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Randman · May 18, 2005, 11:47 AM

I thought maybe we should start a new thread since the older one dealt more with the anticipation of the movie.

Just got back from seeing it and I am very happy. I'd go see it again in a second and I couldn't say that about the other two (I saw the original SW when I was 10). It made me want to stick Episode 4 in the DVD player as soon as I got home.

Ewan's Obi-Wan kicked butt and I thought Hayden did a good job. No real weak spots, actually. Lots of touches playing homage to the first three (chronological) as well as answering a few things (such as the "virgin" birth).

The first hour or so was bittersweet because Obi-Wan and Anakin, despite differences, really did come off as brothers though the Jedi Council didn't treat the Chosen One that well. Nice evilness from the Emperor as well.

It's been a long time since I felt like clapping at a movie but I felt it in this one, at the beginning, when Yoda appeared and at the end of the movie. The circle is complete and George Lucas, for all of his failings, hit a home run with this one.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · May 18, 2005, 11:58 AM

Just tell me jar jar dies!

E's Lil Theorem · May 18, 2005, 12:02 PM

That's good to hear. I'm not a huge fan, but I'll be watching it tonight (tomorrow really) at midnight. While the last two have been somewhat entertaining, they've left a whole lot to be desired. I'm hoping this one is different.

Randman · May 18, 2005, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

Just tell me jar jar dies!

He doesn't die but he's only on screen for a few seconds and doesn't speak. One can only assume he does of some gungan STD (and I can't believe I actually remember he's a Gungan since I only saw Phantom Menace twice (once at theatres, once on HBO.

Massa Ani a Seeth.

jasonsRX7 · May 18, 2005, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by Randman

He doesn't die but he's only on screen for a few seconds and doesn't speak.

The wait for midnight tonight has just become much more enjoyable having heard that. Thank you

MallyMal · May 18, 2005, 12:35 PM

So, does black armor Vader actually do anything or does he just have 10 mins screen time like everyone said before.

andretan · May 18, 2005, 09:21 PM

I really enjoyed it.

andretan · May 18, 2005, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by MallyMal

So, does black armor Vader actually do anything or does he just have 10 mins screen time like everyone said before.

The show's about how Anakin became Vader. Watch Ep 4 for that.

starman · May 18, 2005, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

Just tell me jar jar dies!

He's in Episode VI.

jebjeb · May 18, 2005, 10:11 PM

Just came back from the midnight showing. Thought it was pretty good. Linked everything up quite well.

I reckon Anakin turned a bit too quickly when he chopped Samuel L Jacksons arm off but I guess he just resigned himself to what he had done.

Yoda kicked arse again!

One last thing. Can't they find a kid that can act? The line that the little "youngling"" Jedi knight said before Vader killed him was so crud. Oh well.

The best of the first three but a lot of its "greatness" is just resting on the Star Wars laurels.

Person Man · May 18, 2005, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by starman

He's in Episode VI.

Are you basing that just on the fact that the voice sounds like him? I mean, there's no close up or anything, so you can't be entirely sure...

MallyMal · May 19, 2005, 03:04 AM

OK, it's 3:00AM and I just got back from seeing the movie. I don't know. I'm kinda left flat. I won't say the movie was bad but it didn't quite do it for me. I can't explain it. I was driving home trying to figure out why it didn't do it for me. Maybe because it seems a bit incoherent to me. Or maybe because it moves from scene to scene so quickly. Not sure, maybe I'll sleep on it.

jasonsRX7 · May 19, 2005, 03:04 AM

Just got back from the midnight show, too. I thought it was fantastic. No elaboration as I have to get up in 4 hours, so if you haven't seen it yet, just rest assured you will enjoy it. It's so much better than the first two.

stevesnj · May 19, 2005, 03:20 AM

I just got home from seeing it, its 3:15 and I think this was the best of all six episodes. The action is great the ships look so good they look ALMOST as good as the models from IV thru VI. The love story stuff is a little cheesey as is the end with Padmae giving birth but I was wanting to stand in line and see it again. I am a purist who sees below the suface especially in I and II but this is the best Star Wars of them all...VERY dark and perfect in that sense as it should be. This goes in my top 10 list!!!

IceEnclosure · May 19, 2005, 03:22 AM

it was quite enjoyable. better than the last two for sure.

I want to see IV now.

Zimphire · May 19, 2005, 03:42 AM

The most surreal part was after vader was vaderized, and heard "the news"

That was just weird.

Gee4orce · May 19, 2005, 03:55 AM

Originally Posted by Zimphire

The most surreal part was after vader was vaderized, and heard "the news"

That was just weird.

why ? (not seeing it until saturday)

Agasthya · May 19, 2005, 04:09 AM

Natalie Portman needs to be nominated for the opposite of an Academy Award. She sucked badly.

