Star Wars: The Clone Wars

[Meg]

I just think they should do a movie about opposing perfumes...and call it The Cologne Wars...!

All in favor of banning Ben, say 'aye'!

[Ben]

Aye!



Wait...what am I saying!?

[Dacey]

I vote for Ben to stick around.

Anyway, for what it's worth, I thought that "Clone Wars" was REALLY cool. I don't think it's a movie that's going to appeal to everyone, though.

[eddievalient]

That's kinda what I figured from the trailers and everything I've heard. I'll find out this weekend.

[spaz]

as i said before, this is not ILM or George Lucas, gang. this is a foreign scam that thankfully is a fitting failure. Lucas is not responsible for this sad sewer flush. it is foreign bacteria who now runs ILM sadly. as i understand it , there is nothing but terror at ILM under the reign of the ex real estate secretaries that now run the company. in the old days when true artists and engineers ran the "joint" , and not pathetic accountants, there was true innovation. yeah i know , "it was all animated in Singapore". the moron running ILM now, has a private elevator, isolating "it" from the "common" people to "it's" office. "it" has managed to destroy the legacy that was once great. the entire company has lost it's balls. the "innovative" thing that has come out of this sadness, is that every VFX co in the USA will learn that it's probably not a good idea to sell your "innovative" company to your brother who runs the Hong Kong Bank and stick your wacky sister in charge who is a family embarassment as it stands.

[ShyViolet]

According to the writers, he's very hands-on. He approves every script for every episode and nothing goes in the show without his say so. It's not technically the same as "making it himself", but he's still guiding the franchise where he wants it to go.

I still wish he'd give us more insight into the characters instead of just doing "plots" and "stories." True, the "old serials" or Saturday Moring Matinees never had much in the way of this, but originally the whole point of Star Wars was that it was only inspired by, (but rose above), the schlocky material it drew from. (Plus, Anakin had a Padawan!? How is that possible? I thought he was still only in training himself....? After all doesn't he only achieve the full rank of Jedi Master in Sith?)


I'd love a prequel describing Obi and Qui-Gon's early relationship...or maybe how Obi spent his time between Sith and New Hope. But I guess Obi is worth more to George as a potential action figure and video game character, and Qui-Gon is yesterday's news as far as Lucas is concerned. Ditto OT characters--he kept saying he'd get back to them but he never did. One good story might be how Han Solo became a smuggler/scoundrel, how he met Chewbacca, etc...(I realize these things might very well have been covered in the novels but not everyone has read them. Why not actually save the interesting plots for the films instead of squandering them in paperback books that are, by and large, all pretty much written in the same way?)

Basically, it's all bad storytelling. One should never have to go off and catch up on extra material in order to get the full story. The Star Wars films should have included this all from the outset.

Yes, definetely.



Funny review:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbc ... /808140301

[Ben]

Yes, funny.

[eddievalient]

Funny indeed. I'm seeing it on Saturday and hoping for the best. It's made about $26 million so far which, for a blown-up TV pilot, is a respectable number. The score, at least, is well done so that's a positive sign.

[Josh]

I'd love a prequel describing Obi and Qui-Gon's early relationship...or maybe how Obi spent his time between Sith and New Hope. But I guess Obi is worth more to George as a potential action figure and video game character, and Qui-Gon is yesterday's news as far as Lucas is concerned. Ditto OT characters--he kept saying he'd get back to them but he never did. One good story might be how Han Solo became a smuggler/scoundrel, how he met Chewbacca, etc...(I realize these things might very well have been covered in the novels but not everyone has read them[...])

Great ideas! I also wouldn't mind seeing a Star Wars movie that explores Yoda's past.

[Dacey]

Personally, I'd like to see...

"DARTH MAUL: THE MOVIE!!!"

Hey, I'd watch.

[ShyViolet]

Great ideas! I also wouldn't mind seeing a Star Wars movie that explores Yoda's past.

Thanks Josh! Yeah, Yoda's past is very much a mystery. Also, it's pretty obvious Frank Oz didn't voice him in TCW...another disappointment.

Obi and Anakin's relationship between Phantom and Clones was always completely glossed over. I can't help but wonder how he became that moody guy in the first place. I'm sure Obi tried his best to be a good father/brother but you have to wonder if his youth/inexperience was one of the reasons their relationship was always kind of strained.

The fact that Qui-Gon thought Obi would be a good Jedi Master for Anakin despite his youth

(and this was before Qui-Gon was about to die)

also brings up questions about Qui-Gon's judgement in the first place...or what HIS relationship was like with Obi Wan as his Padawan.

[Vernadyn]

(Plus, Anakin had a Padawan!? How is that possible? I thought he was still only in training himself....? After all doesn't he only achieve the full rank of Jedi Master in Sith?)

Anakin doesn't even BECOME a Jedi Master...they put him on the Jedi Council, but didn't make him a Master. Who could forget that classic monotone Anakin line: "This is outrageous. How can one be on the Jedi Council and not be a Jedi Master?" before he gets taken down by Samuel L. Jackson? Gets me every time. Along with other classics like "No, it's because I'm so in love with you," and "No, I promise you!" (both to Padme). On that note, the conversation before the Obi-Wan vs. Anakin duel is always amusing. Christensen is trying in vain to be all serious, while McGregor seems to be enjoying himself immensely, doing all he can to keep from laughing. ("You turned her against me!" wails Anakin. "You have done that yourself!" Obi-Wan replies with more than a little glee and satisfaction with having made such a witty comeback.)

ANYWAY...I'm not sure of the timeline of this movie, but I remember that Anakin gets promoted to the rank of Knight in one of Genndy Tartakovsky's animated episodes (which I kind of liked), but the whole issue of III is that he's mad that the Jedi won't make him a Master. Or can Jedi Knights have Padawan before they're Masters? Either way, it's confused and sloppy storytelling.

And have I missed something, or what the heck was up with Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas?

[ShyViolet]

Or can Jedi Knights have Padawan before they're Masters? Either way, it's confused and sloppy storytelling.

I don't really think so, because remember in Phantom there was this whole issue about Obi taking on Anakin (who was already too old) as a Padawan when he technically was still one. Lucas keeps breaking his own rules...Also, it's funny how in Phantom they talked about the Midoclorians but, as far as I can remember, they were never mentioned again. In II and III it's "The Force" again and there's no mention of them.

("You turned her against me!" wails Anakin. "You have done that yourself!" Obi-Wan replies with more than a little glee and satisfaction with having made such a witty comeback.)

Yes, I really like that part. I also like when he says: "Your new empire?"

[eddievalient]

My thoughts: It plays more like an extended TV episode than a movie, which is fine since that's exactly what it is.

The use of actual narration instead of scrolling text is kinda tacky, but that's my only real gripe.

Ahsoka is a likeable character and since the real purpose of the movie is to introduce her as one of the leads, it did that well enough. The plot was pretty light, but the outstanding action scenes more than made up for that. If this is what we have to look forward to when the series starts, I think it's gonna be a good show. As a movie, I'd give it 3 1/2 stars out of 5. As a TV pilot, I'd give it 4. The difference lies in the expectations you have for one or the other.

On a final note, I thought it interesting that they gave Asajj Ventress no introduction and expected the audience to have seen the first Clone Wars series/miniseries/whatever. It shows that they're going for continuity here, even if it ends up being a flawed one.

[ShyViolet]

Did anyone see the McDonald's Happy Meal toys they had for this film? Talk about ugly!

(I mean the toys, although I don't much like the look of the film characters either.)