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General Chat => Film & TV => Topic started by: Goaty on 07 April, 2016, 12:58:16 PM

Title: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 07 April, 2016, 12:58:16 PM
New Trailer!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wji-BZ0oCwg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wji-BZ0oCwg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 07 April, 2016, 02:03:32 PM
Pushing all the right buttons for me!  I sort of wish that it didn't follow the TFA style quite so closely, but otherwise, yeah looks good.  And was that actually Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mothma? Nice touch, if so.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: jacob g on 07 April, 2016, 02:50:00 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 07 April, 2016, 02:03:32 PM
And was that actually Genevieve O'Reilly as Mon Mothma? Nice touch, if so.

Yes!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 07 April, 2016, 04:49:46 PM
So love this scene!

(https://49.media.tumblr.com/a9cf9142591139d096412ee4fa148371/tumblr_o59nsetPSu1tu6tfso3_500.gif)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 07 April, 2016, 04:50:53 PM
I am absolutely stoked for this!!  In fact, more so than The Force Awakens!

AT-ATs!  Death Star!  Star Destroyers!  The original (and best) Stormtrooper outfits!!

Yeah, it looks bloody great - cannot wait.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Grugz on 07 April, 2016, 05:31:57 PM
as a stormtrooper aficionado I can already feel the pull of the black series versions of the new black trooper,the tank pilots and a sand coloured fella running down a corridor!!! looks damn good overall cant wait for some classic era star wars action!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 07 April, 2016, 05:44:37 PM
So anyone realise Canary Wharf tube station...?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: ZenArcade on 07 April, 2016, 05:53:05 PM
Not having watched the force awakens yet....apathy. This does look rather good. Z
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 07 April, 2016, 06:03:55 PM
When they first talked about the expanded universe in film I was concerned.  Over the years quality has been diluted with quantity way too often.  That said, this trailer speaks to quite high levels of production detail.  This looks like it may well go some way to block out the bitter memory of the prequels.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: James Dilworth on 07 April, 2016, 06:22:23 PM
Felicity Jones looks hard as nails.

I think I'm in love.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: ZenArcade on 07 April, 2016, 06:23:33 PM
Steady Jimmy my boy, steady...Z
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: James Dilworth on 07 April, 2016, 06:30:45 PM
 :lol:
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Zarjazzer on 07 April, 2016, 07:00:37 PM
Rebel scum!


looks pretty good tho i saw another bit with an ISD next to [spoiler]THE DEATH STAR WOT GOT BLEW UP IN ANH[/spoiler].

cool fun.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 07 April, 2016, 09:08:03 PM
For all my disappointment with that otehr film I can't help but be a little excited about that one. Looks very good. I guess I'll try to keep away from it now to go in fresh, but fingers crossed.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 07 April, 2016, 09:50:35 PM


The 'real' Episode III.


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 07 April, 2016, 10:33:09 PM
I'm fascinated to see how they leave this one. Presumably Disney will want to keep their sequel options open, but it would be cool to see something with a complete (within obvious constraints) story.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Pyroxian on 07 April, 2016, 10:46:32 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 07 April, 2016, 10:33:09 PM
I'm fascinated to see how they leave this one. Presumably Disney will want to keep their sequel options open, but it would be cool to see something with a complete (within obvious constraints) story.

I think the plan for the Stories are that they are intended to be standalone films.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 07 April, 2016, 10:50:13 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 07 April, 2016, 10:33:09 PM
I'm fascinated to see how they leave this one. Presumably Disney will want to keep their sequel options open, but it would be cool to see something with a complete (within obvious constraints) story.


2 inbetweenquels that slot-in before Empire and Jedi featuring the same characters.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Magnetica on 08 April, 2016, 12:04:21 AM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 07 April, 2016, 07:00:37 PM
looks pretty good tho i saw another bit with an ISD next to [spoiler]THE DEATH STAR WOT GOT BLEW UP IN ANH[/spoiler].

Spoiler tag for that? Seriously?

There can hardly be a person on the planet who doesn't know what the ending of that film is. ;)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 08 April, 2016, 01:23:25 AM
Quote from: Pyroxian on 07 April, 2016, 10:46:32 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 07 April, 2016, 10:33:09 PM
I'm fascinated to see how they leave this one. Presumably Disney will want to keep their sequel options open, but it would be cool to see something with a complete (within obvious constraints) story.

I think the plan for the Stories are that they are intended to be standalone films.

But if Rogue One is a hit, how long will it remain standalone?  And will Disney take that risk by giving it a definite ending? I like Joe's suggestion for Rogues Two and Three.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 08 April, 2016, 01:42:13 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 08 April, 2016, 01:23:25 AM
Quote from: Pyroxian on 07 April, 2016, 10:46:32 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 07 April, 2016, 10:33:09 PM
I'm fascinated to see how they leave this one. Presumably Disney will want to keep their sequel options open, but it would be cool to see something with a complete (within obvious constraints) story.

I think the plan for the Stories are that they are intended to be standalone films.

But if Rogue One is a hit, how long will it remain standalone?  And will Disney take that risk by giving it a definite ending? I like Joe's suggestion for Rogues Two and Three.

Rogue Two standing by
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: paddykafka on 08 April, 2016, 11:07:50 AM
And for your further delectation, check out the link here below.

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/ewok-of-ages-a-star-wars-story-review-a-playfully-subversive-tour-de-force-1.2593942?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Ffilm%2Fewok-of-ages-a-star-wars-story-review-a-playfully-subversive-tour-de-force-1.2593942


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 April, 2016, 12:01:00 PM
Quote from: paddykafka on 08 April, 2016, 11:07:50 AM
And for your further delectation, check out the link here below.

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/ewok-of-ages-a-star-wars-story-review-a-playfully-subversive-tour-de-force-1.2593942?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Ffilm%2Fewok-of-ages-a-star-wars-story-review-a-playfully-subversive-tour-de-force-1.2593942

I'll assume that was a belated April Fool. (Posting a link asking me to subscribe to the Irish Times, I mean, rather than the Ewok story)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 08 April, 2016, 12:24:38 PM
I would watch another Ewoks movie.  I can see a few million kids also watching a movie about man-eating teddy bears - probably while their dads look annoyed by the fact that when they were kids, they thought the Ewoks were awesome but have since aligned with a revisionist consensus on the matter (see also: "George Lucas doesn't understand Star Wars.  Not like I do.").
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 08 April, 2016, 12:58:12 PM
I wouldn't change one bit of ROTJ, including the Ewoks.  They are a great 'in' to get my daughters watching the film.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 08 April, 2016, 01:04:20 PM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 07 April, 2016, 07:00:37 PM
looks pretty good tho i saw another bit with an ISD next to .

ISD?
International School of Düsseldorf
Inhibited sexual desire
International Subscriber Dialling
Isosorbide dinitrate
Ian Stuart Donaldson
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 08 April, 2016, 01:58:31 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 07 April, 2016, 05:44:37 PM
So anyone realise Canary Wharf tube station...?

Didn't quite get this at first but having seen a few more articles ....  Canary Wharf as a stand in for the Death Star?  Chortle!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: paddykafka on 08 April, 2016, 03:10:37 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 April, 2016, 12:01:00 PM
Quote from: paddykafka on 08 April, 2016, 11:07:50 AM
And for your further delectation, check out the link here below.

http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/ewok-of-ages-a-star-wars-story-review-a-playfully-subversive-tour-de-force-1.2593942?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fculture%2Ffilm%2Fewok-of-ages-a-star-wars-story-review-a-playfully-subversive-tour-de-force-1.2593942

I'll assume that was a belated April Fool. (Posting a link asking me to subscribe to the Irish Times, I mean, rather than the Ewok story)

Actually it was the Ewok story that was the April Fool's one. I wouldn't subscribe to any club that would have me as a member, lol.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Batman's Superior Cousin on 08 April, 2016, 08:36:03 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 08 April, 2016, 01:04:20 PM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 07 April, 2016, 07:00:37 PM
looks pretty good tho i saw another bit with an ISD next to .

ISD?
International School of Düsseldorf
Inhibited sexual desire
International Subscriber Dialling
Isosorbide dinitrate
Ian Stuart Donaldson

Imperial Star Destroyer
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 09 April, 2016, 10:52:32 AM
Brother Ghost Dog!

Looks better than I expected but, while I enjoyed the last film, I can't shake the feeling that by the time they've churned out two or three more with increasingly minor tweaks in uniform and equipment, everyone will be crying out for something as distinctive as Phantom Menace.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 09 April, 2016, 11:21:01 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 09 April, 2016, 10:52:32 AM
Brother Ghost Dog!


Ha! I thought the same... Ghost Dog has one of my favourite soundtracks too.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 09 April, 2016, 11:23:24 AM
I like the look and darker tone of the Rogue One Trailer. The dialogue "I'm a rebel!" is pretty awful but general bad assery weapons, some explosive action scenes and Jyn Erso's crim turned Rebel Operative reminded this old boy of Blakes 7's dirty half dozens battle against the Federation. That didn't end happily and some comments conclude that the final image of Jyn dressed as an Imperial Pilot suggests a similar fate for her but as I recall in the S.W-ANH Luke and Han dressed up as Stormtroopers to get passed Imperial Security.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Frank on 09 April, 2016, 11:41:22 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 09 April, 2016, 10:52:32 AM
I can't shake the feeling that by the time they've churned out two or three more with increasingly minor tweaks in uniform and equipment, everyone will be crying out for something as distinctive as Phantom Menace.


I came up with this, and thought I was making a really clever point about how long you can get away with the same look, the same characters, and same stories ...


(http://i.imgur.com/orss3ea.png?1)(http://i.imgur.com/qfNXmAs.png?1)(http://i.imgur.com/UEnNfcj.png?1)


... then I realised Star Wars (1977-2016) has actually been running longer than Wayne's entire career as a cowboy (Stagecoach, 1939, to The Shootist, 1976), or even the Western genre's time as a mainstream feature. I'm not sure if that proves Star Wars is breaking new ground or if it's already past its sell by date.

Can we read the universal acclaim for the Rogue One trailer as a tacit admission that the last one wasn't actually very good?


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: ZenArcade on 09 April, 2016, 11:47:42 AM
Cosh has pretty much summed up my concerns. Z
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 09 April, 2016, 11:48:30 AM
Quote from: Butch on 09 April, 2016, 11:41:22 AM

... then I realised Star Wars (1977-2016) has actually been running longer than Wayne's entire career as a cowboy (Stagecoach, 1939, to The Shootist, 1976), or even the Western genre's time as a mainstream feature.

While that is a fantastic fact I think I was happier when I didn'T know it!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 09 April, 2016, 11:58:16 AM
I think it is worth remembering that Star Wars was a visual feast  on scant bones.  It is brain candy of the highest order.  The problem they have now is that after nearly forty years it is becoming a bit more apparent.  I don't think many of us went to see TAF expecting to be blown away and personally I don't expect it with this.  It looks enjoyable and that is really about it if we are completely honest.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 09 April, 2016, 12:52:57 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 09 April, 2016, 10:52:32 AM
... by the time they've churned out two or three more with increasingly minor tweaks in uniform and equipment, everyone will be crying out for something as distinctive as Phantom Menace.

And at that point Disney will give us exactly that.  That's the beauty of being in the hands of such a professional fan-service provider.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 09 April, 2016, 01:16:02 PM
Although it may be a slightly bitter pill given the lengths to which they've encouraged shitting on TPM and its sequels.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 09 April, 2016, 01:24:33 PM
Quote from: Professor Wolfgang Von Bear on 09 April, 2016, 01:16:02 PM
Although it may be a slightly bitter pill given the lengths to which they've encouraged shitting on TPM and its sequels.

Just resting that IP cow until the time is right to milk it again.  In fairness to Disney, Rebels is keeping the Prequel flame alive - many of its key elements are straight from the prequels, albeit filtered through TCW.  And has been mentioned a lot lately, Rogue One is actually the fourth prequel.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 17 May, 2016, 05:28:06 PM
(http://nerdist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Rogue-One-Vader.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 18 May, 2016, 12:57:17 PM
Quote from: Butch on 09 April, 2016, 11:41:22 AM
Can we read the universal acclaim for the Rogue One trailer as a tacit admission that the last one wasn't actually very good?
Nope - I'm looking forward to Rogue One after watching the trailer, and still like The Force Awakens.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Michael Knight on 18 May, 2016, 07:35:53 PM
With you on that Sheridan Mate! I really do find Felicity Jones to be a bit of a fox aswell! ;)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Grugz on 22 May, 2016, 10:24:10 AM
is that a hairy sontaran alien in there?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Big_Dave on 22 May, 2016, 02:15:06 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji1XFQa2Bhs
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 22 May, 2016, 02:22:44 PM
Quote from: Big_Dave on 22 May, 2016, 02:15:06 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji1XFQa2Bhs

This made me smile again after a pretty awful Sunday.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 31 May, 2016, 11:37:01 PM
Some people have a bad feeling (http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/05/31/rogue-one-goes-in-for-reshoots/) about Rogue One.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 31 May, 2016, 11:56:36 PM
Audiences didn't give a shit about The Force Awakens' shortcomings.  Rogue One will be fine.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Michael Knight on 01 June, 2016, 12:11:35 AM
agreed! all will be fine! Star Wars survived the Phantom Menace! It will survive this! :)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 01 June, 2016, 12:31:58 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 31 May, 2016, 11:37:01 PM
Some people have a bad feeling (http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/05/31/rogue-one-goes-in-for-reshoots/) about Rogue One.

There's been rumblings about this for a long time. I remember hearing about Chris McQuarrie being drafted in for emergency rewrites - to 'save' the script/story in a World War Z type situation - a while back, but the news didn't seem to get picked up by many outlets.

Beats me why they're (apparently) finding this such a tough nut to crack - it basically sounds like it should be a fairly formulaic heist/action movie with added TIE Fighters and blasters. Should be a home run... Maybe they feel that it's not enough of a crowdpleaser in its current shape, and they're going to shoehorn in a load of jokey moments a la Thor 2?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 01 June, 2016, 12:40:51 AM
If I had to guess, it's because of the characters being unlikable.  It's a common thing in modern media that writers aim for "jaded" but just end up with "prick."
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Steve Green on 01 June, 2016, 08:40:27 AM
Ant-man again.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 01 June, 2016, 11:28:04 AM
Quote from: radiator on 01 June, 2016, 12:31:58 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 31 May, 2016, 11:37:01 PM
Some people have a bad feeling (http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/05/31/rogue-one-goes-in-for-reshoots/) about Rogue One.

There's been rumblings about this for a long time. I remember hearing about Chris McQuarrie being drafted in for emergency rewrites - to 'save' the script/story in a World War Z type situation - a while back, but the news didn't seem to get picked up by many outlets.
Beats me why they're (apparently) finding this such a tough nut to crack - it basically sounds like it should be a fairly formulaic heist/action movie with added TIE Fighters and blasters. Should be a home run... Maybe they feel that it's not enough of a crowdpleaser in its current shape, and they're going to shoehorn in a load of jokey moments a la Thor 2?

Seems a fairly straight forward idea- the dirty half dozen in space raid the Empire for the Death Star plans. It almost tells itself. Perhaps having intergalactic crooks who aren't Han Solo might be off putting to some people. 'Rebel' can occasionally come across as a crass individualist rather than someone fighting collectively to thwart evil but we're outside whats happening here, trying to read the tea leaves over this event. The evil Empire of Disney must have noticed something they felt was wrong and if audience test were disappointing then something is off center. Give it to some twoothy writers Disney. They'll get it up to speed !
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 01 June, 2016, 12:03:10 PM
Everyone keeps saying this is a heist movie, but doesn't the original film state that the plans were stolen by spies during a battle against the Empire?  The Dirty Dozen/heist stuff makes events sound more premeditated than the original story suggested.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 01 June, 2016, 12:54:29 PM
I'm intrigued by the shift in tone over the past year. When first announced the vibe was that this was going to be Star Wars' gritty military movie, Saving Private Ryan, Zero Dark Thirty and Black Hawk Down all rolled into one grubby white armoured shell. With each spurt of info it seems to be shifting further into the kid-friendly caper zone (you don't hear me complaining). My guess would be rewrires and reshoots are continuing this trajectory.

Anyhow, so far the trails haven't inspired me: a Star Destroyer collision alarm instead of a BRAAAM horn isn't quite enough to get me excited, Captain. But maybe they haven't had time for anything else.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Steve Green on 01 June, 2016, 04:35:34 PM
It would have been a bit crazy to have a vastly different tone in the sequel to a film restarting the film franchise.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: GordonR on 01 June, 2016, 05:57:56 PM
If you've ever read any of the Republic Commando SW novels, you'll quickly realise how little the grim'n'gritty hardcore military style of story suits the Star Wars universe.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 01 June, 2016, 06:15:59 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 01 June, 2016, 12:03:10 PM
Everyone keeps saying this is a heist movie, but doesn't the original film state that the plans were stolen by spies during a battle against the Empire?  The Dirty Dozen/heist stuff makes events sound more premeditated than the original story suggested.

'Battle' is vague enough to suggest any number of events - much like 'Your father was a great pilot' = podracing. I fully expect that they're going for a Star Wars themed Dirty Dozen with this.

