TV/Movies Megathread

[viper37]

I have always meant to try and watch that or Rebels, but it seems to me I'll have to go through a lot of kiddie stuff (which is fine, I'm not the target audience) in order to get to the parts I will find cool.

that is an accurate description of the shows, yes.  There are some very good parts, but lots of it is aimed at pre-teen/teen boys.  But, that is not much different than the prequels

Isn't *all* of Star Wars basically aimed at that audience? 

Only since Return of the Jedi.  Before that, they were aimed at adult-teenagers   

[Razgovory]

    They were based off news reals that George Lucas saw as a kid.  The actors complained about how childish the writing was.  So yeah, everyone knew going in this was aimed at the under 18 audience.  That doesn't make it bad, it just doesn't make it adult literature.

[Liep]

Watching a documentary about Ittoqqortoormiit, founded in the 20's to reaffirm our claim on Eastern Greenland because Norway was getting uppity and is one of the most remote cities in the world.

Goddamnit Greenland is beautiful, I really must go soon. Greenlandic people are tough as shit, but we sure did fuck them. I wonder how they would've been if we hadn't disrupted their communities and moved them around as we saw fit.

[Grey Fox]

I am trying to rewatch all 6 movies. I believe in release order so 4-5-6-1-2-3 but I am stuck an hour in 4. It is so boring.

[Savonarola]

   They were based off news reals that George Lucas saw as a kid.

Serials, not news reels, The March of Time wasn't that dramatic.   

[Savonarola]

I am trying to rewatch all 6 movies. I believe in release order so 4-5-6-1-2-3 but I am stuck an hour in 4. It is so boring.

Heh, by the standards of the day it was fast paced.

[Syt]

   They were based off news reals that George Lucas saw as a kid.

Serials, not news reels, The March of Time wasn't that dramatic.   

Yeah, he wanted to do Flash Gordon, but didn't get the rights for it. So he made Star Wars instead.

Oddly, Clone Wars might have been the closest to recreating the 1930s movie serial style, with its episodic nature, dramatic narrator recapping what's going on at the beginning (basically a spoken Star Wars opening crawl), and, well, space opera, and the stories often jumping right into the action.

[Malthus]

I have always meant to try and watch that or Rebels, but it seems to me I'll have to go through a lot of kiddie stuff (which is fine, I'm not the target audience) in order to get to the parts I will find cool.

that is an accurate description of the shows, yes.  There are some very good parts, but lots of it is aimed at pre-teen/teen boys.  But, that is not much different than the prequels

Isn't *all* of Star Wars basically aimed at that audience? 

Only since Return of the Jedi.  Before that, they were aimed at adult-teenagers   

It's basically a fairy tale set in space, complete with princesses, swords, funny animals, and a boy growing up to find his destiny.  It's no more nor less inherently 'adult' than Narnia, The Dark Crystal, or The Neverending Story. Not that this makes it "bad" - I happen to like all of 'em. 

[The Minsky Moment]

Come come. Are you telling me that a debate over interplanetary trade privileges isn't stellar children's entertainment? 

Or adults whose idea of fun doesn't involve reviewing WTO schedules.

The earlier trilogy kept it simple - there is an evil empire and a bunch of rebels with a secret base. What is the fight all about?  Who cares?  The guy who wears the black hat is the bad guy.  The bad guys have a giant laser gun that blows up planets.   Easy.

The worst I think was "episode 2" - the entire Jedi order completely forgets about a planet because it's erased from the archives, but some short order cook knows all about it?  It would be like the State Department forgetting about Switzerland until the Chinese delivery guy reminded them.  Then there is this whole mystery abut who ordered the clone army and why - a story line that is then completely dropped and never recurs.  And how do the Jedi pay for it anyways - somehow I doubt midichlorians or whatever are legal tender.

[Savonarola]

Yeah, he wanted to do Flash Gordon, but didn't get the rights for it. So he made Star Wars instead.

Oddly, Clone Wars might have been the closest to recreating the 1930s movie serial style, with its episodic nature, dramatic narrator recapping what's going on at the beginning (basically a spoken Star Wars opening crawl), and, well, space opera, and the stories often jumping right into the action.

