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Welcome to Movie Podcast Weekly, Episode 167. We’re continuing our coverage of the STAR WARS FRANCHISE. This is part five of seven, where we review Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) with special guest Steve Hernandez. Unfortunately, Jason’s three co-hosts get frozen in carbonite about halfway through the show, so Jay brings you the remaining three Feature Reviews solo-cast style: Krampus and Secret in Their Eyes and The Hunting Ground. Join us!
If you’re new to our show… Movie Podcast Weekly typically features four hosts — Jason, Andy, Karl and Geek Cast Ry — along with frequent guests. We give you our verdicts on at least one new movie release from the current year that’s currently playing in theaters, as well as several mini reviews of whatever we’ve been watching lately. And we usually provide specialized genre recommendations. New episodes release every single Wednesday.
SHOW NOTES:
I. Introduction
— Jason and Andy leave a voicemail on The /Filmcast Ep. 343
— Geek Cast Live Podcast discusses Bone Tomahawk
— The proper pronunciation of At-At
— New “Batman v. Superman” trailer
— Must-Watch: The most egregiously spoiler-ridden trailer in history that gives away the entire movie: “The Choice” trailer (for real — watch this!)
— Twitter message from Adrian
— “The Man in the High Castle” Ads Pulled From NY Subway
[ 0:27:03 ] II. Feature Review: STAR WARS EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)
Jason = 9 ( Must-See Buy it! )
Andy = 10 ( Buy it! )
Karl = 9 ( Buy it! / Masterpiece )
Ryan = 10 ( Buy it! )
Steve Hernandez = 8.5 ( Buy it! )
III. Serious Business: MPW Top 10 Movies of 2015 Listener Feedback Contest! — Join us!
Do these two things:
1. E-mail your Top 10 movies to: MoviePodcastWeekly@gmail.com
2. Include what you’d like for your prize (for if you win)
— Announcing two winners of the previous contest:
Roger Ebert’s Movie Yearbook 2002: Juan
“The Karate Kid” VHS: Sal
IV. New in Theaters This Past Weekend:
Krampus
Chi-Raq
The Letters
Macbeth
A Royal Night Out
Youth
Life
The World of Kanako
Hitchcock / Truffaut
Christmas Eve
MI-5
FEATURE REVIEWS HAVE TIME STAMPS:
[ 1:32:45 ] V. Feature Review: KRAMPUS (2015)
Jason = 4.5 ( Avoid )
[ 1:44:22 ] VI. Feature Review: SECRET IN THEIR EYES (2015)
Jason = 6.5 ( Rental )
[ 1:54:29 ] VII. Feature Review: THE HUNTING GROUND (2015)
Jason = 10 ( Must-see / Important Film )
Check out these links:
SeeActStop.org
NotAlone.gov
VIII. Wrap-Up / Plugs / Ending
— Thanks to Vance for purchasing our Planes, Trains and Automobiles commentary
COMING UP ON MPW NEXT WEEK:
Episode 168 where we’ll be reviewing “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” (1983), “Spotlight,” “In the Heart of the Sea,” “Goodnight Mommy” and “Landmine Goes Click.” Join us!
LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
Contact MPW:
E-mail us: MoviePodcastWeekly@gmail.com.
Leave us a voicemail: (801) 382-8789.
Follow MPW on Twitter: @MovieCastWeekly
Leave a comment in the show notes for this episode.
Ry’s BIO
Ry’s flagship show: Geek Cast Live Podcast
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Blog: Geek Cast Live
Web site: Geek Harder.com
Facebook
Twitter: @GeekCastRy
Jason recommends supporting: Operation Underground Railroad
Listen to MPW:
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Josh’s links:
Hear Josh named as one of the Top 5 Up-and-Coming Directors on The Film Vault Podcast!
Twitter: @IcarusArts
Josh covers streaming movies on: Movie Stream Cast
Hear Josh on The SciFi Podcast
Hear Josh on Horror Movie Podcast
If you’re a Horror fan, listen to Jason and Josh on HORROR MOVIE PODCAST
We’d like to thank The Dave Eaton Element and Dave himself for the use of his music for our theme song. Buy Dave’s Eaton’s music: BandCamp.com
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Thanks for listening, and join us again next Wednesday for Movie Podcast Weekly.
