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

[Taipan]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Folks we are now less than eight weeks out. We are at 54 days. I don't care about the movie making more money than some other films, I don't even hope for some freakish modern classic. Just give my family a fun, communal, celebratory time at the cinema. If you think about it, that's a tall order for anything, for any film, so set expectations accordingly.

This place is gonna blow up when the press screenings start and the early word starts to leak. Setting my phasers to fun. I'll be more than satisfied with fun. 54 days.

What I want is a more organic film with real set pieces and locations that aren't actors in front of a green screen, that don't pull you out of the movie and force the viewer to spend more time focusing on the poorly done cgi surroundings than the interactions between the actors and their story.

[format916]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Imagine buying a $16 ticket and then selling it for $800...

thats awesome for the seller. but i mean cant a person just wait a week and save $780 dollars? its not like this is a once in a lifetime event. it will be on dvd before 2016 is over.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by RazorwireRyan

Back on topic, I wonder if Jurrasic World was so unnecessarily successful because all the 20 somethings who grew up with the original were so taken back with nostalgia. When you measure that to the original Star Wars films you're looking at people in their 30s/40s/50s. I still think SW has a bigger fanbase though, and it'll definitely have the bigger opening.

That's what makes me think that the nostalgia factor will also have a HUGE part to play with the success of Ep VII. I kinda thought that today's generation was too cynical and jaded to indulge in the unashamed joy that such nostalgia can bring, but then along comes a movie like JW and despite its mediocrity it absolutely DESTROYED the box office because it appealed to so many people. Still not sure about Ep VII getting the biggest opening due to it being the holidays, but it will gross a gargantuan sum in total.

[Forever Knight]

I think I might pee in my seat when Kylo Ren and Finn clash for the first time.

[RazorwireRyan]

People should check out JJ's film Super 8, which is basically a love letter to films like The Goonies and E.T. And it's a great film, not a masterpiece or anything, but so much fun, with real heart. I'm expecting the same treatment for VII, and the fact that Kasdan has written some of it, win win.

[IndyMLVC]

Originally Posted by RazorwireRyan

People should check out JJ's film Super 8, which is basically a love letter to films like The Goonies and E.T. And it's a great film, not a masterpiece or anything, but so much fun, with real heart. I'm expecting the same treatment for VII, and the fact that Kasdan has written some of it, win win.

I actually wasn't a fan of Super 8. Bored me to hell. Yes, it was obviously a "love letter," but there was no real interesting story beyond that.

[s2mikey]

One thing I hope doesn't happen is reviews for FW automatically comparing it to the prequels and therefore likely trashing the prequels. The prequels served their purpose, albeit flawed in many ways. They are PART of the SW universe and will always be.

As for Force Awakens, some people here have said they just want an entertaining popcorn flick if nothing else. I disagree. Star Wars has always been a notch ABOVE popcorn flick and I don't want that to change. Sure, cool action is part of the deal but I want characters we can root for and against. I want those characters to go through transformations. I want the human drama to shine through, not just CGI fighting. Plenty of that kind of crap out there already. Plenty.

The story, characters and drama are what make Star Wars great. It's a story that could be told against almost ANY backdrop.....old west, mafia, medieval, etc. that's why it has such staying power. Great stories are never dependent on the environment.

[Spike M.]

Originally Posted by s2mikey

One thing I hope doesn't happen is reviews for FW automatically comparing it to the prequels and therefore likely trashing the prequels. The prequels served their purpose, albeit flawed in many ways. They are PART of the SW universe and will always be.

As for Force Awakens, some people here have said they just want an entertaining popcorn flick if nothing else. I disagree. Star Wars has always been a notch ABOVE popcorn flick and I don't want that to change. Sure, cool action is part of the deal but I want characters we can root for and against. I want those characters to go through transformations. I want the human drama to shine through, not just CGI fighting. Plenty of that kind of crap out there already. Plenty.

The story, characters and drama are what make Star Wars great. It's a story that could be told against almost ANY backdrop.....old west, mafia, medieval, etc. that's why it has such staying power. Great stories are never dependent on the environment.

Keep in mind that critics didn't actually mind Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith was the best reviewed Star Wars since Empire Strikes Back. It's really just this legion of vocal fanboys that crusade against them.

[RazorwireRyan]

Originally Posted by IndyMLVC

I actually wasn't a fan of Super 8. Bored me to hell. Yes, it was obviously a "love letter," but there was no real interesting story beyond that.

