Star Wars Ep. 9 Thread

[Villains0501]

TLJ is a quasi-meta, post-modernist take on the SW mythos that aims to deconstruct genre tropes, upend fan expectations, and move completely beyond the constraints of the past. It also happens to be sandwiched between two nostalgia-laden, narratively nonsensical popcorn flicks that treat past lore with equal measures of crippling reverence and flippant disdain. No wonder this trilogy doesn't work. Not only is its middle bridge film at complete odds with its first and final chapters, but the trilogy itself is at odds with the wider saga. It just doesn't fit. Too bad - they had one shot and they blew it.

 

[tirian]

Those were a fringe group of idiots, plain and simple.

Besides the biggest factor of it being morally wrong and illegal to make physical threats to another person for any reason, it was pure stupidity considering that Kelly Marie or any of the actors involved had nothing to do with storytelling decisions.

Correct. CNET also ran an article how those fringe groups were quite small and accounted for a fraction of the overall reaction. The media and Lucasfilm PR spun that story out of control because it made headlines and got clicks.

If Iger and Kennedy were truly happy about the financial performance of TLJ and the critics’ reactions, they wouldn’t have brought back JJ Abrams or tried to awkwardly course-correct the franchise — which we now see was even worse.

The bottom line speaks. They made changes because TLJ was a financial disappointment for the overall franchise. They didn’t change things to appease a fringe group who attacked Kelly Marie Tran or anybody else.

 

[Mike S]

Excellent use of the Rickroll

I was looking for something simple of someone just putting on sunglasses but when I saw that I knew

Concerning the sequel trilogy I’ve been giving this some thought and if they can pull together an actually competent story I’d accept animated remakes. Animated to cover aging actors, one likely not wanting to come back, and another that will definitely not come back (R.I.P). Put Favreau and Filoni together to hash it out for a few months then get to work. I’ll even take the characters of Finn, Rey, Poe, and Kylo Ren again to keep things simple. Just get the story and writing right.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Haven't posted here for quite some time, but wow! These reviews are much worse than I was expecting. The leaks are true - all of them! Currently having "Game of Thrones" flashbacks!

It'll be interesting to see what the box office is like this weekend. I'm not sure this film will have great legs after OW. And "Cats" is apparently getting better than expected buzz. How strange if that's the true crowd-pleaser this weekend.

Why, oh why did this trilogy not have a single guiding hand at the helm, a la Feige?

The optimistic Hollywood analysts (ie the ones that got Disneyland premium passes in the mail on Monday) were saying that since all colleges and mosts schools are closed as for Friday...they might get a higher than anticipated global open...slightly.

But legs were the problem on 8...it literally flatlined in 3 weeks...Mr. Penguins charts can confirm that...this is looking to be worse.

That could mean a sub billion dollar total. It’s craxy to say this: but that is a fail.

Upper management failed. They didn’t understand Star Wars and they continue to not understand. Remember: MCU was in place when LFL was bought. They had the template.

Kennedy will be the scapegoat...but she fully deserves it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It’s all childish nonsense with an unreasonable group of people. The same group that threatened Kelly Marie Tran. Best to ignore them.

The hate of the actor and the politics was a small group of morons...

The hate of the movie and the Disney overall handling of it is being proven with each passing second to be a public/mass thing.
The record is becoming clear.

My favorite critic response:



That's a positive review? Yikes.

I will fully admit I don't entirely trust the critics after how they acted with The Last Jedi (I liked TFA, so that doesn't matter to me). That said, it's a two way street. The people who said critics are idiots, don't trust a word they said, can't turn around and justify what they think will be a bad movie with them. HOWEVER, you likewise can't say that critics loved TLJ so you fan boys are wrong, and then turnaround and say "Well you all hated the critics so it's good." Personally, I'm just laughing at the reviews at this point. I'll be very curious how fans seem to receiver this, and how the box office does. And I'll really judge for myself at some point when I've got some time (just isn't something I'm making time for at this point, sorry).

Love this...

A lot of the “positive” reviews as credited say a variation of “ehh...not the worst movie ever...”

Yikes

I’ll remind that 97% of critics were screaming “the force is back!!” When the force awakens was printed 4 years ago. I think I might have a copy of one or two of the prints...

That movie is a shameless Reboot and DULL...and it had Indiana Jones (cough...cough...did we get a confirmation??)...

So how blatantly sucky are we looking at this time?

 

[mikejs78]

It's a shame Disney didn't use George Lucas's 50 page treatment for the new trilogy. They had those ideas to flesh out since 2012.

It's actually quite ironic, they chose to run as far from Lucas as possible because they were determined to avoid the problems with the prequels bt they ended up running into a completely different pitfall anyway.

George Lucas's story centered around midochlorians. Case of grass is greener.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don’t know if I am blaming all. As I considered myself a fan. I’m speaking of a specific section of the fanbase; which there are quite a few of.

You are speaking of the Neanderthals and bigots only...right?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

George Lucas's story centered around midochlorians. Case of grass is greener.

I agree there...he was bonkers and tried to engineer the sale of LFL where he could make the movies with Disney money - according to Iger and Disney’s lead counsel...

The problem...still...is that they need a talented exec that is creative and loves Star Wars as a FAN!!!

that wasn’t Lucas...that sure as hell isn’t abrams and his love of the Hollywood money Machine and his quest to be spielberg 2....

And it is not Kathy Kennedy...who was and apparently is a taskmaster/paper pusher.

The fact Disney is floating bringing in feige tells you all you need to know.

They need a new studio head...and for their own future dollars it needs to be off their “preapproved” grid.


