Author Topic: Star Wars: The Rise of... Stuff... and Things... (Read 34510 times)

Weirdo · « **Reply #30 on:** 22 December 2019, 12:50:23 »

I absolutely loved it. It had heroes, villains, big space battles, dramatic music, Star Destroyers...everything I ask of a Star Wars movie, in spades. :thumbsup:

Talen5000 · « **Reply #31 on:** 22 December 2019, 13:27:52 »

Quick review

RoS is worth seeing
It is the best of the Sequel trilogy by far
It is not perfect - there are a good few Deus Ex Machina moments, too much reliance on the Force as magic plot device, the ending doesn't have enough tension, and it shows just how bad TFA and TLJ really were. What this could have been if they had sat down and actually done something such as PLAN THE TRIOLGY OUT
There are answers...sometimes answers which could be more fleshed out, but still answers are provided.
Boyega and Driver are still good in their roles. Ridley has finally...FINALLY...shown some degree of improvement as an actress with this movie. Too little, too late but take what you can get. It's her best performance to date. She is still being carried by the others but I still think she was the wrong choice to play Rey. She doesn't have the skill or presence needed to anchor the film as the lead character. Not yet anyway.

Yes - it is worth seeing

Could it be better? Yes - but to be fair, Rian Johnsons did so much damage that one film could never fix things. It could have used more runtime to flesh stuff out, but there was so much stuff that needed to be done another film of the same or higher quality was needed to do it justice.

Empyrus · « **Reply #32 on:** 22 December 2019, 15:14:59 »

Bah, we went to this crap from the greatness of The Last Jedi?

The good stuff: Well directed, well acted, visually impressive, Ian McDiarmid is awesome.

The bad stuff: Throws away nearly all developments from The Last Jedi, largely a rehash of ROTJ and even TFA, stupid-macguffin fetch quest plot. Bad story. Too long for what happens in it. Plot holes and WTF stuff. Pointless reveals. Deus ex machina. Unsatisfying, predictable, boring ending.
Basically removing Rose from the story is bad. Poor utilization of new and returning old characters (Jannah, Lando, and yes, Palpatine) is bad.

I do prefer this to old expanded universe though. At least this is a film, plus Rogue One and Solo are good films (even if the latter's unnecessary largely), and The Mandalorian is excellent.
If only they didn't waste so much interesting stuff to comics (like Kylo Ren's backstory).

CapricornNoble · « **Reply #33 on:** 22 December 2019, 16:41:28 »

Thankfully Pitch Meetings was quick to drop a vid and savage the plotholes in his distinctive style (spoiler-heavy YT vid): https://youtu.be/b2zZFtq13c4

How is Palpatine *STAFFING* his immense fleet of Star Destroyers?

There was a cam'd clip of the final battle on YT. I couldn't even make it through half of it before wanting to throw my coffee at my monitor. Palps looks like a cyborg version of The Doctor from Hellraiser 2:

Dies Irae · « **Reply #34 on:** 22 December 2019, 19:02:10 »

Kairennosuke and the Three Shining Swords

AKA. What happens when Ichikawa Ebizo, one of Japan's most famous Kabuki actors (and huge Star Wars nerd), arm twists Disney into allowing the production of a condensed Kabuki play of Episodes 7 and 8 in late Nov (probably because he wanted to play Kylo). The video was made publicly available. Now with English subtitles.

Actual show starts at 12:14

Luciora · « **Reply #35 on:** 22 December 2019, 19:15:14 »

R2 totally seems bored there. ;D

Quote from: Dies Irae on 22 December 2019, 19:02:10

Kairennosuke and the Three Shining Swords

AKA. What happens when Ichikawa Ebizo, one of Japan's most famous Kabuki actors (and huge Star Wars nerd), arm twists Disney into allowing the production of a condensed Kabuki play of Episodes 7 and 8 in late Nov (probably because he wanted to play Kylo). The video was made publicly available. Now with English subtitles.

Actual show starts at 12:14

ANS Kamas P81 · « **Reply #36 on:** 22 December 2019, 21:52:29 »

Box office figures for the weekend are in. 175.5 million. "The “Skywalker” opening, which theater owners had hoped would debut north of $200 million, is 29% below the 2015 installment “The Force Awakens” and 20% below “The Last Jedi” from 2017." Quoted from Cinemablend, so it's hard numbers; the BIG question will the second- and third-weekend drops.

