Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Post-release)
- Thread starter Vivek
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Zombie_61
Master Member
The problem with this is in the final scenes of Return of the Jedi when Luke sees Yoda's, Obi-Wan's, and Anakin's Force Ghosts. It's a strong indication that Anakin had indeed been redeemed and abandoned the Dark Side, at which point Darth Vader no longer existed (in the same way that Anakin no longer existed when he converted to the Dark Side and became Vader). As such, I'd find it highly unlikely that Anakin would become a Force Ghost mentor to a Sith. So I think Kylo Ren was merely talking to Vader's helmet in the same way that someone might talk to an urn containing the ashes of a deceased relative--they're not expecting a response, but psychologically it makes them feel better.
JW was a bad movie.
It's said you can't argue with box office,
but I can still be stunned by it.
TFA and JW are nostalgia driven cousins in my view.
I think there is something else going on that I'm just not wired for.
It's said you can't argue with box office,
but I can still be stunned by it.
TFA and JW are nostalgia driven cousins in my view.
I think there is something else going on that I'm just not wired for.
seelsa73
Sr Member
Sounds a lot like what I and many others have been saying about the prequels for years, and we get crucified for it. Not saying you're one of those people, but you just put it so beautifully.
niennumb1
Master Member
The studios main criticism they care about is meeting the numbers they're forecasting to their stakeholders.
The criticism of people on social media is probably a bunch of sour heads who want to rip apart something they don't understand and aren't fans of to begin with.
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The criticism of people on social media is probably a bunch of sour heads who want to rip apart something they don't understand and aren't fans of to begin with.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Star Wars is now an Avengers or Transformers franchise with a built-in global audience and little box office risk. The last Transformers movie was rated very poorly by audiences and critics and yet made over a billion dollars worldwide. The SW prequels, which most fans considered disappointments, brought in a cumulative worldwide gross of $3.5 billion. Adjusted for inflation from 2005, that's a global gross of $4.3 billion for the SW prequels. So, you're absolutely correct: a huge box office haul for a Star Wars movie is not an indicator of high quality.
ghostryder
Legendary Member
niennumb1
Master Member
This is what continues to make this a great film for me. The discussions and mystery running rampant! It's thought provoking and we're talking about this like how we do the OT to this day.
Great stuff. 2017 can't come soon enough for #8.
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Great stuff. 2017 can't come soon enough for #8.
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
A TWIN SISTER???? (or almost)
Yeah, there is a different cultural phenomena at work here.But theres also an age old one as well .
Star Wars is widely popular again.And so is being or being seen to be a SW fan a bit cool. TFA is that nostalgia trip for many of the Otties and the Prequellers but a lot of people are seeing it because of the social media hype. You "must" go see Star Wars, if only to have something new to tweet or text about.It also helps that all these huge media stars are suddenly admitting how much they love SW. People follow that kind of lead interest intensely these days.
This happened with Avatar, where the ordinary person who would never have touched a sci fi themed film with a ten metre cattle prod went to see it because millions of others had and thoroughly enjoy the experience. They saw it as being something fresh and inventive, while the more and, lets be kind here, "seasoned" veterans of sci fi and cinema simply saw the elements that JC had "ripped off" from other films and hated it. I had more positive conversations about it where people wanted to share the thrill of the 3D spectacle they saw,more than with any other genre film I'd ever watched previously ,and nearly all were totally unaware (and uninterested) in its "flaws".
And this is what you have happening now. The SW faithful , for whom any varitaion on theme and scripture of the OT text is an invitation to foster disquiet. Many agree there are some flaws but the positives in the overall new film out weigh them strongly whilst the new recruits, to whom all the old SW films were just something they watched once ,didn't get then,yet went on to other things, like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and the Marvel Universe,now really,really like it now. And that is in no small part to the new characters
So if you look at the decisions made here,particularly with the focus on main characters made in TFA its no coincidence that their lead in the story is Rey , Finn and BB8 , followed by Han and Chewie. And they also got a contemporary villain with Kylo Ren. He is the very modern product of todays broken family. And it was a very smart move. Its captured a huge new younger fan base, most of the old and really motivates everybodys interest in the outcome of the next film.
