Star Wars thread of great justice!
- Thread starter Tyrant
- Start date
LeHah
212 Squadron - "The Old Man's Eyes And Ears"
I actually really like The Phantom Menace more than most people I know. Its fun, its innocent and it has this strange thing about it - as if there is some unused or burried commentary. Slaves are happy and clean, the Jedi live in an ivory tower, Anakin has the beginning of an Oedipus complex, etc.
But then, I may just be reading too much into it all.
As for the novel, I found it too simplisticly written and not to my tastes. That isn't to say someone else can't enjoy it but it didn't click with me at all.
Dundradal
Frog Blast the Vent Core!
I agree, the novel was alright and did add some nice things, but overall it was so-so.
I'd have to agree with you there. I didn't find the movie so bad, I actually fail to see the problem.
Cheers,
Red Coat
Raptor_Pilot
Rear Admiral
The only thing about Phantom Menace that I didn't like was Jar Jar was too damn annoying. Other than that the movie was great. I actually like the way it was made better than EP 2 and 3. The story flows more like the old movies which I think is better than the other two.
Episode 2 seemed to slow down and speed up randomly, and Episode 3 just seemed to rush all the way to the end. However Ep 1 had the nice buildup to the finish that defines a great movie. Just delete JarJar and you have the second best Starwars movie made... Aside from Empire Strikes Back. Yes I said it!! Empire is the best!!
On topic: I change my mind. The TIE Defender now rules!! Play Empire at War Forces of Corruption. The TIE Defender owns everything! A few squads of Defenders take down capships, fighters, space stations, anything you throw them at!
Episode 2 seemed to slow down and speed up randomly, and Episode 3 just seemed to rush all the way to the end. However Ep 1 had the nice buildup to the finish that defines a great movie. Just delete JarJar and you have the second best Starwars movie made... Aside from Empire Strikes Back. Yes I said it!! Empire is the best!!
On topic: I change my mind. The TIE Defender now rules!! Play Empire at War Forces of Corruption. The TIE Defender owns everything! A few squads of Defenders take down capships, fighters, space stations, anything you throw them at!
LeHah
212 Squadron - "The Old Man's Eyes And Ears"
Everyone complains about Jar Jar - but no one can explain why he's annoying, given that he's just the prequel's answer to the C-3PO role from the original movies.
If anything, the Anakin characterization is way more insulting.
Bandit LOAF
Long Live the Confederation!
I've heard you say that before and I'm not quite sure what you mean. C3PO wasn't straight comic relief in the original trilogy -- that didn't happen until Episode II...
I'd like to defend Jar Jar, but I really can't. People hate him for a bad reason, because he doesn't fit with their post-modern sensibilities... but at the same time I can't stand up and say that they're wrong and that he's actually really entertaining. As much as I hate the 'I'm too cool for that!' (or, far, far worse: 'Star Wars is too cool for that!') attitude, I still cringe at the fart joke and then getting his tongue stuck in the Podracer.
That said, my biggest problem with Jar-Jar is that he isn't in Attack of the Clones or Revenge of the Sith. George Lucas clearly created him as one of the prequel's main characters and was then bullied into putting him into the background in the ensuing stories by a cynical generation-internet. That doesn't sit well with me, lame as the character was - because it disrupts all other theories that the prequels (and the altered original movies) are the way they are because George Lucas was pursuing his own personal vision.
I'd like to defend Jar Jar, but I really can't. People hate him for a bad reason, because he doesn't fit with their post-modern sensibilities... but at the same time I can't stand up and say that they're wrong and that he's actually really entertaining. As much as I hate the 'I'm too cool for that!' (or, far, far worse: 'Star Wars is too cool for that!') attitude, I still cringe at the fart joke and then getting his tongue stuck in the Podracer.
That said, my biggest problem with Jar-Jar is that he isn't in Attack of the Clones or Revenge of the Sith. George Lucas clearly created him as one of the prequel's main characters and was then bullied into putting him into the background in the ensuing stories by a cynical generation-internet. That doesn't sit well with me, lame as the character was - because it disrupts all other theories that the prequels (and the altered original movies) are the way they are because George Lucas was pursuing his own personal vision.
LeHah
212 Squadron - "The Old Man's Eyes And Ears"
The "How rude!" joke aside, Jar Jar and 3PO both have the same sense of ... comic inevitibility. I'm sure there is some acting word for it but since I'm not an actor, I don't know what it is.
