love

Author Topic: The Last Jedi  (Read 16188 times)

FLYmeatwad

  • An Acronym
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 28785
  • I am trying to impress myself. I have yet to do it
    • Processed Grass
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2017, 09:26:04 PM »
Are all the kids force sensitive at the end? Obviously the last one is, but they were also all recreating the Luke showdown, right? I'm not sure how that would have spread since just a small group of rebels were there, but maybe a lot of time had passed or something and people are just looking for hope, so, like, I can get why they'd be willing to just believe something. I'm not sure.

The casino part I didn't mind a ton, because it did give a glimpse in to something so different and contextualized the world, but even at a certain point I figure I was more interested in Hogsmeade and Hogwarts than what Harry and friends were up to, so I'll chalk that up to personal preference and I know it's at odds (though purposefully so) with the majority of the film.

Del Toro I'm not entirely sold on, but he was just kind of inserted to echo Lando that I was whatever about it, and while I didn't like him much in the first one I really liked Gleeson's one-note here. BB-8 I didn't like in the first film, didn't like him here either. Porgs I don't like either.

Forgot about the superman part, that was really silly.

The reluctance to kill off a major character was also disappointing, really would have liked to see pix's idea happen. It just feels like the plot armor is just so thick even on the tangential main characters that it almost bleeds over to the ones by their side too as being non-expendable, which does cut a bit of heft from a lot of the action, both in the moment and after the film. But I guess that's what makes Snoke's death so much more cutting, so maybe I'm just wrong.

Phasma was a poorly developed inconsequential character in the first one, and is only slightly more than that here. I remembered seeing Phasma Funko Pops and other merchandise before TFA and assumed she'd be a big deal. Didn't even realize who she was until near the end of that film. Would not be surprised to see her return in Episode IX either.

I like the Ewoks and Jar Jar.

Did I miss the part where Del Toro gave Rose the necklace back? I thought it was odd that she was wearing it when fleeing the ship and at the rebel hideout, though I could have just forgotten about it.

1SO

  • FAB
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 36128
  • Marathon Man
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #11 on: December 15, 2017, 09:29:07 PM »
I'm super happy they didn't do something cheap with either Snoke or Rey in terms of their origin. That was my biggest fear going into this movie.
It's funny how they kept bringing up and dancing around Rey's parents like there's a draft where we learn Snoke is Rey's father or at one point it looks like they're building to Kylo being Rey's father somehow. With Force Awakens there was too much conversation about how closely it resembled A New Hope and I think a parental reveal like that would've single-handedly made this an Empire clone.

pixote

  • Administrator
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 34237
  • Up with generosity!
    • yet more inanities!
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #12 on: December 15, 2017, 09:31:20 PM »
Did I miss the part where Del Toro gave Rose the necklace back?

He returns it immediately after touting its conductive capabilities.

pixote
Great  |  Near Great  |  Very Good  |  Good  |  Fair  |  Mixed  |  Middling  |  Bad

FLYmeatwad

  • An Acronym
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 28785
  • I am trying to impress myself. I have yet to do it
    • Processed Grass
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #13 on: December 15, 2017, 09:34:52 PM »
I'm super happy they didn't do something cheap with either Snoke or Rey in terms of their origin. That was my biggest fear going into this movie.
It's funny how they kept bringing up and dancing around Rey's parents like there's a draft where we learn Snoke is Rey's father or at one point it looks like they're building to Kylo being Rey's father somehow. With Force Awakens there was too much conversation about how closely it resembled A New Hope and I think a parental reveal like that would've single-handedly made this an Empire clone.

Haha, I almost thought they were going to reveal that Kylo was Rey's dad too, still really thought it was building to them being siblings, but I guess I was wrong. Or he's just lying. It doesn't matter though, I guess, especially since it would have been a more resonant reveal if they sacked up and had Kylo watch Leia actually die when the TIEs attacked her rather than bringing her back.

Did I miss the part where Del Toro gave Rose the necklace back?

He returns it immediately after touting its conductive capabilities.

pixote

Thanks, that's what I figured, but I must have missed it. My eye was being weird for a few minutes a little later in the film, should have given it more time between work finishing and going to see it tbh, I did a lot of looking at a screen on not enough sleep all day.

1SO

  • FAB
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 36128
  • Marathon Man
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #14 on: December 15, 2017, 09:40:11 PM »
Can someone remind me of the significance of Captain Phasma? Her first appearance earned scattered applause in my theater, and I felt left out. And then nothing she did thereafter seemed to retroactively justify that applause.

pixote
The disproportionate amount of importance placed on Phasma compared to what she actually does is like Boba Fett all over again. I can't believe this is a deliberate choice, but it's so similar. I expect there's a Phasma movie in the planning stages.

I like how the film ignores and never mentions that awkward bit in Force Awakens where C-3PO has a red arm. People were groaning at the inevitable backstory, but instead the series acts like that never happened.

Snoke's throne room was a fine example at the power of minimalism. That set and Luke in front of the cliff doors at the end reminded me of Akira Kurosawa, and I have to think that was deliberate.

