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

[spiderfan1985]

Originally Posted by Tronald Dump

Absolutely. Theaters used to be the only place you could see movies, so people went to theaters a lot more often.

Heck, I remember when people started getting VCRs it still took years before you could get movies for the things.

And as the TVs today get bigger and bigger, and higher definition to boot, eventually what theaters dreaded in the 50s with the advent of TV may actually come to pass. Theaters will be rendered obsolete. That's actually kind of sad because there is something to be said for the community viewing of films together. I loved seeing Godzilla and Guardians of the Galaxy in theaters with other people because the shared reaction to things was just wonderful. When something was funny everybody laughed and when something was just plain awesome everyone either cheered or clapped or let out a few choice words. Of course the ticket, and especially concession prices, make it a rather choosy experience for me now. It has to be a truly special or otherwise just big film to get me to pay the price. I don't even buy concessions hardly anymore except for a drink. Unless I get a freebie with my Regal card.

[spiderfan1985]

Originally Posted by Falaskan

Maurice I never could tell. I could tell most of the apes were CGI, the lighting kind of gave it away.

This one here. Maurice was probably the most consistently well rendered CG ape in Rise. And he also came out tied with Caesar as a favorite character of mine. That is one awesome orangutan. But again, My brain may know the apes are all CG, but they look real enough in 99% of the shots that I just go along with the story and the characterizations, both of which are strong enough to actually lift the effects to a higher plane of awesomeness. Again I say, Andy Serkis owned Caesar. Just as he owned Gollum and Kong before. The biggest "off shot" to me in Rise was the camera pull back from Bright Eyes' irises at the beginning of the movie. There the CG did show. On Blu in High Definition at least. On a theater screen the seams are a bit easier to hide (for some reason), but on a Hi-Def TV at home the seams can start to show.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by spiderfan1985

This one here. Maurice was probably the most consistently well rendered CG ape in Rise. And he also came out tied with Caesar as a favorite character of mine. That is one awesome orangutan. But again, My brain may know the apes are all CG, but they look real enough in 99% of the shots that I just go along with the story and the characterizations, both of which are strong enough to actually lift the effects to a higher plane of awesomeness. Again I say, Andy Serkis owned Caesar. Just as he owned Gollum and Kong before. The biggest "off shot" to me in Rise was the camera pull back from Bright Eyes' irises at the beginning of the movie. There the CG did show. On Blu in High Definition at least. On a theater screen the seams are a bit easier to hide (for some reason), but on a Hi-Def TV at home the seams can start to show.

Some good points. I knew that the apes were CG beforehand, and yet the VFX and the mo-capped performances transcended the ones and zeros to become something very special. I liked all of what I saw, but Maurice did indeed stand out as the best of the best, the CG was scarily good. It's that level of astonishing realism which Lucas didn't get to exploit in his prequels while JJ will get to reap all the benefits and take all the plaudits.

[spiderfan1985]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Some good points. I knew that the apes were CG beforehand, and yet the VFX and the mo-capped performances transcended the ones and zeros to become something very special. I liked all of what I saw, but Maurice did indeed stand out as the best of the best, the CG was scarily good. It's that level of astonishing realism which Lucas didn't get to exploit in his prequels while JJ will get to reap all the benefits and take all the plaudits.

And I still maintain I did not know that all of the clone troopers in uniform were CG. Not up until a year or two ago. I mean, I knew there had to be some enhancement in big crowd shots, but the ones in close up like the one who comes over to Padme in Clones looked really great. Lucas did get a lot of mileage out of the CG work in those films to me. I still think they look great because Lucas wouldn't settle for anything less than the best at the time. He had the money and the time to push for near perfection. I agree that JJ has a decade of advancement in tech at his disposal and it is no surprise that Force Awakens will benefit hugely from them. Lucas exploited everything he possibly could though. And I still think that by and large the effects in the prequels hold up. In the same way the effects in Jurassic Park hold up. They look great, but of course there are a few that show that pesky little thing called age, but I find them to be so few and far between as to be almost totally inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. But this is just me mind you.

[Col. Zombie]

Originally Posted by huskersports

Am I the only one who, when seeing a black guy in a stormtrooper outfit, thought "We ain't found sh*t!"

I thought of that when I first saw the trailer. I'm just jealous that I didn't say it first.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Col. Zombie

I thought of that when I first saw the trailer. I'm just jealous that I didn't say it first. it first.

To be fair it was mentioned the day the trailer hit! But I'm all for Tuvok cursing at Dark Helmet!

[Darkstream]

Originally Posted by huskersports

Am I the only one who, when seeing a black guy in a stormtrooper outfit, thought "We ain't found sh*t!"

[Geoff D]

Madre de dios, could you have gotten a bigger gif???