And the thing I have come to realise most strongly since more information is surfacing is how restrained JJ and Kasdan were with the tale they could tell. The main character and plot decisions had already been mapped out for them and nearly all the elements ,such as the Neo imperialists and 3DS came from inside the Lucasfilm story group and the visualists. With the departure of Ardnt they had VERY little time to develope any radical ideas beyond what was already there, because preproduction based on Ardnts original outlines had already moved well ahead. I have a bad feeling that the terrible freighter scene WAS a late addition caused by the effects of Fords injury, but we'll wait and see.
Personally I hope they are wise enough to address most of the issues raised because they are definite weaknesses. If they repeat them with "Rogue One" which is so much closer to the OT then that will cause alot of problems going forward. Do it with the VIII then it will exacerbate the issues for everyone. The speed at which these are being churned out DOES bother me a bit, because in almost every single case where a sequel fails its the weak, hastily written story that ruins it.
When I go see TFA for a second time, when its quieter in the cinema, then I'll look at it with all the benefits this discussion thread has brought to the table. Will it beat the three billion dollars mark!!!! ???? Its still packing people in, and many are still avoiding that at the moment because of that, and it could be massive in China with repeat viewings stacking up BUT that 5th April release date will bite into this, that and the illegal downloads of course.
Yeah, there is a different cultural phenomena at work here.But theres also an age old one as well .
Star Wars is widely popular again.And so is being or being seen to be a SW fan a bit cool. TFA is that nostalgia trip for many of the Otties and the Prequellers but a lot of people are seeing it because of the social media hype. You "must" go see Star Wars, if only to have something new to tweet or text about.It also helps that all these huge media stars are suddenly admitting how much they love SW. People follow that kind of lead interest intensely these days.
This happened with Avatar, where the ordinary person who would never have touched a sci fi themed film with a ten metre cattle prod went to see it because millions of others had and thoroughly enjoy the experience. They saw it as being something fresh and inventive, while the more and, lets be kind here, "seasoned" veterans of sci fi and cinema simply saw the elements that JC had "ripped off" from other films and hated it. I had more positive conversations about it where people wanted to share the thrill of the 3D spectacle they saw,more than with any other genre film I'd ever watched previously ,and nearly all were totally unaware (and uninterested) in its "flaws".
And this is what you have happening now. The SW faithful , for whom any varitaion on theme and scripture of the OT text is an invitation to foster disquiet. Many agree there are some flaws but the positives in the overall new film out weigh them strongly whilst the new recruits, to whom all the old SW films were just something they watched once ,didn't get then,yet went on to other things, like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and the Marvel Universe,now really,really like it now. And that is in no small part to the new characters
So if you look at the decisions made here,particularly with the focus on main characters made in TFA its no coincidence that their lead in the story is Rey , Finn and BB8 , followed by Han and Chewie. And they also got a contemporary villain with Kylo Ren. He is the very modern product of todays broken family. And it was a very smart move. Its captured a huge new younger fan base, most of the old and really motivates everybodys interest in the outcome of the next film.
And the thing I have come to realise most strongly since more information is surfacing is how restrained JJ and Kasdan were with the tale they could tell. The main character and plot decisions had already been mapped out for them and nearly all the elements ,such as the Neo imperialists and 3DS came from inside the Lucasfilm story group and the visualists. With the departure of Ardnt they had VERY little time to develope any radical ideas beyond what was already there, because preproduction based on Ardnts original outlines had already moved well ahead. I have a bad feeling that the terrible freighter scene WAS a late addition caused by the effects of Fords injury, but we'll wait and see.
