Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A true blessing if there ever was one.

... Good point(s)!

Personally, I find it all a bit fanwanky, if you will, but who can deny the iconic status of the Falcon? It amazes me, still, that George Lucas didn't introduce another ship as capable of capturing the imagination in the prequels. Seeing it airborne and speeding away in these clips is such a strong image, such a memorable design, that the cheesiness of the nostalgia behind its presence there is fairly well compensated for.

I just wish that Harrison Ford hadn't been so concerned about his image and Hollywood standing, by necessitating such a large part in this movie. I mean, is it not a bit late to be playing a swashbuckling hero? He is in his seventies and seems very tired in these clips, for just standing around. It might compromise the movie. Luke as a Yoda-like professor of The Force is at least a little more organic to the story. I hope that Leia isn't just hanging around, looking for stuff to do, most of the time.

I think Leia will feature the least in these new films, unless she has become a skilled Jedi Master. She has only had 30 years to train like.

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So ... STAR WARS: The Force Awakens is a rehash of TRON 2.0

I have proven that rumor false in a YouTube video as soon as I can post links I'll share it

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/sta.../1100-6431741/
read well.

That trailer!

I don't find it very "fanwanky," it's Star Wars. And for me, and for a lot of others, Star Wars is Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, and Leia, and Chewie...if they're still alive, then yes we wanna see them! Harrison Ford didn't demand he have a big part in the film, JJ Abrams wanted him in it. And really, if you don't get that the essence of Star Wars for a lot of folks IS nostalgia, then I don't know what to tell you. I'm excited to see my childhood heroes in action again, and it looks a billion times more fun than the prequels.

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"You, me, everyone...we are all made of star stuff." - Neil Degrasse Tyson

https://shawnsmovienight.blogspot.com/

Just to let you know, I haven't read any of your spoilers or anything. I am doing my damnedest to ignore everything like that now for the next two months. After all, it is only 2 months away. I should be able to resist reading it all, right? Anyway, I don't know if any of the spoiler topics were discussed in non-spoiler warning form, but I will just assume that they weren't.


There is nothing wrong with Harrison Ford. First of all, as I said the other day, I would think most men would hope to look as good as he does when they reach that age - if they are lucky enough to reach it. And, really, he is not that old of a man. Second, I think it is pretty pathetic that a man in his 70's looks more like a man than most of the ones roaming around in their 20's and 30's nowadays. And third, because of that fact, I think he looks like he is much more capable of playing a hero that can save the day over most of those other guys in Hollywood.

And I really want to see all 3 of them in this film. Of course I do. I am really curious to see how the story will be told with the old and new characters together. I also think, in a way, they kind of needed to get them on board - at least for the first one - to get the rest of the saga started. I don't think it would've worked as well with a bunch of new characters and none of the old.


I finally got around to showing my mother the trailer yesterday. She said that exact same thing you did. I have been thinking something like this, too, but I don't know. I am trying my best not to speculate too much. My mind has really been going a little crazy, though. I have been creating all sorts of situations from that trailer (and the other 2). So, I will see if I am right about any of it. Truthfully? I am hoping that I am not.

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I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity - Edgar Allan Poe

I, too, love STAR WARS, in part, because it was a part of my childhood. I just feel that George Lucas' laziness of reusing every character he could and every situation he could in the prequels could've been remedied by a bold, new STAR WARS that basically did its own thing, almost entirely. Having The Force, Jedi, Sith, Humans, aliens and spaceships is more than enough to place it in that universe, and still have had this movie make billions of dollars. I'm happy that Harrison, Carrie and Mark are still with us, thank god, and I'm sure they'll be relevant to the story, but ... my Inner Child didn't really need to see them, again. I'm satisfied with what they gave us, the first time. It would've been enough for me, if they were simply referrenced, this time around.

Oh, I agree that Harrison Ford is - still - a very strong presence, onscreen. Who can deny his impact on the entertainment industry and Pop Culture? I sure as hell can't! But ... I prefer watching Han Solo as vital and active and virile. I didn't need to see him ready for an afternoon nap, instead of taking on the universe with flash and balls, in the FORCE AWAKENS teasers.