P.S. I didn’t get to fully answer the question about ADR. It stands for “Automated (or Additional) Dialogue Replacement.”
J
And, btw, it’s pronounced “Krampus,” not “Krampus.”
I believe it’s Krampus, bro.
Right, that’s what I said – “Krampus.”
J, you’re not dead to me like Steve, but you’re on life support if you prefer Return of the Jedi to the original Star Wars or Empire. I rewatched 4-6 recently, including 6 yesterday, and having that close comparison showed again how much weaker 6 is than 4 and 5.
The script and dialogue seems phoned in (I’m guessing Lucas had more input than Kasdan), as well as performances like Han’s. The main characters are all very ho-hum with each other. What Ryan (or was it Karl?) was talking about as far as having familiar characters in new adventures applies to Empire, but is cheapened in Return. And there are several dumb script elements… Luke tells Darth “I will not fight you” and then fights him; the Emperor tells Darth he doesn’t sense Luke being near, but then a second later acknowledges that Luke and Darth will confront each other imminently.
And yes, the muppets in the intro are bad. The Ewoks are sometimes cute and interesting, so I can let them slide, but that opening Jabba sequence lost me the first time I saw it (at 14), and every time I’ve seen it since. So very cheesy. And the FX seem to be worse to me going forwards from 4-6. The FX in 4 were mostly practical, and the odd characters were played by humans (e.g., Jawas). The FX there hold up well today and fit within the style and feel of that film, but in 5 and 6 there are weak explosions (watch the blasters hitting the AT-ATs), muppets that are obviously fakey (and I love Muppets otherwise outside of SW), and they don’t hold up nearly as well as 4’s FX.
I do like some things about ROTJ (the guy crying about his dead giant monster is a favorite moment), but overall as a film it was just a typical weak phined-in sequel, compared to the depth and nuance and new revelations and adventures of Empire.
Interesting. ROTJ has always been my favorite too. Especially when I was younger, the Ewoks helped distinguish it from the others. What I like most is the opening at Jabba’s palace. Luke is a Jedi and he’s ready to kick ass! Maybe some adult rewatches will change my mind.
You really should. I promise it doesn’t hold up compared to 4 and 5!
Kagan describes this pretty well in another comment, but for me the difference between ROTJ and the first two films is huge, and I think it has a lot to do with the tone.
There is enough levity and humor in both 4 and 5 to keep them from being too dour, but they are both pretty serious films. There is a universe created that is fantasy drama, but largely drama. The closest either of them come to the goofy nature of ROTJ’s muppets and Ewoks is in the Cantina scene, but even that conveys a sense of danger with the shady characters encountered. The presiding feel of those first two films is pretty serious, though, and we are meant to think of that world as real.
That all goes out the window with those muppets singing and dancing at the beginning of ROTJ, and then again with the goofy Ewoks later. I’m sure the Jabba palace muppets looked okay at the time, but they just do not hold up as looking like anything but goofy puppets now. As I mentioned earlier, the characters in A New Hope are all played by humans; the Jawas, Cantina aliens, etc. There is some realism there in the performances that has a real physical human underlying the performance. Of course, Yoda is clearly a muppet in ESB, but he is a well-developed character and a very detailed puppet, and while he is initially a bit silly when Luke meets him, we soon see his true nature as a more serious Jedi.
In Return, it’s that whole tone of silliness almost throughout the film, also with the main characters, who really seem to be phoning it in and goofing with each other (well known to be the case for Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, in particular). The sense of urgency and danger about what’s happening doesn’t feel very strong at all with the characters. It’s almost like they’re too confident, too assured with each other, and there’s little dramatic weight to it or payoff for what happens with them.
