Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Pre-release)

[Bryancd]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Why JJ Abrams Is A Good Choice For STAR WARS EPISODE VII | Badass Digest
And it's not for the reasons some maybe thinking about.

That is an excellent summation of my thoughts as well. Everyone on both sides of this initial reaction should give it a read.

 

[Solo4114]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

That is an excellent summation of my thoughts as well. Everyone on both sides of this initial reaction should give it a read.

Yeah, it's got some good points, and mentions something else I was thinking already.



The more I think about this, the less of a problem I have with it. I mean, think about Trek '09. When you watched it, even if you thought it was crap as a Trek sequel, wasn't there a part of you that thought "You know, this would probably be pretty good. FOR A STAR WARS SEQUEL. UGH!"

Now flip that around. If JJ can make a Trek film into, basically, a Star Wars film...doesn't that suggest he'd make a decent Star Wars film? Or at least have a shot at doing so?

I think it's probably best to go into this with NO expectations. Neither good nor bad. Abrams brought the Star Wars vibe to Star Trek pretty effectively. It was the wrong vibe for the film, I thought, but it was an effective recreation of the Star Wars vibe. Given a good script and some interesting characters, I think it COULD be good. No guarantees, of course. It could just as easily suck horribly. But I think there's a shot at it being entertaining, if not necessarily a return to the first time I saw Star Wars at age 4.

 

[Bigdaddy]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Yeah, it's got some good points, and mentions something else I was thinking already.



The more I think about this, the less of a problem I have with it. I mean, think about Trek '09. When you watched it, even if you thought it was crap as a Trek sequel, wasn't there a part of you that thought "You know, this would probably be pretty good. FOR A STAR WARS SEQUEL. UGH!"

Now flip that around. If JJ can make a Trek film into, basically, a Star Wars film...doesn't that suggest he'd make a decent Star Wars film? Or at least have a shot at doing so?

I think it's probably best to go into this with NO expectations. Neither good nor bad. Abrams brought the Star Wars vibe to Star Trek pretty effectively. It was the wrong vibe for the film, I thought, but it was an effective recreation of the Star Wars vibe. Given a good script and some interesting characters, I think it COULD be good. No guarantees, of course. It could just as easily suck horribly. But I think there's a shot at it being entertaining, if not necessarily a return to the first time I saw Star Wars at age 4.

Agreed :thumbsup I don't follow director's carriers, I just know what I like. I remember thinking when I watched Trek 09, that it seemed like they were trying to give it a Star Wars "feel". I enjoyed super 8 to a degree, I didn't mind the flare, I kind of chaulked it up to an attempt at a 70s style film like CE3K, but it was really the child actors that kept me into the story. I'm sure there is some "reason" I'm unaware of that Steven Spielburg isn't directing E7 but he seems like the logical choice to me. I still have high hopes for this.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I'm sure there is some "reason" I'm unaware of that Steven Spielburg isn't directing E7 but he seems like the logical choice to me. I still have high hopes for this.

He's said for years that he would never direct a Star Wars movie, even though he was Lucas' first choice for Return of the Jedi, but couldn't hire him at the time.

 

[JediG60racer]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I'm a fan of having JJ do this one. And then I'd like to see Joss Whedon try his hand at Episode VIII... after all, Luke Skywalker has to die some time, and Joss likes to kill off beloved characters.

Then wrap it up with Steven Spielberg working with Howard Kazanjian & Kathleen Kennedy for Episode IX.

 

[Jedi-72]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I have to disagree, I've watched the Mos Espa scenes in PM back-to-back with with Mos Eisley in ANH, and IMO there is a big difference in the lived it "feel" not only the sets but the costumes as well. In ANH the clothes looked like they were really being worn extensively in desert conditions (because they were), but in PM there is a lack of "thread bare" weathering and dirt as well as very nicly combed hair! Part of this is the difference of working on set vs working on location.

Agree 1000% None of it holds up to close scrutiny and never sells you on the illusion that it was trying to create. It doesn't look like a real place. It looks and feels like "Tattoine Land" at Disney or something. Like something just thrown together to kind of resemble a movie set. Like someone said, "Eh. It's good enough. Only have to fool the kiddies." That attention to creating the world ala Lord of the Rings and the OT, simply wasn't there anywhere in the PT.

