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

[Nocturnaloner]

Originally Posted by metalsonic

oh episode 3... I always laugh at the anakin obi-wan exchanges:
Obi-Wan: Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic! To democracy!!
Anakin: If you're not with me, then you're my enemy!

After waiting years to finally watch Episode III, one of the positive things I came away with was Ian McDiarmid's dedication to the character. I mean, if you're going to do an insanely over the top, over-everything character like The Emperor, you might as well go all the way. That guy was chewing scenery so hard you needed to keep your fingers away from his mouth. That's the George Lucas method of directing actors for you: "Faster, more intense!" I'm sincere in my compliment though. I know he delivered what he was asked to do, and it is nothing if not memorable.

[steel_breeze]

I feel like this current discussion of the Original and Prequel Trilogies belongs in the other forum. However… since it's here right now…

While most people on the internet machine seem to hold fast to passionate opinions forever, I must admit something rare: although I've been a genuine "Prequel Despiser" for the last fifteen years… I've actually come to appreciate them, just in the last couple months. The new JJ Abrams trailer stirred my long dormant Star Wars fanaticism, and I finally went out and bought the blu-rays. (I realized that if I was EVER going to want them, I'd want them with the 20th Century Fox logo attached to the beginning)

Although everything terrible about them is still terrible (Jar Jar, mitichlorians, Vader building 3PO, dialogue, chemistry, etc)… I gotta admit, they still "feel" like Star Wars to me. And nothing else out there "feels" like Star Wars; no other franchise quite transports me the way even the worst Star Wars flick can. I love the design elements (the ships, the worlds) and I definitely credit John Williams and Ben Burtt with linking the trilogies more effectively than Lucas' writing or directing.

Anyhoo… people are going to feel the way they feel; whatever. But I for one have finally let go of the hate and embraced what's good about the Prequels instead of focusing and obsessing and festering on the bad. Frankly, I don't really know if I've joined the Dark Side or the Light Side, but I do feel a weight lifted (as corny and hyperbolic as that sounds). Bring on Episode VII; I'm in the best possible frame of mind to receive it!

[DCW]

Not sure who to give credit to, it just showed up in my Facebook feed. Awesome nonetheless!

[Thomas Guycott]

Originally Posted by metalsonic

oh episode 3... I always laugh at the anakin obi-wan exchanges:
Obi-Wan: Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic! To democracy!!
Anakin: If you're not with me, then you're my enemy!

So much of the dialogue in Revenge of the Sith sounds like the characters are talking AT each other instead of WITH each other.

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by greg_achen

I forgot I am posting in a forum where things are taken way too seriously. Ahem. I said there are some great quotable moments. That's hardly a ringing endorsement for the film's dialogue overall.

Im not taking anything seriously or lightly. Just saying that there actually isnt any memorable dialogue from Revenge of The Sith that is memorable as ones from the OT.

But then again there was Vader's, "What about Padme? Nooooooooooooooo!"
and Obi-Wan's, "Dont try it, I have the higher ground."

Still not as epic as Luke's, "That's impossible" line.

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

So much of the dialogue in Revenge of the Sith sounds like the characters are talking AT each other instead of WITH each other.

It also sounds like they are reading each line for the first time.

[aiman04]

[L-Rouge]

i love that ^

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

So much of the dialogue in Revenge of the Sith sounds like the characters are talking AT each other instead of WITH each other.

That's true of the prequels in general, to be honest. The characters mostly spout statements to each other instead of actually conversing (I've always found that the dialogue plays like subtitle translations from a foreign language, it's got that kind of stilted, formal quality) but I think Sith's pretty good in that regard, especially with Padme because she finally seems like a real person rather than the stiff-as-a-board robot from the previous two films. It's a pity that her 'birth of the rebellion' scenes were junked; we couldn't have done without the Grievous/Obi-Wan chase sequence, could we George?

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by aiman04

Family laughs at him doing dishes while they read the plot synopsis on MakingStarWars.Net

[EvaDK]

Lucas - as a storyteller and filmmaker - made some terrible decisions in the prequel years, sadly.

The whole Anakin/Padme romance is so forced because it is written extremely poorly.

I don't know either why The Rebellion formation scenes were cut from the film that chronicles the formation of its nemesis, The Galactic Empire.

And dozens of other strange choices...

Originally Posted by aiman04

Stormtroopers doing the washing up with rubber gloves confirmed.

[dgoswald]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

That's true of the prequels in general, to be honest. The characters mostly spout statements to each other instead of actually conversing (I've always found that the dialogue plays like subtitle translations from a foreign language, it's got that kind of stilted, formal quality) but I think Sith's pretty good in that regard, especially with Padme because she finally seems like a real person rather than the stiff-as-a-board robot from the previous two films. It's a pity that her 'birth of the rebellion' scenes were junked; we couldn't have done without the Grievous/Obi-Wan chase sequence, could we George?

