Star Wars

Gbear

You can just completely forgo 1 2 and 3. They're ****.

4 and 5 are, while not flawless, excellent films. Not excellent sci-fi or excellent kids films (although they are both as well) but just excellent films.
You need to see 6 too but it's not a patch on 4 and 5. You do start to see Lucas' descent in to madness which has fully manifested itself by the time it comes to the prequels.

Cungi

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

Star wars is alright. The bit where Spock dies is pretty sad though.

:pac::pac::pac:

Star Trek is better anyways. (awaits the wrath of Star Wars fans!)

Bipolar Joe

Cungi wrote: »

:pac::pac::pac:

Star Trek is better anyways. (awaits the wrath of Star Wars fans!)

I love them both! Comparing the two is absurd. Star Trek is about discovery, how despite the fact that we're all different, it's possible for us to get along and treat each other with decency, rising above our destructive nature. Even though the ways of others are peculiar, at best, they still exist and have the right to exist. That's always what Star Trek has been about. The first openly gay actor. The first inter-racial kiss. Even though it's hokey as Hell, Star Trek is the best example of hope for humanity and what we may be capable of as a race (From a philosophical point of view, not the technological).

Star Wars is about the old good vs. evil fight. Redemption, love, friendship, being better than you think you can be even though it seems impossible. You must learn to overcome the impossible and do what is right. There's so much more to it within the extended universe, and if you sit and think about it for a while. Also, kick ass laser swords.

GavinFlud

padd b1975 wrote: »

Not pushed about Star Wars to be honest, but would like to read the LOTR books before watching the films.


Just thought of another 2, the Shreks and the Toy Storys:o

I personally only liked the first Shrek, so I don't think you're missing much there. I don't think I've ever met anyone who hasn't seen Toy Story (2 and 3 are great too) so you should get out and see that ASAP.

As for Lord of the Rings, the books are great but the films definitely do them justice.

Evilsbane

padd b1975 wrote: »

Not pushed about Star Wars to be honest, but would like to read the LOTR books before watching the films.


Just thought of another 2, the Shreks and the Toy Storys:o

I'd actually recommend against that; as a general rule, you should watch movies before you read the books, as doing it the other way round usually makes the movie disappointing (since it's not done the way you imagined it). I read the books first and the movies felt underwhelming as a result; I have no doubt I'd have enjoyed them more if I hadn't read the books first. But when you watch the movies, have someone else who knows the story with you so you can ask questions when it gets complicated (they definitely crammed a lot into those movies).

On top of which, you should definitely start with The Hobbit first.

Can't stand any of them tbh

gobnaitolunacy

padd b1975 wrote: »

Not pushed about Star Wars to be honest, but would like to read the LOTR books before watching the films.

Saw the massive brick that was the LOTR book years ago in college, thought to myself 'I'll wait until the movie comes out.'

Canis Lupus

They're nothing amazing. 4 5 and 6 are alright. 1 2 and 3 are steaming piles of shyte with some of the most awful, very bad, terrible, abominable, alarming, appalling, atrocious, deplorable, depressing, dire, disgusting, distressing, dreadful, fearful, frightful, ghastly, gruesome, grungy, harrowing, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrific, horrifying, nasty, offensive, repulsive, shocking, stinking and unpleasant dialogue ever.

Canis Lupus

Evilsbane wrote: »

I'd actually recommend against that; as a general rule, you should watch movies before you read the books, as doing it the other way round usually makes the movie disappointing (since it's not done the way you imagined it). I read the books first and the movies felt underwhelming as a result; I have no doubt I'd have enjoyed them more if I hadn't read the books first. But when you watch the movies, have someone else who knows the story with you so you can ask questions when it gets complicated (they definitely crammed a lot into those movies).

On top of which, you should definitely start with The Hobbit first.

Thou shalt not put movies before books.

eviltimeban

Canis Lupus wrote: »

They're nothing amazing. 4 5 and 6 are alright. 1 2 and 3 are steaming piles of shyte with some of the most awful, very bad, terrible, abominable, alarming, appalling, atrocious, deplorable, depressing, dire, disgusting, distressing, dreadful, fearful, frightful, ghastly, gruesome, grungy, harrowing, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrific, horrifying, nasty, offensive, repulsive, shocking, stinking and unpleasant dialogue ever.

