An Old Dog No Longer Barks .."Attack of the Clones" get an hilarious trashing.

newsgroups | may 2002 | Rex Reed

[Darth Reagan]

I saw Episode 2 AOTC at the midnight show last night here in Austin.

Did you see with with Harry?

[Demosthenes]

Hey man, it ain't supposed to be Ender's Game, or Hyperion, it's never pretended to be anything BUT plastic toys in space, basic good guys versus bad....

Hmmm....Hyperion, now THERE'S a movie I'd like to see made....

[Ted]

Can't hit that url, I dunno... joke?...

[Calico Cat]

Ben Bova, Isaac Asimov and Harlan Ellison are three major science fiction writers who have written of their dislike for the "Star Wars" franchise.

[Darth Reagan]

The site's been locked up. Harry Knowles runs the website "Ain't It Cool News" about movies. It has some power in the industry and he runs it from Austin. Here's the guy's book. He's a big Star Wars geek.

[Darth Reagan]

And Harlan Ellison is a big Star Trek fan, probably because Trek is more into the science that Star Wars is. But, big deal if Ben, Isaac and Harlan don't like Star Wars. It's a space fantasy and its story is a modern myth rather than an investigation into the effect of fictional science on humanity.

[discostu]

And one of the oldest rules of moviedome remains true: if Rex Reed hates it you should go see it.

[mewzilla]

Note to Mr. Reed: That's penicillin-resistant bacteria, if you don't mind.

If you're going to trash something with a metaphor, Rex, at least get the metaphor straight.

[bertdog1]

I have to agree with you. If Rex doesn't like it then it is likely worth viewing. However, anyone that camps out for days to watch it must be of some questionable intellect, or maybe better yet, questionable common sense.

Bertdog1

[discostu]

Rex is one of the last "great" artsy critics, these are people that have forgotten that movies are ENTERTAINMENT and should be fun (BTW my review of Ep II is: nice beginning, typical GL 2nd act problems, last 45 minutes is one great ride that's worth the price of admission; over all not nearly as good as Empire (my favorite) but not nearly competing with Ep I and Return for worst of the series, a solid Star Wars movie).

As for camping out it depends on why you're doing it. In my wild youth I camped out for movie and concert tickets, it's fun. Of course back then it was the only to get good seats, but it's actually a lot of fun hanging out with like minded goofballs. I have very fond memories of camping out for a Star Trek movie while one of the local independant station did a Trek marathon. I'm too old and decrepit to do anything like that anymore (well I could, but I'd be so stiff from sleeping on the sidewalk I wouldn't enjoy the movie).

Anybody that hasn't done opening day of either of the "Star" series definitely should next time around, you don't have to camp anymore, it's really cool seeing the logo hit with an opening day crowd.

[Brett66]

This was a fun movie, a very enjoyable movie-going experience. If you go into it expecting perfect plots, great acting and great writing then you won't like it. If you go wanting to see Jedi kick @ss then you'll love it. My expectations matched the movie and there are some great moments that are unique to the Star Wars experience you won't get anywhere else. When Yoda pulls his robe back to unviel his light-saber, it was a great "moment". That's what drives Star Wars fans, experiencing those great "moments" with friends.

[the]

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I have often thought that the first "star wars" movie helped pave the way for the Reagan revolution.

No kidding.

It came out in the late 1970s during the Jimmy Carter era. America was suffering from a malaise, according to our rabbit whacker in chief, not realizing the malaise was caused by living under dingbats like him.

Then Star Wars came out. The first "sci fi" movie--if not first movie-- in years full of hope and optimism. And people went nuts for it, even though it was post Vietnam and our "pundits" said we'd never again want to see anything with "war" in it after Vietnam.

And at the height of the Star Wars craze, militant Muslim radicals seized the American embassy. An "evil empire" began rattling its sabre once again. Our Peanut farming President made us feel powerless. The force was no longer with us.

Watching all of this our public, still inspired by Star Wars, yearned for the days of kick butt movie heroes, not afraid to show up, strike a blow for justice and take names.

And when it came time to elect a president we chose a candidate who not only touched on the classic themes of an old fashioned movies, he was an actor who actually played in old movies: Ronald Reagan.

So diss Star Wars if you want, but remember, there's a good chance that without we'd have had four more years of Jimmy Carter malaise.