239 posts
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Post by dizzieblonde on Dec 18, 2017 10:37:49 GMT
I agree - I went to see it on Friday, and enjoyed it, as a very pleasurable way to spend a couple of hours, and to envelope myself in a John Williams score that was like coming home, every time I hear the opening chords! I've loved Star Wars since I was a child, and have had enjoyment from every single one of the films made. I mean, there's always a Jar Jar Binks fly in the ointment-type bit of a film that you have to skate past in order to enjoy the rest(!), but on the whole, they're great fantasy films, that stand up to repeated viewings and the passage of time. I honestly think the problem with this film is the fans! You know the ones I'm talking about - those that have spent the past year dissecting every frame of The Force Awakens, and have attributed deep meaning to every eye blink! I really do think you have to stop yourself from going too deep with any of these films - and it's very easy to blame Disney, but the paper-thin narrative isn't unique to this installment! For sure, it definitely felt like the middle film in a trilogy, with not quite enough forward drive to sustain 2.5 hours - and the Leia thing (you know what I'm talking about) was laughably strange - when something like that brings to mind Mary Poppins, and you're just wondering where the parrot-handled umbrella is, I suspect it means they got the scene wrong!  Did 15 minutes need editing from the film? Yes! Did they ignore quite a lot of the set-up from the 1st film, and skew off in different directions? Of course - but just because the preconceived notions of the hardcore fandom weren't acquiesced to, doesn't make it a bad film! Mind you, when the least character says "This isn't going to go the way you think", you need to pay attention to that! My takeaway - they weren't sure what to do with Finn for the duration of this film, given Ray was off on her own adventure, so they sent him on that fool's errand just to give him screen time. He'd have been better off being stuck in carbonite! Mind you, I quite liked (in a strange way) that the 2 male 'heroes' were the ones who basically destroyed the resistance, whilst the women around them salvaged what they could from it all! Also, the moral of the story is, if Justin Theroux is the man you're looking for in a casino, don't go running off with Benicio del Toro, no matter how roguishly hot Benicio looks!! I've seen so much complaining about the Leia thing, but from a really weird perspective of 'powers' rather than the aesthetics of it - and I'm like, dude, it's a fantasy story set in space where people can effectively move things with their minds. Don't sweat the details. If you start really thinking about it, none of it will make sense! I've seen an interesting defense of the casino diversion, and I'm hoping it will turn out to pay off in the next episode, but we shall see. I did quite like the wider view and the deliberate reflection of our own society, and the shades of grey it brought. I agree a lot of the butthurt is fans disappointed that their carefully-crafted theories turned out to not only not be true, but not even really be relevant to the story. People forget that the original trilogy was a made-up-as-they-went -along serial and not actually a grand space opera with an overarching story arc worked out in advance. I definitely didn't mind the thought processes behind Leia having extraordinary powers to save herself - that felt entirely within canon - it was just I felt the execution of the scene was framed a little 'off'. Perhaps a different shot, other than her gliding through space? I also appreciated the message in the casino scene, that was being conveyed about the people who make money from a galaxy in a permanent war setting. The imagery in the stolen ship, that showed some anonymous person was selling military equipment to both the First Order and Resistance - that was pretty damn on the nose, for me! 'Space opera' is absolutely how this series of 9 films should be referred to - like soap opera, in space! If anyone is looking for the meaning of life in these movies, they will certainly come out disappointed! All that being said, it's still the most plainly enjoyable film this year! How can you not enjoy seeing Luke and Leia, Chewie, and the Millennium Falcon back on screen? Those things have made me smile for decades, and this film was no exception. |
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Post by kathryn on Dec 18, 2017 11:34:47 GMT
Yes, indeed! It was all great fun.
I think the definition of 'space opera' has probably changed a bit in sci-fi circles since the 70s/80s, to have more of grand overarching story (a la Babylon 5 or Battlestar Galactica) than its soapy roots did.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2017 11:53:58 GMT
I don't know, if you look up the history of the term "space opera", it's not really changed since the 1960s (and I'd argue not much since the 1930s either), and Star Wars has always fitted very neatly into the description. |
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Post by peggysue on Dec 18, 2017 12:28:07 GMT
Saw this yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's one of my favourite films of the year. A lovely tribute at the end for Carrie Fisher.
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18,791 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 19, 2017 22:46:34 GMT
I liked it, impressive in imax 3D and sitting at the front was quite immersive. The last film (the first one with Daisy Ridley) was the first Star Wars films I’d ever seen. Never had the slightest interest in it. So I know nothing of the back stories other than what I’d picked up over the years but found it self contained enough to entertain me. And I didn’t remember anything about the plot of that one going into the new one tonight and again it was enjoyable enough in its own right. I liked the jokey bits, so many of these films take themselves too seriously, but there were people laughing at what were obviously “in” jokes.
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2,706 posts
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Post by Cardinal Pirelli on Dec 20, 2017 10:05:09 GMT
I'm glad I went to see it as early as possible, it was nice to be able to just enjoy it before getting on the internet and seeing all the thinkpieces and blogposts explaining why I shouldn't. Oh for an age where so called fans just whinged among themselves rather than sending out obsessive theories to the masses and getting angry when they find out they are wrong and making sure that everybody knows about it. I suppose theatre has it easier, at least they can’t complain about sequels (Love Never Dies and a few others excepted) and are left moaning how casting or some such is ruining ‘their’ show. |
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Post by kathryn on Dec 20, 2017 10:52:36 GMT
Did you see the petition? And the bot-reviews? Ridiculous behaviour.
