Hamill was also unhappy with his reunion with C-3PO, in which Skywalker at first didn't even acknowledge his former droid sidekick.
"They had me walking by 3PO, not even acknowledging him," said Hamill. "I said: 'I can’t do that!' He (The Last Jedi’s director, Rian Johnson) said, 'Okay, go over and do whatever.' So I went over, and I did whatever. They say it in the script: 'Forget the past, kill it if you have to,' and they’re doing a pretty good job!"
Not to keep beating this drum, but... Rian Johnson was a mistake, despite his amazing work in Breaking Bad (although, come to think of it, the episodes he directed involve burning character relationships to the ground and/or subverting audience expectations, lol)
@KALofKRYPTON They did a good job with Ghidorah. Calling it an apocalyptic take on the creature would be underselling it. He is TERRIFYING in KotM.
@Ralizah I saw the Ackbar thing. Shame. But really just more evidence of Jihnson's utter disregard for Star Wars and just not being a good storyteller.
Sweet news about KotM!
PSN: KALofKRYPTON (so you can see how often I don't play anything!)
Twitter: @KALofKRYPTON (at your own risk, I don't care if you're offended)
"Fate: Protects fools, little children, and ships named Enterprise." - Cmdr William T. Riker
I go back and forth about some of the controversial elements of The Last Jedi, but the way they killed Admiral Ackbar was utterly inexcusable. Hearing that's what Rian Johnson did to the actor on the last day of shooting makes me genuinely upset. That's inhuman.
The Rise of Skywalker has its work cut out to salvage this trilogy's reputation.
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@KALofKRYPTON@RogerRoger This is what happens when you give a major, beloved property to a guy who has no sense of respect for it, the people involved with it, its history, etc. The thing people like Rian Johnson don't appreciate is that historic properties like this deeply matter to both fans and the people involved. It's an important part of their lives.
There's a place for directors like Rian Johnson. But it was a massive mistake to allow him anywhere near Star Wars.
I still maintain that TLJ is a better film than TFA, but, the more I learn about its legacy, the less I like it.
@Ralizah Completely agreed. I think I'd have loved to see Rian Johnson direct one of the spin-off films; maybe he'd have done really well deconstructing a character like Boba Fett or something. Giving him the central film of the new trilogy, continuing the core storyline of the new characters whilst handling the legacy of the few remaining legends (in their final appearances) was a catastrophic mistake.
Whenever anybody criticises JJ Abrams (myself included), I remind myself of a behind-the-scenes clip I saw from the production of the 2009 Star Trek reboot. JJ openly admitted that he wasn't a Trekkie, that he was basically making the film because he couldn't make Star Wars, to anybody who'd listen... and yet one day, somebody produced an original crew jacket from 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture and presented it to him. He was genuinely bowled over. You can see he isn't faking it; he's properly made up, respectful of the history and meaning behind the gesture.
Rian Johnson would've probably found a way to burn the damn thing.
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@Ralizah For me, TFA is the rock n roll new generation soft reboot of Star Wars. It has plenty of problems, but at least it's a fun thing to watch for the most part.
TLJ goes beyond the 'this is not for you' mantra in to a careless, obtuse direction that is as poorly constructed as it is imagined.
The best of Star Wars has come with restriction and compromise. Be it budget (A New Hope), personal issues for Lucas (Empire Strikes Back) or extensive reshoots and rewrites (Rogue One).
These films I personally consider to be the best of Star Wars (ROTJ being next, then Solo) and all required compromises and collaboration during production. Star Wars at its worst, happens when just 1 person has almost complete control, and that very much includes Lucas; from the retconing and pointless additions in the Special Editions, or just the general lack of anyone to disagree with him or particular budgetary restrictions of the prequels.
Then of course, you get the TFA and TLJ, two more films where creative freedom was handed over almost completely to the directors with enormous budgets in tow.
PSN: KALofKRYPTON (so you can see how often I don't play anything!)
