Phantom Menace Reviews 123
m3000 writes "Screening were held in New York yesterday for the Phantom Menace. Already there are reviews circulating on the internet about how they were disappointed by the movie. Was the hype too big or is the movie not that great? " Must-not-read-the-heresy-George-Lucas-is-the-Overmind. Er...sorry. The reviews are basically "all we expected, but not what we hoped for."
'security was tight' (Score:1)
this rag tag band of rebels who overthrow
a huge conglomeration of corrupt power hungry
technautocrats."
"you mean starwars?"
"no, i mean free software."
director's viewing (Score:2)
I wonder about those reviewing the movie. Has anyone else heard about the viewing Lucas had with other directors, including Spielberg, Scorsese (sp?), and Ron Howard. From what I heard, they left the viewing practically drooling! I would probably trust their judgement more than about anyone elses except my own!
I remember this because some newspaper misquoted(sic) Ron Howard as saying that Lucas had some big problems with the picture. Apparently what he really said was Lucas was going to have a big problem trying to cut two minutes from a very good film (apparently Lucas was trying to do this at the time). Ron Howard said that any one of the directors would have loved to have made that film (or something to that effect).
Critics are so annoying! (Score:2)
There are very intriguing comments:
(Spoiler-free)
- "Ep.1 is all special effects, but the others were about people and story." Huh? We haven't been watching the same movies. The other movies were about SFX, and they were great because of it. There was a great story, too; but it's not because Ep. 1 is full of SFX that it's not about a story.
- "Jar Jar is comic relief, and us hardcore fans could do without it." Puh-lease. What was C3PO again, if not an annoying comic relief? Don't tell me he had an important part in the story.
Ep. 1 will be a classic ten years down the line, but people will always bitch and moan in the first few months.
Pandering to 13 year olds? (Score:3)
Why would he focus on the kids? I thought I wouldn't have to say this about Lucas, but follow the money. Young kids have parents. Ticketsales = Ticketsales * 2. And he's got a ripe audience for his next movie -- little kids who enjoyed the first and want to see the next.
It's a shame. But I'm sure I'll still enjoy the movie.
The funny thing about reading these reviews is that these people really do seem to have their finger on the pulse of what Star Wars is. More development of Darth Maul [aka: "Evil Bad Guy"]. More goal-oriented action. Action sequences are good. Less annoying creatures. Here's hoping that Lucas reads the same reviews as everyone else.
Here's hoping that he's got the Star Wars machine well-oiled by the release of Episode III.
Doesn't really surprise me (Score:1)
For the second movie, Toy Trailers (Score:2)
Seriously though, when was the last time you anticipated a movie that was "releasing" a line of action figures before the movie itself? This was a pretty bad idea.
As a general rule, if you're anticipating a movie, it's going to disappoint you. And when that movie is the first new addition to a Lucas legacy, it's going to disappoint a whole lot of people. I'm not sure they could've avoided it even if they witheld the toys and didn't keep a running supply of trailers and commercials on their website.
Whiner. (Score:1)
Dear God, some people are pathetic.
- A.P.
--
"One World, One Web, One Program" - Microsoft Promotional Ad
Not just toys (Score:1)
...phil
Classic? (Score:1)
No, it's not a classic. It's a fad. Check back in 20 years, then tell me if it's a classic or not.
...phil
A defining moment of childhood (Score:1)
I'm sure some people will be disappointed by Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace but I think my generation will love it regardless. Star Wars was the second film I ever saw (the first was Grease,embarassing & no comparison), I remember beign excited just going to the cinema and then to see a movie like that...wow. That's how it was for all my friends then too..then the merchandise appeared, the first figure I got was Han Solo, I remember it clearly because I lost the blaster that came with it for a while and was dead upset.
Anyway, the point is that I really don't remember all that much else from 1977, but I remember everything to do with Star Wars clearly and so do millions like me all over the world. We'll all love the movie regardless because each showing of Star Wars films and the site of memorabilia brings back happy memories from childhood....I don't think many of us would be so hooked on all things tech if we hadn't seen that movie.
