**Official** MEDIA reviews of AOTC -- your reactions

Miles,

He was talking about the "normal" fans, not the fans that got ragged on on Conan O Brien the other night

Go to any other movie based site and see what the fans are saying. This site is more of a fanBOY site which is an entirely different level than a normal "fan."

 

You mean like IMDB, AintitCool, HometheaterForum? Pretty much everyone on those sites are gushing over the movie too.

It's #91 all time on IMDB with 12,000 votes.

 

No, AICN, etc. is pretty much the same as critics - split 50/50. In fact in any circle of people knowledgeable about movies, people who view movies as a HOBBY and not recreation, it's at around 50/50 when it comes to actual reviews.

Star Wars/LOTR fanboys are particularly Internet heavy, so polls are most likely skewed due to multiple voting/site rallying etc.

The "general public" is stupid, and should rarely be used in any movie argument

 

Ok, I haven't read anything on this thread, but I assume that most agree that most critics suck. Am I wrong? If they knew what Star Wars was all about, they surely wouldn't give AOTC low ratings. I can maybe see TPM getting low ratings(although I very much enjoyed it). But AOTC is Star Wars at it's best!

Roger Ebert is the most stupid critic I've ever seen. He liked TPM better than AOTC! I mean, TPM is good and all, but AOTC just flat out blows it out of the water! The thing that confuses me the most is that Ebert praised TPM mostly because of it's effects and glamorous location settings. He doesn't really say much about the acting at all. However, in AOTC he blasts the acting by saying that Hayden and Padme are like sticks and that the dialogue is the same stuff that's been used over and over again. Gee, sounds like the original SW movies, doesn't it EBERT?! So he complains about the dialogue and acting in this movie, and yet doesn't in TPM. What an idiot. Roeper is smarter than he is and he's half Ebert's age!

And I don't think I have much to say about the people who think AOTC is racist. If a person sees racism in any Star Wars movie to date, then they are only racist themselves.

Bascially, the critics and media do not understand the beauty of what makes Star Wars so loveable. Star Wars has ALWAYS had average acting and average dialogue. Their influence is from Buck Rodgers and Flash Gordon, what do you expect? You're not going to get Tolkien or Shakspeare out of these movies. Take a look at the dialogue and acting in the other SW movies that have already come out and compare THEM to Tolkien or Shakspeare. It's the same "dead in the water" dialogue and acting as in AOTC.

I wish that people can just go into a movie without their stupid pencils and notepads and just have fun. That's what it's all about. At least most fans are loving this movie unlike TPM where the fanbase got split down the middle. At least some people have changed.

In the end, I could really care less about critics now. Sure, some gave AOTC good reviews, and I commend them for that. Those people get it. But for the most part, THEY STINK (I love "The Critic" cartoon that used to be on, because it totally depicts how it really is in the real world)!

 

I just don't get it. Why are critics still continuing to attack Lucas even after ATOC is out. That LA Times story proves how out of touch film critics these days are with the general public. He doesn't even mention the fact that ATOC has gotten more favorable buzz than TPM. He also tries to dismiss the movies big Box Office by flat-out stating that were mindless sheep. Hmmm, do you think maybe some of us actually liked the movie? Hmmmmm?

This guy again feels that only his viewpoint matters and anyone else's is crap. Look at his article. He assumes that his opinion is the majority. Well, pal it isn't. Alot of ppl really liked ATOC and it shows all over the Net. Guys like this have no business being film critics.

 

I wasn't even all that thrilled with AOTC on my first, and to-date, only viewing. But seeing some of the cirtical community out on a "witch-hunt" to destroy Lucas, makes me want "Clones" to destroy the box-office just to piss them off.

GO. CLONES. GO!

