Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

[anyanka323]

There wasn't much on this video but I am in complete agreement... or complete befuddlement, if you will... about fans who want to get spoilers. And this is become a rather common trait within modern fandom. So-called "fans" of Twin Peaks and The Walking Dead have even taken to spying on sets and taking iPhone videos of scenes that will happen, and other fans are clamoring over it because apparently it's better to experience those moments now through Wally Rodgers' Vine video than it would be to wait it out and experience it watching the show as the creators intended. I don't get it. The worst part about it is it forces us fans who don't want to view spoilers to avoid populated social areas of the internet of people with common interests because most of them do not care about spoiling it for people who don't want to be spoiled. I don't get it...

I'd add Game of Thrones to that list as well.  The amount of spoiler material, even through most of it isn't all the precise and very speculative in nature, that is on the internet for season 6 is quite a bit compared to previous seasons.  The most revealing bit prior to this year was the long distance photos from Croatia of Peter Dinklage and Emilia Clarke in the arena for season 5, which spoiled a key plot change from the books.  The Kit Harrington Hair Watch is a case in point.  I've started avoiding the fan sites and GOT subreddit because of the spoilers being posted via images from the various sets. 

 

I can't wait to go the movie on the 17th being nearly unspoiled.  I hope that most fans will try to avoid posting more than general reviews that don't give away too much prior until Monday or Tuesday.  It's probably for the best that TFA is being released nearly simultaneously worldwide to avoid too many plot details being spoiled by viewers who saw it internationally prior to the American release.  There was a thread on the movies subreddit on Reddit from a British viewer that gave a detailed, spoiler filled review of Spectre.  The wikipedia entry was also complete with full plot before the American release.  The twist was rather obvious from both the casting and being aware of that certain rights issues had been settled, but it was irritating. 

[Macbeth]

I thought you saw the movie twice and was so nervous that I was going to have to avoid the internet entirely for 11 days.

 

I apologize Absnow54.   I will edit my post so it is clear I am talking about a commercial.  Since seeing I wrote my post - I saw another commercial that featured stormtroopers.  Disney must be stopped.

[Eyes High]

Los Angeles article on the women of The Force Awakens. I think there are spoilers.

 

That's just how thin people's faces age, when I dropped a bunch of weight I lost it in my face first and looked sharper/waxy. It's why Courtney Cox talked about how actresses had to decide if they wanted a good ass or a good face,

 

I disagree, but we'll have to leave it at that.

[DollEyes]

The December 14th issue of Time has a TFA Cover Story with BB-8 on the cover that features an in-depth, slightly spoilery  article & some great photos by Marco Gelb, including one of Mark Hamill-whoever he is.

[Ronin Jackson]

I'm not one to fight through crowds to be the first to see a movie, but I also know I'll have to go into hiding to avoid spoilers once the movie is released until I actually see it (obviously I'll stay away from this thread after the 17th)... I thought an early Monday morning 2D screening (the 21st) might not be too nuts... I tried to order advance tickets at theater with reserve seating and there were only seats left in the front row! I know it's near Christmas and all but damn! I wound up getting the tickets at a theater without reserve seating so I'm going to have to fight off crowds anyway. 

[Kromm]

The Chinese Trailer for the movie came out and there's about 20-30 seconds of new material in it. 
 

For those who feel they've already seen too much footage, don't press play.  Everyone else?  Go ahead.  I will say that there's nothing TRULY spoilery, a lot of it is just minor extensions of scenes we've already seen.  Oh. there's one major new thing with Han Solo.  But really seeing it, while neat, is no big surprise either.

In a nutshell the way things are sequenced here

you can tell Han is the way, directly the way, that Rey and Finn get off Jakku (that planet where we see her and Finn running around on while that outpost is being attacked). 

 

Edited December 10, 2015 by Kromm

[revbfc]

Glad to know that spoilers haven't infiltrated this board yet. The only one I needed was that the movie is supposedly awesome, so I can rest easy now.

[Danny Franks]

Glad to know that spoilers haven't infiltrated this board yet. The only one I needed was that the movie is supposedly awesome, so I can rest easy now.