Ogra_Chief · « **Reply #37 on:** 22 December 2019, 22:27:43 »

Quote from: ANS Kamas P81 on 22 December 2019, 21:52:29

Box office figures for the weekend are in. 175.5 million. "The “Skywalker” opening, which theater owners had hoped would debut north of $200 million, is 29% below the 2015 installment “The Force Awakens” and 20% below “The Last Jedi” from 2017." Quoted from Cinemablend, so it's hard numbers; the BIG question will the second- and third-weekend drops.

I'm waiting till after Christmas to go watch, I suspect many in the American market are likely waiting as well, since Christmas falls during the middle of the week. So this initial weekend may be skewed. But, as predicted Asia, reads the Chinese market, couldn't even be bothered to turn its' collective nose at the new installment and chose Ip Man 4 (likely I would have joined them if given the choice) instead. The franchises' failure to register with the Chinese market will have ramifications for the franchise moving forward. Big budget Star Wars may be a thing of the past.

However, looks like the majority of the reviews from a cinematic perspective are positive. Since, I mainly go to the movies for the spectacle anyway, I am looking forward to the experience. Being that I have long since read all the leaks and have known the plot synopsis for a month. Any initial nostalgia shocks and plot holes will be easily glazed over with "MASSIVE SPECIAL EFFECTS."

ANS Kamas P81 · « **Reply #38 on:** 22 December 2019, 22:38:11 »

Well, we can at least confirm people who didn't go see Star Wars weren't going to see Cats instead...

Dubble_g · « **Reply #39 on:** 23 December 2019, 00:29:34 »

Well, it's over but of course it isn't. We'll be getting Star Wars until the heat death of the universe and if nothing else, this movie helped me make peace with that.

While TLJ had a lot to say (perhaps too much), I found tRoS had little it wanted to express other than "Wheee!" and sometimes "Remember this?" It's all a bit frenetic and lightspeed cuts between scenes, and none of it stands up to a single "Why?" but you know what, I'm okay with that. It's okay if the main Star Wars movies become vehicles for cosy nostalgia. We've gotten so much more Star Wars than I ever thought we would 30 years ago, in so many different media and formats and styles, I don't need them to do any more. It was just nice to see the gang, especially Carrie, one last time before the end.

Full and spoilery thoughts: https://one-way-mirror.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-rise-of-skywalker.html

garhkal · « **Reply #40 on:** 23 December 2019, 02:05:42 »

Quote from: ANS Kamas P81 on 22 December 2019, 22:38:11

Well, we can at least confirm people who didn't go see Star Wars weren't going to see Cats instead...

Couldn't really care to see Cats either..

Liam's Ghost · « **Reply #41 on:** 23 December 2019, 02:09:48 »

Quote from: CapricornNoble on 22 December 2019, 16:41:28

How is Palpatine *STAFFING* his immense fleet of Star Destroyers?

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I do like the theory Team Four Star humorously offered during their review.

Snoke clones. Just... so many Snokes.

Hellraiser · « **Reply #42 on:** 23 December 2019, 02:11:45 »

Quote from: marauder648 on 20 December 2019, 17:49:02

And there's plot holes you could fit a bloody deathstar into.

This, just so THIS.

My friend insisted we go on opening night so the theater was packed.

So I had to mostly stay quiet when all I really wanted to be doing was shouting at the screen every time something improbable that doesn't fit with any known SW history happened.

But aside from the HUGE plot holes EVERYWHERE..... My biggest complaints are the stuff I was really hoping to see that wasn't there.

More Evil Rey
More Reinforcements Fleet
More Wedge
More Ghost

I was probably expecting too much based on the previews.

Talen5000 · « **Reply #43 on:** 23 December 2019, 02:40:51 »

Quote from: Empyrus on 22 December 2019, 15:14:59

The bad stuff: Throws away nearly all developments from The Last Jedi

Just my opinion, but I consider that a very good thing. Much of what Rian Johnson did was pitiful. Had it been a standlone film, it miugth ahve worked. Had it not been part of a franchoise with established rules of how the universe works, then it might have worked. But it was not a standalone film, it was the middle film of a trilogy and it was part of a franchise which alraedy had established rules which was two strikes. The third was a pitifully poor script and story. Hamill was great...Fisher was great...Driver and Boyega had certainly improved over their TFA appearances. But I woudl p[ersonally rnak TLJ as the worst film of the nonology.

Quote

Basically removing Rose from the story is bad.

Case in point - Rose was shoehorned into act as Finns love interest, and she didn't work.

But yeah - if you did like TLJ, RoS probably ditches a lot of what you like.

