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[Dreams-Visions]

This.

To try and zero in on one actor as the crux of the prequel trilogy debacle is a foolish errand. The films don't work because they tell rather than show, and they're a sterilized, lazy CGI fest.

Let's face it: Lucas had far too much control over these movies, no producers to reign him in and was a lazy director who wanted to rely on CGI. The script, as we all know, was garbage. The characters aren't relatable. Also, he got away with choosing unknown cast and crew in the past, but it bit him in the ass with Christensen. The guy was not some diamond in the rough; he was an subpar teen actor with basically no range or subtlety who was asked to carry a lot of water for the movie. Go back and watch Hamill's work with Yoda when he's dying. That's a potentially silly scene, but he makes you believe. Big difference.

I don't place it squarely on Christensen (as that's what I'm arguing you shouldn't do), but he wasn't able to handle what the role required. That said, all actors were sabotaged by bad set design, too much CGI and a non-existent script. The whole endeavor was a money-making venture that had "artistic merit" as a distant companion.

A fine assessment.

All of which makes me wonder about people who "loved" the prequils. I wish I could see what they saw and not...well...the reality of things. I inherently want to love everything that presents itself as Star Wars. It pains me that I can't watch and enjoy 3 cannon films like I could with the original trilogy.

 

[MattyG]

Towards the end, you refer to "the battle of Yavin", but I believe you are referring to Endor by the context (precursor to a period of peace.) The Battle of Yavin actually escalated the galactic civil war.

Goddammit. I knew I was mixing something up there! I was thinking of the acronyms ABY and BBY still, and I must've just thrown Yavin in there without thinking. Good catch. This joke letter is starting to become very serious

 

[injurai]

A fine assessment.

All of which makes me wonder about people who "loved" the prequils. I wish I could see what they saw and not...well...the reality of things. I inherently want to love everything that presents itself as Star Wars. It pains me that I can't watch and enjoy 3 cannon films like I could with the original trilogy.

I was young enough to still get excited for the prequels as they came out because it was Star Wars. I always thought they were worse than the originals, but I wasn't caught up the cynicism and no adult was going to spoil my fun. But I've since had a few conversations with my mom about how I now dislike them, she told me they were great vehicles to drive my creativity as I played with action figures and star wars video games. I think that's a fair assessment, it really just brought a bunch of cool set pieces and lore aspects to drive a multimedia franchise.

By god I find it hard to return to them... I think I can rewatch 1 and 3, but never again 2. Ugh.

 

[LaNaranja]

A fine assessment.

All of which makes me wonder about people who "loved" the prequils. I wish I could see what they saw and not...well...the reality of things. I inherently want to love everything that presents itself as Star Wars. It pains me that I can't watch and enjoy 3 cannon films like I could with the original trilogy.

I don't think anyone loves them. Some people (like me) are just able to enjoy them for what they are while still recognizing that they are leagues below the original trilogy. People act like the only two options are to love or hate the movies.

 

[brandonh83]

When there are so many talented actors in a film and ALL of them produce flat wooden performances, it's not their fault. That blame falls squarely on the director.

I think this is a generalization of my opinion. Most of the actors turned in wooden performances. True. Lucas did a shitty job directing them. True. That being said, I still felt that Natalie just wasn't trying at all, and her performance drove some of what would have been emotionally-rich scenes. The pre-fight on Mustafar, the child birth scene, post Anakin's nightmare, etc. The other actors were pretty stale, but outside of a handful of scenes, so much of the emotion depended on Natalie and she cruised right through it, and some of her scenes weren't just bad, but so horrendous that you would think that she's never acted before or knows what she's doing.

Lucas' directing played a part, but the point of my post in general is that the prequels would have been a lot better for me if Natalie put any effort into the role. She's not the only actor that turned in a stale performance, but for me she was easily the worst, and that was damaging considering the weight of her role.

