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[Jobbs]

Worst new character: Poe Dameron.

In my view "worst" in no way means bad, because all the characters were good. That said, I really really liked Poe. His charisma and enthusiasm were infectious. Just a great guy. What's to not like? Why not have a happy warrior in the mix?

btw I brought this up before but

why is Hamill even here?

It's more of a PR shot of the cast than a behing the scenes snap. "Oh, there's a camera here?"

 

[gutter_trash]

If Snoke was Plagueis wouldn't he just call himself Plagueis? The only person who would give a damn about the name would be Palpatine and he's dead.

and the name "Palpatine" was never mentioned in OT movies.

 

[Bishop89]

Yeah...what does that have to do with the castle being defenseless? She's a badass space pirate and that was her base (or one of them). It wasn't quite believable that she was just living in an ancient castle where her enemies could attack at any time.

What's so badass about some grandmother alien who doesn't do anything. Or even look cool

 

[CreeperBlocks]

Is Finn, Lando's Son? Because it would be a very Lando thing to do to sell his own kid to the Dark Side.

 

[Agent Unknown]

I love all this speculation. We really didn't get it all that much with the prequels because there was little to truly speculate. We knew where it was generally headed. I imagine this is what it would've been like in the 70's/80's for fans if the internet existed as it does today. It's exciting!

Couldn't agree more, the possibilities for where the story could go are so interesting and engrossing. Speculation with the prequels was fun back in the day (ah, the dial up internet days and posting on the old theforce.net forum) but it was all centered around "I wonder what will cause famous event A which we already know about" which obviously held things back a lot.

 

[Jest Chillin]

I love all this speculation. We really didn't get it all that much with the prequels because there was little to truly speculate. We knew where it was generally headed. I imagine this is what it would've been like in the 70's/80's for fans if the internet existed as it does today. It's exciting!

The Prequels also went out of their way to explain everything with dialogue. From the minutia of Trade Agreement contracts to

"Oh man Obi Wan, that was a totally dangerous mission that I had to save your butt on"
--"Not as dangerous as that OTHER mission you had to save my butt on Anakin"
"I know, right Obi Wan? We're such the best of friends that have been through so much danger"
--"Yup. We're SUPER close. Like BROTHERS. Seriously, trust us on this Audience!"

 

[Blader]

I mean, I don't want things rushed, but at some point you gotta produce something too. There's a sweet spot and sitting around to get things "perfect" doesn't always work either.

I think the turnaround time is about the same. JJ was hired in January '13, Rian Johnson was hired last summer, so both movies have 3 months production time. Trevorrow will end up having a slightly longer lead than either of them.

 

[Tanston]

How did Kylo manage to kill everyone at Lukes academy? He doesn't seem like he's super powerful in this movie and he took out Luke and X number of other trainees? Even if he was the most gifted trainee it doesn't add up. There's gotta be more to that story then just Kylo and a bunch of douchebags kick everyones ass. Who are those other guys in Kylos little death squad? They must have been pretty awesome to take on Luke and his band of Jedi trainees. Where are they now? So many questions.

I am pretty sure Rey is a Skywalker. She's looking off to the stars wistfully, she's an amazing pilot, she can fix the hell out of anything just like Granddad. She worked for a junk shop, she's got a beige landspeeder, she saves droids. She might not have been a literal slave for the Junk guy like her granddad but she was certainly a wage slave. She's a perfect mix between Luke and Pre-Vadar Anakin. If she's not a Skywalker it's a hell of a bit of misdirection.

 

[injurai]

btw I brought this up before but

why is Hamill even here?

Why is Kenny Baker in a cupboard?

 

[eyeball_kid]

Was she really a space pirate? Thought she was one of those 'neutral players' and because of that probably left alone by everyone.

According to the Vanity Fair article, yes:

And while we may not know which side of the Resistance (the film’s new term for the Rebel Alliance) Lupita Nyong’o’s C.G.I. character, Maz Kanata, is on, we do know from the caption on this eye-popping rogue’s gallery photo that she’s a pirate.

Galactic travelers, smugglers, and other assorted riffraff fill the main hall of pirate Maz Kanata’s castle.
Photograph by Annie Leibovitz.

 

[brandonh83]

Snoke isn't Plageuis. Also the explanation regarding the Republic, Resistance and First Order was in the opening crawl guys. First Order is the remnants of the Empire. The Republic is still around and the Resistance is an extension of the Republic built to combat the First Order.

I'm also pretty sure those planets Starkiller blew up were main Republic planets, at least I believe that's what's alluded to in Hux's speech.