Re:Yup. (Score:1)
Re:Doesn't really surprise me (Score:1)
Re:Episode 1 vs Ep 4-6? (Score:1)
Re:Episode 1 vs Ep 4-6? (Score:1)
SW Academy Awards (Score:1)
I think that A New Hope won best film because at the time, no one had ever made a movie quite like it.
Star Wars did not win Best Picture at the '78 Oscars. It lost to Rocky, if I remember correctly. See this link [imdb.com] on IMDB [imdb.com].
Re:Will it measure up to the hype? (Score:1)
Keanu Reeves: Whoa.
Me(before seeing it): must totally suck as bad as Jonny Mnemonic.
Me (after seeing it): okay, makes amends for Jonny Mnenomic (and others).
Re:Star Wars is timeless, we are not (Score:1)
By the time ROTJ came out, I was a bit older, and it had worn on me. Especially Ewoks. I will carry THAT grudge to my grave.
Bun now, I've got two boys, 11 and 5, and they're fuckin ape-shit over this Star Wars stuff. Way more so than kids were in '76. So, on the one hand, I'm worried about psychological disorders, and on the other hand, I find it a thrill to take part in something these kids find so damn exiting - something I remember to be so exiting I was willing to risk severe punishment from my parents (afterwards, Dad told Mom to chill out. Otherwise, I'd still be grounded).
No, I'm not looking forward to Jar Jar, and somehow, I suspect that even though Jar Jar was put in there for my kids, my kids will probably be annoyed as well (hell, I was annoyed by his brief appearences in the trailers). But overall, I think we're going to have one hell of a great time, and I've been looking forward to this ever since the late '70's when Lucas told Starlog magazine that Star Wars was intended to be shown in a set of 9 movies.
That is, IF I can get into one of the local theaters within a week of May 19th.
Re:This has gotten out of hand ... (Score:1)
Re:Just try to go and see it with an open mind peo (Score:1)
downgrade to storm troopers from robot legions? I'm sure it will be explained though. A backlash against
intelligent droids? "
must have something to do with "the clone wars".
Episode I (Score:2)
Visually, it was stunning, but we knew that was inevitable. What surprised and disappointed me was the age group the movie seems to have been aimed at. This might as well had had a Disney Logo instead of LucasFilms, it was so sanitized and watered-down.
You know there's a bad guy in it, and you know he's going to fall, but when that fall came, not a single person cheered. No one applauded. With a crowd that applauded the Fox logo and cheered the Lucasfilms logo I would have expected a better reaction when the bad guy was defeated. But we weren't engaged by the film, and there was no emotional response when that moment came.
It's a good film. It's visually stunning. It's certainly fun. But don't bother standing in line to see it. Wait until the lines die down...it won't be long.
Stop by a toy store (Score:1)
Stop by a toy store, Target, or even a chain bookstore. Half of the floor space in my local Borders is currently taken up by TPM books, calendars, guides, etc. Target has a stack of TPM toys up the the ceiling, and that's a 30 ft. ceiling! The pressure on the toy market has been intense.
Also, I don't think even "Titanic" managed to get a 10 page puff piece planted in Time Magazine _before_ the opening.
Personally, I wish GL had held himself back a little on the hype machine and product tie-ins. He has personal wealth and total independence in filmmaking. Does he really need another billion or so in royalities?
Just my bitter 0.02.
sPh
Someone wrote a song about this. (Score:1)
Choice lyrics include
"Isn't it good to / to not always get all that you want,"
"'cause everybody wants it so much better than anyone could ever let it be,"
and "George Lucas is the force / will it save us from heartbreak / in 1998?"
J.
Re:Pandering to 13 year olds? (Score:1)
Nah man, I was 7 when Jedi came out. And I loved it. If Lucas made a movie that appeals best to kids, I've got no problems with it - the others appealed to me when I was a kid. Why should he target me specifically?
Re:Itchy and Scratchy Movie (Score:1)
Itchy's a jerk.
