We did something similar for the release of Insurrection, and it seemed to work, so let's try it here.
This is a thread for people in North America to tell the rest of us what they thought of the film. Obviously, we'd like to hear more than "I liked it" or "it sucked dogs in hell." But please, just think about what you tell us. Don't give away major plot points, don't say "that bit where so-and-so happened and then so-and-so happened" - be vague!
Now, go to it. . . and who will be the first person at the Forums to see it?
Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :
I will, probably, since I'm seeing the very first showing on the very first day the movie will be out.
------------------ http://frankg.dgne.com/ "If it's not fun, it's not Macintosh." - Adam Engst
Posted by The Excalibur (Member # 34) on :
I'm waiting, not as young as I used to be.
------------------ INSURRECTION
Posted by Elim Garak (Member # 14) on :
*hopes to go Thursday morning or afternoon and will be happy to provide his opinions*
------------------ Quark: "Lesson number one: No one involved in extra-legal activity considers himself nefarious." (DS9: "The Sound of Her Voice")
Posted by The Excalibur (Member # 34) on :
I heard a radio DJ talking this morning. He saw it last night. Said it was all F/X and no story, aimed at kids. Not fun like the first movie.
------------------ PARTURITION
Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :
I just got back from seeing the movie. I liked it very much. It was different from the first three movies; I'll elaborate on this when it is not 3 AM.
------------------ http://frankg.dgne.com/ "If it's not fun, it's not Macintosh." - Adam Engst
Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :
Okay, here I am again. The beginning of the movie was more fast-paced than what we're used to in Star Wars films, which may affect one's initial perception of things. Also, unlike, say, the first movie, TPM is clearly meant to provide a setup for Episodes II and III. It still has a standalone story, though. In general, Star Wars fans ought to like this one very much.
------------------ http://frankg.dgne.com/ "If it's not fun, it's not Macintosh." - Adam Engst
Posted by The First One (Member # 35) on :
Did you get a sense of what the critics have been going on about?
Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :
Well, some were probably trying to compare the movie to the originals, but that's not a good comparison, because they've probably only seen this once, but the first trilogy many times. (I know I found ANH boring the first time I saw it.) Others were complaining that the film was directed towards children, but this wasn't the case any more than the first few. Without giving anything away, I'll say that there were several scenes that one wouldn't associate with a kid's film (a transport crew being killed without provocation, a fighter getting hit and plunging to its doom just as it leaves the hangar, and the lightsaber-induced death of characters, one of whom was cut in half). Some of the aliens were "cute"-looking, but others were rather gruesome.
------------------ http://frankg.dgne.com/ "If it's not fun, it's not Macintosh." - Adam Engst
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Friend of mine bought me a ticket, so we saw it after college.
First of all, the theater was nearly empty. No lines, no crowds. Maybe thirty to forty people were there. Including, of course, the obligatory screeching child.
This movie was...fun. I certainly wouldn't advise against seeing it.
However...TPM is much, much lighter in tone than Star Wars. Compare Anakin's "Mommmmmyyyy, I want to be a Jedi" to Luke finding the burning corpses of his adoptive parents. TPM was also much faster, with a conclusion that, even for a setup, left me unsatisfied.
The only real fault I would give it would be the alien voices. My (not so) witty subtitle for this movie is now "Elmo vs The Cylons." Jar Jar is even more unbearable then I had thought. Take his voice down an octave, please. The aliens running the Trade Federation sound like a bad parody of an Oriental accent. I kept expecting them to say "Ah so! Welcome to Super Cosmic Happy Fun Battleship." And the Cylons...well, wait until you hear the battle droids.
Once you get past the voices, though, you should have a swell time. Amazing visuals, of course, plus some talented acting. Though I really wish McGregor had been given more to do in this one.
I have a few other things to add, but they all involve plot points, so we'll save them for another thread.
------------------ "You can't catch me where I'm gonna fall. You can't catch me where I'll hide. This world's too cold, this Nova rolls. I'm moving to the sun." -- They Might Be Giants
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Oh, I forgot to mention, I can never watch the first trilogy with a straight face again. Why? Anakin's nickname is...is...
Annie. Annie! No wonder he turns to the dark side.