I've always had a place in my heart for Phantom Menace. Why? Cos it sort of FEELS like a Star Wars film. There were less digital effects, it wasn't shot digitally, it had the whole section on Tattooine, and Liam Neeson was excellent. And of course, Darth Maul.

The other reason is that Hayden Christiansen and Natalie Portman weren't in it; they are probably good actors but Lucas sucked any life out of them by over directing them, and the dialogue in 2 and 3 is as you described it above.

I hate 2 and 3 but I'll happily watch Phantom Menace. Its the only one of the prequels I have on DVD.

Leslie91

Watch in this order

4, 5 and 6......

Then if you have nothing else to do watch 1 and 2 (cos u kinda have to), then make sure you watch 3.

Lucas kinda made a balls of 1 and 2 but it came together for me in 3, I thought he did a good job with 3.

old hippy

eviltimeban wrote: »

I've always had a place in my heart for Phantom Menace. Why? Cos it sort of FEELS like a Star Wars film. There were less digital effects, it wasn't shot digitally, it had the whole section on Tattooine, and Liam Neeson was excellent. And of course, Darth Maul.

The other reason is that Hayden Christiansen and Natalie Portman weren't in it; they are probably good actors but Lucas sucked any life out of them by over directing them, and the dialogue in 2 and 3 is as you described it above.

I hate 2 and 3 but I'll happily watch Phantom Menace. Its the only one of the prequels I have on DVD.

Natalie Portman is in Phantom Menace

krudler

9959 wrote: »

....and the 'futuristic' soundtrack.

Which is one of the best film scores ever..

krudler

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Thou shalt not put movies before books.

Why? loads of movies are better than their book counterparts, The Godfather and Jaws to name but two. awful books, classic movies.

GavinFlud

eviltimeban wrote: »

I've always had a place in my heart for Phantom Menace. Why? Cos it sort of FEELS like a Star Wars film. There were less digital effects, it wasn't shot digitally, it had the whole section on Tattooine, and Liam Neeson was excellent. And of course, Darth Maul.

The other reason is that Hayden Christiansen and Natalie Portman weren't in it; they are probably good actors but Lucas sucked any life out of them by over directing them, and the dialogue in 2 and 3 is as you described it above.

I hate 2 and 3 but I'll happily watch Phantom Menace. Its the only one of the prequels I have on DVD.

I quite liked The Phantom Menace too, outside of the whole visit to Tattooine. I just felt that slowed the whole thing down and was trying to force it into our heads that Anakin was this great kid once.

Attack of the Clones was horrific but Revenge of the Sith was definitely one of my favourites, the battle between Obi Wan and Vader made that film!

krudler

GavinFlud wrote: »

I quite liked The Phantom Menace too, outside of the whole visit to Tattooine. I just felt that slowed the whole thing down and was trying to force it into our heads that Anakin was this great kid once.

Attack of the Clones was horrific but Revenge of the Sith was definitely one of my favourites, the battle between Obi Wan and Vader made that film!

I hated it tbh, the more ridiculous they make the lightsaber fights the less they meant. Luke fighting Vader in Empire has way more meaning than three guys who met a few seconds before duelling it out in Episode 1 does, and then in Episode III you have Anakin and Obi Wan jumping off towers and swinging off things drifting around rivers of lava,it was ludicrous.

Best lightsabre fight is Empire, then Jedi, when Luke is taunted by Vader until he snaps and starts battering Vader until he cuts off his hand, brilliant stuff.

Gbear

krudler wrote: »

I hated it tbh, the more ridiculous they make the lightsaber fights the less they meant. Luke fighting Vader in Empire has way more meaning than three guys who met a few seconds before duelling it out in Episode 1 does, and then in Episode III you have Anakin and Obi Wan jumping off towers and swinging off things drifting around rivers of lava,it was ludicrous.

Best lightsabre fight is Empire, then Jedi, when Luke is taunted by Vader until he snaps and starts battering Vader until he cuts off his hand, brilliant stuff.

I think a happy mix in between would be ideal.

The fights in the originals lack a bit of panache in what are ostensibly battles between space ninja/wizards.

Darth Maul was a badass. The battle between those three contained virtually the only good parts of the sequel trilogy. Things like throwing the thing at the door to open it, those cartwheely things that Darth Maul does - there's some good material there.

You couldn't really take a battle between an 80 year old Christopher Lee and and bouncing green gremlin seriously though and that's where they really lost the run of themselves.

