Khush, I agree with much of what you stated about the movies discussed above. I also disagree with much of what you stated. I can do both because you stated so much. Classic Khush wall-o-text. Glorious, really.
I will say that I hope Snoke actually turns out to be really small in person. Like the size of an action figure, like he could fit in your hand. That would be funny. It'd be an Airplane! gag stuffed into Star Wars.
Some other random observations:
- I like POTC 3 for the Pirate's Council and the aspects of more "foreign" pirates that it brings (like Chinese pirates! Excellent!). I also like the swordfights over the whirlpool and all that crazy action near the end. Giant Tia Dalma/Calypso is stupid, as is the land-of-the-dead Jack Sparrow rescue bit. But sometimes, I like stupid just as much as awesome (see: Attack of the Clones). I also was satisfied with the endings of "major" characters in POTC 3.
- I love the ending of SW 7 so much. I wanted more. But that's the point, it left you wanting more. I actually like the new characters much more than the old in SW 7. Rey in particular is fantastic and I love the direction they took with the villain. I see people complaining that he is not scary (or not as scary as Darth Vader), that he is just a petulant child. Indeed he is and that's the point. He is not a controlled, classically eeeevilll villain, he is an out-of-control, messed-up teenager type with enormous power. He is like a school shooter. To me, he is terrifying.
- Totally agree about the '61 Oscars. Either film is miles above WSS. The Hustler is pretty damn great. Reminds me, I haven't seen The Color Of Money. Gotta get on that.