Also in the throne move were a couple of new Jedi lightsaber tricks that were downright awesome. Just feel that needs to be mentioned. Also the low wide angle on Finn when or right after he says "Rebel scum" could be a painting.

I'll be seeing the movie again, but it's unclear to me who exactly got the rebels caught on Snoke's ship. It looks like the black BB unit sees BB-8 under the cover and sounds the alarm, but the next scene shows that Benecio sold them out. During that scene, Benecio shoots a look like it's part of his plan to get them off the ship, but then he just exits.

Shirtless Kylo is the most blatant bit of beef/cheesecake since that blonde in Star Trek Into Darkness.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2017, 09:42:07 PM by 1SO »

pixote

  • Administrator
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 34237
  • Up with generosity!
    • yet more inanities!
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #15 on: December 15, 2017, 09:50:41 PM »
I read a bunch of reviews on Letterboxd today. This was my favorite.

pixote
Great  |  Near Great  |  Very Good  |  Good  |  Fair  |  Mixed  |  Middling  |  Bad

FLYmeatwad

  • An Acronym
  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 28785
  • I am trying to impress myself. I have yet to do it
    • Processed Grass
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #16 on: December 15, 2017, 10:29:11 PM »
I'll be seeing the movie again, but it's unclear to me who exactly got the rebels caught on Snoke's ship. It looks like the black BB unit sees BB-8 under the cover and sounds the alarm, but the next scene shows that Benecio sold them out. During that scene, Benecio shoots a look like it's part of his plan to get them off the ship, but then he just exits.

I think he said that after being captured he cut a deal, I think the selling out happened after the evil BB caught them.

Good mention about the throne room, forgot to mention that, thought it looked really amazing in there.

aewade90

  • Junior Member
  • *
  • Posts: 67
    • Letterboxd:
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #17 on: December 16, 2017, 01:16:55 AM »
I read a bunch of reviews on Letterboxd today. This was my favorite.

pixote

I read one on there today about how it tries too hard to be about Trump because the word RESISTANCE is capitalised in the opening crawl. While the political overtones have never been especially deep in Star Wars, it was amusing to see them try to connect the dots about how their "favourite piece of sci-fi escapism with no real world parables" is suddenly about the "leader of the free world", considering Lucas has always been a pretty well known for left leaning views (the guy bought huge tracts of land to develop low-income housing because the rich people complained about the possibility of it, if I recall), and A New Hope's portrayal of oppressive fascism is hardly subtle.

Solid Blake

  • Godfather
  • *****
  • Posts: 5028
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #18 on: December 16, 2017, 05:06:14 AM »
Now that I’ve slept on it:

The Highs:
-Cinematography/Inventive Shots
-New Creatures (PORGS!)
-Comedy that was mostly hit over miss
-Rey+Kylo Connection
-Snoke’s Death and Red Room Showdown
-Rose
-Hyperspace Punch!
-The caretakers on Luke’s Island
-Force Luke
-Benicio del Toro
-Trash Can BB-8
-Crait’s world design
-Rey’s family just being junkers and the fact that even stable boys can use the force. Looking forward to a hard jump 10 years later kind of thing for the next film, vs. a 48 hour condensed plot after TFA.
-Sea Cow Milk

The Lows:
-They killed off Ackbar... OFF SCREEN!
-Maz Kanata Skype call felt super cheesy
-Space Dern vs. Poe subplot
-Fathiers CGI escape
-General Hux still Sux
-Leia in Spaaaaace (Superman scene)
-Finn/Poe/Rey separated most of the movie
-I had a crush on that A-Wing pilot “Tallie” and Kylo had to blow her fine ass up.
-Pacing issues hampered my experience, but I might like it more on a second viewing
« Last Edit: December 16, 2017, 05:28:38 AM by Solid Blake »

Sam the Cinema Snob

  • Objectively Awesome
  • ******
  • Posts: 26795
Re: The Last Jedi
« Reply #19 on: December 16, 2017, 08:08:33 AM »
Now that I'm a couple of days away from the film, the big thing that rubs me the wrong way is the humor. It felt like some Disney exec read the scrip and said "this film needs more humor, like Guardians of the Galaxy. Make sure there's a joke every five minutes." So many moments could have just been played straight but they had to go for a gag that felt like it was winking at the audience or deliberately subverting expectations instead of simply being about the characters and their interactions.

Maybe it's just me becoming a curmudgeon, but I'm starting to get sick of how jokey every blockbuster is now. Now I really like the GotG films, but I think they find a good balance between the humor and the dramatic moments and I don't think this film finds that balance. I still laugh a lot, but it sucks that moments like Rey freaking out and shooting at Kylo when they can see each other and blasting a hole in the wall ends up immediately removing the tension by having a joke right after. It's a tonal mess.

That being said, I love so many of the ideas and themes Rian teased out of this universe. It feels heavily inspired by KotOR II, which is my favorite piece of Star Wars fiction. I think he recontextualizes jedi morality for to fit the morally gray space that exists in post WWII wars. I really like that and I know Rogue One already did this, but I actually care about the characters and the story beats here.

I'll probably end up seeing it another time or two with friends but I can't help but wonder how much more dramatic the film would be if you cut out about 70% of the jokes.

 

love