--Kaiser--

krudler wrote: »

Why? loads of movies are better than their book counterparts, The Godfather and Jaws to name but two. awful books, classic movies.

Fight Club too. Good book, fantastic movie

eviltimeban

old hippy wrote: »

Natalie Portman is in Phantom Menace

Oh yeah. I must've blanked her out. She wasn't as bad in it as she was in the other two.

GavinFlud

krudler wrote: »

I hated it tbh, the more ridiculous they make the lightsaber fights the less they meant. Luke fighting Vader in Empire has way more meaning than three guys who met a few seconds before duelling it out in Episode 1 does, and then in Episode III you have Anakin and Obi Wan jumping off towers and swinging off things drifting around rivers of lava,it was ludicrous.

Best lightsabre fight is Empire, then Jedi, when Luke is taunted by Vader until he snaps and starts battering Vader until he cuts off his hand, brilliant stuff.

I agree with you when I think about things like Dooku's duel with Obi-Wan and even Yoda's duel with Sidius (though almost every fan wanted to see Yoda wielding his lightsaber at least once). I also loved the Luke and Vader fights, simply because they were more about Luke's anger towards his father rather than two Jedi trying to show off their skills.

Still though, I like the fact that they made use of the better technology and stunt-actors to produce fights like the Darth Maul one and the Obi-Wan/Vader one. It meant they were able to show off Jedi's in their prime displaying the skill and athleticism they are supposed to have.

--Kaiser--

Gbear wrote: »

Darth Maul was a badass. The battle between those three contained virtually the only good parts of the sequel trilogy. Things like throwing the thing at the door to open it, those cartwheely things that Darth Maul does - there's some good material there.

.

That was an awful fight scene. The actor playing Maul (kung fu master Ray Parks) is incredible, look at his acrobatics and finely judged footwork, a sight to behold. Then look at that McGregor twat, my 6 year old nephew could pick up a length of wavin and make a better attempt at light saber fighting. Pathetic

Gbear

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

That was an awful fight scene. The actor playing Maul (kung fu master Ray Parks) is incredible, look at his acrobatics and finely judged footwork, a sight to behold. Then look at that McGregor twat, my 6 year old nephew could pick up a length of wavin and make a better attempt at light saber fighting. Pathetic

Yeah true enough. But Maul was really cool. That's what they should be going for.

If they wanted to stick with actors who can first of all act (which is a waste if the script and direction is ****) then they should've relegated the lightsaber to a semi-ceremonial tool and stuck to having them use telekinesis if they couldn't do light-saber fighting justice.

You can jump up and down all you want and do cartweels and wave your shiny sword but if you can just pick people up and choke them to death at fifty paces then it renders it all a bit redundant.

Bipolar Joe

Every fight in the imaginary prequels sucked. Every duel in Star Wars OT had passion! It had purpose! Luke looses his shit, and hammers the absolute fuck out of Vader. The goal wasn't to look elegant, the goal was to not get chopped in half. In NT, they pretty much said "Right, so, backflip all the time and we'll CG in someone dying after thirty minutes of that." OT fights had a reason to be there, to push the story forward. NT had fights because Lucas was pointing at the screen and shouting at the audience "Look! Lightsabers! Remember them?! You guys liked them right?!"

Utter crap.

kunst nugget

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

Luke looses his shit

Did he have the trots?

Starscream25

i agree with a lot of the lightsabre fight statements, the new ones sucked balls. but all that happened because the character development and storylines were more polished and superior really to the newer stuff as we all know.
i just hope jj abrams brings back the passion and art that the old trilogy oozed, surely he knows all about the general mass disliking towards the newer stuff, the further away we get from all that cgi madness the better.

old hippy

Bipolar Joe wrote: »

Every fight in the imaginary prequels sucked. Every duel in Star Wars OT had passion! It had purpose! Luke looses his shit, and hammers the absolute fuck out of Vader. The goal wasn't to look elegant, the goal was to not get chopped in half. In NT, they pretty much said "Right, so, backflip all the time and we'll CG in someone dying after thirty minutes of that." OT fights had a reason to be there, to push the story forward. NT had fights because Lucas was pointing at the screen and shouting at the audience "Look! Lightsabers! Remember them?! You guys liked them right?!"

Utter crap.

Harsh but true. At least the new films absolutely cannot be worse than the last bunch...