 

Agreed. I'm not seeing it until Monday, so will have to stay away from the likes of io9 and SciFiNow, and probably even more mainstream sites as well. This is the first thing I'll have watched in awhile where I'm going in completely unspoiled, and that's almost as exciting as the movie itself. I've not watched any of the TV spots or behind the scenes clips or promotional stuff. Only the trailers.

 

I could hope that the 12A rating will keep the hordes of children away, but I know it won't. Hopefully they can just keep their yaps shut while the movie is on.

[revbfc]

Agreed. I'm not seeing it until Monday, so will have to stay away from the likes of io9 and SciFiNow, and probably even more mainstream sites as well. This is the first thing I'll have watched in awhile where I'm going in completely unspoiled, and that's almost as exciting as the movie itself. I've not watched any of the TV spots or behind the scenes clips or promotional stuff. Only the trailers.

I could hope that the 12A rating will keep the hordes of children away, but I know it won't. Hopefully they can just keep their yaps shut while the movie is on.

I don't have that kind of fortitude. I'm going to a Thursday, 7pm screening.

[Spartan Girl]

I'm going on Sunday, but I'm really starting to regret it because there's no way I can last til then.  But I really don't want to spoil the movie for myself so...

[Ronin Jackson]

I think it's getting close to avoiding the internet time. I also have to make it last until Monday. I saw some of the tweets and they were already slightly spoilerish (I have an exceedingly low threshhold). 

[VCRTracking]

Don't plan on seeing it until Saturday and I'm also avoiding the internet until then. See you all next week so we can talk about the movie!

[millennium]

I saw the first Star Wars when it came out back in the 70s.   The really great thing about it was that it arrived without commercial fanfare.   It showed up like any other summer movie, but in a very short time everybody knew about it through word of mouth.  

 

I have been so inundated by Star Wars-themed commercials (several milking the "I am your father" theme) and absurd tie-in promotions these past several weeks that I don't care if I never see this latest installment.    What a turnoff.   The movie itself feels anti-climactic.

 

Fuck you, Disney.

[millennium]

Another thing: why is everyone so jazzed about this movie?

 

If I recall, the last installment featuring Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker really sucked.   Ewoks.   Remember them?   And the inexplicable rehash of the first movie's plot -- destroy the Death Star AGAIN.   It was pretty awful.   

 

The chapters since then have been mediocre, if not outright bad.

 

I'm just not feeling it.

[SnoGirl]

Now that all the reviews are coming out, I'm also stepping off the internet. Like you Spartan Girl, I'm seeing it on Sunday and wish I had gotten tickets for Friday night! I'm relatively unspoiled and I'm afraid I won't be able to resist the dark side of spoilers once they hit the Internet.

However, my Father would have murdered me if I went without him. My little sister would have done the same, so I had to wait until they both were done free from work to go. So off the internet I flee until Sunday morning! For all those who are seeing it before then, I can't wait to chat with you about it!!

[revbfc]

You have an uphill battle. One site ran a huge spoiler RIGHT IN THE HEADLINE of a Star Wars article. I wasn't even looking for SW stuff, I was just reading articles about this real world we inhabit and the headline was on the related articles bar. Not cool. Better be lying.

Edited December 15, 2015 by revbfc

[BatmanBeatles]

Another thing: why is everyone so jazzed about this movie?

 

If I recall, the last installment featuring Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker really sucked.   Ewoks.   Remember them?   And the inexplicable rehash of the first movie's plot -- destroy the Death Star AGAIN.   It was pretty awful.   

 

The chapters since then have been mediocre, if not outright bad.

 

I'm just not feeling it.

I loved ROTJ. I still do. So I'm feeling it.

[Kromm]

Another thing: why is everyone so jazzed about this movie?

 

If I recall, the last installment featuring Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker really sucked.   Ewoks.   Remember them?   And the inexplicable rehash of the first movie's plot -- destroy the Death Star AGAIN.   It was pretty awful.   

 

The chapters since then have been mediocre, if not outright bad.