 

[Grover Cleveland]

btw I brought this up before but

why is Hamill even here?

He led the table read.

Reading all the scene introductions, the "so and so walks in and yadda" bits.

I hope he did it as the Joker

 

[Skellig Gra]

btw I brought this up before but

why is Hamill even here?

Luke: stage direction -> turn around and remove hood very slowly

Easiest money you'll ever make

 

[Shaanyboi]

btw I brought this up before but

why is Hamill even here?

To stare dramatically.

 

[kurahador]

Maz should have been a Yoda-esque puppet

Urghh...no. And I'm glad JJ limit the use of practical effects to unimportant and background characters.

 

[Blader]

btw I brought this up before but

why is Hamill even here?

He was reading out the scene descriptions.

 

[Sectorseven]

btw I brought this up before but

why is Hamill even here?

Maybe his role underwent rewrites after this, or they could be wanting to introduce him to the cast since he's likely to have a much larger role with them in the sequels.

 

[DMczaf]

btw I brought this up before but

why is Hamill even here?

*look intensely at the camera*

"Alright, I'm done. You got my direct deposit set up right?"

 

[jesu]

Went to Subway for my tea tonight before the film, the young guy serving us was desperate to know where I got my jacket.

He forget my order and kept going on about the jacket, I told him to google Mark Ecko.

 

[gutter_trash]

Best new character: Maz Kanata. Really wonderful performance by Lupita Wyong'o, and just a well-written, nuanced character, even if she was a bit of a Yoda-lite. Interesting design. Saw the film twice and the "I like that Wookie" line is gold. I hope she survived the castle attack. How has she lived for a thousand years and yet she didn't have any defenses at her base?

Worst new character: Poe Dameron. Horrible Disney archetype hero character: handsome, affable, unreasonably perfect, relentlessly upbeat. Made out of cardboard. Doesn't fit in with Star Wars

MY god!!!

we are total opposites

Maz does NOT fit Starwars. Maz (like Ether said) is a Dreamworks character from CG poo movies like Antz.

And someone else mentionned that Maz' eyes look like poop holes on oranges.

I hate Maz, why? because every word Maz said, Leia could have said it instead

 

[erlim]

We already had an Obi Wan ghost in the OT, many times, really. If you count his voice, you have him as a ghost in all three movies.

So -- Why would the ghost change ages after already being a ghost? I don't care if Anakin's ghost was younger than him before death, that's irrelevant. Why would the ghost shift ages after already being a ghost?

They could just do this but for Alec Guinness;

AUDREY HEPBURN
BRUCE LEE

the Audrey Hepburn is way better.

 

[Ether_Snake]

How did Kylo manage to kill everyone at Lukes academy? He doesn't seem like he's super powerful in this movie and he took out Luke and X number of other trainees? Even if he was the most gifted trainee it doesn't add up. There's gotta be more to that story then just Kylo and a bunch of douchebags kick everyones ass. Who are those other guys in Kylos little death squad? They must have been pretty awesome to take on Luke and his band of Jedi trainees. Where are they now? So many questions.

I am pretty sure Rey is a Skywalker. She's a perfect mix between Luke and Pre-Vadar Anakin. She's looking off to the stars wistfully, she's an amazing pilot, she can fix the hell out of anything just like Grandad. If she's not a Skywalker it's a hell of a bit of misdirection.

Who says the others even had light sabers? I think people need to stop assuming Luke started some academy like what you saw in some video games or comic books. Luke might not even have a light saber at all until Rey brings him one, he might not even want one.

Plus it looks like Kylo had the knights with him. It never says Kylo didn't run away and come back to kill them all, just that he killed them. From the vision we see, he was part of the First Order and had the other knights with him when he came to kill them all.

 

[Anth0ny]

I dunno about that. Some of the expression I liked from her woulda been impossible

Nothing is impossible if the puppet is good enough.

See: Yoda. All she did was walk around and talk. Nothing a real puppet couldn't accomplish.

 

[jesu]

btw I brought this up before but

why is Hamill even here?

R2 as well
wtf.

 

[Ragnorok64]

According to the Vanity Fair article, yes:

Managing to be a pirate in the Star Wars universe and manage to survive for over 1000 years is impressive.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

He led the table read.

Reading all the scene introductions, the "so and so walks in and yadda" bits.

I hope he did it as the Joker

Hah, I was thinking of the Joker voice thing as well when it was mentioned he led the table read.

 

[SmackAttack]

He led the table read.

