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Star War: The Force Awakens Review Thread

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J

Jonm1010

Banned
Nipo said:
I thought jaws and temple of doom are the reason we have pg13. Both were originally classified as r but lowered to pg on appeal.
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And PG-13 was originally supposed to be where movies like Jaws, Temple of Doom and Red Dawn could fit comfortably.

Today though, try releasing a film mirroring the blood and violence of Red Dawn, Poltergeist, Gremlins or Temple of Doom and get a PG-13 rating without cuts. You won't.

PG-13 has become more and more restrictive over the years to the point where it is basically just the new PG, but surprisingly it is actually more restrictive.
 
1

140.85

Cognitive Dissonance, Distilled
My guess is that some critics are setting their threshold a bit too low regarding whether something is derivative or copying the previous films. It's almost impossible to divorce a new Star Wars film from it's legacy and simply having references or similarities isn't enough to make it derivative.

Anything is better than the painful WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE moments littered throughout the prequels. (Anakin built C3P0, etc. Why? That doesn't add anything to the narrative)
 
I

Inferno313

Banned
Jonm1010 said:
And PG-13 was originally supposed to be where movies like Jaws, Temple of Doom and Red Dawn could fit comfortably.

Today though, try releasing a film mirroring the blood and violence of Red Dawn, Poltergeist, Gremlins or Temple of Doom and get a PG-13 rating without cuts. You won't.

PG-13 has become more and more restrictive over the years to the point where it is basically just the new PG, but surprisingly it is actually more restrictive.
Click to expand...

It's weird too. Because you can show some truly heinous shit in PG-13 (See The Dark Knight, Casino Royale) as long as you don't show any blood. Which, I'm not totally sure is the most healthy option. "Violence is fine for kids as long as they don't have to witness the consequences of violence." Like, what?
 
S

sheepishlord

Member
samn said:
why were you discussing potential spoilers with your brother!! recipe for disaster.
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Well we both just mentioned we may have been spoiled and then we just narrowed it down to the point we knew we were talking about the same thing. Oh well, still really excited to see it tommorow.

Fake edit: I keep posting in the wrong thread lol.
 
M

Matticers

Member
Just pre-ordered some tickets for tomorrow night at 9 PM. I don't know how they have a bunch of showings on the 17th when the movie doesn't release until the 18th but I'm not going to argue it. It's my first time trying the whole buy your tickets online and have them scan a barcode thing so hopefully that goes smoothly.

The bad thing is I read a major spoiler on another forum today and it wasn't even related to a Star Wars topic. People just wanting to be jerks and ruin it for others because they hate the Star Wars hype machine.
 
J

Jonm1010

Banned
Inferno313 said:
It's weird too. Because you can show some truly heinous shit in PG-13 (See The Dark Knight, Casino Royale) as long as you don't show any blood. Which, I'm not totally sure is the most healthy option. "Violence is fine for kids as long as they don't have to witness the consequences of violence." Like, what?
Click to expand...
Just imagine if they substituted those scenes with boob or two instead....

It's a rating that has both become more restrictive and also completely illogical. A film like The Kings Speech, Almost Famous or Shakespeare in Love got R ratings by their logic because of bad language and/or brief nudity(in Almost Famous's case) but the Dark Knight and the new Hunger Games was fine.

The MPAA is a shit show.
 
M

majik13

Member
firehawk12 said:
It's hard for me to explain it since I've seen Wrath of Khan maybe two dozen times. As a Star Trek fan, it's a poor remake of the most well known (but not the best performing) film of the franchise.

But absent all that baggage, it has a plot that doesn't stand up to any scrutiny, space magic that makes George Lucas blush, and just boring action sequences.


Mad Max's strength lies in the fact that it used practical effects. It's amazing because in a sea of CG, it just stands out.
Click to expand...

there was a good deal of CG in Mad Max. But yes also a lot of practical. CG was used mostly to just augment the scenes around practical footage.

http://www.technobuffalo.com/2015/06/01/mad-max-fury-road-before-and-after-cgi-is-applied/
 
T

Turin Turambar

Member
140.85 said:
My guess is that some critics are setting their threshold a bit too low regarding whether something is derivative or copying the previous films. It's almost impossible to divorce a new Star Wars film from it's legacy and simply having references or similarities isn't enough to make it derivative.

Anything is better than the painful WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE moments littered throughout the prequels. (Anakin built C3P0, etc. Why? That doesn't add anything to the narrative)
Click to expand...

uh?
You don't have to divorce a new SW film from its legacy. You can make a new story in the same Universe, with some of the previous elements (jedis, big baddie). You don't need to make a incredibly close film to the previous trilogy.

But the movie has been done to give fans want they wanted. Something like the old trilogy, to a t.
 
F

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Turin Turambar said:
uh?
You don't have to divorce a new SW film from its legacy. You can make a new story in the same Universe, with some of the previous elements (jedis, big baddie). You don't need to make a incredibly close film to the previous trilogy.

