Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[71jason]

The definitive order in terms of quality ...

1) Empire
2) A New Hope

[Small gap]

3) Return of the Jedi

[Bigger Gap]

4) The Ewok Movie I
5) The Phantom Menace (Liam Neeson elevates anything)

[Beggars Canyon-size gap]

5) The Ewok Movie II
6) Hyperspace Hoopla
7) Revenge of the Sith
8) Star Wars Holiday Special
9) Attack of the Clones

 

[lebeau]

Reeve's Superman is great, but his Clark is really just "trying too hard" to a degree where it just seems like Superman is overacting in the role of mild-mannered reporter and it takes me out of it because you'd think that'd draw more attention to him when he's trying to blend in. I definitely prefer the DCAU's (The 90s-early 2000s cartoons) take on Clark.

It's stylized. Reeve's take on Clark harkens back to His Girl Friday-style of comedy. Donner's whole take on the Daily Planet was old school screwball comedy. It was a throwback then so its even more of a throwback now. Not a lot of actors can pull that off. Reeve did so while also showing Clark's vulnerability. But yeah, it's not meant to be taken as realistic.

The DCUA is just the best representation of super heroes in any medium other than comic books. And arguably, it's better than them too. Certainly more accessible.

 

[ScoutN]

Growing up in NoVa was fun, all sorts of targets around there.

Try Hampton Roads. You cannot look anywhere without a air base, sea base, shipyard, etc. You know how it goes.

 

[CinematicFusion]

By your analysis, no sequel will ever be better than the original.

I vote Toy Story 2, Shrek 2, Troll 2.

Not what I said. I think Wrath of Kahn is 100% better then Star Trek the Motion Picture and it can stand on it's own. It doesn't need the Motion Picture. Sequels can be better then the original...though it is rare.

What I'm saying is Empire needs Star Wars. It couldn't be as great as it is without Star Wars in 1977. Like many have said on this board. Star Wars does a great job at introducing the main characters of the story, bringing the audience into the universe. I agree. Star Wars is the first film to watch...not Phantom.
Look. one of the greatest openings ever in a film is Star Wars. It is reveal after reveal all the way to the point we meet Darth Vader. Wonderful visual opening. By the time the Audience is introduced to Vader walking out of the smoke filled door...they are 100% committed to the film. Forest Gump has a very simple opening (the floating feather...awesome) that sells you immediately and gets you into the universe...you are along for the ride the moment Gump starts speaking.
Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Toy Story 3 can all stand on their own as independent films. They don't need each other to survive as a film.

Empire is truly the second act in a 3 part play...one of the best second acts of all time. Godfather part two might be the greatest of all time, The Dark Night could join the discussion. Nothing else is jumping out at me on sequels that blew my mind.

I'm rambling on...man I love film!

 

[rael ramone]

Good news is, there are many people within the Company who know that WDW needs to compete with Uni's massive success. Bad news is, the Company is bloated and ultimately run by people who don't understand its legacy or how to look beyond the next earnings report.

I'm going to comment more on the 'earnings report' in that thread, but to 'the street', if this fails (and at this point, it looks like they are going to hope that this will bribe people to stay in the parks and on their property - will it do so to the tune of 2.8 b?), they won't be asking about the attractions that that capex could have paid for - it will be the amount of shares that they could have repurchased with it...

 

[JenniferS]

Yeah, it's not really a tear-jerker. I was just hyping it up. Glad you liked it.

I had a similar experience with Superman. I desperately wanted to see it, but sadly I didn't get to. I vividly remember being in a mall with my Mom and probably my younger siblings (my memory of them is hazy) and the mall theater was showing Superman. There was a huge cardboard standee of Reeve as Superman standing in front of Metropolis. I couldn't take my eyes off of it.

By this point, the movie had been out for a while. We didn't really go to the movies, but I figured I'd try to see if we could make an exception. I could see my mom seriously considering my request. But she was probably Christmas shopping. I remember she said we were too busy and couldn't take the time for a movie. So no dice. I never did see the first Superman in the theaters.

A little while later, it debuted on OnTV. Anyone remember OnTV? It was the precursor to HBO. Anyway, my mom's parents had OnTV, so we went over there to watch it. I liked it, but it didn't blow me away like Star Wars did. Then my dad took us to see Superman 2 at the theater. I wasn't all that excited for it since my response to the first film was somewhat lukewarm. Superman 2 knocked me off my little feet.