------------------ "You can't catch me where I'm gonna fall. You can't catch me where I'll hide. This world's too cold, this Nova rolls. I'm moving to the sun." -- They Might Be Giants
Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :
Erm, aliens usually won't speak in perfect English, of course.
I liked Jar-Jar and the Gungans.
It was Ani, not Annie. At least it wasn't Ana.
------------------ http://frankg.dgne.com/ "If it's not fun, it's not Macintosh." - Adam Engst
Posted by Jeff Raven (Member # 20) on :
Well, I just saw it... Fortunately, there was no line. Since I'm no longer in Buffalo(Batavia, small city), it was just really quick getting in.
Good points: It was very fast paced...Many things I enjoyed, and I thought the comic relief was a very integral part of the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The lightsaber battles were much more advanced, and better choreographed than Episodes 4,5, and 6.
Bad points: Needed to be a bit longer....the ending happened to quickly for me, and I felt something unfulfilled.
Other than that, it was great. These critics obviously don't know what they're talkin about.
------------------ "We are all a product of the environment we live in.... the rest, good or bad, may be free will." Charles C. Bohnam
Posted by Trinculo on :
I have decided against seeing the film for the simple reason-the dependence on CGI to carry the film (95% of the film is this). People are saying that this film is an expansion of the CGI effects. For me, after reading the current US News & World Report, the actual breakthrough came in the Mummy. In the Star Wars film, the CGI characters are designed from the outside. In the Mummy, the CGI character is designed from the inside out. This is a first for any film. (By the way, the Mummy has 150 CGI effects.) I believe the reason people remark about the CGI in the Mummy is that this a new approach. I am going to see the Mummy a third time this weekend. If I see anyone who is waiting to see the Star Wars, I will be sure to say hi.
Posted by Aethelwer (Member # 36) on :
The CGI in TPM was done very, very well, IMO. It was more realistic than in any other production I've seen.
I think the 95% number means that 95% of the scenes have a CGI effect in them, which is probably correct, even if it's just a ship flying in the background or something like that.
------------------ http://frankg.dgne.com/ "If it's not fun, it's not Macintosh." - Adam Engst
Posted by Elim Garak (Member # 14) on :
Since it was 10:00 in the morning on a day when only one district had the day off, I suppose I was right in suspecting how empty it would be...
Well, here I go on my little tangent...
It was fantastic. And nothing short of it, I assure you.
There were many memorable scenes and great parallels to Episodes 4, 5, and 6. I really liked that.
Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman were just fabulous. I really hope they get more in the future. Their characters fit, so it was more believable. I just couldn't get over those two. Incredible. Liam Neeson was okay, but I really didn't enjoy him as much as the first-mentioned two.
The visuals were the best I've ever seen. A few were worse than others, but they were all aces. ILM certainly outdid themselves on this one!
Surprisingly, I liked Jar-Jar. Now, I knew I'd be able to tolerate him, but I actually, really enjoyed his presence a lot!
Yes, I'm relieved to know it's "Ani" (as per subtitles) and not how Sol spelled it!
There were many moving parts if you're that type. I think they picked the best actors for the jobs.
Amazing writing came out in the last half, which was, in my opinion, better than the first; they blended through scenes rather well, and there were a lot of high moments!
I liked the mystery elements. Period. Well done.
To comment on a few already-made comments...
First of all, I ratehr liked how it ended. It leaves you in that state where you want more. That's the goal. I want Episode 2! I think they achieved their goal.
It started quickly, but never relented, while still focusing on what makes it all Star Wars. Sure, it was different, but so was the entire basis they had for the film!
Just great. Nothing much more I can say, except: "Sorry, all you critics, but you really messed up when you reviewed this one!"
------------------ Garak: "I believe in coincidences. Coincidences happen every day. But I don't trust coincidences." (DS9: "Cardassians")
[This message was edited by Elim Garak on May 20, 1999.]
Posted by Elim Garak (Member # 14) on :
Oh! How could I forget!
I find it surprising that no one has commented on the music yet. It just blew me away. It was tense, but fun. I loved it. It brought the movie up just another couple of notches, but I'm not sure if that's possible. It's a great job by John Williams, as usual. It's a nice blend of the old and the new. Or is that the old and the older?