But the movie has been done to give fans want they wanted. Something like the old trilogy, to a t.
Click to expand...
I seriously believe that we live in a culture where we don't want new things. It's why something like Ready Player One can be considered "good".
 
T

The Technomancer

card-carrying scientician
MovieBob Review

Pretty damn positive overall although he echoes the sentiments that its relying so heavily on homage and retread of the structure of the original film that you can start to see the seams at some points. But the characters are strong and compelling and that carries the film through the rough parts
 
T

Tertullian

Member
Violet_0 said:
mother of god, the Ewoks are back?!
Click to expand...

The Ewoks never left.

RD26v89.jpg
 
M

majik13

Member
firehawk12 said:
All I remember is the opening of that Ultron movie and how bad it looked.
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The people working on that CG were kinda fucked. They should have had months to do that sequence, but were only given weeks, with little support/crew, on the last few weeks of the show. Definitely could have been planned and executed better.
 
F

firehawk12

Subete no aware
majik13 said:
The people working on that CG were kinda fucked. They should have had months to do that sequence, but were only given weeks, with little support/crew, on the last few weeks of the show. Definitely could have been planned and executed better.
Click to expand...
Wow. Well, it shows anyway.
 
T

Turin Turambar

Member
firehawk12 said:
I seriously believe that we live in a culture where we don't want new things. It's why something like Ready Player One can be considered "good".
Click to expand...

Fans have spoken clearly and loudly, and for years, how the prequels were bad and how one of the reasons they were bad was because they weren't enough like the classic trilogy. And it's true, instead of a epic adventure flick with humor, love and action, it's more a war movie/drama thing. Actually it's one of the things we can respect more from George Lucas, he went and told the story he wanted to tell, and to hell with the rest. Obviously the level of quality wasn't up there, but that's another issue.

When Disney bought the IP, and they started hiring directors and writers, the first thing I thought was how this time they would give a crowd-pleasing film to the masses in response fo the prequel backlash, making exactly what they wanted all these years mimicking to a extreme the originals in practical effects, vibe, humor, etc.
 
G

guek

Banned
Oddduck said:
Honestly, I don't know what other direction Abrams could have went.

The issue is Disney wanted the biggest audience possible. They want to introduce a new generation of kids and teens to Star Wars. Disney also wants more women to be interested in Star Wars.

And there was only one way for Abrams to give Disney exactly what they wanted.

By creating a film that feels like a sequel, a reboot, and a semi-remake, all wrapped in one package.
Click to expand...

It's always easy to say only this or that works after the fact, just like it's too easy for me to say something else would work better. I don't accept the notion though that this was the only way to make a new entry work after the prequel debacle.
 
V

Vault Dweller 111

Member
94%?

Movie sucks confirmed.
Will flop.
Disney never should have bought the rights.
JJ is, and always was, trash.
Cancelled my tickets.
Childhood ruined.
Hype at zero.
 
F

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Turin Turambar said:
Fans have spoken clearly and loudly, and for years, how the prequels were bad and how one of the reasons they were bad was because they weren't enough like the classic trilogy. And it's true, instead of a epic adventure flick with humor, love and action, it's more a war movie/drama thing. Actually it's one of the things we can respect more from George Lucas, he went and told the story he wanted to tell, and to hell with the rest. Obviously the level of quality wasn't up there, but that's another issue.

When Disney bought the IP, and they started hiring directors and writers, the first thing I thought was how this time they would give a crowd-pleasing film to the masses in response fo the prequel backlash, making exactly what they wanted all these years mimicking to a extreme the originals in practical effects, vibe, humor, etc.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I don't blame Disney because they're a corporation and Star Wars is a product that they are trying to sell. It would be like blaming McDonalds for selling fast food. It's just disappointing that "we", as fans, aren't demanding more from our art these days.

Toxi said:
There are people who think Ready Player One is good? That's a scary thought.
Click to expand...
Yeah. Why else would Spielberg direct the movie adaptation? It'll probably make hundreds of millions off of all the 80s nerds who refuse to let go of their childhood.
 
Interfectum

Interfectum

Member
Vault Dweller 111 said:
94%?

Movie sucks confirmed.
Will flop.
Disney never should have bought the rights.
JJ is, and always was, trash.
Cancelled my tickets.
Childhood ruined.
Hype at zero.
Click to expand...

It was 98%.

Hype destroyed.
Real reviews finally coming in.
A New Hope 2.0 worse than Attack of the Clones
JJ to direct Anaconda reboot.
gg
 
T

TheOctodad

Member
firehawk12 said:
I seriously believe that we live in a culture where we don't want new things. It's why something like Ready Player One can be considered "good".
Click to expand...

I want new things, but I don't know if I want my old things to be new things as well.

I'd rather a new series explore something completely different, but have a series like Star Wars stay true to Star Wars.
 
M

majik13

Member
Turin Turambar said:
Fans have spoken clearly and loudly, and for years, how the prequels were bad and how one of the reasons they were bad was because they weren't enough like the classic trilogy. And it's true, instead of a epic adventure flick with humor, love and action, it's more a war movie/drama thing. Actually it's one of the things we can respect more from George Lucas, he went and told the story he wanted to tell, and to hell with the rest. Obviously the level of quality wasn't up there, but that's another issue.