 

I'm just not feeling it.

Heh. You just don't get it!!!

 

The reason the chapters since then ("the prequels") were bad (not mediocre... bad) was because Lucas was pushing a less collaborative vision than he'd had for the original trilogy (especially Empire Strikes Back) and Lucas was very puffed up with his own success. But Lucas is gone now... and it's a good thing.  A guy who was key to Empire especially--Lawrence Kasdan--was also the co-writer of this new film.  Also these films are for the first time since that original trilogy, going back to practical (real world) effects rather than just CGI.   RoJ WAS the worst of the original three films, but really the Ewoks were just a very early signpost indicating the same turn in thinking that created Jar Jar Binks in the prequels.  In other words, it was due to Lucas. Who's not involved in this film.

 

Is it assured this will be good? Nope. But there's no way it's going to be like the prequels.  And if it's somehow like RoJ?  Well that won't be optimal, but I don't see why it WOULD be like that movie with Lucas gone. The people who took over are modeling the film more on the first two (especially Empire).

[lion10]

Eh, I'd argue the ending fight with Luke, Vader, and the Emperor made up for the plot weakness of RotJ.  The music that plays when Luke unleashes against Vader and then realizes how close he came to turning to the dark side is spot on.  Not to mention the quote "Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey to the dark side will be complete" is just awesome.  As is Vader's love for Luke causing him to switch sides and kill the Emperor, thus redeeming himself.  

 

I just hope Luke hasn't turned to the dark side because that would undo the entire point of the original trilogy.  What I think has happened is that Luke willingly chose to become the last of the Jedi and live in exile as a way to end the cycle of violence that the Jedi and Sith were locked in.  Because if you look back on the original trilogy, a war that cost billions of lives was orchestrated purely for wiping out a few thousand Jedi.  

[Danny Franks]

Another thing: why is everyone so jazzed about this movie?

 

If I recall, the last installment featuring Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker really sucked.   Ewoks.   Remember them?   And the inexplicable rehash of the first movie's plot -- destroy the Death Star AGAIN.   It was pretty awful.   

 

The chapters since then have been mediocre, if not outright bad.

 

I'm just not feeling it.

 

I don't think it "really sucked". It wasn't great, and it hasn't aged as well as the other two, but it's not a terrible movie, by any means. The Ewoks are dumb, but everything else is fine. Rescuing Han from Jabba, planning the joint attacks on the Empire, infiltrating Endor and falling into the Imperial trap, the climactic battle between Luke, Vader and the Emperor. Why let some teddy bears with spears ruin the enjoyment of all that?

 

As for why people are excited? I'm sure there are thousands of articles explaining exactly why. Nostalgia is one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of someone trying to sell you something. And when you love something like so many people love Star Wars, you'll come back again and again, even if you've been burned. These movies have been huge in the lives of a lot of people. Also, from what I've seen and read, this will be a good movie. JJ Abrams is a good filmmaker. So I'm excited.

[Sharpie66]

I just bought my ticket for the IMAX show at 1:20 on Friday afternoon, and since I have to work a half day, I can't get to the theater until an hour before. Here's hoping I can still get a decent seat then!

[TVSpectator]

I don't think it "really sucked". It wasn't great, and it hasn't aged as well as the other two, but it's not a terrible movie, by any means. The Ewoks are dumb, but everything else is fine. Rescuing Han from Jabba, planning the joint attacks on the Empire, infiltrating Endor and falling into the Imperial trap, the climactic battle between Luke, Vader and the Emperor. Why let some teddy bears with spears ruin the enjoyment of all that?

 

As for why people are excited? I'm sure there are thousands of articles explaining exactly why. Nostalgia is one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of someone trying to sell you something. And when you love something like so many people love Star Wars, you'll come back again and again, even if you've been burned. These movies have been huge in the lives of a lot of people. Also, from what I've seen and read, this will be a good movie. JJ Abrams is a good filmmaker. So I'm excited.

 

For me, I have the feeling that this film, regardless on how much lens flair is in it, would not be as bad as the Prequels. 

