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To: Impy; Perdogg; GOPsterinMA; fieldmarshaldj; BillyBoy
I still remember the summer of '99 when EVERYONE (even the film's "competition"!) was hailing Star Wars: The Phantom Menace as the MUST SEE film of the year and telling people they had to be "crazy" if they weren't rushing out to theaters in order to see "the first Star Wars movie in 16 years". Star Wars fans even bought tickets to movies they didn't want to watch just to catch the first TRAILER for Phantom Menace (this was pre-YouTube era) and there were stories and images of Star Wars fans camped out in theaters, waiting in lines 3 blocks long, just to buy a ticket for the film. SEE THE ORIGIN OF DARTH VADER!!! IT WILL SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, not falling for that again...

The one bright spot this time around is George Lucas ISN'T in charge of the film, which means there's a possibility that it won't suck (the George Lucas rule is similar to the Stephen King rule... the LESS the creator of the franchise is involved in micromanaging new films using his property, the better the results will be). On the other hand, JJ Abrams IS in charge, which means we'll look forward to more lens flares, plot holes, and mindless action sequences. Can't say I have faith in the guy after Super 8 and Star Trek Into Darkness -- both films were "meh" although they certainly LOOKED sleek.

I'm reminded of last year's summer "event" movie, Godzilla, where it was being hyped as a MUST SEE theatrical experience, and I told everyone that I had zero desire to see another American-made Godzilla on the big screen after the overhyped Matthew Broderick flop in the 90s. Their response was that I was just jaded by a campy ridiculous 90s movie, but Godzilla was being done by different people THIS time and it would be different because it would be FAITHFUL to the Japanese original and an incredibly exciting experience.

Finally watched both American Godzilla's (1998 Broderick film and 2014 "reboot") on DVD a couple months back. The 2014 version wasn't "better", unless you count the new CGI Godzilla looking closer to the 1950s rubber suit design as "better". Neither film was particularly good, but the '98 version was a tad more fun and entertaining. The 2014 film went downhill after Bryan Cranston's character died. Godzilla himself got about 15 minutes screentime in his own movie (the 2014 film should have been called "Mutos", as those monsters ended up on screen much more). Both '98 and 2014 had about equal amounts of "callbacks" and references to the original Japanese film, with some token Japanese character appearing along with the American cast.

I'm glad I waited for the DVD to see the "new and improved" Godzilla, and I will likely do the same with the "new and improved" Star Wars. Unless the film is getting overwhelmingly positive reviews, its strictly "wait for DVD" to me.

46 posted on 11/22/2015 10:33:38 AM PST by BillyBoy (Impeach Obama? Yes We Can!)
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To: BillyBoy; Impy; Perdogg; fieldmarshaldj

“Unless the film is getting overwhelmingly positive reviews, its strictly “wait for DVD” to me.”

Same here...unless Harry “Perdogg” Palmer says it’s the bees knees.


51 posted on 11/22/2015 11:24:24 AM PST by GOPsterinMA (I'm with Steve McQueen: I live my life for myself and answer to nobody.)
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To: BillyBoy; Impy; Perdogg
" SEE THE ORIGIN OF DARTH VADER!!! IT WILL SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EPIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "

That was the biggest letdown of all. Anakin turns out to be some chubby-faced, auto-racing brat kid who turns into a whiny, sullen teenager who manages to have no chemistry with Natalie Portman (and Portman, who has acting abilities, managed to turn in a very flat performance).

55 posted on 11/22/2015 3:36:43 PM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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