Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
-
Calamity Panfan
- Member
- Posts: 35186
- Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 1:00 am
- Location: all posters post posts
- Has thanked: 124 times
- Been thanked: 549 times
-
ScottyMcGee
- Member
- Posts: 5896
- Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:28 pm
- Location: New Jersey
- Has thanked: 154 times
- Been thanked: 147 times
- Contact:
I love participating in the collective consciousness in a movie theater. I was surprised that when I went twice there wasn't much applause or celebration in either viewing. Like I was ready right away to cheer when the opening crawl started. Like I had my hands out ready to clap. I literally uttered a syllable. And then nobody did anything and I was like "Oh. O. . Okay."
SUPER FIGHTING ROBOT
-
Valigarmander
- Member
- Posts: 51366
- Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:22 pm
- Location: World -1
- Has thanked: 119 times
- Been thanked: 508 times
- Contact:
So I've been looking into some of the politics of the galaxy that aren't explained very well in the film.
[spoiler]So following the Battle of Endor and the Emperor's death in Return of the Jedi, the Empire splinters into multiple factions. The Rebel Alliance reorganizes itself into a new government, the New Republic, and sweeps up Imperial forces throughout the galaxy to prevent them from regrouping into a larger foe once more. The New Republic's military victories, as well as shifting political alliances and popular uprisings move more and more worlds from Imperial to Republican control, culminating in the Battle of Jakku one year after Endor, resulting in a crushing defeat for the Empire.
The Empire, now retaining only a tiny fraction of its former territory, is forced to sign a concordance with the New Republic which ended the civil war, disarmed the Empire, and required them to pay heavy reparations. A number of Imperial agents fled to the galaxy's frontier, forming a new military and political organization which would become the First Order. The New Republic, believing the Empire to be effectively neutered, drastically reduced its military to a small peacekeeping force. While most in the new government see the First Order as posing little to no threat, Princess Leia disagrees and forms the Resistance as a private military organization to watch over the First Order's movements.
This is a much different picture than the one I envisioned watching the movie. The First Order is not the Galactic Empire, it's a successor state created by former Imperial officers. The Resistance is not an official component of the New Republic, it's a private organization unofficially supported by it. The First Order is not an omnipotent military force like the Empire, it's essentially a small but well-organized terrorist organization.
At least with the C-SPAN-esque politics of the prequels they actually told you what was going on.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]So following the Battle of Endor and the Emperor's death in Return of the Jedi, the Empire splinters into multiple factions. The Rebel Alliance reorganizes itself into a new government, the New Republic, and sweeps up Imperial forces throughout the galaxy to prevent them from regrouping into a larger foe once more. The New Republic's military victories, as well as shifting political alliances and popular uprisings move more and more worlds from Imperial to Republican control, culminating in the Battle of Jakku one year after Endor, resulting in a crushing defeat for the Empire.
The Empire, now retaining only a tiny fraction of its former territory, is forced to sign a concordance with the New Republic which ended the civil war, disarmed the Empire, and required them to pay heavy reparations. A number of Imperial agents fled to the galaxy's frontier, forming a new military and political organization which would become the First Order. The New Republic, believing the Empire to be effectively neutered, drastically reduced its military to a small peacekeeping force. While most in the new government see the First Order as posing little to no threat, Princess Leia disagrees and forms the Resistance as a private military organization to watch over the First Order's movements.
This is a much different picture than the one I envisioned watching the movie. The First Order is not the Galactic Empire, it's a successor state created by former Imperial officers. The Resistance is not an official component of the New Republic, it's a private organization unofficially supported by it. The First Order is not an omnipotent military force like the Empire, it's essentially a small but well-organized terrorist organization.
At least with the C-SPAN-esque politics of the prequels they actually told you what was going on.[/spoiler]
-
CaptHayfever
- Supermod
- Posts: 40614
- Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2002 1:00 am
- Location: (n) - the place where I am
- Has thanked: 1220 times
- Been thanked: 803 times
- Contact:
-
Valigarmander
- Member
- Posts: 51366
- Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:22 pm
- Location: World -1
- Has thanked: 119 times
- Been thanked: 508 times
- Contact:
-
CaptHayfever
- Supermod
- Posts: 40614
- Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2002 1:00 am
- Location: (n) - the place where I am
- Has thanked: 1220 times
- Been thanked: 803 times
- Contact:
-
The Missing Link
- Member
- Posts: 21427
- Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2000 2:00 am
- Location: New Hyrule, VIC, Australia
- Contact:
[QUOTE="Valigarmander, post: 1579249, member: 30663"]So I've been looking into some of the politics of the galaxy that aren't explained very well in the film.
