Official Star Wars Thread

[ShyViolet]

So weird to watch this so many years later (especially after The Hobbit and Sequel Trilogy).


https://youtu.be/g81PoGKO0qA


Lol! Talk about perspective....


Also this....


https://youtu.be/K4QfcXeZyhQ


*Some language but overall ok.”

[Ben]

I love "Rick McCullum" in that.

[ShyViolet]

Yeah, I love how his every other word is “money.” Lol.

“This interview done? Great. Now let’s go make some money. Some sweet green!”

Also, his line “I met with George” is probably THE most perfect send-up of Hollywood speech I’ve ever heard.

[ShyViolet]

I know it can be hard to believe that Hayden Christinson is a good actor after seeing in Attack of the Clones and especially Sith, but in my opinion, none of that was REMOTELY HIS FAULT. Lucas’ direction was so indifferent and the dialogue he wrote so bland that I don’t think anyone (OK, save Ewan McGregor, who obviously has superhuman acting powers) could have escaped unscathed from the Prequels. (Check out Natalie’s performance, for one.)

Hayden happens to star in one of my all time favorite movies (often put on “100 Best films of all time” lists) Shattered Glass. Let me say right off, HE IS INCREDIBLE. (Honestly if it wasn’t for his Prequels record, he might even have gotten at least an Oscar nom)

Basically he plays real-life former hotshot journalist Stephen Glass, who was fired from The New Republic magazine in 1998 FOR MAKING UP EVERY ONE OF HIS ARTICLES. Because the internet was in its relatively early stages then (plus social media like Facebook and Twitter didn’t exist yet) he was able to do this for about two years.

The film is very closely based on the real life events that led to his firing. It’s absolutely riveting (plus has an amazing cast in addition to Hayden). Anyway, here’s the trailer!


https://youtu.be/LTeK1v6Qx_I

[EricJ]

I know it can be hard to believe that Hayden Christinson is a good actor after seeing in Attack of the Clones and especially Sith, but in my opinion, none of that was REMOTELY HIS FAULT. Lucas’ direction was so indifferent and the dialogue he wrote so bland that I don’t think anyone (OK, save Ewan McGregor, who obviously has superhuman acting powers) could have escaped unscathed from the Prequels. (Check out Natalie’s performance, for one.)

For the same fan reason that I was snickering at last year's Oscars: "Wait...(snicker!)...Adam DRIVER for Best Actor?? "

[Randall]

I believe you, Vi, when you say he has given good performances. But man, was he bad in Star Wars! --- regardless of script and direction. It's just painful to watch. Contrast that to Anakin's voice performer in the Clone Wars TV shows, who does an awesome job (with better dialog, granted).

[ShyViolet]

Yeah I get you Rand. It’s hard to forget how grating some scenes with him were, but it is possible that in order to somehow convey Anakin’s eventual conversion to the Dark Side, Lucas’ only real direction was making him as unpleasant as possible. (We can even see in the very entertaining New Hope that subtlety is not Lucas’ forte.). Basically Anakin goes from cute little boy to troubled teen to fallen good guy in three films, and in lieu of actual character development, Lucas chose “becomes an annoying jerk and then an evil annoying jerk. Mystery solved.”

Plus Hayden was expected to more or less carry Clones and Sith but was given almost no direction at all except: “Sulk, sulk while falling in love, then sulk even more and kill younglings.” Makes sense that his performance would be a mess.

Well, just my opinion!

[EricJ]

Basically Anakin goes from cute little boy to troubled teen to fallen good guy in three films, and in lieu of actual character development, Lucas chose “becomes an annoying jerk and then an evil annoying jerk. Mystery solved.”

Well, at least that's better than Luke going from wide-eyed farm boy to impulsive jerk to insufferably smug know-it-all in the original trilogy--
In this case, though, we have Lucas to blame for all of it, rather than just Lawrence Kasdan writing the jerk-Luke arc.

[Ben]

Or...Luke grew up.

[EricJ]

Or...Luke grew up.

Although, in "Last Jedi", that's a matter of opinion...

[ShyViolet]

Yup, if growing up means becoming a bitter recluse who nonchalantly tosses over his shoulder the same light-sabre his deceased beloved mentor gave him, the same mentor who was best friends with his dad. (and his other mentor Yoda!). Basically seeing Luke do that was like stomping on the beautiful scene at the end of Return of the Jedi where the spirits of all three people appear to Luke and silently say goodbye. Felt even worse than Hayden replacing original Anakin spirit actor Sebastian Shaw.

(And just for the record...I felt Hammil’s acting was by far the best thing about TLJ, even though his character was so unrecognizable. His scenes were more or less the only watchable ones in that film.).

[Ben]

Isn’t it scary, though, that TLJ actually turns out to be the best film in the new trilogy? I mean, I kind of absolutely hate it, but after seeing the clusterfudge of ROS (aka POS...!), and for all its faults, it’s the one that took the bravest choices, surprised and ultimately entertained us...even if it would have been nicer had all the filmmakers got together and set a path to stick to. Where's an overall supervising producer around when you need one, because Kathy Kennedy isn’t doing the job...

[ShyViolet]

Yeah....there’s been so many rumors lately in the YouTube fan community about her....like oh she’s the one who ruined the sequel trilogy films, blame her, she destroyed Star Wars. Bob Iger is furious with her, she hates the fans, Daisy Ridley hates her, etc...it keeps changing from day to day lol. Well I suppose we’ll eventually learn just what the living heck went on at Disney during these past five years.

[EricJ]

Isn’t it scary, though, that TLJ actually turns out to be the best film in the new trilogy? I mean, I kind of absolutely hate it, but after seeing the clusterfudge of ROS (aka POS...!), and for all its faults, it’s the one that took the bravest choices

"Choices"?? Looked more like Rian was making it up as he went along.
(And flipping a coin whenever a character needed good/bad motivation.)

[Ben]

Well what I said was true. From a certain point of view.