I'd have been impressed if George had played up the paranoia in Anakin as the dark side gradually began to take hold, I.e. Padme and Obi were having an affair, as Anakin alluded to on the lava planet when Obi snuck onto Padme's ship and found him. Of course, it would all be in his head, but it would've shown his descent into darkness, if it could be called that. Could've had a few nice Jack Torrance moments in there, lol, Palpatine suggesting to Anakin that Obi and Padme needed to be "corrected." I jest.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by rollinwith26s

Go read Star Wars Ring Theory and then get back to me. http://www.starwarsringtheory.com/

I noticed all this when I saw the films or originally thank you. Thematic connections doesn't translate to good films. They are just not nearly as good as the OT. I enjoy them, but they just aren't.

Heck, phantom Menace truly adds nothing to the PT saga. The only important portion of the film is discovering anakin, which could have been done better anyways.

The trilogy should have started with AotC, with the second film taking place during the clone wars.

[Dwayne Hicks]

Originally Posted by Gamma_Winstead

I noticed all this when I saw the films or originally thank you. Thematic connections doesn't translate to good films. They are just not nearly as good as the OT. I enjoy them, but they just aren't.

Heck, phantom Menace truly adds nothing to the PT saga. The only important portion of the film is discovering anakin, which could have been done better anyways.

The trilogy should have started with AotC, with the second film taking place during the clone wars.

The Phantom Menace is the best of PT, the most underrated movie of all time, and best Star Wars movie in over thirty years. George tried a lot of interesting and new concepts like force speed, midi-chlorians, etc. The PT went down hill after George started listening to the fanbase.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by Dwayne Hicks

The Phantom Menace is the best of PT, the most underrated movie of all time, and best Star Wars movie in over thirty years. George tried a lot of interesting and new concepts like force speed, midi-chlorians, etc. The PT went down hill after George started listening to the fanbase.

Yes, I do agree with that. It's easily my favorite of the PT.

It also adds nothing to the PT of merit.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Gamma_Winstead

Yes, I do agree with that. It's easily my favorite of the PT.

It also adds nothing to the PT of merit.

Those aren't unfair points. Phantom Menace is so far removed from the other two it almost feels like a standalone movie, and in that respect I think that's why it plays like a megamix of Star Wars and Jedi, it's like a Cliff's Notes version of the OT (only with added Jar Jar) and is easily the most 'Star Warsy' of all three prequels. I still think Sith is the best film of the three though.

Originally Posted by dgoswald

I'd have been impressed if George had played up the paranoia in Anakin as the dark side gradually began to take hold, I.e. Padme and Obi were having an affair, as Anakin alluded to on the lava planet when Obi snuck onto Padme's ship and found him. Of course, it would all be in his head, but it would've shown his descent into darkness, if it could be called that. Could've had a few nice Jack Torrance moments in there, lol, Palpatine suggesting to Anakin that Obi and Padme needed to be "corrected." I jest.

I still think it got handled pretty well, how EVERYONE wants a piece of him in Sith. Palps gets him spying on the Jedi, the Jedi get his Master (and friend) to convince him to spy on Palps, and even Padme implores him to put pressure on the Chancellor to resume negotiations. As I've said before, he's so bamboozled he doesn't know which way is up.

[DustnBones001]

I still can't believe how much the hardcore Star Wars nerds hate on the prequels. Oh well to each their own I will always love all 6 films in the saga.

[EvaDK]

Originally Posted by DustnBones001

I still can't believe how much the hardcore Star Wars nerds hate on the prequels. Oh well to each their own I will always love all 6 films in the saga.

Not hate.

I'm just indifferent to them, which bothers me considering the material they had to work with to make something truly epic of of the PT films.

Same thing with the LOTR films & The Hobbit films. In book form, The Hobbit is nowhere near the thematic depths of the LOTR books and it is painfully obvious in the films as well.

[DustnBones001]

Originally Posted by EvaDK

Not hate.

I'm just indifferent to them, which bothers me considering the material they had to work with to make something truly epic of of the PT films.

Same thing with the LOTR films & The Hobbit films. In book form, The Hobbit is nowhere near the thematic depths of the LOTR books and it is painfully obvious in the films as well.

Honestly I do understand some of the complaints but some Star Wars fans act like the prequels are the worst thing in the history of mankind lol. The original trilogy has its flaws to that I think some fans gloss over.

Personally I love all 6 films but the prequels hold a slight edge for me. Part of it is nostalgia because I grew up with the PT trilogy but also I like the story in the PT more.

[AaronJ]

Originally Posted by DustnBones001

Honestly I do understand some of the complaints but some Star Wars fans act like the prequels are the worst thing in the history of mankind lol. The original trilogy has its flaws to that I think some fans gloss over.

Personally I love all 6 films but the prequels hold a slight edge for me. Part of it is nostalgia because I grew up with the PT trilogy but also I like the story in the PT more.

I never saw any of the PT after seeing what, IMO, was the utterly disastrous The Phantom Menace. Actually, come to think of it, I've never watched a Star Wars movie of any sort since then. I was just totally turned off from the entire universe after that.