Twitter: @KALofKRYPTON (at your own risk, I don't care if you're offended)
"Fate: Protects fools, little children, and ships named Enterprise." - Cmdr William T. Riker
@KALofKRYPTON Yeah, Apocalypse was disappointing. The problem with X-Men movies is you'll never know what you're gonna get. I don't have high expectations having watched the trailers. I'll still probably go watch it, though but right now, I'm only looking forward to see what they do with Quicksilver's scenes.
Gonna try this new Netflix movie out with Hilary Swank called I Am Mother. Hopefully it's at least a semi-decent robot flick but I'm not expecting Terminator 2 of course.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan but I did enjoy most of the films and the first FB. However this one I found really boring. Too much people talking exposition and a plot that doesn't really go anywhere. Jude Law and Johnny Depp are good but are wasted in their roles. For a film subtitled 'The Crimes of Grindelwald' he doesn't actually do a great deal lol. For all that happened to Ezra Miller's character in the first film, he is reduced to a macguffin for both sides to go after. And apparently (cos people who know way more about the lore then me explained it) the end twist doesn't even make much sense and could ruin how they tie everything up to the HP films. So I think I'm done with the films now and doubt I'll watch the next 3(!).
Life is more fun when you help people succeed, instead of wishing them to fail.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
[Sorry but here comes more Harry Potter. Apologies. 😄]
I’m halfway through my next movie series summer marathon project. Having already revisited nerd culture classics Indiana Jones, Nolan’s Batman trilogy, and Lord of the Rings over recent months, I turned my attention this week to the Harry Potter series.
Over the last several days I’ve watched The Sorcerer’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, and just finished The Goblet of Fire last night and figured this was a good place to post my mid-way impressions.
I’ve always liked the Harry Potter books and movies. I realize they do have a certain cheese factor and are, at the core, a juvenile coming of age tale. But the story and characterization that Rowling has crafted here is truly a wonder. Yeah, it’s not Shakespeare or Hemingway, but I really love how she clearly had this whole story planned out from the beginning. Watching the movies in quick succession makes it clear when she deliberately places certain narrative details for use later, either within the same book/movie or even several episodes later. I am so impressed with how she weaves this narrative tapestry together so tightly.
I also am a sucker for a story about the unlikely hero. I already carried on about the symbolic representation of Frodo the Hobbit in my last post, but Harry is also a little bit of the “every man’s hero”. Similar, but different. Harry’s tale is more of a boy version of the Cinderella story, but still encouraging to the nerdy, unpopular, simple young person who is put in a situation beyond his control and reaches deep within to do what’s right.
However, rewatching these first four movies does uncover some of their warts. The acting is often spotty. Most of the time the child actors do admirably in carrying the films. Of course in the Sorcerer’s Stone Daniel Radcliffe and the band were very much novices. With each movie you see them literally grow up before your eyes and their acting improves as well. And there are great performances scattered from the well established actors and actresses that play Snape, McGonagall, Voldemort, Lupin, Sirius Black, among others. But some of the delivery from the kids is humorous in its poor quality, especially early on. There are some other filmmaking problems occasionally, mainly editing, and the CGI is looking a little dated now, especially in the first two movies.
Starting with the Goblet of Fire, the books become very long and so the movies start to veer off for the sake of time, but the first 3 movies are very close to the source material. My main kudos would go out to Alfonso Cuaron and his staff on the 3rd movie, Prisoner of Azkaban. To me it is the best of the bunch and still a joy to watch 15 years after release. It strikes the best balance of trying to be literal to the book, but not too literal and remembers it’s a movie first and foremost and needs to entertain as such. It’s fantastic.
I’m really enjoying revisiting these gems. I’m going to try to hit 5-7 this week, and maybe I’ll then do the two Fantastic Beasts after. On my first watch of them I have been a little disappointed like @JohnnyShoulder posted above, especially the latest Crimes of Grindelwald.
