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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film Handlers' Movie Reviews   » Star Wars The Force Awakens (Page 4)

 
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Author Topic: Star Wars The Force Awakens
Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."

Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

- posted 01-02-2016 12:37 AM      Profile for Bobby Henderson   Email Bobby Henderson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Lyle Romer
I'm surprised you didn't go see this in Dolby Cinema at one of the 3 AMC's in Texas that has it. I was hoping you did because I would have liked to read your opinion of the picture quality.
The nearest Dolby Cinema @ AMC Prime to me is the one at the Village on the Parkway 9 in Dallas. They're not playing the new Star Wars movie there because LOOK Cinemas is playing it. LOOK is only a couple of blocks East on Beltline Road from the AMC location.

The Houston area has two Dolby Cinema/Prime screens, but I'm not going to drive clear down to Houston just to watch Star Wars. My girlfriend and I were talking about visiting Dallas sometime during January; we might check out Star Wars in 15/70mm at the IMAX dome theater in Fort Worth.

quote: Lyle Romer
If I remember (from my viewing a whole 2 weeks ago), wasn't Kylo Ren injured prior to the fight with Rey? I remember him grabbing his side a lot. If he was, it explains how she had a chance. If he was injured by her (I honestly don't remember) then it could have been a lucky hit.
Earlier in the movie, before Kylo Ren was injured, Rey beat Kylo in a mind reading battle. He was trying to get in her head, but she got into his head instead. That thing reminded me of Scanners. We just didn't get to see anyone's head explode.

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Stu Jamieson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 524
From: Buccan, Qld, Australia
Registered: Jan 2008

- posted 01-02-2016 05:31 PM      Profile for Stu Jamieson   Email Stu Jamieson   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yes, I know I'm late to the party. It has been more than two weeks since release and it seems I'm among the last few in the galaxy to get along and see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The truth is, I'm not a rabid Star Wars fan. I find the original trilogy......the first three movies......oh bugger it, "Episodes Iv, V and VI"......to be not life changing events but rather mildly enjoyable romps of which The Empire Strikes Back is easily the best simply because it was the one George Lucas had the least to do with.

The franchise is almost universally regarded as having lost it's way with Lucas' prequels (um, Episodes I, II and III) but the truth is the series began running off the rails from the moment Lucas re-branded the first installment of Star Wars "Episode IV". This set in motion two decades of Lucas dicking with his baby, subjecting his movies to so much plastic surgery as to transform them into some kind of CGI-laden Frankenstein's monster. From simple beginnings Lucas had begun complicating Star Wars to its detriment.

A look at internet blogger and Star Wars fan, Harmy's, meticulously (but unofficial) reconstructions of the "despecialised" editions of Star Wars reveals the extent to which Lucas damaged his own property. It also reveals the extent to which fans have been pining for Star Wars to return to the form which they know and love.

With Disney acquiring the rights to Star Wars, the chance was there for the franchise to be put right and with director J. J. Abrams on board, who had already steered the ailing Star Trek franchise back on course, the formula seemed right.

And it is right. It turns out that Abrams and Disney were just what Star Wars needed. What Disney and Abrams have delivered is a fun, fast paced film which heavily references....or, if you must, downright plagiarises.....sequences from the first three films. Rehash or homage? Well that depends on whether you enjoy the new film as whole. I liked it a lot so I'm calling it a homage. It's all part and parcel of pulling the franchise back onto familiar rails and this feels like pulling up a favourite warm, comfy blanket.

The film looks the goods too. Unlike The Phantom Menace and its fellow impostors, The Force Awakens feels like a Star Wars movie from the lighting, to the sets, to the costuming, to the hokey scene wipes and.....[gasp].....real locations! Yes, it's amazing what can be done with actual locations rather than all that CG tosh.

Disney continues to revel in it's modern girl-power shtick. The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Frozen and now Rey - not the kind of gal who'll tolerate a fella taking her by the hand and leading her out of danger - she's in control of her own destiny. It's a empowering message and Disney plays it with a steady hand.

The new young cast carry the film well but, let's face it, Harrison Ford carried Star Wars.....I beg your pardon, Episode IV.....and he continues to carry it now. But Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren) and Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) are competent and will no doubt grow into their roles as Ford departs the series.

The Force Awakens is a promising start to a new era. The force is strong with this one. (Sorry.)

8 out of 10

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 01-04-2016 08:54 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
A couple more Star Wars thoughts:

The use of so much non-CGI elements in this movie makes most of the upcoming action movies featured in the trailers (especially Captain America) look overly fake by comparison. Some of the upcoming movies, that are supposed to be live-action, look even more like overblown cartoons than they did before. Seeing a movie with mostly real sets and props really amplifies that. Moviemakers really need to dial back on CGI, I think.

Here's a couple of questions that I have been asked and couldn't answer. Maybe some really big fan might have an answer: If the Millenium Falcon "hasn't flown in years" and is sitting there covered by tarps, etc. how can it be completely ready to go and fueled up, with lights on, when they race into it? (I think that scene would have been better if Rey had instead said something like "That ship is older than I am!" to indicate the ship was just scavenged; this would infer that it hasn't just been sitting there for years but has been flown, maybe a lot.)

One other thing: When Rey refuses to sell BB-8 to the junk dealer, he talks into a radio: "Follow the girl and get that droid." Why did he want BB-8 and who was he talking to? Is he part of the First Order? Kylo Ren had JUST found out that the map they were looking for was in BB-8 so how did the junk dealer know? Or was he just really wanting the droid for some other reason?

We've settled into a nice comfortable groove now with a few dozen people a night. We've had one guy attend the movie 5 times. I still wish we didn't have to do the 4th week but at least it's a movie everyone's liking.

