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

[NzYme]

Damn....I've seen it twice now and am itching for a 3rd viewing!

[jayman3]

You know what I realized that makes me sad now? We'll never get to see

[Show spoiler]Luke, Han, and Leia all together on screen in a reunion.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by chad_1138

So, this is a first. Some jack**s sitting 3 seats from my 9 year old son asked if it would bother us if he vaped... Yum, yes it would! At least he asked...

Originally Posted by Gamma_Winstead

Someone actually vaped in my second screening too. It was bizarre. They were up a few rows behind me, and we're asked to not do it, or leave the theater.

Originally Posted by Walts Ghost

I actually had a guy in front of me vaping at the Lethal Weapon screening the other night. It was crazy...

I'm mentally replacing 'vaping' with 'masturbating' and getting a big laugh out of this conversation.

[dubious]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

I'm mentally replacing 'vaping' with 'masturbating' and getting a big laugh out of this conversation.

Why not both.

I'm picturing Jack Nicholson in The Departed.

[Astro Zombie]

Masturvaping

[welcometothepartypal]

Originally Posted by jayman3

You know what I realized that makes me sad now? We'll never get to see

[Show spoiler]Luke, Han, and Leia all together on screen in a reunion.

That thought depressed me too on the drive home.

[Show spoiler]I wish they kept him alive for one more movie, so we as an audience spent a little more time with him and he could of hung out with Luke. I think his death would of had more impact. I really hate the fact that Han Solo is dead.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by welcometothepartypal

That thought depressed me too on the drive home.

[Show spoiler]I wish they kept him alive for one more movie, so we as an audience spent a little more time with him and he could of hung out with Luke. I think his death would of had more impact. I really hate the fact that Han Solo is dead.

I thought there'd be some sort of insane widespread reaction from the fanbase, as in "You can't kill [spoiler] off!!!" but most people seem to have just gone "okay, what's next?".

Still, now that that's been ticked off the list I think Luke turning to the Dark Side - if only to somehow rescue his wayward apprentice - is gonna come up at some point.

[welcometothepartypal]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I thought there'd be some sort of insane widespread reaction from the fanbase, as in "You can't kill [spoiler] off!!!" but most people seem to have just gone "okay, what's next?".

Still, now that that's been ticked off the list I think Luke turning to the Dark Side - if only to somehow rescue his wayward apprentice - is gonna come up at some point.

We shall see about Luke, hopefully Disney can hide those details well. As for the wide spread reaction to you know what.

[Show spoiler]Maybe 30 years of hearing that Harrison wanted Han killed off in RETURN OTJ, led to the "okay, what's next?". Still it didn't have the impact one would expect for such an iconic character.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I thought there'd be some sort of insane widespread reaction from the fanbase, as in "You can't kill [spoiler] off!!!" but most people seem to have just gone "okay, what's next?".

I think it was just so obvious no one got surprised or effected by it. Really wish they subverted expectation there.

[tilallr1]

Originally Posted by welcometothepartypal

[Show spoiler]Maybe 30 years of hearing that Harrison wanted Han killed off in RETURN OTJ, led to the "okay, what's next?". Still it didn't have the impact one would expect for such an iconic character.

Yeah ... we ALL were expecting it. So everyone had time to let it sink in. From what I understand, it was the reason he even agreed to doing the film in the first place.

[Show spoiler]

Harrison Ford: They should have killed Han Solo - YouTube

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by welcometothepartypal

We shall see about Luke, hopefully Disney can hide those details well. As for the wide spread reaction to you know what.

[Show spoiler]Maybe 30 years of hearing that Harrison wanted Han killed off in RETURN OTJ, led to the "okay, what's next?". Still it didn't have the impact one would expect for such an iconic character.

Indeedy.

[Show spoiler]We'd heard about it as part of Star Wars' behind the scenes lore for so long that when the rumour went around 18 months ago it didn't seem to surprise anyone even then, much less now.

Still, it's a shame that Han's death can be glossed over so quickly, the bruddah didn't even get a memorial service before they sent Rey off to find Luke! Then again, that's another way in which TFA followed in ANH's footsteps, there's no period of mourning whatsoever, although instead of cutting to a great big medal ceremony (Obi-Wan who?) Abrams fast-tracks straight to the end of TESB when a Han-less Falcon blasts off on a mission to find somebody.

That's why I kept getting the nagging feeling I'd seen this flick already, and not because of the spoilers! Lucas spoiled this movie ahead of time when he made some very similar ones almost 40 years ago.

[rickah88]

Or maybe folks just over analyze films, SW films in particular, too much.

[Geoff D]

Or maybe folks love to threadcrap in certain threads, SW films in particular, too much.

[welcometothepartypal]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Indeedy.

[Show spoiler]We'd heard about it as part of Star Wars' behind the scenes lore for so long that when the rumour went around 18 months ago it didn't seem to surprise anyone even then, much less now.

