Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, on home media Mar. 13, 2018

[jvmacross]

http://www.slashfilm.com/star-wars-the-last-jedi-round-up/

 

[ZorClone]

I'm perfectly ok with how Disney is handling Star Wars so far.  If they make changes I'm optimistic it's for the best.  Honestly, they seem to know what they're doing and I'm happy to see them make course corrections rather than let it come out poorly at the cost of not making direction changes.  Or reshoots, or rewrites, etc.

[jenius]

I agree, they've been playing it safe but I prefer that to going off the rails. It's tough to make one good sequel... 8 or 9? That takes some effort. 

[Dynaman]

7 minutes ago, jenius said:

I agree, they've been playing it safe but I prefer that to going off the rails. It's tough to make one good sequel... 8 or 9? That takes some effort. 

Agreed, this is Star Wars were talking about.  It needs the right amount of light and fluffy mixed with just a hint of peril and tragedy.  Lucas went off the rails with the prequals by trying to take it all too seriously.

[Sandman]

On 9/5/2017 at 8:45 AM, AN/ALQ128 said:

You can bash the prequels for its extremely poor writing all you want and I'd agree, but the prequels had some great mecha design. The Naboo starfighter and space yacht remain some of my favorite space ship designs ever.

The Naboo Starfighter and space yacht are pretty much the only spaceship designs that are memorable from the prequel trilogy (for me at least). And they pale in comparison the OT designs. I find this problem in most movies, not just SW. Lately spaceship designs in movies are not...i dunno...iconic like they were in the 80s. I realize it takes time for something to become iconic but I don't see much potential in the designs since then barring a couple exceptions. I don't why I feel this way. Maybe it was the switch from building practical models to using CGI? I really don't know. I just know most designs these days may be nice but are forgettable once I'm finished watching the show/movie.

[captain america]

28 minutes ago, Sandman said:

The Naboo Starfighter and space yacht are pretty much the only spaceship designs that are memorable from the prequel trilogy (for me at least). And they pale in comparison the OT designs. I find this problem in most movies, not just SW. Lately spaceship designs in movies are not...i dunno...iconic like they were in the 80s. I realize it takes time for something to become iconic but I don't see much potential in the designs since then barring a couple exceptions. I don't why I feel this way. Maybe it was the switch from building practical models to using CGI? I really don't know. I just know most designs these days may be nice but are forgettable once I'm finished watching the show/movie.

Back in the 80s, you were a lot younger and more impressionnable. Second, Star Wars was such an out-of-the-box phenomenon in the late 70s/early 80s that there was little-to-nothing else in its league, so it stands to reason that it would be memorable if only for that one fact.  You also have to account for the nostalgia factor, which is probably more significant than anything else. Lots of old films/series I used to watch as a child were really cool to me then, but if I look at them objectively now, they don't always stack-up too well.

For what it's worth, I really like the Jedi Starfighters, the 2-seater X-wings (that remind me of an F-4 Phantom) and the Republic Freighter, but I realize that taste is subjective. Fun fact: the prequels utilized more physical models/miniatures than the OT. 

[Sandman]

1 minute ago, captain america said:

Back in the 80s, you were a lot younger and more impressionnable. Second, Star Wars was such an out-of-the-box phenomenon in the late 70s/early 80s that there was little-to-nothing else in its league, so it stands to reason that it would be memorable if only for that one fact.  You also have to account for the nostalgia factor, which is probably more significant than anything else. Lots of old films/series I used to watch as a child were really cool to me then, but if I look at them objectively now, they don't always stack-up too well.

For what it's worth, I really like the Jedi Starfighters, the 2-seater X-wings (that remind me of an F-4 Phantom) and the Republic Freighter, but I realize that taste is subjective. Fun fact: the prequels utilized more physical models/miniatures than the OT. 