Personally I hope they are wise enough to address most of the issues raised because they are definite weaknesses. If they repeat them with "Rogue One" which is so much closer to the OT then that will cause alot of problems going forward. Do it with the VIII then it will exacerbate the issues for everyone. The speed at which these are being churned out DOES bother me a bit, because in almost every single case where a sequel fails its the weak, hastily written story that ruins it.
When I go see TFA for a second time, when its quieter in the cinema, then I'll look at it with all the benefits this discussion thread has brought to the table. Will it beat the three billion dollars mark!!!! ???? Its still packing people in, and many are still avoiding that at the moment because of that, and it could be massive in China with repeat viewings stacking up BUT that 5th April release date will bite into this, that and the illegal downloads of course.
robn1
Master Member
ANH spent time on the trip for story purposes. We got to see Luke training and learned about the Force, and learned a bit about Han and Chewy. There was also time needed for the destruction of Alderaan.
TFA didn't have any story points to make at the end so no time was spent showing a lengthy trip. But they could have spent a week in hyperspace for all we know.
Solo4114
Master Member
So, first, I LOVED the film. Just wanna put that out there. I started off when the film was announced with guarded optimism, and I'm glad I did, but it exceeded my expectations. This one felt very much like a "bridge" film, which, I suspect, is why the film contained so many references to the OT. They want to bring the old-school audience along into the new era. I'm hoping the new era will be sufficiently different from the old in terms of plot points and such, but we'll see.
I was, of course, sad about
Anyway, on the box office thing, first...it really doesn't matter. TFA is already an enormous financial success. It's been extremely well received by critics and audiences overall (although, yes, there are people who didn't like it, just as there were people who didn't like the originals). I went this weekend -- the 2nd weekend -- and my theater was pretty full. It fell by less than 50% of its box office from Week #1, which is good. What I've heard is that you want to lose 50% or less of your opening weekend gross, so TFA did well in that regard. I don't know if the film has opened in China yet, but if it hasn't that's going to probably mean really, really good numbers. Bottom line, it's a big success of a film.
I was, of course, sad about
Han's death, although I went in to the film knowing about that. I purposely spoiled myself for that one moment, mostly to avoid a Serenity/Wash situation where the death totally takes me out of the film and ruins my experience of the rest of it. I also found the death to be...hmm...appropriate, given the story. It worked. I'd prefer to have my heroes ride off into the sunset, rather than wither and/or die, but if die he must, better it be that way.
Anyway, on the box office thing, first...it really doesn't matter. TFA is already an enormous financial success. It's been extremely well received by critics and audiences overall (although, yes, there are people who didn't like it, just as there were people who didn't like the originals). I went this weekend -- the 2nd weekend -- and my theater was pretty full. It fell by less than 50% of its box office from Week #1, which is good. What I've heard is that you want to lose 50% or less of your opening weekend gross, so TFA did well in that regard. I don't know if the film has opened in China yet, but if it hasn't that's going to probably mean really, really good numbers. Bottom line, it's a big success of a film.
I'll take two!
Box Office Mojo has been doing all the analysis and comparisons. From the article I linked:
Force Awakens has topped the two largest weekends of all-time and next weekend the only added competition is the expansion of Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. Avatar's domestic box office record of $760.5 million is very much in sight as Force Awakens is currently only $215.9 million shy of that number and has only been in domestic theaters for ten days. The question right now doesn't necessarily seem to be a matter of "if", but "when" followed by "How much?" A 3.5 times multiplier based on its opening weekend alone projects a $867.8 million domestic run... could it possibly go higher? A drop of 50% next weekend would still be enough to claim the largest third weekend of all-time as the stars seemed to be properly aligned for continued Star Wars box office glory.
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Bigdaddy
Master Member
I had the same experience, though I was more excited than I wanted to be. I'm just glad it wasn't a TPM moment leaving the theater, especially for my daughter. Her 1st Star Wars movie on the big screen blew her away! :thumbsup
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