Topic: Rate the last movie you've seen

[nickmitch]

Wait, how is The Empire Strikes Back not the best in the series?

I dunno. I always liked Return of the Jedi better.

[BranDonk Kong]

Well, your opinion is wrong. Empire Strikes Back is the best. Return of the Jedi is a great movie, until the end - especially the newest update with Hayden Christensen's ghost.

[nickmitch]

It was certainly the most exciting (with Luke's whole world going all to ****). But I think it's understood that the revisions only made the movies the worse.
Still though, three great movies out of that original trilogy. About 1 1/2 good movies out of the prequels.

[TJ Spyke]

Meh, I am not a big fan of the original trilogy in their original versions. They are much better with the special effects (not commenting on the other changes, like having Greedo shoot first, just on the actual special effects).

[Stogi]

I still can't stand any of the movies other than Empire Strikes Back. I blame James Earl Jones for that.

But I did like the cartoon/CG show for a while. It wasn't amazing, but it was a fun watch every once and a while.

[TrueNerd]

Meh, I am not a big fan of the original trilogy in their original versions. They are much better with the special effects (not commenting on the other changes, like having Greedo shoot first, just on the actual special effects).

It depends on what you're talking about. If you're talking about a general cleaning up like removing the matte boxes from around all the ships in space, fixing the lightsaber colors, stuff like that, yes, that's an improvement. If you're talking about throwing in a bunch of CGI robots/locations/creatures/ships/singers in Jabba's palace/sarlacc pits because hey why not then I vehemently disagree with you. All of that **** sticks out like a sore thumb and ruins the aesthetic of what I think is still a good looking film. I really wish Criterion would storm Skywalker Ranch and take the prints of the original cuts of the original trilogy by force and give them the restoration jobs they deserve.

And EMPIRE STRIKES BACK is the best, but I accept arguments for the original STAR WARS as well. RETURN OF THE JEDI is not the best and anyone who says it is is clouded by nostalgia. **** the prequels.

[tendoboy1984]

Revenge of the Sith was amazing
Attack of the Clones was terrible and overdone
The Phantom Menace was okay

Don't complain about Hayden Christenson's bad acting, because the original trilogy had worse acting (like a majority of movies from the 1970's and early 1980's).

[oohhboy]

You're so funny Tendoboy, I can't stop laughing. Stop hurting me.

Go here and educate yourself as to why the prequels are so bad. I guarantee that the reviews are far, far more entertaining than the movies. It will take you couple hours to watch them all, but you will get some real insights from people who actually know how to make something entertaining on a budget nearing Zero dollars.

GL might have given birth to Star Wars, but he was the one who made it bad.

[tendoboy1984]

Revenge of the Sith was the closest the prequels got to the original trilogy, in terms of tone, plot, and story progression.

And every single Star Wars movie is filled with bad acting. Lucas can afford big budgets for special effects and sets, but then he has C-list actors starring in his movies for some reason. (I know Samuel L Jackson was in the prequels, but his role was pretty insignificant)

[Ceric]

I'll just say that Ultimate Power Corrupts Ultimately.

[TJ Spyke]

ooohboy, Revenge of the Sith was a good movie. For once I actually agree with tendo, his assessment of the prequel movies is spot-on.

[oohhboy]

You must have a very very low opinion of the OT if either of you think ST:RotS was remotely close to it. RotS was the "Closest", but there is a massive difference between that and actually being "Close". The OT and prequals are not remotely close to each other when it comes to quality.

As for the C-list comment. Natalie Portman, Ewin McGreger, Liam Nesson, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and more. All these people can act, they know their craft. That can't be said of Christian Hayden who has continued to show that he is worthless in his chosen profession. Tom Hardy who played Shinzo in the bomb that was Star Trek Nemesis has turned around and proven himself as a high caliber actor.

[TJ Spyke]

ROTS was a good movie, period. Not "close", I would rank it as one of the better SW movies (and better than ROTJ).

C-list doesn't refer to quality, just star-power.
Mark Hamill was a nobody before Star Wars, he only had bit appearances in TV shows and a made-for-TV movie. Harrison Ford wasn't a big star before SW either, he was maybe B-list though as his only big role before it was American Graffiti. Carrie Fisher was practically a nobody as her ONLY acting role before SW was a movie called Shampoo (which she was barely in). Natalie Portman had only been in very minor roles before the SW movies, so she was def a c-lister. Liam Neeson is one of the few exceptions, but the majority of SW actors (even the stars) was virtual nobodies/c-listers before being cast.