Seems very straightforward to me -

1. Establish the plucky heroine, her personal motivation and outline the broader stakes of the mission at hand
2. Cut to humourous montage of recruiting/training the rag tag, broadly archetypal team of soldiers
3. The team's first mission is a failure, sowing seeds of doubt in the whole enterprise. Stakes raised, maybe the heroine's mentor figure dies or something. Just when the heroine is about to quit and walk away, a glimmer of hope is rekindled. Set up third act twist.
4. The final mission - cue some noble sacrifices, surprise cameos from established SW characters and an unexpected betrayal of the group by one or more of its members (who, in a suspension of disbelief-stretching twist, is revealed to have been a double agent the whole time). Third act plot twist - [spoiler]"Darth Vader is here!"[/spoiler]. All seems lost.
5. Victory from the jaws of defeat. Credits.

Seems like the sort of thing any journeyman writer could dust off in an afternoon, but here we are, three big name screenwriters later. I can imagine, given the critical response to Monsters and Godzilla (2014), that the problems are probably character related.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 01 June, 2016, 06:36:16 PM
Quote from: GordonR on 01 June, 2016, 05:57:56 PM
If you've ever read any of the Republic Commando SW novels, you'll quickly realise how little the grim'n'gritty hardcore military style of story suits the Star Wars universe.

Testify.

If this is as it appears, a sharply written family-friendly Dirty Dozen or even Ocean's 11 with AT-ATs, it will suit me grand. I live in dread of SW movies going grimdark. RotS already went too far, IMHO. Luke's Dad murdering children out of the blue and Ben watching his 'brother' slowly burn to death while filching his gear... not necessary.

In the positive column, Disney are many things, but they aren't stupid.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Misanthrope on 01 June, 2016, 06:59:17 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 01 June, 2016, 12:03:10 PM
Everyone keeps saying this is a heist movie, but doesn't the original film state that the plans were stolen by spies during a battle against the Empire?

That was RotJ.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 01 June, 2016, 07:19:41 PM
Quote from: GordonR on 01 June, 2016, 05:57:56 PM
If you've ever read any of the Republic Commando SW novels, you'll quickly realise how little the grim'n'gritty hardcore military style of story suits the Star Wars universe.

I'd settle for the Star Wars version of Kelly's Heroes.


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 01 June, 2016, 07:22:26 PM
Quote from: Misanthrope on 01 June, 2016, 06:59:17 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 01 June, 2016, 12:03:10 PM
Everyone keeps saying this is a heist movie, but doesn't the original film state that the plans were stolen by spies during a battle against the Empire?

That was RotJ.

Nah, it's in the opening crawl for ANH.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 01 June, 2016, 07:26:25 PM
Quote from: radiator on 01 June, 2016, 06:15:59 PM'Battle' is vague enough to suggest any number of events - much like 'Your father was a great pilot' = podracing.

As a slip of lad Anakin did attack the Trade Federation in a Naboo fighter which is pretty much the same period of time Obi-Wan "first met" Luke's father - but again that's exactly an example of how loose Star Wars exposition by vernacular can be interpreted to fit whatever story is being created.


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 01 June, 2016, 07:55:02 PM
"I'll try spinning. That's a good trick!"
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 01 June, 2016, 08:09:58 PM
Quote from: radiator on 01 June, 2016, 07:55:02 PM
"I'll try spinning. That's a good trick!"

That's how the Force works.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 01 June, 2016, 08:11:05 PM
(https://media.giphy.com/media/3oGRFF7ClUXX5dTf0c/giphy.gif)

Quite battley, that!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 01 June, 2016, 08:37:11 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 01 June, 2016, 08:09:58 PM
Quote from: radiator on 01 June, 2016, 07:55:02 PM
"I'll try spinning. That's a good trick!"

That's how the Force works.

(https://i.imgflip.com/wlq7w.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 01 June, 2016, 09:51:21 PM
Quotebut again that's exactly an example of how loose Star Wars exposition by vernacular can be interpreted to fit whatever story is being created.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CFZFPKhUsAAXBDQ.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Theblazeuk on 02 June, 2016, 02:25:41 PM
Quote from: GordonR on 01 June, 2016, 05:57:56 PM
If you've ever read any of the Republic Commando SW novels, you'll quickly realise how little the grim'n'gritty hardcore military style of story suits the Star Wars universe.

The Rogue/Wraith Squadron books show it fits the Sharpe (for want of a better comparison) style of war story though.

Also I think the best Wars in Star Wars were realised in 2003:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnwXu0ZpySY
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JamesC on 02 June, 2016, 02:39:27 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 02 June, 2016, 02:25:41 PM
Quote from: GordonR on 01 June, 2016, 05:57:56 PM
If you've ever read any of the Republic Commando SW novels, you'll quickly realise how little the grim'n'gritty hardcore military style of story suits the Star Wars universe.

The Rogue/Wraith Squadron books show it fits the Sharpe (for want of a better comparison) style of war story though.


Forget Sharpe, let's have Imperial Officer Flashman.

..I actually think that would work amazingly well!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: von Boom on 02 June, 2016, 03:52:58 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 02 June, 2016, 02:39:27 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 02 June, 2016, 02:25:41 PM
Quote from: GordonR on 01 June, 2016, 05:57:56 PM
If you've ever read any of the Republic Commando SW novels, you'll quickly realise how little the grim'n'gritty hardcore military style of story suits the Star Wars universe.

The Rogue/Wraith Squadron books show it fits the Sharpe (for want of a better comparison) style of war story though.


Forget Sharpe, let's have Imperial Officer Flashman.

..I actually think that would work amazingly well!

Flashman set in Star Wars...

(https://media.giphy.com/media/AVilYmB74xhK/giphy-facebook_s.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 23 June, 2016, 08:48:32 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/uTNGA3u.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/M1p4Rcy.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Eo5zRE4.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/JTKVtVx.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Aen86v5.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ntPKjQY.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/CO9e75y.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Big_Dave on 23 June, 2016, 09:21:08 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 23 June, 2016, 08:48:32 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/uTNGA3u.jpg)[/img]

they are all daniel craig this time


(http://i0.wp.com/www.tor.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/james-bond-stormtrooper.jpg?fit=550%2C%209999&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C365px)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 23 June, 2016, 10:38:16 PM
Big-Dave's gag is by far the most interesting thing about those boring, awkward photos. I have a bad feeling about this.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Steve Green on 23 June, 2016, 11:08:12 PM
Maybe it's an homage to the Carrie Fisher jedi photoshoot...

*clutching at straws*
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 24 June, 2016, 02:37:30 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 23 June, 2016, 10:38:16 PM
Big-Dave's gag is by far the most interesting thing about those boring, awkward photos. I have a bad feeling about this.

Come, now. It could be worse:

(http://cdn.movieweb.com/img.site/PH3OSiFnxbRa6c_1_l.jpg)

(http://static1.squarespace.com/static/51b3dc8ee4b051b96ceb10de/t/545255f6e4b024482985fb43/1414682108242/http%3A%2F%2Fpopwatch.ew.com%2F2014%2F10%2F29%2Fthis-weeks-cover-first-look-at-terminator-genisys%2F3)

(http://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/terminator-genysis-2-thumb-500x500_c.jpg?ffb0fd)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Grugz on 15 July, 2016, 06:50:26 PM
some sizzling new stuff shown at celebration...

  http://www.denofgeek.com/uk/movies/star-wars/38564/star-wars-rogue-one-celebration-video-shows-new-footage

is warwick davies the cackling gunner alien?
 
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 15 July, 2016, 07:27:49 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/0BUIJY0.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: James Dilworth on 15 July, 2016, 08:04:41 PM
Quote from: radiator on 24 June, 2016, 02:37:30 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 23 June, 2016, 10:38:16 PM
Big-Dave's gag is by far the most interesting thing about those boring, awkward photos. I have a bad feeling about this.

Come, now. It could be worse:

(http://cdn.movieweb.com/img.site/PH3OSiFnxbRa6c_1_l.jpg)

(http://static1.squarespace.com/static/51b3dc8ee4b051b96ceb10de/t/545255f6e4b024482985fb43/1414682108242/http%3A%2F%2Fpopwatch.ew.com%2F2014%2F10%2F29%2Fthis-weeks-cover-first-look-at-terminator-genisys%2F3)

(http://nerdreactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/terminator-genysis-2-thumb-500x500_c.jpg?ffb0fd)

Is that whatsherface from Game Of Thrones?

And Dr Who?

In a Terminator movie!?

When on earth is this coming out?  Or is it a new TV show?  Like the one with Lena Heady from Game of Thrones.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Grugz on 15 July, 2016, 08:12:33 PM
been out a while not awful but not great either and yes, it is khaleesi and dr who (rumoured to be intrested in re-regenerating)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: James Dilworth on 15 July, 2016, 10:05:09 PM
Terminator Genisys!  Good grief any knowledge of it must have completely vacated my brain!  :lol:

Suddenly I remember all the publicity with Arnie looking aaaaaaaaaancient.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 15 July, 2016, 11:22:38 PM
I'm still a bit cold towards this movie after that BtS footage - I don't see much that excites me, with the exception of some excellent practical aliens: the furry Bistan guy in particular looks great. Jyn's montonous delivery has started to grate. And they are still banging on about their 'real sets': made your point, lads.  The missus remarked that if it wasn't for it the stormtroopers the footage could be any movie, but the Boy wants to see it NOW: which is surely the actual point.

Note that my misgivings are really about an uninspiring publicity campaign at this point. No doubt that I will change my tune when I've seen the actual film.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 16 July, 2016, 08:31:34 AM
This is nice well make fake trailer.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=-ckwn1Kt-qc (https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=-ckwn1Kt-qc)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Michael Knight on 18 July, 2016, 02:48:56 AM
lol i truly loathed Terminator Genysis! Rogue one publicity already looks better than that. 
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Pete Wells on 18 July, 2016, 07:17:21 AM
I was at Star Wars Celebration this weekend and got to see the costumes and some props which was enough to get me all excited for the film. The deathtroopers and scarbtroopers look incredible!

I think the main sticking point is the look of parts of the film. In the bits we've seen, the Maldives footage actually looks like Earth, so it's very jarring. With the original trilogy, pretty much everything was extreme enough to look alien. Tattooine was the closest thing to home, but Lucas stuck an extra sun in there which was enough. Endor was similarly jarring, but those giant redwoods were again, just enough to transport me to an alien world.

TFA almost blows it. I can just about get away with Puzzlewood and Derwent Water but then the stupid Skellig Michel helicopter shot right at the end looks just Earth-enough to pull me out.

Still, most of what we've seen up to now is behind the scenes stuff so hopefully, there'll be enough set dressing and SFX to take me to a galaxy far, far away when the film is done. At the minute, all I can see is Canary Warf tube station and Maldives. It kinda reminds me of that San Fancisco Star Wars video (especially if we get a load of shakey hand footage) which I've always loved but wouldn't want a whole film of.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 18 July, 2016, 09:35:32 PM
Quote from: Pete Wells on 18 July, 2016, 07:17:21 AM
I think the main sticking point is the look of parts of the film. In the bits we've seen, the Maldives footage actually looks like Earth, so it's very jarring. With the original trilogy, pretty much everything was extreme enough to look alien. Tattooine was the closest thing to home, but Lucas stuck an extra sun in there which was enough. Endor was similarly jarring, but those giant redwoods were again, just enough to transport me to an alien world.


That's what it is. I was trying to figure out why I found those images so weird and unsatisfying. After all its a cool idea and you've cracked it Pete. Its to familar and doesn't feel other worldly.

Shame as the rest of the footage looks good to me.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: COMMANDO FORCES on 18 July, 2016, 09:58:37 PM
How many worlds have you lot been to 😂
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 18 July, 2016, 09:59:14 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 18 July, 2016, 09:58:37 PM
How many worlds have you lot been to 😂

:D
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Steve Green on 18 July, 2016, 10:13:48 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 18 July, 2016, 09:58:37 PM
How many worlds have you lot been to 😂

Pete is from Sunderland you know. Anything else is going to look ordinary in comparison.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: COMMANDO FORCES on 18 July, 2016, 10:16:25 PM
That's true :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: pauljholden on 18 July, 2016, 10:22:34 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 18 July, 2016, 09:58:37 PM
How many worlds have you lot been to 😂

Most planets have a Greggs
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Batman's Superior Cousin on 18 July, 2016, 11:20:16 PM
Quote from: pauljholden on 18 July, 2016, 10:22:34 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 18 July, 2016, 09:58:37 PM
How many worlds have you lot been to 😂

Most planets have a Greggs

They also have a North!!!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 19 July, 2016, 06:19:11 AM
Quote from: Steve Green on 18 July, 2016, 10:13:48 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 18 July, 2016, 09:58:37 PM
How many worlds have you lot been to 😂

Pete is from Sunderland you know. Anything else is going to look ordinary in comparison.

Hey, could be worse, he could be from <shudder> Suffolk </shudder>!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 19 July, 2016, 06:28:05 AM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 18 July, 2016, 09:58:37 PM
How many worlds have you lot been to 😂

Arh but that's kinda the point see I've only been to one and so when I see a Starie Wars movie (or Doctorie Who) I don't want it to look like that one.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 19 July, 2016, 03:58:04 PM
Apparently it's been shot with lots of shakycam to make it look like a war documentary.

Presumably to differentiate it from all the other sci-fi stuff of the last decade.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 19 July, 2016, 10:34:42 PM
I'm happy for them to do things a bit different, as long as it doesn't contradict the parts of the larger story already told. And they keep shaky-cam to a minimum.

One thing that troubles me a bit, aren't Rogue Squadron meant to be fighter pilots? The majority of the stuff I've seen suggests they're more like a commando squad in this film. I suppose they could be both, like navy seals. Two things at once I mean. I'm not suggesting Navy Seals are also fighter pilots.   

I'm glad for some ground-based stuff, as a film just filled with dogfighting could get old quick, but I've seen precious little from the footage, although my memory isn't great on that score.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 19 July, 2016, 10:51:06 PM
Quote from: Mardroid on 19 July, 2016, 10:34:42 PMOne thing that troubles me a bit, aren't Rogue Squadron meant to be fighter pilots? The majority of the stuff I've seen suggests they're more like a commando squad in this film. I suppose they could be both, like navy seals. Two things at once I mean. I'm not suggesting Navy Seals are also fighter pilots.

I'm presuming the titular Rogue One is a code name that only refers to one person, the main character or her father, rather than Luke's own Rogue Group from Empire - I believe the exploits of the alternately named Rogue Squadron now occupy the purgatory of SW Legends and have yet to be elevated to whatever canon is these days.



Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Pete Wells on 19 July, 2016, 10:51:22 PM
Quote from: Steve Green on 18 July, 2016, 10:13:48 PM
Pete is from Sunderland you know. Anything else is going to look ordinary in comparison.

"Sunderland. There has never been a more wretched hive of scum and villainy..."
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 19 July, 2016, 11:25:54 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 19 July, 2016, 10:51:06 PM
Quote from: Mardroid on 19 July, 2016, 10:34:42 PMOne thing that troubles me a bit, aren't Rogue Squadron meant to be fighter pilots? The majority of the stuff I've seen suggests they're more like a commando squad in this film. I suppose they could be both, like navy seals. Two things at once I mean. I'm not suggesting Navy Seals are also fighter pilots.

I'm presuming the titular Rogue One is a code name that only refers to one person, the main character or her father, rather than Luke's own Rogue Group from Empire - I believe the exploits of the alternately named Rogue Squadron now occupy the purgatory of SW Legends and have yet to be elevated to whatever canon is these days.

Hmm. I wondered if the fighter pilots of the novels were a purely EU invention. I couldn't remember if they'd been mentioned by that name in the films. I do remember 'Red' and 'Gold' being mentioned so I guess they were the canonical fighter pilot teams. 
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 20 July, 2016, 12:09:22 AM
Quote from: Mardroid on 19 July, 2016, 11:25:54 PMHmm. I wondered if the fighter pilots of the novels were a purely EU invention. I couldn't remember if they'd been mentioned by that name in the films. I do remember 'Red' and 'Gold' being mentioned so I guess they were the canonical fighter pilot teams.

If I remember correctly, Luke is named Rogue Leader in the Hoth attack.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 20 July, 2016, 01:49:19 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 July, 2016, 12:09:22 AM
Quote from: Mardroid on 19 July, 2016, 11:25:54 PMHmm. I wondered if the fighter pilots of the novels were a purely EU invention. I couldn't remember if they'd been mentioned by that name in the films. I do remember 'Red' and 'Gold' being mentioned so I guess they were the canonical fighter pilot teams.
Given

If I remember correctly, Luke is named Rogue Leader in the Hoth attack.

