STAR WARS VII - "The Force Awakens" - Movie Discussion

[trekgate502]

Guess I am just a fan boy in love with Star Wars so forgive me while I go watch it for the third time soon and like the new republic I am not concerned by trivial matters if the plot itself

[dcdfan]

LMAO at all the discussion of why didn't the New Republic do this and that. Why didn't they make it so there was peace and justice in the galaxy and there would be no movie? The franchise is called STAR WARS. Just a bunch of stick in the muds.

This is a fun movie. Kids will love it. Girls are going absolutely bonkers over it which gives it a chance to topple Titanic. They've just increased the already gigantic fan base by a billion. Totally worth it for them to alienate a few nerds in the process.

"Chance...Titanic"? HA! That ship has sailed...

[Battrax]

I like the fact that it was a bit more hard-nosed, less sentimental  and less fairy-tale tropey (again, though, I am not a Star Wars fan, per se). I do think though they did very well expanding it past the hardcore (and even casual) Star Wars fans. Abrams and the production team did really well.

[thoroakenfelder]

13 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

Nope, just a few verbal reactions from the resistance people as to the ramification of the 5 planets getting blown up.  This was too important for just 1 explanation from 1 character.  Even you missed this on the 1st viewing.   

Also, a couple more seconds of uninterrupted grieving of a particular character, instead of half second shown on screen.

 

To be fair, the characters in Star Wars aren't really given to grieving. Alderaan gets blown up and Leia mourns for a moment, Owen and Beru, Obi-Wan and Biggs all die and Luke pulls a sad face and then moves on.

[Alpinemaps]

And what?  We want more boring scenes of people sitting around in a circle talking about trade federations and a galactic senate?  You call it a weakness, I call it a strength.  Abrams injected actual LIFE into the movie.  This is why people are absolutely LOVING this movie.  It's a blast.  It's actually fun!

Nope, just a few verbal reactions from the resistance people as to the ramification of the 5 planets getting blown up.  This was too important for just 1 explanation from 1 character.  Even you missed this on the 1st viewing.     

Also, a couple more seconds of uninterrupted grieving of a particular character, instead of half second shown on screen.  

 

JJ cut a few things that probably would have explained that but felt it bogged it down a little. I'm guessing we'll see the stuff that ended up in the cutting room floor on the DVD release.

[KShine]

This movie started with a long checklist - any storyline that could be woven together afterward just wasn't that important.

[Guest]

The bar is buried, lol

[templesweeper]

2 hours ago, Darth_Raichu said:

Nope, just a few verbal reactions from the resistance people as to the ramification of the 5 planets getting blown up.  This was too important for just 1 explanation from 1 character.  Even you missed this on the 1st viewing.     

Also, a couple more seconds of uninterrupted grieving of a particular character, instead of half second shown on screen.  

 

You're talking about Leiah grieving.  The camera actually lingers on her for longer than you think as she feels what happened.  And I don't think she's a person who really lets her emotions show.  Remember when Aldaaran blew up?  No tears.  And she just lost her whole family.  It's consistent with her character. 

[matt1147]

Apparently there is a novelization that accompanies TFA (and a visual dictionary) that includes a lot of the behind the scenes/details that didn't make it into the movie:

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/star-wars-the-force-awakens-ultimate-faq-164511371.html

[Cashmoney-0]

After watching episode vii, I can say that the prequels are starting to look pretty good...

[chipbee]

7 hours ago, Bold-Arrow said:

One  would assume they would have better defences in places. Even if they were ignorant of star killer and didn't expect 5 planets to go poof at the same time , a defensive paparmeter of some sorts would make more sense to me . 

The movie mimics real life. Just look at all the peace nuts in europe wanting to demilitarize after USSR collapsed, and now russia starts flexing its muscle.

If the USA can keep manhatten project a secret, why not starkiller base? Starkiller base is a new class of weapon, something that was kept a secret. There are major differences with death stars. First it is a real planet with an atmosphere. Second, it draws its destructive power from the sun. Third, multiple planets can be destroyed with a single blast. Fourth, the destructive power is not laser, but stored energy from the sun. Fifth, the blast travels at warp speed, so it can hit targets really far away. And people are still complaining about a rehash 

[waddamon]

I enjoy the prequels.  Sure there are issues, but it expanded the star wars universe and I like that.  The light saber battles are awesome and the overall world of star wars is bigger to me.  I think some folks like to bash because others do, I'm not a crowd follower.  I liver force awakens but would have loved it more if it wasn't a remake of a new hope.