And then there’s the plot, which involves the brilliantly new and innovative uh… Death Star. Wait, what? We already had that in the first film. They have to destroy another Death Star. Wow, I wonder if they’ll do it? And now, in another innovative move, there’s Luke confronting Vader, which, uh, we already had in Empire. And in Empire, it was new and done in a way that was really dark and meaningful and built up dramatically to a profound revelation. Here, the new thing is that Luke wants to redeem his father. Okay, that would be a good premise if there was any kind of real progression to that throughout the film, but it basically boils down to Luke finding Vader late in the film and telling Vader that he senses some good in him. Vader disagrees, and then later Vader saves Luke from the Emperor, because why, suddenly he feels something? There’s no real depth of character or story development to deserve that change. That being said, at least the conflict between Luke, Vader and the Emperor is aiming for something more profound and dramatic, but it just doesn’t get there like it does in Empire.
Sure, we get to see these great characters that we’ve come to love and have great adventures with, and we get a little bit more of that, and yeah, it’s fun enough at times. But compared to the truly groundbreaking and fresh and meaningful A New Hope and Empire, Return is just so pedestrian of a sequel, and also betrays the tone of the epic and dramatic adventure that the first two established.
This is all true. However, there are an awful lot of big things happening in Ep. VI that should keep any Star Wars fan into the movie. All of the stuff in Jaba’s Palace toward the beginning, especially since this is our first time seeing Luke as a fully trained Jedi Knight. The speeder bike scene is awesome and iconic, and even if you don’t like the Ewoks the Battle of Endor is a huge part of Star Wars lore. Then, there’s everything with the Emperor – again, this is our first time ever actually seeing the Emperor in the flesh and the absolute fear he causes for those around him. The Imperial Guards are pretty cool, too. Oh, and let’s not forget that this film has, without a doubt, the best lightsaber fight of the OT, as well as the redemption of Darth Vader and the fulfillment of the prophecy.
Ep. VI isn’t my favorite – that honor undoubtedly goes to Ep. V. But I think it’s come into vogue lately to bash on ROTJ similarly to how it is to bash the prequels, and I don’t think that’s entirely fair.
I think if the “Bushes of Love” sequence had originally been included in Ep. IV, it would certainly be the best, without a doubt:
Maybe this is a question Andy could answer. How likely is it for an accused rapist to sue an university and actually win? I haven’t seen The Hunting Ground yet, although I plan on seeing it today or tomorrow, but it sounds like so many of the problems with how the universities deal with sexual assaults is because of fear of being sued.
Is this actually something universities should be concerned with or is the idea that they give slaps on the wrists due to legal fears complete BS when all the university actually cares about is their self image?
There’s really not a great answer to that question Sal. Rape is such an emotional charge that just being accused of rape can destroy a person. And the problem with many sexual assault cases is the comparative lack of evidence in sexual assault cases. Many of such cases are based purely on testimony of the alleged victim (i.e. no other witnesses, no physical evidence), and many more have facts that tend to muddy the waters of whether someone is guilty or innocent.
As for an accused person suing the school, yes, there is a potential for that. Because only state governments can prosecute felonies (i.e. a school (even a public school) cannot convene it’s own criminal court), schools can only take at most an investigative role, and they can even only investigate if they have state-certified police officers. So if a school were to expel a student based on an allegation, and that student was ultimately not charge (like for instance if the prosecuting agency decided the evidence wasn’t sufficient for a conviction), that student may have been unfairly labeled, defamed, and damaged by the school’s hasty actions. And remember, our system of criminal justice (which we kind of use to inform other aspects of our lives) is based on the concept of “innocent until proven guilty.”
So, probably not a great answer. Sexual assault on campus needs to stop. I have two beautiful girls and I’m scared to death of them growing up.
Once again j u are so wrong about Krampus. Everybody I know who went to see the movies loved it . All of my fellow horror podcasters loved it . U missed the whole point of the movie . I need to get on Facebook to keep up with stuff
Krampus was great. Even for Jay, I was surprised at how low he rated it despite it being a horror/comedy since he clearly really digs Trick ‘r Treat.
Agree with Willis and Sal! OK, the gingerbread men were cartoony and that was weak, but I’m sure my son will enjoy that part when he’s a little older. Krampus did look amazing as Jay said too but I didn’t want to see too much Krampus, in the film (Jaws right?). Besides just Krampus, I loved the look of the Jack in the Box, the other toy monsters, the elves, the snowmen (snow people?), his sleigh, and reindeer. And bonus, Todd Packer showed up as well!