Yep, the snowspeeders in Empire are Rogue Group - the first time we hear the 'Rogue' callsign is Rogue Two (Zev) when he finds Han and Luke. Luke is later 'copied' as Rogue Leader. Given the nature of the Alliance, a diversified brief for a combat group seems logical. And of course Luke's Rogue Group could well be named in honour of the non-pilot group of Rogue One, whose success with the Death Star gave him his opportunity to shine.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 10 August, 2016, 08:01:53 PM
Teaser of 2nd trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=2BDyeARyIkw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=2BDyeARyIkw)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 12 August, 2016, 05:25:02 AM
Full trailer, looks great!

https://youtu.be/frdj1zb9sMY (https://youtu.be/frdj1zb9sMY)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star WaYeprs Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 12 August, 2016, 07:05:07 AM
Yep I'll say looks fun. Love the developing Star Wars theme, prefect for the story being told and while it looks like a fairly typical putting the ban of misfits together story all seems to have been done with a deft hand.

Yeah I think this looks good, fingers crossed.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 12 August, 2016, 07:47:17 AM
It looks like The Dirty Dozen in space. That works for me!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 12 August, 2016, 08:32:06 AM
I loved that Death Star eclipse of the sun scene.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 12 August, 2016, 08:55:09 AM
Hang on... Was that Donnie Yen?!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 12 August, 2016, 08:57:38 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 12 August, 2016, 08:55:09 AM
Hang on... Was that Donnie Yen?!

Yep

(http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/star-wars-rogue-one-donnie-yen-600x373.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 12 August, 2016, 11:44:44 AM
Ah yeah, that looks much better.

Except.

I still can't warm at all to Felicity Jones's delivery.  It reminds me of one of those French & Saunders movie spoofs, a pouty Jennifer playing Jyn against Dawn as Mon Mothma. Maybe it's the lines selected, I don't know. Not yet sold on Alan Tudyk's droid voice either.

Still, love the inclusion and look of Saw Guerrera from Clone Wars' Onderron arc (should have done more stories like that), and Donnie Yen's not-Jedi has fan-favourite written all over him.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 12 August, 2016, 12:30:34 PM
Loved those moments...

(http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/319/files/2016/08/R1-Star-Destroyer-over-jedha.gif)

(http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/319/files/2016/08/R1-Death-Star-eclipse.gif)

(http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/319/files/2016/08/R1-Krennis.gif)

(http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/319/files/2016/08/R1-Jyn-vs-a-tie-fighter.gif)

(http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/319/files/2016/08/R1-Baze-kills-an-At-AT.gif)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 12 August, 2016, 01:52:16 PM
That whole walled city has SW written all over it, straight out of a WestEnd Games RPG sourcebook. Love it.

Less so the palm trees. Why are redwoods and hazels (and for that matter Earth snakes and lizards) okay for the GFFA but palm trees aren't? Is it because the unique shapes of palms are so symbolic of tropical Earth, while other trees are just trees?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 12 August, 2016, 02:23:14 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 12 August, 2016, 11:44:44 AM
Ah yeah, that looks much better.

Except.

I still can't warm at all to Felicity Jones's delivery.  It reminds me of one of those French & Saunders movie spoofs, a pouty Jennifer playing Jyn against Dawn as Mon Mothma. Maybe it's the lines selected, I don't know.

Must admit to finding her Received Pronunciation delivery rather grating, then again I felt the same about Daisy Ridley initially but found her more than acceptable in the movie as a whole.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 12 August, 2016, 03:18:10 PM
That looks rather great I must say. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Rio De Fideldo on 12 August, 2016, 03:26:21 PM
Our household are all very excited about Rogue One although I'm probably still the most excited.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 13 August, 2016, 02:56:38 PM
Blimey. Genuinely buzzing for this - looks beautiful and I luurrve myself a characterful rag-tag team. Bring it on!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: PsychoGoatee on 13 August, 2016, 04:13:00 PM
New trailer rocks, way better than the first one for me. And Donnie Yen is the man. And I dig that guy at the end of the trailer.

(watch Tiger Cage 2 everybody, classic Donnie)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Zarjazzer on 13 August, 2016, 05:51:52 PM
I'm as excited as a pusscat at nom time. Looks fabulous!  Love that little montage Goaty.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 14 August, 2016, 10:08:37 PM
I want to see this more than I wanted to see The Force Awakens
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Michael Knight on 15 August, 2016, 11:27:40 AM
This looks much better than 'The Force Awakens'!  Wow! i mean WOW!
Seriously I feel a sense of wonderment about a Star Wars release again. The Force Awakens whilst ok did not grab me like the others even in the trailer. This however looks a very different beast.
And Felicity Jones in it too! Result!  :)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 15 August, 2016, 12:30:24 PM
Quote from: Michael Knight on 15 August, 2016, 11:27:40 AM
And Felicity Jones in it too! Result!  :)
Ethel Hallow from the Worst Witch apparently (British TV series rather than US film, I'm guessing).
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Michael Knight on 15 August, 2016, 01:13:48 PM
 :)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 15 August, 2016, 01:27:37 PM
I've recently been watching Rebels, which is markedly better than I was expecting. A brilliant prequel series to the original trilogy with just enough call backs (forwards?) too feel like a fair depiction of the empire at this time .Delighted to see personal favorite Grand Moff 'slippers' Tarkin play a valuable role.

If Rogue One can capture that same pre-ANH magic, i'd be very happy indeed.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: vzzbux on 15 August, 2016, 07:50:01 PM
Just watched the latest trailer. Imperials getting smashed left right and center. Come on give us some realism here. Enough of the Imperial bashing I want to see rebels getting offed in their droves whilst taking on the impossible.



V
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Grugz on 15 August, 2016, 09:43:15 PM
where's space monkey?!!!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 15 August, 2016, 10:04:29 PM
International trailer with new footage:

http://comicbook.com/2016/08/15/rogue-one-a-star-wars-story-international-trailer-includes-new-f/?utm_source=Comicbook.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=160815_162501_Comicbook.com%20Daily%20Newsletter&utm_content=Image
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Theblazeuk on 17 August, 2016, 04:56:14 PM
Quote from: vzzbux on 15 August, 2016, 07:50:01 PM
Just watched the latest trailer. Imperials getting smashed left right and center. Come on give us some realism here. Enough of the Imperial bashing I want to see rebels getting offed in their droves whilst taking on the impossible.

Just tide yourself over with Empire Strikes Back
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Pete Wells on 17 August, 2016, 05:49:04 PM
I don't think it's going to end well for many of the rebels of Rogue One. I hope not anyway...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 17 August, 2016, 10:27:40 PM
If the last shot of this isn't the opening shot of A New Hope, I'll be suprised. In which case, the characters either all die or are captured by Vader, taken prisoner along with Leia and then killed when the Death Star is destroyed. Which would be kinda ironic.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 17 August, 2016, 10:31:53 PM
I dont think Alderaan was Death Star's first kill
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 17 August, 2016, 10:41:42 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 17 August, 2016, 10:31:53 PM
I dont think Alderaan was Death Star's first kill

Wasn't saying it was... but we know the plans are stolen while a space battle takes place and then end up with Leia on her father's Tantive IV ship, with Vader in hot pursuit.

"It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.

During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.

Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy..."
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 17 August, 2016, 10:45:06 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 17 August, 2016, 10:31:53 PM
I dont think Alderaan was Death Star's first kill

Agreed (even ignoring the old EU). Tarkin says Dantooine is too remote for an effective demonstration, and that Alderraan's destruction will test the destructive power of the fully operational station.  Nowhere does anyone say that there were no prior major weapons tests. It'd be crazy if they hadn't blown up a few obscure moons or planets before taking it out in public. Nobody is standing around the control room. nervously wondering if this thing is even going to work.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: blackmocco on 18 August, 2016, 12:07:30 AM
We're assuming the Death Star actually gets to fire in this movie.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 18 August, 2016, 12:40:12 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 17 August, 2016, 10:27:40 PM
In which case, the characters either all die or are captured by Vader, taken prisoner along with Leia and then killed when the Death Star is destroyed.

Or escape into exile after successfully delivering the plans to Leia Organa.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 18 August, 2016, 12:46:57 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 17 August, 2016, 10:45:06 PM
It'd be crazy if they hadn't blown up a few obscure moons or planets before taking it out in public. Nobody is standing around the control room. nervously wondering if this thing is even going to work.


Womp Rats, Beggar's canyon.



Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 19 August, 2016, 06:42:42 PM
Quote from: Pete Wells on 17 August, 2016, 05:49:04 PM
I don't think it's going to end well for many of the rebels of Rogue One. I hope not anyway...
Well, we know that any Bothans who appear may as well be wearing red shirts...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 19 August, 2016, 06:51:21 PM
This is Bothan, again it was 2nd Death Star

(http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130524200131/starwars/images/3/32/Bothan_TEA.JPG)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: NapalmKev on 20 August, 2016, 06:42:27 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 19 August, 2016, 06:51:21 PM
This is Bothan, again it was 2nd Death Star

(http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130524200131/starwars/images/3/32/Bothan_TEA.JPG)

I thought Bothans had white fur and black eyes. Like the guy Sat in the cantina in the original film.


Edit: a quick visit to Google shows that I am completely wrong!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 20 August, 2016, 09:14:24 AM
Quote from: NapalmKev on 20 August, 2016, 06:42:27 AM
I thought Bothans had white fur and black eyes. Like the guy Sat in the cantina in the original film.
And I thought they were elephant riding, Brexit twats with mulletous perms and stupid moustaches!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: ZenArcade on 20 August, 2016, 11:26:58 AM
Why the long face Chewbacca? Z
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 20 August, 2016, 06:12:43 PM
Quote from: NapalmKev on 20 August, 2016, 06:42:27 AM
I thought Bothans had white fur and black eyes. Like the guy Sat in the cantina in the original film.

Edit: a quick visit to Google shows that I am completely wrong!

The guy you're thinking of is a Talz (the specific individual known as Muftak in the Old Canon).  But as far as I know we haven't yet seen a Bothan in the New Canon, so they could look like anything now, and you're not necessarily wrong. I've sort of been hoping that Warwick's Bistan character (the furry guy from the Celebration BTS footage) is one, but I don't believe he will be.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 20 August, 2016, 09:45:16 PM
(http://www.bluemilkspecial.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015-01-02-ROTJ-100.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 21 August, 2016, 08:09:35 AM
 :lol:
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: vzzbux on 22 August, 2016, 07:57:18 PM
From Tag and bink.
(http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff200/vzzbuxblx/tumblr_o0iq7tpd3P1qzkmw2o1_1280_zpspocwepth.jpg) (http://s236.photobucket.com/user/vzzbuxblx/media/tumblr_o0iq7tpd3P1qzkmw2o1_1280_zpspocwepth.jpg.html)







V
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 12 October, 2016, 11:01:46 PM
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CumJO8SWAAA91zx.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Michael Knight on 13 October, 2016, 12:38:06 AM
loving this poster!  :) Felicity Jones too!!!!!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 13 October, 2016, 01:00:29 AM
I wished they still did hand drawn movie poster art and not all this photoshopped crap!  :(
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Michael Knight on 13 October, 2016, 02:28:23 AM
Dweezil2 mate i couldnt agree more. I was hoping they bring the great Drew Struzan out of retirement. Modern film posters are so boring and dire on the whole, but this effort better than most lately.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 13 October, 2016, 02:43:01 AM
Quote from: Michael Knight on 13 October, 2016, 02:28:23 AM
Dweezil2 mate i couldnt agree more. I was hoping they bring the great Drew Struzan out of retirement. Modern film posters are so boring and dire on the whole, but this effort better than most lately.

Agreed on both counts!

These Disney posters are so woefully generic and unimaginative, whereas they used to be far more inventive!

Movie posters are really a lost art!  :'(
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 13 October, 2016, 09:33:00 AM
Half hearted crap, that: human cast mushed up together in a classic triangle, a few kids' stickers of spaceships and stormtroopers stuck randomly on the Thomas Cook brochure at the bottom, compulsory Vader-and-Death-Star background from every branded product from the last 40 years.  There are fan sites with banners way better than this. Where's the aliens, where's the excitement, where's the art?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 13 October, 2016, 09:58:17 AM
Ouch.  I think it looks quite nice 😊
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 13 October, 2016, 10:02:37 AM
Russian poster was the best so far!

(https://i2.wp.com/bitcast-a-sm.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/ZZ18F95B4D-700x941.jpg?resize=700%2C941)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 13 October, 2016, 11:21:44 AM
Yeah that's a good one. Very impressive visual.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 13 October, 2016, 12:57:13 PM
New trailer out now! Looks awesome!

https://youtu.be/sC9abcLLQpI (https://youtu.be/sC9abcLLQpI)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 13 October, 2016, 01:10:38 PM
That'll do, pig.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 13 October, 2016, 01:14:24 PM
Is Vader going to do much beyond stand around menacingly? Because i'm cool with that, Episode I-III did enough to ruin the character for me without Rogue One doing it as well!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 13 October, 2016, 05:26:30 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/NynXPU3.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/l8Lhndj.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/Rhn09U0.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/mvcKXHn.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 13 October, 2016, 06:33:23 PM
 :o

Blimey. The tone of this is so brilliantly off but so absolutely perfect all at once. Genuinely very excited for it.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 13 October, 2016, 06:55:58 PM


Looks like it'll be the best Prequel.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Michael Knight on 13 October, 2016, 07:45:53 PM
Goaty cheers for link mate. I actually think this isnt going to disappoint at all. How da hell they get the first 3 prequels so wrong?  :)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mute77 on 13 October, 2016, 08:12:36 PM
I agree with CFM regarding the tone..I have high hopes for this. Can't wait to hear Vader speak!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 13 October, 2016, 08:29:45 PM
James Earl Jones is back as voice of Vader
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 13 October, 2016, 09:39:00 PM
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 13 October, 2016, 06:33:23 PM
:o

Blimey. The tone of this is so brilliantly off but so absolutely perfect all at once. Genuinely very excited for it.

Yeah sums up my feelings. Seems like its going for a much more 'serious' 'heavy' tone - which given it needs to be its own thing, with so much baggage around it, can't be a bad thing.

Just hope it doesn't slip into grimdark, but there's enough there to suggest they'll be a little charm hidden in all those swearly grimaces.

Looking forward to this.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: CrazyFoxMachine on 14 October, 2016, 11:14:36 AM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 13 October, 2016, 09:39:00 PM
Just hope it doesn't slip into grimdark

I guess what protects against that even if the whole film is rather 'glum' is that we already know the universe its set in ISN'T grimdark if you get my drift. Even though it'd be tonally ultrajarring the continuityfiend in me is desperate to see a Rebels reference stuffed in there somewhere.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Radbacker on 14 October, 2016, 11:19:59 AM
oh god thats arsom.
I can not wait for this, I dont know too much about the characters but wouldn't it be awsome if Fporrest Whitaker character was one of those old Clones that didn't follow order 66 or what ever the f%^k it was called? He'd be about the right age wouldn't he.
Thats one pissed off Vader at the end there.

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 14 October, 2016, 02:07:10 PM
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 14 October, 2016, 11:14:36 AM
... the continuityfiend in me is desperate to see a Rebels reference stuffed in there somewhere.

Forrest Whitaker's character Saw Guerrero (originally from The Clone Wars' Onderron arc) has been namechecked in Rebels already, so I would actually be pretty surprised if the back-scratching didn't flow both ways. Although given that we already have a blind apparently force-sensitive character in Donnie Yen's character I doubt it'll be Kanan that gets the nod... My money is on Chopper or Rex (please be Rex).
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 14 October, 2016, 03:02:36 PM
As the one person on Earth disappointed in The Force Awakens I don't know why I remain hopeful about this one, but here we are.
I think I might be a Bizarro-Star Wars fan: instead of going around saying "as long as George Lucas isn't involved it will be good" like all the other SW fans, I'm thinking "as long as JJ Abrams is nowhere near it it might actually have some emotional gravy-tass or an identity of its own."
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: von Boom on 14 October, 2016, 03:09:41 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 14 October, 2016, 03:02:36 PM
As the one person on Earth disappointed in The Force Awakens I don't know why I remain hopeful about this one, but here we are.
I think I might be a Bizarro-Star Wars fan: instead of going around saying "as long as George Lucas isn't involved it will be good" like all the other SW fans, I'm thinking "as long as JJ Abrams is nowhere near it it might actually have some emotional gravy-tass or an identity of its own."

Lightsabre-drop!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 14 October, 2016, 03:25:36 PM
From that trailer I have learned that it is impossible to have any Star Wars film without a central father-child relationship. Disappointing.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Satanist on 14 October, 2016, 03:29:23 PM
Vader had better appear 5 minutes from the end and fuck them all up. That's all I want from him.

Quite looking forward to this.

Young Han Solo, not so much.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 14 October, 2016, 03:54:47 PM
Speculative spoiler ahead:

I've got a feeling that Jyn Erso's [spoiler]Dad deliberately creates the inbuilt flaw in the Death Star that leads to its eventual destruction.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Spikes on 14 October, 2016, 04:17:47 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 14 October, 2016, 03:02:36 PM
As the one person on Earth disappointed in The Force Awakens I don't know why I remain hopeful about this one, but here we are.



I like the look of those Black Stormtroopers. They look cool.  :thumbsup:
Not as cool as a Sandtrooper, but then nowt is cooler than a Sandtrooper.



The rest? I'll imagine I'll find that it's a load of shite....