[spoiler]So following the Battle of Endor and the Emperor's death in Return of the Jedi, the Empire splinters into multiple factions. The Rebel Alliance reorganizes itself into a new government, the New Republic, and sweeps up Imperial forces throughout the galaxy to prevent them from regrouping into a larger foe once more. The New Republic's military victories, as well as shifting political alliances and popular uprisings move more and more worlds from Imperial to Republican control, culminating in the Battle of Jakku one year after Endor, resulting in a crushing defeat for the Empire.
The Empire, now retaining only a tiny fraction of its former territory, is forced to sign a concordance with the New Republic which ended the civil war, disarmed the Empire, and required them to pay heavy reparations. A number of Imperial agents fled to the galaxy's frontier, forming a new military and political organization which would become the First Order. The New Republic, believing the Empire to be effectively neutered, drastically reduced its military to a small peacekeeping force. While most in the new government see the First Order as posing little to no threat, Princess Leia disagrees and forms the Resistance as a private military organization to watch over the First Order's movements.
This is a much different picture than the one I envisioned watching the movie. The First Order is not the Galactic Empire, it's a successor state created by former Imperial officers. The Resistance is not an official component of the New Republic, it's a private organization unofficially supported by it. The First Order is not an omnipotent military force like the Empire, it's essentially a small but well-organized terrorist organization.
At least with the C-SPAN-esque politics of the prequels they actually told you what was going on.[/spoiler][/QUOTE]
Wow. Wow wow wow.
Y'know, they could have explained that SO much better. I mean, yes, the prequels may have a bad story, but yes... you knew what was going on.
I read this earlier today via Facebook. I may not agree 100% on everything, but generally I agree with the core of it:
[spoiler]http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/c ... ars-851209[/spoiler]
[spoiler]So following the Battle of Endor and the Emperor's death in Return of the Jedi, the Empire splinters into multiple factions. The Rebel Alliance reorganizes itself into a new government, the New Republic, and sweeps up Imperial forces throughout the galaxy to prevent them from regrouping into a larger foe once more. The New Republic's military victories, as well as shifting political alliances and popular uprisings move more and more worlds from Imperial to Republican control, culminating in the Battle of Jakku one year after Endor, resulting in a crushing defeat for the Empire.
The Empire, now retaining only a tiny fraction of its former territory, is forced to sign a concordance with the New Republic which ended the civil war, disarmed the Empire, and required them to pay heavy reparations. A number of Imperial agents fled to the galaxy's frontier, forming a new military and political organization which would become the First Order. The New Republic, believing the Empire to be effectively neutered, drastically reduced its military to a small peacekeeping force. While most in the new government see the First Order as posing little to no threat, Princess Leia disagrees and forms the Resistance as a private military organization to watch over the First Order's movements.
This is a much different picture than the one I envisioned watching the movie. The First Order is not the Galactic Empire, it's a successor state created by former Imperial officers. The Resistance is not an official component of the New Republic, it's a private organization unofficially supported by it. The First Order is not an omnipotent military force like the Empire, it's essentially a small but well-organized terrorist organization.
At least with the C-SPAN-esque politics of the prequels they actually told you what was going on.[/spoiler][/QUOTE]
Wow. Wow wow wow.
Y'know, they could have explained that SO much better. I mean, yes, the prequels may have a bad story, but yes... you knew what was going on.
I read this earlier today via Facebook. I may not agree 100% on everything, but generally I agree with the core of it:
[spoiler]http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/c ... ars-851209[/spoiler]
Carpe Pullum Domesticum! (Seize the Cucco!) 
-
Softguitar
- Member
- Posts: 2144
- Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:56 pm
- Location: The Coffee Shop
[spoiler]This is from the novelisation: https://i.imgur.com/rv4TYMa.jpg
In the movie Kylo Ren said: "What girl?" and I think he knows Rey. I think Rey was there when Kylo Ren slaughtered all the young Padawans. For some reason he couldn't kill her and he was the one who left her on Jakku. Although she later referred the ones who left her as "family". [/spoiler]
In the movie Kylo Ren said: "What girl?" and I think he knows Rey. I think Rey was there when Kylo Ren slaughtered all the young Padawans. For some reason he couldn't kill her and he was the one who left her on Jakku. Although she later referred the ones who left her as "family". [/spoiler]
"You tried, step aside, you're denied." - Marie
-
Valigarmander
- Member
- Posts: 51366
- Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:22 pm
- Location: World -1
- Has thanked: 119 times
- Been thanked: 508 times
- Contact:
-
Calamity Panfan
- Member
- Posts: 35186
- Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 1:00 am
- Location: all posters post posts
- Has thanked: 124 times
- Been thanked: 549 times
-
Softguitar
- Member
- Posts: 2144
- Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:56 pm
- Location: The Coffee Shop
https://twitter.com/carrieffisher/statu ... 3075176448
Give her a break... I'm not even gonna talk about her.
