Disney buying Lucasfilm

[murdoc]

I'm worried about what Disney will do to Star Wars.

The guy they have writing it, the highlight of his career apparently is writing Toy Story 3, a little kids movie. Drew Karpyshyn would have been a better pick, writing Star Wars novels made him a bestseller.

Disney also oozes censorship, you really think they'll show people being hacked to pieces by laser swords like the previous films? Look at The Avengers. Good movie, yes, but compared to past Marvel movies, it was very toned down.

Not to mention they'll probably ignore the extended universe canon and flood it with cameos of old characters.

If Disney wants to do anything good for Star Wars, they should remake the original trilogy identically to the former, except with modern graphics and cast(I've always thought Zac Efron looked a lot like a young Mark Hamil.)

The highlight of Arndt's career was probably winning an Oscar, BAFTA and various other awards for his first produced feature length screenplay (Little Miss Sunshine) followed closely by getting a truck load of nominations for his second feature length screenplay (Toy Story 3). The Little Miss Sunshine screenplay in particular is one of my favourite screenoplays (and the movie was good too) - it is structurally great and the storytelling is superb.  As for Toy Story 3 being a kids movie - what do you think Star Wars was?

tl;dr - go sit on the naughty step and think about what you said.

As for Abrams, I liked Star Trek and MI3. Wasn't sold on Super 8 so much but more because of what it was trying to be rather than what it actually was. The direction was fine. Also, on recent form, where Abrams leads, Simon Pegg is likely to follow and that is not a bad thing either. 

Said everything better and much more politely than I would have. Well done.

Toy Story 3 is one of the best written movies out there, and Karpyshyn is a hack.

Correct.

[schild]

Anyone shitting on arndt for toy story or sunshine can fuck right off.

He is a properly disciplined writer who isn't likely to turn in 3 hours of flabby EU bullshit  and will hopefully complement and help limit JJA's fan service instincts.

Arndt is the guy giving me expectations for this film.

Little Miss Sunshine was intolerable hipster dreck.

[Ironwood]

Super 8 was balls.

[Rishathra]

John Carter was good.

[Paelos]

The writers are going to ruin this most likely. JJ seems to attract them like flies.

[tazelbain]

Since JJ turned Star Trek into Fantasy maybe he will turn Star Wars into SciFi?  Not bloody likely.

[Yegolev]

Little Miss Sunshine was intolerable hipster dreck.

Well... Alan Arkin.

[01101010]

They let Andrew Stanton do live action sci fi.....and we got John Carter of Mars...

Meh...it was not all THAT bad.

[murdoc]

The direction of John Carter wasn't the problem with it imo.

[Rishathra]

I liked everything about it except the lead.

[Draegan]

I really enjoyed John Carter.  They advertised it completely the wrong way though.  The only issue was the ramp up to the movie because you can get confused about the 4-arm aliens and the human looking people.  For a moment I thought the human war stuff was happening in the past and John was in the present.

[Ratman_tf]

John Carter was ok, but not special or awesome, which is what I wanted. :(

And Dejah Thoris being a scientist, warrior and princess seemed like she had too many jobs.

[MahrinSkel]

John Carter was ok, but not special or awesome, which is what I wanted. :(

And Dejah Thoris being a scientist, warrior and princess seemed like she had too many jobs.

Everything Heinlein knew about characters, he learned from ERB.  Seriously, I thought John Carter being the prototype for the 'Heinlein Boy Scout' was obvious even before he lampshaded it in Number Of The Beast.

--Dave

[Venkman]

All the Toy Stories are family movies. They are perfectly serviceable adventure stories without over-reliance on violence and swearing.

They are no more exclusively for kids than Indiana Jones or Spiderman. Or Star Wars.

But as you say, the key point is that they are good movies.

All of this. Yes, it's got to be good on its own merit, good enough to not be compared at all to the prequels. But it also has to be fun enough specifically to kids to bring in a much needed new generation to the IP, even if we're the ones buying our kids the tickets

And yes, SW 7 can stay right away from the EU pap. That's always been just filler anyway. Some of it is relatively fun if you're really into Star Wars in the same way someone actually buys a Mass Effect or Dragon Age novel. But that's not an audience anywhere sufficiently large enough to target a movie. Some fun insider-knowledge stuff is fine if handled quickly, like the equivalent of Chekov pronouncing Vs would be some background bit of a blue skinned alien admiral or some shit.

