PT Am I the only one that loved Attack of the Clones?

Once Anakin and Padme leave for Naboo,
AotC actually gets quite good ...

 

Loved it. The very first shot creates a uncanny feeling that persuades through the whole movie, as if there's someone, somewhere secretly manipulating everyone else (and there is )

Add that to a rich world-building (the best in the series) and you have a great Star Wars.

 

I think AOTC is actually my favorite SW movie.
To be honest, the first time I watched it at the theater, I didn't like it too much. But then I watched it again just before ROTS came out and I think I just saw it in a different light. It's strange, but it's like the first time I went it with a different expectation and the movie felt weird to me. By the end of ROTS, AOTC became my favorite.
I love the new worlds, Anakin's characterization, the time in Tatooine... All the details that have consequence in how the story unfolds.

 

Indeed. I love everything on Geonosis too, and the opening speeder chase.

 

Even though I've got ATOC in the bottom third of my rankings, I still like it a lot. Visually I think it's gorgeous, and is probably the most ground-breaking instalment since the 1977 original from a technical standpoint (ROTJ end space battle notwithstanding). Yes some of the effects are starting to look a little dated but the worlds depicted here are simply bursting with life and colour in ways the sequel trilogy can only dream of. The 'detective' storyline with Obi Wan was mysterious and enjoyable too, and I don't care what anyone says, seeing Yoda in a lightsabre fight was a laugh out loud joy to behold.

Predictably, the 'romance' between Anakin and Padme is one of my complaints, but it's by no means a major one. My main gripe is the humour, chiefly from C3PO, which is pretty cringeworthy at times, and I also think the droid factory scene is a bit weak too, but overall I think it's a very underrated movie that gets a lot of undeserved flak.

 

On the other hand, I've realized that Naboo is pretty clearly the weakest stretch of the film for me, whereas pretty much everything else on Coruscant, Kamino, Tatooine and Geonosis is quite strong.

 

This is true. I love the film and feel it definitely doesn't deserve its current reputation, but even I cringe a little while on Naboo. Although, the scenery is absolutely beautiful.

 

There's something for everybody in Attack of the Clones!

 

Right, my main takeaway from Naboo in AOTC is that it would have been home to an alternate future for the Skywalker family, where Anakin and Padme would have raised Luke and Leia.

 

Some of the Naboo stuff is pretty good imo. The meadow scene is fantastic and I like the pear scene too.

 

Yes. I also never understood why people have issues with those scenes. I found they work well especially in context of the entire story, not seen separately. The "notorious" meadow, pear and fireplace scenes are practically the last time Anakin and Padmé could enjoy their time together carelessly before things get much darker. Also, I like the foreshadowing when Anakin talks about his political views. I always liked that. "Maybe they should be made to" and "if it works....", with a look on his face that makes it hard to tell if he's joking or serious. I find that conversation on the meadow to be very strong and well-written.

 

In the script, he's just joking... at this point.

 

I think he's half-joking and half-serious. It's kind of the way Anakin feels about things, but he's not enough of a politically-minded person to actually mean it one way or the other. At this point he can't even imagine he'd ever have a major influence on the political structure of the galaxy, so in his mind it's all just idly poking fun at the system.

This is before war breaks out and everything suddenly becomes a lot more real.

 

We discussed this a lot before but I think that Anakin here honestly believe that at least there is a solution. Just compare this to the quite cynical views of Obi Wan (realistic yes, still cynical) who "lectured" Anakin in Padme's apartment what the economy of the politics really is.
Anakin has pragmatic, I would say, soldier -like attitude to the politics: it works=is good. First, is not uncommon for every politically inexperienced person even in the real world and second, he has not exactly strong connection with the democracy so I'm not sure that he knows very well that some details are important. I mean that he was raised in slavery in a rough planet ruled by gangsters and then entered in Order with strong, military - like hierarchy. Yes, he lived in Coruscant long enough to see how the main principle works but all these details maybe are completely vague for him. Otherwise I agree with @The_Phantom_Calamari that they are just chatting here, they are not debating political programs for the elections.
But anyway, all these subtleties and small details are part of the reasons that I like AOTC so much. Very subversive and smooth movie (with very rough last part that makes the contrast even bigger).

 

There've been a lot of young men in the United States over the last few years who were "just joking" about fascism, until they really, really weren't. Attack of the Clones has proven to be much more "real" than anyone at the time gave it credit for.

 

Completely disagree with the impact of the scene. It is more complex. It shows exactly how people who are not authoritarian in general are lured to follow such path because they paradoxically want the nowadays system to begin to work at last and ignore such "details" as who and how gonna make the system work. And let's not throw terms like fascism here and there because it means something very specific, after all. As someone who lives in Europe where this ideology unfortunately was born I would prefer not to make equivalent to fascism everything that is antidemocratic, because it is not equal. At least, speaking about the movie, Anakin never followed such tendencies.

 

Forgive my short hand, I'm trying not to get too personal because I've SEEN that transformation in a number of people I grew up with, but I don't think we're actually disagreeing.

 

I see. My point is that the path to the authoritarian attitude generally is subtle, this mean complicated: and thit is the realistic situation; not that where people are authoritarian by nature but pretend and joke that they aren't. (Of course, there are such people but they are few). Anakin does not want such regime at that point. He says: I don't think the system works. It would work when the politicians sit down and discuss the best options then do it. Pretty much how the Jedi Order works, actually and Anakin saw that in action. But when Padme explained what is the problem (which is the problem of nowadays democracies actually, that's why they become ineffective at one point) Anakin impatiently (how surprising ) says that they should be maid to. But not by me. He is too young and naive to consider that the wisdom is enough protection against the lust of power although is not exactly like that.

 

Well I think that scene mirrors what seems to be the theme within the prequels that Anakin and the Republic are one. The failings of the Republic on a macroscopic level happen due to the failings of people on an individual level. The things that allow democracies to fail, such as fear, insecurity, desperation, are displayed by both the Republic and also through Anakin. The waterfall scene shows the frustration he has with ineffectiveness of the Republic which is soon mirrored by his frustration with inability to save his mother. Both instances make him believe that the solution is more power to control a fate he fears is inevitable.

After he loses his mother he undergoes a personal civil war within himself soon to be followed the civil war of the Republic. AOTC shows how the Republic takes a step towards losing itself with the technological dependency of the clones near the end of the movie and ends with Anakin taking a closer step to becoming more machine than man with his mechanical hand. The Republic has its victory and Anakin has his marriage but both are shrouded in such turmoil and uncertainty that ironically the end of AOTC almost seems more tragic than ROTS.

 

Yes, although it could be read as there is still a chance for escaping the path of darkness: the war began but there is also marriage which means life, Ani lost his hand but Padme accept him and so on. Pretty much AOTC is a "crossroad" kind a bridge movie: there is still a chance for another direction.