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Jonathan Goeldner
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1360
From: Washington, District of Columbia
Registered: Jun 2008

- posted 01-05-2016 08:00 PM      Profile for Jonathan Goeldner   Email Jonathan Goeldner   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
saw the movie again this morning - but this time in 3D and Dolby Atmos - the latter didn't really wow, it felt and sounded like a valiant attempt but nothing that special. The 3D ranged from good to excellent, but overall didn't feel like it was that necessary to enjoy it as such.

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Bill Brandenstein
Master Film Handler

Posts: 413
From: Santa Clarita, CA
Registered: Jul 2013

- posted 01-05-2016 08:35 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mike, you can see my opinion of the Captain America trailer above. Less CGI and processing certainly seems pleasing to the eye, may make movies less ephemeral.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

- posted 01-05-2016 09:59 PM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mike: Who knows exactly how long the Millennium Falcon was sitting there. Probably not as long as Rey has been there. Maybe it senses as people come on board and lights up. We have technology like that NOW ON EARTH! It's not like a regular car on Earth where it needs to be driven every once in a while to work. They have space lubricant in there and other space stuff to keep it working.

Maybe the junk guy wanted the droid just because he thought it was cool. Like when you go to Lionel Playword to get the latest Lionel train for your train set. You see something really cool that you weren't expecting to see. You WANT it bad. So you send assassins after the one person who bought it before you. Or maybe the Neo-Empire sent out a space-e-mail offering many space dollars for the retrieval of said droid. He had just read his e-mail before she wandered up and it was fresh on his space-mind. Or maybe he just wanted to eat it.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 01-05-2016 11:46 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Oh thank you, it all makes sense now!

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Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002

- posted 01-06-2016 06:39 AM      Profile for Pravin Ratnam   Email Pravin Ratnam   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Regal atlantic IMAX

Solid fun movie. A return to the classic aesthetics which I preferred to the prequel look. Though, they probably went retro a little too much, As a result, there was really no fight scene that wowed us. It would have been nice to see a new space fight that wows the new generation almost as the original one did for us in our 40s.

Saw it in IMAX 3D only because I wanted to be guaranteed a bright screen.

Harrison Ford was the best part of the movie. I too was disappointed they gave Rey so many Jedi type abilities so fast. But my biggest gripe with the plot is:
SPOILER START******************
The way they end the Solo arc. Seriously, in the very first sequel to the trilogy?We got two more freaking movies. I don't want to see him come back as a damn ghost or a vision. We got enough of that crap in the Star Wars movies. They should have timed it for the 2nd movie. At least, have Luke and Han Solo meet once. Another issue I had was they needed to have more time for Chewbacca grieving for Solo instead of the momentary rage he had. At least, have him go berserk on the bad guys for a couple more minutes. This is a character we have known for 3 movies prior to this one. It just seemed a little too rushed after the final Solo scene.
SPOILER END******************

Music was ordinary. But at least, it was no intrusive. Missed the 20th century FoX fanfare followed by the Lucasfilm music seque though the Lucasfilm banner is there. Disney fanfare is not quite the same.

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Jonathan Goeldner
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1360
From: Washington, District of Columbia
Registered: Jun 2008

- posted 01-06-2016 07:59 AM      Profile for Jonathan Goeldner   Email Jonathan Goeldner   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Pravin - actually, if you believe what imdb is stating, one other character who met his demise is also appearing in Episode VIII - it makes out that prior scenes to The Force Awakens will be revealed.

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Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002

- posted 01-06-2016 01:41 PM      Profile for Pravin Ratnam   Email Pravin Ratnam   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
INDIRECT SPOILER:
And who the hell is Billy Dee going to hang with in one of the future movies?

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Lyle Romer
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1400
From: Davie, FL, USA
Registered: May 2002

- posted 01-06-2016 02:32 PM      Profile for Lyle Romer   Email Lyle Romer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote:
They had a Disney fanfare with the castle? When I saw it, it began with the Lucasfilm logo in silence and went straight to the theme and Star Wars logo.

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

- posted 01-06-2016 03:01 PM      Profile for Mike Blakesley   Author's Homepage   Email Mike Blakesley   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote:


But my biggest gripe with the plot is:

The way they end the
Spoiler Alert - Click to Toggle
Harrison Ford actually wanted to be killed off in "Return of the Jedi." So maybe
Spoiler Alert - Click to Toggle

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Matt Russell
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 142
From: Aurora, USA
Registered: Aug 2015

- posted 01-06-2016 04:29 PM      Profile for Matt Russell     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Pravin Ratnam
Disney fanfare is not quite the same.
There is no Disney fanfare whatsoever on the film, even at the end it just says "distributed through Walt Disney Pictures..." Lucasfilms is the only logo on this movie, at least for the beginning.

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Joe Redifer
You need a beating today

Posts: 12859
From: Denver, Colorado
Registered: May 99

- posted 01-06-2016 11:20 PM      Profile for Joe Redifer   Author's Homepage   Email Joe Redifer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
He wanted to be killed off in The Empire Strikes Back. Maybe he just always wants to be killed off because he hates sequels? I dunno.

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Pravin Ratnam
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 844
From: Atlanta, GA,USA
Registered: Sep 2002

- posted 01-07-2016 05:20 AM      Profile for Pravin Ratnam   Email Pravin Ratnam   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
You are correct , Lyle. There was no Disney fanfare. I was a little sloppy in the wording. My thought process was actually , sooner or later, my guess is they are going to add that and it would be hard to look at. The silent fanfare for Lucasfilm was a departure as it is.

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