[CrabslayerT]

8 minutes ago, chipbee said:

The movie mimics real life. Just look at all the peace nuts in europe wanting to demilitarize after USSR collapsed, and now russia starts flexing its muscle.

If the USA can keep manhatten project a secret, why not starkiller base? Starkiller base is a new class of weapon, something that was kept a secret. There are major differences with death stars. First it is a real planet with an atmosphere. Second, it draws its destructive power from the sun. Third, multiple planets can be destroyed with a single blast. Fourth, the destructive power is not laser, but stored energy from the sun. Fifth, the blast travels at warp speed, so it can hit targets really far away. And people are still complaining about a rehash 

Might be best to leave politics out of it, as this and religion have a habit of getting debated a little too enthusiastically. 

[Bold-Arrow]

6 minutes ago, CrabslayerT said:

Might be best to leave politics out of it, as this and religion have a habit of getting debated a little too enthusiastically. 

I see his argument, but I am not a fan of this one shot wipes all kinda scenario. 

[CrabslayerT]

7 minutes ago, Bold-Arrow said:

I see his argument, but I am not a fan of this one shot wipes all kinda scenario. 

What i'm saying is, this can easily be turned around. some may get insulted

[Alpinemaps]

I've been enjoying reading commentary on a variety of websites, and listening to podcasts discussing the movie.  I was listening to the Film and Water Podcast, and they did an episode on TFA. Some interesting (to me) observations:

• The podcasters felt the storywriters missed the mark by not showing a moment between Chewie and Leia, after coming back from Starkiller Base.  I didn't realize it, but I agree.  There should have been something.
• Each of the OT movies ended before the final frame of the movie.  But TFA ended with the last frame.  What I mean is this:
  • Episode 4 ended with the destruction of the Death Star, but there was still the Throne Room scene
  • Episode 5 ended when Vader reveals he is Luke's father.  Everything after that really doesn't carry the importance of that reveal.
  • Episode 6 ended when Vader throws the Emperor down the shaft. 

I can see where you might argue that it really isn't the "end" of the movie with any of those - maybe saying it's the climax before the end of the film is more appropriate.  But, it's hard to argue that the climax wasn't that final frame of film in TFA.

[legodelorean]

Was anyone else bothered by the leather piece on the front of Kylo Ren's mask that had the dimple marks in it? It wasn't completely smooth. It really bugged me. I know, I have issues. 

[Darth_Raichu]

17 minutes ago, Alpinemaps said:

The podcasters felt the storywriters missed the mark by not showing a moment between Chewie and Leia, after coming back from Starkiller Base.  I didn't realize it, but I agree.  There should have been something.

There is no time for such trivial thing since the movie needs to rush to the next "action" scene

20 minutes ago, Alpinemaps said:

I can see where you might argue that it really isn't the "end" of the movie with any of those - maybe saying it's the climax before the end of the film is more appropriate.  But, it's hard to argue that the climax wasn't that final frame of film in TFA.

Pretty sure the climax was Rey kicking Kylo's ass.  Finding Luke was more of a teaser for episode 8.

[Alpinemaps]

16 minutes ago, legodelorean said:

Was anyone else bothered by the leather piece on the front of Kylo Ren's mask that had the dimple marks in it? It wasn't completely smooth. It really bugged me. I know, I have issues. 

It was almost like sand.  It's course and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere.  It's not soft...and smooth.

[exciter1]

10 minutes ago, Darth_Raichu said:

Pretty sure the climax was Rey kicking Kylo's ass.  Finding Luke was more of a teaser for episode 8.

The climax is when the fault broke on Starkiller Base and left them apart.

[Darth_Raichu]

10 minutes ago, exciter1 said:

The climax is when the fault broke on Starkiller Base and left them apart.