The 4 lightsaber thing was fun.

Re: Zimph and "the news." I literally laughed out loud when this part happened. It seemed so out of place. And you'd think that Vader would have just cut off the Emperors head when he heard that news because the only reason he was investigating the dark side was because he wanted to save Padme (and some crap about peace, but then again, he sided with the dude that threw Mace Windu out of a window so I don't think he really cared that much about peace). He already acknowledged to Padme earlier that he wanted absolute power and since Padme was dead, there was no reason to keep the Emperor around.

Overall I'd say it was a decent effort by Lucas. He really couldn't **** this one up. All the pieces had to fit and everyone pretty much knew how they would fit.

iKevin · 04:14 AM

"OK, it's 3:00AM and I just got back from seeing the movie. I don't know. I'm kinda left flat. I won't say the movie was bad but it didn't quite do it for me. I can't explain it. I was driving home trying to figure out why it didn't do it for me. Maybe because it seems a bit incoherent to me. Or maybe because it moves from scene to scene so quickly. Not sure, maybe I'll sleep on it."

I agree . . . I too am left with a flat feeling. I noticed very sparse applause at the end of this too and it was a pretty quiet exit out of the theater so I assume many other people felt the same way.

Randman · May 19, 2005, 04:21 AM

I actually liked the Vaderized scene. It basically confirmed that Anakin was all too painfully aware of the price he paid in selling his soul. And that grin on the Emperor's face was priceless. I think it also tried to make the audience feel a little for Anakin again, even after all the bad things he did since becoming Vader.
And it also sets in place the line in Jedi where Luke says he feels the conflict in his father.

Goldfinger · May 19, 2005, 04:21 AM

Originally Posted by MallyMal

OK, it's 3:00AM and I just got back from seeing the movie. I don't know. I'm kinda left flat. I won't say the movie was bad but it didn't quite do it for me. I can't explain it. I was driving home trying to figure out why it didn't do it for me. Maybe because it seems a bit incoherent to me. Or maybe because it moves from scene to scene so quickly. Not sure, maybe I'll sleep on it.

Same here.

Originally Posted by Zimphire

The most surreal part was after vader was vaderized, and heard "the news"

That was just weird.

I wouldn't call it surreal or weird. It was just plain rediculous.

And yeah, Nathalie Portman is nothing but a pretty face.
I must add that I was really pleased that we didn't need to endure Jar Jar.

andretan · May 19, 2005, 05:01 AM

I didn't like the part where Mace Windu was about to destroy Darth Sideous and Anakin suddenly stepped in and attacked Windu.

Then in the next scene, he was regretting his actions, and WHAM!, he was already Lord Vader.

phantomdragonz · May 19, 2005, 05:03 AM

Ok, my only complaint is the theatre i saw it in (14 theater complex) had almost all 14 theatres playing the movie at the same time, and as a result of every theatre being packed the air conditioning system just could not keep up, I was damn hot the whole time...

ok now about the movie, Padme was BUTT UGLY when she was all in that blue nightgown, the whole theatre groaned...

The whole midnight thing was a blast the people were fun, we had a group of people with lightsabers come into our theatre and stage a little battle, then go on to the next one...

someone in our group brought in a whole watermelon, so we cut that up and spread it around.

I had a blast, the movie was awesome, I want to see the rest now.. again..

Zach

Luca Rescigno · 05:34 AM

Yeah, Anakin's turn to the dark side was really sudden and kind of stupid. I was hoping for something much bigger and more gradual. Obviously Palpatine was constantly trying to endear him to the dark side, but Anakin didn't seem convinced and even helped the Jedi council intervene. Then at the last moment, just before Windu finished the mission that was a direct result of Anakin's contact with the council, he changes his mind. Stupid.

Overall I liked the movie, though. There was a lot of stuff in there to please the die-hard geeks, including a lot of sounds from the original trilogy (Vader's helmet being put on, TIE fighter engines, and the obligatory Wilhelm Scream). The cameos by Chewbacca, Owen and Beru Lars, Bail Organa, and Captain Antilles were fun too.

Randman, maybe I wasn't paying enough attention, but how exactly was the "virgin birth" explained? I really don't recall hearing anything about that at all.

Oh wait, was that... was that a result of that one Sith dude manipulating a bunch of midichlorians to form an actual life, and then putting it into a mother to give birth? In other words, did Palpatine actually "spawn" Anakin himself?

I agree about Padme. She was so useless this time around. Her dresses and hair looked stupider and less pretty than they did in the other movies, and why was she sleeping in that weird dress with the metal coils around her arms?

demograph68 · May 19, 2005, 08:35 AM

No plans on seeing it.

