Animavore, you liked the third one? I was quite disappointed (guess I shouldn't have been, after the first two movies). Anakin's whole change, his fall from grace, if you will, didn't convince me (although they could have done a worse job on it, I admit), and what really bugged me was the ending. "Screw the republic, we're the empire now, let's build that big round spaceship (and never mind the giant gravitational pull), that's Luke, and that's Leia, and, oh, crap, their mother just died, hello, Lord Vader", all crammed into the last few minutes.

The worst thing about all three "new" movies was the droids. I did like the idea of battle robots, and I even sort of liked the design (except for the whole "eye-thing"), but it really ruined it for me that they were talking and even behaving like human beings. I mean, screaming and shouting, and dialogs like "Hey, what was that sound?" - "Probably nothing." between to robots... Seriously?

Sorry for the rant, trying to keep myself from learning about neurology (with success, I have to say).

Last movie I watched, at least parts of it, was "Idiocracy". Funny as hell, but I only have it in German. Can't imagine how funny it would be in English...

Lizard_King wrote:Animavore, you liked the third one? I was quite disappointed (guess I shouldn't have been, after the first two movies). Anakin's whole change, his fall from grace, if you will, didn't convince me (although they could have done a worse job on it, I admit), and what really bugged me was the ending. "Screw the republic, we're the empire now, let's build that big round spaceship (and never mind the giant gravitational pull), that's Luke, and that's Leia, and, oh, crap, their mother just died, hello, Lord Vader", all crammed into the last few minutes.

The worst thing about all three "new" movies was the droids. I did like the idea of battle robots, and I even sort of liked the design (except for the whole "eye-thing"), but it really ruined it for me that they were talking and even behaving like human beings. I mean, screaming and shouting, and dialogs like "Hey, what was that sound?" - "Probably nothing." between to robots... Seriously?

I thought that was a bit of comic relief.

I prefer the old movies, and I remember when they came out the first time, it was ama-zing! The first time a movie started straight out without all the credits. I still think that is one of the greatest movies ever.

The new ones are good enough but the age is ridiculous. 17 year old Anakin becoming Darth Vader in the last minute of the movie. I would've liked them to be a little older, but then I suppose things are different on other planets, in another world. I like fighting Yoda. I can't find the YouTube video of Yoda fighting in the Clone Wars.

Last movie I watched, at least parts of it, was "Idiocracy". Funny as hell, but I only have it in German. Can't imagine how funny it would be in English...

Idiocracy is funny.

Lizard_King wrote:Animavore, you liked the third one? I was quite disappointed (guess I shouldn't have been, after the first two movies). Anakin's whole change, his fall from grace, if you will, didn't convince me (although they could have done a worse job on it, I admit), and what really bugged me was the ending. "Screw the republic, we're the empire now, let's build that big round spaceship (and never mind the giant gravitational pull), that's Luke, and that's Leia, and, oh, crap, their mother just died, hello, Lord Vader", all crammed into the last few minutes.

No. I said it was "ok". It didn't bore me and had nice colours and good action. I wasn't convinced by it. I just said in comparison to The Phantom Menace, a film that when I watched I could barely tear my face from my palm, it was decent enough.

Animavore wrote:

Lizard_King wrote:Animavore, you liked the third one? I was quite disappointed (guess I shouldn't have been, after the first two movies). Anakin's whole change, his fall from grace, if you will, didn't convince me (although they could have done a worse job on it, I admit), and what really bugged me was the ending. "Screw the republic, we're the empire now, let's build that big round spaceship (and never mind the giant gravitational pull), that's Luke, and that's Leia, and, oh, crap, their mother just died, hello, Lord Vader", all crammed into the last few minutes.

No. I said it was "ok". It didn't bore me and had nice colours and good action. I wasn't convinced by it. I just said in comparison to The Phantom Menace, a film that when I watched I could barely tear my face from my palm, it was decent enough.

Phantom Menace was my favourite out of all six star wars films. Basically no one agrees with me, which makes me think something is seriously wrong with my tastes.

I'm starting to prefer the Attack of the Clones one but thats due to Natalie Portman in tight white clothes and nothing else.

I'm watching In the Line of Fire, The acting is brilliant.

Hm, quite a few replies here.

I agree, Agrippina, fighting Yoda was pretty cool, in a funny way. But still cool.

Sorry, Animavore, didn't want to imply anything. Just wanted to waste some time ranting about old movies, and I needed a good beginning.

I think the movies had a lot of potential, but they didn't make anything of it. Too much funny happy-go-lucky-Jar-Jar-Binks-stuff.
Attack of the Clones was fairly good, I think, not so much because of Natalie Portman in tight white clothes (oh well, that might be a reason as well), but rather because of the battle sequence in the end, between the clone troopers and the droids. That was fun to look at. Wish it had been longer...

Iron Man 2

The standard approach to sequels of action films (even, or especially) if they're comic-book-hero movies, is to rely on the wholly fucking stupid approach of "bigger is better". IM2 doesn't do that, and it's all to the good.

Iron Man was never really a comic aimed at the male teen demographic anyway, not once Stan Lee had got his shit together and realised that he had some decent shit to say. Iron Man was always more about a mortal man dealing with the shit that life throws at him as he ages. New challenges, in new ways he hasn't had to deal with, be they external or internal. The realisation that you're going to die, eventually, and the exploration of whether you do that heroically or or not, and how your actions could be perceived in such a context. Whilst still being a man-boy, which is what we are, let's be honest.

Iron Man 2 is pretty good... it has few major flaws and a larger number of triumphs. It's not perfect by any measure. But it's a well-made successor to Iron Man.