@Th3solution Nice write-up. I think you've hit upon one of the core appeals of the franchise, whether you actually like Harry Potter or not; you're watching the characters grow up. JK Rowling did a great job demanding casting input and having the foresight to cast kids who, whilst a little shaky at first, all matured into really solid talents. Surrounding them with a cast of national treasures probably helped, too. I can't speak for Harry Potter itself (as mentioned before, I gave up after three films and five books) but I've seen it done in other things and, especially in such long-running franchises, it adds an extra layer of authenticity to the proceedings.
Glad you're having fun; looking forward to your closing thoughts later on down the line!
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
It’s been a while, but I’m rewatching Star Wars (mostly the original trilogy). I’ve watched a lot of classic sci-fi over the past year and a half, so I’m curious to see how well these films have held up now that I’ve broadened my scope (Empire Strikes Back was my favorite movie as a kid). I have zero interest in watching Episodes I or II, although I might rewatch III (the only one I’ve seen in theaters). I also want to wait until Episode IX releases until I watch that trilogy. I also have no interest in Solo.
The first one I watched was Rouge One since it happens right before the first film. Never seen it before, but I enjoyed it. Not my favorite Star Wars, but but I do like how they expanded on how the Rebels got the Death Star plans (it barely got mentioned in the first movie!). I did find CGI Grand Moff Tarkin a bit weird though. It looked like a video game character got into the real world! Surely they could’ve found someone that resembled the original actor?
I watched the original next. I haven’t seen this movie in 8 years. Thankfully, it’s held up wonderfully. The one thing I really like about this one is that it also works really well as a standalone film. And can you believe it, a film directed by George Lucas that doesn’t have a significant flaw? Of course the version I watched was the Special Edition. I don’t have any issues with adding in CGI, but could they at least update it? Most of it hasn’t aged very well. I also know that people like to complain about the whole “Han shot first” thing, but it happened so fast that I didn’t even notice. I guess some people just have too much time on their hands.
I’m started watching Empire last night and I’m going to finish this and then watch Return of the Jedi when I get off of work. I’ll post thoughts tomorrow.
Jesus is the only way.
It's OK to have an opinion. This ain't the Soviet Union you know. Letterboxd Youtube Channel
In continuing my journey through the Harry Potter Universe, I watched the last four films over recent weeks. It continues to be a great experience and I really fell in love with the world all over again.
The Order of the Phoenix - this was always my least favorite of the books and the movie is also one of the most frustrating to watch, because the story is an awkward placement between the fun and simple escapades of adolescent wizards trying to learn their craft, and the dark and tragic struggle against overwhelmingly odds and horrible evil. The story is starting to take a turn toward that tragedy, yet we have the teen romance of Harry’s first crush with Cho and similar light hearted moments scattered through it. In the story, it seems like Rowling does lose her way a little bit with Harry’s character. Yes, a lot of the inconsistency of his actions and relationships is clearly because of what’s going on in his head with Voldemort, but it’s somewhat jarring and doesn’t quite gel.
However as a movie, this is where the budget really seems to take off and we see some impressive special effects and the fireworks really go on display during battle scenes. Seeing Voldemort and his death eaters in action is a treat for the eyes, but the real highlight is Dumbledore’s on screen display of magical prowess.
The Half-Blood Prince - Probably my second favorite of the books, the story turns from dark to bleak here and packs an emotional wallop. The film can’t quite capture the magic of the book, although it is well done and most of the time is spent setting the stage for the final stretch through the last chapter of the series. When Dumbledore dies, the sadness is real, and although the story starts to focus on the real conflict at hand — destroying Voldemort once and for all — the coming-of-age youthful charm from the earlier movies is gone. The levity becomes scarce and the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione have quickly matured beyond their years to handle the tragic world that is overcome by the Dark Lord. Luna Lovegood is a wonderful bit of comic relief, yet full of her own version of wisdom and savvy. She’s probably my favorite character. The romantic tension of Ron and Hermione reach a fever pitch also, which helps to sprinkle some of the lightheartedness back into the story. But yeah.... that ending.
