Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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It's just a strong armed way of reading minds tbh.

The Jedi Council did it to Anakin in Ep 1... "Your thoughts dwell on your Mother"... "See through you, we can".
That's probably it, but... what's strong-armed about it? Is it difficult? Are they fighting him? Maybe taking secrets isn't difficult like in Episode 1 and he's just causing pain?



That's probably it, but... what's strong-armed about it? Is it difficult? Are they fighting him? Maybe taking secrets isn't difficult like in Episode 1 and he's just causing pain?
WARNING: "Kylo Ren" spoilers below

Kylo Ren hasn't been properly trained, he turned on Luke before Luke could finish the training... and he's also very heavy handed. Look at the way he fights, he's very aggressive, and he also has pure anger inside which leads him to have those tantrums.
His usage of pain while getting info, I see that as a 2 way thing. He's getting the info he needs, and is causing pain as well to make sure he gets exactly what he needs. And also causing pain because that simply the character he is.


Kylo Ren is a total, spoilt, angry bastard.



But you know...

WARNING: "Force Awakens" spoilers below
Kylo Ren is Han Solo's son. If you think about it, it's not surprising that Han Solo, a rebellious rogue kinda fellow himself, would have a rebellious son who'd join the Dark Side. It makes sense in a way.



Thursday Next's Avatar
I never could get the hang of Thursdays.
That's probably it, but... what's strong-armed about it? Is it difficult? Are they fighting him? Maybe taking secrets isn't difficult like in Episode 1 and he's just causing pain?
Sure they're fighting him, they don't want to give away the secrets.

Interesting that he can do without the mind probe Vader used on Leia, though.



Sure they're fighting him, they don't want to give away the secrets.

Interesting that he can do without the mind probe Vader used on Leia, though.
Wouldn't that require some degree of awareness?

WARNING: "SPUHSPUHSPUH" spoilers below
It would make sense that Rei can fight it, and ultimately turn the same thing on Kilo (which was a really cheesy scene by the way, no special effects or anything, just one actor doing the most menacing "talk to the hand" ever), but so can Poe. Poe doesn't appear to be force-sensitive, so why should he react the same?


I think it makes more sense that Kilo's just intentionally causing pain.



The new Star Wars has nothing new: it is a remake of ANH with touches of ESB. It, however, succeeds in what it is trying to do and becomes a new and improved version of the originals. Its grand opera in all its glory, the best type of blockbuster film and a film that fully deserves all the money it has been making. It also reminds me a bit of some Miazaki movies like Princess Mononoke with its epic atmosphere which is combination of music and film, as well as strong female main character with cute pet (a staple of Miazaki's films: Nausicaa and Teto in the desert might have been an influence of this which is the main divergence of this film and the old Star Wars). In Japan directors and manga authors like Miazaki have used female main characters everywhere, the reason is that men like girls and girls identify with girls so it tends to actually make more money than male main characters since it pleases both demographics.

The movie is excellent also in the fact that almost everything works. Its not a perfect movie. Among some problems that I see are associated with its excessive references to ANH: a new death stars, a plot that doesn't fit well with the ending of ROTJ: the Empire collapsed and everybody liked the New Republic, the new Death Star which is much bigger than the old one would be perhaps far too costly for an organization that formed from the remnants of the Empire to build, while the resistance looks too small and rag tag to be the armed forces of the Galactic Republic, which is supposed to have more not less resources than the remnants of a former regime. However, J.J. Abrams wanted to have a situation like ANH so realism is out of the question for dramatic license: and well in 30 years after ROTJ the imperial remnants might have recovered their territories and the New Republic might have lost support.

Finally, in pure cinematic terms the movie suffers from the poorly integrated Death Star trench sequence with the rest of narrative which feels forced. However, despite these issues it is a great movie full of emotion and nostagia for the mythology of Star Wars. However I don't think the following sequels will be able to work well given the way this film ended: now they cannot rip off the old movies anymore since they ripped off the best stuff already, and Luke and Leia's characters suffer from poor acting and now they will play a bigger role in the next movies.



That rather conflicts with some movies that are firmly established "science fiction" even though, they literally have no message and any "science" only serves as a backdrop or loose foundation for the rest of the movie.

