ST It took a forgery to get him called an artist.

Interesting read; unfortunately the author doesn't back up his opinions at all other than cherry picking like 5 reviews from others. I'm sorry, but there are numerous reviews that state the exact opposite of what he is claiming. I've read dozens of reviews that mention how TFA does all the things right (like CHARACTERS) that the PT did wrong.

I also find it hilarious he claims that the magic can't be captured again... because that's exactly what is happening and why TFA is on track to be the most successful film EVER MADE in the US

 

It's worth reporting that it's happening at all. It's an opinion piece, and at least it's positive.

 

There's no evidence that these people exist in any significant number

 

Guess, what - You and the author have NO IDEA how the movie made ME feel. I found the characters new, original and fascinating and that was my favorite part of TFA. It had nothing to do with nostalgia. For me the film actually did manage to capture the magic I felt watching the OT for the first time and I'm sure that's true for many, many others but they will have to speak for themselves.

 

Watch the tone of reviews and opinion pieces about TFA become more harsh with every additional dollar it makes. The film was all fun and games and judged on its own merit until the numbers just kept climbing and climbing past those of your average popcorn movie. Now that TFA is set -- probably later today -- to become the highest-grossing film in U.S. history, the criticisms are going to become more focused and more harsh.

You can only be so successful before the cool police start coming after you. It happens to rock bands all the time. Pop music is supposed to be about rebellion, and some genres have a specific monastic code attached to them. Only hip-hop artists are allowed to be successful and flaunt their success. Rockers are supposed to be angry, sad kids who wear second-hand clothes. The second they sell big numbers or become 'too popular' with the mainstream, they are branded sell-outs.

The same is happening with TFA. By pleasing almost everyone, the film is being attacked for being 'too safe' and 'for the masses.' I couldn't disagree more. The most famous and popular of all SW heroes is in this film for 30 seconds and doesn't speak a word, and the second-most popular hero is gutted in cold blood by his emo son.

There's nothing safe about that. This film took risks. If Boyega, Ridley, Driver and Isaac weren't likeable/believable/compelling, this film would have been a major failure 'except for the effects and the Han Solo stuff.'

That's not what the average popcorn eater is saying at all, so now the smarty-pants professors have to show up and tell us all why we are wrong with a lot of socio-economic babble that has little to do with the film itself.

I've read several such reviews that left me wanting to ask the author 'So, did you like the film?' In the case of this review, I think the guy would say 'Yes' and my response would be 'Then shut up and enjoy it.'

 

The article is very "oooh, look at how AWESOME LUCAS IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"... No thanks. Credit for coming up with Star Wars but as soon as he got his hands on CG that's when someone should have taken his keys away.

Special editions - can anyone say that they improved upon the OT? To quote Vader: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"... ugh.

PT - Style over substance - oh look very pretty! Wait - I can use cardboard cutouts instead of actors because then I could fit in more CG!!! You could argue that the only good bits in the PT are the bits where there is only CG and no-one talks...

TFA - Character driven awesomeness.

In my opinion of course.

 

Gosh, I guess my 5 year old niece, for whom this was her first Star Wars movie, who absolutely loved it and is now demanding a Star Wars birthday party next month doesn't exist.

By then she'll have seen the other movies, but she loved this one just fine with no nostalgic connection to the older trilogies whatsoever.

 

I've noticed that trend in the last couple of days. People trying to say you must only like TFA because its purely nostalgic. Maybe its a denial thing that they can't accept that people like it for other reasons? Reasons that made the originals so accessible for instance. The main one being for me characters at the centre of it that you feel for that draw you in to the film.