I wasn't just star wars I was referring too but yeah I agree nostalgia has a factor but I don't think that's it. I'm not one of those people that complain that everything is crap except for the stuff when I was young. The best example I can think of right now is ST DS9. Loved the design work in that series (and the previous series as well) but something changed toward the end of that series. When they started using CGI designs the designs became less unique IMO. The thing I like about ST designs was that they were easy to draw. As a kid, i could draw the enterprise or the d7. Even as an adult I can't sit down and draw the Breen ship from memory (or the Son'a ships from insurrection). All those designs seem to mix in together and don't stand out on their own. For me at least. I dunno, it's hard to vocalize (yeah I know) it in writing. 

[Chronocidal]

Nostalgia factor is one thing, but there is something to be said for overly correlating the terms "unique" and "creative."  It's entirely possible to make something unique with absolutely no creativity involved, and they have pretty much nailed that with the designs in TFA, by tweaking things just enough to distinguish them from older designs, but really attempting nothing new.

There's also a big difference between being unique and being aesthetically pleasing.  Given, there's a certain aesthetic to adhere to for the universe they're working in, but that doesn't mean you can't just try and make something that actually looks cool, and just run with it.  That seems to be the biggest failing overall lately.  Most of the designs from TFA that weren't based on existing designs were absolutely hideous.

Side note: If they refer to the booster as a "SLAM" system, I'm going to crack up.

Edited September 7, 2017 by Chronocidal

[captain america]

People who grew-up with the prequel films have occasionally commented on how some shots in the OT look rickety and fake, and that some of the OT designs look like a bunch of junk cobbled-together. Arguably, ship crashes, explosions and complex moves look infinitely better in the prequels than the OT.  Frankly, I'm more concerned with how Disney will develop the story going forward, but in the end it's out of my hands.

[peter]

22 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

Nostalgia factor is one thing, but there is something to be said for overly correlating the terms "unique" and "creative."  It's entirely possible to make something unique with absolutely no creativity involved, and they have pretty much nailed that with the designs in TFA, by tweaking things just enough to distinguish them from older designs, but really attempting nothing new.

There's also a big difference between being unique and being aesthetically pleasing.  Given, there's a certain aesthetic to adhere to for the universe they're working in, but that doesn't mean you can't just try and make something that actually looks cool, and just run with it.  That seems to be the biggest failing overall lately.  Most of the designs from TFA that weren't based on existing designs were absolutely hideous.

That article gives me a little hope for the X-Wing designs though.   Looks like they ditched the split wing for something more traditional, and aside from the "let's strap more engines to it for extra coolness" factor, I'm hoping for the best.

Side note: If they refer to the booster as a "SLAM" system, I'm going to crack up.

Did they dump the split wing?  If this is the same x-wing:

Then it appears as if it still has the spit?  And this is the one that blows up in the trailer right?

 

Edited September 7, 2017 by peter

[Chronocidal]

Yeah, I redacted that (and let my hopes be dashed on the rocks ).  The angle and partial split of the wings in that shot looked like they'd changed it.

One of these days I'll get up the nerve to grab a few of the Bandai kits and hack them up to use a full-sized wing, but I just don't have the motivation yet.

Edited September 7, 2017 by Chronocidal

[azrael]

1 hour ago, peter said:

Did they dump the split wing?  If this is the same x-wing:

Then it appears as if it still has the spit?  And this is the one that blows up in the trailer right?

 

It's the same X-wing as in the last movie. Just has a booster attached.

[ZorClone]

Yep the new Bandai model of it has the split wings

[Mog]

With all this talk about nostalgia and old designs versus new designs, I find myself looking back at the design work in Ron Moore's BSG and thinking, "Damn!  They did a really good job homaging the old designs and updating the 'newer' in-universe versions."

Just look at how cool both versions of the Viper are.  Or even the differences between the Bucket and the Beast.