Basically, things happen to them instead of them doing something. They don't affect their enviroment so much as the enviroment affects them and in a comedic fashion.
And while C-3PO wasn't really deligated to broad comic relief until Episode II - who didn't laugh when he was shooing the mynock away or had his head put on backwards in ESB?
I don't find him entertaining either, even if half of his material is recycled from classic silent movies and slapstick Marx Brothers stuff. He is, however, a lesser insult given that he has no effect on the original trilogy whatsoever.
The same can not be said of Anakin, who apparently was just a whiney brat with an Oedipus complex. Way to break down your supposed mythos, Lucas.
Give Lucas this - he gave fans a legitimate reason to hate Jar Jar, in that he was the one who nominated Palpatine into power.
Mekt-Hakkikt
Mpanty's bane
I have to admit that I like The Phantom Menace best of all the three new movies. And I don't despise Jar-Jar as most seem to do. I think he had funny ears. But C3PO in Episode II is just awful, really awful in my opinion.
I like Episode a bit more than when I saw it at the cinema, now that I have seen Clone Wars.
But C3PO in Episode II is just awful, really awful in my opinion.I like Episode a bit more than when I saw it at the cinema, now that I have seen Clone Wars.
I dont realy like Episode 1, mostly because, well... dunno, something really didnt seem right about it. Armed though with reflection, though, I find I like The Phantom Menace, stupid ass Jar-jar aside. I think LeHah would agree with me, in that Episode 1 was superior to Episode II, which did seem random at... uh... everywhere.
Also, Episode 6 was my favorite OT movie, because, contrary to popular belief, Ewoks, yet again armed with persctive, arent bad at all, and maybe even halfway tasteful.(All IMO)
Also, Episode 6 was my favorite OT movie, because, contrary to popular belief, Ewoks, yet again armed with persctive, arent bad at all, and maybe even halfway tasteful.(All IMO)
LeHah
212 Squadron - "The Old Man's Eyes And Ears"
As much as I love Star Wars (which is to say, I think its the single biggest influence on my life in terms of how I view movies, music and much of the world around me), Episode II was not a good movie. Even thinking about it makes me cringe just a little. Ten years ago, I'd have never thought this possible for anything Star Wars.
I use to blame the editor - Ben Burtt did a subpar job with the visual pace as well as the sound mix (Sound effects up, music down) which was especially annoying given the very fluid, very well assembled Phantom Menace.
But I think the real problem in this case is George Lucas's screenplay - I can tell you what happens in Episode I but not Episode II. Anakin and Obi-Wan stop an assassination of Senator Amidala on Coruscant and then put her in hiding while... Obi-Wan goes looking for clones and Anakin and ...
Yeah, I don't think it can be done easily.
Edfilho
Cry some more!
I find all three prequel movies a mess. Like LeHah said, the script is probably to blame. And it gets worse with each new movie. It's like we're watching only every odd scene, leaving the even one out.
The original trilogy had a much better pacing, and emulated the whole "old serial movie adventure" thing a lot better.
And LeHah, even though 3PO had a few things in similar with Jar-Jar, he had some differences too. Anyway, I really love a good Marx Brothers movie, but Jar-Jar was way too silly and stupid. I dislike him not because I'm too cool or anything like that, but just because he was stupid. 3PO was a comic relief in the sense that he was an uptight do-it-by-the-book and cowardly character thrust into a world of adventures completely opposite to what he would wish. The things that happened to him were funny because he was the straight man, the odd one out. His shooing of the mynoc was funny because he was acting like a british homeowner shooing a pidgeon. 3PO was less a robot and more the "common man". A clerk, maybe.
Jar-Jar, on the other hand, was a silly reject from a "Barney the Purple Dinosaur" copycat show. he was purely and absurdly stupid. And his voice, mannerisms, corporal language, everything was definitely annoying.
The original trilogy had a much better pacing, and emulated the whole "old serial movie adventure" thing a lot better.
And LeHah, even though 3PO had a few things in similar with Jar-Jar, he had some differences too. Anyway, I really love a good Marx Brothers movie, but Jar-Jar was way too silly and stupid. I dislike him not because I'm too cool or anything like that, but just because he was stupid. 3PO was a comic relief in the sense that he was an uptight do-it-by-the-book and cowardly character thrust into a world of adventures completely opposite to what he would wish. The things that happened to him were funny because he was the straight man, the odd one out. His shooing of the mynoc was funny because he was acting like a british homeowner shooing a pidgeon. 3PO was less a robot and more the "common man". A clerk, maybe.
