ST JJ Abrams to direct Episode VII

But "fan dislike" seems to get a pass when it comes to Lucas. I'm not talking about you personally, as I don't know how you feel about GL. But it seems a lot of "fans" here hate on Lucas and that's always taken in account.

I am a fan of Lucas, but totally NOT a fan of JJ. I think you have to consider fan dislike. Hollywood and half of the fan world say that Lucas was an epic failure with the PT, but PT made hundreds of millions of dollars, completely NOT a failure. Abrams may have won an award here, or made money there, but there is a large segment of people that don't like his work.

 

There are legitimate criticisms to be leveled against Lucas. However, as I have twice noted, I cannot think of a single concrete thing that can be pointed to as a negative reason for why Abrams is the wrong choice other than simple fan dislike. That's the difference.

 

I'm hopeful. He's a good pick. Everyone makes way too much of his being a fan, though...I mean, everyone's a damn fan these days. You can hate the movies, defy what they stand for, you can hate visual effects, and you're still a fan these days.

 

"Very poor choice of words."

 

Cinematic flare, not lens flare.

 

So a true denial followed by a true change of heart? *shrug* You might be right. I'm only saying that it wouldn't be the first time someone lied about these things. If you're right, and he's just getting started, then he's going to be a very busy boy, and I'm a very worried fan.

 

It's spelled "flair".

 

http://twitter.com/boborci/status/294607498642608128

http://twitter.com/boborci/status/294648080446418944

http://twitter.com/boborci/status/294649481994043392

 

Really? Do you really think that literally everyone is a fan of his work? Because that's what this question suggests and it's absurd.

Because I'm not really a fan of any of his work.

There's a pattern to his work that I hate, and that is a pattern of absurd, shallow, maximum melodrama. I know Star Wars has melodrama, but nothing nearly as phony and annoying as JJ's work has had. JJ's work is day time soap opera melodrama. I'm talking comas, long lost evil twins, it was all a dream, smell the fart acting, I've got a fish hook in my eyebrow and I like it, and just a GASP! moment every thirty seconds. Everything is turned up to 11 emotionally for the entire duration (like in his Star Trek movie). His television shows go into every commercial with the most dramatic cliffhanger ever, each one trying to top the last and it's just ridiculous.

Because of JJ Abrams, one of my most hated phrases is "nothing is as it seems". It's not mystery, it's not mythology, it's not drama, it's not interesting, it's not intriguing, it's phony, it's forced, it's contrived. Alias and Lost is full of this garbage and it has become so popular that it has come to dominate television. The reason why his shows (and others like it) never pan out to be anything interesting is because he doesn't really have anything interesting to say, he only has superficial, maximal melodramatic set ups that lead to nowhere.

Again, don't bother responding with "Star Wars is melodrama!", because it's not even close to what Abrams does.

 

I am really depressed. If he is "directing it" as in shooting scenes, then I think this will work. But if he starts rewriting the script or lets his co-collaborators anywhere near it...well then it will be Abrams raped my childhood. Super 8 was great, because at its core it was pure imitation of Spielberg. If he does that I am good. If he goes anywhere near Star Trek/Lost territory...then I'm going to have to meet him in a dark alley. He should have no artistic input on the story...he has shown he can't handle it and he likes time travel WAY too much. This should have been Joe Johnson. I desperately hope we have a Richard Marquand situation here...I want Lucas over his shoulder the ENTIRE time...just to make sure he doesn't screw up too badly.

 

And you should have at least 15 piece of it. Brian has 37.

 

The one thing you're 100% right on is "Star Wars look and feel". To me (and I think a lot of people) this is the key. Even with a crappy writing, crappy acting, you keep the "Star Wars formula" in place, you'll have a good Star Wars movie. If you have a "great acting" and "great writing" it makes it all the better. The problem is getting that "feel".

Not to take the pessimistic route, but it's "Abrams eye" behind the camera. All SW films have a "shooting style", which of course makes them "Star Wars like". My biggest fear is not Abrams changing the story, scrpit, actors etc, it's him shooting the film in an "Abrams style". That style will NOT have a Star Wars feel.

Call it a gut feeling, but Abrams rubs me the wrong way, and I think he'll want to put his "trademark" on SW. I'd prefer a director that was LESS stylistic, this way the Star Wars nuances could show through and not be watered down... (with lenses flare and camera shake LOL!!)

 

Methinks some people's childhoods are getting raped a little too often.

At some point you just have to accept that your childhood is a total whore.

 

It's also 5:24am where I am. Forget grammar and spelling, it's a miracle I'm even somewhat coherent.

 

If he can make this Star Trek hater love a Star Trek film, then my pants have been pooped at the thought of how his Star Wars would be...

 

Only Flair has flair, baby! Wooooooooooo!

 

Two things:
1) There was absolutely no reason for Abrams to mention in that interview that he'd been offered the job but turned it down; there are a number of other ways he could've played coy about the situation.
2) Don't take this the wrong way, but you seem to be worried simply for the sake of having something to worry about, which completely baffles me.

 

Ok. But I will tsk you for not making a Felicity reference.

Tsk, CT, tsk.

 

Just read an article via the New York Times that has a source claiming that an official announcement is coming from LFL and Disney "later on Thursday". Considering its after midnight in the eastern U.S., I would say a press release tonight is not happening. Although it is still only 9:30 in California where LFL and Disney are based out of. Maybe within the next 2.5 hours a press release will come. Regardless, unless it comes within the next 5-10 minutes I won't be around to read it cause I am headed to bed in a couple. Oh well, regardless....I am sure it will be released by tomorrow.

 

Nah, I'm a Jar-Jar loving, prequel defending, Ahsoka apologizing optimist. I just have genuine concerns about that looming 2015 release date, and a curiosity about the nature of this whole production.

 

Give me concrete reasons why you think he's the wrong choice that aren't biased. I realize that not everyone is going to be a fan of J.J. Abrams' work, but I cannot honestly think of a single thing other than dislike of the man's work that would make him a poor choice, which, as I have noted, is not the case when it came to Joss Whedon and The Avengers. Although I count myself as an ardent Joss Whedon supporter, I could understand where those who were not or those who had some concerns about him were coming from because all of their criticisms could be backed up with existing evidence as to why some individuals might not be happy with or apprehensive about his selection.

 

The best thing for those who aren't jazzed about J.J. Abrams is to go in assuming that you probably won't enjoy it. And if you don't, then won't be disappointed because you didn't think it was going to be any good anyway. But if you do enjoy it, then you're all set.

I've gone from having no problem with J.J. Abrams but not particularly excited about him. To, okay, he's fine, the story's the most important thing though...

 

Exactly. I know that being a fan does not automatically make you well-suited to direct that property, but the fact that JJ is such a fan of the property makes me think that he will try to shoot in such a way that it will look like a Lucas film. Sure, there will be visible signs that it is an Abrams movie, but I seriously doubt that he will go overboard with it.