Re:But dual light saber != bo staff (Score:1)
Star Wars is timeless, we are not (Score:5)
I suspect though that relatively few people who were in their 20's or older back in '77 are as big fans as we are (YMMV). Basically it's nostalgia. I mean, they kick ass and all, but a lot of our enthusiasm is due to having been exposed to SW a lot growing up.
Anyhow, although a lot of us have matured, and want to see a more mature SW film (More mature than the Ewok movies, probably less than 'Leia does Alderaan'
*BUT*, although the new movies will be darker and probably cooler, the first one is going to have to be fairly light (otherwise it wouldn't be able to contrast with the later movies). And Lucas is still making movies that will appeal best to kids. We've aged, but the 'intended' audience of the movies has not. If kids who are currently growing up see the new movie, I bet you dollars to donuts they'll be as hooked as we are. We just have to remember our inner lil' geek and we'll love 'em too.
I am _SO_ there on the 19th. And that weekend. And maybe a couple other times....
Three Words (Score:1)
--
Wrong numbers (Score:1)
Also, I thought Star Wars was the best of them all (Score:1)
either Empire or Jedi. Empire is a close second, with Jedi bringing up the rear by far.
See the movie first, jeez. (Score:1)
I can't believe the preconceived notions that people have about this film.
I saw the first Star Wars when I was four with my father, he took me at least six times to see that movie. Not once did I hear, "Oh no, you want to see Star Wars again..." Star Wars is not a movie for kids.
The Star Wars movies appeal to the wonder in all of us, kids just happen to have a little more of that than adults.
Release your preconceptions and see this movie with an open mind, let yourself enjoy it for what it is, not what you think it should be!
Just try to go and see it with an open mind people (Score:2)
Lucas can never measure up to fifteen+ years of expectations in a two hour film! Just take it for what it is.
I'm hoping that it is a good addition to the originals, from what I am hearing in those reviews it is. Since most people have built up expectations of this movie you will inevitably have them judging it against those expectations.
Admittedly I had no expectations of the Matrix and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I'm hoping to go and see the movie with people that aren't so hyped up that they are about to explode, because I know that those are the people that are going to be disappointed.
Empty your mind of preconceptions and see this movie.
Tuesday, actually (Score:1)
Re:Episode 1 vs Ep 4-6? (Score:1)
Re:Itchy and Scratchy Movie (Score:1)
Bah (Score:2)
Gee, I wonder why...
Bottom line is, if you expect nothing going into a movie, you'll never be disappointed. We've all known that critics are just bull*$#%ters anyways (Leonard Maltin gave _Laserblast_ 3 1/2 stars for chrissake), so why would people who saw the movie and happen to post them on the Net have any more validity as to our own personal opinions of a movie than theirs?
Re:Episode I (Score:3)
Same thing in this case, but by the previous poster's logic, there can never be a good prequel to anything, which is not true. It depends on the viewer's ability (or inability) to realize that a different kind of story is being told. One where the excitement is involved in _how_ you get to the conclusion, not what the conclusion will be.
Different kind of suspense, but suspense nonetheless.
Re:Not just toys (Score:1)
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mphall@cstone.nospam.net
I'm sure it will be interesting (Score:1)
I expect to enjoy the Phantom Menace as just another Star Wars movie. I'm not worried about the reviews or the awards; in particular, I will see an award-winning film if I want to have a particular sort of predictable experience. There's variety there but it's a very constrained sort of variety.
Loved The Matrix, it had some good depth as well as being an enjoyable story. I'm sure I'll have fun at The Phantom Menace.
Actually... (Score:1)
A better computer analogy: If there was a computer company that made an OS with the class and consistency of Mac OS, the stability of *nix, and the installed base of Windoze, and who has produced three rock-solid releases in a row, lots of people will buy the next version whether it gets good reviews or not, because they trust the people who make it.
