Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
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Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!
Go here and give us your nominations!Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!
Shonuff
Mr. Poopybutthole
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Ukerric
Bearded Ape
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That's a very symbolic sequence. Up until that, you have totally faceless interchangeable stormtroopers. But the blood mark on his helmet make him an individual; all other stormtroopers are totally anonymous but he is now recognizable. And as an individual, he can make choices (and of course, he chooses goodness and freedom).
It is as good as the original. It's only problem is that the original exists, and so it suffers by comparison; on its own it's almost worth every bit of praise that comes (weakest bits being the treatment of Kylo Ren and Phasma's non-presence).
Try (as hard as it might be) to think how you'd see it if there had never been an original trilogy. If it was the first movie of a new franchise. There's a couple bits that don't work well (the obsession with Vader, R2D2 & C3PO don't make sense at all outside of their original presence, some snark remarks; and of course why that old guy on some desert island would be important to everyone), but the rest would absolutely make a kickass movie.
Of course, it would never be the first movie of a brand new, never seen franchise; Hollywood doesn't take that level of risk anymore.
I think most of everyone pieced it together; Rey is the only survivor of the slaughter of that new Jedi Academy Luke had founded by the Knights of Ren. Ben Solo prevents her kill for reasons (she's his sister? cousin? he liked her due to random? she's the only girl there and he's still not evil enough to kill little girls?) and drops her on Jakku when she's like 5 year old. She's repressed those trauma memories and built instead that fantasy that her family is going to come someday to take her away (why have "jedi mindwipes" when nature does it almost as good as any force trick). No one would recognise her fully grown up, and even Kylo Ren is not sure if that's her at first, at least not until she mindgrab the lightsaber. Of course, Luke will recognize her because Force stuff (or being his daughter, if she is), but I doubt anyone else except Kylo Ren knows the truth at that point.
The Force Awakens is of course Rey's coming back into the Force, no discussion about that. I've seen some people think it refers to Luke leaving his exile, but that's incorrect.
Nester
Vyemm Raider
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Say nothing let people live thier lives and stop being so fucking insufferable.
Siddar
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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If you don't understand why ANH is a great movie it's likely because its themes have been copied so much in later movies that you don't understand how genre defining ANH was. You wont understand why Empire is one of the best movies ever made because of that. ANH is a complete hero quest with the small band of hero's triumphing over impossible odds with a story book medal awarding ceremony ending. Empire is the complete reverse of that with the villains kicking ass from beginning to end. Where the one bit of good news at the end is that the main hero of the movie Luke failed his suicide attempt.
Rey the chosen one is going to have to crash very hard in movie eight to match the story arc of ANH to Empire. A big reason why TFA is not considered a bad movie is because it does copy ANH. Will they copy Empire to the same degree is the question? The way they ended TFA with Rey in god mode and Ren being pummeled would indicate no there not willing to defeat Rey the way they defeated Luke in Empire.
kegkilla
The Big Mod
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khorum
Murder Apologist
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The thing is the whole "balance of the force" dillemma would support the notion that Luke is Rey's father because if she IS his daughter, he would feel compelled to protect her from him at any and all costs. And he would likewise have to protect himself from her if she was at risk of turning. That's why the expression on Luke's face at the end is a combination of irritation and resignation.
This was actually foreshadowed by ANOTHER scene they must've cut from the movie. This time it's more dialogue with Snoke. In it Snoke pretty much lays out the fall of the Empire and the subsequent 30 years of chaos and massacre that followed on Vader's moment of weakness. This actually a rare interpretation of Vader's turning, since most people think Luke turned Vader eventually, but actually it was Vader who went out of his way to convince the emperor that SAVING HIS SON was in the best interest of the Dark Side.
Kylo Ren interprets this as a calling to sever his ties with HIS father----but it also provides a basis for Luke mindwiping his daughter and keeping her hidden away in a desert planet without any knowledge of her origins. So that she remains safe from those who would use her against him or force him to kill his own child.
Fight
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Vanity Fair: George Lucas was asked which Star Wars character he would be if given the option. Although he loves all the characters found within the franchise, he had to go with Jar Jar Binks.
George Lucas doubling down on Jar Jar Binks is like Hindenburg doubling down on Hydrogen balloons. He is more lost than Vader ever was. There is no coming back from that.
George Lucas doubling down on Jar Jar Binks is like Hindenburg doubling down on Hydrogen balloons. He is more lost than Vader ever was. There is no coming back from that.
