Star Wars Expanded Universe Thread

[Frak]

The Last Jedi had parts to it that seem like they were just thrown in there just to kill time! Finn going to the casino to pick up a bit character that out of the blue sells him out...that entire part of the film was a waste of time! Sure...killing Luke off was bold...but that movie was boring! Especially the big battle at the end. The Luke part of the battle was cool...but that was it...

They could have cut that whole casino part of the movie and they would have been better for it. On top of that, they completely misused Benicio DelToro. They gave him a weird stutter instead of letting him be a Han/Lando rogue. It was right there and they blew it.

 

[Frak]

I think the last part is my issue. Yes, the original trilogy was “for kids”. But it didn’t have all of the cutesy characters to get the young kids in (and sell merch at themeparks). The comedy from the original came from Solo’s quips. They didn’t need a Jar Jar or Porgs or even Grogu.

But also, my generation that grew up on the original Star Wars wanted the franchise to grow with them. Outside of Andor and Rogue One, it really hasn’t. And that’s fine to focus on a different, more profitable demographic in young children. But it just isn’t for me and it’s been disappointing.

I was 3 when ANH came out. 6 for ESB. To me, the biggest issues with the prequels and sequels was that even then, the droids were enough comic relief for me. I may not have understood the whole thing, but I understood enough to know that it was great. But they started inserting burp and fart jokes into it with RTOJ and the special editions and just kept doubling down from there. It's just not necessary. IMO they grossly underestimated what kids can take in. Kids don't NEED to understand EVERYTHING. They'll figure it out eventually.

 

[jcf817]

No, @harimad, the toxicity is never justified. It's only stupid.

 

[harimad]

No, @harimad, the toxicity is never justified. It's only stupid.

The Last Jedi is one of the worst movies (not just Star Wars movies- all movies period) I have ever seen. The neglect and outright incompetence that Disney/Lucasfilm demonstrated with this trilogy reached its high point with this terrible film. I can't tell you how The Rise of Skywalker went because after TLJ I'm never watching another Star Wars movie again. Unless it's done by whoever directed Rogue One.

 

[jcf817]

The Last Jedi is one of the worst movies (not just Star Wars movies- all movies period) I have ever seen. The neglect and outright incompetence that Disney/Lucasfilm demonstrated with this trilogy reached its high point with this terrible film. I can't tell you how The Rise of Skywalker went because after TLJ I'm never watching another Star Wars movie again. Unless it's done by whoever directed Rogue One.

That's a take.

 

[HarryClone]

That's a take.

they don't call 'em "hariHappy" for a reason

 

[NorthCyd]

The Last Jedi is one of the worst movies (not just Star Wars movies- all movies period) I have ever seen. The neglect and outright incompetence that Disney/Lucasfilm demonstrated with this trilogy reached its high point with this terrible film. I can't tell you how The Rise of Skywalker went because after TLJ I'm never watching another Star Wars movie again. Unless it's done by whoever directed Rogue One.

Yeah, but tell us how you really feel.

 

[Triggermv]

Saw Mandalorian and Grogu last night and found it just alright. Had some great action, particularly towards the beginning, had some cute and funny moments, but ultimately just felt like one long middle-of-the road Mandalorian episode in theaters. I did love the return to using a lot of stop-motion creature effects. That was cool.

On a separate note, I absolutely hated The Last Jedi and it was one of the most disappointing experiences I had ever experienced in the movie theater. It was what ruined the sequel trilogy for me, but that is just me.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Given how The Last Jedi is being dragged on here (even now nine years later) I'm glad I've never seen it.

The Force Awakens was all I needed to see this ship was beelining for the iceberg.

 

[RollClones14]

Mandalorian and Grogu was a solid fun time in the Star Wars universe. Not life changing or ground breaking, but also not offensive. I always enjoy just getting to hang in the universe. Really just whet my appetite for Starfighter next year. Shawn Levy is just ok, but the cast is unreal and Gosling hasn't had a "bad" movie since The Gray Man.

 

[BryceC]

I had a fine time at Mando but I think it signals the end of what Star Wars was as a kid to me. It’s not trying to be big tent/for everybody anymore.

As to TLJ being the worst movie people have ever seen my god it’s absurd.

 

[Frak]

I had a fine time at Mando but I think it signals the end of what Star Wars was as a kid to me. It’s not trying to be big tent/for everybody anymore.

As to TLJ being the worst movie people have ever seen my god it’s absurd.

To me, Andor is the closest to what I think about when I remember SW as a kid. I have a hard time seeing them do anything like that again, sadly.

 

[jcf817]

To me, Andor is the closest to what I think about when I remember SW as a kid. I have a hard time seeing them do anything like that again, sadly.

And it was made by people who aren't life-long Star Wars acolytes. Perhaps there's a lesson there.

 

[Clonehomer]

And it was made by people who aren't life-long Star Wars acolytes. Perhaps there's a lesson there.

I agree with this. Andor was nothing like the original trilogy. But to me, it was the adult show needed for those that fell in love with the original trilogy as kids. You can’t keep recycling the same storyline (Force Awakens) and keep the olds entertained. You can certainly gain a new generation of fans, but I’m selfish and want SW to cater to me.

 

[NorthCyd]

I saw Mando last night and thought it was a lot of fun. While the story is episodic I still thought it felt distinct from the shows. A lot of fan service, but that's kind of what the show has always been about. Watching Favreau and Filoni play around in the sandbox with their Star Wars toys is fun.

 

[Sigmapolis]

I found this amusing.