Reading all the scene introductions, the "so and so walks in and yadda" bits.

I hope he did it as the Joker

I imagine him doing this while reading Kylo killing Han.

 

[Blader]

Snoke isn't Plageuis. Also the explanation regarding the Republic, Resistance and First Order was in the opening crawl guys. First Order is the remnants of the Empire. The Republic is still around and the Resistance is an extension of the Republic built to combat the First Order.

I'm also pretty sure those planets Starkiller blew up were main Republic planets, at least I believe that's what's alluded to in Hux's speech.

Yep. It does not get any more clear cut than the movie writing it out for you. :lol

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Movie was really great. JJ resurrected the fire of passion I have for the universe which is quite a feat considering after the prequels I didn't think there were even embers left.

So is the current thought that Rey is Han and Leias daughter?

Seems unlikely to me.

Two things I was disappointed with.

1. The silver bad ass storm trooper was uhhhhhh just a nothing normal storm trooper.
2. Leia should have been written out as having died or something. The Botox or whatever makes all here scenes feel wooden and detracted from how awesome Harrison was.

 

[Grover Cleveland]

*look intensely at the camera*

"Alright, I'm done. You got my direct deposit set up right?"

I do wonder how much he made/will make for dressing up and staring at Daisy Ridley for five seconds.

I mean he does have second billing in the credits behind Harrison Ford.

 

[Mouse Cop]

Finished watching it for the second time. I loved the movie, it really felt like it brought the original feel of Star Wars back. I did have my issues with it, like I don't know why Starkiller base even exists and it tried too hard to be like A New Hope. Finn was the best new character, his chemistry with everyone really jumps off screen. I don't really know what his purpose is, since Rey is the heir apparent to being the jedi hero. I do feel that Finn is force sensitive though. When Starkiller base is blowing up the new republic (also dumb) Finn can hear the screams and turns around to look up at the sky and destruction. He hears the voices of anguish, similarly to Obi-Wan in ANH. he then runs to Han and says "That was the Republic". How would he know? You can say that he built the station and knew of their plans, but why did it look like he reacted to the screams?

Snoke was kind of a weak point for me, and so was Phasma. i hope they both have a bigger role in the next films. I loved Poe and he needs more time in the movie now that Han is gone. Kylo is the most interesting character because he's teetering between the light and the dark. He's pretty much Jacen Solo from the EU, I liked how he was done. A lot of my friends were mad he got owned at the end, and while it felt kind of half-assed, i think it's important to note that Kylo isn't some Sith Lord or master Jedi. he's just a dude who has an affinity to the force and had some light Jedi training, and up until now, he had never faced another person strong in the Force.

I can't wait until Episode VIII, I'd rank this movie as the the third best in the series, though it's kind of close with ROTJ.

 

[watershed]

One of those visual encyclopedia books explains that the New Republic signed some kind of peace agreement with the remnants of the Empire (the first order) basically agreeing to leave each other alone. The resistance is led by Leia who was branded a warmonger because she did not trust the first order. What we see in the film is basically their first major act of aggression, breaking that agreement, and pretty much destroying the New Republic.

 

[Jest Chillin]

Movie was really great. JJ resurrected the fire of passion I have for the universe which is quite a feat considering after the prequels I didn't think there were even embers left.

So is the current thought that Ray is Han and Leias daughter?

Seems unlikely to me.

Two things I was disappointed with.
1. The silver bad ass storm trooper was uhhhhhh just a nothing normal storm trooper.
2. Leia should have been written out as having died or something. The Botox or whatever makes all here scenes feel wooden and detracted from how awesome Harrison was.

The current leading theories for Rey are:

Luke's Daughter
Han and Leia's Daughter (least likely)
Obi-Wan's Grand Daughter (or other general relation).

 

[eyeball_kid]

lol, this thread has people on the defense

I was just chiming in a fun fact because you said she was Yoda-like. Who is also over 900 years old.

Sorry, I mentioned in my original comment that she's lived for a thousand years, so I thought you were harping on that.

 

[Jobbs]

They could just do this but for Alec Guinness;

AUDREY HEPBURN
BRUCE LEE

the Audrey Hepburn is way better.

Audrey Hepburn is fully CG? If so, wow.

Bruce wasn't impressive. Just looked like typical CG person.

 

[sn00zer]

One thing I didnt like is ever character has a "Han Solo"-ness about them in some way...its a bit distracting. Its like they picked apart all the aspects of Han's character and handed out bits and pieces to all the new characters.

