Star Wars sucks. There, we said it.

Maclean's ^ | June 19, 2015 | Jaime Weinman

[odds]

Since my dad was born a Catholic, i chime in & say the current Pope & Pope John Paul II would & would have taken Star Wars at face value, for what it is was, meaning entertainment.

It’s perfectly understandable some liking or not liking the movies, or having a personal perception or angle. But, I really do think it’s absurd to put a religious spin on the movies - i mean that generally, not directed at you.

[a fool in paradise]

when Joss Whedon (The Avengers) criticized The Empire Strikes Back for not having a clear ending

Now that sort of hypocrisy is hilarious.

The Marvel-Disney Comics(TM) franchise films requires you to watch 17 films spread out over 12 years of production to piece together storylines and characters from each of the films building towards some intergalactic war storyline (cribbed from 6-10 years of more developed comic book stories).

[a fool in paradise]

There has even been a shift in the way fictional characters react to Star Wars. In popular culture, being a fan of the trilogy used to mark a character as being nerdy, even behind the times. On the 1990s sitcom NewsRadio, the lead character (The Kids in the Hall’s Dave Foley) was mocked by the other characters for loving Star Wars. His ability to identify Boba Fett, the intergalactic bounty hunter from The Empire Strikes Back, marked him as having very different interests from everyone around him. Today, Star Wars is used in pop culture in the exact opposite way, as a cultural touchstone almost every sympathetic character loves. Liz Lemon on 30 Rock was a Star Wars fan; so were the characters on How I Met Your Mother (a woman who jilted the hero at the altar was a Star Wars hater). If a character likes Star Wars, you know he or she has good taste.

Time was that Star Wars fans, Trekkies, and Whovians were isolated and distinct cults. You were supposed to encamp only with one franchise. And the rest of society considered all of them to be "nerds" (not high tech scientific nerds but geeked out fanboy nerds who applied too much focus towards a fantasy life).

[a fool in paradise]

For filmmakers and critics of Lucas’s own generation, the movies were recognizably bigger, more expensive versions of things they had outgrown, like old serials; even the cliffhanger ending of The Empire Strikes Back, now seen as daring, just seemed like a ploy out of a Flash Gordon serial.

And what are many of Tarantino's movies other than a pastiche of trash cinema from the 60s, 70s, and 80s?

[vladimir998]

“You have some serious emotional problems,”

No, but you’re showing that you sure seem to. Remember, I posted ONE WORD. You keep going on and on about it. The one with “emotional problems” must be YOU.

“you jumped on this thread as a stalker,”

No, I saw “Star Wars” in the thread title. I have posted Star Wars related threads myself:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3285882/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3286066/posts

Notice, even though I have posted threads on Star Wars related topics in the past you have jumped to the conclusion that I “jumped on this thread as a stalker”. What you said there is then demonstratively false and again highlights how you make things up out of thin air. Again, who obviously has an “emotional problem”?

“an act of desperation and rage.”

Actually, neither. Again, I post Star Wars related threads. I saw this one. I saw that you and another notable FR anti-Catholic both dislike Star Wars and that made me wonder. As I said before the only two feelings I’ve had is amusement and wonder. Maybe now I should add pity to the list because you come across as such a pitiful, fragile creature.

“You obviously cant control it.”

You’re proving that you’re the one who can’t control himself. Figures.

[caww]

Seems to me one of his movies was pretty much all digital....and din’t fly well for Star War fans....the puppets used now have been greatly expanded and me chanized mush further, so the shots proved better later on in the series.

Digital is ok...but not when the entire film is such. I think it was ‘Return of Sith ‘that was mostly all digital.

[Mad Dawgg]

To me there are two basic types of movies. Movies that are made as pieces of cinematic art, and popcorn movies. I love both.

The Original Star Wars (A New Hope) is a popcorn movie. It is not social commentary or political. It is just a fast paced adventure flick where you cheer for the good guys and boo and hiss at the bad guys.

Anyone looking for more is looking for something that is not there and the people who made the film never intended there to be anything but what it was.