My unsentimental, non-Star-Wars-guy view of the first movie is that it’s a mediocre B-movie for about 80 minutes that suddenly gets awesome when they start having dogfights in space. The first two acts are only made tolerable by an amazing John Williams score, a few great effects like the Imperial Star Destroyer in the opening shot, and Harrison Ford having the most Big **** Energy in any galaxy. But the plot is mediocre, the dialogue is terrible — I honestly think it would have flopped if there hadn’t been 40 minutes of effects-laden ass kicking at the end. But there were 40 minutes of effects-laden ass kicking, Gen X had their minds blown so thoroughly that the shock wave is still echoing through space, and the rest is history.

https://www.imightbewrong.org/p/did-the-mandalorian-and-grogu-extend

 

[NorthCyd]

I found this amusing.

My unsentimental, non-Star-Wars-guy view of the first movie is that it’s a mediocre B-movie for about 80 minutes that suddenly gets awesome when they start having dogfights in space. The first two acts are only made tolerable by an amazing John Williams score, a few great effects like the Imperial Star Destroyer in the opening shot, and Harrison Ford having the most Big **** Energy in any galaxy. But the plot is mediocre, the dialogue is terrible — I honestly think it would have flopped if there hadn’t been 40 minutes of effects-laden ass kicking at the end. But there were 40 minutes of effects-laden ass kicking, Gen X had their minds blown so thoroughly that the shock wave is still echoing through space, and the rest is history.

https://www.imightbewrong.org/p/did-the-mandalorian-and-grogu-extend

Eh... The film hasn't aged particularly well but it's better than this review gives it credit for. He's missing a lot of context on what sci-fi and fantasy films at the time, and ones that had come before it, were like. Mos Eisly was a grimy depiction of the future that was well done and not commonly seen at the time. Princess Leia was a groundbreaking female character in the genre. Darth Vader is one of the best bad guys of all time. The dialogue is clunky at times, but has a lot of humor and is well done for characters like Han Solo and C-3PO. Of course the Death Star run leads to great action and an all time climax for a film, but to say the rest of the movie sucks and would have failed without isn't fair at all IMO. It all works together to make a great film. George Lucas is definitely lacking in certain aspects of film making, but overall he is a good story teller and that comes through in the film.

 

[Clonehomer]

Eh... The film hasn't aged particularly well but it's better than this review gives it credit for. He's missing a lot of context on what sci-fi and fantasy films at the time, and ones that had come before it, were like. Mos Eisly was a grimy depiction of the future that was well done and not commonly seen at the time. Princess Leia was a groundbreaking female character in the genre. Darth Vader is one of the best bad guys of all time. The dialogue is clunky at times, but has a lot of humor and is well done for characters like Han Solo and C-3PO. Of course the Death Star run leads to great action and an all time climax for a film, but to say the rest of the movie sucks and would have failed without isn't fair at all IMO. It all works together to make a great film. George Lucas is definitely lacking in certain aspects of film making, but overall he is a good story teller and that comes through in the film.

It would be interesting the reaction if they remade the original trilogy with modern special effects rather than the sequels? Assuming they kept true to the script, would there have been a negative reaction?

Cause if you go back to the original, it is very dated for new audiences. It’s like watching the various incarnations of Dune. It’s the same story, but the movies are so different based on the movie tech at the time.

 

[houjix]

It would be interesting the reaction if they remade the original trilogy with modern special effects rather than the sequels? Assuming they kept true to the script, would there have been a negative reaction?

Cause if you go back to the original, it is very dated for new audiences. It’s like watching the various incarnations of Dune. It’s the same story, but the movies are so different based on the movie tech at the time.

The Special Editions did clean up a bunch of stuff and added a few things that weren't possible at the time, but I find it interesting that the scenes from M&G getting high praise are the stop motion walkers and big robot guards.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Eh... The film hasn't aged particularly well but it's better than this review gives it credit for. He's missing a lot of context on what sci-fi and fantasy films at the time, and ones that had come before it, were like.

I don't think he trashes it or says it "sucks." He says it was "mediocre" until the Third Act and then it kicks ass, which isn't an unfair description. I'm aware of what A New Hope must have seemed like to audiences used to campy 50s, 60s, and 70s sci-fi, but that context doesn't matter much nowadays.

Mos Eisly was a grimy depiction of the future that was well done and not commonly seen at the time.

Definitely a good instance of the "Western in space" subgenre. Though, to be fair, some of the effects during that sequence are distractingly bad. They just used whatever Halloween mask they could find.

Princess Leia was a groundbreaking female character in the genre. Darth Vader is one of the best bad guys of all time.

True on Leia.

With only A New Hope to go on, Vader isn't a particularly memorable character. Many of the best bad guy moments go to Tarkin holding Vader's leash. Most of his legend is built in Empire and Jedi.

It would be interesting the reaction if they remade the original trilogy with modern special effects rather than the sequels? Assuming they kept true to the script, would there have been a negative reaction?

Dear goodness don't give Disney any ideas.

Cause if you go back to the original, it is very dated for new audiences. It’s like watching the various incarnations of Dune. It’s the same story, but the movies are so different based on the movie tech at the time.

I've always joked to myself that Star Wars is basically an AI prompt that reads...

"Come up with a science fiction movie based on Dune only simplify the plot for a more general audience, change enough to make it a distinct IP and thus avoid a lawsuit, and make the action sequences cool and based on what the filming and special effects techniques of the late 1970s can handle. More or less cribbing from WWII dogfight movies could work. Could we make that sort of thing space-y enough?"