Nothing could live up to the Hype (Score:1)
Steven, Senior Technology Editor, Sm@rt Reseller
Re:This has gotten out of hand ... (Score:1)
Most of us are not collectors !!! I bought my toys because I like to display them in my computer room/office/etc, or even (*eck*) play with them.
don't, but then again, I still have trouble understanding the hype about a cliched western set in space with lots of special effects. *shrug*
It's because we all have different
BTW - I love Star Wars, and I hate westerns. Star Wars, was (when I was a child) and is (now with TPM) one of the few movies that can stimulate my imagination. It makes me want to leave my computer alone and start drawing again, creating new worlds, characters and other images. Very few movies can affect me this way
Yup. (Score:1)
Remember in A New Hope how in the cantena the bartender tell's C3PO and R2 "We don't allow your kind in here".
Also, anybody notice the similarities between stormtroopers and the battle droids ? I wonder what it means
Don't read the review !!! (Score:1)
Anyways, 2 hours and 15 minutes is too short ??? Most movies todays are not even 2 hours long. And anyways, we know there are 2 sequals continuing the story after this.
Stop the whining , go see the movie !!!
Check www.aint-it-cool-news.com again !!! (Score:2)
Go see the movie !
www.aint-it-cool-news.com [aint-it-cool-news.com]
Jar Jar Quake 3 mod out May 20? (Score:1)
Will it measure up to the hype? (Score:1)
But I'm sure though that there will be plenty of people who come out of TPM thinking "Man, The Matrix rocked, but TPM sucked!" simply because the hype:quality ratio was a little bit more balanced out. You weren't waiting since 1983 for The Matrix, were you?
So you're basing... (Score:1)
Re:Will it measure up to the hype? (Score:1)
Exactly. I was prepared to be disappointed in The Matrix, mostly because of the Keanu Reeves factor and the fact that every TV ad I saw for it featured him doing his "whoa" line. (For some reason I always think "Evil Robot Uses!" when he does that.) This made The Matrix that much more fun when it really turned out to be a great flick.
Episode 1, by contrast, has raised expectations so much that it almost can't help but be a disappointment to the really hard-core fans. The most interesting review comment that I read was that Episode one seemed to depend a lot on the next two movies to build interest, rather than standing on its own regard. Of course, most movies aren't released with a guaranteed 5 sequels, three of which are already released.
Re:Pandering to 13 year olds? (Score:1)
Yesd, while Jar-Jar does help damn him, the most damning is that Anakin is a little kid. They wanted someone that little kids could easily relate to as opposed to developing a much, much better plot in which Anakin is Obi-Wan's apprentice.
As for the entire series pandering to little kids? Nah, I never saw them until I was a tad older than a little kid and I never "grew up" with Star Wars. The die-hard fans are most often NOT those who were enraptured as children.
However I have heard from an associate (who works for the theater company and got to see it the other night) that it really isn't that great, and just "ok".
Conclusion:Yeah,it'll be ok, but it won't add anything new except more Lucas moralizing to little kids... and the pathetically ruinous Anakid and Jar-Jar
Re:It's called "calculated risk" (Score:1)
There is no need to worry about profitability on this film at all, it'll rake in tons of cash no matter what the plot was, if it was a well-written movie made for the fans we'd go see it as would th e little kids. Merchandise would still be sold at record levels. But by dumbing it down all Lucas gets is a few little kids and a bunch of angry geeks
Re:Think about the EP III (you mean Episode IV) (Score:1)
I, II, and III are the prequels obviously.
It's called "calculated risk" (Score:4)
I have little doubt this movie was shot in many different modes -- dark, light, in-between. And, as the saying goes, a movie is really made in the editing room. Lucas has had many years to seriously consider who he wanted the prequel to appeal to and he probably could have chosen whether "noir" or "political intrigue" or "cheesy kiddie flick" ended up on the cutting room floor. So, he chose "cheesy kiddie flick" and us old-timers will have to live with it.
I'm not necessarily lauding Lucas' move, but he does have a business to run and he's invested what surely amounts to a whole ton of money into Episode I. He could have made a movie for "us" but would he have had the same return on his investment? I doubt it. Personally, I'll probably see it at least twice in the theater, but, unless I had kids, I wouldn't invest seriously in the merchandise. In total, my investment into Episode I will probably run about $100, including 2 or 3 screenings and later purchasing a video or DVD; kids, on the other hand, will probably represent at least a few hundred bucks just in toys alone.