I remember sitting in the theater wondering how the heck Superman could possibly defeat three villains who all had his powers. Especially when he was powerless! To my mind, there was no possible way Superman could win. So when he showed up outside the Daily Planet window and challenged Zod to a "step outside" I lost it. And when he kneeled before Zod only to crush his hand, I still get chills.

Over time, I came to appreciate the first film more with each viewing. It is now one of my favorite films of all times (infinitely superior to Man of Steel - sorry, kids). I especially love the early scenes in Smallville. But I think a lot of people under-rate the Metropolis scenes. Reeve as a bumbling Cary Grantish Clark Kent is one of the greatest light comic performances of that decade. And he and Kidder had amazing chemistry.

Kids today don't know what they are missing.

Superman 2 was greater than Superman, for sure.
My family would often watch movies together over and over over, and seemed to take obscure quotes and make them our own. Superman 2 provided one of our all time favourites: Kneel before Zod.
Amazingly, They Call Me Bruce yielded the most. My husband even worked a couple into my father's eulogy.

 

[truecoat]

I was born in 1973, I didn't see Star Wars until I was 6. 1979, I saw it in the theater. Tell me the last movie that was in the theater that long. Original Star Wars is by far my favorite movie.

Actually Star Wars was re-released to promote Empire Strikes Back that was coming out the next summer. I went to the Drive-in to see it again and the preview of Empire which blew me away. Didn't know until years later that Harrison Ford did the voice over.

 

[flynnibus]

this thread needs a thread SPLIT.. not deletes... just start moving tangents to their own discussion @The Mom

 

[truecoat]

Superman 2 was greater than Superman, for sure.
My family would often watch movies together over and over over, and seemed to take obscure quotes and make them our own. Superman 2 provided one of our all time favourites: Kneel before Zod.
Amazingly, They Call Me Bruce yielded the most. My husband even worked a couple into my father's eulogy.

I was so excited to see Superman 2. I couldn't have been more let down. The story just didn't do it for me. Sure there were scenes that did come alive, overall it was a big mess. From cheesy effects to comic parts that didn't work. Recently re-watched both 1 and 2 and still feel the same way. I need to watch the Donner cut and see if that changes my opinion.

 

[wdwmagic]

this thread needs a thread SPLIT.. not deletes... just start moving tangents to their own discussion @The Mom

This thread is way too big to moderate like that. I've mentioned to 74 that if he really wants things to stay on topic, he needs to create separate threads for a point, rather than maintaining a news chit chat thread. Huge threads are not really the way forums are intended to work.

 

[flynnibus]

This thread is way too big to moderate like that. I've mentioned to 74 that if he really wants things to stay on topic, he needs to create separate threads for a point, rather than maintaining a news chit chat thread. Huge threads are not really the way forums are intended to work.

*shrug* - just find all 'which star wars movie is best' posts from the last 4 pages and click 'move'.

That way people don't feel stunted... they just carry on their conversation with those relevant people.. in a relevant place.

Not saying every tangent should be moved... but not all are dead-ends that should be squashed.

 

[Nemo14]

It might be wise though, @wdwmagic ,to just move this to ChitChat and let '74 start a new thread when he returns with news.

 

[englanddg]

It might be wise though, @wdwmagic ,to just move this to ChitChat and let '74 start a new thread when he returns with news.

Sageteers and Spiriteers.

 

[luv]

It would be easier to stay on topic if the threads had a topic. Instead of starting a thread by saying that he intends to say something, perhaps the Spirit could wait and start the threads when he has something to say...and then people could discuss that.

 

[CDavid]

I would suspect that when we have something actually worthwhile to discuss, we'll naturally tend to stay more on topic. Right now it's like we're sort of killing time amusing ourselves waiting for something to happen.

I do appreciate the moderators dilemma, but also their grace for some of our posts.

 

[lebeau]

I was so excited to see Superman 2. I couldn't have been more let down. The story just didn't do it for me. Sure there were scenes that did come alive, overall it was a big mess. From cheesy effects to comic parts that didn't work. Recently re-watched both 1 and 2 and still feel the same way. I need to watch the Donner cut and see if that changes my opinion.