Take The Quiet Earth for example. A random science experiment basically brings about the rapture and the entirety of the movie is basically just the few survivors screwing around. It's nothing like you describe, but it is a 'fiction' rationalized through 'science'.
Well. The strict idea of sci Fi is the focus on technology and science for the plot, in Star Wars the focus is character interaction in a sci fi setting with fantasy elements. The Quiet Earth is obviously sci fi, Star Wars does not satisfy the definition that The Quiet Earth satisfies.



8.5 /10



Thursday Next's Avatar
I never could get the hang of Thursdays.
Wouldn't that require some degree of awareness?

WARNING: "SPUHSPUHSPUH" spoilers below
It would make sense that Rei can fight it, and ultimately turn the same thing on Kilo (which was a really cheesy scene by the way, no special effects or anything, just one actor doing the most menacing "talk to the hand" ever), but so can Poe. Poe doesn't appear to be force-sensitive, so why should he react the same?


I think it makes more sense that Kilo's just intentionally causing pain.
Oh yeah, I think he's intentionally causing pain, too. I would imagine that's something you could do with the dark side of the force if you're a nasty little sod like Kylo Ren. And it seemed that he'd been physically torturing Poe Dameron as well.



Raven73's Avatar
Boldly going.
The 1977 Star Wars IS a copy of a Japanese film from 1958 anyway.
Star Wars was inspired by Hidden Fortress, but I wouldn't go as far to say that it copied it. George Lucas addresses the influence of the film in this video: youtu.be/TEJ6CzG9zVc

I watched Hidden Fortress a couple of days ago for the first time and found these similarities:
1. HF: war time; ANH: galactic civil war
2. HF: 2 desheveled, comic men (Tahei and Matashichi) walk through desert having escaped battle; ANH: Droids C3PO and R2D2
3. HF: Tahei and Matashichi come across a dead body and consider searching the body for goods; ANH: R2D2 observes an unconscious Luke Skywalker
4. HF: Tahei and Matashichi separate; ANH: R2 and C3PO separate
5. Tahei and Matashichi are captured individually by the enemy; The droids are captured individually by jawas
6. Tahei and Matashichi are reunited; R2 and C3PO are reunited
7. There's a bounty for Princess Yuki, a young woman; The Empire seeks Princess Leia, a young woman (also, there's a bounty for Han by Jabba the Hutt).
8. The samurai wear armor; the stormtroopers wear armor
9. Tahei and Matashichi escape; the droids are freed from the jawas when Owen Lars purchases them
10. Both films use a lot of wipes
11. They meet a heroic man (Rokurota) possessing treasure; The droids meet Obi-Wan who has access to vital data
12. Tahei and Matashichi and Rokurota are trying to get home; Obi-Wan and the droids are trying to get to Alderaan.
13. Tahei and Matashichi discover that Rokurota is a legendary general; Obi-Wan is a legendary general from the Clone Wars
14. Tahei and Matashichi argue a lot; the droids argue a lot
15. Princess Yuki is not a damsel in distress; Leia is not a damsel in distress
16. The general is (at one point) interested in the reward; Han wants "reward".
17. The hidden fortress is destroyed; Alderaan is destroyed
18. They are spotted by scouts, the scouts flee and Rokurota chases them; The Millenium Falcon is spotted by Tie-fighter scouts; the tie-fighters flee, the Falcon chases them
19. Rokurota ends up (seemingly by accident) in the enemy camp; The Falcon accidentally ends up in the Death Star
20. Rokurota is challenged to one-to-one spear combat by the enemy general; Obi-Wan is challenged by Darth Vader
21. Tahei and Matashichi hide in a town; Droids, Luke and Ben hide in Mos Isley
22. Princess Yuki reclines in a certain way; Leia reclines in a certain way
23. Principle characters gather in one shot; same.

So there are a lot of similarities. However, there are more dissimilarities. In fact, if I had watched Hidden Fortress without being told it influenced Star Wars, I probably would not have made the connection. First of all, they are completely different genres. Second, one is set in 19th century Japan, the other long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Third, the battles in Hidden Fortress are short, whereas the battles in SW are long. Fourth, there's nothing supernatural in HF; in SW there's the Force. Fifth, the characters are very different.