So in general, I don't honestly think us Star Wars "boomers" (yep, I saw it '77) would invest the same amount of cash into the movie as we will for our kids, even if we went to the theater and saw it 5 or 6 times. A small fraction of us has enough desposable income to just trash it all on the collectable stuff (those are always the die-hard collectors anyway). Perhaps it says something about our society when we kow-tow to our kids this way, but this is generally the reality of our consumer culture.
Lucas is in his 50s. The guy will *certainly* never go broke and it is highly improbable that his "Empire" would ever be anything less than seriously important in the film industry, even if Episode I had never come out, but he does have the next 20-25 years of running Lucasfilm to think about. There's no doubt we would have made his film a success at the box office if he had tailored it for us, but he has longer-term issues to consider than a few weeks (or months? or years?) of fan frenzy. After all, what is he going to do after the prequels are done?
I think George will come around the next 2 episodes -- again, in a decidedly calculated fashion. "Empire" was the best of the bunch anyway so we're likely headed for a fuller story line, plots, and characterization. The eye candy is great but wears thin. It'll need more substance if Lucas has any hope of us pulling out a copy of the movie in 5 years to just watch it for the fun of it (which I still do with IV and V -- ROTJ still stinks in my book).
You stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf... (Score:1)
Star Wars has always been a movie that appeals to the younger crowd. You think when the original trilogy was made that George Lucas had the older crowd in mind? Just look at most of the dialogue in the older Star Wars movie. I'm pretty sure Princess Leia could have used a more adult term for "Stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking, nerf-herder". As far as I know, the older crowd during the late 70's were still coming down from their LSD trips. If you don't want to see a movie that is specifically made to attract the younger crowd then don't, but you will know deep inside that you are going to be missing alot.
Don't watch it and expect to see the best movie of your life, watch it and expect to see the most fantastic fairy-tale science fiction storyline of all time.
Expect me to skip work on the 19th, camping out very early in the morning in front of my movie theatre with 12 tickets in my wallet. One for my wife and the rest for me. I'm not going to let a bunch of stupid critics ruin my life.
The source will be with you. Always.
For kids? Of course it is! (Score:1)
I thought the first three were great, but that's probably because I was a kid. The characters and conflicts were very classic, very well defined, very one-dimmensional. If SW or ESB or ROTJ were to come out now, I probably wouldn't even go.
That being said, I'm going to TPM. It's a story I've followed since I was 4 years old, and I'm not about to stop now
-Rich
ROTJ and ESB got bad reviews too, so what. (Score:1)
Hey, Austin Powers wasn't very popular when it came out, but now it's a classic.
if the critics hate it, then... (Score:1)
it must be good.
we'll see for ourselves soon enuf.
Wired Has A Review (Score:1)
-----BEGIN ANNOYING SIG BLOCK-----
Evan
But dual light saber != bo staff (Score:1)
With a bo or quarter staff, you can grab it anywhere along the length, giving you a number of usage options.
Try grabbing a dual light saber (light stave?) anywhere but the handle and you're in deep trouble.
That said, the different ends of the dual saber may be independantly operable, which gives you the effect of rapidly reversing a saber without wasting the time that actually doing that would take.
Re:Did anybody notice? No. (Score:1)
It's just your imagination, kid.
--
Re:Just try to go and see it with an open mind peo (Score:1)
On another note: How is he going to explain the absence of 10e6 droids in the later films? Would you downgrade to storm troopers from robot legions? I'm sure it will be explained though. A backlash against intelligent droids?
-m
Droids (Score:1)
The empire doesn't use humanoid droids, but R2's are standard in X-wings for the rebellion, and there are a bunch running around in other capacities.
A big part of Darth Vader's character is that he is part machine, and the anti-machine backlash (both in the movie and in real life) is part of what makes him "evil" and inhuman. I wonder how this fits into the character's beliefs about machines.
-m
Episode I - review by a regular guy (Score:1)
Episode I was great! (Score:1)
- I think ILM has mastered doing ship effects and other "solid objects". Really done well.
