Star Wars Discussion Thread v. Rise of Skywalker / Mandalorian (merged)

[fadetoblackdude7]

My ranking:

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. A New Hope
3. Return Of The Jedi
4. Revenge Of The Sith
5. Rogue One
6. The Force Awakens
7. The Phantom Menace
8. Attack Of The Clones
9. Solo










10. The Last Jedi

[pg1067]

What the hell, a pre-episode IX list:

Sure...why not?

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2a. A New Hope
2b. The Last Jedi (there are days when I might rank TLJ ahead of ANH)

3. Rogue One

4. Return of the Jedi (ROTJ, TFA and ROTS are nearly interchangeable)
5. The Force Awakens
6. Revenge of the Sith

7. The Phantom Menace
8. Solo
9. Attack of the Clones



10. The Clone Wars (this barely counts, but it was an official theatrical release, so...)

[Polarbear]

Why not, since everybody else will also be doing it. BTW i might be going in to a screening of TROS day after tomorrow, when it premieres in my region!! I will provide my spoiler free reactions after the screening, if i'm able to go

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. A New Hope
3. The Force Awakens
4. Return of the Jedi

5. The Last Jedi
6. Rogue One
7. Solo
8. Revenge of the Sith


9. The Phantom Menace

10. Attack of the Clones (Watched this recently and had to take pauses in order make it to the end.)

7 and 8 are pretty interchangeable in terms of my ranking.

[The Walrus]

Why not. Least hated to most  Split up in tiers... haven't seen Solo. Don't remember finishing it, at least.

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. Return of the Jedi

3. The Force Awakens
4. Revenge of the Sith
5. A New Hope

6. The Phantom Menace
7. Rogue One

8. The Last Jedi
9. Attack of the Clones

[Adami]

Also, what is the plan with spoilers?

Is it just free reign starting Thursday (or earlier for some)? Or should we stick to small font/spoiler warnings for some period of time?

I just need to know if/when to avoid this thread (and basically all of the internet) between now and Saturday.

[Samsara]

I just watched The Force Awakens on Saturday night. Poe was CERTAINLY more than some underling. But if I recall correctly, doesn't The Last Jedi mention early on that he has been slapped on the wrist for doing stupid things a few times. That would also be a plausible explanation on why he wasn't told things. He was demoted as well, I believe.

[pg1067]

Also, what is the plan with spoilers?

Is it just free reign starting Thursday (or earlier for some)? Or should we stick to small font/spoiler warnings for some period of time?

I just need to know if/when to avoid this thread (and basically all of the internet) between now and Saturday.

I'm planning to avoid this thread after Wednesday morning until Saturday.

[jingle.boy]

Why did it depend on total absolute secrecy?

And I don't know if I'm right or now, but I don't think Poe was just some random underling. Nor do I think they were relying on very traditional military structure. They just didn't tell him, even when they knew not doing so would cause problems.

Look at the other big plans in the Star Wars movies. None of them were done in total secrecy. Everyone knew the plans.

So was it completely unrealistic? Of course not. Did it feel unnecessary and annoying? Yes, to me at least.

All fair points Bosk, but I'm leaning towards Adami's response.  We're not watching a war documentary, it's Star Wars.  It made no sense for her to not reveal the plan.  I'd hardly call The Resistance a highly structured and hierarchical military organization.  If it was, wouldn't Leia have 'ordered' the bombers to disengage?  If none of the 'military leaders' believed in attacking the Dreadnaugh, then why didn't that whole attack squad get ordered to fall back?

I don't mean to argue the point, but it's kind of making my point ... there are just way too many little/medium things that make me roll my eyes FAR TOO MANY TIMES during this movie.

[Samsara]

I'm planning to avoid this thread after Wednesday morning until Saturday.

Ditto. We have tickets to an early a.m. showing on Saturday. I am not going on social media, or this thread, until after that, starting Thursday morning.

[bosk1]

No spoilers prior to release, please.  After release, please keep all spoilers in tiny font for at least a couple of weeks, as we usually do in these situations.