[Merusk]

Here's the thing, guys, you all are showing your age.

Hated as they are by the 27+ crowd, I've come across more than one 25 and under (who would have been 10 when they first came out) who thought the Prequels were perfectly serviceable movies.   I know plenty of kids through my own in the 15-and-under crowd who PREFER them to the originals.

So stew on that for a bit, regardless of what happens, and remember.  You're Not the target.  You haven't been for a long time.   A long time.

[Yegolev]

That's probably a similar effect to how I thought G.I. Joe and Smurfs was good when I was a kid.  Young people have low standards, old people complain a lot.

[Ratman_tf]

So stew on that for a bit, regardless of what happens, and remember.  You're Not the target.  You haven't been for a long time.   A long time.

Doesn't mean I can't bitch about things. 

[Riggswolfe]

You know, I am still unwilling to believe this Abrams thing isn't just some bit of misinformation. He seemed rather adamant and I have trouble believing Paramount wouldn't throw a shit fit about it.

As for the rest of the comments going on, Pixar writers are good, Schild throws in random Joss hate, in other words, nothing to see her. :)

[Lucas]

Personally, I would be VERY interested in a new trilogy that explores the very origin of the SW universe: Celestials, Rakata, discovery of the Force, foundation of the jedi order and the Republic, Sith Race, but I guess that is already too specific, not mainstream enough, and wouldn't appeal the masses (and maybe the long time fans, I don't know):

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_galactic_history

You know, they could cover about 11,000 years of story   

After the discovery of the Force
c. 36,453 BBY
Philosophers and scientists from several star systems gather on Tython to share mystical knowledge.
The Force is discovered.
The Je'daii Order is founded.

The arrival of Force-sensitives on Tython triggers a force storm that would go unrivaled for 10,000 years.

c. 35,000 BBY
The Castle Lands of Oroboro are built by the Killiks on Alderaan.
The Infinite Empire of the Rakata, which uses the Force (or at least its Dark Side), is officially established.[13]

c. 33,598 BBY
The central control system of the Infinite Empire's terraformation project on Kashyyyk receives what ultimately proves to be the final communication from its builders. 241 galactic standard years later, the system would eventually malfunction and causes a hyper-acceleration in the growth of the Kashyyyk forests, ultimately resulting in the development of the current planetary climate.

c. 33,357 BBY
The Rakatan terraforming computer on Kashyyyk malfunctions, causing a hyper–acceleration in the growth of the planet's forests.[14]

c. 30,000 BBY
The Infinite Empire reaches its peak and constructs the Star Forge.[15]
The Killiks are driven from Alderaan and Alsakan.
The Sith King Adas unifies the Sith nations on Korriban.

c. 28,000 BBY
Reign of King Adas over the Sith begins. He unifies the Sith nations on Korriban.[16]
Heretical Sith exiles first travel to Tund.[17] They will evolve as the Sorcerers of Tund.

c. 27,700 BBY
The Rakata arrive on Korriban. Adas leads the Sith to victory over the alien invaders but is killed in the process.

c. 27,500 BBY
The first Human colonists land on Alderaan.[18]

[skip to]

The Old Republic era

c. 25,053 BBY
The Rakatan Hyperdrive is adapted, manufactured, and widely distributed by the Corellians.[12][24]
The Unification Wars are fought.[12][25]
The development of the hyperdrive expands the known galaxy. To keep order, several star systems form a democratic alliance.[20]
The Galactic Republic is founded.[26]
The Galactic Constitution is signed.[27]
Coruscant becomes the Republic's capital.[28]

The End. 

[Venkman]

Unfortunately that's fringe stuff even in the context of EU. It's a lot of history, but I'll believe a Simarillion movie before I believe they'll talk about Killiks or anything covered in Knights of the Old Republic.

I know plenty of kids through my own in the 15-and-under crowd who PREFER them to the originals.

Same, except most of the ones I know thought they were merely servicable and, unfortunately, forgettable.

We all grew up with kids-only stuff that parents suffered through (Winnie the Pooh, Pete's Dragon, The Muppet Movie). We also had movies with transgenerational appeal like E.T (kids movies), Superman I (older kids movie), Raiders (something for everyone until they invented PG-13 for Temple of Doom, Back to the Future, Star Wars).

The kids-only movies have nostalgia appeal, but the others have a more cultural general appeal. It's only the sub-cultures that derived from origin content that gave rise to those movies (comics) or expanded universe content that resulted from those them(books) that have the belief the movies were specifically targeting them at a certain age.