Randman · May 19, 2005, 08:43 AM

And that's why you had to post? Well, thanks for sharing. Move along now.

demograph68 · May 19, 2005, 09:02 AM

Like your thoughts are so ****ing important either.

Randman · May 19, 2005, 09:07 AM

Well, considering it is a thread on SW and for people who've seen it. Maybe you should start a thread on people who don't plan to see it and you can all bond.

:

demograph68 · May 19, 2005, 09:20 AM

Hmm.... I don't know if we need another thread for Star Wars. I'm not an disgruntled fan though, I just feel absolutely cynical about Lucas's motivation in making these three movies, especially with the marketing tie-ins for everything... I just don't see this at all as genuine cinematic art. Sure it might be entertaining but the core of it seems as heartless as Darth Vader. That's why I choose not to see it. The only movie I really liked from him was THX-1138. But I feel that Lucas has unfortunately left behind that movie's message of anti-consumerism and joined "the dark side."

typoon · May 19, 2005, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by Randman

I thought maybe we should start a new thread since the older one dealt more with the anticipation of the movie.

Just got back from seeing it and I am very happy. I'd go see it again in a second and I couldn't say that about the other two (I saw the original SW when I was 10). It made me want to stick Episode 4 in the DVD player as soon as I got home.

Ewan's Obi-Wan kicked butt and I thought Hayden did a good job. No real weak spots, actually. Lots of touches playing homage to the first three (chronological) as well as answering a few things (such as the "virgin" birth).

The first hour or so was bittersweet because Obi-Wan and Anakin, despite differences, really did come off as brothers though the Jedi Council didn't treat the Chosen One that well. Nice evilness from the Emperor as well.

It's been a long time since I felt like clapping at a movie but I felt it in this one, at the beginning, when Yoda appeared and at the end of the movie. The circle is complete and George Lucas, for all of his failings, hit a home run with this one.

I agree I thought this one was really excellent. Lucas truly hit a Home Run with EP3. There were some hokey lines but overall I would rate this movie as probably the best of the 6. It really brings closure to the whole Saga.

E's Lil Theorem · May 19, 2005, 10:13 AM

Well, I thought it was entertaining, but nothing to write home about.

Anyway, those of you saying that Natalie Portman is a bad actress, well, maybe in these three movies. However, I say cut her some slack as there is only so much an actor/actress can do with the lines they're given. As Ebert put it, "To say that George Lucas cannot write a love scene is an understatement; greeting cards have expressed more passion."

awcopus · May 19, 2005, 10:17 AM

Saw the movie at the midnight showing last night in a PA suburb. Thought it was an excellent film that suffers from none of the shortcomings of the previous pre-trilogy efforts, or at least not to such an extent (vis-a-vis acting and wooden lines) that I minded at all. It's simply a beautiful film to watch. In this genre, set pieces are at least as important as the characters in them, and with this film we have a tremendous series of imaginative and brilliantly executed scenes.

Friend and I took Episode II out of the library to rewatch it before going to see the show, and I think that helped us to keep up with certain plit points, such as the ease with with the clones turn on the Jedi, that would have been a little jarring otherwise. I had all but written off the prequel, but suspected that if one of them was going to be great, it would be the episode which depicts Anakin's fall. For sheer imaginative and storytelling impact, I place this movie beside A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back as a movie that is worth seeing on its own merits, not merely because it's a SW flick. I will surely see this movie on the big screen again.

Luca Rescigno · May 19, 2005, 12:44 PM

I thought that Obi-Wan and Yoda using the security footage to see what Anakin did was a pretty bad cop-out. If they have security cameras in Palpatine's chamber, why didn't they just use those to spy on him?

Still loved the film. But that combined with the love scenes and a lot of the dialog was kind of disappointing.

Randman · May 19, 2005, 12:49 PM

I didn't mind them seeing the security footage since both were off-planet at the time.

Now, the one scene that troubled me, when Anakin, sorry, when Vadar went to the Jedi Hall and the younglings popped out, why did the kid call him Master Anakin? It was made clear that he wasn't a Jedi master. Then again, the kid couldn't just call him Anakin, could he?

nredman · May 19, 2005, 02:03 PM

Final 'Star Wars' film leaked to the Internet

The final chapter of the Star Wars saga has gone over to the Internet's dark side. "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith" has been leaked onto a major file-sharing network just hours after opening in theaters, at a time when Hollywood is increasingly concerned about online piracy.

what a shock!