 

[Zuiun]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Shatner did that directing Star Trek 5 The Final Frontier... I mean, come on, I watched the syfy network Star Trek Marathon last week and even The Voyage Home was stupid... not at all like I remembered it when it came out. sorry, but Star Trek AIN'T all that... after Wrath of Khan Star Trek was all crap. just sayin'.

This! A thousand times THIS!

Star Trek isn't on this shiny pedestal of ne'er-do-wrong until Abrams came along. The films have been notoriously hit or miss -- and when they miss, they can be just godawful DREK (Final Frontier...Generations...Insurrection... Nemesis... etc.).

Sure, for me the pinnacle Trek movie is Wrath of Khan (against which all others will be judged...and found wanting), but from a pure enjoyment standpoint, I'd put Abrams' version well above the other 4 films I just mentioned. Hell, I'd even prefer to watch it over The Motion Picture (which, while I don't think is a horrible story, just suffers from being flat-out boring) or Search for Spock.

So all of the talk about Abrams "ruining" Trek is idiotic. Love or hate his version, there has been a LOT of sub-standard entries in world of Trek.

One thing I do appreciate about Abrams is that he does have the ability to evoke powerful emotion. I think the opening segment in Star Trek is a more emotionally satisfying bit of storytelling than is found in *most* of the other Trek films. It's a little disappointing that he couldn't maintain that same emotional connection to the action throughout the rest of the film, but that's still a pretty brilliant segment.

I also think that he did a great job of creating the characters in Super 8. The movie may have had other plot conveniences and contrivances, but the character content was solid.

That's the quality I'm hoping he brings to Star Wars, because any sort of character connection *at all* is what was completely missing from the prequels. Are there other directors the fanboy in me would like to see tackle it? Sure. But if this is the decision that's been made, I don't think it's the worst decision out there (just think - Lucas could have decided to keep it and write / direct more crap).

If Abrams can direct a Star Wars story that makes me care about the characters the way he did in the opening Trek scene, or Super 8, then I'll be happy.

 

[Jeyl]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

after Wrath of Khan Star Trek was all crap. just sayin'.

No. No it wasn't. :cool

 

[Brent M]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Why JJ Abrams Is A Good Choice For STAR WARS EPISODE VII | Badass Digest
And it's not for the reasons some maybe thinking about.

Words can't even begin to describe how much I loathe Devin Faraci. He's the perfect example of everything I hate about movie critics in the internet age.

 

[Bigdaddy]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

He's said for years that he would never direct a Star Wars movie, even though he was Lucas' first choice for Return of the Jedi, but couldn't hire him at the time.

I know Lucas had a lot of legal problems with the studio that seemed to prevent SS from directing ROTJ, I didn't know Steven had said he would never direct a SW film, that's too bad

 

[Vivek]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Words can't even begin to describe how much I loathe Devin Faraci. He's the perfect example of everything I hate about movie critics in the internet age.

I know few others who feel the same. Yeah he is strongly opinionated on certain subjects and gets flak for it from time to time. I've been a fan of writing since his CHUD days, so that's nearly 10 years now. He is really passionate and knowledgeable about cinema and his writing always invokes that, be it commentary about favourite fan franchises or independent films or science fiction properties. He is very vocal and maybe unpopular in some circles, but I have always enjoyed his reviews and articles and that has sometimes led me to discover films which I wouldn't have known otherwise.

 

[The Wook]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Why JJ Abrams Is A Good Choice For STAR WARS EPISODE VII | Badass Digest
And it's not for the reasons some maybe thinking about.

This guy totally contradicts himself. In the title he says JJ is a good choice to direct, and in summation he says he'll fail to make anything better than a satisfactory movie. Idiot. (Not you, Vivek. Faraci.)

The Wook

 

[Alan Cross]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

This! A thousand times THIS!

Star Trek isn't on this shiny pedestal of ne'er-do-wrong until Abrams came along. The films have been notoriously hit or miss -- and when they miss, they can be just godawful DREK (Final Frontier...Generations...Insurrection... Nemesis... etc.).

Sure, for me the pinnacle Trek movie is Wrath of Khan (against which all others will be judged...and found wanting), but from a pure enjoyment standpoint, I'd put Abrams' version well above the other 4 films I just mentioned. Hell, I'd even prefer to watch it over The Motion Picture (which, while I don't think is a horrible story, just suffers from being flat-out boring) or Search for Spock.