I’m with these guys, Jay. Once more, you missed the point of the movie as the Wild Man pointed out. I’m so sad that you didn’t like this. It was everything I was hoping for. Dark Mark is correct. Too much Krampus would’ve ruined the movie. He’s such a mysterious character that it would take away from his mystical status. Think of it this way, realistically, how much screen time does Jason have in any of his movies? It’s usually very limited. I’d say less than a fifth of the movie! We only see glimpses of him here and there and only get to see him in all of his glory when he comes out to kill someone. I think it’s an effective way to make him even scarier. If we were to see him all the time, then it wouldn’t be a big deal whenever he was on screen. As far as the gingerbread men go, yes, they were not the best looking CGI gingerbread men ever, but I have to strongly disagree on the look of the rest of Krampus’ motley crew. I thought they all looked great and were quite creepy. The Jack in the Box in particular was awesome. In my personal opinion, Krampus is far superior to Trick ‘r Treat. It may not be as in your face with the horror, but I think it’s ultimately the better movie. I’ll probably be in the minority though :/ Anyway, it’s a 9 and it made my top 10 of the year (spoiler alert!).
Dark Mark, I believe the snowmen were the elves just hiding, but don’t quote me on that.
Ah, that could be. As I watched the movie I thought the snowmen might represent people who were captured and in krampus’s sack.
Yeah I also thought about that. I need to watch it again to confirm what’s what. Does anyone have a definitive answer?
All I know is it’s pronounced “Krampus.”
Hahaha, I would like to know how to pronounce Dougherty for real. I feel Jay’s frustration on that one.
Easy… it’s pronounced “Dougherty.”
I can’t believe I didn’t see that coming.
That’s what she said 😉
I loved the look of the Jack in the Box. Creepiest creature in the movie, even moreso than the great Krampus.
Also J, you’re hanging off a cliff with me plucking fingers off one-by-one when you refer to the film of 2015 as Mad Max: No Story Road. :oP
What is brilliant to me about Fury Road is how much character and yes, story is there within things that are just depicted and alluded to, with barely any dialogue. The setting is so rich and detailed, and there doesn’t really need to be any spoken exposition, because you see everything in those first 20 minutes or so (and in other ways throughout the film) that tells you what this world is like and who these people are. For example, we don’t need an explanation of why the War Boys spray their teeth… it doesn’t matter how we interpret that, but the many details like that in the film do paint a vivid picture of the world we’re in and contribute to the story. I love that the screenplay doesn’t hold our hands by explaining things like that.
The actual plot was simple, sure, but effective as a vehicle to play out the operatic action (with so many amazing moments and ideas represented and carried out beautifully), and the choice to go back to take out Immortan Joe and claim the citadel was an interesting one at that moment.
Intellectually speaking, Ex Machina is probably my favorite movie of the year, and Room would be, emotionally/spiritually, but Fury Road is still the *movie of the year,* no doubt. An incredible achievement on many levels.
(Btw, I don’t mean to bust your chops, J… we agree on a lot of things… but it’s fun to disagree with you guys. Usually it’s Andy, though. Go figure.)
Oh man, this is a can of worms…
Were you privy to all of the FURY ROAD discussion during the summer?
I think I subscribed just after that was covered, but I’ve heard enough disparaging remarks since from J to know his feeling about it (please tell me Karl and Andy liked it, at least). I may have to listen to the original reviews sometime. Happy to open that can, though, and serve up some delicious worms in defense of the masterpiece of filmmaking that is Mad Max: Fury Road. :o)
Eh, bummer. That episode isn’t in the feed anymore, or on the website archives.
You might think J took it down out of shame… but, alas, the episode is right here >> https://moviepodcastweekly.com/movie-podcast-weekly-ep-138-mad-max-fury-road-2015-and-pitch-perfect-2-2015/
You can listen to the episode on the page or download the .mp3 to hear the origin of this saga. You can also scroll down to the comments section to see the beginnings of the “can of worms”… one of my comments near the bottom of the page also links to comments about the movie that appear on another episode page.