------------------ Garak: "I believe in coincidences. Coincidences happen every day. But I don't trust coincidences." (DS9: "Cardassians")
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Well, just to add one final sandbag to our Star Wars balloon...
Some of Jar Jar's "comedy" seemed to be directly copied from episodes of "Full House."
"How wude!" *shudder*
------------------ "You can't catch me where I'm gonna fall. You can't catch me where I'll hide. This world's too cold, this Nova rolls. I'm moving to the sun." -- They Might Be Giants
Posted by The Excalibur (Member # 34) on :
According to Public Radio, alot of the music was Mr. Williams "borrowing" from older works, but they seemed to like the score overall, and loved "Anicans Theme" which they played nad I loved it too.
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Posted by Jeff Raven (Member # 20) on :
Trinculo, you are really doing yourself a disfavor by not seeing this movie. It is really well done, and in my personal opinion, you'll forget about the cgi effects. I honestly did myself. I could hardly tell which was real and what was cgi.
------------------ "We are all a product of the environment we live in.... the rest, good or bad, may be free will." Charles C. Bohnam
Posted by Trinculo on :
My mother, who works long hours and likes Star Wars, asked me to go see the film for my opinion. So I went to see the film yesterday. I didn't enjoy the film. My mother is going to see the film. (Please note: I am not going to list the reasons why I didn't enjoy the film. And I didn't list my reasons to my mother. I will just say this-Star Wars: The Phantom Menace is a children's film.)
Posted by The Excalibur (Member # 34) on :
So were all the others, but I enjoyed them all the same. I still watch "Bugs Bunny" too.
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Posted by Epoch (Member # 136) on :
While I admit that there could have been a little more drama TPM is not a kids show. I really enjoyed it and I will probably go see it a few more times.
------------------ If you need it I can build it. Just as long as there is a box of junk for me to use.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I've always founf that the remark 'it's a childrens show/film' is a bit condacending. My parents wonder why I watch the Simpsons, saying 'it's a kids show'
What is a children's show/film? The Simpsons, Animaniancs? Best Wars (a show aimed at selling toys to children) has several thigns aimed at an adult mind.
So again, what do you mean by 'a kid's film'? It wasn't dark, depressing, and had lot's of people sitting around talking in smokily lit rooms about Heroin addiction?
------------------ 'You want the moon on a stick, don't you?' -Richard Herring
Posted by Dan (Member # 129) on :
Well, if I had to give it a rating, I'd give it 4.5/5. It was a well produced moive, but it seemed a little rushed and the plot was out in the open. I pretty much opened and close like A New Hope, and the CGI was excellent, but I guess I've been wathcing too much Babylon 5 to enjoy the plot. It just wasn't deep enough. Character devolpoment was nearly non-existant, except for Qui-Gon and Anakin. The way Lucas explained the Force was OK, but it could have used a little work.
The best parts were easily the Lightsaber battles and the CGI, but there wasn't a whole lot of story, but it did spread the seeds for Episode 2 and 3.
So overall, it was a good movie. Better than Insurrection was.
------------------ Daniel Henderson Senior Babylon 5 Editor http://www.myrkr.com
Posted by Trinculo on :
The film is for children. This is its intended audience. (Read the statements made by G. Lucas.) I accept the film on those terms. I have never been a fan of comics or Saturday morning cartoons. If you are an adult who grew up with this fare, then I can see you liking the film. It is a reminder of childhood-the dreams of becoming more than a boy or girl who lives in a nice safe home and becoming a hero that has to face dangers and excitement. I have never had these dreams. I am not here to critique the elements of the film for they work. They work together to make a film that is enjoyable for those I have already mentioned. I don't belong in that group and the film didn't work for me. That is all I am saying.
Posted by Krenim (Member # 22) on :
I saw it yesterday, and I must say that it was spectacular. It sets up what is to come nicely. I loved Palpatine's line at the end to Anakin.
------------------ Garak: Interesting. You saved the day by destroying the world. Bashir: I bet they didn't teach you that in the Obsidian Order.
