Discussion What is your greatest fear about Episode VII?

Sales have nothing to do with how good a movie is. Lots of people went to see it because it's Superman. A lot of people, like myself, probably didn't like it. I was bored to tears by it.

 

Ok. Well in my most humble opinion... The Hobbit was a trainwreck of mediocre, lazy film-making. It had no "soul". It was like watching an extended cut scene from a video game and when it got to "talky" they threw in a lazily constructed, insanely implausible and contrived, action/chase sequence to keep the audiences attention in between drooling episodes.

Again, most certainly my opinion.

: )

 

Ironically in light of the first post, but nonetheless in all seriousness, the thing I am most worried about with the ST is that typical "fan"dom stupidities will be so intense in the aftermath that they drive me away from Star Wars fan communities forever. Nothing - at least, nothing plausible - could ever totally alienate me from Star Wars itself, but I could definitely see fan behavior driving me away from sites like this, and I'd hate to see that happen.

 

And I'm okay with that, because you used it as such. Carry on.

 

Bingo!

This guy wins the thread.

 

Well, the rebooted ST felt like Star Wars so...

 

*high five*

 

It many ways it did. Like the character developement and the banter and the kinds of adventures embarked upon - in short everything I think JJ will get right. At the same time, as many similarities as there certainly are, it's just a few vital degrees off in the opposite direction of Star Wars.

 

Even though I enjoy all 6 movies, they have seem to lost that 'it' factor since ESB and has forced me to question many times whether SW should have ended in 1983? I'm looking forward to the ST, but I wonder can they recapture that 'it' factor and I hope I don't question after Episode 9 whether or not a second extra trilogy was needed since 1983.

 

You know, I have no idea why people say that. It didn't feel like Star Wars in the least, to me. It had no "heart" or "soul" or whatever you want to call that intangible feeling that a piece of art may or may not have. It had no likeable characters. It was too sarcastic and cynical, as opposed to the optimistic and slightly naïve charm that Star Wars (at least the OT) always had. It had no sense of awe or wonder either (which of course SW has in spades). On top of all that, it felt too modern... too stylized. And the whole visual aesthetic couldn't have been more different. There was nothing mystical or philosophical about it either. It was just a generic, modern, cgi heavy popcorn fluff flick. That scares me the most about Abrams taking over Ep VII. He's gonna lens flare, dutch camera angle, rolling dolly shot, shaky cam close ups, frantically edit the heck outta this film. And I do not approve of this.

Not. One. Bit.

 

^This

;-)

 

Man, this thread done BLOWN UP.

I appreciate all the participation my peeps.

Keep it up.

 

My greatest fear for the ST, although I am confident that it wont happen, is that it will be too disconnected from the Star Wars saga.

We have the PT and the OT, which at this point we really should be referring to collectively as "The Original Series", which was the vision of a single creator who oversaw it's entire direction and evolution. Although George Lucas has provided the treatments for what we are about to witness, and will surely be involved in various consulting roles along the way, his involvement will obviously be minimal in comparison to his involvement in the previous six films. Say what you will about the PT and some of the areas where many feel he fell short, but at the end of the day, GL is the heart and soul of Star Wars.

 

*bites tongue*

 

My brotha! I was just trying to raise this point in the super long JJ-is-the-director thread and a dozen blokes jumped down my throat accusing me of hating art or whatever.

I do not share your pessimistic appraisal of the situation but I agree that JJ's signatures should get brushed under the rug and relegated to the really important parts.

 

In all seriousness though, I do respect your opinion. That was well put. No matter what, the first 6 films are technically the vision of a "single" film-maker.

Although he did have a lot of help.

A LOT.

 

That it will trample the EU to death, but maybe "borrow" ideas. Like for exmaple, Luke's son Anakin, has a pet nexu. Han and Leia never got married or had children. They broke up not long after ROTJ and Han had a set of twins named Jacen and Jaina with Mary Stu. The Jedi are still all but extinct.

That Ep VII will feel a Star Trek movie, instead of Star Wars

People will be disappointed with the returning cast and won't live up to expectations. Not so perfomances, five minutes of screentime, etc etc.

People won't warm up to the new cast and characters.

I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting stuff, but I'm sure one gets the idea.