Deathly Hallows part 1 -
I thought this movie dragged a little bit. I guess it’s partly because of the knowledge that a conclusive ending wouldn’t happen until the next movie, but the search for horcruxes and the cat and mouse chase of Voldemort and Harry is still intriguing. It’s here where the enormity of 7 huge books’ worth of clues, riddles, and characters really start to crystallize and the fun of figuring out where this story is going and how it will end pushes you on to the final act.
Deathly Hollows part 2 -
No holds barred here. This film I think is one of the strongest. The storytelling speeds up, the visuals and special effects are great, and the curveballs keep coming. It must have been very difficult to have all the tiny plot points and hints come together without having to pause the action to openly explain everything. Yes, as with most of these films, you get an extra appreciation of the happenings on screen if you read the book and know a few of the little details that are omitted. But overall, the movie captures what it needs to and there is enough exposition at the end to tie up the roaming questions in your mind if you missed it. It is in this epic conclusion that we get the final rules to Rowling’s universe to make the last of the dominoes fall so that the “Aha!” moment can occur and it all clicks in your mind. An episode full of tragedy and remorse — so many characters are lost and story arcs are completed.
But the greatest tragedy is that it’s over.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
I apologize for the separate post, but more closing thoughts on my Harry Potter marathon:
I should comment that a few things struck me when I watched this series that hadn’t been as obvious when I watched them many years ago. First, being an adult now going back to rewatch, certain elements of the story come across in a different way. The story mixes in socially conscious themes in a welcoming and appropriate way. Racial and cultural prejudice, government corruption, corporal punishment, slavery and freedom — and of course standard movie themes like true love, sacrifice, justice, and courage.
The masterful plot twisting and world building also come out as strengths. Are there a few plot holes and narrative inconsistencies? Well, yes, of course. But there are amazingly few of them when you consider the complexity of plot, number of character arcs, and uniqueness of the world. Not to mention Rowling built this entire universe from scratch. Sure she borrowed a few tropes (witches ride broomsticks, for example) but the magic, the rules of the universe, the creatures and subtypes of humans, ... it is so enormous and to keep consistency in the narrative to the extent she does is just plain dumbfounding to me.
Let’s compare the Harry Potter Universe with the Star Wars Universe. I love both immensely, but as a unique fictional setting, Star Wars seems to conjure up a multitude of discrepancies and criticisms about the inconsistency of narrative. Mitichlorians and the origin of the Force, for example. Revisionist history like ‘Han shot first.’ Anakin’s history as reported by Obi-Wan. Leia’s story. Force ghosts. ...Etc, etc. The fact that expanded universe tales have been made to try to bridge the gap and explain away or modify things has sometimes helped but sometimes made things worse and more convoluted.
Yet here in the HP series, almost every plot point is explainable within the established rules of the world. Not all plot points, but most. Many fantasy storylines require a healthy amount of suspension of disbelief, and certainly Harry Potter is no exception. But for every “That’s just the way it works in this world. Don’t question it” moments, there is many more logical “these things happened this way because the laws of magic are thus...” moments.
Another wonderful thing I noticed with watching the 8 films in rapid succession is the wonderful consistency of characters and the great chemistry between the actors. Also, the art design and attention to detail of the visuals is a great part of the films. Rarely does a movie adaptation live up to the mind’s eye from reading it first, but most of the Harry Potter series does just that.
Now, I suppose now I’ll endure watching The Fantastic Beast movies again just for completeness. Now, I like Redmayne and Depp, but the prequel movies have underperformed so far. There is a great opportunity to tell the early tales of Dumbledore and company, so I hope Rowling doesn’t ruin it.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution Interesting. It's clear that the films picked you up and carried you on a journey; I really got a sense of the pay-off being worthwhile by reading your retrospective (and yeah, there's always a less-than-perfect middle; The Order of the Phoenix is where I stopped reading). But then that's what I'd expect from watching the films in close proximity.