And, I’m not sure when you started listening to the podcast, but I actually sent money to J for his birthday in July to go see FURY ROAD in theaters again (with a little extra cash for a beverage and snack). He did, and ended up amending his original rating (still criminally low, though). I’ll provide a link to that episode in a reply to this comment (that way, this post won’t get stuck in moderation for having multiple links).
Like I said: can of worms… and this is just scratching the surface because there have been comments/discussions about it on other MPN shows/sites, as well as several emails I’ve sent in directly to MPW in defense of FURY ROAD’s brilliance.
[breathes] I get a little fired up talking about this…
Here’s a link to J’s birthday bash/second-take review on FURY ROAD >> https://moviepodcastweekly.com/movie-podcast-weekly-ep-144-dope-2015-and-the-third-annual-jasons-big-birthday-bash-20-movie-masterpieces/
You can skip ahead to the 13:20 mark for the juicy FURY ROAD bits.
Jason – I’ll try to email a Top 10 (or whatever) list before the deadline later this month, but I missed the podcast episode where you asked for requests for film reviews. Is it still possible to submit something now (not for prizes, of course)?
Having just watched the film a few days ago, I thought about posting my recommendation in the last episode’s comment section (since The Good Dinosaur was reviewed then), but after hearing this episode, I thought I’d put it here (in the hopes you might get a chance to review it before year’s end).
I’d say it’s the second best animated film of the year (after Inside Out – although Karl may like it better than that because it’s funnier): Shaun the Sheep Movie – another minor classic from Aardman Animations.
It’s already on Netflix so it’s easy to watch, plus it’s a great film for any age group – i.e. the entire family. As is the case with any well-written animated film, it has subtle jokes for adults mixed-in with the ones that are recognizable by everyone. And, as a further treat, the entire movie is without dialogue – using only sound effects, grunted speech effects (both human and animal) that convey emotions, plus a few lines/signs of written text. As such, it operates in the realm of the classic silent films, with hilarious and clever visual gags. I’d rate it an 8/10 and strongly recommend it to anyone that enjoys animated films – or even clever comedies.
+1
Shaun the Sheep is fantastic! My only 10/10 of the year. I still personally enjoy Inside Out a little better as an animated film (even though I rated that a 9), but I think Shaun is perfect for what it is. Super funny and charming.
Yes, I think both films are closely matched in terms of quality (and Rotten Tomatoes scores), and Shaun the Sheep is funnier and probably accomplishes it’s goals more thoroughly than Inside Out did. But I really appreciated the ambition and uniqueness of Inside Out; striving for something a bit outside of Pixar’s normal range – so I have to give it the edge for best animated film of the year. But everyone should see Shaun the Sheep Movie!
I agree 100%. I feel weird rating Shaun higher but considering Inside Out a better film overall, even in the animated category, but it’s a matter of context, I suppose. Inside Out is so innovative and insightful and just a great achievement, though I wouldn’t quite consider it “perfect.”
I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t been keeping up with my animation, but Shaun the Sheep has definitely been on my radar. Another one that I’m looking forward to a lot is Anomalisa. It releases on December 30th though, so I might end up considering that one a 2016 release.
Did you guys cover What We Do in the Shadows when it came out last spring? (I’ve only been listening since the summer.) That would be another recommendation to check out before making your year-end list (it’s currently on my Top 10).
It’s a mockumentary about a group of vampires sharing an apartment (er, flat) together in modern day New Zealand, co-written and starring Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords). The first time I saw it, about 20 minutes in I was thinking yeah, this is pretty funny, but can they stretch this over a whole film? But they found some clever directions to go that kept it fresh and funny, and I was really impressed with how it held up, and also viewing a second time at home. That’s a tough thing to do for any comedy. After Spinal Tap, this is now my favorite mockumentary of all time.
+1 to your recommendation too. I had a great time watching What We Do in the Shadows, and, like you, was repeatedly surprised at how they kept finding new ways to subvert old tropes in hilarious ways. All of the main characters (and many of the supporting characters) are really well-constructed for a comedy. I think it will also be in my Top 10 or very close.