With the Star Wars designs for the sequel trilogy, it just seems like they're stuck on the same designs with very miniscule tweaks.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Mog

[Sandman]

10 minutes ago, Mog said:

With all this talk about nostalgia and old designs versus new designs, I find myself looking back at the design work in Ron Moore's BSG and thinking, "Damn!  They did a really good job homaging the old designs and updating the 'newer' in-universe versions."

Just look at how cool both versions of the Viper are.  Or even the differences between the Bucket and the Beast.

With the Star Wars designs for the sequel trilogy, it just seems like they're stuck on the same designs with very miniscule tweaks.

Yeah updating the viper with a more fighter plane aesthetic worked out really good. THE BSG itself, I'm not a fan but it works in the context of the series story.

[Sandman]

5 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

Nostalgia factor is one thing, but there is something to be said for overly correlating the terms "unique" and "creative."  It's entirely possible to make something unique with absolutely no creativity involved, and they have pretty much nailed that with the designs in TFA, by tweaking things just enough to distinguish them from older designs, but really attempting nothing new.

There's also a big difference between being unique and being aesthetically pleasing.  Given, there's a certain aesthetic to adhere to for the universe they're working in, but that doesn't mean you can't just try and make something that actually looks cool, and just run with it.  That seems to be the biggest failing overall lately.  Most of the designs from TFA that weren't based on existing designs were absolutely hideous.

Side note: If they refer to the booster as a "SLAM" system, I'm going to crack up.

2

I agree with your points.

That booster attachment seems more silly the more i think about it. It looks like it just attaches on the back? How does it get its fuel or enough of it? I admit i know very little about how in-universe x-wing mechanics and fuel or how the engines even work.

[Thom]

Yeah, Macross does it better with the thruster packs.

[electric indigo]

Hint: You don't ask how things work in Star Wars.

[peter]

Hmmmm....fast packs on an X-wing...

[Chronocidal]

Other issues aside, it's true, the more I think about the booster pack, the dumber it gets.  I mean, besides the mechanical silliness of mounting it directly to the wing mechanism bulkhead, there's just no precedent for something so dorky.  The only "custom" mods discussed in the official universe were on personally owned vessels.

I will argue though, such a mod is perfectly in line with Poe's character, and everything that goes along with that, for better or worse.

[captain america]

It's possible that the Resistance has newer, better fighters coming and so they may have just jerry-rigged a temporary performance boosting device to bridge the gap.

[Thom]

I don't know. I would be afraid of what Disney designers would come up with. Except for most of the ships in Rogue One, they haven't been faring too well. The Storm Trooper transport, Leia's B-Wing-Bashed shuttle, the new speeders, the ginormous ape-walkers that are forty times bigger than earlier AT-ATs, the new dreadnoughts that look like they were run over by a rolling pin, and now Snoke's command ship...

Their designs aren't that inspiring. I would prefer that they leave the X-Wings alone. Who knows what they would replace them with..?

What I would love to see would be a re-use of old Imperial tech. Leia arriving in TFA would have been great if they'd been using a retired Tyderium shuttle. Think of the image of her coming down that ramp, almost like her father. Or if their ships were upgraded Republic cruisers or surrendered Imperial SDs.

The Resistance being a non-aligned military force, they wouldn't have access to the current tech, at least not without a LOT of funding, but they could at least do better than slapping together junk parts.

[Mommar]

Supposedly Snokes command ship is a combination of command craft and mobile shipyard so the size/configuration make a lot more sense.

Edited September 9, 2017 by Mommar

[Sildani]

So it's like a Star Destroyer tender? If that's true, that makes good sense for it to be so large. Sorta. 

[Mommar]

Tender?  I'm not familiar with the term.  But a mobile shipyard with a very wide profile shouldn't be hard for Macross fans to picture given Boldozas flagship was pretty much exactly the same thing.

Edited September 9, 2017 by Mommar

[Chronocidal]

Say what you will about the EU, at the absolute minimum, the artists involved with those stories managed to develop a decent handful of iconic designs, without even being seen on a screen.

