tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2130572569541182865.post2268205252005149120..comments2024-03-29T07:15:36.622-04:00Comments on Casa Cabeza: Thoughts on Star Wars: The Force AwakensDanno E. Cabezahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00514343832663815418noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2130572569541182865.post-80274653047351927722015-12-27T08:27:51.161-05:002015-12-27T08:27:51.161-05:00What I've read is that they're using a var...What I've read is that they're using a variation of the Marvel Movie formula. The "Saga" movies stand in for the AVENGERS series, while the "Star Wars Tale" movies stand in for the individual hero movies like ANT-MAN and CAPTAIN AMERICA. <br /><br />The "Saga" movies are the ones that get Episode numbers like "Episode IV: A New Hope". They are about the Skywalker clan. Think: DYNASTY, set in space, putting Anakin Skywalker into the role of J.R. Ewing. As of this writing, they're supposed to come out every two years, meaning that we'll get Ep. VIII in 2017.<br /><br />ROGUE ONE:A STAR WARS TALE is an example of the other kind, the "Star Wars Tales". These are more like vingnettes, designed to expand the universe and tell one-off stories outside the here-and-now of the Skywalkers' struggle to either bring order or freedom to the galaxy.<br /><br />***<br /><br />BTW, people have been wondering what will bring an end to the costumed superhero era of movie-dom, but I think we know. AVENGERS 2 did reasonably well at the box office, but it got beat by JURASSIC PARK later that summer, and compared to STAR WARS, the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe looks like a blip on the radar screen. Considering how profitable this new STAR WARS movie has been, I expect we'll see nothing but STAR WARS and STAR WARS-knock offs for pretty much the entirety of the foreseeable future.Danno E. Cabezahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00514343832663815418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2130572569541182865.post-38022577831566287642015-12-26T19:01:53.925-05:002015-12-26T19:01:53.925-05:00I think you're probably right on Try, but fran...I think you're probably right on Try, but frankly I was hoping she was just a Youngling from Luke's academy, rather than any blood relation. Starting to feel too dynastic otherwise. Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03377778424339349291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2130572569541182865.post-72720395866168901012015-12-26T15:44:11.296-05:002015-12-26T15:44:11.296-05:00It wasn't my intent to talk you out of liking ...It wasn't my intent to talk you out of liking the new movie. I liked it quite a lot, but I agree with you that's it not exactly obvious how we got from where we ended in Ep. VI to where we started in Ep. VII. <br /><br />1. I happen to KNOW that there's more info out there, particularly in STAR WARS: AFTERMATH, but it's a curious decision to try to use a movie to force people to read a book, especially when it's a book that hasn't been getting particularly strong reviews. TWILIGHT COMPANY seems to have been better received, but it doesn't cover the right time period. I put together my little backstory write-up from reviews of AFTERMATH, but the larger story is far from clear here. This was presumably done because Abrams was trying to maximize Story Questions going forward, but I didn't love it.<br /><br />2. They set that up to drive you crazy. The fact that you really, really want to know? That's proof that it worked.<br /><br />3. I didn't love that, either.<br /><br />4. He was presumably named after Obi Wan "Ben" Kenobi. This is the same reason why Luke might've named his own son Ben, and if you think about it, I think you'll agree that it's an unsurprising name for a male in this franchise, especially when the writers probably want to remind you who Ben Kenobi was--at least subliminally. Kenobi's role in this story remains surprisingly large considering that he never appears on screen.<br /><br />5. Yeah, I don't think Star Wars is over-concerned with physics. It's a bigger, badder Death Star, as you yourself pointed out.<br /><br />6. This is a recycled plot point from RETURN OF THE JEDI. Starkiller Base has a Deflector Shield because protecting it from suicide snub fighter attack would be functionally impossible otherwise. They are relying on the Deflector Shield, but Han and his team deactivate it, just as they do in both Ep.'s 4 & 6. It's a story call-back, that's all.<br /><br />It's worth nothing that we don't know how large the First Order's fleet is, nor do we have an idea of how many snub fighters the rebellion can lay hands on. However, we know that they have Starkiller Base. Without that, though, I got the feeling that the First Order couldn't really go head-to-head with the New Republic's fleet and expect to win.<br /><br />To put it another way, the New Order didn't have to combat power to beat the New Republic in a head-to-head fight. So they built a super-weapon because that's what these guys always try to do. Now, however, both the New Republic's fleet and the New Order's super-weapon have been trashed. I expect that this will throw the entire galaxy into lawless chaos, but who knows? <br /><br />***<br />There's a lot here to like. We have a great new cast, an interesting set of Story Questions, and a lot of room to run. This is why they had to do away with the Expanded Universe. It's true that they consciously recycled plot points, but the movie itself is still enjoyable, and I think from here that they'll have a lot of room to explore new territory. That is a good thing. In the meantime, don't think too much about what is a fun and funny movie... but definitely not a think-piece. Enjoy the mysteries, but remember that this is the crew that created LOST and FRINGE, and thye have a certain style It's not all necessarily going to hang together perfectly.Danno E. Cabezahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00514343832663815418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2130572569541182865.post-70481997433102636812015-12-26T13:46:44.735-05:002015-12-26T13:46:44.735-05:00I didn't want to post spoilers on G+'s mai...I didn't want to post spoilers on G+'s main article. I was really upset by exactly how little Substance there was:<br /><br />1. Was the Republic successfully created, or did it split from the Empire, or like some of the EU did it Replace outright and then have a Schism?<br />2. What's the First Orders history and role in the last 30 years? What part does 'Supreme Leader' Snoke play, and why did they use such a lame name for this villain?<br />3. WTF is with the major buildup of Captain Phasma...only to so easily, and amateurly, ambush her?<br />4. Why would Han and Leia name their son, Ben? More importantly, if you aren't going to use Jacen and Jaina, why would you throw gas on the fire by naming the Solo kid Ben, when the EU fandom is going to take that as a slap in the face?<br />5. It feels like a Copout at the end. You've got this new, improved death star created from an actual Planet, and it so cheesily destroys 5 planets in a system terribly distant. Ignoring most of Star Wars lore, and Physics, because it seems to be able to travel and guide itself so it doesn't intersect any other space body, and does so instantly. On top of that, why with that magnitude of power wouldn't you just destroy the systems Star (Starkiller Base, anyone?!), thereby causing destruction to EVERYTHING in the system.<br />6. And Then, somehow, what doesn't even qualify as a full Wing of X-wings (no Y-wings, A-wings or B-wings) and no Capital support engage what Should be the First Orders most heavily defended Installation. So they took down some Shields, big whoop. Where are the Multiple Wings of Tie Fighters a planet can house? Where's the System Fleet that any Imperial headquarters or major installation should have for defense? Why would they not better protect what is SO Obvious a weakness that the rebels identify it by 5 min's of review (without the death of many Bothans...)<br /><br />The more I type, the more pissed I'm actually getting. In it's own way, it's worse than the Prequels, because it unlike the Prequels, the entirety of the EU was stripped as Lore to pave its way. Only to produce this bastardization of the Original Trilogy.<br /><br />I really hadn't intended to gripe so much. I've been trying to acknowledge to myself what was done right in the Movie, but it's so heavily outweighed by the negative in my opinion. Even Han and Chewie didn't feel like themselves...they seemed more like bad impersonations by people who thought they should act like a bad Grumpy Old Men knockoff...Grimulfrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11348290658966119716noreply@blogger.com