 

[Tom Nook Sawyer]

lol, this thread has people on the defense

I was just chiming in a fun fact because you said she was Yoda-like. Who is also over 900 years old.

Probably because it came across as a pedantic correction, since he had already said she was a thousand years old

 

[sooperkool]

Finn is Force sensitive... here's how we know:

After the dogfight on Jakku he remarks to Rey, "Yo set me up perfectly, I don't know how i made that shot" Rey also remarked that she doesn't know how she was able to fly the Millennium falcon so well

Finn was given and wielded a lightsaber decently for someone who has never used one.

And truthfully, no one to my knowledge in Star Wars canon has ever used a lightsaber that was not Force Sensitive.

 

[TheKaeptain]

Her mom was Obi-Wan's bastard. Luke went back to get the power converters because he got a message about them. Met her at Tosche Station. They fell in love and had Rey.



Poetry boys, poetry.

And truthfully, no one to my knowledge in Star Wars canon has ever used a lightsaber that was not Force Sensitive.

Han uses one in ESB. In the new comics a couple of them use light sabers.

 

[jesu]

MY god!!!

we are total opposites

Maz does NOT fit Starwars. Maz (like Ether said) is a Dreamworks character from CG poo movies like Antz.

And someone else mentionned that Maz' eyes look like poop holes on oranges.

I hate Maz, why? because every word Maz said, Leia could have said it instead

I watched Carrie Fisher on the Graham Norton show the other night.
Lovely lady, I liked her.
She was completely fucked though.
I couldn't work out how this crazy lady on the Graham Norton show was going to play a serious part in the new Star Wars film.
By limiting her lines, that's how.

 

[eyeball_kid]

I do wonder how much he made/will make for dressing up and staring at Daisy Ridley for five seconds.

I mean he does have second billing in the credits behind Harrison Ford.

Hey man, those were some intense, multidimensional stares he gave Daisy and his lightsaber. His face worked for that money.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

Wasn't Mark Hamill staying at Pinewood for the entire duration of shooting? That's kinda funny to think about.

Audrey Hepburn is fully CG? If so, wow.

Bruce wasn't impressive. Just looked like typical CG person.

If I remember correctly from when I wrote about it for a school paper: There was an actress used that had a close enough resemblance with motion capture dots on her face and they created an entirely CG face.

 

[Anth0ny]

They could just do this but for Alec Guinness;

AUDREY HEPBURN
BRUCE LEE

the Audrey Hepburn is way better.

If they bring back the Guinness ghost in such a fashion that would be an incredible moment. It's totally doable, too.

 

[Scientist Supreme!]

Yep. It does not get any more clear cut than the movie writing it out for you. :lol

Eh. I think it's pretty messy. I think we can all agree it wasn't explained the best.

Edit: Wow, even more so after this

One of those visual encyclopedia books explains that the New Republic signed some kind of peace agreement with the remnants of the Empire (the first order) basically agreeing to leave each other alone. The resistance is led by Leia who was branded a warmonger because she did not trust the first order. What we see in the film is basically their first major act of aggression, breaking that agreement, and pretty much destroying the New Republic.

 

[Boss Doggie]

What are the chances of Snoke being an "evil" Yoda i.e. the hologram makes him bigger than what he is

 

[Sectorseven]

I do wonder how much he made/will make for dressing up and staring at Daisy Ridley for five seconds.

I mean he does have second billing in the credits behind Harrison Ford.

I think that's meant as a show of goodwill for not including him in the marketing. Kevin Spacey got top billing on the credits for Seven despite not having his name anywhere else.

 

[gutter_trash]

I watched Carrie Fisher on the Graham Norton show the other night.
Lovely lady, I liked her.
She was completely fucked though.
I couldn't work out how this crazy lady on the Graham Norton show was going to play a serious part in the new Star Wars film.
By limiting her lines, that's how.

I have a feeling that they will be killing off one OT old timer at a time per movie.

Luke and Leia will be offed in separate movies

 

[erlim]

Audrey Hepburn is fully CG? If so, wow.

Bruce wasn't impressive. Just looked like typical CG person.

I imagine the uncanny valley weirdness would be covered up a little better if you have that transparent ghost effect on.

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

Did the First Order only have 1 Star Destroyer?

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

The current leading theories for Rey are:

Luke's Daughter
Han and Leia's Daughter (least likely)
Obi-Wan's Grand Daughter (or other general relation).

I also thought being Luke's daughter seemed a stretch but makes more sense as meeting the mom would be a compelling plot device.