Mickey Rourke does a sterling job. I'm not as convinced about the bloke who plays Hammer, or the whole S.H.I.E.L.D. thing (much as I like Sam Jackson). On the whole, though, I didn't think it was shit. Which might count for something.

Agrippina wrote:
I prefer the old movies, and I remember when they came out the first time, it was ama-zing! The first time a movie started straight out without all the credits. I still think that is one of the greatest movies ever.

The new ones are good enough but the age is ridiculous. 17 year old Anakin becoming Darth Vader in the last minute of the movie. I would've liked them to be a little older, but then I suppose things are different on other planets, in another world. I like fighting Yoda. I can't find the YouTube video of Yoda fighting in the Clone Wars.

I'l admit to not having seen the three most recent Star Wars movies. However, I still have a question about them: How is someone supposed to watch the series if they have never seen any of the movies before? i.e. in what order? Do you watch them in the order they were released (4,5,6,1,2,3)? Or in the chronological order of the events presented (1,2,3,4,5,6,)? Neither seems to really work. If you watch them chronologically, then the great surprise at the end of #6 (Return of the Jedi) is spoiled. However, my understanding is that the end of Revenge of the Sith is a real downer and only functions as a lead in to A New Hope, rather than as a satisfying conclusion in itself, so the other way doesn't really work, either.

I enjoyed the Star Wars prequels for what they were. There was a lot of good lightsaber fight coordination that wasn't seen in the original trilogy, pod racing, ship battles, and Yoda in action.
I don't think they should've dedicated a whole movie to child Anakin (among other things... most of which you've all mentioned). It should've just been a small portion of the 1st movie, then, cut to a few years later... or maybe find a way to mix in the back story with flashbacks or something.

Anyway, it's not like the original trilogy had a great story going for it anyway. It was a patchwork of various mythology and history, and was weak in certain areas, ie. Why didn't they tell Luke that Vader was his father? Finding out the way Luke did could've been detrimental. Plus, aren't the Jedi supposed to be good? Why all the deception?
The Stormtroopers are supposed to be precise (Obi Wan said so), yet in reality, they're just mooks who can't shoot for shit.
I can go on and on picking out flaws in the original.

My third movie today: Sister Act

anthroban wrote:They told the truth and were good - from a certain point of view.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking How could the Millenium Falcon make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs when a parsec is a unit of distance? Go on, ask it. Make my day.

That's slithery lawyer-speak.

Plus, in certain people's point of view, the Jedi are evil.

I'm a Star Wars geek lite. I haven't gotten much into the Expanded Universe (Though, I have read a few wiki articles on it.) or bought the toys or anything like that, but I've watched the 2 trilogies more than once.

I enjoyed the sort-of tragic inevitability at the end of Revenge Of The Sith, which is not spoiled but enhanced by knowing where it's heading. But it was too long, too much leaden talk in the first half.

And that guy who played Darth Maul in the first of the new ones, he was good: character exposition through motion. Same when he was Toad in the X-Men stuff.

Just changing the subject for a minute.

Do any of you remember this: The Karate Kid.

I found something out this week, the Karate Kid grown up is also the guy who played Ugly Betty's sister, Hilda's politician boyfriend. Interesting.

Agrippina wrote:My third movie today: Sister Act

You seem to be on a roll today!

natselrox wrote:

Agrippina wrote:My third movie today: Sister Act

You seem to be on a roll today!

I have my moments. Summer is really dragging on and on, the sun has moved into it's winter position which means that it shines on my study window from about 11 a.m. Normally it would be very pleasant but because we are having an extra long summer, it makes my study really hot. So I move to the air-conditioned area to cool off and then I put my feet up and watch TV. I just happened to find interesting movies today. This will probably go on until I can be comfortable in there again.

Lizard_King wrote:Animavore, you liked the third one? I was quite disappointed (guess I shouldn't have been, after the first two movies). Anakin's whole change, his fall from grace, if you will, didn't convince me (although they could have done a worse job on it, I admit), and what really bugged me was the ending. "Screw the republic, we're the empire now, let's build that big round spaceship (and never mind the giant gravitational pull), that's Luke, and that's Leia, and, oh, crap, their mother just died, hello, Lord Vader", all crammed into the last few minutes.

I agree, that was rather awkward. I think Revenge of the Sith should have seen Anakin turn into Darth Vader at least half way through, because seriously, we want more Vader, less Anakin. Those final few minutes, that should have been the movie.

On a side note I have to say I liked Episode II: Attack of the Clones. I really did. I know the whole romance thing was crap, but I don't watch Star Wars for the romance, I watch it for the action, which Episode II delivered. The big climactic battle was pretty spectacular, and that's all I care about.

Actually now that I think of it, I think that Attack of the Clones should have been Episode I. I mean what happens in The Phantom Menace? Anakin becomes Obi-Wan's apprentice. That's the only thing that happens there that actually matters to the story at large, and they could have squeezed that into the beginning of the Clone War. Then Episode II could have been about the War proper (more battles!) and the steady fall of the Republic, then Episode III would be free to have a lot more Vader and the beginnings of the Empire.

I agree. The whole romance thing was total BS. Anakin should have been older in The Phantom Menace, and the whole cutesy thing between him and Amydala could have been just one encounter than led to an accidental pregnancy. There really could have been a lot more war and a lot less kissy-face.

Instead of trying to cater to a new demographic of children, Lucas should've made a darker and edgier prequel series for the original fans (who are now older).

Mac_Guffin wrote:Instead of trying to cater to a new demographic of children, Lucas should've made a darker and edgier prequel series for the original fans (who are now older).

That would have been a sight to behold.
Then again, Star Wars is - and always was - just High Fantasy set in space, nothing less, nothing more. "Dark and gritty" doesn't come into that genre easily.