For those not following geek news, someone actually set up a petition for Disney to officially remove TLJ from Star Wars canon, and re-make the film to please them!
And then it turns out someone set up bots to inundate the film’s Rotten Tomatoes page with bad reviews to bring down its score, only it went a bit haywire and started posting them to the Shape of Water’s page instead. 😂
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4,799 posts
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Post by The Matthew on Dec 20, 2017 15:21:27 GMT
Fans can get weird when they don't like something. There's a show I watch that recently (a couple of years ago) had a new character introduced, and although most people like the new character there are a very small number of fans who hate her. And will they accept that their opinion is the minority one? Of course not: they speak for the silent majority, and if there are only four of them complaining it's because everyone else who hates her has been driven away and everyone who likes her is too stupid to understand that they can't possibly be enjoying the show now it has changed.
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Post by Backdrifter on Jan 5, 2018 14:21:09 GMT
It's okay. Way too long and full of really clunky dialogue but then the Star Wars films aren't known for their brilliant scriptwriting. Daisy Ridley is very easy on the eye, which helped but it's a pity she covered up her lovely calves halfway through.
Someone on another board was complaining about it and included his view that the chief villain's 'throne room' looked badly designed and unfinished, which made me laugh. Presumably after a couple of ineffective interior designers were killed for their inability to come up with a suitable colour scheme and decor, no-one else dared put in for the job. Ideally I suppose if you're trying to take over the galaxy your mind will be on other matters. That said, I've never fathomed these sci-fi stories with a villain trying to take over even a planet, let alone the entire galaxy. I mean, the admin and paperwork alone must be nightmarish.
But that complainer might have a sort of point - these sorts of evil villains never choose to reside in a pleasant environment. Their megalomania might be curbed if they surrounded themselves with softer, warmer colours and textures.
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Post by kathryn on Jan 5, 2018 15:17:54 GMT
But that complainer might have a sort of point - these sorts of evil villains never choose to reside in a pleasant environment. Their megalomania might be curbed if they surrounded themselves with softer, warmer colours and textures. You may have a point! I did see a good analysis today pointing out that if the baddies in the original Star Wars trilogy are Nazis, thematically, then the baddies in the new ones are neo-Nazis; hence all the tantrums and pouting and general incompetence - the lack of style does seem to fit! |
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Post by theglenbucklaird on Jan 5, 2018 19:26:53 GMT
Thought it was utter crap. Thought we were back on track after episodes 7 and episode 3.5. At least in the worst two Star Wars films ever.
Was sat ten yards away from a young lad who swung every lightsaber. Mad me sadder, reminded me when I was that young lad who marvelled at Star Wars.
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Post by talkstageytome on Jan 6, 2018 1:00:57 GMT
I'm a huge Star Wars fan and loved TFA and so for me the biggest disappointment {Spoiler - click to view}is that the new trio which they established in TFA (Rey, Finn and Poe) were split up for pretty much the whole time. Shame, as I LOVED the relationships they started building in TFA. I really didn't like TLJ for a number of reasons but to be honest I think I want to watch to again before I make my mind up for sure. There were some bits I loved and thought the performances were strong throughout. However, there were some plot points/story lines which I just could not get on with. Oh well... bring on E9 with JJ Abrams back as director! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2018 7:30:43 GMT
I am not a Star Wars fan. I sat through most of this hoping to be converted but realise it’s far too late. I’m lost. I enjoyed the ideas about our responsibility to the universe and our close connection to its creatures but that left me wanting to see a documentary about the environment. I don’t enjoy fantasy - I can’t read/watch Harry Potter and the like, although I have tried. As a child I loved the Narnia chronicles and Lewis Carroll so I don’t know what changed.
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Post by alicesprings on Jan 6, 2018 15:06:08 GMT
I really enjoyed this film. And it was full of action and great acting. Loved Mark Hamill and the tribute to Carrie Fisher at the end.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2018 18:32:26 GMT
I want to add that I thought the film was beautifully crafted, great acting and loved the young leads contrasted with the more seasoned actors as though the film contained the ghosts of its own past. I see why others love it, but I just kept wanting to escape and get back to reality, do something else with my time - read a book, watch a play...
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Post by Phantom of London on Jan 12, 2018 2:23:14 GMT
I am a bit of a Jedi myself, huge fan.
Caught this tonight and really it felt I had seen it all before, that you could splice parts of the previous seven together and get this. Part of the story was incoherent and another part enjoyable. The story never deviates from where you have the good guys on the point of abject total failure, then a last ditch comeback against all the odds to come victors
It would be enjoyable to get someone, say someone like Burly 💰💰💰and get the person to watch it in chronological order and see how it works out.
Still nothing beats the original 3 and doubt something ever will.
Has there been anyone more type cast than Mark Hamill?
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Post by floorshow on Jan 12, 2018 6:53:28 GMT
Has there been anyone more type cast than Mark Hamill?  ? |
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