[BW Manilowe]

FYI... I've read that full-fledged reviews of the movie are embargoed from being published/released until 12:01AM Wednesday night/Thursday morning Pacific Time/3:01AM Eastern.

[Ronin Jackson]

Another thing: why is everyone so jazzed about this movie?

 

If I recall, the last installment featuring Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker really sucked.   Ewoks.   Remember them?   And the inexplicable rehash of the first movie's plot -- destroy the Death Star AGAIN.   It was pretty awful.   

 

The chapters since then have been mediocre, if not outright bad.

 

I'm just not feeling it.

 

I pretty much agree with your take... but yet I am excited and I can't seem to help it, (I've even been trying unsuccessfully to talk myself out of it because there's a few things afoot that I don't believe is good for creative storytelling that I've riffed on a few times).

 

It pretty much all boils down to nostaliga. My affection for the first two films outweighs my ambivalence about Return of the Jedi or my apathy for the sequels. The potential of recapturing some of that love I had for the movies when I was a kid is enticing even though I know it may be unlikely. I also introduced my niece and nephew to the franchise and inadvertently turned them into fanatics (they are bigger fans than me now) and I'm kind of vicariously reliving the childhood excitement through them. So all in all the excitement is all pretty emotional and not particularly logical.... but what can I say? It's real.

 

FYI... I've read that full-fledged reviews of the movie are embargoed from being published/released until 12:01AM Wednesday night/Thursday morning Pacific Time/3:01AM Eastern.

 

 

I assume Thursday is essentially death-con zero? I.e. when spoilers will start being posted in this thread?

Edited December 16, 2015 by Ronin Jackson

[BW Manilowe]

I pretty much agree with your take... but yet I am excited and I can't seem to help it, (I've even been trying unsuccessfully to talk myself out of it because there's a few things afoot that I don't believe is good for creative storytelling that I've riffed on a few times).

It pretty much all boils down to nostaliga. My affection for the first two films outweighs my ambivalence about Return of the Jedi or my apathy for the sequels. The potential of recapturing some of that love I had for the movies when I was a kid is enticing even though I know it may be unlikely. I also introduced my niece and nephew to the franchise and inadvertently turned them into fanatics (they are bigger fans than me now) and I'm kind of vicariously reliving the childhood excitement through them. So all in all the excitement is all pretty emotional and not particularly logical.... but what can I say? It's real.

I assume Thursday is essentially death-con zero? I.e. when spoilers will start being posted in this thread?

I have no idea. I was referring to full-fledged reviews by, like, newspapers & the electronic/print entertainment & mainstream news media--as opposed to the brief, non-spoilery, Tweets I've read today from celebs & journalists who were at last night's World Premiere in LA.

[Rickster]

The New York Times has a review up this morning. (They liked it quite a lot)

[BW Manilowe]

The New York Times has a review up this morning. (They liked it quite a lot)

So much for sticking to the embargo.

[Chicken Wing]

The review embargo was until 12:01 this morning, not tomorrow. Rottentomatoes has over 100 posted already. As of right now it has a 98% score.

 

With the "movie event of the year"-ness surrounding this thing, the possibly record-breaking box office numbers forthcoming and the excellent reviews, I'm kind of wishing I gave a damn about this franchise so I could be excited too.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Chicken Wing

[Eyes High]

If I recall, the last installment featuring Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker really sucked.   Ewoks.   Remember them?   And the inexplicable rehash of the first movie's plot -- destroy the Death Star AGAIN.   It was pretty awful.

 

I wonder if thinking ROTJ is the best SW film is equivalent to thinking Ethan Hawke's character Troy from Reality Bites is awesome: something that will disappear once you mature.

 

The film has been spoiled to shit already, if you know where to look, so I suggest everyone tread lightly on the Internet if they want to remain unspoiled.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Eyes High

[VCRTracking]

97% on Rotten Tomatoes! That makes me more than happy(I know I said I'd leave the internet but I'm weak and just had to post it). The consensus from the spoiler free reviews I've that it's incredibly fun, the characters, both new and old are fantastic and it really does have the feeling of the magic of the old trilogy.