[gmillerdrake]

Just did the re-watch of TFA. I'm sorry.....but, I can't get on board with any of the criticism of that movie. It's a great SW movie. It'd probably been a good year or so since I'd seen it and it was really fun to watch again. I think Abrams did a fantastic job of re-engaging the SW community. Yes there are similarities with ANH but IMO he HAD to have those in order to keep the 'original' fans engaged and he threw in enough to hook the new crowd.

SW fans are 100X worse than DT fans when it comes to the output not matching what 'they' envision that it 'should' be......and I think the criticism TFA and TLJ gets is in large part due to those movies not matching some preconceived idea of what 'we' think it should be.

After this re-watch I am PUMPED to see TROS on Thursday night.

[jingle.boy]

TFA was a very good movie, despite the 'rhyme' to ANH.  I hear what you're saying about expectations and all, but I personally had no preconceptions or expectations or desires of what I wanted it to be of what I thought it should be.  All I wanted was to be entertained.  I thought the 'rhyme' to ESB was lazy and didn't really this trilogy relying on the OT formula*, but could've got past it / accepted it if there wasn't soooo much else wrong with it.

*Additionally, if RoS does not follow the RotJ framework, then why was there a need to rely on TFA and TLJ being reprises of ANH and ESB?

[Adami]

I had no expectations for either of the new SW movies, other than being good.


I enjoyed TFA very much, but I didn't find it to be a good film as much as a good product. It lacked....heart...in my eyes. It felt like a very calculated film to hit all four quadrants and please as many people as possible. And it very much succeeded at that, so it was a total success. I just couldn't really connect with it beyond a superficial level of being entertained.

[jingle.boy]

^ As usual, you and I are on the same page.

[Adami]

Speaking of following the same pattern as the other films, if ROS doesn't end with a huge Ewok celebration, possibly eating people this time, then I'm let down.

[jingle.boy]

Speaking of following the same pattern as the other films, if ROS doesn't end with a huge Ewok celebration, possibly eating people this time, then I'm let down.

Jub Jub!

[kaos2900]

First reactions are mixed. Some loved it and some liked it but had issues. Doesn't sound like it's bad though. Bring it on!

[Stadler]

Just did the re-watch of TFA. I'm sorry.....but, I can't get on board with any of the criticism of that movie. It's a great SW movie. It'd probably been a good year or so since I'd seen it and it was really fun to watch again. I think Abrams did a fantastic job of re-engaging the SW community. Yes there are similarities with ANH but IMO he HAD to have those in order to keep the 'original' fans engaged and he threw in enough to hook the new crowd.

SW fans are 100X worse than DT fans when it comes to the output not matching what 'they' envision that it 'should' be......and I think the criticism TFA and TLJ gets is in large part due to those movies not matching some preconceived idea of what 'we' think it should be.

After this re-watch I am PUMPED to see TROS on Thursday night.

It's not a minor point that - to steal Jingle's excellent phrasing - at least they rhymed the right parts of ANH.   I'm not sure TFA was a great movie, I'm not sure it had intricate plot points (to be debated, I guess) but it captured some of the adventure and wonder that I felt when I was 10 watching ANH with my dad and brother in the theater.    I was okay with that, especially after what I thought was the tone-deaf pandering of TPM.  THAT rhymed all the WORST parts of the SW universe. 

[Polarbear]

First reactions are mixed. Some loved it and some liked it but had issues. Doesn't sound like it's bad though. Bring it on!

Managed to secure tickets for tomorrow! Less than 24 hours to my screening!

I'm not going in with giant expectations. I just want a good movie and a fitting "end" to Star Wars!

[TheOutlawXanadu]

First reactions are mixed. Some loved it and some liked it but had issues. Doesn't sound like it's bad though. Bring it on!

I read a couple of articles about the first reactions, and there definitely appear to be some trends. For example, it sounds like a crap ton is going to happen in this movie. One dude described it as nine movies in one.