[azrael]

12 hours ago, Thom said:

I don't know. I would be afraid of what Disney designers would come up with. Except for most of the ships in Rogue One, they haven't been faring too well. The Storm Trooper transport, Leia's B-Wing-Bashed shuttle, the new speeders, the ginormous ape-walkers that are forty times bigger than earlier AT-ATs, the new dreadnoughts that look like they were run over by a rolling pin, and now Snoke's command ship...

Their designs aren't that inspiring. I would prefer that they leave the X-Wings alone. Who knows what they would replace them with..?

What I would love to see would be a re-use of old Imperial tech. Leia arriving in TFA would have been great if they'd been using a retired Tyderium shuttle. Think of the image of her coming down that ramp, almost like her father. Or if their ships were upgraded Republic cruisers or surrendered Imperial SDs.

The Resistance being a non-aligned military force, they wouldn't have access to the current tech, at least not without a LOT of funding, but they could at least do better than slapping together junk parts.

I see it as a failing of the current generation of artists employed by Disney (and "Hollywood" artists in general these days). Rogue One had the benefit of at least some Lucas-era Lucasfilm alum doing the designs. And it benefited by using old designs. These new movies have to milk the brain a lot more for me to like the designs. I equate the eras of Star Wars designs with real-life trends (like car design). The Prequels had a lot of curves and slowly progressed to an industrial design as we got to the OT. These days, cars have brought back the curves but stayed boxy. There's an aerodynamic quality to cars these days where they slope low in the front and higher in the back. I haven't seen that kind of design trend in these 2 movies. It's like in 20 years in Star Wars time, they haven't put much thought into design when they did between the Prequels and the OT.  

[sketchley]

I think Mr. Lucas's schooling (or innate talent) in visual design also played a part.  I'm not saying these new directors (or other ultimate decision makers) don't, but Mr. Lucas himself had an eye for the things that would stand out and be unique in SW.  Perhaps his design choices were influenced by his interest in '40's and '50's aircraft and cars, and wanting to make a movie serial like Buck Rogers (or something like that).

He once said something along the lines that people have to figure out what something is within half a second of appearing on screen.  If they can't, then the design is rejected.  The question is - do the designs in 7 & 8 hold up to that logic?  (personally I wouldn't have known that those new "bomber" spacecraft were bombers if I hadn't read about it somewhere).

Sadly, me thinks that Disney is playing things too safe (with designs, storylines...).

[azrael]

J.J. ABRAMS TO WRITE AND DIRECT STAR WARS: EPISODE IX

So now it's JJ Abrams Presents "Return of the Jedi".

[jenius]

Cool, even at his worst he generally produces at a high level. Sure TFA was uber derivative but hopefully now that things are rolling it can go in more fun directions. 

[TangledThorns]

JJ Abrams is the Starbucks of directors, competent but zero originality.

 

[AN/ALQ128]

45 minutes ago, jenius said:

Cool, even at his worst he generally produces at a high level. Sure TFA was uber derivative but hopefully now that things are rolling it can go in more fun directions. 

Disney probably won't let him, sadly.

[Mommar]

So I won't be finishing this trilogy then.

 

I suppose it's fitting, he f**cked two Star Treks.  Might as well do the same to two Star Wars films as well.

 

Edited September 12, 2017 by Mommar

[Mog]

Welp, if they go with JJ, it's time for the fast-paced plot that won't make a lick of sense once you walk out the theater, characters whose only motivation is that "the plot demanded they take that course of action," massive derivative slatherings of nostalgia, and stuff that looks like Star Wars but doesn't match the creativity of the originals.

Should I expect a 3-legged AT-ST now, or a final battle on forest planet NOT named Endor's moon?

[jvmacross]

36 minutes ago, Mommar said:

So I won't be finishing this trilogy then.

 

I suppose it's fitting, he f**cked two Star Treks.  Might as well do the same to two Star Wars films as well.

 

Meh...with any luck JJ will get fired too!