love with Lt. Uhuru.

BTW, will there be an openly gay Jedi Knight in episode 7?

[mrr1]

Originally Posted by Auditor55

will there be an openly gay Jedi Knight in episode 7?

I hope not, unless he turns to the dark side.

[blonde_devil]

Originally Posted by Guydowood

I am going to predict that is Harrison gets his wish and

[Show spoiler]Han gets axed in Ep.VII, he will die in Lea's arms and as he slips into his Galaxy Far Far Away he'll mutter those words "I Love you to Lea, and she'll simply say "I know".

.....followed by JJ's screen flair and a Lucas wipe.....

See, that is what I am worried about. I don't know about others but I see JJ as a poor man's Lucas or Spielberg - he can emulate people's styles after it has been done but he can't really be creative or innovative himself. How many times have you heard people say one of his movies is an homage to the Lucas or Spielberg style? Look at what Ryan0503 said about his Trek films - how many scenes from those films are "inspired" or ripped-off from movies like Indiana Jones? I can see him putting a scene like this in the film thinking it will be all cute and referencing back to Empire but let's be honest, it isn't that great of an idea especially when you consider they already used it in Jedi. I just have a bad feeling about this (see, you read that and groaned!)

ZoetMB, you are right - the story counts more than the money. Wrath of Khan is great because the story was told wonderfully even though they had a rather small budget to work with. A friend and I went to watch Best of Both Worlds when it was in the theatre last year - he is not a Trek fan(loves Star Wars) but he watched the 2009 film. Not only could he follow along with the story(proving that Trek really is audience accessible when they audience wants to be) but he said it was better than the 2009 film. A 25 year old episode was better than a 2009 movie with a huge budget? Impossible! You can get over a lot of budget issues if you have a compelling and well told story but if the story lacks, no amount of special effects are going to save it. Too many new directors are getting lucky thier first time out, getting a huge budget movie for the next one and don't know how to actually tell a story.

[stvn1974]

If Han dies I hope someone finds some magic blood to bring him back.

[aiman04]