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Frank on 14 October, 2016, 07:02:39 PM
.
Star Wars 8* should mean fun larks that appeal to small kids and their middle aged dads, but because fantasy films have to make a billion quid (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-quadrant_movie), they've also got to embrace the portentousness and excess enervated millennials expect.

You can treat Star Wars with the same dramatic tone as contemporary event movies like Transformers or Batman v Superman, but that's as meaningless as lacquering the stormtroopers blue, red, and green, like the Daleks in the Dr Who film.

Hopefully Netflix/Amazon/whatever will start stealing franchises from cinematic release in the way they're hoovering up niche telly formats, and Star Wars can stop worrying about catering for audiences who don't really like Star Wars.


* Eighth films in series include Hallowe'en Resurrection (the web-cam one with Busta Rhymes), Jason Takes Manhattan, one of those Sherlock Holmes films where he's in WWII, and a Tarzan film that's set in the desert instead of the jungle. There are now more films in the Star Wars series than there were Police Academy movies
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 14 October, 2016, 07:05:24 PM
I trust love star wars, have done since the day I first saw it, and I'm really looking forward to this.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 14 October, 2016, 07:20:26 PM
You're welcome :)

(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14717321_1237229812987570_7892310996827879975_n.jpg?oh=c49cb89c09248e067d072a1a405a84e3&oe=58A32CD5)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tiplodocus on 14 October, 2016, 07:44:17 PM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 14 October, 2016, 03:25:36 PM
From that trailer I have learned that it is impossible to have any Star Wars film without a central father-child relationship. Disappointing.

Wait? What? You'rYou're disappointed that it doesn't  have a theme that is consistent with the other movies? I liked the way that they brought this relationship up front and centre (I.e. not kept as a twist).
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Michael Knight on 14 October, 2016, 08:48:23 PM
Professor Bear mate you not alone i was disappointed with 'The Force Awakens' too. I did feel a bit of a heretic saying this at the time though. We seem to be in minority on this  :lol:
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: NapalmKev on 15 October, 2016, 06:58:12 AM
Quote from: Michael Knight on 14 October, 2016, 08:48:23 PM
Professor Bear mate you not alone i was disappointed with 'The Force Awakens' too. I did feel a bit of a heretic saying this at the time though. We seem to be in minority on this  :lol:

I'm not a big fan of The Force Awakens (as I've said before). I don't hate the film, it has its moments; but I stand by my assertion that The Phantom Menace (for all of its faults) is a better Star Wars film!

Jar Jar Binks can Fuck Off, though!

Cheers
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 15 October, 2016, 08:15:27 AM
Hmmmmm, the phantom menace. I think that's as bad as a star wars film gets. Qui gonn and sidious  (maul at a push) being it's only real redeeming features. Force awakens has many problems, but nowhere near as many as the turgid phantom menace.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 15 October, 2016, 09:58:36 AM
There's a a give away line in the trailer about how 'hope' makes '10 men feel like a hundred' which is a clever way of getting round how a handful of armed insurgents could out fight a numerically superior enemy, none of whom, despite being trained soldiers can hit a barn door from point blank range. Complete bollocks of course but I'm looking forward to this much more than I did The Force Awakens.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 15 October, 2016, 01:11:25 PM
Quote from: SIP on 15 October, 2016, 08:15:27 AM
Hmmmmm, the phantom menace. I think that's as bad as a star wars film gets. Qui gonn and sidious  (maul at a push) being it's only real redeeming features. Force awakens has many problems, but nowhere near as many as the turgid phantom menace.

There can't be many folk who will defend Phantom Menace to the same degree I am prepared to, but Force Awakens' problems are far milder and quite different to those of that earlier problem child.  My own issues with TFA all stem from its concept as a post-RotJ film (hardly the fault of the film), a major shift in direction late in pre-production or maybe during production, and from what was obviously a particularly savage editing process employed to keep it lean and straightforward.  As a result too much was taken out, and there are annoying gaps in viewer information and character motivation, and a general feel of events taking place in a small, rather simple universe (desert planet, alien-packed bar, secret base, planet-sized superlaser, X-Wings and TIE fighters.. . sigh), which contrasts with the sprawling wonder-filled galaxy we should be seeing. 

What is actually on the screen is fine, especially the likeable characters and solid performances, it's what isn't there that disappoints.
   
I feel the same way about seeing AT-ATs and Death Star so prominently featured in the Rogue One promos (seen it all before - hell, I've personally piloted nearly all the vehicles for whole weeks of my life, and I've stolen the Death Star plans, even met its numerous conflicted designers, half a dozen separate times..), but at least with Rogue One, nostalgia is really the point of the thing: I want novelty from the Sequels, not so bothered getting it in Dark Forces III.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 15 October, 2016, 03:05:45 PM
I hated the The Phantom menace when I first saw it and repeat performances haven't really made me love it much more, but I have come to see that it tries in a way that The Force Awakens never does, and for all its callbacks and references to the OT, it never relies on reflected glory and nostalgia to the extent that TFA does.
With hindsight, there is plenty to see there that Lucas has never been given credit for, and TPM tries new things and brings more into the universe it inhabits than it takes away.
For all its faults, it is a sprawling and sumptuous fantasy whose greatest failing wasn't what was onscreen, it was that its audience could never accept that it wasn't the Star Wars they had in their heads.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 15 October, 2016, 03:25:10 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 15 October, 2016, 03:05:45 PM
I hated the The Phantom menace when I first saw it and repeat performances haven't really made me love it much more, but I have come to see that it tries in a way that The Force Awakens never does, and for all its callbacks and references to the OT, it never relies on reflected glory and nostalgia to the extent that TFA does.
With hindsight, there is plenty to see there that Lucas has never been given credit for, and TPM tries new things and brings more into the universe it inhabits than it takes away.
For all its faults, it is a sprawling and sumptuous fantasy whose greatest failing wasn't what was onscreen, it was that its audience could never accept that it wasn't the Star Wars they had in their heads.

Precisely my feelings. TPM is a magnificent failure, an attempt to create something genuinely different - unfortunately that ambition, and the superbly rich art and design genius, wasn't matched by success in pretty much every other area of filmmaking. I still love it though, like I love my cross-eyed prickly cat.

Each successive film plays it safer and safer and moves closer to fan expectation, becoming ever more boring in the process. TFA is (hopefully) the culmination (or nadir) of this process, but is largely saved by displaying the very competences and elements that TPM lacked. Fingers crossed future installments can head into fresh territory from this datum level, but retain the basic filmmaking skill that the saga has regained.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: auxlen on 15 October, 2016, 03:38:25 PM
I was disappointed with the phantom menace but after it became my fave of the Prequels after the horror of Attack and the excesses of clones and sith.
but yeah jar jar can fuck off....but to be honest I had more problems with the 'Japanese' merchants ("They've gone into the ventilation shaft" anyone?) and the horrible 'Flying Jew' thing that made me cringe more than having a load of kids in the film. The bloody thing even looked like a Nazi propaganda poster!

It has been suggested that this character is offensive because he resembles a stereotypical Jew:[3] he has a large nose, beady eyes, speaks in a gravelly voice, and is portrayed as greedy and covetous. J. Hoberman of The Village Voice called him "the most blatant ethnic stereotype" due to his hooked nose.[4] Bruce Gottlieb of Slate magazine criticized him as well, comparing his character to the antisemitic notion that the Jewish race is "behind the slave trade".[5] Patricia J. Williams of The Nation stated that Watto was also described as a stereotype of Arabs, but that he was "more comprehensively anti-Semitic—both anti-Arab and anti-Jew."[6] She added that Watto reminded her of an "anti-Semitic caricature published in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century."[2] Jane Prettyman of the American Review noted that after leaving the theater, she heard two young boys describe him as "that weird little Jewish guy with wings". Prettyman described his depiction as "not at all subtle", and said that "it can be counted on to flush out already-formed Jew-haters among young audiences and give them permission to continue their hatred out loud."[7]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 15 October, 2016, 03:46:26 PM
TPM and the Prequels in general feel like they were written by someone who wholly bought into The Hero's Journey myth that had built up around the Star Wars franchise - and Hollywood screenwriting in general - and that to create a successful story/film all you needed were a bunch of incidents that were just a list of Joseph Campbell cyphers/themes strung out in a row.

Utilising mythology as a basis for stories is fine but The Hero's Journey is not a how-to of scene writing - it's an examination of themes commonly found throughout the history of anthropological myths. With the Prequels it seems they'd forgotten what made the originals great - how and why one scene should dramatically connect to another.

Binging on and introducing more disconnected Campbellesque motifs did not make the Star Wars Galaxy a richer place. It just made the creator seem weird and out-of-touch with what he had helped create so brilliantly as a younger man.




Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 15 October, 2016, 03:59:35 PM
Never got the Watto = Jew thing. He's a blue flying elephant with webbed feet. He's the avaricious bazaar merchant archetype certainly, and his comeuppance is a bit Merchant of Venice, but how should be have looked/sounded to avoid accusations?

The Trade Federation are a better target for me, since Lucas is very explicitly playing with '30s serials tropes, and Yellow Peril is a big part of that, that he should have drawn a clearer line between his villains and the source of his inspirations.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: auxlen on 15 October, 2016, 06:22:28 PM
TBH i think Lucas is permanently living in the 1930s flash Gordon etc....How can you explain he thinhk Red tails is the first all Black action movie when the cat isn't even all black and it clearly isnt even the first!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 15 October, 2016, 06:28:33 PM
Red Tails wanted to be Ennis Dreaming Eagles (before said book even saw print by several years!), and failed pretty bad.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 15 October, 2016, 07:01:45 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 15 October, 2016, 03:59:35 PM
Never got the Watto = Jew thing. He's a blue flying elephant with webbed feet. He's the avaricious bazaar merchant archetype certainly, and his comeuppance is a bit Merchant of Venice, but how should be have looked/sounded to avoid accusations?

The Trade Federation are a better target for me, since Lucas is very explicitly playing with '30s serials tropes, and Yellow Peril is a big part of that, that he should have drawn a clearer line between his villains and the source of his inspirations.


I'm almost convinced by the Watto the Jew arguments, but then I remember that he was created by the most powerful person in the worldwide film industry* (who happens to be Jewish).


*at least he has been at times - before Star Wars people didn't get ushered out of cinemas between screenings and following films forced cinemas to upgrade their sound systems under threat of not getting access to prints.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 15 October, 2016, 07:12:18 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 15 October, 2016, 07:01:45 PM
I'm almost convinced by the Watto the Jew arguments, but then I remember that he was created by the most powerful person in the worldwide film industry* (who happens to be Jewish).

George Lucas had a Methodist upbringing. He's apparently Buddhist now.



Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 15 October, 2016, 07:13:29 PM
Quote from: Frank on 14 October, 2016, 07:02:39 PM
You can treat Star Wars with the same dramatic tone as contemporary event movies like Transformers or Batman v Superman, but that's as meaningless as lacquering the stormtroopers blue, red, and green, like the Daleks in the Dr Who film.


There were green daleks in the Doctor Who film?  I thought the first green one we saw was the Victory Dalek!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 15 October, 2016, 07:20:25 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 15 October, 2016, 07:13:29 PM
Quote from: Frank on 14 October, 2016, 07:02:39 PM
You can treat Star Wars with the same dramatic tone as contemporary event movies like Transformers or Batman v Superman, but that's as meaningless as lacquering the stormtroopers blue, red, and green, like the Daleks in the Dr Who film.


There were green daleks in the Doctor Who film?  I thought the first green one we saw was the Victory Dalek!
Yup. The classic scene from the original serial where a covered Dalek corpse briefly extends an arm from under the sheet is a green, webbed arm.

It doesn't matter as it was not canon to begin with!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Frank on 15 October, 2016, 08:00:50 PM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 15 October, 2016, 07:20:25 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 15 October, 2016, 07:13:29 PM
Quote from: Frank on 14 October, 2016, 07:02:39 PM
You can treat Star Wars with the same dramatic tone as contemporary event movies like Transformers or Batman v Superman, but that's as meaningless as lacquering the stormtroopers blue, red, and green, like the Daleks in the Dr Who film.

I thought the first green one we saw was the Victory Dalek!

Yup. The classic scene from the original serial where a covered Dalek corpse briefly extends an arm from under the sheet is a green, webbed arm.

I'm definitely a nerd, but intruding on this conversation makes me feel like a nervous teenager who's walked into his first gay bar and realised it's a hardcore BDSM joint, where everyone's furiously nailing their frenula to the bar top.

Best to admit I'm in over my head and back slowly out of the room ...


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 15 October, 2016, 08:32:12 PM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 15 October, 2016, 07:20:25 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 15 October, 2016, 07:13:29 PM
Quote from: Frank on 14 October, 2016, 07:02:39 PM
You can treat Star Wars with the same dramatic tone as contemporary event movies like Transformers or Batman v Superman, but that's as meaningless as lacquering the stormtroopers blue, red, and green, like the Daleks in the Dr Who film.


There were green daleks in the Doctor Who film?  I thought the first green one we saw was the Victory Dalek!
Yup. The classic scene from the original serial where a covered Dalek corpse briefly extends an arm from under the sheet is a green, webbed arm.

It doesn't matter as it was not canon to begin with!

Ah, right - I was thinking in terms of their casing (also, I wouldn't have seen that film in colour first time).

In the early eighties, all daleks were grey.

...so was all of The Wizard of Oz - so I didn't get the full effect from that Dredd story when they brought colour* into Tooth.

*other than the centrespread, obviously.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 10 November, 2016, 08:36:30 PM
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story International Trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN07YwLMRoA)

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 10 November, 2016, 11:05:20 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 10 November, 2016, 08:36:30 PM
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story International Trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN07YwLMRoA)

Nice... About Darth Vader [spoiler]as his "The Claw" pose, anyone notice his helmet too big? Was it rush reshoot scenes to add Darth to the film? [/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 11 November, 2016, 06:39:57 AM
Nope. Without any innuendo intended, he has a big helmet.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 11 November, 2016, 06:46:02 AM
Quote from: SIP on 11 November, 2016, 06:39:57 AM
Nope. Without any innuendo intended, he has a big helmet.

Dark too.

That's the best trailer yet, some lovely little bits. Still struggling with Jyn's delivery, and wondering why they seem to be hiding the new alien characters, but the rest I like.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 11 November, 2016, 08:46:12 PM
Cor, the Korean version is even better! I hadn't realised that the Maldives planet assault was [spoiler]actually going to be a full-on fleet battle - presumably that very first victory from the opening crawl[/spoiler]! And is that a [spoiler]gateway ]through a planetary shield[/spoiler] I spy!  Bloody arsom. Expectation-limiter failure imminent! Hope approaching critical level! Chances of crushing disappointment rising!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: edgeworthy on 12 November, 2016, 03:40:51 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 10 November, 2016, 08:36:30 PM
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story International Trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN07YwLMRoA)

Given how much of ANH they recycled in TFA does anyone want to guess how likely it is that Vader will be repeating the same dialogue ... The bit in the trailer where Orson Krennic starts going on about stupendous his new Invincible weapon is,
[spoiler]You know the line that begins "Do not be too proud ..."[/spoiler]
I'd suggest betting on it but seems inevitable.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 15 November, 2016, 10:12:34 AM
New IMAX poster

(http://i.imgur.com/9MYpnw2.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 15 November, 2016, 10:21:39 AM
That's a lot of facial hair.  Goddamn hipster rebels.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 12:57:18 PM
Was stuck in a Kuala Lumpur hotel in recent days - and the best viewing on TV was Attack Of The Clones.  Yes, it's still a shocker.

One thing I had forgotten from first viewing it back in the day - the Geonosian Insect fellas are shown to be directly involved in the planning phase of the original Death Star.  Towards the end of the movie, the CEO of Geonosis Inc. gives the plans for the Death Star to Count Dooku for safe-keeping.

I'm assuming this will be conveniently overlooked or ret-conned in Rogue One?

The Force was then brought into balance by watching Scott Pilgrim v The World.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 15 November, 2016, 01:07:20 PM
So you hadn't see the end of Episode 3 when they built Death Star?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 01:19:40 PM
True - the end of ROTS does show the DS being constructed.  I'm just keen to see if R1 makes any reference to the Geonosians being involved - or whether they'll ignore what occurred in AOTC.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 01:47:22 PM
Interestingly, I always thought that the scene at the end Of ROTS (Emperor, Tarkin and Vader overlooking the construction of the DS) as being more representative of the future (i.e.: many years down the track).

Watching it on YouTube however...it seems to be occurring pretty much at the same time as other events in ROTS.  It even shows Vader et al standing on the bridge of an older Clone Wars style destroyer (Tarkin looks noticeably younger).  They then cut to Leia being dropped off on Alderaan and Luke getting the same treatment on Tatooine.  In that order.

Also hadn't noticed before - during the DS construction scene in ROTS - it shows a couple of prototype TIE fighters flying towards the screen - and they seem to have a similar design to Maul's fighter from TPM (with a pronounced snout at the front).  Interesting what you see when you watch something closely!

Assuming the DS is fully operational in ANH - it took what...maybe 20 years to build? (Luke is a baby at the end of ROTS - and then destroys the DS when he's a similar age...19 or 20?)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 15 November, 2016, 02:01:41 PM
Quote from: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 01:47:22 PM
Watching it on YouTube however...it seems to be occurring pretty much at the same time as other events in ROTS.