Still, it's a shame that Han's death can be glossed over so quickly, the bruddah didn't even get a memorial service before they sent Rey off to find Luke! Then again, that's another way in which TFA followed in ANH's footsteps, there's no period of mourning whatsoever, although instead of cutting to a great big medal ceremony (Obi-Wan who?) Abrams fast-tracks straight to the end of TESB when a Han-less Falcon blasts off on a mission to find somebody.

That's why I kept getting the nagging feeling I'd seen this flick already, and not because of the spoilers! Lucas spoiled this movie ahead of time when he made some very similar ones almost 40 years ago.

I think I liked TFA more then you, but I agree with your assessments. Abrams has yet to really impress me. I keep waiting for it because I like the guy. He's better then say Michael Bay, but only a "lossy" version of his idle Spielberg. It's like he can take out some tracing paper and make a great copy of the Sistine Chapel but that's all it is, just a copy. It's good, but that's it. I want some real heart. I want to stand up and slow clap at the end of one of his movies. I wish TFA had been the one. How do you guys feel about JJ?

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by welcometothepartypal

I think I liked TFA more then you, but I agree with your assessments. Abrams has yet to really impress me. I keep waiting for it because I like the guy. He's better then say Michael Bay, but only a "lossy" version of his idle Spielberg. It's like he can take out some tracing paper and make a great copy of the Sistine Chapel but that's all it is, just a copy. It's good, but that's it. I want some real heart. I want to stand up and slow clap at the end of one of his movies. I wish TFA had been the one. How do you guys feel about JJ?

You've mentioned the two people who I think JJ is a composite of: cross Spielberg's daddy issues with Bay's love of shoot-outs and explosions (and inane plot twists) and you've got Jeffrey Jacob Abrams. The man's an extremely competent action blockbuster director but it's all too rare that I detect a heart & soul underneath the LOUD NOISES in his films. Sure, not everything can carry the emotional gut-punch of that stunning opening scene from ST '09, but it's kinda ****ed up that I felt more for the death of George Kirk (a character we've literally only just been introduced to) than I did for you-know-who in TFA. Oh well.

[marmup]

I saw it for the 2nd time today and it was better the 2nd time. I liked it lot after the 1st viewing, but a 2nd viewing cemented everything. Will wait til it comes out on Blu-ray before I see it again.

[Bickle76]

This was a good movie. The fact that it is SW movie makes me like it more than say a randomly discovered good movie. There was a bad taste in quite a few audiences’ mouths after the prequels, myself included. The goal here for LucasFilm was to erase that and restore faith with the TFA, which they did pull off in a safe manner. I'd rather get a safe reboot than a risky failure. I was very excited for this, but was not hyped to see the greatest film ever made like I mistakenly did in 99' or the best SW movie; I don't want to pee on anyone's Kellogg's C-3PO's cereal but it's unlikely ESB will ever be topped. I realized that once JJ was announced. Feel free to dream though. Yes the TFA was a re hash of ANH with sprinkles of V and VI. But it is that such a horrible thing? Not the first time we get used parts in a new movie. Hollywood does it all the time. I prefer originality, but not a deal breaker for this kind of universe. I suspected it would be a reboot with a double innuendo title referring to a new hero and the franchise itself becoming alive again for the first time in over thirty years. If you are going to steal, steal from something that is very good. Needless to say it felt like SW from the very beginning and that’s something I believe a s***load of people who grew up with the OT were hungry for. The checklist for making an entertaining movie was met with solid writing, acting, editing, and direction, basic 101’s that JJ is capable of, which GL was not in I-III. The movie was not flawless, but neither are all the others. This was just a good movie. I’ve seen it twice and give it 84%.

[dubious]

Originally Posted by marmup

I saw it for the 2nd time today and it was better the 2nd time. I liked it lot after the 1st viewing, but a 2nd viewing cemented everything. Will wait til it comes out on Blu-ray before I see it again.

Everything was blurrier the second time through.

[kurtlingle]

Jumpman, thanks for the thought provoking review. I have yet to write up my thoughts as i first want to see it again.

I see many of your points, and I still liked the movie. There is so much to like about it (I guess that is how I view all 7 of these movies, they have stuff I absolutely love, and things I don't like).

I gave it a 4 as I think it's a great movie, full of fun, and continues my favorite saga for longer. I can't wait to see it again, so I assume I like it very much.

I can't wait for more (is it May 2017 yet)?

Originally Posted by Jumpman

Three years ago, I started this thread, dreading the day when the time to witness new STAR WARS under the direction of Disney and new management at Lucasfilm would come.

[Show spoiler]
For three years, my emotions about what this would mean for my beloved Saga and what this would mean for the future of STAR WARS swung so wildly back and forth, that I'm surprised that I didn't have a serious case of whiplash.