Just watched it last night ! Review coming next week!
Great!
Josh covered it briefly in his recap of the Sundance 2014 in MPW #70. Josh then talked about it a little more in-depth over at Movie Stream Cast in episode #57.
I can’t seem to find any record of Jay reviewing it, which surprises me.
What We Do in Shadows was really entertaining though and would be a great pick for one of Andy’s assignments.
I looked at IMDB and they have What We Do in the Shadows as 2014 so when I sent Jay of the Dead my top 10 list I didn’t include it. That would’ve changed things.
Hmm yeah, released at Sundance and in Australia in 2014, but not in the U.S. until February 2015, which is when I saw it. I think it could count either way, for me, at least, but as it was going to be 9 or 10 on my list, anyway, it will probably be the one I bump if Force Awakens earns a spot.
Yesterday I just watched Return of the Jedi, and I was surprised that Jason said he thinks it’s the best, and I just wanted to offer up a defense as to why I don’t think it’s one of the best, and why I personally rank it among the lower tier of the franchise.
It’s basically because of the tone. Return of the Jedi is really inconsistent. Mostly because it’s supposed to be an epic conclusion to the cliff hanger from Empire Strikes Back. I don’t think it’s necessarily the Ewoks themselves, but more how they are used and more specifically because of the events that transpire on Endor. Functionally, the Ewok battle acts as a comedic juxtaposition to the darkness and emotional heft of the interactions between Luke, Vader, and the Emperor. Lucas often makes use of this technique presumably to cater to the younger audiences who may find the dark scenes to be too overbearing or even scary. A similar example can be seen in Revenge of the Sith when R2-D2 is creating slap stick comedy while at the same time Anakin is decapitating Count Dooku. In Return of the Jedi, you see a huge rebel ship being blown up by the new death star, presumably with thousands of rebels on board all being killed, which is then followed by scenes like Chewbacca and Ewoks making the Tarzan call while swinging on a vine. This level of comedic indifference eventually kills the tension and undermines the gravity of the confrontation of Luke and Vader as well as the death star battle.
Because of this, I see Return of the Jedi is only two thirds of a good film.
Hello J,
I thank you for putting on a podcast and going solo for those reviews you are truly an inspiration.
As for the 10 best I am putting my list together now and will be sending it soon however there are many movies coming out on the 25th in limited release that I know will make it to (hopefully). So far I have 9 on my list and they are all movies I have seen so some people may not agree with me but I have my picks and i’m sticking with them. Hey it is the review and the critique that we all love to listen to.
Also J can we put together a list of the top 10 worst films of 2015 I have a lot stinkers on my list…
As for what my prize to be im keeping that a secret until I send my list in don’t want anyone to steal my idea lol….
Hello J,
I have a recommendation for you and your fellow podcasters especially Ryan I was shopping at Walmart the other day going thru the $7 and $5 dollar DVD looking for some buried treasure like I always do, when I look up and see “Final Girls” on sale there for $14.95. I saw the trailer a few months ago and I just knew I had to see it. So I bought it that day and watched and I must say it is going to be on my top 10 list for sure. I am just surprised it was never released into the theaters or I must have missed it. I highly recommend it im giving it an 8.5 and the humor in it is outstanding. Please see it and soon,would love to hear your review on it as well as Ryan’s.
Mario
J – Thanks for the spoiler warning ahead of your review for SECRET IN THEIR EYES. Incidentally, this is one I wasn’t terribly interested in seeing, so I’ve already seen the trailer. 🙂
Still, you’re a good man.
…even if your contests are rigged. 😉
If I didn’t have bad luck then I’d have no luck at all. I’m pretty sure I’ve entered every single contest on every MPN show for at least the last year+, and have yet to win a single one. Woe, is me.
And that includes one where my odds were 50/50 (HMP listener picks contest)!
You know, I haven’t heard a single bit of talk about The Secret in Their Eyes. Literally the only reason why I knew about it was because I saw a single trailer of it before some movie at the theater. I can’t even find pirated copies of a CAM of it.
It’s a sad day when a movie has so little attention that not even pirates are interested.