By the way...anyone else find creepy spielberg went to the premiere and Lucas didn’t?

I mean...anti-social billionaire recluses probably have a lot to do, no?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I was looking for something simple of someone just putting on sunglasses but when I saw that I knew

Concerning the sequel trilogy I’ve been giving this some thought and if they can pull together an actually competent story I’d accept animated remakes. Animated to cover aging actors, one likely not wanting to come back, and another that will definitely not come back (R.I.P). Put Favreau and Filoni together to hash it out for a few months then get to work. I’ll even take the characters of Finn, Rey, Poe, and Kylo Ren again to keep things simple. Just get the story and writing right.

Here’s a hard question:

After the dust settles (with a thud...in about 2 weeks the way it’s looking)

Will the prequel trilogy be BETTER than the sequel?

The acting and cgi can never be fixed...but from a story arc and sense of size/scale...is it not better?

“Fun” should never be this hard.

 

[Mike S]

Here’s a hard question:

After the dust settles (with a thud...in about 2 weeks the way it’s looking)

Will the prequel trilogy be BETTER than the sequel?

The acting and cgi can never be fixed...but from a story arc and sense of size/scale...is it not better?

“Fun” should never be this hard.☹

The prequels were never bad from a story arc and sense of size/scale perspective imo. It was all the cringey dialogue and bad writing. That’s all that needs to change in those movies. The overall story isn't the problem unlike here.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The prequels were never bad from a story arc and sense of size/scale perspective imo. It was all the cringey dialogue and bad writing. That’s all that needs to change in those movies. The overall story isn't the problem unlike here.

So what will be “better” regarded over the course of time?

I think I already know the answer...and it borderline calls for a vote of no confidence at the next annual meeting

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Here’s a hard question:

After the dust settles (with a thud...in about 2 weeks the way it’s looking)

Will the prequel trilogy be BETTER than the sequel?

The acting and cgi can never be fixed...but from a story arc and sense of size/scale...is it not better?

“Fun” should never be this hard.☹

The fundamental problem with the sequel trilogy was that it wasn’t necessary for the story, and despite multiple chances to make its argument for being necessary it continually failed.

Whatever problems the prequels had, it didn’t have that fundamental problem.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The fundamental problem with the sequel trilogy is that it wasn’t necessary for the story, and despite multiple chances to make its argument for being necessary it continually failed.

Whatever problems the prequels had, it didn’t have that fundamental problem.

Agree...the sequels were always going to be harder.

But the mistake was this: the sequel trilogy should have come first and should have been a victory lap for the heroes. It’s what everyone would have been most accepting of.

The 3 actors in the late 90’s were the way to go...greying hero’s that could still be heroes/mentors.

But George liked the backstory more...can’t really blame him there. But I think the second motivation was money. He didn’t want to build sets...he didn’t want to pay Ford...he would have been forced to make them look like a contuation of the feel of Jedi (which Disney did try to do - to their credit).

So he wiped the slate and went cgi.

But that had longterm consequences not known at the time.

Everyone knows the story about Liam Neeson and the tatooine sets, right?

 

[Mike S]

Agree...the sequels were always going to be harder.

But the mistake was this: the sequel trilogy should have come first and should have been a victory lap for the heroes. It’s what everyone would have been most accepting of.

The 3 actors in the late 90’s were the way to go...greying hero’s that could still be heroes/mentors.

But George liked the backstory more...can’t really blame him there. But I think the second motivation was money. He didn’t want to build sets...he didn’t want to pay Ford...he would have been forced to make them look like a contuation of the feel of Jedi (which Disney did try to do - to their credit).

So he wiped the slate and went cgi.

But that had longterm consequences not known at the time.

Everyone knows the story about Liam Neeson and the tatooine sets, right?

Didn’t he break one or something? I forget.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Didn’t he break one or something? I forget.

This is a good one...

When they issued the orders to build the mos eisley sets...somebody forget to check Liam Neesons height...it’s about 6’2”...

So when they went to shoot...the lower walls of physical sets were too short. Why? Because all the “skies” were green screen...obviously since there was nonsense going on in them at all times.

He wanted it cut down to the inch to save money

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

You just have to look at the prequels as products of their time. CGI was the only reason that Lucas came back to Star Wars. They didn't anticipate a near-future back then when people would actually be sick of CGI.

 

[Slpy3270]

We should be relieved that this will be the last Star Wars film in the main saga and for a while because otherwise we would see Disney in the same pickle as Sony post-Amazing Spider-Man 2.

 

[CinematicFusion]

George Lucas's story centered around midochlorians. Case of grass is greener.

show me the 50 page treatment. Let’s see what it says.
Lucas also said before filming attack of the clones that there would be zero action in the film.

what was written in those 50 pages?
Have you seen it?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

show me the 50 page treatment. Let’s see what it says.
Lucas also said before filming attack of the clones that there would be zero action in the film.

what was written in those 50 pages?
Have you seen it?

Lucas famously rewrote attack of the clones due to fan backlash over politics in the phantom movie...

It didn’t work.

Some - like Dave filoni - have a reverence for him still. I see the original movies succeeding in spite of him.

Kershner and kurtz overspent on empire because that’s what the story NEEDED. He still complains about it. But the proof was in the pudding. You get what you pay for...if the OT had been done on the cheap, he’s not a billionaire

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That film didn't need action. It's true strength was the Oscar-worthy, emotional monologue on the evils of sand. To this day, those words have stood the test of time as one of Hollywood's most inspiring moments.

Seriously, that stuff gets everywhere.

Excellent placement of much needed levity....