Give her a break... I'm not even gonna talk about her.
"You tried, step aside, you're denied." - Marie
-
The Missing Link
- Member
- Posts: 21427
- Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2000 2:00 am
- Location: New Hyrule, VIC, Australia
- Contact:
^ Which is exactly what Carrie was talking about in another interview, that actresses stop getting work after 40 because they're too old and therefore don't look good enough. (This, of course, doesn't happen to men, natch, because Hollywood still thinks of leading ladies as eyecandy.) It's a completely insipid notion, but that doesn't stop the world from being the world.
Carpe Pullum Domesticum! (Seize the Cucco!)
-
I am nobody
- Member
- Posts: 13899
- Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:26 pm
- Location: -89.97814998,-42.2333493
- Has thanked: 3 times
- Been thanked: 177 times
[spoiler]
I saw it on Tuesday. More or less the same thoughts as everyone else: Fun, but clearly derivative. Other thoughts:
- I know deus ex lifesavers and absurd coincidences have always been a part of this series, but the density here was a bit much.
- I can buy a lot of Rei's magic adaptiveness, especially if they go they have an explanation for the force sensitivity, but I don't see any reason she should be able to pilot a freighter. That thing can't possibly have the same interface as the random bike-thing she'd been getting around with, and I doubt the scrapyard was letting their workers pilot spacecraft just for the hell of it. Flying a giant ship into a narrow space to lose tiny ships also seems like a bad plan.
- Why is it possible to completely disable an X-Wing with two shots from small arms, but the famously inept TIE Fighters can withstand trying to take off with their wing chained to a Star Destroyer and several seconds of fire from a full platoon at closer range?
- Unless Fin is magic, his ability to aim suggests that the real problem with Stormtroopers is that they can't see out of their helmets. I love that.
- I also like that the series has utterly jumped the shark with its space physics. Not that it was ever really trying, but there's not much room left after landing a ship at light speed and stuffing a star into a planet.
- If the empire desperately needed BBV8, why did they airstrike the town they thought he was in?
- I think the old dude that had the map to Luke more or less establishes that Rei is at least from the academy and possibly his daughter. The series has always been pretty lazy with having planetary coincidences, but putting a guy who knew Ren, magic force girl, and the map on the same planet without a connection seems a bit much.
- I'll +1 loving the newly believable saber combat.
- Since when do mind tricks not need the hand wave? Did I forget something?
[/spoiler]
I saw it on Tuesday. More or less the same thoughts as everyone else: Fun, but clearly derivative. Other thoughts:
- I know deus ex lifesavers and absurd coincidences have always been a part of this series, but the density here was a bit much.
- I can buy a lot of Rei's magic adaptiveness, especially if they go they have an explanation for the force sensitivity, but I don't see any reason she should be able to pilot a freighter. That thing can't possibly have the same interface as the random bike-thing she'd been getting around with, and I doubt the scrapyard was letting their workers pilot spacecraft just for the hell of it. Flying a giant ship into a narrow space to lose tiny ships also seems like a bad plan.
- Why is it possible to completely disable an X-Wing with two shots from small arms, but the famously inept TIE Fighters can withstand trying to take off with their wing chained to a Star Destroyer and several seconds of fire from a full platoon at closer range?
- Unless Fin is magic, his ability to aim suggests that the real problem with Stormtroopers is that they can't see out of their helmets. I love that.
- I also like that the series has utterly jumped the shark with its space physics. Not that it was ever really trying, but there's not much room left after landing a ship at light speed and stuffing a star into a planet.
- If the empire desperately needed BBV8, why did they airstrike the town they thought he was in?
- I think the old dude that had the map to Luke more or less establishes that Rei is at least from the academy and possibly his daughter. The series has always been pretty lazy with having planetary coincidences, but putting a guy who knew Ren, magic force girl, and the map on the same planet without a connection seems a bit much.
- I'll +1 loving the newly believable saber combat.
- Since when do mind tricks not need the hand wave? Did I forget something?