J – I’m excited to see a review of GOODNIGHT MOMMY is coming up. I assume that means you were able to see it ahead of tonight’s taping of HMP’s top 10 horror of 2015. I’ve been trying to convince Josh to watch it, so hopefully he’ll be able to catch it before tonight.
As far as predictions for the film, I think Josh will love the film and it’ll be in his top 3 horror of the year. For you, J, I’m not quite so sure. My initial thought based on the pacing and subtlety of the film is that you wouldn’t be a huge fan. But, when taking the premise and content into consideration, that turns everything around and makes me think you’ll love the movie. So, I’ll be interested to hear where you fall on this one.
Just sitting here, waiting for the Ep. VI review to drop as we quickly approach the premiere of THE FORCE AWAKENS….
Errughem
So I saw “The Force Awakens” last night. I have no spoilers to divulge, but some may still not want to know anyone else’s reaction to the film before seeing it for themselves. I respect that. So if you don’t want to know what I thought, STOP READING.
I’ll wait a moment, for anyone who’s curious.
Dum-dum-dum, dah-dah-dum, dah-dah-dum.
Dum-dum-dum, dah-dah-dum, dah-dah-dum.
OK. Here goes.
I don’t have much to say. I’m still … cooling down. (Make of that what you will.) I’ve asked Admiral Ackbar to sum up both my own experience and my recommendation to all of you:
This comment worries me… but the internet has resoundingly agreed that this is a return to form in a big way. I’m seeing it tonight at 2:40AM. That’s right. It’ll be late, but it was the only time I could get a hold of tickets at the very back of the IMAX theater. I’m very, very excited.
FURTHER JUST-MY-TWO-CENTS OBSERVATIONS BELOW
Just so you know, Juan, “Star Wars” is my tribe. I’m about the furthest thing from a hater that could be imagined. I think I dressed up as Han Solo (or Indiana Jones) for the first seven or eight Halloweens of my childhood (although there was a ghostbuster in there at some point). I already have tickets purchased to see “The Force Awakens” two more times in the next four days (including in just a couple of hours from now). But that was all arranged before last night … and I’d be tempted to undo it if not for the other people involved. (Taking my 11-year-old daughter to her first “Star Wars” theatrical experience today. Going to see it with all of my coworkers on Monday.) J.J.’s take is not a wipeout. There’s some fun stuff here, and the caliber of filmmaking/tone/style is much more aligned with the original movies than the prequel trilogy. At least for me, however, “The Farce Awakens” is nowhere near the joyous return to form that the early buzz has made it out to be.
I find your lack of faith disturbing, Cody Clark… just kidding. Hey, for all I know I’ll be as lukewarm on it as you are. I have to say though, I’m not nearly as huge a Star Wars fan as you or Karl or Ryan, so perhaps my opinion on it will be more of a lowest common denominator. I’ll post my thoughts tomorrow and I hope you do so as well. I’m very curious to know why you’re not as big on it as seemingly everyone else.
I’ve got lots still processing after my two showings last night. I’m gonna hold my tongue until the podcast but let’s just say that I cried twice.
Guess what guys! Alan Dean Foster did Ep. 7 book as well!! I am listening to the Audiobook now available at Amazon! 🙂 Ill let you guys know if there is anything that is in the book that wasn’t in the Movie.
I caught The Hunting Ground a couple of days ago. While it was a depressing and scary documentary, I didn’t feel as if the movie itself was anything special. The subject matter was important, but there was a lot of repetitiveness. By time it was over, I’m not sure if I got anything more out of it or learned anything that I didn’t already know thanks to Jay’s short review. I wonder if it might have been a stronger film had they just focused on one of the stories instead of trying to cram in as many reports as possible. For example, the Jameis Winston case. This is the story that stood out to me the most partially because the accused is not some random faceless person. Not only are we told who this guy was at the time of the alleged attack, but his profile is even bigger today thanks to being up for NFL rookie of the year.
Overall, The Hunting Ground covers an interesting and terrifying topic that will make you never want to send your kids away to college. As a film, it wasn’t as interesting as the topic.