Time makes no sense whatsoever in RotS, and I'd suggest that trying to force into some sort of coherent chronology is probably a wasted effort!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 02:14:59 PM
Well, to be fair, time makes no sense in most of the SW movies.

Like the Sherlockians - half the fun is 'playing the game'.  :)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 15 November, 2016, 02:21:23 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 15 November, 2016, 02:01:41 PM
Quote from: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 01:47:22 PM
Watching it on YouTube however...it seems to be occurring pretty much at the same time as other events in ROTS.

Time makes no sense whatsoever in RotS, and I'd suggest that trying to force into some sort of coherent chronology is probably a wasted effort!

The official chronology has it that Revenge of the Sith takes place in its entirety over three days, from Palpatine's rescue to Obi-Wan arriving on Tatooine.  This is obviously complete nonsense, like everything else in the last 20 minutes of RotS, so as Jim says, make up your own mind. 

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Link Prime on 15 November, 2016, 02:39:31 PM
Quote from: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 01:47:22 PM
(Tarkin looks noticeably younger). 

Played by the utterly, utterly brilliant Wayne Pygram (Scorpius from that other Muppet Show spin-off, Farscape).

It seems the fools haven't brought him back for Rogue One.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 02:52:22 PM
Wasn't trying to force anything into a chronology and well aware of how time plays tricks in SW - hence my use of the term 'pretty much' rather than being definite.  Sorry if it came off that way - just describing what was on screen.

Simply pointing out that my hazy middle-aged recollection of that specific scene in ROTS is different to how it plays out in the actual movie.  I was sure that the scene involved ANH class Star Destroyers - implying that it was a flash-forward.  A second viewing tonight shows I was completely mistaken.

Getting back to my original post - will the Geonosians get a mention in R1?  ;)

EDIT - and there you go - I didn't know Tarkin was portrayed by an actor - thought it was CGI to be honest.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Frank on 16 November, 2016, 02:45:51 PM
.

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WBbFcZVO6fg/maxresdefault.jpg)

D'YA THINK A PRINCESS AND A GUY LIKE ME ... (http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/15/carrie-fisher-harrison-ford-affair-star-wars)

This makes me happy, although I'm annoyed modern birth control methods robbed us of the genetic bounty that would have been the product of union between Ford and Fisher. Turns out the Catholics have a point after all.

Carrie would still have her original septum if she'd gone home every night to Indiana Jones making furniture with his shirt off, and I'm pretty sure their kids would have turned out nicer than Adam Driver.


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 16 November, 2016, 02:48:35 PM
Speaking of Tarkin, i've been pleasantly surprised by the scale of his role within the Rebels TV series. Seeing as he's the head honcho in charge of developing the Death Star, I'm more intrigued to see if he'll play an role in R1.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 November, 2016, 08:39:07 PM
Quote from: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 01:19:40 PM
True - the end of ROTS does show the DS being constructed.  I'm just keen to see if R1 makes any reference to the Geonosians being involved - or whether they'll ignore what occurred in AOTC.

Through Rebels and the "official" media spin-offs like the Marvel comics, we already know that everything up until the end of ROTS - including all of Clone Wars, even the Jar Jar Binks episodes and that awful theatrical film - is canon, but I think within Rogue One itself, plot minutia will be hand-waved, if only so that that the spin-off talent have a bit of breathing room in which to weave their continuity gold.

But if you really must know, I have somehow osmosis-ified the official nerdwank explanation, which is [spoiler]that the dad of the English lass with the limited range is brought in to make the the planet-destroying superlaser for the Death Star work like it's theoretically supposed to, which he eventually does by using banned Jedi Light Saber crystals mined from the Starkiller planet from The Force Awakens.  So basically despite the clean sweep they got by jettisoning all that EU stuff, there's seemingly no time being wasted creating newly-impenetrable continuity baggage.[/spoiler]
Remember when something happened and we just said "oh, it's probably the will of the Force"?  Good times.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 19 November, 2016, 08:10:31 PM
Quote from: Frank on 16 November, 2016, 02:45:51 PM
.

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WBbFcZVO6fg/maxresdefault.jpg)

D'YA THINK A PRINCESS AND A GUY LIKE ME ... (http://www.ew.com/article/2016/11/15/carrie-fisher-harrison-ford-affair-star-wars)

This makes me happy, although I'm annoyed modern birth control methods robbed us of the genetic bounty that would have been the product of union between Ford and Fisher. Turns out the Catholics have a point after all.

Carrie would still have her original septum if she'd gone home every night to Indiana Jones making furniture with his shirt off, and I'm pretty sure their kids would have turned out nicer than Adam Driver.

I remember Carrie already talking about that briefly with Justin Lee Collins in Bring Back Star Wars  a few years ago.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 19 November, 2016, 08:38:26 PM
Quote from: Krakajac on 15 November, 2016, 01:47:22 PM
Assuming the DS is fully operational in ANH - it took what...maybe 20 years to build? (Luke is a baby at the end of ROTS - and then destroys the DS when he's a similar age...19 or 20?)

One of the things I appreciate of George Lucas - while lacking in other ways - has often been his clever and interesting thematics in scenes featuring subtle irony/satire.

The idea of an expensive tech-behemoth like the Death Star moon-base taking 20 years to build only to be destroyed as soon as it is fully turned-on by a kid who has just reached maturity, in the same amount of time, harkens back to the ending of THX 1138 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atMdf0rhbpI) - where the gold and black police-bots only cease their pursuit of THX - as he escapes through the service tunnels - because central command realise it has gone overbudget and too expensive to pursue him a few feet further up the ladder to the outside world.



Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Grugz on 21 November, 2016, 10:32:47 AM
 Something just occurred to me, all the "did han shoot first?"  that permeates the internet has missed one important point....

Leia shot a stormtrooper point blank,in cold blood on the rebel ship at the beginning of the film,the trooper wasn't going to kill her and said as much "there's one ,set for stun" ...but leia gunned him down any way. at least greedo was going to kill han so han  would have been justified in shooting first. 

  I should write to Disney and wait for the special special edition.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 21 November, 2016, 11:02:45 AM
Quote from: Grugz on 21 November, 2016, 10:32:47 AM
Something just occurred to me, all the "did han shoot first?"  that permeates the internet has
Leia shot a stormtrooper point blank,in cold blood on the rebel ship at the beginning of the film,the trooper wasn't going to kill her and said as much "there's one ,set for stun" ...but leia gunned him down any way. at least greedo was going to kill han so han  would have been justified in shooting first. 

Fairly sure being caught by the Empire is a far worse fate for Leia than being killed outright. She is tortured and interrogated by a Sith Lord before having her home planet destroyed and her family murdered solely because she was captured rather than killed... Even if that's a post-hoc justification, her starship has just been assaulted and is in the process of being boarded, resulting in the deaths of most of its complement, meaning it wasn't really cold-blooded as much as in the midst of a pitched battle. I think she was more than justified in pulling the trigger!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 21 November, 2016, 11:13:27 AM
Tickets booked for a bells 'n' whistles IMAX 3D showing on Sunday 18th. I'm actually quite excited! :-)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 21 November, 2016, 12:01:17 PM
Tickets booked for the imax on the 15th at 5.30pm. 😊
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Goaty on 11 December, 2016, 01:26:04 PM
It get very good reviews today.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: GordonR on 11 December, 2016, 02:47:46 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 21 November, 2016, 10:32:47 AM
Something just occurred to me, all the "did han shoot first?"  that permeates the internet has missed one important point....

Leia shot a stormtrooper point blank,in cold blood on the rebel ship at the beginning of the film,the trooper wasn't going to kill her and said as much "there's one ,set for stun" ...but leia gunned him down any way. at least greedo was going to kill han so han  would have been justified in shooting first. 

  I should write to Disney and wait for the special special edition.

You mean she shot an armed member of a military force that had attacked her unarmed ship, boarded it by force and murdered a bunch of its crew as they tried to defend the ship's diplomatic mission passenger?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 11 December, 2016, 03:06:06 PM
Also It's The Fucking Empire, the original antagonistic faction in sci-fi cinema that anyone would be justified to shoot on sight, although if you want to be picky and want logical motivations for her actions within the context of the film, there's probably also that whole Fate Of The Galaxy mission she's on that you just read about in giant letters on the screen.  I mean, I suppose by the time she's shot someone a whole three minutes have passed since then and modern audiences might have forgotten because they're looking at Snapchat now, but people in 1977 generally tended to remember the plot of films they were currently three minutes into watching.


I am super-excited for Rogue One, but the first real kink in the armor has to be Edwards' comments about what the reshoots were actually all about: they went back and reshot scenes in shakycam that were not previously in shakycam.  I am really hoping this is just him trying to downplay 11th hour story edits, because I'd rather that than yet another faux-documentary style action scene.
At this point I have a theory that shakycam is so ubiquitous not because it requires less effort than filming something from multiple angles plus inserts, but because film schools in the US haven't got around to changing the spelling mistake in chapter 3 of Filming Fights For Dummies where it states in the bullet-points that directors should "always shoot the action in a way that engages the audiences' empathy" that came about when the original proof copy of the book was run through a spellchecker that autocorrected the last word to "epilepsy."
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 11 December, 2016, 03:30:18 PM

Also, Han against Gredo is supposed to be classic western stand off material, the whole point is who shoots first, wins.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 11 December, 2016, 03:40:19 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 11 December, 2016, 03:06:06 PMI am super-excited for Rogue One, but the first real kink in the armor has to be Edwards' comments about what the reshoots were actually all about: they went back and reshot scenes in shakycam that were not previously in shakycam.  I am really hoping this is just him trying to downplay 11th hour story edits, because I'd rather that than yet another faux-documentary style action scene.

They wouldn't have needed to hire top-shelf fixer Tony Gilroy or pay him an alleged $5 million (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/rogue-one-writer-tony-gilroy-make-millions-reshoots-951119) to institute some shaky-cam. I think Edwards' comments are nothing more than promoting an image of cohesion. I don't know why they bother lying about these things; at the end of the day no one cares what happened as long as the films are good - additional shooting is never the death knell of any film, it's usually incompetence or not recognising when something needs fixing and knowing how to do it.




Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: auxlen on 11 December, 2016, 03:57:29 PM
I am also super excited for Rogue one....The look and feel of the Empire in Star Wars was what drew me as a child. I loved the interior of the death star and the looks of the uniforms and Stormtroopers (I guess that's pretty odd) and cant wait to see inside the death star again...

i've evn been collecting the trading cards which i've not done for a long time....
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Frank on 11 December, 2016, 06:13:34 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 11 December, 2016, 03:40:19 PM
I don't know why they bother lying about these things; at the end of the day no one cares what happened as long as the films are good ... it's usually incompetence or not recognising when something needs fixing and knowing how to do it.

There's a chapter in Marabou Stork Nightmares where Madonna, Kim Basinger and other eighties lovelies sit round a Hollywood mansion, reading tabloid reports detailing the love lives and fashion choices of Scottish brickies and van drivers, pausing occasionally to describe what they'd do to the unobtainable, shell suited objects of their naked lust.

I think of that when we're fretting over stories and the people who create them, who seem to approach their work and their part in its production as a plasterer or plumber would.


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 11 December, 2016, 10:14:20 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 11 December, 2016, 03:40:19 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 11 December, 2016, 03:06:06 PMI am super-excited for Rogue One, but the first real kink in the armor has to be Edwards' comments about what the reshoots were actually all about: they went back and reshot scenes in shakycam that were not previously in shakycam.  I am really hoping this is just him trying to downplay 11th hour story edits, because I'd rather that than yet another faux-documentary style action scene.

They wouldn't have needed to hire top-shelf fixer Tony Gilroy or pay him an alleged $5 million (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/rogue-one-writer-tony-gilroy-make-millions-reshoots-951119) to institute some shaky-cam. I think Edwards' comments are nothing more than promoting an image of cohesion. I don't know why they bother lying about these things; at the end of the day no one cares what happened as long as the films are good - additional shooting is never the death knell of any film, it's usually incompetence or not recognising when something needs fixing and knowing how to do it.

My own theory on the (by all accounts very extensive) reshoots is that Rogue One was pitched as a gritty, downbeat war movie, and then Disney decided late in the day that they wanted a more upbeat, crowd-pleasing sort of film.

This sounds a bit worrying:

QuoteWhat followed was a five-minute (or so) stretch that bounced between multiple locations and characters, sometimes to a whiplash-inducing degree. In the moment, I assumed that the parade of locations (each accompanied by an on-screen title telling you where you were now) was a function of the film being sampled from for the purposes of the presentation we were watching, but afterwards I was told that, no, this is how the film plays out. That was troubling, as what was there felt, quite frankly, overly futzed-with.

Secondly: I had issues with a number of line readings and performances, particularly from secondary characters who showed up to deliver exposition and/or move scenes along. A lot of it felt like "first take" stuff, overacted or awkwardly-delivered in a way that caused me to raise an eyebrow on more than one occasion. I've agreed not to get into specifics on the footage which screened, so I'll refrain from providing specific examples here, but ... my guess is that you'll know these moments when you see them.

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/12/05/a-level-headed-reaction-to-the-rogue-one-footage-which-screened-over-the-we (http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/12/05/a-level-headed-reaction-to-the-rogue-one-footage-which-screened-over-the-we)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 11 December, 2016, 11:10:32 PM
Quote from: radiator on 11 December, 2016, 10:14:20 PMMy own theory on the (by all accounts very extensive) reshoots is that Rogue One was pitched as a gritty, downbeat war movie, and then Disney decided late in the day that they wanted a more upbeat, crowd-pleasing sort of film.

Maybe.

I interpret it more that the film turned out duller and less satisfying than they all would've preferred rather than playing as the next gangbusters adventure that's costing them hundreds of millions. 'Gritty' and 'downbeat' alone are quite limiting constraints on a 'Star Wars' film; which is something I've always felt was an error at conception - the Black Hawk Down/The Hurt Locker version of Star Wars that it was sold as sounded like it came from Warner's DCEU manual.

They hired Edwards to bring a certain modern style to the direction and while it looks moodily epic this approach alone may have meant it ended up a bit Godzilla in the story/character dept. so the script needed more heart. However, seeing Edwards doesn't look miserable in interviews, I'm inclined to think it's probably a better film than it originally was.

Personally I wouldn't have wanted something that was too grim.



Quote from: radiator on 11 December, 2016, 10:14:20 PM
This sounds a bit worrying:

QuoteWhat followed was a five-minute (or so) stretch that bounced between multiple locations and characters, sometimes to a whiplash-inducing degree. In the moment, I assumed that the parade of locations (each accompanied by an on-screen title telling you where you were now) was a function of the film being sampled from for the purposes of the presentation we were watching, but afterwards I was told that, no, this is how the film plays out. That was troubling, as what was there felt, quite frankly, overly futzed-with.


Secondly: I had issues with a number of line readings and performances, particularly from secondary characters who showed up to deliver exposition and/or move scenes along. A lot of it felt like "first take" stuff, overacted or awkwardly-delivered in a way that caused me to raise an eyebrow on more than one occasion. I've agreed not to get into specifics on the footage which screened, so I'll refrain from providing specific examples here, but ... my guess is that you'll know these moments when you see them.

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/12/05/a-level-headed-reaction-to-the-rogue-one-footage-which-screened-over-the-we (http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/12/05/a-level-headed-reaction-to-the-rogue-one-footage-which-screened-over-the-we)

Without seeing the set-up, it's hard to comment on something like that.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 11 December, 2016, 11:27:16 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 11 December, 2016, 11:10:32 PM
Personally I wouldn't have wanted something that was too grim.

No indeed. The prequels were quite grim enough, thankee: I like my space fantasies to be fun with a dose of real peril, but you can take your Saving Captain Rex elsewhere, please: luckily there aren't any actual veterans of the Galactic Civil War who need their sacrifices respected through realistic portrayals of the horrors of asymmetric warfare.  As it is, if annoying twittering spoiler-monkeys are to be believed (and I'm not saying they should be), it'll be quite heavy anyway.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 12 December, 2016, 12:30:12 AM
Han's death in TFA was pretty underwhelming and people still thought that was both a pretty great film and a fun romp, so R1 must be pretty dang dark indeed.

OR: it's not a slave to the nostalgia of a particular generation of sci-fi fans.  Either way, opinions are going to be subjective on this one.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 12 December, 2016, 06:14:10 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 11 December, 2016, 11:10:32 PM
Quote from: radiator on 11 December, 2016, 10:14:20 PMMy own theory on the (by all accounts very extensive) reshoots is that Rogue One was pitched as a gritty, downbeat war movie, and then Disney decided late in the day that they wanted a more upbeat, crowd-pleasing sort of film.

Maybe.

I interpret it more that the film turned out duller and less satisfying than they all would've preferred rather than playing as the next gangbusters adventure that's costing them hundreds of millions. 'Gritty' and 'downbeat' alone are quite limiting constraints on a 'Star Wars' film; which is something I've always felt was an error at conception - the Black Hawk Down/The Hurt Locker version of Star Wars that it was sold as sounded like it came from Warner's DCEU manual.