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Wat? ANH was highly derivative/formulaic. There isn't much plot wise that had not been done already10 films that influenced Star Wars
Shonuff
Mr. Poopybutthole
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can you summarise all the interesting stuff from the book please. I've downloaded it but really don't feel like reading it just for the deleted scenes and extra backstory
LachiusTZ
Rogue Deathwalker Box
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Ok, tossing my 2 cents in here now that I've actually seen this thing.
If it was NOT star wars, 7/10. Since it is a sequel to one of the, if not the, biggest film franchise in history, I feel its a stretch going 5/10.
Here is my personal nit picking, to add in with everyone else's.
I like how Rod138 summed it up, but my two words for this movie would be: Hollow / Soulless.
The whole thing just felt empty as fuck. As a stand along space western not tied to Star Wars, it would have been nice. But fuck, ppl have been wanting a decent star wars movie for decades and the substance never gets delivered.
Also, I passed out and some nerd woke me up cause I was snoring too loud. So I missed about 20 minutes.
The only 2 things from it that I actually liked, old woman barkeep yoda thing, and Han. Other than that, it was as expected.
If it was NOT star wars, 7/10. Since it is a sequel to one of the, if not the, biggest film franchise in history, I feel its a stretch going 5/10.
Its not that, its that he was raised in agoge basically, trained to be a killing machine. But the first fire fight, dude puts bloody hand on his helmet and it shatters his world. Then juxtapose this, and other acts of cowardice, with him going face to face with Kylo or whatever . . . yeah, no.
Here is my personal nit picking, to add in with everyone else's.
Why is salvage worth 1/4 a meal, but flying a car is free?
Hero chick is ungainly. And remarkably pale for someone living in the desert.
Do storm troopers not have the tech to see droids rolling across the night away from a combat area?
Really? Nobody knows what he did with the map? Where is his astro tech droid? And wtf, the most important intel in the galaxy is at stake, "yeah, send 24 guys, we have billions, but 24 should work. No worries."
Emo Vader didn't think to force hand face question him on the planet? You know, the night before. Again, only the most vital intel in the galaxy.
There goes black man having a change of heart cause reasons! Best fighter pilot in the resistance? Yeah, don't have people guard him.
TIE fighter, notoriously fragile, takes out a whole hangar bay? Then breaks out, and never gets hit by any patrols or one of dozens of turbo lasers?
TIE fighter obviously updated, but they kept the credit crappy original solar panels? Ok
TIE fighter goes Mario cart classic reverse rubber banding and impossibly out runs other TIE fighters (they land, and Fuck around with no hostile units in pursuit?)
Ball droid sad. This chicks forehead.
Most important shit in galaxy, send two storm troopers!
Why are the pursuit TIE fighters hours behind their quarry?
TIE fighter chasing you? No biggie, out run it on foot!
One minute she can't keep the falcon upright, the next, time to chat while flying better than Han. Yeah, fucking that was dumb. Did she just immelman (sp?) The falcon?
Dude slicing up the console is the only decent scene so far.
Thank God Harrison Ford showed up.
Mouth monster instantly kills everyone but black dude.
Chick obviously stand off ish, but loves the storm trooper gone good instantly.
She might have downs.
Old woman bar keep yoda is neat.
Jedi chick looks like agent Smith.
Han and Chewie been together how many decades and he never shot a bow caster?
Ten Minutes ago, black dude was ready to bail, then, "Raaaaaayuyyyy!!!!". Lol
Starving didn't wake up the force. Several luge our death fights didn't. Five pushed into a tree 30ft up didn't. But when needed for the plot...
Droids going captain planet to combine maps was gay.
Chewies life debt xferd to Jedi chick?
She held that light saber out for a long time.
Hero chick is ungainly. And remarkably pale for someone living in the desert.
Do storm troopers not have the tech to see droids rolling across the night away from a combat area?
Really? Nobody knows what he did with the map? Where is his astro tech droid? And wtf, the most important intel in the galaxy is at stake, "yeah, send 24 guys, we have billions, but 24 should work. No worries."
Emo Vader didn't think to force hand face question him on the planet? You know, the night before. Again, only the most vital intel in the galaxy.
There goes black man having a change of heart cause reasons! Best fighter pilot in the resistance? Yeah, don't have people guard him.
TIE fighter, notoriously fragile, takes out a whole hangar bay? Then breaks out, and never gets hit by any patrols or one of dozens of turbo lasers?
TIE fighter obviously updated, but they kept the credit crappy original solar panels? Ok
TIE fighter goes Mario cart classic reverse rubber banding and impossibly out runs other TIE fighters (they land, and Fuck around with no hostile units in pursuit?)
