Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (D: Gareth Edwards)

[Philaflava]

Technically you're a 90s baby. You don't know or remember shit for the 80s being 1. Jedi came out in 83.

[Spartan]

You can't go back and watch Jedi like the other films though. The puppets are too damn bad. Episodes 2 & 3 > Jedi.

CGI effects age far quicker than any kind of puppetry or stop motion effect. See all of Lucas' tinkering with the special editions of the original trilogy. They've aged very badly compared to other parts of the films with more practical effects. OG Jabba looks far better than any of the CGI versions.

My biggest issue with Rogue One were the CGI versions of Moff Tarkin and young Leia. They were immersion breaking for me and major distractions. The tech ain't there yet. Still love the movie, though.

[capable_keL]

The visuals were not my issue with Jedi, it was more the fragle rock themed puppets that were aimed at selling merchandise more than adding to the story.

I thought the CGI work for Rogue was well done and my suspension of disbelief was never broken because it looked like an actual 1970 princess (course I saw it on IMAX while highly vaped so perhaps it will look different at home)

[Ramen]

lots of people were talking bout that issue with Tarkin but I didn't see anything that had me in disbelief.

but yeah, ghost dog was terrible.

[drizzle]

Movie had some flaws but I loved it overall. Definitely the direction I wanted the franchise to take - moving away from the central core of the original trilogy to explore more of the world surrounding it.

I have it about even with TFA based on first watch. Both are flawed in different ways that balance out for me. TFA had better and more interesting central characters and really nailed the feeling of Star Wars, but in doing so it felt too reverent, it often felt like a throwback more than a progression. Rogue One expanded the universe of the franchise and put some great new ideas on the table, but both the leads and the villain weren't that strong, and in adapting a darker tone it ended up a bit too muted in its fantasy elements.

At the moment I have New Hope and Empire tied for 1st tier, and Jedi, TFA and Rogue One sitting roughly even at 2nd tier. I don't have a clear favorite among them, they're all really good franchise entries but each falls short of the 1st tier in their own ways.

I kinda hated a lot of the explicit references to the og trilogy in this. Tarkin was necessary to the plot and aside from the slightly off-putting cgi I thought they used him well. But Leia,the droids (especially the fucking droids) and Vader (aside from his sick-ass steam-tank!) all felt awkwardly shoehorned in. I think the movie should've ended on the beach when the big wave comes and everything dissolves to white. Or, if you insist on Vader, end it when Leia's ship pulls away. You already know Leia gets the fucking plans, showing her was half fanboy masturbation and half exposition for the casual fans too dumb to understand where this lands in the continuity.

[Philaflava]

lots of people were talking bout that issue with Tarkin but I didn't see anything that had me in disbelief.

but yeah, ghost dog was terrible.

I kept thinking damn they got somebody who looks a lot like Tarkin. Figured with make-up it was close then 30 mins in, realized it was CGI. It was cool AF. No problems with it.

[blastmaster]

The quality of the story felt like this would have been better suited for Netflix. Not much going on at all. No intrigue. Good acting and special effects, but I feel like without John Williams, this would have been totally generic.

[ric]

so spoiler period is over right?

saw this today. pretty dope really even though for every really good decision (and there were a bunch) there is usually a really bad decision connected to it or almost immediately following which is like ugh. but for real finally an actually good star wars movie. I'm gonna put it like this: despite its flaws (and it definitely has them) this is the best star wars movie released in my lifetime

[ardamus]

Saw this before I dipped out to New Orleans for the holidays. Liked it since it felt like a real war movie in a sense. The Rebel Alliance is like that unorganized non-profit that can't get their shit together. The Evil Empire....the cutthroat corporation that can destroy you. It feels like a side story that almost became a mini-series on something like Netflix or HULU, too.

[ric]

Whitaker is dope even though the Indian guy doesn't lose his mind (by the way it seems appropriate to start referring to the characters by their sales demography). the white chick is actually pretty good except when they make her do stupid shit like inspire a group of rebels which is obv super retarded you're talking about a bunch of dedicated people who are already risking everything by forming a secret alliance who are like 'eh... we're done'. that's a hard core set of beliefs right there NOT. the acting is actually pretty good for what they've been given to do which is like a grab bag of sweet and stupid shit that is put together just right so that the movie turns out ok. which would be a miracle except they've clearly thought about it enough here. I mean I'll be honest the casting off (pun not intended) of star wars paradigms was almost entirely a good decision here. making Vader have a sense of humor was really really really stupid but the moment of his entrance was pretty damn dope. the disabled azn guy had some dope moments but all that babbling about the force is obv a counterweight of idiocy from someone who apparently had jedi skills and if he doesn't... why? the enabled azn guy was a confused character whose sole purpose seemed to be to make things happen they couldn't jam in any other way and then be all bros with the disabled guy. fighting in this one was really wack for the most part. I mean enabled azn guy seriously slaughters a good 50% of the problems the crew encounters really easily. but then the large scale battles do feel like proper contests like they should befitting a bunch of imperial motherfuckers. the old white guy in white suit does a pretty good job. Mads fucking mikkelson is dope as he possibly could be. more back story or back suggestion for Whitaker feels highly appropriate. had they made dude more mysterious I'd say sweet but having given dude so much character and you see the inside of his fucking lair and watch him do shit on his own... just doesn't seem fleshed out. where was Vader by the way during the fight? I understand the late entrance of a bad ass into a battle is a big deal but he's too late so...... why? just feels like they need to do something with it. motherfuckers are warping in from everywhere in this one and Vader is absent as fuck to protect an installation which requires the only world shield in the whole franchise (?????)

a note about the cast and writing. everybody does a good job for what they're given to do and be but I have to think a better cast was available if the writing was better. in this sense it feels like a better version of jurassic world (which I thought was fucking garbage). but the parallels are clearly there.

[djjeffresh]

highly enjoyable but obviously flawed. on par with TFA but not the OG trilogy. rip princess leia

[Ramen]

RIP

was she supposed to be in ep VIII & IX?

[SYM]

RIP

was she supposed to be in ep VIII & IX?

she already filmed all of her parts for VIII. the heart attack she received was after getting off the plane from london, where she had just finished wrapping.

saw this earlier tonight, and what better timing right? so ah, gonna have to respectfully disagree with a few of y'all's opinions about the ending.

this was fantastic. they aced this on casting, pacing, and vfx.

[unclebengi]

they aced this on casting, pacing, and vfx.

This I agree with, but the story and characters weren't all that compelling to me. They executed what they set out to perfectly, but I still think that TFA is a better and more enjoyable movie.

[Versive]

On second viewing this movie is my favorite of the year and possibly my 2nd favorite SW film of all time. (I know still so early to say that, but TFA sucked on 2nd viewing IMO.)

There's a nuanced thematic exploration of original trilogy's themes, which I didn't really catch first time around.