Watching Kylo Ren in the movie made it all the more apparent how creatively bankrupt Lucas and many expanded universe products (mainly the games, don't know much about the rest) when it comes to how the Force could be used.
In the prequels, they use force-speed once when they don't really need it, but other than that they just force push, pull, lightsaber-throw, throw stuff and lightning, with varying degrees of power. Like they just copy-pasted everything from the Jedi Knight games.
Speaking of, in the games, they do the same, except amped up to 11. Bringing down a star destroyer? Sure, why not, that only makes you 50 times stronger than Yoda. No biggie.
In TFA however, Kylo is able to freeze laser bolts in mid-air, mind-read/mentally torture people - though that one looks kinda dumb to me - and immobilize someone completely. Also, most of his powers he can hold 'active' while doing other stuff.
If you think about it, they're all variations on existing Force powers (respectively, telekinesis, mind persuasion and force choke), but they're different enough to feel new, powerful and to look cool in a surprising kind of way. The point is that in all those years no-one could be bothered to come up with something as mildly new as those. Up until Episode 7, growing more powerful as a Jedi/Sith simply meant being able to do more of the same + unlocking Force-lightning or Force-persuasion if you were good enough and depending on whether you were on the dark side or the light.
But to me, the Force is not this set of predefined powers you get as you progress (except in video games where it makes sense from a gameplay perspective). It's just a/the fabric of the universe that Force users are able to use to gain more control over reality. In that sense, the way the Force works should be unique to the user, and a reflection of that user's personality, desires and flaws. The Force is an insight into the user's psychology.
Take the Emperor: to me, he's the guy who's able to tell the future to a degree and summon lightning bolts from his fingers. Those are both a testament to how "in tune" he is with the Force (he essentially has a handle on fate and the elements) and a manifestation of his arrogance and pure hatred.
Likewise, Kylo's way of using the Force is that of someone who hates not being in control. He holds laser bolts in place, he forcefully extracts information from other people when they can't be convinced by any other means, and when he meets Rey, he doesn't choke her: he completely paralyzes her.
So, for that alone, I'm grateful that TFA and Kylo are the way they are. They make the Force ever-so-slightly fresher and a useful tool for storytelling once again, as opposed to an empty excuse for more special effects and pseudo-badass moments to wow kids and fanboys. The Force is interesting once again.
