Star Wars
Only a few days left until Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith hits theaters. Yeah, I'm very excited to see this new film. In fact, I think I'll spend the upcoming days before the new film re-reviewing the previous two Star Wars films, The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. Then, I'll throw out my Episode III review...and heck, if I'm ultra-ambitious, maybe I'll spend the days after Sith re-reviewing the original films, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.
In the meantime, here's a short commercial to sate your needs, whatever they may be.
18 comments:
I have been labelled an artless fool and a Lucas apologist for this, but I must say, I like the Star Wars prequels better than the originals. I know that's something akin to blasphemy in some circles, but it's how I honestly feel. Not to detract from how great the originals are, of course, but the prequels have more compelling characters/stories for my money. I do realize I'm probably the only person in the known universe who feels this way, though. What I'm saying is, yay for Sith! I always felt people failed to understand how the prequel pieces fit together and that was a huge part of their inability to enjoy them. Plus in some cases, they brought great baggage with them. Perhaps that's why I like the prequels. I first saw the original trilogy in the 1997 re-release, and it must be different to have actually grown up with them, instead of having a two year lapse between your first viewing of them and Episode I. Well, too much on this post. Let me just reiterate: Yay for Sith.
I don't really like Star Wars that much. But we've been over this before.
I do, however, enjoy going to the midnight showings. Much like the Oscars, I go almost as much for the outfits as I do for the content. I will say, too, that watching a Star Wars movie with a theater full of freaks helps add to the total experience.
For instance, when I saw The Phantom Menace on TV not that long ago I thought how pathetic it was. But when I saw it in the theater the first time I thought how mediocre it was. So you can see the difference the audience makes.
Is somebody having a bad day?
Unbelievable, Jer! You've succeeded in bringing down two blogs in one day with your insatiable pessimism. Get some sleep! For goodness sakes, I send a signal that Tim Nm is closer than ever, and this is what I get.
So, on the subject of Star Wars...
RGL, I honestly have never heard anyone utter your sentiments about Episodes I-III, that you like them better than the originals. I have heard everything from people that hate them, to people that love them, but not as much as the originals. So, this is a new thought to me.
I was in the womb when my parents saw Episode IV, back in '77. However, I wasn't really exposed to the films until I was 17 or 18, shortly before the Special Editions were released. I thought they were great films.
I also really liked the opening sequence of Episode I when Qui Gon and Obi Wan are on the ship. They moved around like nothing we'd seen before in Star Wars. It was exciting.
I have never thought the characters in any of the films were all that well developed. They are all sort of overdone exaggerations, particularly the relationship of Lea and Han. It's not that they didn't develop the characters, but it was very shallow. There wasn't any depth of expression there. That doesn't detract from the films, the are fun because they think big but don't overwhelm you with mushy stuff (a la Armageddon or Deep Impact).
To me Episode III will be a great and fun film for the action and visuals involved. However, it is hard to get excited about a film when you know how it ends. Maybe Lucas will keep it interesting by some huge twist we don't see coming?
Josh,
From reading the reviews, and I think also from personal experience, something that seems to be working really well for ROTS is the fact that you DO know what happens, yet you see all these characters hopelessly fighting against their destiny... That might be a good source of drama, if Lucas handles it right. And here's to hoping he handles it right.
Speaking of getting some sleep, I won't be getting any of that tonight. It's SW EIII ROTS time!
I can't wait! I'll be starting work immediately following the movie and working right through until about 1 PM tomorrow. Should be fun!
I know! I'm totally stoked! Midnight showings are a blast.
Best. SW. Ever.
Forget working through the night. I'm tired. Me need some sleepy.
I need to see it again before I can say for sure...but I think I loved it as much as the originals. Man, it was dark though.
Wow, was that bad or what?!
The performances of Hayden and Natalie were inexcusable. Palpatine was pretty bad in spots. Everyone else was good to great, but what does it matter if the core characters are laughable (yes, there were actual laughs in the theater in "dramatic" scenes due to the acting).
Is Lucas that obsessed with technical details that he's willing to attach his name to those performances? C'mon, that's something I'd do. He should be better than that.
Cool look, cool action, cool effects... but the acting ruined it for me.
Josh
PS - Jeremy, what do you know about Star Wars? Have you even seen IV-VI?