They hired Edwards to bring a certain modern style to the direction and while it looks moodily epic this approach alone may have meant it ended up a bit Godzilla in the story/character dept. so the script needed more heart. However, seeing Edwards doesn't look miserable in interviews, I'm inclined to think it's probably a better film than it originally was.

Personally I wouldn't have wanted something that was too grim.

Fair points. My only concern with that is looking at the Marvel films, which seem to have settled into something of a rut post-Avengers, where they all have the exact same, safe, heavily comedic tone, even ones that seem to have originally been conceived as a lot darker (Thor: The Dark World, Iron Man 3). While it's certainly working for them, it does start to get a bit predictable/generic after a while.

The Force Awakens, while an entertaining film, danced right on the line of being a bit too broad with its humour for me, and went over it a few times.

I have relatively low expectations for R1, so hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 12 December, 2016, 10:36:40 PM
8 billion dollars since Avengers and counting, every movie in the series a guaranteed record-breaking opening, and it's officially the highest-grossing movie franchise of all time.

We have different definitions of the word "rut."
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Pete Wells on 15 December, 2016, 03:22:40 AM
Just back from seeing it, [spoiler]absolutely frigging awesome!!![/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 03:41:57 AM
Just back from seeing it, [spoiler]so, so.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: COMMANDO FORCES on 15 December, 2016, 03:44:42 AM
I saw some people coming out of the pictures in Bracknell.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 03:53:15 AM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 15 December, 2016, 03:44:42 AM
I saw some people coming out of the pictures in Bracknell.

Not one fucking Stormtrooper at our joint either!
They couldn't even stretch to an Ewok!

You should of turned up in your Dredd gear JB!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: COMMANDO FORCES on 15 December, 2016, 04:01:37 AM
If I get up early enough on Sunday for the first 2D showing, I shall wear a Star Trek top.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 04:36:26 AM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 15 December, 2016, 04:01:37 AM
If I get up early enough on Sunday for the first 2D showing, I shall wear a Star Trek top.

As you walk out say in a rather loud voice, that guy who played Captain Kirk was shit!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Eric Plumrose on 15 December, 2016, 10:28:30 AM
Having only a passing interest in the movies (and little-to-zero interest in The Expunged Universe or whatever it's called these days), someone convince me to go see the 3D version.

You've got . . . ooh. Thirty-two minutes.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: jacob g on 15 December, 2016, 11:10:50 AM
Jus saw yesterday.

I like it, I didn't love it. Good thing, this movie is like proper prequel but at the same time it is like product tailored for fans that consumed all Expanded Universe books or comic books.

Somtimes during a movie it feels like narrative looses it's natural flow but for me this is where I feel the reshoots and all last minute changes. But overali it's not the mess of a movie like Suicide Squad.

The only thing bad is music.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Arkwright99 on 15 December, 2016, 11:16:15 AM
Saw Rogue One at a midnight screening in Milton Keynes with my daughter this morning (last night): it's very much an adjunct to the main SW sequence and in some ways could be seen a bit like fan-fiction, filling in gaps that didn't need filling in so if you decide not to see it you won't miss anything but if you do you should have a reasonably good time. There are several laughs along the way and the new droid, K2S0, is nicely played and arguably steals the movie from the human cast.

[spoiler]It's darker than Star Wars/Force Awakens but not as dark as Empire given it leads directly into A New Hope. In some ways it reminded me Blake's 7, small group of rag-tag rebels take on big evil empire, although in terms of scale it has a budget that the BBC could only have dreamt of.

My only real niggles are both things that unavoidable given the passage of time from the very first SW film, in that one returning character doesn't really capture the voice of the original actor (although visually it's very impressive) and another feels 'off' in terms physically of the original actor's performance, which I found a little distracting and took me out of the film somewhat but these are at best niggles and perhaps the memory cheats sometimes.

There's also a couple of cameos that feel a little forced but they only last a few seconds so I'll let them slide for those who enjoy the fan service.[/spoiler]

Not sure I'll be rushing to see it again (unlike The Force Awakens), and not necessarily in 3D again if I do, but I don't regret paying to see Rogue One, which is probably the main thing.  :)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 12:03:54 PM
Quote from: jacob g on 15 December, 2016, 11:10:50 AM

The only thing bad is music.

Yeah, the score was unmemorable.

By all accounts it was a rush job and it shows in the final result.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 12:16:23 PM
My main issue with the film is we know the outcome, which negates a lot of the drama-it was the same issue that plagued the prequels, but at least in Rogue One the characters appear more human and convincing in their motivations!

[spoiler][spoiler]Kill crazy Vader at the end was a delight though![/spoiler][/spoiler]

Worth a tenner though and the 3D was fairly good after the appalling job on Star Trek Beyond-which rendered everything a murky indistinguishable mess.

Can't say I was convinced by the CGI cameos though.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Will Cooling on 15 December, 2016, 01:41:12 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 12:16:23 PM
My main issue with the film is we know the outcome, which negates a lot of the drama-it was the same issue that plagued the prequels, but at least in Rogue One the characters appear more human and convincing in their motivations!

[spoiler][spoiler]Kill crazy Vader at the end was a delight though![/spoiler][/spoiler]

Worth a tenner though and the 3D was fairly good after the appalling job on Star Trek Beyond-which rendered everything a murky indistinguishable mess.

Can't say I was convinced by the CGI cameos though.

[spoiler][spoiler]Everything with Vader was a joy. They did a really good job of pitching him just right so as not to contradict New Hope. I really hope we get a Vader solo movie at some point[/spoiler][/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 15 December, 2016, 02:16:57 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 12:16:23 PM
My main issue with the film is we know the outcome, which negates a lot of the drama-it was the same issue that plagued the prequels

That should never really be an issue or an excuse since - unlike the Prequels - we have no familiarity with the main characters or their fate.

We know the Titanic will sink; the outcome of Vietnam, both World Wars and historical wars in general, yet films based around them have never suffered dramatically from foreknowledge. No reason this shouldn't apply to a Star Wars film.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 03:35:22 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 15 December, 2016, 02:16:57 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 12:16:23 PM
My main issue with the film is we know the outcome, which negates a lot of the drama-it was the same issue that plagued the prequels

That should never really be an issue or an excuse since - unlike the Prequels - we have no familiarity with the main characters or their fate.

We know the Titanic will sink; the outcome of Vietnam, both World Wars and historical wars in general, yet films based around them have never suffered dramatically from foreknowledge. No reason this shouldn't apply to a Star Wars film.

Well considering none of the characters in this prequel are ever mentioned of again in successive Star Wars movies, it's a pretty forgone conclusion to their fate, I'd argue this renders the drama rather inert.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy aspects of it.

In fact, it was the quieter moments and world building I enjoyed more, rather than the, at times repetitive and somewhat tedious battle sequences.

It did look visually beautiful at times too!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mattofthespurs on 15 December, 2016, 05:35:28 PM
Agreed in all the points above regarding characters.
For me this was more a World War II/ Vietnam movie set in the Star Wars Universe. And it was better for it. In my top 3 Star Wars movies.
Oh, I liked the soundtrack/score too.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mattofthespurs on 15 December, 2016, 05:39:41 PM
Quote from: Arkwright99 on 15 December, 2016, 11:16:15 AM


[spoiler]It's darker than Star Wars/Force Awakens but not as dark as Empire given it leads directly into A New Hope.

[spoiler]I thought it was much darker than ESB. I mean, FFS, everyone dies![/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Grugz on 15 December, 2016, 06:13:06 PM
tried not to touch those spoiler tags but I clipped it... anyway seeing this tomorrow while the wife is let loose in dunelm.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 15 December, 2016, 08:16:13 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 15 December, 2016, 03:35:22 PMWell considering none of the characters in this prequel are ever mentioned of again in successive Star Wars movies, it's a pretty forgone conclusion to their fate, I'd argue this renders the drama rather inert.

I'm avoiding spoilers but all new characters in Rogue One could be written to live or die.

Being a different set of Rebels on a separate mission in a different story, whether they lived or died, they would never need mentioning again in 4, 5 & 6 since they're background characters, but if they could possibly pop-up in Episode 7, 8, 9 or other spin-offs, it still wouldn't be amiss.

It's more problematic for other Jedi to appear since Obi-Wan is supposed to be the last.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 15 December, 2016, 09:30:01 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 15 December, 2016, 08:16:13 PM
It's more problematic for other Jedi to appear since Obi-Wan is supposed to be the last.

The last, in three years' time. Assuming you actually believe a word out of his or Yoda's mouths, the big fibbers.

Rebels, with its other Jedi hopeful born on the very same day, almost recasts Luke as one possible answer to a prophecy, rather than (with Leia) the sole remaining choice, and in the years depicted in that show there are at least two other former Padawans running about battling their opposite numbers: conceivably there's a five year span to play with before all the other Jedi or potential Jedi leave the board.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 15 December, 2016, 09:48:22 PM

Definitely - Rebels can legitimately count as taking place during the last years of the Jedi purge. It does mean those potential Jedi must die before a certain time - not that it necessarily kills the drama of how and why that happens - but anyone else is fair game for an undisclosed fate. And not everyone who wields a saber and the Force is necessarily a Jedi.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 16 December, 2016, 01:15:11 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 15 December, 2016, 09:48:22 PM
And not everyone who wields a saber and the Force is necessarily a Jedi.

No indeed. How else could Ezra have survived long enough to become Supreme Leader?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 16 December, 2016, 02:00:24 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 16 December, 2016, 01:15:11 AM
How else could Ezra have survived long enough to become Supreme Leader?

Blue Milk?


(http://www.lagrandeparade.fr/images/illustration/JoshuaBudich_BanthaMilk_StarWars.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tiplodocus on 16 December, 2016, 08:51:36 AM
I thought that was great. Eventually.

Genuinely didn't have a problem knowing the outcome in terms of how it leads into Star Wars ("Oooh, they get the plans") but given you don't know who will live or die, I think it does a grand job. 

There are some great new very Star Wars-y locations (Jeddha City is teeming with life) and the ones that look earthlike in the trailer open up nicely to be less so.

Gorgeous to look at (and not just the scenery; the first AT-AT reveal is masterfully done) and some great performances; the characters aren't fully formed but are sketched well enough to take them out of being one dimensional. 

I'll give Giaiccino a pas son the music until I see it again because I've complained before that there was no good music in one of his films (Star Trek) only to be blown away and had to type "What was I thinking" on the second viewing.

A bit too fan-wanky in places and the first half seems to be full of badly delivered character exposition but fuck me, what a final third!

I can not wait to see it again!

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mattofthespurs on 16 December, 2016, 11:01:27 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 16 December, 2016, 08:51:36 AM
I thought that was great. Eventually.



A bit too fan-wanky in places and the first half seems to be full of badly delivered character exposition but fuck me, what a final third!

I can not wait to see it again!

Exactly what I thought! Saw it in 2-D on my own but taking my Son next week during the holiday break and we'll see it again in 3-D.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 16 December, 2016, 11:10:45 AM
A bit slow to build but all round I enjoyed it. I'm a stormtrooper fan boy so really enjoyed the heavy use of troopers! 

THAT Vader sequence was fantastic......would have loved more of that!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 16 December, 2016, 11:23:13 AM
IMAX tickets booked for tomorrow.  Expectations managed. 
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Arkwright99 on 16 December, 2016, 02:42:53 PM
Quote from: Mattofthespurs on 15 December, 2016, 05:39:41 PM
Quote from: Arkwright99 on 15 December, 2016, 11:16:15 AM


[spoiler]It's darker than Star Wars/Force Awakens but not as dark as Empire given it leads directly into A New Hope.

[spoiler]I thought it was much darker than ESB. I mean, FFS, everyone dies![/spoiler]
Yes, but [spoiler]Rogue One ends with "Hope" (for me it actually changes the meaning of 'A New Hope' subtly, by placing the focus of 'a new hope' off Luke and instead on getting the DS plans to the Alliance so they can implement Galen Erso's revenge) whereas Empire ends with a series of defeats and no real hope for the future (despite the guff that Yoda spouts in the coda about there being "another", which (so far) hasn't been developed any further in the movies). [/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: von Boom on 16 December, 2016, 08:03:08 PM
That was a great addition to the Star Wars story in the end. It took a while to find it's footing, it did that in the end in spades. There were a couple of characters in particular that I really liked and should have been given their own film. [spoiler]Chirrut and Baze.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]When Grand Moff Tarkin appeared at first I though they had resurrected Peter Cushing. After a few minutes you could really start to tell it was CGI, but that first reveal. Just wow! The reveal of Princess Leia was less impactful simply because it wasn't quite as well done. Probably because Carrie Fisher was so young then.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]And it was fantastic to see Vader doing what Vader does best. Intimidate and inspire fear! Wonderful![/spoiler]

[spoiler]While it was nice to see nods to the original Star Wars, I was a bit too heavy handed and needless. Conversely though, it was when they tied into the original story that Rogue One had it's best moments overall.[/spoiler]

I'll go out on a limb and make a prediction:

[spoiler]1970's style facial hair is about to make a huge comeback.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 17 December, 2016, 02:40:34 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 16 December, 2016, 11:23:13 AM
Expectations managed.


You don't know what's coming to you.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 17 December, 2016, 02:46:43 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 16 December, 2016, 08:51:36 AMI'll give Giaiccino a pas son the music until I see it again


I felt it was really only the first section that suffered from some slightly off scoring but the rest was perfect.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 17 December, 2016, 09:36:35 PM
Haven't got around to reading all your spoilered bits, but I was pretty darn impressed by the film - although wasn't it a bit soon to remake [spoiler]Serenity[/spoiler]? The last half hour was utterly gripping, and despite 'knowing what happens in the end', I don't think I breathed at all for the final five minutes. Bloody hell, what a crescendo!

I wish they'd gone another route for [spoiler]Tarkin and Leia,[/spoiler] just bitten the bullet and recast, and I thought the [spoiler]Dr Evazan and Ponda Baba cameo was cheap and distracting, [/spoiler] but the rest was solid as its own distinct adventure, and in places truly intriguing in the things it implied and the new avenues it opened up.

Things I loved included (perhaps perversely) the [spoiler]characters and ships from Rebels[[/spoiler]/i], all the new characters, and the fact that so much of the footage from the trailers didn't appear at all , either as entire situations that could never have happened ([spoiler]Jyn and Cassian with the ATATs[/spoiler], for example) or as alternate takes on lines that were replaced by far better ones. Very clever how much of what happened was a surprise, even when I had scrutinised every bit of footage released.

Not necessarily what I want to see Star Wars turning into, but as an opening move for the side projects, a bloody strong one.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 17 December, 2016, 09:46:19 PM
Going to see it tonight. Have heard very mixed things...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Pete Wells on 17 December, 2016, 09:48:48 PM
Just back from my second viewing and I adore it. I am a happy fanboy!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 17 December, 2016, 10:22:18 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 December, 2016, 09:36:35 PMThe last half hour was utterly gripping, and despite 'knowing what happens in the end', I don't think I breathed at all for the final five minutes. Bloody hell, what a crescendo!


In this case 'knowing what happens' made the last 5 minutes even better.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 17 December, 2016, 10:36:50 PM
True dat. Had a great moment in the cinema, at the point where everything was going to hell [spoiler]and our heroes were dropping like flies, and I nudged my son and said "Vader hasn't even shown up yet".  [/spoiler]Magic.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:51:20 AM
I thought it was passable, wouldn't watch it again.

There's some nice stuff in there - mainly technical, and they at least made a solid stab at a poignant and affecting tale, and at times it ALMOST works, but it all felt a bit flat and uninvolving for reasons i can't quite put my finger on.

I had long suspected that Felicity Jones had been miscast, and i kinda felt that ended up being the case - she looks totally out of her element in action scenes. The team never quite gelled for me, or interacted in a really satisfying or meaningful way - and i think you're in trouble when the only memorable and charismatic character in your movie is a robot.....

The score was pretty forgettable and the plot seemed quite repetitive 'characters converge at same location for big set piece, rinse and repeat', and the finale felt outright videogamey and over the top to the point of fatigue - i feel like i never need to see another stormtrooper being gunned down or x wing blowing up for as long as i live.. As with TFA, i felt like nothing i was seeing on screen was anything i hadnt seen before - specifically its a retread of climax of RotJ but with palm trees.. I also felt that the first act had some very clunky writing quirks, and I still feel very unclear regarding Jyn's backstory and her exact relationship to the rebel alliance. It doesn't really add up and felt like an obvious rewrite, especially as it seemingly contradicts what we learn in the trailer. And if the Empire had her in captivity, wouldn't they know her identity?

As others have already noted, certain creative decisions made are baffling, and damn near ruinous (and will date the movie horribly). I may be crazy, but were some of the in-cockpit shots actually recycled footage from the OT? And yep, cheap fan service and distracting cameos in full effect, was really hoping they'd give that stuff a rest this time. Once again, it all conspired to make the universe feel very small and crowded. Final few scenes were goofy and redundant - strongly brought the closing scenes of Sith to mind.