Triptych · « **Reply #44 on:** 23 December 2019, 04:50:14 »

Lando (he ought to change his name to Friendo) Calrissian is probably the greatest politician ever- he was able to persuade every single starship in the galaxy to join him for a suicide attack to a hidden Sith planet in less than 20 minutes. ::)

I am Belch II · « **Reply #45 on:** 23 December 2019, 04:52:21 »

The first third was really out there to me. The middle part was better. The last part was great but a little bit of overload. The Space battle was good for the few seconds we saw it. I wish there would of been so much more of that and not as much of overload. So many many many ships. I liked the fight on the Death Star but wasn't great becuase Ray kicked Kylos butt multiple times and it reminded me of the Obi-Wan and Anikin fight just with water over lava.

If Wedge was in the movie....where???

Ruger · « **Reply #46 on:** 23 December 2019, 09:21:32 »

Quote from: I am Belch II on 23 December 2019, 04:52:21

The first third was really out there to me. The middle part was better. The last part was great but a little bit of overload. The Space battle was good for the few seconds we saw it. I wish there would of been so much more of that and not as much of overload. So many many many ships. I liked the fight on the Death Star but wasn't great becuase Ray kicked Kylos butt multiple times and it reminded me of the Obi-Wan and Anikin fight just with water over lava.

If Wedge was in the movie....where???

Wedge was a turret gunner in the Falcon. I’ll assume his wife had the other turret.

Ruger

I am Belch II · « **Reply #47 on:** 23 December 2019, 10:57:13 »

Quote from: Ruger on 23 December 2019, 09:21:32

Wedge was a turret gunner in the Falcon. I’ll assume his wife had the other turret.

Ruger

Couldnt give him a X-Wing to fly....sure he would of been old but come on. He also had a assist of 2 death stars kills

Ruger · « **Reply #48 on:** 23 December 2019, 11:53:24 »

Quote from: I am Belch II on 23 December 2019, 10:57:13

Couldnt give him a X-Wing to fly....sure he would of been old but come on. He also had a assist of 2 death stars kills

The novel, Resistance Reborn, had him and his wife Norra Wexley traveling in a shuttle to try and find/rescue other resistance sympathizers at the end.

Their son (her natural; his adopted), Temmin “Snap” Wexley, was featured prominently in both “The Force Awakens” and “The Rise of Skywalker”, as well as several novels (including as a just-below main character in the Aftermath series) and the new comics, as a Resistance X-Wing pilot at least up to the moment he is shot from behind and crashes into one of the newly risen Star Destroyers in tRoS.

Ruger

CapricornNoble · « **Reply #49 on:** 23 December 2019, 13:49:27 »

Quote from: Ruger on 23 December 2019, 11:53:24

The novel, Resistance Reborn, had him and his wife Norra Wexley traveling in a shuttle to try and find/rescue other resistance sympathizers at the end.

Their son (her natural; his adopted)

A fighter jock, and one of the most famous war heroes in the galaxy, wifed up a single mom? GTFO.....who writes this stuff?!?!?

jimdigris · « **Reply #50 on:** 23 December 2019, 14:36:41 »

Am I the only one who got motion sickness watching this movie?

Ruger · « **Reply #51 on:** 23 December 2019, 16:13:34 »

Quote from: CapricornNoble on 23 December 2019, 13:49:27

A fighter jock, and one of the most famous war heroes in the galaxy, wifed up a single mom? GTFO.....who writes this stuff?!?!?

The damage from the torture he suffered at the hands of the Empire (when he was captured by them after Endor), as well as his age (mid-50’s or so?) mean that his reflexes aren’t what they used to be.

Norra was a starfighter pilot at Endor (she flew a Y-Wing as Gold 9 and was one of those to fly into the Death Star with Wedge and Lando), and was part of the team that rescued him from captivity. She also helped defeat the Empire’s leaders at the Battle of Jakku at the cost of her husband.

Ruger

garhkal · « **Reply #52 on:** 23 December 2019, 16:36:01 »

Quote from: Triptych on 23 December 2019, 04:50:14

Lando (he ought to change his name to Friendo) Calrissian is probably the greatest politician ever- he was able to persuade every single starship in the galaxy to join him for a suicide attack to a hidden Sith planet in less than 20 minutes. ::)

Maybe he just played them all in Sabbac, and the losers had to join his suicide run?

Quote from: Ruger on 23 December 2019, 16:13:34

The damage from the torture he suffered at the hands of the Empire (when he was captured by them after Endor), as well as his age (mid-50’s or so?) mean that his reflexes aren’t what they used to be.