I doubt it will. The Donner cut is unfortunately a patchwork quilt. It's a hint at what might have been. But it reuses footage from Superman the movie and from Reeve's audition tape.

Originally, the first film ended with Superman accidentally releasing the Phantom Zone villains with one of Luthor's missles. Then at the end of the second film, he would travel back in time to return them to the Phantom zone. But Donner wanted a big finish for the first film, so he put the time travel there and never came up with a proper end for the second film.

So the "Donner cut" ends with the end of Superman I.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Preach it.

I distinctly remember when I saw Star Wars in late June, 1977. It was at the giant Cinerama theater in downtown Seattle. I went with friends who were very hip and fashionable (for 1977), with the other man being the son of a prominent 1960's-70's Senator. The stylish young wife of that man raved about this incredible new sci-fi movie she'd already seen and insisted we all had to see it.

I remember the street where we parked the giant boat of a 1976 Cadillac we drove down there. (Whose Caddy was it? Penny's? Roger's? It certainly wasn't mine. Gawd that car was huge.) I remember waiting on the sidewalk of 5th Avenue to buy the tickets, watching the Seattle monorail go by every few minutes. I remember the navy blue sportcoat with very wide lapels I was wearing. We waited in line for tickets that stretched down the block, and got 4 tickets for a later showing at 10PM. We had dinner at Trader Vic's and then a drink in the Westin Hotel nearby to wait for 10PM, and downtown Seattle in 1977 wasn't as sleek and glamorous as it is now so it wasn't that fun killing time downtown. I remember what the cocktail lounge in the Westin Hotel looked like (very brown, with lots of brass accents) while we had Side Cars and waited for 10PM. I remember the cocktail waitress in the ruffled blouse (and short skirt and shellacked feathered hairdo) who served us at the Westin. I remember nearly all of it, 36 years later.

The sun doesn't set in Seattle in June until near 10PM, and we went into the theater around sunset.... and my mind was blown. The best movie I'd ever seen. And I remember that night like it was two weeks ago because of that. It changed the world.

OK, now I'm starting to understand. Alcohol had to be involved in order to have the mind blowing experience. Now I get it! Sort of like how I saw "Funny thing happened on the way to the Forum" in London. Three sheets to the wind it was, without any doubt, the funniest movie I had ever seen. EVER! Came back to the states and told my friends about it and we all went together, sober! Cute but not the side splitter that I remember.

 

[PirateFrank]

this thread needs a thread SPLIT.. not deletes... just start moving tangents to their own discussion @The Mom

This thread is:

Seriously. I am one of @WDW1974 's hugest fans and look forward to these threads, but the fact of the matter is that he introduced this thread with some hints at specificity. I don't think anyone was expecting blueprints, as he alluded to, but we were certainly expecting a targeted discussion on the dichotomy between Uni's capital plan and WDWs. Instead, he opened up the box and let a gazillion sub-threads and counter threads happen without moving along a specific theme. The other three threads had that. This one doesn't. It's become the rumor forums lowest common denominator. Where everyone goes to take a on either WDW or Uni. Not constructive...and the proof is the amount of times this thread has sub-tangented.

Now, I think there isn't a person here that doesn't respect 74's recent loss. I do! But I'm not missing him in this thread. He can do so much better! I think he saw this thing spin into a hot mess and felt it necessary to hold back and not provide his usual rich contributions, lest they get lost in this mess.

Personally, I think this thread deserves the following:

Hopefully Steve or Mom will put this beast out of it's misery and when 74 gets back into the swing of things, he can launch another fantastic thread like I-III

 

[lebeau]

The latest off-topic diversion: about off-topic diversions.

Lots of amateur mods out there it seems. Why are these people reading the thread?

It's off topic because 1. The topic was never really defined and 2. There is literally no news or rumors about WDW worth discussing. So hey, let's talk movies until 74 gets back with some news.

He probably should start a new thread when he's ready though.

 

[flynnibus]

It's off topic because 1. The topic was never really defined

Maybe you missed those posts a few days back from The Mom about the relevancy of the tangents to the FORUM the thread is in... rather than just the thread topic itself.

Take it for what you will...