Star Wars

[Reub]

I just saw Star Wars and loved it! I only saw the original and possibly one other one but I think that this is the best one. Have you seen it yet? It was nice to see all of the old characters again...like old friends.

[dualstow]

Jealous. I was seven when the original ("IV") came out in '77 so of course I was a fanatic like my contemporaries.
I am no longer that ardent a fan, but would like to see it in the theater in all its 70mm glory (the new Tarantino, also).


Alas, the theater nearest me that has it also has a reputation for bedbugs, shootings, and worst of all, people that talk on cell phones throughout a showing. I can deal with the first two, not the last.

[flyingpylon]

I just saw it this afternoon with my family and really enjoyed it.  I saw the original when I was 10, and can still remember humming the theme song all the way home.  I went with my father and grandfather who was about 70 at the time, and I'll never forget when he leaned over to me during the movie and commented in his Oklahoma drawl "This is a screwball picture..."

A lot has changed since then, that's for sure.

Perhaps it's a sign of watching and reading too much current news, but about 2/3 of the way through it dawned on me that the bad guys were practically all white men and the good guys were mostly women and minorities.  I have not analyzed the movie frame by frame to know if this is really true, so don't anyone jump all over me.  It was just my perception.

[Pointedstick]

I loved it too. A great "soft reboot" to the franchise. Much needed and appreciated.

As for the demographics of the characters, The ever-so-memorable Captain Phasma (shiny stormtrooper armor) was a woman, there was at least one female stormtrooper who had a line, and Finn being a black guy implies that there could be plenty of other black stormtroopers too who decided to stay evil. I think there were a couple of ladies charging the bad guy superweapon too. And Poe, the opening good guy character, was a white guy.  I wouldn't read too much into it.

[Reub]

I though the Droid was the star!

[ZedThou]

I will see it in a week or two, trying to avoid crowded theaters.

In the meantime I am trying to avoid any spoilers. Seems like I should just get completely off of the Internet...I was reading yesterday on io9.com about the opening weekend box office proceeds, and someone casually mentioned the fate of an important character in the film.

I am not too pleased!

[flyingpylon]

I loved it too. A great "soft reboot" to the franchise. Much needed and appreciated.

As for the demographics of the characters, The ever-so-memorable Captain Phasma (shiny stormtrooper armor) was a woman, there was at least one female stormtrooper who had a line, and Finn being a black guy implies that there could be plenty of other black stormtroopers too who decided to stay evil. I think there were a couple of ladies charging the bad guy superweapon too. And Poe, the opening good guy character, was a white guy.  I wouldn't read too much into it.

Just playing devil's advocate here, I don't mean to make too much of this but:

The actor that plays Poe is described as Guatemalan-American in real life.  So if he's a white guy, is he like "white hispanic" or something?

Has there ever, in 38 years and 7 episodes, been a black Stormtrooper before?  I honestly don't know, I can't recall one.  If not, it's ironic that the first time we see one, he takes the actions that he does "because he knows what's right".

You're right about Captain Phasma, we never actually see her but she is described as female.  And it's true that there were a couple of white women getting the superweapon cranked up.  But hey, there are women in the GOP too, right?

I think it struck me during the scene inside the Resistance command center.  Look at the demographics of that group vs the First Order.  They had Leia in charge, a smart older Asian man, a black woman relaying information, etc.

Sorry for being cynical, I don't mean to take this discussion in the wrong direction.  Just sayin'.  Everyone should still go see the movie, it's entertaining, especially if you have fond memories of the first one like many of us do.

[Pointedstick]

Just playing devil's advocate here, I don't mean to make too much of this but:

The actor that plays Poe is described as Guatemalan-American in real life.  So if he's a white guy, is he like "white hispanic" or something?

Sure, and I'm Ukranian-American. Everyone has to be [something]-American today and highlight their irrelevant ethnic differences to get in on this big happy world of multicultural inclusivity. Whatever. He looks like a white guy to me!

Regardless, I get what you're saying, and I think it's definitely intentional that the good guys are more diverse than the bad guys, but let's be honest: this was always true in the original saga too. Look at the demographics of the rebel armada that attacks the second death star, for example. There are multiple species of aliens, Mon Mothma is a women (the lady who gives the briefing), Leia is a woman, Lando is a black guy, there's a black fighter pilot, an asian fighter pilot, etc.