- Phantom Menace has a lot of humor in it. It was rather lighthearted, but you will see the groundwork is being layed for darker themes.
- The acting is great!
- Jar-Jar wasn't quite what I expected. I think he's there for the kids. Not as annoying as some have predicted. He made me laugh a number of times.
- Anakin was more endearing than I expected.
One last point. I saw this movie with about 500 people. I didn't hear anyone say they hated...or even disliked the movie. Lots of people were critical though. My favorite was "well...I don't think this was the best movie EVER."
If you need to criticize it on that level, I'd love to see your next movie. May the Force be with you.
Not that bright... (Score:1)
Are you shooting crack directly into your skull?
"In fact, I'd go so far as to say that Episode III was absolute crap in terms of effects, acting, etc."
Episode III hasn't been released.
"The story line was all that was good/important about Episode IV. And the only purpose of the Episode IV story line was to serve as a base for Episode V and VI."
Aside from making yourself out to be just a tad bit less than bright, what's your point?
Quux26
Crying Game (Score:1)
"I can't be the only one who figured out the "big secret" 20 minutes into the movie without already knowing about it."
I thought that TCG's secret was one of the best of all time! I couldn't get anyone to spill the damned secret. And I don't suppose I'm bright enough to have gotten that myself. Then again, I never did figure out who did it on Murder She Wrote before the end...
Quux26
SW Never Critically Acclaimed (Score:1)
yeah, and its only the beginning. (Score:1)
Theysay it'll be great for kids-Malda will love it (Score:1)
I wonder if those losers in line in California will be saying to themselves 'I spent a whole month just for this?????'
I really liked scooby doo alot as kid. I couldn't get enough of them on Saturday mornings. Now though if I see more than 30 seconds of it I'll wanna kick the TV in -
BTW Did you ever notice how Freddy spent alot of time alone with Daphne????
http://www.cdc.net/~drjekyll/scooby/darkside/
If the critics say its bad, I think its good. (Score:2)
If they say its so-so, then I'll probably think its a wonderful movie. I question some critic's ability to look beyond the screen to see the art form that is being presented to them.
Now, the most important thing to remember here is that the average critic was disappointed when the Empire Strikes Back came out, as they were with starwars. However, when Jedi came out, and people were lining up a week in advance to see it, that tends to debunk the critic's ability to properly assess the public's response to a movie.
I think that critics look for the more superficial qualities. Is there adaquate environmental propganda in the movie? Is there a firm, yet subtle message about saving the whales? In the end, does everyone just learn to get along with each other?
Hell, as far as I'm concerned, I'm GLAD the critics didn't like it. That means there's just that many people I'm not going to have to fight to get a ticket on opening night.
When Star Wars was released, it was revolutionary, and did not conform to the generic way that movies were produced at the time. Some people couldn't immediately embrace that and mis-took that to believe that the movie wasn't so great, when in fact, the public had been starving for it all along.
In the end, only one thing matters. Do *I* like it. If I do, then I'm perfectly happy. And I'm sure that The Phantom Meanace will have a long theatre life and people will go back and see it again and again and again and it will win most of the academy awards and those same critics six months from now when TPM is still showing on half the screens in every theatre, they will release new critiques, this time telling the world how great it was, completely oblivious to their original assessment.
You'll see.
And when the sequel comes, they'll just be disappointed again.
-Restil
restil@alignment.net
Re:Doesn't really surprise me (Score:1)
Jedi was, even including the _hated, hated_ Ewoks, a pretty d@mn good film, and Empire was... Empire, the best of the series, and wonderful dark film!
So this puts The Phantom Menace in good company, making the antici pation even more delectable.
Re:It's called "calculated risk" (Score:1)
When I first saw Star Wars when I was seven, I doubt if I'd have been able to understand tension between Leia and Han as being more than just tension. Of course I remember enjoying the protracted "droids walking in the desert beeping at each other and complaining" scenes too, so I was hardly a sophisticated viewer at the time.
Itchy and Scratchy Movie (Score:1)
Re:Itchy and Scratchy Movie (Score:1)
Re:'security was tight' (Score:1)
Re:Episode 1 vs Ep 4-6? (Score:1)
Don't Forget (Score:1)
Enjoy!