 

Heh. I posted in that thread too, if i'm not mistaken. I said essentially the same thing, but even with more specifics. And unfortunately, like you stated, a majority of the people in that thread either didn't understand it or unobjectively dismissed my opinion, passing it off as "hating" or some such silliness.

Anyone who truly understands and appreciates art would not only respect our opinion on that matter, but most assuredly would agree with it.

So much nonsense on the internet... *sigh*

 

I agree with you 100%.

 

I know this is off-topic but Man of Steel did just fine and Snyder and co. did exactly what somebody should have done with Superman movies years ago. Chances are the critics are people who probably never read a Superman comic in their lives. Especially the ones from the 90s-present day(see Superman: Earth One, All-Star Superman, Birthright, Brainiac, Last Son of Krypton, Death & Return of Superman). Man of Steel=a modern-day Superman. Most of the critics who gave it a below 85 are stuck in the past believing that they'll see another Richard Donner movie and went into the the movie with the wrong expectations. They forgot what the word "reimagining" meant, but I guess it's also WB/DC's fault for not doing stuff with characters other than Batman. The more geek-oriented critics like IGN and other people who know Superman(like Superman Homepage) gave the movie high praise for a more faithful modern day adaptation. Although I admit the movie is not quite Avengers-level awesome.

Ok enough ranting about Man of Steel and back to Star Wars.

I agree with the whole list as well as using Neo-Sith as darklordoftech mentioned. Having the OT cast for the pure sake of having the OT cast and not giving them proper send-off's will tick me off(should they die). Doing the whole mirroring technique will definitely reduce its originality and will bring down the movie. In my ideal world, the EU would be safe from the wrath of retconning, and I myself would love seeing EU elements if done right like the Yuuzhan-Vong as the antagonists or using the real Solo/Skywalker children: Ben, Jaina, Jacen, Anakin(I actually don't mind not having Anakin). I just hope J.J.'s a fan with integrity not to mess that up or has the balls to come out to the fans saying that this isn't happening, to quote another post I read a while back. If they wanted to, they could quite easily make the Vong very movie worthy villains or just introduce a multiverse or just acknowledging the EU in one way or another, just not perma-wipe and act like it never existed.

Number 22 is my biggest fear out of all of them when I found out about this female central character. Darth Claire sums up every doubt I have about this move. I'm all for female Jedi(e.g. Bastilla and Satele Shan from the Old Republic era), but if they do something like exactly what Darth Claire wrote, I'm permanently quitting my love of Star Wars for good, I will literally sell off/burn everything that is Star Wars in my house and have a second funeral for the once great franchise. I want an ensemble cast with unique characters we can all embrace, it should pretty much be "The Avengers in space with a Star Wars skin and plot" where everybody, male and female can have equal spotlight and bring something to the table. Again I hope J.J.'s a fan with integrity to not follow through with a character with the sole purpose of a)providing wet dreams for every male Star Wars fan or b)Turn it into a franchise to cater to extreme feminists.

 

Yeah that.

Or..... critics simply expected a BETTER FILM. I know, hard to believe! But if they're like me, they were hoping for a higher quality script, that didn't rely on lazy, uninspired clichés or silly contrivances, and the likes. Additionally, they probably preferred a film that didn't feel like it was geared towards the ADD generation of loud noises and constant 'splosions. The film was a typical case of style over substance. Or if you prefer, "Sound and fury signifying nothing". By the film-makers (writer and director included) obvious lack in the ability to IMPLY things or use subtlety or nuance... they simply substituted chaotic and unrelenting action instead of character development or crafting a well told story. Seriously, if that film (story or character-wise) stimulated you emotionally, thematically, or intellectually, then you might want to raise your standards a wee bit.

Again, my OPINION. And furthermore, since we're on the subject of opinions and whatnot... I would ask for that to go both ways. As in this case, the guy defending the film (man of steel) made a very generalized, blanket statement, concerning the merits of critics (for their, well reasoned - IMHO - backlash against the film) and dismissing their opinions as simply expecting something different... is that what you were trying to imply?

Anyway, I would've appreciated that clarification that what you said was simply your "opinion". I guess it's implied that it was, obviously, as you were putting words into the majority of critic's mouths with that post of yours.

Anywho, just some food for thought.

 

Let's keep this discussion to Star Wars and not other movies.

 

Fair enough, mav. Our "bad".

The less said about MOS the better anyway