To try and zero in on one actor as the crux of the prequel trilogy debacle is a foolish errand. The films don't work because they tell rather than show, and they're a sterilized, lazy CGI fest.

See above. I was merely commenting that I thought Natalie's performance hurt a lot of the potentially emotional stuff across the prequels, and because of that she was the worst aspect for me personally. I never said that Natalie was the reason the prequels were bad. But for me if she actually tried and turned in better scenes I would have liked the prequels more.

Well the prequels were supposed to be about how Anakin becomes Vader, and literally 3/4 of the way through the third film we still have no idea why or how its going to happen.

Sure we do! It was obvious starting in Episode II. Anakin has a vision of his mother being killed, she dies, then at her grave he vows that he will never let something like that again. In Episode III he has a vision of Padme dying in childbirth. Then Palpatine knowingly starts talking about how the Sith were able to cheat death or prevent it. The seeds were planted quite early.

 

[SilentRacoon]

New Stormtrooper blasters seem to be slightly modified, now it has some white parts, and the scope position makes sense now. Hope there is a hidden laser hilt hidden there somewhere.

 

[iosefe]

New Stormtrooper blasters seem to be slightly modified, now it has some white parts, and the scope position makes sense now. Hope there is a hidden laser hilt hidden there somewhere.

we've come so far from the simple Sterling

 

[injurai]

the scope position always made sense

 

[OmegaFax]

New Stormtrooper blasters seem to be slightly modified, now it has some white parts, and the scope position makes sense now. Hope there is a hidden laser hilt hidden there somewhere.

All of these changes and they probably still can't fire a weapon and hit anything.

 

[Count Dookkake]

Waiting for someone to update Star Wars Kid with crossguards.

 

[brandonh83]

All of these changes and they probably still can't fire a weapon and hit anything.

I would literally shit myself with laughter if the stormtroopers are amazing shots this time 'round, especially if we get a loose take following some stormtroopers through tight confines without running into anything or bumping their heads while taking shit out with calculated finesse.

 

[SeventhSon]

Go back and watch Hamill's work with Yoda when he's dying. That's a potentially silly scene, but he makes you believe. Big difference.

Hamil's acting in the OT is largely underrated. I know we have those moments of "whiny Luke" in Star Wars, but Hamil's choice to be 'very earnest' about all the weird things going on sells the audience to suspend disbelief, which is counter-pointed by Ford's cynicism not letting the movie get away with taking itself too seriously. Some of Hamil's best acting, and most memorable scenes from the rest of the films were on stage with a puppet - like you said, he took what could have been ridiculously silly and makes you believe.

 

[brandonh83]

Hamil's acting in the OT is largely underrated. I know we have those moments of "whiny Luke" in Star Wars, but Hamil's choice to be 'very earnest' about all the weird things going on sells the audience to suspend disbelief, which is counter-pointed by Ford's cynicism not letting the movie get away with taking itself too seriously. Some of Hamil's best acting, and most memorable scenes from the rest of the films were on stage with a puppet - like you said, he took what could have been ridiculously silly and makes you believe.

I like Hamill plenty in the originals. It's Fisher that bothers me the most. I loved her in A New Hope but her performances in the following two plummeted. She still wasn't awful and at least she was trying unlike the lady that "played" her mother.

 

[ReplacementPelican]

I would literally shit myself with laughter if the stormtroopers are amazing shots this time 'round, especially if we get a loose take following some stormtroopers through tight confines without running into anything or bumping their heads while taking shit out with calculated finesse.

This needs to happen. They've become like Spartans or something.

 

[Rentahamster]

I regretted watching the Episode 1 trailer because it spoiled the Darth Maul double lightsaber reveal (why the hell did they put that in the trailer ffs). I wasn't going to watch this one, but it's inevitable since I'm seeing gifs of it in parts of the internet already. Besides, I wanted to watch the Plinkett trailer commentary video too.