 

 

If I recall, the last installment featuring Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker really sucked.   Ewoks.   Remember them?   And the inexplicable rehash of the first movie's plot -- destroy the Death Star AGAIN.   It was pretty awful.

 

 

I wonder if thinking ROTJ is the best SW film is equivalent to thinking Ethan Hawke's character Troy from Reality Bites is awesome: something that will disappear once you mature.

 

Well I always thought Ethan Hawke's character in Reality Bites sucked, especially compared to the character he played in Before Sunrise! With me it's more the good far outweighs the bad. Yes ROTJ does the Death Star plot again but there's so much good stuff in it. Luke finally becoming a badass, the speeder bike chase, the scenes with the Emperor, Vader saving Luke, the enormous space battle which is more impressive even now because it's done optically with models. Oh and even though it's not PC now Leia in the bikini.

[emma675]

Reviews are already starting to go up everywhere--I read a good one on CNN.com that wasn't too spoilery. But I won't see the movie until after Christmas (my mom raised me on SW and would be hurt if I saw the new one without her) so I'm avoiding this thread and as much of Twitter and FB as I can. 

[BooBear]

The review embargo was until 12:01 this morning, not tomorrow. Rottentomatoes has over 100 posted already. As of right now it has a 98% score.

 

That has drop to 94. I guess for me even the postive reviews noted that this movie does  a "Superman Returns" with the francise. Maybe some spoilers will save it for me but right now I am not going to see it. I guess one thing that bothers me is that as a kid the JOY of star wars was this idea that some little farmer kid could destory evil. To have 30 years pass and evil is back and just as big as ever and the good guys just old and grizzled..  well that is reality. And I don't need to see that. The "magic" is gone because basically there is a sad realization that the fight against evil is a FOREVER fight with different players some who will have their lives destroyed (even if they don't die) in service of the never ending fight. That is, depressing for me.

Edited December 16, 2015 by BooBear

[millennium]

I pretty much agree with your take... but yet I am excited and I can't seem to help it, (I've even been trying unsuccessfully to talk myself out of it because there's a few things afoot that I don't believe is good for creative storytelling that I've riffed on a few times).

 

It pretty much all boils down to nostaliga. My affection for the first two films outweighs my ambivalence about Return of the Jedi or my apathy for the sequels. The potential of recapturing some of that love I had for the movies when I was a kid is enticing even though I know it may be unlikely. I also introduced my niece and nephew to the franchise and inadvertently turned them into fanatics (they are bigger fans than me now) and I'm kind of vicariously reliving the childhood excitement through them. So all in all the excitement is all pretty emotional and not particularly logical.... but what can I say? It's real.

 

 

 

I get it now, thanks.

 

I found myself in exactly the same frame of mind thinking about the upcoming X-Files series.  The final season of X-Files was a major letdown, as was the last theatrical movie, but I don't care.   I'm just beyond thrilled that I'm getting more time with Mulder and Scully after all these years.

 

I'm also nurturing a big hope that the show will get it right this time.   I imagine Star Wars fans can relate to that. 

[Joe]

Yes! It was just about everything I hoped it would be. Great movie! I'm going to see it again tomorrow. I don't yet know how to rank it in my list of favourite SW movies, but it's ahead of the prequels, the Ewok movies, and the animated one. No lower than position four. It's one of those things I'll figure out in time. Also, runner up for my movie of the year. Because Mad Max kind of took me by surprise.

Lightsabres! Dogfights! Very little exposition! Could have done with a bit more Luke, let's be honest. And another superweapon? The Empire just doesn't learn.

Also, when Kylo Ren took his helmet off. I imagined Rey being all, John Snow?

Yes, Han died. I'm not surprised. The mentor always bites it, especially in Star Wars. However, Chewie lived! Hooray! I was worried there. He dies in the old Legends books. But take that, Sernpidal!