So all of the talk about Abrams "ruining" Trek is idiotic. Love or hate his version, there has been a LOT of sub-standard entries in world of Trek.

Thanks, Z! Expresses my view perfectly.

 

[Zenwalker]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I think it is just a plain bad idea to have the same director direct both Star Trek and Star Wars. The styles of the two worlds will become too close to the same thing, turning them into a homogenized bowl of bland soup.

 

[Vivek]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

This guy totally contradicts himself. In the title he says JJ is a good choice to direct, and in summation he says he'll fail to make anything better than a satisfactory movie. Idiot. (Not you, Vivek. Faraci.)

Ha..I know it does seems that way. He is not totally for it nor totally against it, but his actual reasons explain that little better.

Also for this film the studios needs a director who is more of a yes man, but Abrams really doesn't need to be that. Abrams has a strong reputation that allows him to pursue his vision and bring the needed flare to these movies, while still keeping the studios suits happy with his decisions. Since Star Trek was such a big commercial success, he is a safe choice for them.

Marvel is the one who changed the game with their movie properties, they went with bold choices and unconventional directors and it paid off big time and they still continue to do that. Maybe Lucasfilm will do that for the sequels.

Despite its flaws, I enjoyed Star Trek immensely but I was hoping for a different director for Star Wars.

 

[Pwrsrce]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

At the risk of being the "yeah, what he said" guy...I have to agree with the pro-JJ crowd.

The pre-title scenes of JJ's Star Trek were the most emotional from a sci-fi film in quite some time. I understand that the Trek purists were split on the overall film, but as a guy that loved Wrath of Khan and thought the rest were boring to average at best, I LOVED the latest Trek.

And while the overall story of Super 8 wasn't earth shattering, the characters, visuals, and shot framing really evoked late 70's/early 80's Spielberg better than anyone other than the man himself...Point being, JJ takes care of things he is passionate about. And he is passionate about Star Wars.

Look...Abrams isn't always perfect...But I have a lot of faith in his ability to connect people with the characters on the screen. And he will absolutely NAIL the look of Star Wars that we remember. But if he brings a few more lens flares with him, that's fine with me too.

Jason

 

[Solo4114]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I think it is just a plain bad idea to have the same director direct both Star Trek and Star Wars. The styles of the two worlds will become too close to the same thing, turning them into a homogenized bowl of bland soup.

That ship sailed in 2009.

 

[heiro5]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

I think it is just a plain bad idea to have the same director direct both Star Trek and Star Wars. The styles of the two worlds will become too close to the same thing, turning them into a homogenized bowl of bland soup.

Super 8 doesn't look or feel like his Star Trek, I doubt his Star Wars will, either.

 

[Pwrsrce]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Abrams brought the Star Wars vibe to Star Trek pretty effectively. It was the wrong vibe for the film, I thought, but it was an effective recreation of the Star Wars vibe.

Hey Dan...Not calling you out or anything, but I've seen several people echo your same thoughts, and I'm honestly curious...

Exactly how did Abrams Trek seem in any way like Star Wars? I don't think they were anywhere close to the same vibe. Nothing in the production design reminded me of Star Wars...The ships were clean, the costumes were Trek all the way, the settings and locations looked like future earth and other Trek like locations...To me the whole thing was classic Trek, but more exciting.

In fact, the ONLY thing that remotely could have invoked Star Wars in my head was the fact that the ships actually moved faster than my grandmother in a wheelchair...Plus, there was action and humor... :cool

Jason

 

[Bigdaddy]

Re: Star Wars Episode VII

Exactly how did Abrams Trek seem in any way like Star Wars? I don't think they were anywhere close to the same vibe.
In fact, the ONLY thing that remotely could have invoked Star Wars in my head was the fact that the ships actually moved faster than my grandmother in a wheelchair...Plus, there was action and humor... :cool

Jason

You answered your own question with 3 points there I would add the pacing of the trek film to that list, granted I'm not a big trek fan, the last trek movie I saw before 2009 was #4, so I'm a bit out of sync with the "modern" trek feel.
Edit: Is #4 the one where they go back in time to get whales? That's the one I'm thinking of.