Star Wars Episode III

[Liota]

I'm wearing Nomex.

It sucked. The whole thing. My nail marks are on the sidewalk outside the theatre from Wakal dragging me to see it. Luckily for me, having three people with me made the movie.

It did have one nearly-saving grace. It didn't suck as much as the last two.

L

[carinab]

I got your back Liota. I've been underwhelmed with the whole series since the start. I'd heard how great Star Wars was so I expected too much when I went to the theatre to see it. I was in disbelief that people could think it was "fantastic"...All I could think of while watching was how crappy the dialogue and story line was. The characters don't display much depth. The only convincing actor was Harrison Ford. Mark Hamil was in a couple of bits. As for the whole series, some of the movies have their good parts but overall, I'm just not impressed. Want proof the movies are dopey? One word, Ewok.

And I agree, Hayden just isn't convincing as a evil bad guy. Nooooooo! He isn't! He makes me think of that pimple faced geek in junior high - the one who tries to look tough in the cafeteria by squashing his milk carton in one hand only to end up with a wet spot on his crotch from the splash. Oooohh I'm so intimidated.... Natalie Portman was tougher in The Professional.

[pisgahrifle]

THREAD DRIFT!!!!!!!!!!

Triumph, Spirit - whatever, who names a puppet dog after an under powered british car?

You're insane. A buddy of mine had a '68 Triumph spitfire in high school. It was a freakin roller skate with a straight six attached! Like an early Z car, just much less safe- lighter and no real superstructure. We never maxed the hing out, yet two of us could pick up the rear end- of the whole car. Fast, scary, fun stuff that Spitfire.

[wgnoyes]

Star Wars (particulary IV: A New Hope) was simply intended as a space-opera version of cowboys and indians, good guys v. bad guys, that's all! Movies don't always have to be deep or thoughtful or profound or depressing or socially relavant; movies are allowed to be fun, I don't care what The Academy says. They gave Best Picture to "The Unforgiven" [Clint Eastwood] one year. I thought "The Unforgiven" was terrible! Except for one line: "He's easy to track. Leaves dead men everywhere he goes!"

So there's a forest moon full of ewoks in VI. So what! Its fun. "An entire legion of my best troops are waiting for [the rebels] down there", says the emperor. Yeah, okay, an entire legion of your best troops are about to get their clocks cleaned by a bunch of furry hobbits and one wookiee. Even the actors were having fun with it. In the scene where Luke, Han, Chewie and the droids were all freshly trapped and surrounded by the ewoks with their stone knives and spears, you could see that Mark Hamill was doing all he could to keep from cracking up. Its fun. Take it as that and nothing else, because it doesn't pretend to be anything else.

And its interesting now to go back and watch IV-VI after knowing the entire saga.

In IV, 3PO is being lowered into the oil bath and declares "Thank the maker!" Yeah, we know who the "maker" is now, don't we!?

In VI, Obi-Wan describes Vader to Luke: "He's more machine now than man..." Okay, and exactly who's fault is THAT, hmm?

And later in VI, when the emperor is zapping Luke, you just want to say "Well, look's like something ELSE that Obi-Wan and Yoda forgot to tell you about. 'Already know you that which you need', huh? Um.... Surprise!"

Its just fun. That's all.

[wgnoyes]

Jar Jar isn't killed off... DAMN! I thought they'd get the thing... Oh well... I can only hope the Emperor or Vader wasted him in the complete transition between the Republic and the Empire.

Don't count on it. Remember, in II, Jar-Jar is the one who introduces the bill in the Senate to give the Chancellor his extraordinary powers. Kill him? Hell, the emperor OWES Jar-Jar!

[Liota]

I got your back Liota.  I've been underwhelmed with the whole series since the start.  I'd heard how great Star Wars was so I expected too much when I went to the theatre to see it.  I was in disbelief that people could think it was "fantastic"...All I could think of while watching was how crappy the dialogue and story line was.  The characters don't display much depth.  The only convincing actor was Harrison Ford.  Mark Hamil was in a couple of bits.  As for the whole series, some of the movies have their good parts but overall, I'm just not impressed.  Want proof the movies are dopey?  One word, Ewok.

And I agree, Hayden just isn't convincing as a evil bad guy.  Nooooooo!  He isn't!  He makes me think of that pimple faced geek in junior high - the one who tries to look tough in the cafeteria by squashing his milk carton in one hand only to end up with a wet spot on his crotch from the splash.  Oooohh I'm so intimidated....   Natalie Portman was tougher in The Professional.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Carina,

I didn't mean the whole series sucked, just the last three made. The first one, orignal Star Wars, was pretty good. Empire Strikes Back was pretty good. Even the third one was pretty good. The Prequels? Blech! All sappy and gross.

Bill,

The original three were fun and entirely forgiven their foibles, even for the damned Ewoks. The prequels were unforgivable. Mr. Lucas should have left it alone after the original three.

L

[wgnoyes]

I watched Phantom Menace last night for the first time in a couple of years. It held up pretty well, compared to previous memories. But it basically was a movie about government taxation and Palpatine using and engineering the whole crisis to get himself installed as chancellor to set himself up as emperor in III. I liked Attack of the Clones. And though I've seen it just once, I think Revenge of the Sith is one of the best of the entire saga.