When Disney bought the IP, and they started hiring directors and writers, the first thing I thought was how this time they would give a crowd-pleasing film to the masses in response fo the prequel backlash, making exactly what they wanted all these years mimicking to a extreme the originals in practical effects, vibe, humor, etc.
Click to expand...

Just a note, I believe all that Disney did was give the mandate to not follow the Lucas treatments, and start over. Beyond that it was Lucasfilm/Bad Robot(mostly Bad Robot in this regard) that should take the credit for the direction of TFA. It was the new head of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy(before Disney bought them) that brought most of the people in.
 
Interfectum

Interfectum

Member
firehawk12 said:
I seriously believe that we live in a culture where we don't want new things. It's why something like Ready Player One can be considered "good".
Click to expand...

You're looking for new things out of series on it's seventh movie with established rules and expectations and during a time when it's getting a much needed soft reboot coming off of three awful movies. Just sayin...
 
Interfectum

Interfectum

Member
Scientist Supreme! said:
You say this like it's impossible.
Click to expand...

It's not impossible. There are new things in Episode 7, just not enough "new" things apparently. Which makes sense because this is Star Wars being brought back into relevance, bringing things that made it relevant decades ago.

You want completely original stories? Look at new IP.
 
F

firehawk12

Subete no aware
TheOctodad said:
I want new things, but I don't know if I want my old things to be new things as well.

I'd rather a new series explore something completely different, but have a series like Star Wars stay true to Star Wars.
Click to expand...
Interfectum said:
You're looking for new things out of series on it's seventh movie with established rules and expectations and during a time when it's getting a much needed soft reboot coming off of three awful movies. Just sayin...
Click to expand...
Not that the EU was great, by any means, but you think of how someone like Admiral Thrawn came out of it and you realize that there's room to do new things with the Star Wars sandbox.

I still think the idea of having a Force user whose primarily ability nullifies the Force is an interesting idea as well, since The Exile from KoTOR2 exists explicitly outside of the same old Jedi vs Sith binary. But maybe that's just too deep into Star Wars lore at that point. lol
 
Interfectum

Interfectum

Member
firehawk12 said:
Not that the EU was great, by any means, but you think of how someone like Admiral Thrawn came out of it and you realize that there's room to do new things with the Star Wars sandbox.

I still think the idea of having a Force user whose primarily ability nullifies the Force is an interesting idea as well, since The Exile from KoTOR2 exists explicitly outside of the same old Jedi vs Sith binary. But maybe that's just too deep into Star Wars lore at that point. lol
Click to expand...

It's too deep to shove into a 2 hour movie that is already trying to reintroduce the world to Star Wars and bridge to a movie that is 32 years old. There's always episode 8,9 and spin off movies for that.
 
D

Dead

well not really...yet
Dash_Riprock said:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

But seriously, a teen taking a Screen Writing 101 class at a a community college could write a better script than Lucas. Because unlike him, they'd have someone helping and telling them which parts were shit.
Click to expand...
A treatment isn't a final script.

And considering how involved Lucas was in the stories of The Clone Wars, Id have no issue believing his original idea for these movies were good. He's an idea man, not a writer anymore.
 
T

TheOctodad

Member
firehawk12 said:
Not that the EU was great, by any means, but you think of how someone like Admiral Thrawn came out of it and you realize that there's room to do new things with the Star Wars sandbox.

I still think the idea of having a Force user whose primarily ability nullifies the Force is an interesting idea as well, since The Exile from KoTOR2 exists explicitly outside of the same old Jedi vs Sith binary. But maybe that's just too deep into Star Wars lore at that point. lol
Click to expand...

Speculation, but spoiler tagged:
Totally, I would love to see someone like Finn emerge as a "Anti-Jedi." Someone who eventually is found to be immune to the force effects. He develops great fighting skills and is actually feared by the dark side users but is weak against more common enemies like Phasma. Thus Rey and Finn become a duo that have to rely on each other's strengths.
 
E

EatChildren

Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
If we absolutely had to get a Boba Fett movie, George Miller would be perfect.
 
F

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Interfectum said:
It's too deep to shove into a 2 hour movie that is already trying to reintroduce the world to Star Wars and bridge to a movie that is 32 years old. There's always episode 8,9 and spin off movies for that.
Click to expand...
The flip side is that everyone is going to watch this movie, regardless of what happens in it, so they could have done anything they wanted to if they were so inclined.

TheOctodad said:
Totally, I would love to see someone like Finn emerge as a "Anti-Jedi." Someone who eventually is found to be immune to the force effects. He develops great fighting skills and is actually feared by the dark side users but is weak against more common enemies like Phasma. Thus Rey and Finn become a duo that have to rely on each other's strengths.
Click to expand...
Well, hopefully the next movies aren't retreads and try to be more complicated in dealing with the lore. Of course, maybe they don't need to bring in the anti-force slugs from the Thrawn books. lol
 
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