So...neat I guess. Lightsaber looks dumb but whatever. How is a light-hilt supposed to work well? You could still chop it off since the beam part of the hilt isn't flush with the main section.

I like how they kept the worn-in look of the OT. The prequel stuff looked too clean.

 

[TheKaeptain]

A friend of mine today said he didn't like the Star Wars trailer because "Stormtroopers are clones, they aren't black." I tried explaining that Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers aren't the same thing, but he wouldn't listen. I said, jokingly, "I'll write you an essay". He said "you do that". I intend on setting him straight. (Please forgive any lore errors. I think it's mostly accurate since I got most of the stuff I didn't know off of Star Wars wiki, but who knows.)

This is amazing.

 

[Azulsky]

I felt like the level of proficiency the clone troopers had was pretty on point. They should keep that or go a bit higher for this trilogy.

The stormtroopers in the original trilogy are silly in hindsight.

 

[injurai]

A friend of mine today said he didn't like the Star Wars trailer because "Stormtroopers are clones, they aren't black." I tried explaining that Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers aren't the same thing, but he wouldn't listen. I said, jokingly, "I'll write you an essay". He said "you do that". I intend on setting him straight. (Please forgive any lore errors. I think it's mostly accurate since I got most of the stuff I didn't know off of Star Wars wiki, but who knows.)

They also age twice as fast so over 20 years leading up the battle of yavin any clones would be in their 60's and certainly wouldn't be front line soldiers. Pretty much by that time mot Stormtroopers were recruited through propaganda and promises of a new life and adventure. Essentially preying on the underprivileged youths across the empire.

Great letter btw, gotta set those counter-nerds straight.

 

[Speculator]

A friend of mine today said he didn't like the Star Wars trailer because "Stormtroopers are clones, they aren't black." I tried explaining that Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers aren't the same thing, but he wouldn't listen. I said, jokingly, "I'll write you an essay". He said "you do that". I intend on setting him straight. (Please forgive any lore errors. I think it's mostly accurate since I got most of the stuff I didn't know off of Star Wars wiki, but who knows.)

Bravo. If this was written in Aurebesh, I can see it being an academic essay in a galaxy far, far away....

 

[rokkerkory]

New Stormtrooper blasters seem to be slightly modified, now it has some white parts, and the scope position makes sense now. Hope there is a hidden laser hilt hidden there somewhere.

I know they want to keep it close to the OG but you'd think with all that advanced tech you wouldn't need a scope. It should just be zoomazble in your visor?

 

[iosefe]

I know they want to keep it close to the OG but you'd think with all that advanced tech you wouldn't need a scope. It should just be zoomazble in your visor?

the scope is a camera for the visor?

 

[gazele]

That's more or less how I envisioned it as well
Anakin should have been a teenager like Luke from the start.

Those videos made me sad, considering how much better they are than what we got

 

[-tetsuo-]

This.

Ewan McGregor is one of the best. He's a fantastic actor, and even for the most part put on an amazing performacne as Obi-Wan, but then there was scenes like this one:


It literally looked like he was trying not to laugh at the script. "I saw a security recording of him..........KILLING YOUNGLINGS.

Or even before that when he was looking at the recording of Anakin killing everyone, the "I can't watch this anymore." line had ZERO emotion in it. It was a lifeless scene:



When you have such poor performances from someone like McGregor, you know there's something up besides just the actor.

Don't get me started on Palpatine. Going from a genuinely creepy villain in Jedi to the cheese and goofiness of the prequels. It's like they upped the ham considerably from TPM to AOTC and then upped it even further from AOTC to ROTS.

Palpatine was amazing in Revenge top 10 acting performance

 

[Bearthgar]

This GIF finally was made for the Episode VII Teaser. It pretty much sums up my first view (and every subsequent view) of the teaser:

Omg. Amazing.