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/s/nm/2005...rs_piracy_dc_5

demograph68 · May 19, 2005, 02:10 PM

workprint.... meh

Zimphire · May 19, 2005, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Randman

I actually liked the Vaderized scene. It basically confirmed that Anakin was all too painfully aware of the price he paid in selling his soul. And that grin on the Emperor's face was priceless. I think it also tried to make the audience feel a little for Anakin again, even after all the bad things he did since becoming Vader.
And it also sets in place the line in Jedi where Luke says he feels the conflict in his father.

Indeed, and it made him over-all human.

It also explains the 20 or so years he spent really pissed off.

Zimphire · May 19, 2005, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by andretan

I didn't like the part where Mace Windu was about to destroy Darth Sideous and Anakin suddenly stepped in and attacked Windu.

In ROTJ he is put in a similar situation. But with his son. I see the connections.

You have to remember, he turned because he wanted to save his wife. And saw that as the only way.

Once he tasted the power it gave him, it was hard to give it back.

Stradlater · May 19, 2005, 02:32 PM

Saw it last night. Went early mostly for the spectacle (I'm not a huge Star Wars fan, though the first trilogy was entertaining when I first watched it) -- and was pleased with it. Some amateur high school choreographers, decked out in garb and gear, had a humorous saber bout in front of the theater before the show (they even brought a boombox to play some SW battle music).

Re: the movie. If you ignore the faults (dialogue, acting, mixed CG, general plot issues), the action sequences are QUITE entertaining. The movie was fine. Don't regret seeing it, but I definitely didn't love it.

QUESTION REGARDING CG: Were Portman's babies CG babies? There was definitely some green-screening going on there. I don't think the babies, when first delivered, were real.

E's Lil Theorem · May 19, 2005, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by Stradlater

...

QUESTION REGARDING CG: Were Portman's babies CG babies? There was definitely some green-screening going on there. I don't think the babies, when first delivered, were real.

I don't remember exactly, but given that it was a robot delivering the babies, they were probably rubber dolls. Or, as you said, that portion may have been CG.

Stradlater · May 19, 2005, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by E's Lil Theorem

I don't remember exactly, but given that it was a robot delivering the babies, they were probably rubber dolls. Or, as you said, that portion may have been CG.

They appeared to be CG in Ewen's arms, though, and it looked very awkward. Given the robot-delivery, though, I guess I'm not surprised. I'd just think that given the technology used for effects, that they could at least pull off the whole baby-in-a-person's-arms effect.

FulcrumPilot · 02:51 PM

Can one see Padme in every scene of this movie?

MilkmanDan · May 19, 2005, 02:58 PM

CGI babies suck. It was an ok movie. I mean, it had lots of action, and I mean, it was interesting, but honestly it was lacking something. Something, elusive.

E's Lil Theorem · May 19, 2005, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by Stradlater

They appeared to be CG in Ewen's arms, though, and it looked very awkward. Given the robot-delivery, though, I guess I'm not surprised. I'd just think that given the technology used for effects, that they could at least pull off the whole baby-in-a-person's-arms effect.

Ah, all right. I guess I was not paying that close attention.

Originally Posted by FulcrumPilot

Can one see Padme in every scene of this movie?

Unfortunately, no. Actually, given the crap that Lucas writes for her, I'm somewhat glad she was not on more.

Zimphire · May 19, 2005, 03:20 PM

Yeah the acting and dialogue between the two sucked.

Just like the other 5 movies.

starman · May 19, 2005, 04:07 PM

In a word: disappointed.

They tried to tie up too much too fast. Anakin's turn to the dark side was WAY too easy. Palpatine was like a cell phone salesman:

Palpy: "I can give you better hours for less money".
Ani: "Where do I sign up? Can I sign up my doomed wife?"

Mike

MindFad · May 19, 2005, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by starman

In a word: disappointed.

Palpy: "I can give you better hours for less money".
Ani: "Where do I sign up? Can I sign up my doomed wife?"

Mike

Hahahaha. Agreed for the most part. I think it was better than the other two, though. But overall ... meh. The dialogue, once again, made my soul bleed.

Goldfinger · May 19, 2005, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by starman

In a word: disappointed.

They tried to tie up too much too fast. Anakin's turn to the dark side was WAY too easy. Palpatine was like a cell phone salesman:

Palpy: "I can give you better hours for less money".
Ani: "Where do I sign up? Can I sign up my doomed wife?"

Mike

True, it all went a bit fast.

nredman · May 19, 2005, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by FulcrumPilot

Can one see Padme in every scene of this movie?

if only, i just watched episode two...damn that tight white outfit she wears.

iKevin · May 19, 2005, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by nredman

if only, i just watched episode two...damn that tight white outfit she wears.

She doesn't look all that hot in this movie . . . especially the first shot of her on the balcony. Granted, even at her worst she's still pretty cute.