Jar-Jar, on the other hand, was a silly reject from a "Barney the Purple Dinosaur" copycat show. he was purely and absurdly stupid. And his voice, mannerisms, corporal language, everything was definitely annoying.
LeHah
212 Squadron - "The Old Man's Eyes And Ears"
There is more going on with the Prequels than the original movies. This isn't to say that they're better - but there is a lot more detail involved. Sadly, not all of it is done properly which is the ultimate failing of Episodes I through III.
Personally, I think thats because the Prequels were based on what made Star Wars great - while Star Wars was based on what made Republic Serials / The Dam Busters / Westerns / Chop Socky Movies / Swashbucklers great.
Their function in story (at least in the case of Jar Jar in Episode I) is the same, its the quality of writing that is different.
Raptor_Pilot
Rear Admiral
For Ep 1:
The reason Jar Jar is annoying to me, is he's in almost every scene, yet he contributes nothing to the film aside from some supposedly funny comic relief. I can't blame Lucas for writing in some stuff for the little kids to enjoy but he didn't need to throw it in our face at every oppourtunity.
Example:
"We better keep a low profile"
(Insert JarJar attracting attention)
"Don't touch the energy bindings"
(Insert JarJar sticking his head in the energy binding)
(Serious conversation/plot movement happening)
(Insert JarJar doing something funny)
The list goes on. I can appreciate comic relief in a movie, but it's done at every oppourtunity until it becomes downright annoying and subtracts from the timing of the movie. It was a noble purpose, seeing if a cgi character can be added to the movie on the same level as the real actors, but they simply overdid it.
I'm not saying JarJar should have been cut from the movie, but I do believe the movie would have been better if we saw less from him. He has more screen time than any other character in the movie except for Annakin.
But enough of flaming the movies. TIE DEFENDERS ROCK!!! and give props to the A wing. Those things chew Tie Fighters to shreds and ask for seconds.
The reason Jar Jar is annoying to me, is he's in almost every scene, yet he contributes nothing to the film aside from some supposedly funny comic relief. I can't blame Lucas for writing in some stuff for the little kids to enjoy but he didn't need to throw it in our face at every oppourtunity.
Example:
"We better keep a low profile"
(Insert JarJar attracting attention)
"Don't touch the energy bindings"
(Insert JarJar sticking his head in the energy binding)
(Serious conversation/plot movement happening)
(Insert JarJar doing something funny)
The list goes on. I can appreciate comic relief in a movie, but it's done at every oppourtunity until it becomes downright annoying and subtracts from the timing of the movie. It was a noble purpose, seeing if a cgi character can be added to the movie on the same level as the real actors, but they simply overdid it.
I'm not saying JarJar should have been cut from the movie, but I do believe the movie would have been better if we saw less from him. He has more screen time than any other character in the movie except for Annakin.
But enough of flaming the movies. TIE DEFENDERS ROCK!!! and give props to the A wing. Those things chew Tie Fighters to shreds and ask for seconds.
Always loved in TIE Fighter flying against the Rebellion and wiping out masses of Rebel fighters. TIE Defenders were by far my favourite, they were everything I hoped for, a TIE with lots of lasers/ion cannons, all right manouverability at least, tractor beam, plenty of missiles, hyperdrive, shields and a TIE style cockpit.
So much fun to fly in the game. Only problem is now trying to get it to work on a newer computer with USB joystick support. Used to be able to play it on an old Pentium 90 down at my Grandmother's house with an old gameport joystick, but the joystick has since bugged up and now wishes me to turn to the right all the time.
Cheers,
Red Coat
It was quite good, they were always my favourite ship to kill in TIE Fighter, particularly when you're this weak little thing exactly like a TIE/LN with no shields and only two laser cannons.
By the way, you live where I was born...insanity! (Don't know why I added that in)
But my favourite rebel craft would probably be the X-Wing too. Its just so classic. A-Wings were fun to fly too. Come to think of it, all the Rebel fighters were fun to fly in the games, but later on I sided with the Empire.
Long Live the Empire...or whats left of it after the movies, haha!
Cheers,
Red Coat