-Deep Space Nine, "Our Man Bashir."
Posted by Cargile (Member # 45) on :
I'm amazed. Simply amazed. I have heard the critics reviews of TPM saying it is a child's show and the acting wasn't so good and it wasn't worth the hype and this that and the other, but basically, what I feel, is that these new three Star Wars movies are for the fans. If you are a newcomer to Star Wars, you are not going to get it. Plus The Phamtom Menace is Act One of three acts. It is an incomplete experience. But as a hard core Star Wars fan from way back when I persuaded my parents to buy me the toys that could be afforded, I left the movie with a buzz. I will agree that the Jar Jar character was a bit unbearable, but even the other characters admited that much. I paid very close attention to the subtle details that a non-fan would dismiss. This movie is the introduction of a more complete whole. If it were a novel, we have already read the book from the middle to the end, and now we read the first part. In and of itself, TPM probably doesn't fare well. But understanding its placement in the Star Wars story helps to give it more importance than the stand-alone plot could ever hope to achieve without the other episodes. I don't think the cgi took anything away from the movie. As a matter-of-fact, it allowed us to see some things as they might truely be. It put us directly into the SW universe without us having to stretch our imaginations too far. Jar jar was annoying, and some of the aliens were hard to understand. But shouldn't they be? Isn't that more realistic than having everything easy. I can name some people that annoy me. I can tell you that I hear spanish everyday without understanding a word of it. All that I didn't mind. It was fair. The only thing that did bother me was the fact that chance was the good-guys biggest help. This made things a little bit too easy for the good-guys, but maybe that's the Force working its majic. The movie was fabulous. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
And I wanted to say that as an adult watching Star Wars from an analitical mind, it is hokey as well. But there are so many subtle foreshadowing elements in Star Wars that you would miss the first time around. All of these hidden clues I didn't catch until I saw the other episodes (and A New Hope)--repeatedly. I think the same is going to be true for the first three movies. I think we will watch Episode II and say, "So that's what they were talking about in the first one." It's inevitable. It's Lucus. And it's one hell of a ride.
------------------ Think of it this way, at least we will be in prison together. Tom to B'Lanna, upon reaching Earth and and being arrested by Tuvok.
Posted by Voyager on :
I just saw it Saturday at 3:00pm.
I thought it was great. The plot just seems a little wierd because the movie is setting up the whole outline for the other five movies. It was better than my expectations could ever have been. The characters , the ships, the special effects/ graphics , and even the plot were excellent. I recommend seeing this movie at least three or fours times while it is still in theaters.
------------------ One silly, twice foolish. -Dr. Weaver, ER
Posted by The Excalibur (Member # 34) on :
I was there Saturday at 4:00. I loved the film. The only things I didn't like were Jar Jar, and the robot armies answers to commands. That is where the childish reviews are comming from. I think it would have been a little more realistic if Anican had been older. Over all I will give it four out of five stars, and I will see it again before it leaves theaters.
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Posted by Obi Juan (Member # 90) on :
I really don't think that cheesy long eared aliens are what it takes to appeal to children. It was not warm fuzzy ewoks that hooked me on Star Wars. The Empire Strikes Back was by far the darkest of all the films- Luke gets his hand chopped off, Han ends up frozen in carbonite and there really any Jar Jar elements trying to cater to children (other than R2D2 and C3PO, whom Lucas obviously feels don't cater to children enough or we wouldn't have had to endure Jar Jar). Yet when I was eight years old, no movie could come close to ESB (and truth be told it probably still holds the position of my favorite movie of all time). I would really think that things like the spectacular lightsabre battles and the pod race would be much more appealing to little kids than Jar Jar. I also wonder if the dismal casting of Anakin had something to do with trying to cater to little kids (I am talking about acting ability and the way he was characterized), they could have done much better. I also relise that they wanted Anakin to seem fairly normal (no hints of the dark lord to come in that child), but what it ended up doing was producing a child who is unrealistically normal for his situation. The character that they are trying to sell us is not an average little kid and trying to make him seem like one doesn't make him believable.
Did I mention that I really liked the Phantom Menace- if it had been a piece of crap I wouldn't even waste my time picking it apart like this.