If we compare Episode 4 and 7, however, the similarities are striking. Normally this wouldn't bother me, but this is STAR WARS we're talking about here! Abrams had 30 years to come up with something new and fresh to add to the saga, and this is what we get?! A droid with a spherical body and X-wings with black paint jobs?! Abrams dropped the ball and has ruined the franchise, imo.



Raven73's Avatar
Boldly going.
After the success of the latest Star Wars movie, I hear that Disney is doing an Indiana Jones sequel, with J.J. Abrams as director:

"Indiana Jones 5: The Ark Awakens"

Takes place 30 years after The Last Crusade (So in the '60s).

Main character is Indiana Jones's black nephew, Alabama Jones (named after the family cat) who is also an archaeologist. He also wears a fedora, leather jacket and uses a whip.

In the beginning, Alabama is in a booby-trapped pyramid in the jungles of Mexico, and finds an ancient relic, which is soon stolen from him by a group belonging to the neo-Nazi group "The Fourth Order". Alabama just makes it out alive by jumping into a waiting floatplane. There's a tarantula in Alabama's seat; he freaks out because he's afraid of spiders. The spider turns out to be the pilot's pet.

Jones is told that the Ark (apparently stolen some years ago) had re-surfaced in Afghanistan, but a freak sandstorm covered it up. The University that Jones works for decides to send Alabama Jones to the Registan desert in Afghanistan to find the Ark. In a tavern, Jones joins forces with an old friend, Martin, who had been a student of his until they'd had a falling-out. Martin possesses a map which shows the hidden location of the Ark.

Jones and Martin find the Ark but they are captured by the Fourth Order who seize the Ark and throw Jones and Martin into the Well of Trolls, which is filled with spiders. Jones and Martin manage to escape by tipping over a jinn statue which crashes through the stone wall. They meet old Indiana Jones. Indiana dies after eating a poisoned date.

In the end, Jones and Martin are captured again and end up in a Fourth Order camp on Mount Sanai where the neo-nazis intend to open the Ark again. The Italian archaeologist, Benito, who is working for the Fourth Order, reaches into the Ark and pulls out a handful of pebbles. Angry, Benito overturns the Ark, spilling the pebbles to the floor. Alabama instructs Martin to keep his eyes shut. The pebbles begin to dance around magically and the Fourth Order is initially amused, but the pebbles grow into giant trolls which commence to smash the neo-Nazis. Everyone but Jones and Martin are sucked up into the sky by God's tornado.

...It'll make billions.



After the success of the latest Star Wars movie, I hear that Disney is doing an Indiana Jones sequel, with J.J. Abrams as director:

"Indiana Jones 5: The Ark Awakens"

Takes place 30 years after The Last Crusade (So in the '60s).

Main character is Indiana Jones's black nephew, Alabama Jones (named after the family cat) who is also an archaeologist. He also wears a fedora, leather jacket and uses a whip.

In the beginning, Alabama is in a booby-trapped pyramid in the jungles of Mexico, and finds an ancient relic, which is soon stolen from him by a group belonging to the neo-Nazi group "The Fourth Order". Alabama just makes it out alive by jumping into a waiting floatplane. There's a tarantula in Alabama's seat; he freaks out because he's afraid of spiders. The spider turns out to be the pilot's pet.

Jones is told that the Ark (apparently stolen some years ago) had re-surfaced in Afghanistan, but a freak sandstorm covered it up. The University that Jones works for decides to send Alabama Jones to the Registan desert in Afghanistan to find the Ark. In a tavern, Jones joins forces with an old friend, Martin, who had been a student of his until they'd had a falling-out. Martin possesses a map which shows the hidden location of the Ark.

Jones and Martin find the Ark but they are captured by the Fourth Order who seize the Ark and throw Jones and Martin into the Well of Trolls, which is filled with spiders. Jones and Martin manage to escape by tipping over a jinn statue which crashes through the stone wall. They meet old Indiana Jones. Indiana dies after eating a poisoned date.

In the end, Jones and Martin are captured again and end up in a Fourth Order camp on Mount Sanai where the neo-nazis intend to open the Ark again. The Italian archaeologist, Benito, who is working for the Fourth Order, reaches into the Ark and pulls out a handful of pebbles. Angry, Benito overturns the Ark, spilling the pebbles to the floor. Alabama instructs Martin to keep his eyes shut. The pebbles begin to dance around magically and the Fourth Order is initially amused, but the pebbles grow into giant trolls which commence to smash the neo-Nazis. Everyone but Jones and Martin are sucked up into the sky by God's tornado.