[kokapetl]

Yes! It was just about everything I hoped it would be. Great movie! I'm going to see it again tomorrow. I don't yet know how to rank it in my list of favourite SW movies, but it's ahead of the prequels, the Ewok movies, and the animated one. No lower than position four. It's one of those things I'll figure out in time. Also, runner up for my movie of the year. Because Mad Max kind of took me by surprise.

Lightsabres! Dogfights! Very little exposition! Could have done with a bit more Luke, let's be honest. And another superweapon? The Empire just doesn't learn.

Also, when Kylo Ren took his helmet off. I imagined Rey being all, John Snow?

Yes, Han died. I'm not surprised. The mentor always bites it, especially in Star Wars. However, Chewie lived! Hooray! I was worried there. He dies in the old Legends books. But take that, Sernpidal!

Han Solo's death wasn't too surprising, Harrison Ford is probably just too expensive.

It's a way above average movie and I enjoyed it,

but destroying another Death Star, how do both the good guys and bad guys not anticipate the other side's actions? This is the third time, Princess!

Loved the Shiny Lady Stormtrooper.

Edited December 17, 2015 by Kokapetl

[revbfc]

REAL spoilers:

-The Wookie word for "life debt" is also the word for "marriage."

-Leia refuses to utter Chewbacca's name, preferring to use "it," "homewrecker," and "that hairy bitch" instead.

-Han prefers menthols.

-Kylo Ren has a robot pinky.

-Luke was taking a nap the whole time.

-First words after waking: "What'd I miss?"

-Swears he texted everybody and left a note on the fridge about it.

-Final line of the movie "Hey, everybody! We're all gonna get laid!"

[Eyes High]

I loved Carrie Fisher's quip about Harrison Ford's participation in TFA: "There's not an automatic yes in Harrison's body unless it's for food or marijuana. And I'm not sure about the food thing either."

[SNeaker]

That has drop to 94. I guess for me even the postive reviews noted that this movie does  a "Superman Returns" with the francise. Maybe some spoilers will save it for me but right now I am not going to see it. I guess one thing that bothers me is that as a kid the JOY of star wars was this idea that some little farmer kid could destory evil. To have 30 years pass and evil is back and just as big as ever and the good guys just old and grizzled..  well that is reality. And I don't need to see that. The "magic" is gone because basically there is a sad realization that the fight against evil is a FOREVER fight with different players some who will have their lives destroyed (even if they don't die) in service of the never ending fight. That is, depressing for me.

 

THANK YOU. I am so so bothered by this concept and most people I know don't seem to get it and think I'm just being cranky. I mean, I'm planning to see it (tonight) but I've been ambivalent about it since they were announced and even more so as each nugget of info and footage came out. And what bothers me is A. What's the point? Did we need new Star Wars movies? If we did, did we have to ruin the ending of the originals to get one? and B. There seems to be a serious lack of creative vision involved in this one. I truly believe the people making the movie wanted to make a good Star Wars movie that has the feel and fun and adventure of the originals, but there's something extremely self-conscious about the fact that they're using the same characters to tell the same story with the same bad guys. Here in the real world we defeated the Nazis, then we had the Cold War, now terrorism. Different threats from different places with different stakes. Why couldn't they say "And then a New Republic was formed and there was a time of relative peace and prosperity, but now a new threat rises?" and create something original? Why should we care if the good guys of the current films triumph if 30 years later we can be told "Actually, they didn't. Their lives after the credits rolled sucked and the same damn threat is still ongoing?"

[Danny Franks]

That has drop to 94. I guess for me even the postive reviews noted that this movie does  a "Superman Returns" with the francise. Maybe some spoilers will save it for me but right now I am not going to see it. I guess one thing that bothers me is that as a kid the JOY of star wars was this idea that some little farmer kid could destory evil. To have 30 years pass and evil is back and just as big as ever and the good guys just old and grizzled..  well that is reality. And I don't need to see that. The "magic" is gone because basically there is a sad realization that the fight against evil is a FOREVER fight with different players some who will have their lives destroyed (even if they don't die) in service of the never ending fight. That is, depressing for me.