By contrast, I don't think there was ever a single non-white-male-human employed by the Empire (except for the bounty hunters in The Empire Strikes Back, which are intentionally weird and different to underscore this contrast). It's definitely intentional, and it's designed to highlight the conflict between the rebels and the Empire: uniformity vs diversity, conformity vs free expression, squashing differences vs embracing them, etc. The fact that we don't see a black stormtrooper in the past is by design; they're all hidden beneath their identical armor, which is symbolic of how the Empire attempts to eliminate personal differences and enforce a sameness to everything. They could be black, asian, hispanic, green, blue, whatever, but the Empire conceals their differences and makes them all look identical.

Basically, "diversity = good" has always been a part of Star Wars.

[mukramesh]

I will see it in a week or two, trying to avoid crowded theaters.

In the meantime I am trying to avoid any spoilers...

Maybe avoid clicking on threads titled "Star Wars" 

[Cortopassi]

It was really good.  I never watched 1-3, well I did watch 1 but did not like it.  Of the originals, Empire Strikes Back was my favorite.

There was a lot of humor and I think the new characters are very good.  And Harrison Ford stole the show for me.

[flyingpylon]

Basically, "diversity = good" has always been a part of Star Wars.

Some good points, you make. Hmmm...

[barrett]

There are multiple species of aliens, Mon Mothma is a women (the lady who gives the briefing), Leia is a woman, Lando is a black guy, there's a black fighter pilot, an asian fighter pilot, etc.

Don't forget the overweight fighter pilot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBFwcidw6HM

This guys just sloshes around the cockpit. OK, it's a recut, but it's a good one.

[Tortoise]

I saw The Force Awakens over the weekend and thought it was great.

What I liked most about it:
- Interesting, complex characters with room to grow
- Impressive cinematography
- Very similar look, sound, and feel as the original trilogy
- Witty and funny moments that help balance the action and drama

A couple of minor nitpicks:
- Somewhat nondescript, less-than-memorable musical score by John Williams
- A "Death Star" type superweapon for the third time? Come on, at least make the weapon non-spherical or something...

I thought the Nazi overtones were a bit heavy-handed in that scene on Starkiller Base when all of the stormtroopers do the "heil Hitler" gesture in unison. But, eh... whatever. They're bad guys. I guess the Nazis have just become the purest archetype of evil in our modern culture.

Overall, despite my minor nits, I would rank this film in the same ballpark as the original trilogy in terms of its quality and how much I enjoyed it. A very fun, entertaining film. And the main character, Daisy Ridley, is definitely easy on the eyes

[l82start]

By contrast, I don't think there was ever a single non-white-male-human employed by the Empire (except for the bounty hunters in The Empire Strikes Back, which are intentionally weird and different to underscore this contrast). It's definitely intentional, and it's designed to highlight the conflict between the rebels and the Empire: uniformity vs diversity, conformity vs free expression, squashing differences vs embracing them, etc. The fact that we don't see a black stormtrooper in the past is by design; they're all hidden beneath their identical armor, which is symbolic of how the Empire attempts to eliminate personal differences and enforce a sameness to everything. They could be black, asian, hispanic, green, blue, whatever, but the Empire conceals their differences and makes them all look identical.

Basically, "diversity = good" has always been a part of Star Wars.

they were also all clones,  the children of jango fet played by a newzeland actor who is  M?ori, Scottish, and Irish descent. (M?ori is indigenous Polynesian) and they (bobo fet) are played (in the child version) by danilal logan also from newzeland and of M?ori decent ... so maybe the original storm troopers are kinda white but they seem to be mostly Polynesian 

[barrett]

they were also all clones, 

In the original Star Wars (movie 4), Obiwan references the Clone Wars but I misheard the line as "the Clown Wars." Kinda messed up my expectations for The Empire Strikes Back.

[l82start]

i saw this theory just recently and it kinda warped my take on movies 1 through 3  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yy3q9f84EA

[Pointedstick]

i saw this theory just recently and it kinda warped my take on movies 1 through 3  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yy3q9f84EA

If it's true, it's still terrible storytelling. Jar-Jar's supposed abilities according to this theory would be so powerful as to become Deus Ex Machina, and everyone hated the character anyway. Then again, that would fit with the general incompetence of the whole prequel trilogy…

[dualstow]

In the original Star Wars (movie 4), Obiwan references the Clone Wars but I misheard the line as "the Clown Wars." Kinda messed up my expectations for The Empire Strikes Back.

Major dork here (me, I mean) : I remember Obi-wan referencing droid wars but not clone wars. Did he?

Anyway, I saw the new one last week. It was ok, better than Lucas could do. Really enjoyed the Kylo Ren character. Saw the Revenant yesterday. Far better for an adult.