You mean there are three more Star Wars movies?!?! Dude, hook me up!
...
Anyway, I say the acting in the original was pretty laughable, so there's really no drop-off there. Thus, this is the best Star Wars movie ever. Granted, it wouldn't be that great if not for the fact that we know the implications of everything that's happening, but still.
I saw it last night too. Digital screening, Peoria... (SPOILER WARNING)
I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I think it is by far the best Star Wars movie of the lot. On the other hand, I think I'm getting Star Wars fatigue. I really shouldn't have read EVERYTHING about that movie. I knew way too much. Overall I loved it, but I'm not crazy-enthusiastic about it, if that even makes sense. Some parts were a bit much for me. "Miss you, I will" being one of them. Darth Vader's odd words: "Where is Padme? Is she safe? is she alright? is she a-okay? is she peachy-keen?". And then his Mendozaaaaaa! moment. It felt like neither Anakin NOR Vader.
I liked the exchanges in the duel and the moments previous to the duel, with Padme, though her injuries were tragically understated. I really wanted him and Obi Wan to just rip into each other. The fighting, due to the fact that they were pretty equal as far as dueling skills, kept things pretty clean, and a little boring. I didn't buy Yoda's defeat either. However, one of the lines I was fearing from reading the script was delivered perfectly, in my opinion: Anakin's "I hate you".
I really wish they hadn't changed that last piece of dialogue they had after the end of the duel. In the script, Anakin, burning in the scorching sand by the river of lava, begged for his life. He said something along the lines of, "Master, help me, please..." and Obi-Wan looked down at Anakin and said: "I love you, Anakin -- but I will not save you," and walked away, heartbroken.
I know it sounds like I'm complaining a lot, but it's strange. Yes, I wanted the duel to be far more brutal, but it's also incredibly satisfactory the way it is now. I guess I'm just Star Wars-spoiled.
I need to post a proper review, but here's a point by point review of what I did and did not like.
Liked:
-Obi-Wan: Great character. And it's about time we got a decent core character we could emotionally connect with.
-Anakin: Generally good, but there were a few parts where I wasn't impressed with the performance. In fact, I wasn't impressed overall. But it was suitable. That's why I drop it in under the good stuff.
-Anakin and Obi-Wan's final exchange: great.
-Action: Good, but almost too much.
-Good pacing
-Good tone
Didn't like:
-Natalie Portman. I blame her terrible acting and character on both the actress and Lucas. Lucas obviously didn't care about her character. He spent almost no time with her in this film and then isolated her from the rest of the characters. Add that to the fact that Natalie Portman really didn't seem to care about her performance for these films in the first place and you have the winner of the "worst performance" award.
-Hayden and Natalie. I gotta agree with Josh here. You put these two in a room together and the laws of physics practically bend with their faulty perfomances and tone deaf "love musings".
-Wookie battle...that was just tacked on.
-Palpatine. He was good at first, but he got to be a little too reptilian towards the end. It's a shame too because he's so priceless in Return of the Jedi. That's what he should have become. Instead we get the wicked witch of the west.
-Vader's dialogue. The only reason this stuff flied was because it was James Earl Jones saying it.
-Aside from Obi-Wan, I really didn't care about the other core characters. Palpatine is interesting, but he isn't a straight up "core character". And he dropped the ball in the second half of the film. Ultimately, I have to agree with Josh here. Anakin and Obi-Wan together were interesting and engaging, but Padme and Anakin was laughable.
And here's the thing...I really buy a lot of the acting in Lucas' earlier films. Like THX. I can swallow that and even admire it. He can direct actors when he wants to...but something about these films turned that function off.
Brock, good point, Ani and Obi, good (very good, actually)... ani and padme, bad. Just no real chemistry, going all the way back through Episode II.
It seems odd, but I think that Jake Lloyd and Portman had better chemistry than Hayden and Portman. That's actually kind of creepy now that I mention it.
I say you have to go into Star Wars expecting bad acting. It's pratically synonymous with Star Wars. It all started with Episode IV and Mark Hamill. It's part of the lore. ;-)
I'll be seeing it tonight in a digital projection theater. Anyone up for it?
Absolutely. Lemme know what time and I'll be there yo.
Post a Comment