*Carlos: Exit Stage Right*
"Geeks, Where would you be without them?"
Re:Pandering to 13 year olds? (Score:1)
One of the most difficult weapons for a swordsman to defeat is a bo or quarter-staff. In either world, the speed and momentum of the weapon make it one of the few that 'holds it own' against most other bladed weapons. Go look at Demura-sensei's book on the bo, or any decent work on advanced aikijutsu.
Just an experienced student/teacher's tuppence.
Cheers,
Drieux
Re: This has gotten out of hand ... (Score:1)
Re:Does anyone know..... (Score:1)
and I found out tonight that tickets go on sale, in Wellington at least, next Thursday at 8:00am
I'm getting out my sleeping bag that night!
Re:Uh Oh - Liam Neeson Quits (Score:1)
So Liam would probably be on only for minor appearances as a guiding spirit. Kinda like Alec Guinness.
I'm still perplexed about the Yoda vs. Qui Gon training Obi Wan thing. But if the parallelism holds up, We'll see Yoda completing Obi Wan's training, just as he did for Luke (where Obi Wan started it, but could finish it).
Academy awards & TPM (Score:1)
As with most people, I am really looking forward to this movie, and I honestly think it will be great. I like the fact that it's geared towards kids...That's the point. But I don't think it will win a ton of Academy Awards. [ok, I'm sure it will be a sure win for SFX and music] But it seems to me that this type of movie sometimes doesn't win awards just based on some sort of 'backlash' effect. It's obvious that those in the academy don't use the same scorecard for judging movies as most people [nor do critics]. I think that A New Hope won best film because at the time, no one had ever made a movie quite like it. It was completely original. From what people have been saying [the few that have seen it] I don't think TPM is going to create a new movie paradigm... I have total faith that it will be a great movie [for me] but it won't sweep the academy awards...
My prediction... 4 awards
Lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part...
Re:SW Academy Awards (Score:1)
Star Wars did not win Best Picture at the '78 Oscars. It lost to Rocky, if I remember correctly.
Oops.... you're half right. StarWars was nominated [in '78] but lost to Annie Hall :^( Well...it should have won! [g]
IMDB Best Pictures [imdb.com]
I stand corrected :) [Scratching head] "I could have *sworn* it got best picture..."
The best review so far (Score:1)
Star Wars WAS Critically Acclaimed (Score:1)
Pretty interesting, coming from a Pulizer Prize winning movie critic.
Check it out at:
http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/old_movies/old_mo
Re:Bah (Score:1)
Most reviewers live on some ego trip - and I suspect that these movie-goers were on a bigger trip since they went to an advance screening.
Get offa yer high horse!
This has gotten out of hand ... (Score:1)
OK kiddies, enough. My boyfriend works for a toy store, and they had to open at midnight to sell Star Wars toys. The lines reached across the plaza! This is ridiculous. All you people who want your stuff to become collectors' items are in for a disappointment, because too many people have the same idea.
And another thing: overhyped movies are always a disappointment. Remember The Crying Game? I can't be the only one who figured out the "big secret" 20 minutes into the movie without already knowing about it.
Ignore the hype, go see it, and have fun. Don't expect it to be an earthshattering experience, though. I don't, but then again, I still have trouble understanding the hype about a cliched western set in space with lots of special effects.
*shrug*
Re:This has gotten out of hand ... (Score:1)
*LOL*
Actually, no, he didn't have to work. He was one of the lucky ones.
I just fear for the sanity of people who get in line at midnight to buy toys when it isn't even Christmas season.
Did anybody notice? (Score:1)
eerily apropos:
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
Don't tell me I'm the only one who gets it.
Re:Doesn't really surprise me (Score:1)
Episode 1 vs Ep 4-6? (Score:1)
My Pal's Smei-Pro Review (Score:1)
When Reviews Attack [earthlink.net]
I knew this reviewer in college. You would have liked him.
He reviews a lot of stuff and happens to work at Digital Domain. (James Cameron's digiF/X shopola)