Author Topic: Rogue One  (Read 8597 times)

Bondo

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #30 on: December 23, 2016, 04:08:00 PM »
The biggest laugh for me was Donnie Yun's remark when they put a bag over his head.

This was definitely the case for me. Probably the best character in the film.

Randomly tackling the points as I catch up on the thread. I agree with the assessment that these characters resonate less emotionally than The Force Awakens. Which is probably why I like that film more even though this I think does more novel work thematically.

About the Tarkin stuff...I guess I'm confused, he's credited as being played by Guy Henry, and my thought until my brother suggested otherwise after the film that it was CG was they just did a very good job with makeup to make someone look like the same character. So I guess the CG fooled me.

The main character I didn't believe was a real person was Forrest Whitaker's. Man is that a bad performance.

Haha, if anyone is the robot here, it's me.

Excuse me?

Anyway, Star Wars has always been a film that isn't afraid for there to be consequences, starting perhaps with Obi Wan-Kenobi's death in A New Hope. The people you side with and cheer for may die. Even if I wasn't as connected to these characters as much, it still had impact. We have made heroes of Leia and Luke and Han. This is the film where the non-heroes pay the steep price necessary for them to become the heroes we know. In a way then it works that they aren't quite as engaging, they don't have to carry the banner.

Obviously this story and this film was made before the election results, but it did feel a bit more resonant...the feeling of this dark force rising to throw off the remaining power of the Senate (i.e. democratic process).

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #31 on: December 23, 2016, 05:03:57 PM »
Maybe it doesn't come across here, Bondo, but I'm not a very emotional person. I was called Spock/a robot a lot in high-school and didn't find it derogatory because it was pretty much true.

Bondo

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #32 on: December 23, 2016, 05:18:02 PM »
I was throwing the gauntlet as most robotic here.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #33 on: December 23, 2016, 07:18:08 PM »
Fair enough.  :D

Melvil

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #34 on: December 24, 2016, 10:37:50 AM »
I don't think the characters were super great in Rogue One, but they came across as more or less genuine, and fit the more grounded war story tone. I felt emotionally fulfilled when each completed their journey, and it was surprisingly moving to watch them fulfill their role and perish with only the comfort of knowing they helped fight for good.

It's interesting that they wrote in a good deal of ideas or concepts from early drafts of A New Hope that never made it into the original story. The kyber crystals are just a whatever minor plot device, but the Whills are a way to show us a new pocket of the universe and give us characters to keep us tied to the idea of the force.

There's plenty I didn't like, CG Tarkin at the top of the list. Impressive or not, it's still distracting enough that I feel like I barely heard any of the dialogue in his scenes. They could have handled it much more artfully, but it seems someone decided to go all in on trusting the VFX crew and I don't think it payed off.

There were far less unnecessary call-backs (call-forwards?) than TFA, but still a couple really cringe-worthy moments, the most offensive being the completely unnecessary Dr Evazan/Ponda Boba appearance. The last few minutes also felt really rushed and far too fan-servicey.

Pacing problems are a valid criticism, and I personally feel like Forest Whitaker and that part of the journey could have been excised without losing much. There were some cool pieces at play there, but I wish it added up to more. I got the feeling there might be a lot of vestiges of things that got cut or reshaped in the reshoots lingering there.

Ultimately the movie fits in to the OT story much better than I expected, expanding on how these events might have unfolded without really conflicting with the impressions that ANH gives you.

don s.

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #35 on: January 03, 2017, 07:25:12 PM »
Alan Tudyk should stay away from sci-fi. He always seems to end up with a big hole in his chest.


3. I loved him and Leia for the proficiency of the technical achievement. I thought they both looked amazing.
Seems we're alone on this one so far. The tech is not 100% there, but I believe that uncanny valley just got a lot smaller.


I saw it in IMAX, and if I hadn't been looking for it, I doubt I would've noticed that those weren't real actors' faces.

I was throwing the gauntlet as most robotic here.

A real robot wouldn't be so defensive.
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Bondo

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #36 on: January 03, 2017, 11:41:58 PM »
Too soon  :'(

DarkeningHumour

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #37 on: January 04, 2017, 03:19:51 PM »
Alan Tudyk should stay away from sci-fi. He always seems to end up with a big hole in his chest.


3. I loved him and Leia for the proficiency of the technical achievement. I thought they both looked amazing.
Seems we're alone on this one so far. The tech is not 100% there, but I believe that uncanny valley just got a lot smaller.


I saw it in IMAX, and if I hadn't been looking for it, I doubt I would've noticed that those weren't real actors' faces.

Is it time for a CGI human character cabale?
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DarkeningHumour

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #38 on: January 04, 2017, 03:22:39 PM »
Is there any point in me writing a review of this anymore? I had a ton of things to talk about, but I waited till my rewatch on the 23rd and then got too busy to write anything. There is nothing to prevent me from doing it now, but it doesn't feel like there would be any interest in reigniting the conversation that would justify that time expenditure.

I was throwing the gauntlet as most robotic here.

Fair enough.  :D

You are adorable.

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colonel_mexico

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Re: Rogue One
« Reply #39 on: January 17, 2017, 07:05:48 PM »
Well, I have to say I was completely blown away. This is what TFA should have been and what I love about the darkness of Episode III and V, the empire striking back, the evil winning.  But here it's a muted hero's victory that explains the silly flaw of the Death Star, Orso's revenge. Finally, we have a film where a white man is not saving the galaxy, but a woman and a Mexican man as heroes, we've turned a corner, even with stereotypes abounding. I loved every minute of these films, and I didn't need deep introductions to these people having seen 7 other Star Wars films to get the idea of the common tropes. Jyn's choice on not joining the rebellion and letting the fight pass her by so she can live a somewhat normal life is something I find myself facing, so on a personal level I get it, do I sell out and enjoy the riches and banal pleasure that is the 'supposed' dream or do I hunker down with the others to fight for something that on some level I do believe in. Luckily for me my choice won't come for another 3 years. Absolutely loved Chirrut, the priest who believes in the force so strongly, even though not displaying some of the force powers that trained Jedi have. The possibilities of what he could have become...tantalizingly interesting. It felt like something from 13 ASSASSINS with these wayward characters trying to undue evil in the land/universe. Chirrut was funny, capable, and his reverence for the force was moving. I cried at the end of this, I haven't cried at a film since I can't remember when, even as the conclusion was so blatantly obvious. I was glad to share this movie with 2 children who are as drawn in as I was when I first saw A NEW HOPE, and the amazing Darth Vader destroying everyone entrance and ending into Episode IV were equally magical and enthralling. I would rank this in my top 10 instantly ever. There is no mushy romance, there is a friendship forged in fire and developed the way any soldiers would through the trials downrange. Magnificent.
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