Does anyone else wish they carried on Star Wars a couple of years after ROTJ in the mid eighties, Focusing on Luke creating a new Jedi Order or perhaps the remnants of the Empire coming together to take on the rebels?

Obviously the story wouldn't have had the gravitas of the originals, no Vader, and no coming of age as such for Luke but all the actors were young enough, could have had another couple of trilogies.

I think Harrison wanted to break the Speilberg and Lucas mold by the Jones and Jedi movies were done. He wanted too be in other types of movies not created by George at some point too proove he would not be typcast

Right. Even before Return of the Jedi was released, Harrison Ford's star power emerged with having already been in Raiders and Blade Runner. He'd been complaining, also, about the public's persistent identification of him as Han Solo, as he insisted that the character was a bit "thin." He'd even asked George Lucas to kill off Solo in Jedi, which George was adamantly against.

There was simply no way to get another trilogy out with him starring. At the very least, he would've been cost-prohibitive. Carrie Fisher, also, has always seemed to be dismissive of her identification with Princess Leia, but could've been coaxed back, probably. But I doubt she'd willingly sporting a bikini in any future Star Wars movies, again. Mark Hamill, of course, was struggling in Hollywood, as evidenced by his résumé. It may have had to do with his facial scarring, who knows? Still, a trilogy about Leia coming into her own with the Force, with Luke as her guide, could've had some potential there. I doubt George would've gone for it, though. He'd established Leia as Han's girlfriend and he wouldn't have wanted to break them up, for publicity and other reasons.

It was evident in Jedi that the cast and maybe even George, himself, were bored with their characters, anyway. Mark Hamill's unrelenting, mystical, almost effeminate acting being the most obvious. Harrison Ford completely phoned-in his performance, as did Carrie Fisher. Princess Leia's role as the strong female was reduced to standing around either in a bathing suit, or surrounded by teddy bears. Even with the entire cast, another Star Wars movie would've made a really poor showing. But the idea, itself, of having more Star Wars movies is appealing, as a fan. I would've like to see the gang's further adventures, under other circumstances.

This made me laugh

Harrison Ford was sick of Han Solo by the first Star Wars. He thought George Lucas had a tin ear for dialogue and very little skill in crafting characters. The Empire Strikes Back was a giant leap forward in that it was written by Lawrence Kazdan from Lucas' outline. And Han Solo was supposed to die heroically in that film by sacrificing himself for the woman he loves, with Lando taking his place in the core group, and Luke would have ended up with Leia, who was never intended to be his sister. George Lucas hated this idea, and demanded a re-write.

George Lucas has said that Return of the Jedi is probably his favorite of the films, so no. Mark Hamill was playing Luke sort of as if he were dancing right on the edge of the Dark Side for the entire film, which made perfect sense, if you think about it. Luke had been through hell, and he was pretty pissed off about it, and suddenly he had the power to do something about it. A lot of his actions in that flick are morally questionable (his murder spree at Jabba's Palace) until he decides to throw away his lightsaber rather than kill his father. Hamill is just not a very good actor. Sorry Star Wars fans. LOL. Leia still comes off as a strong female. She's not Natalie Portman in Revenge of the Sith, all crying and staying outside of the action. My little sister was pissed off about that, she loved her character in Attack of the Clones being a bad ass action heroine. But Yes, Harrison Ford did phone it in, he totally did not want to be there. I think he was the only one though.

I am really thankful for how we have no clue what is going to happen. If you want to cite any spoiler tags or theories, please don't.

Relish this moment as much as possible. After this episode, we will know the characters, the motives, what direction 8 will be going in. I cannot remember being so completely in the dark for such an event of a movie.

I hate that I won't get to see this D1 and subject myself to dodging the inevitable mindfield of spoilers. I'm going to wait to see it with my sister and bil and there could be nothing finer. I plan on talking them into wearing their Tony Allen jedi robes.

I'm probably not going to see this opening day. Most likely the week right after.