Come again?? Was that yet another 'disney ret-con', that wedge got captured after destroying the 2nd deathstar??

Ruger · « **Reply #53 on:** 23 December 2019, 16:42:38 »

Quote from: garhkal on 23 December 2019, 16:36:01

Come again?? Was that yet another 'disney ret-con', that wedge got captured after destroying the 2nd deathstar??

He was on a recon mission for the New Republic to the planet Akiva where Imperial forces were gathering prior to the Battle of Jakku. He was captured by these forces.

Ruger

RunandFindOut · « **Reply #54 on:** 23 December 2019, 17:53:14 »

So another retcon, which like all their retcons seems to only show up in peripheral materials they want you to buy to understand all the things they left out of the Movies that don't make sense without them.

Ruger · « **Reply #55 on:** 23 December 2019, 18:22:09 »

Quote from: RunandFindOut on 23 December 2019, 17:53:14

So another retcon, which like all their retcons seems to only show up in peripheral materials they want you to buy to understand all the things they left out of the Movies that don't make sense without them.

*response redacted due to likelihood of threadlock due to thread drift and pointless debate*

Ruger

Kentares · « **Reply #56 on:** 23 December 2019, 19:38:56 »

Quote from: RunandFindOut on 23 December 2019, 17:53:14

So another retcon, which like all their retcons seems to only show up in peripheral materials they want you to buy to understand all the things they left out of the Movies that don't make sense without them.

Not only retcons but also stuff that happens concurrently in the movies. The first cut of ROTS had 20 more minutes than the final cut (JJ said it in the Late Show or GMA - cant remember which one) and there are rumours that at one point they asked George Lucas to make his version which would make the movie almost 3 hours long... lets see if this is confirmed in the future.

RunandFindOut · « **Reply #57 on:** 23 December 2019, 19:41:14 »

Yeah lets not derail. I think I'll just leave it that I am distinctly underwhelmed by this movie as I have been with the other two sequel movies. And I don't believe I'll be bothering to give any more of my money to the Star Wars franchise as a result.

Ogra_Chief · « **Reply #58 on:** 23 December 2019, 20:05:48 »

Quote from: RunandFindOut on 23 December 2019, 17:53:14

So another retcon, which like all their retcons seems to only show up in peripheral materials they want you to buy to understand all the things they left out of the Movies that don't make sense without them.

Well in defense, plotholes requiring further explanation (retcons), it is a tried and true method of merchandising and marketing, pioneered by the Star Wars franchise, no less. What is surprising, is how aggressive or lazily Disney has done so with the recent trilogy. There are too many to be happenstance, and yet so poorly executed to be excused or tolerated for an established IP; and thus must be intentional for tie-ins, e.g. books, comics, shows, etc. one would think? Conversely, some mystery should be expected, something not new to Star Wars, and makes for better storytelling than straight exposition, but there are limits for good storytelling. IMO. I believe Disney simply underestimated the task before them. The blanked out everything preceding (40 years of material), consigning Legends to the shelves prematurely.

What Disney needed to do was keep Legends, slowly role in their retcons over the next decade, using the movies too slowly introduce their main plot/universe anchor points. Once they had 'enough' of their own material, then soft reboot, peeling away the portions the didn't want, but leaving enough material so it was a seamless transition. Then they could always hard reboot, for new stories. Instead they hard rebooted first, and now what fans know is faulty or wrong info leading to confusion and raised eyebrows. With the proverbial... "Wait, what happened? That's not what I remember?" Which contributes to the disjointed nature of the movies.

So long as fans are willing to read about Wedge's new story or dig to find out what happened to Leia before the Rise of Skywalker, Disney is good, but Disney may have started counting revenue and patting themselves on the back a little too prematurely. There may be a lot of Star Wars retcons in the near future given the 'looseness' of the current story-line. Something now required, as opposed to nice filler material.

ArkRoyalRavager · « **Reply #59 on:** 23 December 2019, 20:16:55 »

When Disney deleted EU, they said they wanted a clean slate to start from. Since then, it's just a matter of plagiarizing whatever they want from EU(and Eps I-VI) and hope their hordes of new kid fans don't realize it.

In addition to Dark Empire, RoS might as well also be KOTOR:The Movie.

At least there's still Mandalorian. I can always go back to watching R1 to console myself. It proves that if they let people who know their Star Wars stuff run things (like Favreau, Filoni, Edwards and their lore teams), they can make excellent material.