[gmillerdrake]

I'm curious if something from Ep. 7 of 'The Mandalorian' may tie into TROS since they are releasing Ep. 7 tomorrow, a day before the movie comes out?

[Grappler]

I'm curious if something from Ep. 7 of 'The Mandalorian' may tie into TROS since they are releasing Ep. 7 tomorrow, a day before the movie comes out?

There will be a scene from the film after the credits, or something like that.

[gmillerdrake]

I'm curious if something from Ep. 7 of 'The Mandalorian' may tie into TROS since they are releasing Ep. 7 tomorrow, a day before the movie comes out?

There will be a scene from the film after the credits, or something like that.

It'd be hilarious to see 'Mando' assisting in an emergency birth of Rey   

[The Walrus]

I hope after this film wraps, some people come around to understanding why I view this trilogy the way I do. All signs are pointing to me shaking my head and holding it in my hands for the back half of the film. But, anything can happen... Oh who am I kidding, I'm eagerly awaiting the storm of emotions that will roll over the Internet on opening night. 

[kaos2900]

I'm curious if something from Ep. 7 of 'The Mandalorian' may tie into TROS since they are releasing Ep. 7 tomorrow, a day before the movie comes out?

There will be a scene from the film after the credits, or something like that.

It'd be hilarious to see 'Mando' assisting in an emergency birth of Rey 

The going theory is that there will be a connection. My prediction is something to do with clones...

[gmillerdrake]

I'm curious if something from Ep. 7 of 'The Mandalorian' may tie into TROS since they are releasing Ep. 7 tomorrow, a day before the movie comes out?

There will be a scene from the film after the credits, or something like that.

It'd be hilarious to see 'Mando' assisting in an emergency birth of Rey 

The going theory is that there will be a connection. My prediction is something to do with clones...

I mean.....with them making sure this episode airs the day before there HAS to be something that will cross over. I doubt it'll be something vital.....but certainly something noticeable enough to where you don't have to be a detective to figure it out but not significant enough to where if you don't connect it it won't impact the story in any way.

[hefdaddy42]

I hope after this film wraps, some people come around to understanding why I view this trilogy the way I do.

With hatred in your heart?

[gmillerdrake]

I'm eagerly awaiting the storm of emotions that will roll over the Internet on opening night. 

It'll probably be 10x worse than TLJ fallout. I just don't think there is anyway to please the SW fan base as a whole. I'm well documented as being fairly simple to please when it comes to these movies....meaning I've managed my expectations......but there is a contingent out there that seems to be very much part of the dark and thrives only on 'hating' this last trilogy.

[The Walrus]

There definitely is. I want to be clear though I'm not one of those people. I have legitimate complaints and I like to explain them thoroughly. I will not be surprised if everybody here except me loves the movie and has no complaints. So I'll give the thread several days of breathing room before I chime in, I promise.

[gmillerdrake]

There definitely is. I want to be clear though I'm not one of those people. I have legitimate complaints and I like to explain them thoroughly. I will not be surprised if everybody here except me loves the movie and has no complaints. So I'll give the thread several days of breathing room before I chime in, I promise.

Yeah....to be clear I wasn't pointing at anyone in this thread in particular.....because, even when there is something that isn't cared for folks in here have good explanations as to 'why' they don't like it. My observation was an 'in general'....directed at the larger die hard SW community as a whole...they're just impossible to manage or please. 30 plus years of living and breathing everything SW.....these folks seem to have a certain belief as to how it should all go down...and dare I say a sense of entitlement I guess based off of their loyalty over the years as they digested everything SW.

Undoubtedly Ep. 9 is not going to be good enough for a chunk of the SW fan base. As for me....I'm pretty confident I'll be on board with how it all shakes out....unless it's just a massive cluster F. But I doubt I'll view it as such.

[Stadler]

Star Wars to me is sort of the...  Yardbirds of modern franchises.   Great in a lot of ways, but so many have come after and done it better, more thoroughly and more impressively that it's hard to keep it in perspective.   