 

I sent an email to the guy from the LA Times, because rather than just write a review, stating that he didn't like it, he basically made up a BS news story based on a made up premise that Star Wars fans universally found AOTC a "bitter disappointment," when not only is that not true, but the movie had only been out for 5 days. If he said it was a bitter disappointment to most critcs, he might be right, but who gives a crap about them? I know most of what I've seen here has been positive, when it absolutely was not for TPM, so I don't attribute that to fanboy-ism. Besides that, my friends and family have loved it, and the 6-7 hosts on the sports radio station I listen to were raving about it, which surprised me. But, I don't really care if people like it or not, I just don't like this pre-determined bashing of Lucas. These guys were ready to pounce before the first screening, and now less than a week into it are already writing stories about WHY it's such a disappointment, when it hasn't even been determined if it IS a disappointment.

 

Hey Jumbo, let us know what the guy says, if you get a response back

 

All critics must be banished to the spice mines of Kessel!

I would watch that movie 10 times in a row just to hear the Siesmic charges!

 

Rather than flame all these retards, I think we ought to just let the people who made the movie (ie: Lucas, Lucasfilm) know that we thought the movie freakin' rocked.

Wait, we were going to do that anyway...at least with our pocketbooks.

 

Gang...it is absolutely amazing at the amount of negative reviews piling in up from the "major" media. As my state doesn't qualify as major (lol), let me share with you the sillyness that many critics are portraying in their attempts to slam AOTC.

Our biggest state paper reviewed AOTC and wrote a huge review that was completely negative from start to finish. It complained about "leaving loose ends untied" and other silly gripes (loose ends in a movie that is the second of three is expected isn't it???).

After his entire rant about how the movie "wasn't even a movie at all" he gives it a B-. AMAZING..the way he talked it should have been at D at best. But one must dwell on the worst if they are to be respected among fellow "critics".

It all comes down to the clowns failing to watch the Star Wars movies in the proper perspectives. They are what they are: a continuing, action, adventure, FUN, story revolving around one huge plot. If they would quit trying to make it something its not maybe...just maybe..they could review it as it should be reviewed.

 

Qui Gon

Good point...Lucas will know how good his film is by the fact that WE show him! Not by some goofball critic.

 

Well, I agree with one and all about the reaction from critics to the movie. It's one thing if they don't like it...it's another when they start trying to make 'news' out of their dislike for the film.

Attached is a letter I shot off to the LA Times regarding their smear job on Lucas this week...thought you might get a kick out of it:

---------------------
To: Patrick Goldstein, LA Times

A reader here, checking in with a little criticism for you?

I just read your article titled ?Seclusion Has Left Lucas Out of Touch?, and would like to offer some friendly advice:

STOP TREATING YOUR OPINION AS FACT!

I think this is the most nauseating, ethically bankrupt trend in journalism today. Writers (entertainment writers in particular), in a vain attempt to dress up their articles, take their opinion and declare it as fact within their work. They then use these self-created facts to justify some point they are trying to make. Don?t believe me? Let?s look at some examples from your article:

? I thought of Lucas' painting after seeing his new "Star Wars" prequel, "Episode II Attack of the Clones," which like its immediate predecessor, "Episode I The Phantom Menace," is a bitter disappointment for anyone with an abiding affection for Lucas' original trilogy of futurist fantasies. ?

Hmmm. So your saying that both of the Star Wars prequels are ?bitter disappointments? for ANYONE who has affection for the original trilogy? Excuse me? When did you suddenly become clairvoyant? You are able to know my opinion on the matter? You must have gotten it wrong then, because I happen to love the original trilogy, and was not ?bitterly disappointed? by either prequel. My guess is that you were bitterly disappointed by the prequel movies, and felt some strange need to convince everyone else of your opinion on the matter.

?But they are a forlorn triumph of mechanics--they have no spirit or soul. Even worse, they look like the work of a director who's used the miracle of modern computer technology to wall himself off from the messy
unpredictability of the outside world.?