These so-called movie critics are clueless who think there should be more to be had from the movie. I read their tripe and feel they are the type who would go to burlesque show and rant and rave that it just didn't measure up to going to the opera.

[vladimir998]

It would be interesting to know what John Paul II thought of something like Star Wars. I wonder if he ever even saw the movie?

[a fool in paradise]

David Sims of The Atlantic wrote that people who complain about the prequels sound like “bitter Gen X-ers upset that their childhoods are receding further into the distance.”

Sometimes the new crap simply ISN'T better than the old stuff.

Try applying The Atlantic's argument to reviews of The Rolling Stones' albums they've put out since the days of "Empire" (everything that came after Tattoo You) with those they made before it. "Oh, you just prefer Exile on Main Street because that's the one you grew up with, Steel Wheels rocks balls harder than that!!!" whatever.

And this same plastic argument could be used in society. "Your parents' generation only THOUGHT they had the American Dream with they owned their own home, stayed married, and lived to see their kids grow up, go to college, get even better jobs, and raise the next generation..." HA, they didn't even have texting, twitter, or The Daily Show. WHAT KIND OF LIFE WAS THAT???

[a fool in paradise]

In an era when it’s almost obligatory to praise Beyoncé and other pop entertainers,

No one in my world feels obliged to praise Beyonce or the pop president Obie.

Such empty praise is not found in the media I read, watch, or listen to. It is not found among the discussions held with friends and family. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE???

[ansel12]

Actually it took two of your stalking posts to me before I responded with a one sentence post.

You need to work on ending the stalking.

[a fool in paradise]

as Kenny and others point out, Lucas’s visual language and storytelling in Star Wars were inspired by Akira Kurosawa. Today’s blockbusters have the disadvantage of being inspired by George Lucas.

A bastardized copy of a copy of a copy...

[odds]

Can’t recall reading any commentary from John Paul II about Star Wars movies. But, John Paul II was very savvy in keeping up with times, within limits, to not alienate young people by being extremely dogmatic.

It isn’t all about Strict religious dogma, but exercising judgement too, again within parameters.

[vladimir998]

“Actually it took two of your stalking posts to me before I responded with a one sentence post.”

Then you didn’t respond at all because I didn’t post a single “stalking post”. Again, we see you make things up out of thin air.

“You need to work on ending the stalking.”

You need to work on ending the making-things-up-out-of-thin-air habit you have.

[MeshugeMikey]

“”beyonce” is clearly the child of one who could not spell worth spit!

Beyond that I have ni idea.

My last TV died years ago..and its dues to the crap that passes.....for modern entertainment that I never replaced that olde vacuum tube CRT behemoth.

Obama’s taste in entertainment matches his taste in all else.....

[Vaquero]

Yeah what a bummer ending. But I loved that movie as a kid. Fess Parker was Davy Crockett and he was the dad in that film.

The morale? Get your dogs their rabies shots.

[a fool in paradise]

>>> “..... a film with comic-book characters, an unbelievable story, no political or social commentary, lousy acting, preposterous dialogue, and a ridiculously simplistic morality. In other words, a bad movie.”

Apart from the bit about political/socialist commentary, the same thing could be said about An Inconvenient Trufe!!!

[a fool in paradise]

It’s hard to make a “smash” hit out of a Taxi Driver or Easy Rider (which soured the film industry in their own ways), let alone an INTERNATIONAL hit film.

Today’s comic book franchise films from Marvel-Disney and others play down their American origins. Captain America became “The First Avenger” abroad. Superman mocked “Truth, Justice, and that other stuff (the American Way)”. GI Joe is no longer “A Real American Hero”.

[Darksheare]

I dare say it is better than that Jar Jar and Ewok business as well.

[a fool in paradise]

I really liked “The Empire Strikes Back”, simply because he did not write or direct it and it shows.

That may be but I wouldn't bestow the accolades on the director of the second one either. He later made a mess out of Robocop 2 and said he had a sh!t script to work with (that was well written by Frank Miller). He tossed out a lot of what was good and then blamed it on the writer. I'd wager his hand was restricted in what he did with Empire.