[oohhboy]

I don't like the Ewoks as much as the next person, but to consider RotS better than RotJ is either a joke or insanity. The final confrontation between Luke and Vader alone makes it better than any of the Prequels. RotJ did suffer from Ewoks and having too many concurrent plot threads. But there is a lot of gravity and tension in RotJ that the prequels never have.

[Adrock]

Natalie Portman had only been in very minor roles before the SW movies, so she was def a c-lister.

Before The Phantom Menace, Natalie Portman had already been cast by Luc Besson, Michael Mann, Woody Allen, and Tim Burton. Her film debut as Mathilda in Leon: the Professional was anything but a minor role. She was getting noticed before her turn as Padme. There are only so many quality roles for teenage girls. She would have made it without George Lucas.

Speaking of Leon: the Professional, I really wish the stars would align and whatever differences Besson and Gaumont Film Company have would get resolved and Mathilda: The Professional would be made.

[TrueNerd]

Good God. REVENGE OF THE SITH is a terrible movie. It is less terrible than ATTACK OF THE CLONES, but it is still ridiculous bullshit. Terrible writing, way too much terrible CGI, and yes, Hayden sucks at acting in both of those movies, as do all of the actors in these movies. No, STAR WARS was never about great, paramount acting but at least the actors in the original trilogy convincingly portrayed human beings. Hayden does not. I'd argue Lucas is more to blame than Hayden, but the point still stands.

[TJ Spyke]

LOL, what? TrueNerd, you are the ONLY person I have ever seen that thinks ROTS is a terrible movie. It is at least the 3rd best Star Wars movie. Hayden is annoying, but the rest of the movie is really enjoyable. The CGI is good, and the story is interesting.

[NWR_insanolord]

Return of the Jedi has its problems, but to even for a second consider putting any of the prequels ahead of it is insanity. RotJ looks bad compared to the other two in the original trilogy, but RotS is helped immensely by being compared to the absolute garbage that came before it. I would take Ewoks over Hayden Christiansen every time.

[Oblivion]

Everyone needs to go watch Looper.

[tendoboy1984]

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Shia Lebouf is too cocky, the plot is mundane and drags on for way too long. And there are too many explosions and overdone slow-motion sequences.

Another movie I saw recently was Super 8. One of the best movies I've seen all year. J J Abrams is the new Spielberg. He seamlessly combines good character development, a tight script, and plenty of action sequences to create movies that are genuinely enjoyable.

[TJ Spyke]

LOL at the thought Abrams could even be mentioned in the same breath as Spielberg. Abrams sometimes gets lucky.

[tendoboy1984]

LOL at the thought Abrams could even be mentioned in the same breath as Spielberg. Abrams sometimes gets lucky.

Well I would say Peter Jackson is the next Spielberg, but you'd probably disagree again.

I like Abrams' movies. At least he tries to tell a story in his movies. Super 8 was like a mix of The Goonies and Cloverfield.

Steven Spielberg hasn't had a hit summer blockbuster in a long time. He's been surpassed by younger filmmakers, like Joss Whedon.

[Halbred]

I eventually hated Super 8. The Final Confrontation between Kid and Alien comes down to the Alien not slaughtering the kids because the main kid FEELS BAD BECAUSE HIS MOM DIED? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Bullsh*t.


This is not a spoiler. You know it's coming THE ENTIRE MOVIE.

[TJ Spyke]

How does Joss Whedon surpass Speilberg? Speilberg can make action movies, dramas, etc.

Whether you liked the movie or not, 2008's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull made $786 million and that more than qualifies as blockbuster status. Then he didn't direct any movies for 3 years. His last 2 movies came out in November and December of 2011, so they aren't summer anything and his next movie is in November. I should also point out that Spielberg produced Super 8. He was executive producer of Men in Black III, which made $624 million (blockbuster). He was executive producer of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which made $1.1 BILLION. To say he hasn't had a summer blockbuster in a long time is laughable as he has 2 this year alone.

[tendoboy1984]

Hardly any of those were "his" movies. He didn't direct Transformers or Super 8. He's been more of a producer lately. If Spielberg can DIRECT a new movie that can surpass Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, or Saving Private Ryan (in terms of quality and financial/critical success), then okay.

And Lucas really needs to break out if his Star Wars shell. He should direct more varied movies to diversify his portfolio.