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Madre de dios, could you have gotten a bigger gif???

If he had gone smaller, armchairs might have knocked him for cropping.

[camper]

Originally Posted by Megalith

Is "Finn" (idiotic name) seriously the offspring of a past character?

I sincerely hope not. Since we've only seen a handful of black people who were notable (Lando, Mace, the Chief Guard on Naboo) I hope they do not make him the child of someone we already know of.

Talk about enforcing a stereotype:

Someone to Finn: "Hey...do you know Lando Calrissian?"

Finn: "Why, you think because I'm black I know the only other black guy you know?"

Someone: "Well, no, I...uhh...you guys are from the same planet is all."

Finn: "So two black guys can't be from the same planet and not know each other? You know, I'm really sick of this subliminal racist bullsh*t!"

Someone: "Sorry man, I didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry."

Finn: "Well you damn well should..."

*Lando comes in abruptly*

Lando: "Hey Finn, you ready to go? We're going to be late for happy hour at the Cantina, and I'm looking forward to a frosty mug of Laser-Bolt 45!"

Finn: "Dammit dad...."

Originally Posted by huskersports

Am I the only one who, when seeing a black guy in a stormtrooper outfit, thought "We ain't found sh*t!"

Nah...I suspect the only people who don't think of that at some point haven't seen Spaceballs.

[Darkstream]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Madre de dios, could you have gotten a bigger gif???

Originally Posted by rickah88

If he had gone smaller, armchairs might have knocked him for cropping.

LOL! That was the only gif of that scene I could find. After having just watched Guardians of the Galaxy again and reading huskersports' comment, it was the first thing that popped into my head, so I had to find the suitable gif to respond with. Groot's reaction cracks me up.

[Col. Zombie]

Originally Posted by chip75

To be fair it was mentioned the day the trailer hit! But I'm all for Tuvok cursing at Dark Helmet!

I guess I missed that post.

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by spiderfan1985

And as the TVs today get bigger and bigger, and higher definition to boot, eventually what theaters dreaded in the 50s with the advent of TV may actually come to pass. Theaters will be rendered obsolete. That's actually kind of sad because there is something to be said for the community viewing of films together. I loved seeing Godzilla and Guardians of the Galaxy in theaters with other people because the shared reaction to things was just wonderful. When something was funny everybody laughed and when something was just plain awesome everyone either cheered or clapped or let out a few choice words. Of course the ticket, and especially concession prices, make it a rather choosy experience for me now. It has to be a truly special or otherwise just big film to get me to pay the price. I don't even buy concessions hardly anymore except for a drink. Unless I get a freebie with my Regal card.

Very well said and really true. I havent been to a theater in a while and may never go again. I agree about the "reaction " part and sharing the experience with the audience but does that happen as much as it used to? Doesnt everyone just "twit" what they see or find?

Overall - there are just too many reasons NOT to go to the theater anymore:

1) Home systems are incredibly kicka$$ now
2) Way cheaper to stay home
3) No annoying audience members to put up with
4) No driving
5) And other stuff.

[Nightrunner]

CGI has come a long long long way.

Last night I was watching LOTR-Two Towers and Return of the King. There were a few scenes that popped out but the one where Legalos is swinging on a Mumakil...was awful on HD TV.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by rickah88

If he had gone smaller, armchairs might have knocked him for cropping.

That would have been nothing compared to the whinging that would have ensued if he hadn't filled people's screens.

I mean, that's like a birthright or something.

[spiderfan1985]

Originally Posted by s2mikey

Very well said and really true. I havent been to a theater in a while and may never go again. I agree about the "reaction " part and sharing the experience with the audience but does that happen as much as it used to? Doesnt everyone just "twit" what they see or find?

Overall - there are just too many reasons NOT to go to the theater anymore:

1) Home systems are incredibly kicka$$ now
2) Way cheaper to stay home
3) No annoying audience members to put up with
4) No driving
5) And other stuff.

Surprisingly, in nearly all of the movies I saw this year the audience was very participatory. Maybe I licked out and always managed to get in with the more mature audiences who knew better than to whip out their freaking phone during the movie and annoy everyone. I don't go often anymore. Really it's the blockbusters that I still go see if I can. I want to see The Hobbit 3 and Into the Woods on the big screen, that's for sure.

[aiman04]

The Empire is everywhere now.

Imperial Starport Frankfurt, Germany - YouTube

Star Wars, Tie Figther accident on the highway - YouTube

[Guydowood]

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpkrPi5fyfo

[toddly6666]

Originally Posted by huskersports

Am I the only one who, when seeing a black guy in a stormtrooper outfit, thought "We ain't found sh*t!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkpW...ature=youtu.be

[skid_68]

Originally Posted by aiman04

The Empire is everywhere now.

Ha, those are great.