Ball droid sad. This chicks forehead.
Most important shit in galaxy, send two storm troopers!
Why are the pursuit TIE fighters hours behind their quarry?
TIE fighter chasing you? No biggie, out run it on foot!
One minute she can't keep the falcon upright, the next, time to chat while flying better than Han. Yeah, fucking that was dumb. Did she just immelman (sp?) The falcon?
Dude slicing up the console is the only decent scene so far.
Thank God Harrison Ford showed up.
Mouth monster instantly kills everyone but black dude.
Chick obviously stand off ish, but loves the storm trooper gone good instantly.
She might have downs.
Old woman bar keep yoda is neat.
Jedi chick looks like agent Smith.
Han and Chewie been together how many decades and he never shot a bow caster?
Ten Minutes ago, black dude was ready to bail, then, "Raaaaaayuyyyy!!!!". Lol
Starving didn't wake up the force. Several luge our death fights didn't. Five pushed into a tree 30ft up didn't. But when needed for the plot...
Droids going captain planet to combine maps was gay.
Chewies life debt xferd to Jedi chick?
She held that light saber out for a long time.
I like how Rod138 summed it up, but my two words for this movie would be: Hollow / Soulless.
The whole thing just felt empty as fuck. As a stand along space western not tied to Star Wars, it would have been nice. But fuck, ppl have been wanting a decent star wars movie for decades and the substance never gets delivered.
Also, I passed out and some nerd woke me up cause I was snoring too loud. So I missed about 20 minutes.
The only 2 things from it that I actually liked, old woman barkeep yoda thing, and Han. Other than that, it was as expected.
Siddar
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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Star Wars ANH defined modern science fiction fantasy movies. It was a combination of many different genres of movies into a new genre type.
Siddar
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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My guess is ether Fin will emerge as a Jedi and that scene will be seen as the start of his eventual transition or he going to die at end of movie eight so that Rey can have a big cry over his corpse.
Vulg
Golden Knight of the Realm
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Oh man, Lucas speaks openly about how heavily he was influenced by The Hidden Fortress and Yojimbo specifically (looks like somebody already linked a more complete list) in terms of story. There are entire sequences that are just lifted from those and other movies, and the plot devices are FAR from original. Are you serious?
What I meant be genre defining was space war-opera with special effects, the stuff it won Oscars for (i.e. Visual Effects, Costume, Music etc.).
Siddar
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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Yes I'm serious do you even star wars?
To even try and argue the point is to admit you just don't understand star wars at all.
Blakkheim
Karazhan Raider
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This is actually a pretty good theory. I might I have to reconsider my brother/sister theory.
I think my biggest hang up with the theory of Rey being Luke's daughter is the idea of trying to come up with who the mother is. If the mother is still alive then you are going to have to come up with some convoluted story about who she is, where she is, what happened to her, and why did she abandon her daughter for the last 15 years?
On the other hand, if she is dead (killed by Kylo Ren?) then it becomes a much easier story to sell. Luke hides his daughter to protect her from Kylo, etc. and uses the force to block out her memories of her experience with the force. Not so much "wiping" her memory like Men In Black but just suppressing them with the power of the force. Once she comes in contact with another force user (Kylo), she starts to "awaken". I also agree that it looks like it could be a grave stone that Luke is standing in front of at the end of the movie.
I think the main reason why I have felt that the brother/sister theory always made more sense is because of the whole story arch and redemption scenario (assuming that's where they take this trilogy). Having brother vs sister just seems more intriguing than cousin vs cousin. There's also the revenge factor of Rey seeking redemption for Kylo killing their father.
The Edge
Lord Nagafen Raider
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One of the problems I have with Luke going into hiding is that these are all essentially his apprentices, with far less experience. So Kylo and a few others stepped out of line? You're fucking Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master. Ignite that lightsaber and go to town on their candy asses. You don't run away when you're the Alpha, and let them destroy everything you worked to create. Yoda and Obi-Wan went into hiding because Sidious was enormously powerful, and Yoda lost. Kylo is no Darth Sidious.
This can make sense if they want to admit once and for all the the Dark Side is stronger, which is why we often saw one Sith be able to take on multiple Jedi and prevail. But still, Luke vs. padawans.... game over, man.
This can make sense if they want to admit once and for all the the Dark Side is stronger, which is why we often saw one Sith be able to take on multiple Jedi and prevail. But still, Luke vs. padawans.... game over, man.