 

[-griffy-]

Palpatine was amazing in Revenge top 10 acting performance

His turn into the evil emperor is laughable, one of the low points of the prequel trilogy. The whole scene is laughable, from a choreography perspective to Palpatine's silly "evil" voice to the roar he makes to his somersaults to the "cool pose window break" to Anakin calmly walking in the middle of the fight to Anakin's turn to Windu's death to the improbable makeup transformation. It's like a hyper concentrated example of every single problem with the prequels.

Top 10 performance right here:

 

[MattyG]

They also age twice as fast so over 20 years leading up the battle of yavin any clones would be in their 60's and certainly wouldn't be front line soldiers. Pretty much by that time mot Stormtroopers were recruited through propaganda and promises of a new life and adventure. Essentially preying on the underprivileged youths across the empire.

Great letter btw, gotta set those counter-nerds straight.

Ah, I thought I said that, but I didn't. I'm editing it before I send it due to some errors (Battle of Yavin instead of Endor, "Dark" auto-corrected for "Darth", etc), so I'll add that in. Even though it's a joke letter, I feel obligated to be as accurate and clear as possible.

Bravo. If this was written in Aurebesh, I can see it being an academic essay in a galaxy far, far away....

This is amazing.

A-thank you very much! I do my best to defend the integrity of the lore.

 

[SeventhSon]

I know they want to keep it close to the OG but you'd think with all that advanced tech you wouldn't need a scope. It should just be zoomazble in your visor?

Take that Halo 5 hater talk to gaming side.

Spoiler

 

[CitizenVectron]

Something I haven't noticed people talking about is the radical re-design of the X-Wing's wings and how they now interlock to make a single surface:

They no longer overlap, they actually are 2 thinner wings that lock together and then the tips flare up or down to separate the guns. I think it gives it a much more aggressive stance, and I like it. Here's what I mean from the top down when the wings are folded together:

 

[Edag Plata]

His turn into the evil emperor is laughable, one of the low points of the prequel trilogy. The whole scene is laughable, from a choreography perspective to Palpatine's silly "evil" voice to the roar he makes to his somersaults to the "cool pose window break" to Anakin calmly walking in the middle of the fight to Anakin's turn to Windu's death to the improbable makeup transformation. It's like a hyper concentrated example of every single problem with the prequels.

Top 10 performance right here:
http://i.imgur.com/HSVPoV5.png[IMG][/QUOTE]

Thing is he really is a great actor and plays a great villain, but that whole scene especially was just goofy as hell.

That's why Palpatine is such a fun parody character now, it's the prequels. Even in the Plinkett The Force Awakens review.

 

[SeventhSon]

Wait, Sheev really is Palpy's first name?

 

[MattyG]

Wait, Sheev really is Palpy's first name?

According to Tarkin, which is canon, it is.

 

[phazedplasma]

SHEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

 

[Metalmarc]

This just came to me

what if ladies and gentleman, the Storm Troopers in this one are actually able to shoot accurately for a change.


What if one of them, possibly boyega kills Luke? Wouldn't that be something?

 

[watershed]

His turn into the evil emperor is laughable, one of the low points of the prequel trilogy. The whole scene is laughable, from a choreography perspective to Palpatine's silly "evil" voice to the roar he makes to his somersaults to the "cool pose window break" to Anakin calmly walking in the middle of the fight to Anakin's turn to Windu's death to the improbable makeup transformation. It's like a hyper concentrated example of every single problem with the prequels.

Top 10 performance right here:

I agree. No one turned in a good performance in the prequel trilogy. The best performances came in TPM and even those were just passable (Qui-Gon and Shmi). McGregor got worse as the trilogy went on, especially in the "he killed younglings" scene and any time he had to act against a cg character. Palpatine was terrible. I will never understand people who say he carried the movies or turned in a great performance. His fight vs. Windu and all that awful dialogue with random expressions and intonations are just terrible.