 

Well I guess for me, the assumption that killing one man would end a galactic empire seems very naive and unlikely. Even the much vaunted 'extended universe' stuff acknowledges the fact that the Empire wouldn't just disintegrate in the face of the vastly outnumbered rebels destroying the Death Star and the loss of Vader and the Emperor. 

 

If you want to keep the fantasy that all that would happen, that's fair enough, but there's nothing in the Star Wars world that tells me it would or should be the case. So I'm happy to see what the new bad guys are like in this movie, and how they spun out of the Empire in the aftermath of the Battle of Endor. The idea that there's no point watching if the good guys are only getting a temporary win is odd, because that's exactly how the first Star Wars movie ended, and people flocked back to see The Empire Strikes Back. I can't imagine anyone in 1980 saying, 'I don't want to watch this, because it means that them destroying the Death Star in Star Wars meant nothing.'

 

[SNeaker]

Except the ending of the first movie was clearly "they won the battle, not the war" given that Vader was still alive.

 

The problem isn't that the win may have been temporary. The problem is that it may not have been a win at all. I don't think anyone's claiming that there wouldn't still be work and fighting to do in order to achieve democracy again, and that peace and prosperity would be enjoyed everywhere by all living beings forever and ever. But that's not the same as them not winning at all and our heroes never finding any personal happiness.

 

I would be 100% fine with (and thrilled to see) a movie 30 years in the future that states that after a period of relative calm and the creation of a New Republic, a new threat is rising and it's up to a new generation of scrappy young heroes (with the help of the old one) to fight it. It could even be Neo-Imperialists picking up the mantle. But it's supposed to be a sequel. From what I can tell, this is more like a reboot.

Edited December 17, 2015 by SNeaker

[kokapetl]

Disney's accountants and producers might have been apprehensive about starting this sequel series with anything but the tried and true formula. Low key peacetime conflicts and politics did not work in the prequels, even though that can be blamed on Lucas.

now they've gained some of the audience's trust I hope they won't be solving each subsequent movie with rebel ships attacking a weak point on a Death Star.

Disney have 3 non sequel trilogy Star Wars movies, mainly devoted to character back stories and narrative gaps, currently in the production process, in addition to the two future sequel movies, and are probably going to make even more of each if possible. Disney paid 4 billion dollars for Star Wars,

[BooBear]

Disney's accountants and producers might have been apprehensive about starting this sequel series with anything but the tried and true formula.

I think this series was tasked with "don't mess it up" and one of the ways of messing it up is by copying the originals. We see what you did there. If they were going to do that why get JJ Abrams?  Why not just Joe Smoe.  Mark my words once the fan boy / fan critics get over that this is a new movie there will be real disappointment... just like SR.  Frankly what I think really happened is that they consulted the fans even maybe just from what they read around the internet before this all happened - about what they thought they would like and not like. And were so concerned about it that is how the plot was formulated. That saddens me. I think perhaps the internet has ruined all movies / tv or just about anything as the people writing it don't create... they try to conform the best they can to what they "think" the audience might like.

 

However, last night I went to reddit and discovered the entire plot of the movie and several key scenes.  And I am willing to give it slightly more credit for being slightly more off the pure copy path. 

 

Well I guess for me, the assumption that killing one man would end a galactic empire seems very naive and unlikely.

 

I didn't mean to reference only a new hope but the entire series. And at the end of Jedi Luke with his scrapy friends had turned his dad and killed the emperor. It was in tatters and I don't think, look at the Soviet Union, it is really unrealistic to say that empire should have just run out of money and splintered into little groups. The was one very big Jedi who was on the light side and should have made short work of any would be that came around after that and also, should have been training others.  Co signed that it wouldn't have been so bad if their was a new danger that perhaps no one really saw coming or even was a direct result of of their actions but to have the same darn thing all over again? Just bigger / stronger/ and MORE out of control?  I almost feel bad rooting for Ray or FInn to do what... destroy their lives questing yet again to destroy this same group? 30 years from now Episode X: "the force awakens... again"

[VCRTracking]

I broke down and listened to some tracks off the score. "Scherzo for X-Wings" sounds very old school Star Wars with bits of "Luke's theme" repeated in a very energetic militaristic way but the style of "Rey's theme" sounds new. It doesn't sound like the typical theme Williams has written for a female character before, you know romantic love type of theme like the one for Leia or Padme or Marion Ravenwood. I liked it. It's starts light but becomes very jaunty. Sounds a little like his recent work on War Horse.