[Pointedstick]

He did. He was sitting with Luke in his house right after rescuing him from the Tusken Raiders. Luke asks him, "You fought in the Clone Wars?"

[MediumTex]

In the original Star Wars (movie 4), Obiwan references the Clone Wars but I misheard the line as "the Clown Wars." Kinda messed up my expectations for The Empire Strikes Back.

Major dork here (me, I mean) : I remember Obi-wan referencing droid wars but not clone wars. Did he?

Anyway, I saw the new one last week. It was ok, better than Lucas could do. Really enjoyed the Kylo Ren character.

I saw it with my sons and we all enjoyed it.  It was only in the parking lot after that it hit me that the plot was basically identical to the first movie, except all of the roles had been shifted around, but it was still the Empire chasing around the Rebels and their droid with a bit of critical information inside, and a father son conflict that was wrapped up in one movie rather than three.

Compared to the prequels, J.J. Abrams made a much warmer and more inviting film with a lot of the look and feel of the first three films.  The prequels IMHO were just a muddy mess that seemed like they were put together by a special effects guy and a video game programmer.

Saw the Revenant yesterday. Far better for an adult.

I saw Primus and Tool in concert last night.  My hard-to-entertain adult mind was happier than a pig in shit for three hours.  It was like having my head repeatedly dunked in a bucket of awesomeness.

[dualstow]

Ooh! Did Primus do 'Jerry was a race car driver"? I used to have a kind of personal connection to Mr Bungle. From there I got a cool Primus t-shirt that I wore proudly in college, but never actually got to see them.

(MedTex) It was only in the parking lot after that it hit me that the plot was basically identical to the first movie

I felt that way through the whole thing. (Don't look, ZedThou!) Cantina, porky guy in an x-wing fighter going after round planet destroyer, and so on.

(PointedStick) He did. He was sitting with Luke in his house right after rescuing him from the Tusken Raiders. Luke asks him, "You fought in the Clone Wars?"

Ahh.
I'm off to google that Ring theory...which I thought was mentioned in this thread, and now I can't find it. I think I am iron deficient tonight.

[Pointedstick]

Ooh! Did Primus do 'Jerry was a race car driver"? I used to have a kind of personal connection to Mr Bungle. From there I got a cool Primus t-shirt that I wore proudly in college, but never actually got to see them.

(MedTex) It was only in the parking lot after that it hit me that the plot was basically identical to the first movie

I felt that way through the whole thing. (Don't look, ZedThou!) Cantina, porky guy in an x-wing fighter going after round planet destroyer, and so on.

Secret data hidden in a droid… expert pilot on a desert planet… Millennium Falcon is a hunk of junk… gotta blow up the spherical planet-destroying superweapon before it blows up the planet the good guys are on…

[dragoncar]

I loved it too. A great "soft reboot" to the franchise. Much needed and appreciated.

As for the demographics of the characters, The ever-so-memorable Captain Phasma (shiny stormtrooper armor) was a woman, there was at least one female stormtrooper who had a line, and Finn being a black guy implies that there could be plenty of other black stormtroopers too who decided to stay evil. I think there were a couple of ladies charging the bad guy superweapon too. And Poe, the opening good guy character, was a white guy.  I wouldn't read too much into it.

I had multiple people say they liked that "asian" or "Japanese" characters.  Rolleyes, an alien can't be Japanese... they in a galaxy far far away!

[dualstow]

I had multiple people say they liked that "asian" or "Japanese" characters.  Rolleyes, an alien can't be Japanese... they in a galaxy far far away!

True. I guess that was a sloppy way of indicating the characters played by Asian actors(?)
Little known fact: Yoda is Belgian.
j/k

[MediumTex]

Ooh! Did Primus do 'Jerry was a race car driver"? I used to have a kind of personal connection to Mr Bungle. From there I got a cool Primus t-shirt that I wore proudly in college, but never actually got to see them.

Of course. 

...and it was awesome, along with their entire set.

Primus and Tool are acts that must be seen live to be believed.  Tool easily puts on the best show I've ever seen.  Second place is a long way back.  I've seen Tool before, but there was a rookie sitting next to me at the show.  There was an intermission during the Tool set and I heard him telling his buddy: "I didn't know concerts could be like this.  I've never experienced anything like this before.  This is incredible."  I felt the same way at my first Tool show. 

They say that there are experiences that are like drinking out of a fire hydrant.  A Tool show is like that, except imagine that the fire hydrant is full of molten steel, or maybe molten lava.