?Millions of fans have already seen "Attack of the Clones," (it grossed $110.2 million in its first four days) lining up, as the New York Times' A. O. Scott put it, "out of habit and compulsion, like weary Brezhnev-era Muscovites." But something has gone horribly wrong. What has drained the new movies of their magic??

Ah, yes. Here we have the almighty critic handing down truth to the masses. It?s a fact! The movies have no spirit or soul! What evidence is this fact based on? Why, my opinion, of course! I?m right because I?m a movie critic! Jeesh?

You accuse Lucas of arrogance in the execution of his chosen craft? What about your man A.O. Scott? His take? ?Millions of fans have lined up to see a movie I hate?well, must mean they are doing it out of ?habit and compulsion?, because they certainly don?t have minds of their own! They can?t possibly be thinking for themselves regarding entertainment matters?they have to do what I say!? Damn?you people get paid for this stuff? I need to get into your racket?

The worst part of all this is that your article makes some great points about seclusion and creativity. Real, valid, insightful thoughts about how art, or in this case, pop-art is created. Any interesting points you make are bogus, however, when you try to set them up by using your own opinion as fact. All you have to do is make it clear that you and some other critics didn?t like the movie, and then get onto the meat of your article. Instead you continually try to massage the reader?s perception of something (in this case a movie) to suit your liking. Personally, I think such tactics are deceptive, unprofessional, and disgusting.

Here?s hoping you revisit your old journalism school texts and rediscover the joys of fair and impartial reporting.

Sincerely,

 

That told em! Good one!

 

nice work.

All critics suck arse. I just go with the flow.

 

Guys,

just a little post to let you know that here in France the movie got very good, educated, well thought out reviews from the main left wing paper and the most respected alternative left wing weekly magazine.

Both say that AOTC is probably the best sw movie to date. It is most unexpected from these two papers which tend to bash any blockbusters especially when it comes from US. Both bashed TPM big time, as well as LOTR.

The main right wing paper rated it high too.

If you take all media reviews here, you get an average 3 stars out of 4, which is rather good.

 

Up.

 

"George, don't make Episode III"

OK, can we ask the TFN staff to not keep giving publicity to these hacks ? C'mon, this is yet another EDITORIAL that *personally* bashes Lucas if not the whole Star Wars saga.

It's one thing to post reviews (even negative ones) but these editorials are obvious controversy magnets to get more attention to their papers.

It's time TFN puts a stop to these and stop highlighting them so much. What can we do ? Nothing. emailing these bozos won't do anything, ignoring them might.

 

I just wanted to add my own oppinion here (because there's no way I'm going through all of those pages to keep another sub-topic going).

I am honestly surprised that so many reviewers hate this movie, because I loved it. I can't wait to see it again, more than any other movie I've seen in the theatres before, or any other Star Wars movie.

I'm also writing specifically against a post on the theforce.net main page. It talked about a reviewer who hoped the theatre would catch on fire because he hated AotC so much. I found that attitude utterly amazing; not the smug, condesening oppinion, but the sheer fact that he was bored out of his mind.

First, this is a Star Wars movie. If you didn't like the other four, you probably won't like this one. The Star Wars movies may be the most mainstream niche movies ever create. Second, this is a pop-corn action flick for those that dig action, effects, and stunts over character growth and deep plots. Going into AotC expecting anything else is bound to disappoint. Lucas has said so before.

I think it's a shame there are so many reviewers who haven't enjoyed the movie. Thankfully, I think the online community has been generally positive. Of course, I want to see the movie again, and that's all that matters to me. Let the reviewers hate it - it leaves an extra seat open for the fans.

 

I have said it before and I will say it again..."One critic must be worth 1000 @$$holes"

The fact that they are turning their rage from AOTC to personal attacks on Lucas and the fans is just discusting, and they could go to hell for all I care. I really have to words to explain how I feel about this media Vendetta against AOTC, but I think its nothing short of childish. I am happy Sam Jackson backed the movie and said that critics are goofy, cause they really, really are.