...It'll make billions.
Crystal Skull had a lot of callbacks to the originals if I recall correctly.
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Star Wars was inspired by Hidden Fortress, but I wouldn't go as far to say that it copied it. George Lucas addresses the influence of the film in this video: youtu.be/TEJ6CzG9zVc

I watched Hidden Fortress a couple of days ago for the first time and found these similarities:
1. HF: war time; ANH: galactic civil war
2. HF: 2 desheveled, comic men (Tahei and Matashichi) walk through desert having escaped battle; ANH: Droids C3PO and R2D2
3. HF: Tahei and Matashichi come across a dead body and consider searching the body for goods; ANH: R2D2 observes an unconscious Luke Skywalker
4. HF: Tahei and Matashichi separate; ANH: R2 and C3PO separate
5. Tahei and Matashichi are captured individually by the enemy; The droids are captured individually by jawas
6. Tahei and Matashichi are reunited; R2 and C3PO are reunited
7. There's a bounty for Princess Yuki, a young woman; The Empire seeks Princess Leia, a young woman (also, there's a bounty for Han by Jabba the Hutt).
8. The samurai wear armor; the stormtroopers wear armor
9. Tahei and Matashichi escape; the droids are freed from the jawas when Owen Lars purchases them
10. Both films use a lot of wipes
11. They meet a heroic man (Rokurota) possessing treasure; The droids meet Obi-Wan who has access to vital data
12. Tahei and Matashichi and Rokurota are trying to get home; Obi-Wan and the droids are trying to get to Alderaan.
13. Tahei and Matashichi discover that Rokurota is a legendary general; Obi-Wan is a legendary general from the Clone Wars
14. Tahei and Matashichi argue a lot; the droids argue a lot
15. Princess Yuki is not a damsel in distress; Leia is not a damsel in distress
16. The general is (at one point) interested in the reward; Han wants "reward".
17. The hidden fortress is destroyed; Alderaan is destroyed
18. They are spotted by scouts, the scouts flee and Rokurota chases them; The Millenium Falcon is spotted by Tie-fighter scouts; the tie-fighters flee, the Falcon chases them
19. Rokurota ends up (seemingly by accident) in the enemy camp; The Falcon accidentally ends up in the Death Star
20. Rokurota is challenged to one-to-one spear combat by the enemy general; Obi-Wan is challenged by Darth Vader
21. Tahei and Matashichi hide in a town; Droids, Luke and Ben hide in Mos Isley
22. Princess Yuki reclines in a certain way; Leia reclines in a certain way
23. Principle characters gather in one shot; same.

So there are a lot of similarities. However, there are more dissimilarities. In fact, if I had watched Hidden Fortress without being told it influenced Star Wars, I probably would not have made the connection. First of all, they are completely different genres. Second, one is set in 19th century Japan, the other long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Third, the battles in Hidden Fortress are short, whereas the battles in SW are long. Fourth, there's nothing supernatural in HF; in SW there's the Force. Fifth, the characters are very different.

If we compare Episode 4 and 7, however, the similarities are striking. Normally this wouldn't bother me, but this is STAR WARS we're talking about here! Abrams had 30 years to come up with something new and fresh to add to the saga, and this is what we get?! A droid with a spherical body and X-wings with black paint jobs?! Abrams dropped the ball and has ruined the franchise, imo.
I agree that the similarities of ANH and TFA are greater than Hidden Fortress and ANH. Specially because TFA consciously copies the style of the technology in ANH: the same vehicles and starships show up, the same universe, the same basic plot. It's almost a remake of ANH.

While ANH was heavily influenced by Kurosawa's style of cinema and storytelling but it created a whose new universe using that cinematic style. TFA not only reproduces the same style but also consciously copies down all the details of ANH.

So yeah, TFA takes the prize for closest movie to a remake that is not technically a remake.



Sorry Harmonica.......I got to stay here.
POSSIBLE CASTING-ONLY SPOILER BELOW




As a casual SW fan, I liked the simple approach they took with this one. It was just fun and I'm glad they went with an "episode IV" approach, rather than a "Game of Throne Wars" one. It was also interesting to have a WTF----Adam Driver? moment as well.
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