Discussion Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy Star Wars Movie - NOT FILMING April 7th, 2024 (Blame Fredrik!)

You know...I don't see anything odd about that.

If you like or love "the SW franchise" but aren't happy with its current direction, you stay engaged. The real death knell for a fandom is when you so frustrate and disappoint a fan base that they aren't even angry anymore, they are apathetic, and just walk away.

 

Apathy is death of a Franchise. And thats one thing this Franchise dosent have thankfully.

 

Anger is worse. Why should we be getting angry over this stuff? That anger is usually, though not always, rooted in a type of selfish, uncompassionate conservatism that’s rooted in intolerance. I’d rather have apathy than that ****. Meaning, I’d rather have the 1990s back.

 

No the bad part is people are trying to use videos like that in order to make a few bucks so they don't have to go out and get a real job. It's one thing to be a YouTuber who makes quality content (many people who have teaching degrees do that). It's something else entirely to make purely reactionary videos just for clicks.

 

Yes both Apathy and Anger. Especially anger like TLJ backlash...

 

I think if you genuinely get angry, then that may be a problem. I feel disappointment and frustration whenever my favourite properties do something I don't agree with, but I wouldn't say I ever get angry.

 

I care, yet I don't. It's hard to explain, but what it ultimately means is that I enjoy what I enjoy, acknowledge & let go of what I don't enjoy and remain hopeful without expectations.
There's attachment there, obviously, but with a detached attitude. It's very liberating!

 

My personal philosophy is: anyone who cares more than me is an absolute freak who needs to get a life, and anyone who cares less than me might as well stop pretending that they care at all.

 

I don't know if it's hairsplitting. I was genuinely disappointed in the ST, and I have been talking about how much I dislike it for ages now. But I don't get angry about it. I direct most of my anger at fascists and pineapple pizza pushers.

 

How many people are excited for this movie just because Rey is in it? Not saying that there isn't anybody that would go just for her alone, but that's all we have to go off of and it's been over a year since this project was announced, and on top of that now suddenly a whole other movie is supposed to come out first.

I was cautiously optimistic when they brought Daisy out at Celebration because I thought that meant they had a concrete idea and they were moving ahead, but all we have are vague promises of it being "cool" and the first film directed by a woman. I'm kinda frustrated that all we know is that Rey is in it, not even crumbs about how she'll be different from the 3 movies she was just in.

I'm in a weird spot where I don't wanna give up on SW but I feel like I already have. I've basically sworn off of D+ since the end of Obi-Wan so the only thing that I'm interested in are films, but on that front all we have is hot air and extremely bland announced projects that may or may not ever get made. It's depressing to think about.

 

You have a Death Trooper as your avatar, and you haven't watched Andor?

 

I'm excited not just because Rey is in it, but because it's a chance for them to move forward for real, beyond the fall of Palpatine, in a brand new era where anything could happen. I am excited, though, to see an older Rey and follow her on her journey as she revives the Jedi (assuming that she does that). However, since we don't know how big her role will be, I won't expect anything.
Mostly, it's just interesting to me that we'll get to see what happens next and that this film doesn't have to fit into a trilogy format or anything like that... AND, I'm excited to see what Sharmeen will bring to the table.

 

Nope, and it's sad because I want to, but I'm not paying for D+ just for Andor. I've watched some clips on YouTube and I loved them, but that'll have to tide me over until Disney stops holding it hostage on their crap streaming service.

This seems like the best part about it, sure, but recent SW has been so thoroughly reliant on nostalgia and pre-established characters/settings that I don't have the slightest idea what to expect from an all-original Lucasfilm joint. The High Republic is the closest we've gotten to that idea and what I've seen of it is just kinda "okay". The potential has always been there since the beginning, but I'm not sure we'll ever get anything truly wild and creative the way the PT expanded on the OT.

 

I’m genuinely excited and optimistic about every thing Star Wars. I don’t do the whole “keep my expectations low” thing. I find that boring. My expectation for every new Star Wars entry is that it’s going to be the best thing yet. If I’m genuinely disappointed in something that’s fine. I can get over it and move on to the next thing.

The Rey film is what I’m most excited about of the films announced. Every time I watch the ST (and I watch it a lot) I like Rey more and more. She’s probably in my top five characters if I actually did a list. So I’m very excited to see her story continue.

 

I always keep my expectations low. Its rare the result can ever really match them.

 

You want a piece of me?!

 

I enjoy shifting my vantage point, thus removing anger and apathy from the equation.

 

I am excited for the return of Daisy Ridley as Rey Skywalker. But also what does the future entails for Star Wars and what conflicts and enemies will a new Jedi Order face thats not Sith or dark Jedi. How does an outdated religious order evolve. Maybe tackle same issues as X-men. What if the Republic ban the Jedi like they did the Sith? The Jedi been now behind many wars, The Clone Wars, The Empire vs Rebellion, Resistance vs First Order. The Empire had a team of ex jedi killing and kidnapping children. The are groups like in High Republic that are against using the force and says its an afront to the force.

 

So... among my other eccentricities, I think it is legit to SOMETIMES separate characters from what they do on screen. My favorite example is when Obi-Wan tells Luke that what he told Luke about Darth Vader was true, "from a certain point of view". I don't put that on Obi-Wan, I put that on the writers who wanted to retcon the backstory. I understand the objection... Obi-Wan freaking said that on-screen, it's part of who he is, right? Well, yeah. But... again, to me, that is just too clearly a case of the writers being the driver, versus the personality, the moral compass, of the character. Plenty of other examples of this in movies and TV - smart characters who are suddenly dumb, principled characters who are suddenly and randomly not, etc.

I bring that up here because I really like Daisy Ridley's portrayal of Rey. There are elements of the character I think are great. I love the first ten minutes we spend with Rey in TFA; I think her intro is amazing. I love her optimism, I love her standing up for the Jedi, I love her telling Luke that he is being TOO hard on himself and the Jedi, that Ben bears some responsibility for his own fall. In general, I like the character, a lot. I like Ridley's performance, a lot.

That being said, I think they made her insanely overpowered with little coherent explanation, I think they mangled her story/the ST story in general, I hated the Reylo stuff (little of which was actually on screen of course, mostly fanfic stuff, but ugggh that kiss), I thought the Rey Palpatine stuff was a groaner, I don't really trust the "Disney creative team" when it comes to their attitude about the Jedi in general or the SW franchise in general, and I think that Obaid-Chinoy is a bizarre choice for a SW movie that, along with everything else I just mentioned, doesn't inspire confidence or optimism in me.

Do I have a problem with another Rey SW movie? No. Do I have a high degree of confidence in "this crew" to pull it off? No. But we'll see.

 

I'm excited for it because it means (hopefully) new world building, a new group of Jedi, new antagonists (hopefully), etc. It has a chance to go in a totally new direction with some familiarity. I like Rey and am happy to see her again, but she's not THE sole reason for my excitement.

That said, this isn't the project I am most excited about. That would be Dawn of the Jedi as I think that would provide the most new world building and plot lines and a whole new fresh look.

 

Disney Plus is one of the best put together sites out there with a great layout compared to most all other streaminging sites with a hell of a lot of content to where the whole family could often find something to watch.

Just because people don't want to pay for something doesn't make it crap.

And yes I am excited for the Rey movie as well. Just as much for the fact that it will be moving the timeline forward again as because it has Rey in it.