Here's a thought about Sith, though. The opening scroll starts something like "Chancellor Palpatine has been kidnapped by the droid army." Oh! Well, that could certainly solves several problems.

Hey Anakin!

Yes, Master Obi-wan?

You know, if we just leave Palpatine to play with his new-found friends instead of trying to rescue him, you probably won't become such a complete a$$-hole and kill almost all of us and I won't have to chop off your legs and remaining arm and you won't have to sound like a scuba regulator the rest of your life!

You're right, Master, let's go have a beer at the cantina, instead!

I'm with you, Anakin!

Down curtain, erase Episodes IV-VI.

[carinab]

Star Wars (particulary IV: A New Hope) was simply intended as a space-opera version of cowboys and indians, good guys v. bad guys, that's all! Movies don't always have to be deep or thoughtful or profound or depressing or socially relavant; movies are allowed to be fun, I don't care what The Academy says.

Its just fun. That's all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't believe all movies need to be deep or thoughtful or profound or depressing or socially relavant. Heck, one of my favorite movies is Raising Arizona. I just think the Star Wars movies could have been brilliant with better dialogue and more character depth. Especially Vader's character - the transformation seemed implausible. In other words, the literal content should have strived to match the technical prowess. Even for a just for fun movie, the suspension of disbelief must be achieved (well, unless the goal is to become a parody of itself). It just didn't get there.

Liota, can I borrow your Nomex™ ?

[Skywalker]

The derogatory comment of course relates to the same statement Obi Wan made in a New Hope while training Luke on the Millennium Falcon.... damn, I need to get a life

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heh. I'm the one who needs a life I actually went back and checked - cause I didn't recall any negative comments re: blasters in the Lightsaber Training scene (scene 27 on the DVD, BTW ). I apologize in advance - I'm an avowed Star Wars geek.... The comment in question was "So uncivilized..." after Obi Wan uses said blaster to do in one of the major bad guys after losing his lightsaber. The scene in Star Wars is 14 - titled Your Father's Lightsaber. Obi Wan says: "It's your father's lightsaber. This is the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random as a blaster. An elegant weapon, with a more civilized danger." I referenced it above

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually, according to the definition of a lightsaber as written on the Official Star Wars website:

The lightsaber is the weapon of a Jedi, an elegant armament of a more civilized time. In comparison, blasters are crude, inaccurate and loud affairs. To carry a lightsaber is an example of incredible skill and confidence, dexterity and attunement to the Force.

And if you still need to see a good close-up of modern lightsabers, you should have a peek here.

[sfinney]

I think one factor of why the original movie (and the next 2) are viewed as being so ground breaking or wonderful, has to do with the time they originally debuted in theatres. For those that saw Star Wars for the first time in a theatre in the 70's, it was a breathe of fresh air.

America was still struggling to cope with the aftermath of Vietnam, movies had taken a decidely dark, negative turn..... Star Wars was one of the first movies of its decade that ALLOWED everyone to have fun, and cheer for the forces of "good"...... it was a catharsis.

Not to mention that FOR ITS TIME the special effects were state of the art, and downright amazing. Top that off with a great storyline, and we all forgave the actors a little for thier perfomances.... it was a Sci-Fi movie afterall

Now, in retrospect, I can see where someone seeing Star Wars for the first time now, or in the last few years (rather than the 70's) might not be that impressed..... certainly there are better stories, or better special effects, or actors, out there...... but set in the context of its time, Star Wars was a revelation for Sci-Fi fans, and one of the first Sci-Fi movies to win over the box office of "regular" folk as well. Yes, it was just an action flick, but it also said "hey, its ok to feel good about ourselves..... " or maybe I'm reaching.

Can you tell I'm a fan?

May the Force Be With You.

[sfinney]

  I'd heard how great Star Wars was so I expected too much when I went to the theatre to see it.  I was in disbelief that people could think it was "fantastic"...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats part of my point... for those who went to the first movie expecting just another bad B SciFi movie, it was fantastic. But when you go in with high expectations to start, the movie does fall down a little. Oh well.

You also have to remember this movie was before any Star Trek movies, or Battlestar Galactica, etc. It set a pretty high bar for its time.

Oh, and by the way, while Sith didn't suck as much as the first 2, 1-3 all sucked. We didn't really learn that much more about the characters than was hinted at in 4-6, an Anakin/Darth Vader was the biggest whiner in the history of the galaxy. Dark Lord of the Sith? Please, more like a kid who lost his candy.

[wgnoyes]

Yeah, well, none of its realistic or even plausible, and I don't think that matters. They're still fun and the six episodes together make up a pretty good yarn.

But then, I'm a Starwars fan. After all, who but a Starwars fan would have this sitting on top of his modem?

[shred]

Cool! Our 'Darth Tater' is sitting on a Krispy-Kreme box with Frys and Harbor Freight ads on it.. truly the evil empire!

[Liota]

Bill,

Darth Tater is absolutely adorable! I would actually put that on my desk. I am definitely NOT a Star Wars fan.

Did it come with the whiny kid disguise, too?

Liota

[wgnoyes]

Actually, it comes with extra parts like smiley teeth, a big red nose, a tongue to stick out, and big clown ears. It is, after all, a Mr. Potato Head toy. Bn