What was more interesting was your second post, drawing a distinction between watching as a younger "target audience member" and an adult. If you'd have gone back and just waxed lyrical about the nostalgia and adventure, I'd have been less tempted to try the franchise again, but you've found new layers, themes and subtext which speak to the talent of JK Rowling and the film's creators (because I'm sure there were differences; adapting a book for cinema page-for-page never goes well).
Personally speaking, I quite like things being left open to interpretation, or stories which give you all the information you need to draw your own conclusions (like Star Wars does... sorry, I just can't agree with you on that point) so I'll be curious to see whether I find the "completeness" of the universe satisfying or restrictive. Because yeah, I think I'll try watching these at some point, thanks to you.
Great write-up, much obliged.
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
@RogerRoger No problem. It was fun to do. I’m pretty sure reading my rants and pontifications is boring to everyone else, but it’s cathartic to me. I’m weird that way.
If you do return to Harry Potter, the disadvantage is that the plot ties and cool revelations mixed throughout are kind of complex to the point that it will probably require rewatching (or re-reading) the early entries to hope for any kind of true enjoyment.
And yes, there is plenty of mysterious aspects left open to interpretation, so no worries there. Speaking of, you probably know of my great love for the Star Wars universe; And probably taken as a whole it’s even my favorite over HP, MCU, DCU, LotR, and all others. Much of that is just the setting, the heroes, the cultural impact, nostalgia, and that little thing called plain ol’ personal preference. But in thinking about my earlier post about the occasional inconsistencies and narrative debates that have occurred with Star Wars lore and storyline - I think part of the issue is George Lucas relinquished some of the creative control. I think the films, shows, and books have become muddled because of too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. Sometimes that spoils the broth.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
@Th3solution One thing I know for certain is that, even if nobody replies to your posts, a big chunk of folks are reading them. And that's even without counting the lurkers or passers-by who don't subsequently make accounts. So I wouldn't call it weird to write content for a forum (a place designed specifically to allow people to write).
Thanks for the warning about the complexity of the narrative. One of the advantages of having a singular, obsessive focus is that once I start watching something, I don't watch anything else until it's finished (save visits to my partner's at the weekend). Not wanting to boast, but I've found that approach makes me pretty decent at picking up on hints, clues and call-backs that don't receive huge big flashback signposts or "previously on..." recaps. I'm not sure I'd ever read the books again. Ironically enough for a budding writer, I find reading a chore. I neither have the patience, nor the inclination to pick up a book. I'm definitely a "wait for the movie" kinda guy.
Which is kinda why I have zero issue with Star Wars, because I've rarely grabbed for anything that isn't canon. I've read maybe two or three of the books over the years (all before the Disney "legends" cull) and never engaged with them as much as I'd wanted to, save maybe Shadows of the Empire and even then, I wildly prefer the comic book version. If you basically watch the films, The Clone Wars and Rebels, it all makes a heck of a lot of sense whilst also still allowing for mystery.
But you're absolutely right, when somebody else comes in and tugs at those dangling threads with their own ideas and directions, it becomes a mess. Especially when Mr. Lucas came back later on and said "Wait, hold on, who said that happened?" Case in point: Jango Fett, and therefore his perfect clone son Boba, is not Mandalorian. You can find dozens of books, comics and even a videogame being all about the Fetts' Mandalorian heritage before that came up during a story planning meeting between Dave Filoni and George Lucas during The Clone Wars. People resigned over that one. It's the perfect example of the problem you mention, and it's why I think Harry Potter might be able to pull off a slightly better consistency of logic, because it's basically JK Rowling or bust.
"We want different things, Crosshair. That doesn't mean that we have to be enemies."
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