In the end, the constant discussions with my 7 year-old son swayed me to stop being a grumpy jackass and take him to the movie theatre to witness his very first STAR WARS film in the theatre. It was a family affair because, in the end, that is the true essence of saga that George Lucas created. Two kids and a wife in tow and we sat down to witness the 7th episode of STAR WARS. When it ended, I looked at my eldest and I could immediately tell that he loved the film. I'm not sure if he had the same eureka moment that many had in 1977 but I knew that STAR WARS would forever be a constant in his life.

Shame that his grumpy ass father didn't feel the same way.

Like the fascinating Kylo Ren, I'm fully and completely torn between two sets of emotions. In truth, I understand why Disney threw out George Lucas' outlines and went their own way. More than anything, in the eyes of those in charge, this film had to heal an entire fanbase and show the way forward. It is my personal opinion that that type of fan pandering will not work out in the long run. But the rebuttal to that is that the way in which George Lucas created the Prequel Trilogy, on his own terms, didn't win him any favors either. So, Disney and Lucasfilm are between a rock and a hard place. In the end, they went the safest route possible, under the direction of a person who was tailor made to make STAR WARS films.

I just didn't think he'd LITERALLY remake/remix/fan service the entire Original Trilogy in one outing.

JJ Abrams was given the keys to the kingdom and the best he could do was to go beat for beat, note for note, of the major highlights of the Original Trilogy. He got away with remaking A NEW HOPE and part of EMPIRE STRIKES BACK with his STAR TREK '09 simply because it was in a complete different universe with a complete different set of characters. And while Lucas has often talked about the rhythmic nature of the six films being purposeful, he never outright remade one of his own films. This film confirmed finally and fully what I knew JJ Abrams was but was hoping that he wouldn't be...he's a tracer. Standing on the shoulders of giants and ultimately taking his own pencil and just going over the same shape but with a different color. This is a film where JJ had over 200 million dollars of Disney's money and he literally went to the exact same locations found in the Original Trilogy but just changed the names and maybe added a bit here and there. George Lucas, with 315 million dollars of his own money across three films, took us to at minimum 12 different locations in the Prequels that expanded the scope and scale of what a STAR WARS world/universe could be. George Lucas is a visionary. JJ Abrams is not. And I hate saying that because JJ Abrams is a good director.

While I reject this celebration, remix film that gets the faithful back in love with STAR WARS again after the "supposedly" hated Prequel Trilogy, the STAR WARS fan deep down in me is so deeply intrigued by two aspects that I am generally curious about where Rian Johnson goes next.

Kylo Ren and Rey. It is not certain but I'm willing to bet serious money that these two characters, however changed, are what remains of George Lucas' original outlines for the Sequel Trilogy. And funny enough, these two characters are the most like George Lucas' STAR WARS.

Kylo Ren is an astonishing character because he embodies what I think many fans wanted out of Anakin in the Prequels which is the absolute antithesis of George Lucas' overall thesis in the Prequels. And yet, he's fascinating because unlike Anakin, he sought out the Dark Side of the Force which is counter to him as a person. We see it time and time again through out the film. He is not Kylo Ren, this person he's made himself out to be. But, he can't shake the mythic idea of his grandfather and so he chooses this path because he wants to be his grandfather. This is a George Lucas character.

And then there's Rey, a character is fully and completely Anakin, Padme, and Luke rolled up into one. At end of this thing, it would not shock me one bit if she's considered not only the greatest Jedi but the greatest Skywalker. Rey is Anakin Skywalker in that she's a prodigy of the Force. I do not agree with the criticism that Rey's abilities just manifest out of nowhere. It is clear that she has some deep repressed discipline with the ways of the Force and the Jedi. Like with Anakin being the only human who could podrace at 9 years old, Rey's ability have everything to do with how in tuned she is with the Force. It just hasn't been trained properly.

But the most fascinating aspect of these two is the collision course they're set upon. Not between themselves which is a given. The collision course I'm referring to is pitting brother vs sister, with Rey and Kylo Ren in the middle. That is George Lucas at his most mythic when it comes to storytelling.

When the credits rolled, I did not like the film that much, if at all, but I did like where the film leaves the story threads. There are other, detailed aspects of the filmmaking that I think JJ gets horribly wrong when it comes to being apart of the STAR WARS lexicon of filmmaking but in the end, JJ had a serious job to do. For Disney and Lucasfilm, he had to unify a fanbase that has lived on the nostalgia on how they felt with the Original Trilogy. And based on the reception, he has succeeded. STAR WARS, for the majority, is back.

I remain on the outside, looking in...keeping a careful eye on Rey and Kylo Ren and their coming clash between the Dark Side and the Light Side of the Force.

Sorry for the rant.

[Nightopian]

Watch the spoilers guys...

http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/...cid=spartanntp

Only in America...