Overall, feels like a 'fans only' type deal. My girlfriend - who had a great time with TFA - was bored out of her mind, and another (non-geek) friend fell asleep.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 18 December, 2016, 07:02:17 AM
TBH you seem to have described pretty much every SW film.  The plots are generally recycled versions of A New Hope, with the Exception of Empire.  My concern when they started announcing spin off movies was that this would lead to overload and dilution.  Would like to be wrong but we'll have to wait and see.

Ultimately this is a film that I'll go to see in the Kino but after the prequel films my expectations are not insanely high.  TFA didn't do much to shift that perception.  That said, my eldest daughter enjoyed it and wants to see R1 so there's hope. 
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 07:37:03 AM
I wouldn't agree with that at all, and I'd say that the only Star Wars film that feels like a blatant retread is TFA, and now the ending of R1. Both TFA and R1 have a very similar formula of what I described - good guys go somewhere to get a maguffin, the Empire show up, there's a fight, good guys escape, and on and on. Yes, this does happen somewhat in the OT, but it isn't ALL that happens, and it doesn't feel anywhere near as repetitive.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 09:23:31 AM
The repeatedly-thwarted search for maguffins does cover rather a large proportion of all adventure cinema, but in Rogue One's favour, as in Indiana Jones's, this is the explicit purpose of the film.  Stuff like TFA, where we lurch from maguffin to maguffin in lieu of a plot while actually focusing on the pretty people's soap opera, is perhaps less forgiveable.

Also, I'd perhaps note that in R1 it's generally not the Empire that turns up to screw with our heroes' questing ,[spoiler] it's the various factions of rebels - Saw's ambushers on Jedha, and Draven's X-Wings on Eadu. This is the 'other thing' going on in the film, the battered, desperate and paranoid schismatics tripping each other up as they despair of ever finding a way to turn their 20 year long losing war aroubd[/spoiler]. For my money, that setup, and seeing it finally change, was the most effective part of the film.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JamesC on 18 December, 2016, 10:14:25 AM
I enjoyed it - a fun romp in general.
Best bits were Darth Vader and the Star Destroyer shunting.
Worst bits were the (incredibly bad) CGI faces and the rubbish CGI octopus that didn't do anything.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 18 December, 2016, 10:45:53 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 18 December, 2016, 10:14:25 AM
I enjoyed it - a fun romp in general.
Best bits were Darth Vader and the Star Destroyer shunting.
Worst bits were the (incredibly bad) CGI faces and the rubbish CGI octopus that didn't do anything.

What on earth was the point of that cgi octopus scene....can only imagine it had a point in a previous draft.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Steve Green on 18 December, 2016, 10:58:36 AM
OK, I guess -

[spoiler]Yeah, those were recycled shots from ANH for Red and Gold leader apparently - that I thought was quite cool, Tarkin was distracting, think it would have worked better on the few shots where he's in the background or reflected in a window, Leia also pretty fucking cheery considering the massive battle and loss of life, made her look like a psychopath.

Vader's corridor moment was great, Donnie Yen, Jen Wiang, Alan Tudyk were fun.

Thought it seemed to get a lot more out of the budget than TFA, with the bustling Jeddah, the first location (with a remarkably shouty rebel considering he was paranoid about spies)

I guess not having Harrison Ford helped in that respect, the rebellion certainly felt a lot bigger.

Would be more interested in seeing a film about the behind the scenes reshoots/changes

[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Frank on 18 December, 2016, 12:08:49 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 07:37:03 AM
the only Star Wars film that feels like a blatant retread is TFA

Return Of The Jedi starts off with the droids and Luke meeting up with Han on Tatooine. They go on a sneaking mission to deactivate energy shields, an old Jedi dies in a lightsaber fight, then an X-wing blows up the Death Star*.

It's all been rhyming and poetry (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxU2eqZtYmc) for the last quarter of a century, lads!


* Return Of The Jedi plays with Empire's beats too: Luke rescues Han at the start, Luke goes to Dagoba to set up revelation about his family, Vader tries to capture/turn him. In my old Making Of ROTJ book, a crew member describes the film as ILM's graduate thesis, which is a nice way of saying they regurgitated everything they'd learned in the last six years
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 12:22:32 PM
Quote from: SIP on 18 December, 2016, 10:45:53 AM
Quote from: JamesC on 18 December, 2016, 10:14:25 AM
I enjoyed it - a fun romp in general.
Best bits were Darth Vader and the Star Destroyer shunting.
Worst bits were the (incredibly bad) CGI faces and the rubbish CGI octopus that didn't do anything.

What on earth was the point of that cgi octopus scene....can only imagine it had a point in a previous draft.

I liked him! Using the sucktopus was supposed to set Saw up[spoiler] as a twisted paranoid nutter after decades of hopeless resistance and endless murder,  which would have worked better with his cautionary dialogue from the first trailer, as would his decision to abandon Jyn to spare her his own fate (absent almost in its entirety - the footage from that trailer, I mean). Also to set Bodhi up as a bit unhinged after his exposure. Both sort-of-worked, but given Whitaker's ever-changing hair in the production material [/spoiler]it seems likely that this whole bit was substantially rejigged, leaving it all a bit odd and inconsequential.

I did love that t[spoiler]he partisan ambush on the tank used exactly the tactics Anakin and Ahsoka teach Saw on Onderon[/spoiler]: it was almost a replay of the original scene.


While I enjoyed the film a lot more than I expected to, I am however quite happy about my decision not to get the kids R1 toys for Christmas -[spoiler] the Boy was quite upset by the whole ending, as he remarked "why did they create 6 great new characters and then kill them all?". And while I can see the point, I can't see that (for example) the Jyn Erso dress-up costumes Disney have been flogging for months are going to be well received[/spoiler].  Despite the lack of gore, there's still that shift in tone that I wasn't keen on as soon as R1 was mooted: SW should always be for kids first. And I'm not sure [spoiler]that kids are that into martyrs.[/spoiler]


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: HdE on 18 December, 2016, 01:05:38 PM
Just going to address the last part of Tordelback's post - and not wanting to spoil anything for anybody even though this won't contain spoilers for Rogue One, I'm going to black it all out with tags. So - read at your own peril, folks!

[spoiler] With regard to the comment about deaths - yeah. Look, Hollywood - I'm getting sick and tired of this idea that setting up engaging characters and then killing them off is somehow edgy or daring. It's not. It's hacky. It's overdone. And coming off the back of episode 8 killing off Han Solo - which I will never pass up an opportunity to decry as a really, truly, shit-awful decision that should never have been made - it actually seems a bit much.

It actually troubles me a bit that a high profile movie released at the end of the year, at a time when people evidently still buy into the 'peace on earth and goodwill to all men' bullshit, apparently skews so heavily toward putting death, grimness and dire consequence on screen. For the masses. To 'enjoy', apparently.

I'm not suggesting that the fact Rogue One does this makes it a bad film. But it does make me wonder why, in a world that's increasingly turning to crap all around us, people seem to be lapping up entertainment that doesn't really offer much of anything especially feelgood, positive or uplifting in its conclusion.
[/spoiler]

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: dweezil2 on 18 December, 2016, 01:17:07 PM
CGI [spoiler]Leia[/spoiler] looked like she was on speed, which is at least accurate, if you've read her biography!  :o
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 01:41:31 PM
Quote from: dweezil2 on 18 December, 2016, 01:17:07 PM
CGI [spoiler]Leia[/spoiler] looked like she was on speed, which is at least accurate, if you've read her biography!  :o

Brilliant! 

HdE, I do think the end of the movie is uplifting - [spoiler]it's a story of people coming together to sacrifice everything to oppose an apparently unstoppable evil, perhaps best summarised in the shot where the terrified trooper shoves the plans through the gap in the blast door: and they do succeed. Being prepared to pay the price of standing up to evil, and not just squabbling about it, is a powerful and a welcome message.

But. As the missus remarked, given that this was 'a Star Wars story', there was no reason whatsoever why Jyn and Cassian couldn't have been plucked off that beach at the last minute, by oh let's say... Moe.  Still would have been plenty of sacrifice in the Serenity sequence without the Deep Impact moment.  [/spoiler]Star Wars already veered too close to grimdark with the ghastly last half hour of Revenge of the Sith, and I'd like to think that's as close as it will ever come... while I understand that this is a side project, and an attempt to explore other types of Star Wars on the big screen, I still feel SW should remain solely a kids' brand: get your own space fantasy, 'adults'.

(As I've wittered on about extensively in the past, I thought Han's death was appropriate to the character and the drama, even while wishing that the OT characters hadn't been involved at all in the sequels).

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 01:47:53 PM
Star Wars has been promoting martyrs and suicide missions since 1977.

If Obi-Wan didn't allow himself to be struck-down Luke wouldn't have his 'one example' of sacrifice - the idea of becoming more powerful after death.

Rogue One showed why the Rebellion had such a reduced fleet of ships at the end of A New Hope - one, even more dire suicide mission, followed another.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 04:35:03 PM
Sure, and I like very much how the film opens up the possibilities for the pre-ANH world, by providing a sort of immediate clearing house for anything that may have come before or has yet to be introduced. 

SneeryNerdQ: Well why doesn't X or Y appear in Episode IV?
SmugNerdA: Scariff. 

Add to that [spoiler]the Guardians of the Whills, the Temple on Jeddha, the conflicted groups of partisans and terrorists, the Empire as legitimately bloody scary but riddled with traitors, defectors and manoeuvring politicos...[/spoiler] it's a surprisingly fertile addition to the universe (albeit one that plays on long-explored EU elements), in a way the less-constrained TFA wasn't (Maz aside).  OTOH the Alliance was burdened with division and uncertainty, but [spoiler]for all their paranoia apparently devoid of spies: I was half expecting Cassian or even K2S0 to turn out to be undercover baddies in the end.[/spoiler]

I know [spoiler]there's sacrifice and suicide missions galore in the other films, but not with this scale or outcome.  It shifts the tone of the thing in a direction I don't like.[/spoiler]

Still, it did't stop me persoally enjoying and admiring the film, just Won't Somebody Think of the Children etc.  The only serious misstep for me was [spoiler]Tarkin and Leia.  If they weren't prepared to recast, get some some really good impressionists to do the voices (in the case of Tarkin the voice was almost worse than the CGI), shoot them from behind, in holograms, in reflection, whatever tricks I'm too stupid to think of...[/spoiler] don't just throw money at it, trust your audience be clever
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 04:49:05 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 04:35:03 PM
The only serious misstep for me was [spoiler]Tarkin and Leia.  If they weren't prepared to recast, get some some really good impressionists to do the voices (in the case of Tarkin the voice was almost worse than the CGI), shoot them from behind, in holograms, in reflection, whatever tricks I'm too stupid to think of...[/spoiler] don't just throw money at it, trust your audience be clever.

[spoiler]Tarkin[/spoiler] didn't bother me as much and [spoiler]Leia[/spoiler] could've been handled with a profile shot - but - I admire their intention and the balls to try it so boldly while not resorting to the usual tricks* which would've worn a bit thin quickly or lacked the intimacy of the scenes. I didn't think about it after the first appearance because what sold it for me in the end is the voice work - which I thought was fine - and the fact the scenes are well written.

*I did think a hologram of Jabba would've worked better for the added Mos Eisley scene in A New Hope - especially with Han walking through his tail-space etc.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 05:11:20 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 04:49:05 PMI didn't think about it after the first appearance because what sold it for me in the end is the voice work - which I thought was fine - and the fact the scenes are well written.

I found the [spoiler]Cushing[/spoiler] impression weak, for such a distinctive voice - but I can't fault the actual lines or performance.  However, I'm not really clear why there needed to be so much [spoiler]Tarkin that the CGI version [/spoiler] was necessary. Surely some brief hologrammed snapping would have worked fine for the plot, and served to hide the wires?  And if they were committed to role large enough to need a computer double, then why not an even bigger part to play, with the [spoiler]Vader/Tarkin/Palps [/spoiler]hate triangle more in the foreground of Krennic's problems? 

Coulda, woulda, shoulda, to be sure, all very easy from the bench.  But like I say, I found the whole thing pulled me out of the moment constantly.  This may have been partly the fault of the super-detail of the Parnell St IMAX, which dear sweet Force of Others remains the best cinema screen I have ever experienced, by some margin.  I bullied the missus into dropping the extra dough, which she wasn't happy about, until the film started, whereupon quoth she: "Ahhhhh, I see".

Something I did love, and which was kept nicely secret, was [spoiler]Vader setting up home on Mustafar. Boy that must hurt, living in the place you killed your wife and unborn child (on whose account you murdered children), were chopped up and left to burn alive by your father/brother, and lost your humanity into the bargain.  The wheezy cybernetic next step on from the hair shirt. I wonder does he put salt in that Bacta.[/spoiler]

Your hologram solution for ANH:SE Jabba would have been great, can't believe I have never thought of it.  Although at this point I just want that hopeless scene gone.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Steve Green on 18 December, 2016, 05:24:09 PM
Would love to see the original cut - the odd shot in a trailer not appearing I can understand, but it looked like a major chunk of the Scariff sequence played out differently, as well as something else going on with the Saw sequence in Jeddah.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 05:39:19 PM
The extent of the Scariff changes must have been massive - no [spoiler]Jyn and Cassian action outside at all (we saw them both shooting at walkers, and presumably afterwards running with the plans), no TIE fighter confrontation at the antenna dish, no running battle at the Canary Wharf tube station, no Krennic and stormtroopers wading in the tropical shallows; but equally almost all of Saw, Draven and Mon Mothma's dialogue from the  trailers was absent, as was Jyn's already-iconic "I rebel" line and Krennic's cringey "pow-ah is immeasurable" one.  Vader is also never on the Death Star, but we saw him in the control room [/spoiler] I'm used to things changing from the trailers, but it seems like hardly any of the trailer material made it in, which is a bit odd.  That said, the actual dialogue and the takes used are generally far better than the ones in the trailers, which I was never happy with: Jyn in particular comes across much better in the film. 
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 05:48:04 PM
Oh, and unless I missed it, there were no [spoiler]captured Rebel pilots on Jeddah - [/spoiler]which makes the still-smouldering crashed X-Wing in the background even stranger!  K2SO[spoiler] telling Jyn that he won't kill her isn't in there either, nor are his 97/8% odds of failure, and nor is Baze Malbus' "I fight the Empire now". [/spoiler]And that's just from one viewing, I'm sure there are many others.  ODD I say.  But not necessarily bad.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
So people actually liked the Vader scenes?

The groanworthy pun? The fact that he was desperately shoe-horned in, and served zero purpose in the story other than to upstage the bland actual villain of the movie? The way his hyperkinetic, over the top fight/massacre scene was jarringly in contrast to the lumbering space gangster figure we meet in the original movie?

To me they were pure fanwankery, and reminded me of the worst of George Lucas' 'throwing the fanboys a bone' appeasements from Revenge of the Sith.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Greg M. on 18 December, 2016, 06:19:57 PM
Just back from seeing this. Had no intention of watching it (I avoided Force Awakens like the plague) until a few days ago when I heard there were some good Darth Vader bits, and I thought "Oh, why not?" It's not bad. None of the lead good guy actors demonstrate much charisma, nor are any of their characters especially interesting - well, the[spoiler] blind Zatoichi dude[/spoiler] was ok and the robot had a couple of good lines. Nonetheless, it's telling that the best actor in the film has been dead for twenty-two years. The best bits were seeing [spoiler]Darth Vader's house[/spoiler], and [spoiler]Darth Vader's little rampage at the end - I liked the rebels' panic-stricken reaction to him -[/spoiler] so I guess I got what I paid for.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:44:45 PM
It would have worked so, so much better for me had it been a much simpler, smaller scale heist type movie with zero cameos, and Jyn would have been a much more interesting protagonist had she been, as early trailers seemed to indicate, a thief/criminal recruited into the alliance, and not directly personally connected to events and also sort of kind of a rebel soldier but not really?

It's got that Hobbit problem for me where they wrongheadedly try to top the scale of the original movie in the prequel. Why does EVERY SINGLE blockbuster now have to end with 30 numbing minutes of explosions? After a while its all just noise to me.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Steve Green on 18 December, 2016, 06:53:14 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
So people actually liked the Vader scenes?

The groanworthy pun? The fact that he was desperately shoe-horned in, and served zero purpose in the story other than to upstage the bland actual villain of the movie? The way his hyperkinetic, over the top fight/massacre scene was jarringly in contrast to the lumbering space gangster figure we meet in the original movie?

To me they were pure fanwankery, and reminded me of the worst of George Lucas' 'throwing the fanboys a bone' appeasements from Revenge of the Sith.

First scene not so much, the second one yeah I liked it, it reminded me a little bit of the ESB fight with Luke.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 06:55:24 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
So people actually liked the Vader scenes?

The groanworthy pun? The fact that he was desperately shoe-horned in, and served zero purpose in the story other than to upstage the bland actual villain of the movie? The way his hyperkinetic, over the top fight/massacre scene was jarringly in contrast to the lumbering space gangster figure we meet in the original movie?

Vader's laboured moves with his veteran mentor in Ep IV were all ready contradicted by the elegant, deliberate and forceful duel in Empire but - apart from the years of changing film-making between them and RO - those fights were more about verbal sparring than the outright determined and murderous extermination in RO.