As a kid who grew up making my own films I loved it, and the story was very interesting to me. So much fun. "PRODUCTION VALUE!" Different strokes.

[JamesKurtovich]

It's going to be compared to the prequels because those movies were the last Star Wars movies to come out and they basically redefined Star Wars in a not-so-great way (either by the trilogy itself or the controversy it caused).

I'm not expecting very many throwbacks to that era in this movie.

[manunited1]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

Keep in mind that critics didn't actually mind Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith was the best reviewed Star Wars since Empire Strikes Back. It's really just this legion of vocal fanboys that crusade against them.

which is odd because Attack of the Clones was absolute trash. It had some of the most beautiful sci fi shots I have ever seen.... But it was dog crap. I think Dax is the worst character in star wars history (even over jar jar), it does the most destroying of original ideals and creates so many plot hiccups, Anakin is the creepiest guy in love ever (like throwing out heavy rape vibes and breaking you down with the dark side to padme), the cgi and use of early digital film often looks like a soap opera set... obi wan kimullet, anakin rat tail... i can keep going on...

Finally, it has the worst dialogue in just about any movie ever created.

The only good moment is the slave 1 in action.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

Keep in mind that critics didn't actually mind Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith was the best reviewed Star Wars since Empire Strikes Back. It's really just this legion of vocal fanboys that crusade against them.

Empire gave phantom 5/5 and then downgraded it to 3/5 and hid the original review from the world

[Samus Aran]

Originally Posted by Spike M.

Keep in mind that critics didn't actually mind Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith was the best reviewed Star Wars since Empire Strikes Back. It's really just this legion of vocal fanboys that crusade against them.

And Star Trek into Darkness is apparently the worst 87% certified fresh movie of all time.

[IndyMLVC]

Originally Posted by s2mikey

As for Force Awakens, some people here have said they just want an entertaining popcorn flick if nothing else. I disagree. Star Wars has always been a notch ABOVE popcorn flick and I don't want that to change. Sure, cool action is part of the deal but I want characters we can root for and against. I want those characters to go through transformations. I want the human drama to shine through, not just CGI fighting. Plenty of that kind of crap out there already. Plenty.

It hasn't "ALWAYS" been. Remember, the prequels happened. They were "just CGI fighting." I'd argue they weren't even an "entertaining popcorn flick." Who exactly did you "root for" in them?

Yes, Star Wars SHOULD be something better than the norm. However, they've already proven that they aren't always, honestly. I'm as excited as can be about the new movies...but I'm buying no merchandise or anything until after I see it. I don't want to be Phantom-burned again.

[CGHULK]

Originally Posted by IndyMLVC

I actually wasn't a fan of Super 8. Bored me to hell. Yes, it was obviously a "love letter," but there was no real interesting story beyond that.

I didn't like that it was a monster/animal killing for survival then being able to fly a space ship.

[kurtlingle]

Ha.

To funny. Really strange seeing it with no sound track/music!
Bases on that, I wonder how many nowadays would watch it (meaning people who missed the OT).

Originally Posted by aiman04

Star Wars (1977) Original Trailer - YouTube

[Forever Knight]

Prequel hate bores me. The only issue I've ever had was Jar Jar Binks, everything else from Phantom was ok, Clones and Sith kicked ass.

Sith & Empire are easily the bestest!!! until Dec 18.

[Gamma_Winstead]

Originally Posted by Forever Knight

Prequel hate bores me. The only issue I've ever had was Jar Jar Binks, everything else from Phantom was ok, Clones and Sith kicked ass.

Sith & Empire are easily the bestest!!! until Dec 18.

Clones is an abominable film. I love Phantom though, despite its problems. Sith was saddled with making three films worth of content into one film.

Clones just does everything wrong.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Clones did have a HUGE drop in takings though while Sith pulled it back some. I guess what I meant by new Star Wars film (in reference to Phantom Menace) is that it's the start of a new SW trilogy in general, i.e. it was guaranteed to pull in crazy business just because of all the hype alone, and the same will apply to Force Awakens. If it's actually any good, then watch them box office records tumble...

Lower, but not tumble. I seriously think SW has a guaranteed fanbase, same with Marvel, which coincidentally are both properties Disney sought out and paid whatever they had to in order to get. Hmmmm.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by format916

thats awesome for the seller. but i mean cant a person just wait a week and save $780 dollars? its not like this is a once in a lifetime event. it will be on dvd before 2016 is over.

My peeps are talking about it being on home video end of freaking April....