It really disappoints me. I am really frustrated by it, although it personally doesnt affect me, it affects something I love and respect and stick up for. I take it semi-personally when all of these bogus things are said about the movie.

I usually dont even care about this box office war, but I really really hope AOTC makes a SH!TLOAD of money, destroys SM and cracks the top 5 just to piss off the media that much more. I do wish as well that supporters of the Movie would publicize and argue their opinion more in public just to throw a genuine opinion into the MEDIA MESS. I really hope there wont be a rediculous bandwagon to hate Episode 2 and everyone who liked it all of a sudden decide they wont cause its cool not to...thats just retarded.

Well.....my 2 cents.

 

I just want to stress that the latest hit piece is not a "movie review" (as far as I can tell), but a NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL !

Check some of the previous articles by this "Rob Morse", they're mostly commentaries about political issues and such matters.

However, it seems this person ran out of stuff to talk about and decided to play "movie reviewer". It's one thing to have a movie reviewer bash the movie, but it's quite another to have a person on the editorial page *DEDICATE A WHOLE EDITORIAL* just to bash the movie and Lucas personally.

It's incredible !

 

Bottom line - forget the critics. No point in getting mad with them because they shoot themselves in the foot anyway. Think about it, they've bashed SW and Lucas since the frist film came out and what difference has it made? None. If it did then after the bashing TPM got people would never have gone to see a SW movie ever again, or at least be a bit put off from future episodes....but what happens? AOTC is a huge hit at the box office and the world falls in love with SW yet again, thus proving the garbage the critics trot out isn't even worth the paper it's printed on. But, like the complete idiots they are, they'll be talking the same old rubbish again when EpIII comes out. And guess what? It won't make the slightest bit of difference.

 

I have read about 4 of these types of Editorials. You know a movie is huge when it gets editorials a week after it opens. Whats sad is the editorial sections are one of the most read parts of a paper. I really think Lucas lack of bribing money....I mean promotional money spent has really hurt the movie. I really think this negative press is starting too hurt the boxoffice. Tuesdays take indicates this decline. I am beginning too wonder if ATOC will break 300 million in the US. Not because its a bad movie, but because of the constant nasty press.

 

Kelyne, is it? Brought up an excellent point back in #144. Kel (may I call you that) mentioned how HOllywood felt they were losing control somehow. Maybe this lack of control is Lucas's insistance on digital movies, does taking control out of big corporations. Up until know, film makers had to convince movie studios to pony up good money for distribution rights and marketing. Editing and shooting on film costs lost of money. Digital (in theory) allows for more people to make movies and distribute it easily. Thus more independent type movie and thus eliminating many non essential people in Hollywood. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to bad movie reviews.

 

A good example of how Hollywood has dealt with challenges in the past is purchasing the competition. Look at the major media powers today. CNN/Time Warner, Fox Media, Sony, Disney. All either own movie studio's, newspapers,magazines, televison networks or stations, radio Stations, movie theater chains and many other media resources. They even bought out most of the major independent studios, (but Lionsgate is still independent....of boy... a real powerhouse). The question too be asked is whether this is a good thing for us. This type of control can sometimes lead too anti-competitive market practices. I really think that Lucas not spending the kind of promotional money most summers movies do, has pissed a lot of people off. Think about Spiderman's promotional budget 70-80 million. AOTC 20-30 million. Thats a lot of advertising money lost too newspapers, magazines, and television. Now newspapers are not above using editorials as a way too get back at people or taking a political stance. I think people would like too see George Lucas brought down a peg. He does not play by Hollywood's or the medias rules. Remember we want Lucas too be successful. He reinvests much of his profits in RR and will be instrumental too making filmmaking more accessable too people. There is no one like him in Hollywood. Hollywood is now a stock holder driven machine. Yea I know Dreamworks is a pretty cool studio, but they are the exception and not the rule.