I don't want to use the "timeless classic" usually reserved for movies that need that label to contextualize black and white or cultural sensibilities from a different time. But even the original Sabrina and Miracle on 34th Street stand up to time, probably because most of the people seeing them nowadays weren't alive at first airing, so they're intrinsically for everyone

[eldaec]

Personally, I would be VERY interested in a new trilogy that explores the very origin of the SW universe: Celestials, Rakata, discovery of the Force, foundation of the jedi order and the Republic, Sith Race, but I guess that is already too specific, not mainstream enough, and wouldn't appeal the masses (and maybe the long time fans, I don't know):

A film about the foundation of jedi set a long time ago would be fine - so long as they drop all the bullshit in the books (and games) and start again with a blank sheet of paper.

But they'd be stupid to go near anything that could be called a prequel till they have a normal and successful film in the can.

[Lantyssa]

That's probably a similar effect to how I thought G.I. Joe and Smurfs was good when I was a kid.  Young people have low standards, old people complain a lot.

They were shit back then, too.

[Ratman_tf]

That's probably a similar effect to how I thought G.I. Joe and Smurfs was good when I was a kid.  Young people have low standards, old people complain a lot.

They were shit back then, too.

Everything is shit. There's just people who haven't realized it yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-GShbugITk

[Margalis]

This quote is so misguided I'm wondering if it's a troll.  Considering I've seen 60 year old men cry at the end of Toy Story 3 (Christ it still makes me tear up) they are Definately not just kids movie.  See finding nemo, the incredibles and ratatouille.

Getting people to cry is not the sign of a good or adult movie. 40-year old women cry watching Twilight or Marley and Me.

Pixar movies are full of juvenile jokes, trite messaging and a distinct lack of anything not remotely boring. And by that I don't mean I need a ton of action scenes, I mean I need something engaging on a level other than "an animated character made some googly eyes!"

As an adult I don't understand why anyone would choose to watch a Pixar movie of their own volition. I guess we can agree to disagree though. If it makes you feel better Pixar movies are probably better than LOTR movies at least. If nothing else they're over sooner.

[Simond]

The hipster "Everything popular is terrible" bullshit is reaching critical levels in this thread (and forum).

[eldaec]

Yeah, the page and a half of people defending toy story from EU fans and Margalis was making me think that.

 

Also, quite a bit of popular stuff is in fact, really bad.

[DraconianOne]

You know, I am still unwilling to believe this Abrams thing isn't just some bit of misinformation. He seemed rather adamant and I have trouble believing Paramount wouldn't throw a shit fit about it.

It's official now

[Lantyssa]

The X-wings need lensflare, too.

[Merusk]

Margalis is too refined for popular culture.

Yet he keeps coming here.

[Margalis]

The hipster "Everything popular is terrible" bullshit is reaching critical levels in this thread (and forum).

Calling anyone who disagrees with you a hipster is the height of stupidity.

Margalis is too refined for popular culture.

I like some popular things. I just don't blindly like all of them. When did not mindlessly liking schlock become a character flaw? So you guys all love Twilight I guess? 'Cause you know, only hipsters possess taste that in any way deviates from the mainstream.

Also, quite a bit of popular stuff is in fact, really bad.

Bingo. Though to be fair Pixar movies are fine at entertaining kids and not being offensive to adults. (Although I found the trite anti-consumerism message of Wall-E pretty offensive to my intelligence) I just don't see why an adult sans kids would watch them.

If people are trying to make me feel bad for not being into The Big Bang Theory and Hunger Games it's not going to work!

[Simond]

That sounds like the sort of thing a hipster would say! 

[Lakov_Sanite]

Pixar movies are popular because they are wildly hailed as good and in some cases great.  Not everything popular is quality, look at McDonalds however if you believe pixar movies are not good or don't see why an adult would watch them then you are in a very, very small minority.

[Margalis]

So...you guys hate minorities? 

[Khaldun]

John Carter was ok, but not special or awesome, which is what I wanted. :(

And Dejah Thoris being a scientist, warrior and princess seemed like she had too many jobs.

Complain to Edgar Rice Burroughs.

It's like bitching that Doc Savage can do everything. It's the pulps, you know? Pulps may have bred nerd culture, but nerd culture doesn't seem to understand the logic of pulps.

[Morat20]

Arguing about what is and isn't a hipster makes you a hipster.