 

[lastplayed]

Something I haven't noticed people talking about is the radical re-design of the X-Wing's wings and how they now interlock to make a single surface:

They no longer overlap, they actually are 2 thinner wings that lock together and then the tips flare up or down to separate the guns. I think it gives it a much more aggressive stance, and I like it. Here's what I mean from the top down when the wings are folded together:

Yeah I like it.

Here it is closed.

 

[Flo_Evans]

Something I haven't noticed people talking about is the radical re-design of the X-Wing's wings and how they now interlock to make a single surface:

They no longer overlap, they actually are 2 thinner wings that lock together and then the tips flare up or down to separate the guns. I think it gives it a much more aggressive stance, and I like it. Here's what I mean from the top down when the wings are folded together:

One thing that bothered me about that shot (as bad ass as it was) - don't the foils need to be flat in atmospheric flight?

 

[Randam]

Yeah I like it.

Here it is closed.

Old one looks way better.
The 2 engines make it.

 

[injurai]

Honestly complaint I feel. Look at that beautiful uninhibited visor Luke has.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

I'm hoping Boyega actually starts as a Stormtrooper and defects, as opposed to having our hero hide in the costume of one again.

 

[lastplayed]

One thing that bothered me about that shot (as bad ass as it was) - don't the foils need to be flat in atmospheric flight?

Apparently not.

 

[injurai]

One thing that bothered me about that shot (as bad ass as it was) - don't the foils need to be flat in atmospheric flight?

Was that ever established? I guess it's a new model anyways. I thought it was "attack formation." As was described in film. Makes sense you get more of a spread on your lasers that way.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

One thing that bothered me about that shot (as bad ass as it was) - don't the foils need to be flat in atmospheric flight?

I think they're preparing to attack something.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

It's Star Wars, guys.

 

[watershed]

One thing that bothered me about that shot (as bad ass as it was) - don't the foils need to be flat in atmospheric flight?

I don't think that was ever mentioned in the films, maybe in the EU. Opening the wings is just for combat.

 

[Randam]

It's Star Wars, guys.

Haven't seen any stars yet from episode 7.

And I need to know the thing with the wings.

 

[Edag Plata]

I agree. No one turned in a good performance in the prequel trilogy. The best performances came in TPM and even those were just passable (Qui-Gon and Shmi). McGregor got worse as the trilogy went on, especially in the "he killed younglings" scene and any time he had to act against a cg character. Palpatine was terrible. I will never understand people who say he carried the movies or turned in a great performance. His fight vs. Windu and all that awful dialogue with random expressions and intonations are just terrible.

He was good in The Phantom Menace, then in Clones he became pretty cheesy, almost like he wanted the good guys to know he was bad, and then....

Yeah.

 

[kris.]

Sheev Palpatine. Goddammit.

 

[Flo_Evans]

Was that ever established? I guess it's a new model anyways. I thought it was "attack formation." As was described in film. Makes sense you get more of a spread on your lasers that way.

Would it?

Seems like it would make it harder (4 lasers now have to converge) not exactly rocket science, but the targeting computer would have to adjust the angles of the lasers so they all hit one spot.

Really makes no sense to have "spread" on a laser weapon.

IDK I guess we have never seen an x-wing ground attack something but every scene I can remember them flying in atmosphere the wings are locked.

edit: some stars was wiki says the X wing was originally designed for cooling the engines/lasers. Which also makes no sense in the vacuum of space...

 

[Bobby Roberts]

 

[injurai]

Would it?

Seems like it would make it harder (4 lasers now have to converge) not exactly rocket science, but the targeting computer would have to adjust the angles of the lasers so they all hit one spot.

Really makes no sense to have "spread" on a laser weapon.

IDK I guess we have never seen an x-wing ground attack something but every scene I can remember them flying in atmosphere the wings are locked.

Use the force?

In all seriousness it's a trivial calculation and adjustment. But if they all fired straight, that is a much better spread for manual targetting. Allows for a good spread against large targets.

It's also cool dammit, as sculli said. It's starwars