I just remember 1 thing that bothered me.  How could that FO officer have time to find Kylo, lift an INJURED Kylo to the ship/shuttle, and leave before the base exploded ?  Chewie picked up Rey almost immediately and the resistance fleet BARELY escaped the explosion

[chipbee]

1 hour ago, CrabslayerT said:

Might be best to leave politics out of it, as this and religion have a habit of getting debated a little too enthusiastically. 

It is merely illustrating that the movie plot is not ridiculous, and using recent history is more convincing. Anyway, there is no argument on need for strong self defence nowadays, i dont see anyone getting hot under the collar.

[trekgate502]

1 hour ago, Darth_Raichu said:

I just remember 1 thing that bothered me.  How could that FO officer have time to find Kylo, lift an INJURED Kylo to the ship/shuttle, and leave before the base exploded ?  Chewie picked up Rey almost immediately and the resistance fleet BARELY escaped the explosion

it is because it is the same reason as in indiana jones raiders of the lost ark

right after the guy says throw me the idol, I throw you the whip ....

that overhead rock door starts closing on indy where he has to slide through and then reach his hand back to grab his whip before it closes

if you watch the movie they shoot the door scene from at least two angles changing cameras

in the later angle the door is back higher than it was in the first shot

lol

[chipbee]

2 hours ago, Darth_Raichu said:

I just remember 1 thing that bothered me.  How could that FO officer have time to find Kylo, lift an INJURED Kylo to the ship/shuttle, and leave before the base exploded ?  Chewie picked up Rey almost immediately and the resistance fleet BARELY escaped the explosion

Probably just due to editing expediency. The cutting room crew got tired towards the end and under pressure to wrap things up.

[vexxet]

I am so glad so many people enjoyed this movie, after all, that's what movies are suppose to do... entertain people.  

 

I saw this movie on opening night and have been avoiding posting on this movie everywhere until BA posted something about people actually talking about Star Wars TFA in another thread.  
 

Spoiler

This movie was a remake without actually being called a remake.  A terrible joke was played onto the Star Wars fandom and it looks like JJ almost got away with borderline Plagiarism.  I wont type too much of my distain for this movie with fear of spoiling people, but are you guys serious?  The whole first scene was a complete rework of the first scene from Star Wars ANH.  Resistance fighter gets information and puts in in a droid before the Empire captures him/her and sends said droid off with important information... WTF?  Its all downhill from there as the second scene is another complete rip off where hero finds said droid and lives life with droid for a bit until found by the antagonists and having to egress off the planet in the Millenium Falcon.   Overall, there were 18 plot point ripoffs in total from the previous films throughout the whole movie.  Trying to be vague as possible, because you know... spoilers.

19 years passed from Episode 3 to episode 4 and the empire built the Death Star with unwatching/unaware eyes.  30 Years pass between episode 6 and 7 and the First Order with MUCH less manpower and probably the WHOLE Republic and resistance watching them MAKES A Base = Death Star but 20x bigger and the construction was probably slower?  That is terribly unbelievable.  The rebel alliance with much LESS cause to oppose the Empire, than the Republic and resistance, have spies that find the plans to the death star and are able to plan against it, However, The Republic and resistance(who have MUCH CAUSE TO DISTRUST TFO) in 30 years never learns of SKB and even Finn who is a FO Stormtrooper never mentions its existence.  WTF is even going on in this story? 

Don't even get me started in the Republic after having the empires starfleet shattered to the cosmos after Episode 6 leaves the remnants of the empire alive... Yeah.. I guess we should have let Nazi Germany exist after World War 2... that would have been a great idea.

 

Things I am willing to omit with the passage of time to learn the truth :

Rey using the force with as much proficiency as she did.  The only thing that screams to me about why she was so good was because her mind was wiped and she was a padawan of Luke's somehow.  If this proves false in the following films then the first movie is a joke.

Kylo Ren being relatively a whining crybaby brat who throws temper tantrums :  Anakin was pretty much a emo sniveling punk in the prequels so if alloted the passage of time he could become as terrifying as Darth Vadar.  We are seeing Kylo Ren at his embryo stage and that is ok.

 

I don't like the prequels, they were off the mark for me.  Jar Jar was a horrible idea, but at least they were original.  This mess is a travesty to the Star Wars fandom and it is easily the worst movie of the 7.