Star Wars wasn't as intricate or detail oriented as the MCU or Game of Thrones.  The world wasn't as thought out as Tolkein via Jackson (I'm talking about the massive world that the movies have created, not the books).   The canon wasn't as disciplined as the Star Trek world.   I think it suffers in comparison.    George Lucas is not George RR Martin.   I think the franchise stutters when it's trying to be something it's not.   

[gmillerdrake]

Star Wars to me is sort of the...  Yardbirds of modern franchises.   Great in a lot of ways, but so many have come after and done it better, more thoroughly and more impressively that it's hard to keep it in perspective.   

Star Wars wasn't as intricate or detail oriented as the MCU or Game of Thrones.  The world wasn't as thought out as Tolkein via Jackson (I'm talking about the massive world that the movies have created, not the books).   The canon wasn't as disciplined as the Star Trek world.   I think it suffers in comparison.    George Lucas is not George RR Martin.   I think the franchise stutters when it's trying to be something it's not.   

good point(s) but the OT was the turning point IMO.....it was the 'inspiration' that led to all those that you listed. Sure, some of that material has been around longer than SW has....but Lucas and Co. demonstrated how to create a successful franchise.

It's kind of how I view the Beatles musically. I'm not overly impressed by their music......(keeps an eye out for assassins now) but there's no denying they inspired near all the musicians and music that I enjoy today.

[The Walrus]

Spoiler alert: Jar-Jar issa da big poo-poo Palpatine. Yousa neveren see it coming!

[Stadler]

Star Wars to me is sort of the...  Yardbirds of modern franchises.   Great in a lot of ways, but so many have come after and done it better, more thoroughly and more impressively that it's hard to keep it in perspective.   

Star Wars wasn't as intricate or detail oriented as the MCU or Game of Thrones.  The world wasn't as thought out as Tolkein via Jackson (I'm talking about the massive world that the movies have created, not the books).   The canon wasn't as disciplined as the Star Trek world.   I think it suffers in comparison.    George Lucas is not George RR Martin.   I think the franchise stutters when it's trying to be something it's not.   

good point(s) but the OT was the turning point IMO.....it was the 'inspiration' that led to all those that you listed. Sure, some of that material has been around longer than SW has....but Lucas and Co. demonstrated how to create a successful franchise.

It's kind of how I view the Beatles musically. I'm not overly impressed by their music......(keeps an eye out for assassins now) but there's no denying they inspired near all the musicians and music that I enjoy today.

HAHAHA, I actually had the Beatles in there and deleted in favor of the Yardbirds.  I felt I was betraying the cause (I'm a huge Beatles fan).   

[TheOutlawXanadu]

There definitely is. I want to be clear though I'm not one of those people. I have legitimate complaints and I like to explain them thoroughly. I will not be surprised if everybody here except me loves the movie and has no complaints. So I'll give the thread several days of breathing room before I chime in, I promise.

Yeah....to be clear I wasn't pointing at anyone in this thread in particular.....because, even when there is something that isn't cared for folks in here have good explanations as to 'why' they don't like it. My observation was an 'in general'....directed at the larger die hard SW community as a whole...they're just impossible to manage or please. 30 plus years of living and breathing everything SW.....these folks seem to have a certain belief as to how it should all go down...and dare I say a sense of entitlement I guess based off of their loyalty over the years as they digested everything SW.

Undoubtedly Ep. 9 is not going to be good enough for a chunk of the SW fan base. As for me....I'm pretty confident I'll be on board with how it all shakes out....unless it's just a massive cluster F. But I doubt I'll view it as such.

The fan base right now appears to be taking the "pissed off customer" approach, where not only will they voice their displeasure, but they will probably review bomb the living hell out of the movie too in an effort to make a point. I think that some people just want to watch the world burn, but I also think that some people genuinely think this is the best way to force Disney into making better movies. In my opinion, it's a risky proposition. Maybe they succeed in getting someone like Jon Favreau to steer the franchise going forward, which would be great, but they could also end up discouraging a lot of talented people from ever touching Star Wars with a ten-foot pole. I guess only time will tell.