fuzmeister: The Rise of Skywalker

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I really want to do an in-depth analysis of this film at some point, but my initial reaction was basically "wow, that sucked so bad."

How do you take an intellectual property worth so much money and not have some sort of roadmap for a series of films? It was badly in need of script-doctoring, narrative tweaking, and editing.

I am in disbelief that JJ could craft something so rushed, sloppy, and devoid of logical storytelling, but I guess when Disney has you under the gun you do what the house of mouse demands. Truly this felt like something built in a corporate boardroom and not crafted out of respect for the lore (like The Force Awakens or The Last Jedi felt to me anyway).

...and all of this criticism is coming from one of the most die-hard Star Wars fans you'll ever meet. It's really a shame they couldn't stick the landing on this trilogy of films and actively destroyed the legacy of some of the classic narrative by decisions made in this final episodic film.

Mood: Still Frustrated
Music: Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Ain't Gone N' Give Up On Love


Tags (beta): star wars, corporate filmmaking, movies, crushing disappointment

Comments (6)

fuzmeister: Rogue One

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Possible spoilers ahead, so read on with caution if you haven't seen this flick yet.

I am somewhat unsure why this film is getting so much praise while many people thought Episode 7 was a "garbage re-hash." Let me be clear, I didn't hate Rogue One. From a technical perspective, it's a well-made film... excellent special effects and very nice cinematography. I'd be willing to say it inspired a sense of awe that was missing from The Force Awakens in terms of world-building and scope.

However, I generally think this film was a mess in terms of pacing, character development, and narrative. Maybe it's partially my bias that I didn't even want to see this film from the beginning. I mean, if the story isn't super-interesting, do we really care how the plans for the Death Star were retrieved? I consider myself a big fan of Star Wars and even the now-defunct expanded universe, but I didn't have a great feeling about this film from the moment it was originally announced.

So, in terms of the film's characters, what's the deal here? So much lost potential with the protagonist and her father's relationship. I really felt like this could have been a very interesting aspect of the story, but it felt rushed and hollow like much of the movie.

To be fair, everyone felt superficial and shallow - why was the great Forest Whitaker so wasted? I know there were reports that a large portion of this film was reshot after the original cut, but is that what's to blame for the unsteady pace and superficial characters? I feel like this movie had so many moments of wasted potential.

And yes, I know what you may be thinking - "dude, Darth Vader was such a boss in that movie." Ok, sure. It was cool to see him again and hear James Earl Jones reprise the voice, but Vader was mostly there as fan service without playing any crucial role in the story.

I absolutely do love Star Wars and I'm trying not to be a jaded grandpa, but where The Force Awakens gave me hope Disney wouldn't just exploit this property without creating quality content, Rogue One makes me extremely nervous for any future anthology films. I guess if you view this as a one-off, we have to give credit for toying around with what works. To me though, this could be a slippery slope.

Mood: Eh
Music: 10cc - I'm Not in Love


Tags (beta): star wars, film

Comments (4)

fuzmeister: The Force Awakens

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I will always stand by my opinion that Attack of The Clones is the worst of them - schlocky dialog and terrible storytelling. I'd honestly probably rather watch a Jar Jar anthology film than have to sit through Episode II again.

At the time, it's cool because it's Star Wars. As the years roll on though, you have to wonder what motivated Lucas to make decisions he did and how no one around him would question anything. Also, the prequel trilogy probably breaks records for the amount of fan service in a major motion picture trilogy - kid Boba Fett, Chewbacca just because, etc.

That's not to say the original trilogy films are flawless by any means. A lot of the reason the original Star Wars probably didn't fall into a trap is the tight editing; Lucas' original cut is infamously not-as-good. Also, it was a wise decision to let others behind the director's chair for Empire and Jedi. Though, to be honest, I don't particularly know how much of an impact Richard Marquand had on Jedi...

Anyway, my point of all this rambling is to ground myself and not become a slave to the hype. Yeah, 'splosions and pew-pew can be captivating, but it does not make a solid film. I'm really hoping JJ and co. bring heart back to this franchise. Will the new Star Wars film be able to pierce the jaded cynicism of the three so-so films preceding it? Stay tuned.

Mood: Hopeful
Music: Depeche Mode - A Question of Lust


Tags (beta): star wars, movies

Comments (5)

fuzmeister: The One Change George Lucas Didn't Make

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Mood: Amused


Tags (beta): star wars, youtube

Comments (1)

fuzmeister: This Explains Everything...

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Mood: Amused
Music: The Alan Parsons Project - Let's Talk About Me


Tags (beta): star wars, youtube, conspiracies

Comments (1)