The Buck Rodgers serials actually have an opening crawl.

I didn't make it very far into the Clone Wars, the spunky gal sidekick was just too annoying.  You said it improves a lot after season 2; what changes?

[Savonarola]

Eternal Love (1929)

This is both John Barrymore and Ernst Lubitsch's final silent film.  Set in Switzerland of 1806 where the French occupy a Swiss town and demand everyone turns over their gun.  John Barrymore guns a fifth of Cutty Sark and says "Take this gun away, frogs, FREEDOM!"  Not really, he initially refuses but with the pleading of his would be girlfriend, Ciglia, he turns it in.  The French leave, the Swiss throw a festival and John (SURPRISE!) gets drunk off his ass.  (Really, that's a plot point, not a daily occurrence.  That's what the whole suspension of disbelief thing is about.)  Anyhow another Swiss girl is chasing after John and it is strongly implied that they may have had carnal relations in a carriage that evening.  John is forced to marry her.  Ciglia marries another man.  Tragedy ensues; but thanks to the Lubitsch touch you feel all sophisticated and worldly because of it.
   

[Josephus]

I am trying to rewatch all 6 movies. I believe in release order so 4-5-6-1-2-3 but I am stuck an hour in 4. It is so boring.

I've been watching 1-2-3 as well. So far just 1 and 2. Havne't seen them since their theatrical viewing.

I thought 1 wasn't as bad as remembered. Once you take it for what it is. Jar-Jar is not in it that much, and, whatever, he provides comedy relief for children in what really is a movie about a fucking trade blockade.
I found 2 a lot more boring. Really lame lovey dovey shit between "Ani" and Portman. And also a fairly boring plotline, confusing as to who ordered the construction of the clones.   I'm sure no one under age 14 got any of that, and there was no comedic relief. Cue Obligatory light sabre duel at end.
We'll see what 3 is like.

[Barrister]

Yeah, he wanted to do Flash Gordon, but didn't get the rights for it. So he made Star Wars instead.

Oddly, Clone Wars might have been the closest to recreating the 1930s movie serial style, with its episodic nature, dramatic narrator recapping what's going on at the beginning (basically a spoken Star Wars opening crawl), and, well, space opera, and the stories often jumping right into the action.

The Buck Rodgers serials actually have an opening crawl.

I didn't make it very far into the Clone Wars, the spunky gal sidekick was just too annoying.  You said it improves a lot after season 2; what changes?

Well for starters as the series goes along they allow Ahsoka Tano to grow up both physically and mentally, so she's not always so spunky and annoying.

But mostly the stories get a little darker and more nuanced.  I just watched a series of episodes where the clones are worried about the Jedi general they are working under - he seems to display no concern over the lives of mere clones.  The clones keep getting sent on increasingly suicidal missions before they start disobeying orders (and obeying orders is the #1 duty for a clone), until ultimately it is revealed that the Jedi is a Sith sympathizer after all...

It's still firmly set to appeal to kids, but I thought it was well done for what it was.

[Savonarola]

Really lame lovey dovey shit between "Ani" and Portman.

That had some of the most egregious dialogue in all of film in it.  I think the nadir was:

I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything is soft and smooth.


It's even worse in that Hayden Christensen gives the line an extra-creepy delivery.  How did Lucas direct that scene?  "You're doing great Hayden, but your delivery still isn't creepy enough.  Try imagining that Natalie is an eight year old girl."

[Savonarola]

Well for starters as the series goes along they allow Ahsoka Tano to grow up both physically and mentally, so she's not always so spunky and annoying.

But mostly the stories get a little darker and more nuanced.  I just watched a series of episodes where the clones are worried about the Jedi general they are working under - he seems to display no concern over the lives of mere clones.  The clones keep getting sent on increasingly suicidal missions before they start disobeying orders (and obeying orders is the #1 duty for a clone), until ultimately it is revealed that the Jedi is a Sith sympathizer after all...

It's still firmly set to appeal to kids, but I thought it was well done for what it was.

Okay, thanks, I may give it another chance.