[/spoiler]
-
Calamity Panfan
- Member
- Posts: 35186
- Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 1:00 am
- Location: all posters post posts
- Has thanked: 124 times
- Been thanked: 549 times
-
Valigarmander
- Member
- Posts: 51366
- Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:22 pm
- Location: World -1
- Has thanked: 119 times
- Been thanked: 508 times
- Contact:
-
Apiary Tazy
- Member
- Posts: 29598
- Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2000 1:00 am
- Location: Flipping a Switch
- Has thanked: 41 times
- Been thanked: 173 times
- Contact:
[QUOTE="The Mistletoeing Link, post: 1579465, member: 19860"]^ Which is exactly what Carrie was talking about in another interview, that actresses stop getting work after 40 because they're too old and therefore don't look good enough. (This, of course, doesn't happen to men, natch, because Hollywood still thinks of leading ladies as eyecandy.) It's a completely insipid notion, but that doesn't stop the world from being the world.[/QUOTE]
I appreciate that this hasn't been happening as much, with Sigourney Weaver and Meryl Streep still getting starring roles. To be fair, Carrie dropped off the mainstream radar after Star Wars and she's had more than a few rough times in her life. I guess some people were shocked to see her so old so suddenly, since Harrison Ford's been keeping a leading role in movies for years and Mark Hamil's been voice acting as the Joker this whole time.
I appreciate that this hasn't been happening as much, with Sigourney Weaver and Meryl Streep still getting starring roles. To be fair, Carrie dropped off the mainstream radar after Star Wars and she's had more than a few rough times in her life. I guess some people were shocked to see her so old so suddenly, since Harrison Ford's been keeping a leading role in movies for years and Mark Hamil's been voice acting as the Joker this whole time.
-
Valigarmander
- Member
- Posts: 51366
- Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:22 pm
- Location: World -1
- Has thanked: 119 times
- Been thanked: 508 times
- Contact:
[/spoiler]
-
ScottyMcGee
- Member
- Posts: 5896
- Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2006 10:28 pm
- Location: New Jersey
- Has thanked: 154 times
- Been thanked: 147 times
- Contact:
^
[SPOILER]
The main problem I have with Rey being Obi-wan's granddaughter or whatever is that it would ruin Obi-wan's character as the celibate mentor. It's like "Well, ****, Obi-wan, you were worked up about Anakin screwing around? Look who's talking." I think Obi-wan fans are just hoping to find some semblance of him again in the sequel trilogy. I mean, the guy died in A New Hope - his effect on the plot is pretty much over. It SHOULD be over. Obi-wan really represented the prequel trilogy.
[/SPOILER]
[QUOTE="The Mistletoeing Link, post: 1579265, member: 19860"]Wow. Wow wow wow.
Y'know, they could have explained that SO much better. I mean, yes, the prequels may have a bad story, but yes... you knew what was going on.
I read this earlier today via Facebook. I may not agree 100% on everything, but generally I agree with the core of it:
[spoiler]http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/c ... ars-851209[/spoiler][/QUOTE]
That awkward moment when suddenly the prequels make a bit more sense. Lucas always labeled Star Wars as a "space opera"; like, since the very beginning. Which is true, in a sense. It's all about a family. I feel bad for Lucas. I really do. He's a good guy in the end; I've watched many of his interviews and speeches. He's just a bad screenwriter. You know, there's story, plot and screenwriting. They're all different. Lucas knows how to make a story but falters at the details of the plot and the screenwriting. If only Kasdan was on board for the prequels then we probably wouldn't be having this discussion, but Kasdan backed out to do other stuff.
[SPOILER]
The main problem I have with Rey being Obi-wan's granddaughter or whatever is that it would ruin Obi-wan's character as the celibate mentor. It's like "Well, ****, Obi-wan, you were worked up about Anakin screwing around? Look who's talking." I think Obi-wan fans are just hoping to find some semblance of him again in the sequel trilogy. I mean, the guy died in A New Hope - his effect on the plot is pretty much over. It SHOULD be over. Obi-wan really represented the prequel trilogy.
[/SPOILER]
[QUOTE="The Mistletoeing Link, post: 1579265, member: 19860"]Wow. Wow wow wow.
Y'know, they could have explained that SO much better. I mean, yes, the prequels may have a bad story, but yes... you knew what was going on.
I read this earlier today via Facebook. I may not agree 100% on everything, but generally I agree with the core of it:
[spoiler]http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/c ... ars-851209[/spoiler][/QUOTE]
That awkward moment when suddenly the prequels make a bit more sense. Lucas always labeled Star Wars as a "space opera"; like, since the very beginning. Which is true, in a sense. It's all about a family. I feel bad for Lucas. I really do. He's a good guy in the end; I've watched many of his interviews and speeches. He's just a bad screenwriter. You know, there's story, plot and screenwriting. They're all different. Lucas knows how to make a story but falters at the details of the plot and the screenwriting. If only Kasdan was on board for the prequels then we probably wouldn't be having this discussion, but Kasdan backed out to do other stuff.
SUPER FIGHTING ROBOT