Edited December 18, 2015 by VCRTracking

[anyanka323]

Got back from a full 8 pm showing.  It incorporated some aspects from the Expanded Universe including

Han and Leia's son being seduced by the dark side

and

an Imperial/First Order weapon powered by the sun

.  The original trilogy had its fair share of characters being motivated by fractured or non-existent relationships with parents and mentors, but this being a J.J. Abrams Star Wars film takes the daddy issues as motivation to a new level. 

 

Daisy Ridley has been praised as a standout.  I would compare her performance to Keri Russell in Felicity and Jennifer Garner in the first two seasons of Alias - all three being central female characters, two of which are at the caught in the middle of events not of their own making. 

 

 

[scarynikki12]

I'm not going into details because it's almost midnight but I thought the movie was really good.

[FormerMod-a1]

I am so glad I saw it tonight!   I feel bad for the people that want to stay spoiler free, but won't be able to see it for a while.  It's going to be so hard to stay spoiler free.  People will be talking about this, especially given some of the plot elements.  It'll be hard not to accidentally hear or see something.

 

I loved it.  I am so pyshced to see more.

[SNeaker]

I really loved all of the new characters. Rey, Finn, Poe, and BB-8 -- all awesome. I want to spend more time with them.

 

I wish they were in a movie with a smidgen of originality.

[InsertWordHere]

The most memorable moment for me was the reveal of the Falcon. It was absolutely perfect. 

Also Chewie's rampage on those stormtroopers, even going so far as to shoot Han's son with a wound that slowed him down considerably.

 

Biggest misstep was 

not having a hug or shared grief moment between Leia and Chewie after Han dies. Leia is hugging a person she's never met (assuming Rey is not Luke's daughter or if she is that Leia is unaware of this) while Chewie is left alone. I'm also sad that we will never get another Luke/Han scene, as that relationship is just as important, if not more so, as Han/Leia and Luke/Leia. I wanted Han to go off and rescue Luke one last time, even if he doesn't really need rescuing.

 

Overall, I enjoyed it.

Edited December 18, 2015 by InsertWordHere

[calliope1975]

I thought it was great. So much fun. I had a ton of ~feelings~ and I'm not even a huge SW fan. My only two complaints were that

John Boyega didn't get to use his gorgeous accent, and they hired the guys from The Raid but didn't have them do any supercool Raid-type fighting. I appreciated the Asian presence, but I wish they could have done more. 

 

I missed Luke more than I thought I would,

and pretty much wanted the next movie to start as soon as he popped up on screen just as the movie ended. Sad about Han, but that shit was written all over the wall once he appeared. I eagerly anticipate Kylo Ren getting dead sooner rather than later. I also thought it left good plot points unanswered - like who the Supreme Leader is and if Rey is someone specific (like Luke's daughter) or just a rando that is part of The Force - and not questions that I need to know now for me to enjoy the movie. 

 

I look forward to seeing more of this new generation - Finn, Rey, Poe, and even that jerkoff Ren.

 

I'm guessing these spoiler bars aren't really necessary anymore, but just in case...

Edited December 18, 2015 by calliope1975

[Mars477]

Not a perfect movie, but still damn good. Abrams and co. Actually over corrected from the prequels by not showing nearly enough of the geopolitics.

That said, the new cast are strong. Rey, particularly, is all kinds of awesome. I hate that we have to wait until 2017 to see more of her.

Also one thing that I thought was a standout was the lightsaber combat. Gone is the anemic Flynning of the Original trilogy, where combatants are more interested in hitting the other's blade in a circle pattern, or the flippy bullshit of the Prequel trilogy. No, the lightsaber combat here is brutal, violent, and visceral. Combatants in TFA actually act like they are trying to kill each other with goddamn swords.