The only way Vader upstaged Krennick was in action and seniority not in anything else. He was a prancing b'caped bureaucrat. His story was over when the tower was blown.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 07:16:58 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 05:39:19 PM
The extent of the Scariff changes must have been massive - no [spoiler]Jyn and Cassian action outside at all (we saw them both shooting at walkers, and presumably afterwards running with the plans), no TIE fighter confrontation at the antenna dish, no running battle at the Canary Wharf tube station the film[/spoiler].


In the trailer Jyn, K-2SO & Cassian are shown running with the plans in Canary Wharf as they, presumably, exit the tower which suggests there's no [spoiler]transmission/antenna part to the story or maybe it's the located somewhere else[/spoiler].

(http://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2d27ab4b3d63691ac237b64d76e5aabe-650-80.jpg)

I believe the TIE fighter rising before the antenna was meant to be shot down by an X-Wing but that the event was excised because it directly followed the scene of the AT-AT being blasted and felt repetitious.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 18 December, 2016, 07:25:21 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
So people actually liked the Vader scenes?

Yup, I absolutely loved the Vader scenes. The corridor sequence was just pure joy for me.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 07:48:25 PM
Quote from: SIP on 18 December, 2016, 07:25:21 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
So people actually liked the Vader scenes?

Yup, I absolutely loved the Vader scenes. The corridor sequence was just pure joy for me.

Best bit of the movie for me. Terrifying and exciting in equal measure. I've been guiltily rewatching piratecams original on an off all day, I love it so much. Every time I thank the Force anew that Vader doesn't say 'Nooooo..' at the end.

Incidentally I don't think this does suffer from trying to be bigger than its predessors: just different. The space battle is smaller than RotJ, the land battles smaller than Hoth and maybe even Endor; the whole thing is on smaller scale than the prequels.. As Joe notes, it actually explains the small scale of ANH, [spoiler]the rebel fleet has been almost destroyed, a lone blockade runner and handful of fighters fleeing their first 'victory'.[/spoiler]

Essentially this movie is the living definition of fanwankery - by design. Accusing it of such is just stating the obvious. It promises to be nothing but a fan-pleasing prologue to the first film; that it manages to do a few new things and actually be exciting is to its credit.  And it certainly does wash away some of the foul taste of Episode III.

This isn't really the kind of Star Wars movie I want to see, I still want to see all-new stuff in Episode VIII and on, which we stand slightly more chance of getting if the familiar icons can be monetised like this every few years.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 18 December, 2016, 08:45:14 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:51:20 AM
And if the Empire had her in captivity, wouldn't they know her identity?

Good god, man, they actually say that the Empire had arrested and imprisoned her under a false identity.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 09:09:56 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 18 December, 2016, 07:48:25 PMBest bit of the movie for me. Terrifying and exciting in equal measure. I've been guiltily rewatching piratecams original on an off all day, I love it so much.


Me too, though for the very same reason, I've been avoiding pirate-cams so as not to dilute it.

A Star Wars space opera is at its best when being totally operatic and this was Vader's aria.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Link Prime on 19 December, 2016, 12:16:59 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 01:47:53 PM
Rogue One showed why the Rebellion had such a reduced fleet of ships at the end of A New Hope

Captain Ackbar?
We've got some good news and some bad news, sir.

Back from a viewing myself this evening, still processing it- but overall I enjoyed it.

Terrible idea to have so much screen-time for the CGI [spoiler]Peter Cushing[/spoiler], genuinely head scratching that they didn't use Wayne Pygram again.
The Polar Express shouldn't have come to mind, yet it did.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Fungus on 19 December, 2016, 12:47:27 AM
Not a Star Wars fan, TFA was surprisingly enjoyable last year. I didn't feel short-changed there as I can't recall ever watching one of these. Nothing to comapre it to (Thousands of clips, of course...)
My first 3-D movie (and iMax), Rogue One was OK but uninspiring. Another comic relief robot, another strong female lead character, another climactic battle. Then repeated deathbed scenes. I nearly dozed off a couple of times. Maybe films are all the same and I'm expecting too much. Hm.

Fans won't care about my opinion of course. What was evident to me - and family agreed - was that 3-D detracted from the experience. Early in the film when story is being set up, the visuals are too distracting. Will bear that in mind next time it's on offer.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 19 December, 2016, 06:23:33 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 19 December, 2016, 12:16:59 AM
The Polar Express shouldn't have come to mind, yet it did.

I found myself thinking of him as the B.F.T.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 19 December, 2016, 08:09:04 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 19 December, 2016, 06:23:33 AM
Quote from: Link Prime on 19 December, 2016, 12:16:59 AM
The Polar Express shouldn't have come to mind, yet it did.

I found myself thinking of him as the B.F.T.
G.M.T

Off to see Rogue One tomorrow. Excited!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Bad City Blue on 19 December, 2016, 09:26:54 AM
Anyone else think the robot was channeling Sheldon Cooper?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 19 December, 2016, 09:49:43 AM
Quote from: Bad City Blue on 19 December, 2016, 09:26:54 AM
Anyone else think the robot was channeling Sheldon Cooper?

Good call! Damn funny though, Tudyk does another great job. My main thought on K2SO was that the Empire should really dispense with training those bucket-heads and just hand out blasters to its tactical droids... The Seppies really missed a trick there too.

Something else I enjoyed [spoiler]was the not-so subtle involvement of the Force in shaping events for the heroes, a nice gentle counterpart to the tsunami of power and hate that Vader unleashes...[/spoiler]. Gawds but that bit was so damn cool. So easy to misjudge that scene, but as it sits as Episode 3.75, [spoiler]seeing Vader going from a pallid lump of flesh floating in a tank of his own self-loathing to this unstoppable force of mechanical evil... close and repeated inspection shows his actual moves as almost pedestrian, just walk, block, swing, chop, no prequelish balletics or flourishes: just vicious implacable butchery.  [/spoiler]Worth the ticket price on its own, and what Episode III should have shown us.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Bolt-01 on 19 December, 2016, 10:48:03 AM
As we left the cinema Micro-bolt asked if I'd pay for him to watch that again just so he could see the Vader scene. The rest of the film was very enjoyable, but 'that' scene really was chilling.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: NapalmKev on 19 December, 2016, 11:32:03 AM
I really enjoyed it! Good FX in general despite a couple of small niggles.

The Vader scene at the end was stunning, and possibly my favourite scene from the any of the films!

It certainly rekindled my interest in Star Wars after the (IMO) disappointing Force Awakens.

Cheers
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Dolman on 19 December, 2016, 01:15:58 PM
I was so happy [spoiler]to see Tarkin[/spoiler], even if his CGI were inconsistent. FX in general were pretty good and that [spoiler]Vader[/spoiler] scene was amazing. Despite CGI and full action, this movie has an old school vibe.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 19 December, 2016, 01:41:06 PM
Amen to that [spoiler]final Vader scene. The whole audience gasped, and prompted a rather inappropriate (as there were kids in the audience) exclamation of 'Fucking hell!' from me.[/spoiler]

I'm definitely going to see the film again - slow to start, but once it got going it was a cracker!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 19 December, 2016, 02:02:04 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
So people actually liked the Vader scenes?

The groanworthy pun? The fact that he was desperately shoe-horned in, and served zero purpose in the story other than to upstage the bland actual villain of the movie? The way his hyperkinetic, over the top fight/massacre scene was jarringly in contrast to the lumbering space gangster figure we meet in the original movie?


Shoe-horned in?  I can't see how they could present the film without him - the film which follows directly afterwards starts in the middle of him chasing Princess Leia's corvette!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Radbacker on 19 December, 2016, 03:36:36 PM
That was fan bloody tastic, I'm easy to please but i just loved it. [spoiler]I liked the fact that all the main characters were knocked off, not unexpected but pretty brutal and i thought they'd given me enough for each one for it to hurt a little as they each met their fate[/spoiler]
Vader was just an absolute wrecking machine
That Last line in the movie was a doozy too but she definatly didn't look quite right, the eyes weren't glazed enough  :lol:

CU Radbacker
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheldipez on 19 December, 2016, 04:13:01 PM
I thought it was excellent. Perfect amount of old and new, nice nudges and winks ([spoiler]hello Chopper![/spoiler]). I thought the cast did a great job, the set pieces were superb, the camera work was as I was expecting from Edwards (the first proper Wars movie in the franchise?!).

Vader was top, his "choke" line was fitting with the character IMO, Anakin in Clone Wars always had his one liners and puns so it seems right that it would continue albeit much darker in tone when he was Vader, he was always one to toy with his prey across the original trilogy and more recently Rebels. The CGI for those "two things" wasn't perfect but my 11 year old turned around to the wife when [spoiler]Leia [/spoiler]was on screen and said [spoiler]"How did they make her young?!"[/spoiler], so I'd say it did job well. In fact I think nearly every element of the film was well pulled off, I did miss Williams' music if I'm honest but we all know that Williams isn't going to be doing Star Wars films forever so have to get used it sooner or later. My "couldnt care less about Star Wars" missus enjoyed it also and said it was good to have something different rather than the ever ongoing story of the Skywalkers. I thought it was also very ballsy for Disney to allow for [spoiler]everyone to be killed off[/spoiler], especially when you consider their Marvel franchise exists [spoiler]for returning characters[/spoiler]. I need to watch it a few more times but I feel like I preferred this over Force Awakens, it certainly had more original ideas which shouldn't have been the case when Force Awakens should be all new sequel and this is a prequel set up which we all knew how (or thought we did) went down.

Oh I also like that the film filled in the plot hole of A New Hope of [spoiler]why the Empire would build a Death Star with such a simple way to take it down with one lucky shot; it was intentional. [/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 19 December, 2016, 08:19:32 PM
That was the prequel I was looking for.

P-yam! P-yam!

Ssswoosh!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 20 December, 2016, 01:25:14 PM
As well as Glyn Dillon's name, I also spied Duncan Fegredo in the end credits :D
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 20 December, 2016, 04:40:00 PM
LOVED THAT!

A proper Star Wars prequel, with grim and unrelenting combat. Awesome!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: COMMANDO FORCES on 20 December, 2016, 07:17:30 PM
Vader must've been tired when it got to boarding the ship again in the next film, as he let all the Stormtroopers go in front of him. Surely he could've just rampaged through the rebels again!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 07:31:44 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 20 December, 2016, 07:17:30 PM
Vader must've been tired when it got to boarding the ship again in the next film, as he let all the Stormtroopers go in front of him. Surely he could've just rampaged through the rebels again!

Perhaps he was a bit distracted, returning to the planet where he began his descent to evil - I mean what are the odds, this upstart Alderaanean rebel fleeing with the stolen plans to the very planet furthest from the bright centre of the universe where he himselfwas from? What is the Force playing at, eh?

Or maybe he wasn't in much hurry because the Tantive IV was safely in the belly of his Star Destroyer?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 07:53:00 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 07:31:44 PM
Perhaps he was a bit distracted, returning to the planet where he began his descent to evil - I mean what are the odds, this upstart Alderaanean rebel fleeing with the stolen plans to the very planet furthest from the bright centre of the universe where he himselfwas from? What is the Force playing at, eh?

I thought it was an interesting little addition that [spoiler]Bail Organa was still in contact with Kenobi and reaches out to him before the plans are stolen.[/spoiler] I'm not up on what has or hasn't been established outside the immediate movies/ Clone Wars/ Rebels continuity... is that new?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 20 December, 2016, 08:54:14 PM
Really enjoyed this. The effects were superb and there's finally a droid I don't want to push into a grinder. The only two niggles I have are that the film seemed a little dark (maybe the cinema's fault for net getting the settings right - I don't know how these systems work) and the voice of one of the otherwise impressive characters was all wrong. Apart from that - fantastic.

I was never a massive Star Wars fan because it never seemed to live up to its potential but this film, I think, does that in spades. Probably my favourite SW film of the lot so far, by some considerable margin. Can't wait to watch it again.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 20 December, 2016, 09:00:38 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 07:53:00 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 07:31:44 PM
Perhaps he was a bit distracted, returning to the planet where he began his descent to evil - I mean what are the odds, this upstart Alderaanean rebel fleeing with the stolen plans to the very planet furthest from the bright centre of the universe where he himselfwas from? What is the Force playing at, eh?

I thought it was an interesting little addition that [spoiler]Bail Organa was still in contact with Kenobi and reaches out to him before the plans are stolen.[/spoiler] I'm not up on what has or hasn't been established outside the immediate movies/ Clone Wars/ Rebels continuity... is that new?

Im yet to see the last rebels series, but other than that I'm up to date and I think that was a new snippet.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 09:07:06 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 07:53:00 PM
I thought it was an interesting little addition that [spoiler]Bail Organa was still in contact with Kenobi and reaches out to him before the plans are stolen.[/spoiler] I'm not up on what has or hasn't been established outside the immediate movies/ Clone Wars/ Rebels continuity... is that new?

Hmmm, I read that scene differently: I thought [spoiler]Bail was using Leia (his most trusted agent) to contact Ben in hiding [/spoiler]for the first time, now all-out war with the Empire had begun... which she didn't do until after the flick ended.

Now I'm not too up to date with the New Continuity, but there used to be whole series of books and comics with Obi-Wan interacting with the wider galaxy during his exile, and despite it making no sense I'm sure the new spin-offs won't be able to resist either...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 09:32:17 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 09:07:06 PM
Hmmm, I read that scene differently

You could be right. I'll have to watch it again! :-)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 20 December, 2016, 09:48:15 PM
I suppose it makes sense for certain people to have emergency contact numbers for each other. A quick message might explain why a certain old fossil just happened to be on hand to aid a certain young farm boy in the middle of a bloody great desert.

Or maybe it's all just the Will of the Force. Or blind chance. Or scriptwriting.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 09:48:47 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 09:32:17 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 09:07:06 PM
Hmmm, I read that scene differently

You could be right. I'll have to watch it again! :-)

Ditto!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 20 December, 2016, 09:50:58 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 09:48:47 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 09:32:17 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 09:07:06 PM
Hmmm, I read that scene differently

You could be right. I'll have to watch it again! :-)

Ditto!



Tritto!

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 10:13:02 PM
Just to belatedly give my spoiler-free review of the film:

Comfortably the best of the modern era SW films, by a mile. Keyed into continuity without forcing the viewer have extensive knowledge to understand the plot; unmistakably a Star Wars movie, but very much its own beast. A very welcome widening of focus in the cinematic SW canon.

I can't judge it against the original trilogy, simply because I'll never be twelve again (also, I don't venerate Empire or dismiss Jedi in quite the way that seems de rigueur these days).
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 20 December, 2016, 10:21:26 PM
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 20 December, 2016, 09:50:58 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 09:48:47 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 09:32:17 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 December, 2016, 09:07:06 PM
Hmmm, I read that scene differently

You could be right. I'll have to watch it again! :-)

Ditto!



Tritto!

Uvavu!

Actually I will be seeing it for the first time after shortly after Boxing Day. I just couldn't resist... (https://youtu.be/iNvR_ICKc5c)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 10:24:21 PM
Quote from: Mardroid on 20 December, 2016, 10:21:26 PM
Uvavu!

IRANU!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JamesC on 21 December, 2016, 06:39:47 AM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 December, 2016, 10:13:02 PM


I can't judge it against the original trilogy, simply because I'll never be twelve again (also, I don't venerate Empire or dismiss Jedi in quite the way that seems de rigueur these days).

Sky have a Star Wars movie channel at the moment, which just shows all of the older films on a loop.
in my Xmas TV Guide film's are scored thus:

TPM **
AOTC ***
ROTS ****
ANH *****
TESB *****
ROTJ ***
TFA ****

I've never written in to a TV guide before but I've got a good mind to after seeing those scores! ROTJ on 3 stars, equal to AOTC? It's a disgrace!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 21 December, 2016, 06:46:07 AM
That is a disgrace.  And the force awakens is NOT better than Jedi!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Enigmatic Dr X on 21 December, 2016, 07:57:39 AM
I'm sure it's a professional listing, with the star ratings assembled after critical perusal of the films and consideration of their artistic merits. Not, y'know, random.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 21 December, 2016, 08:11:59 AM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:44:45 PM
It's got that Hobbit problem for me where they wrongheadedly try to top the scale of the original movie in the prequel. Why does EVERY SINGLE blockbuster now have to end with 30 numbing minutes of explosions? After a while its all just noise to me.

Saw it last night and while I can't talk to the Hobbit movies as I've not seen them I think Radiator's point really hits home to me. The originals really hint that this was the job carried out by spies and hence with stealth. The film really seemed to be moving things in that direction until [spoiler]they throw the whole fleet at the problem[/spoiler] for no real reason I could surmise. While it does explain why there wasn't much of a fleet in Star Wars, surely the answer to that could well have been they'd dispersed it to reduce its vulnerability to this new super weapon?

Anyhoo all that said I quite enjoyed it. It wasn't great but was certainly better than The Force Awakens and the prequels. Its biggest problem is that they threw a lot of characters in which didn't allow time to really bond with many, or for many to develop the charm and warmth of those in the originals. Also some of the characters returned via CGI were pretty weird and creepy looking, which I guess in one case isn't a bad thing, but in another (the one right at the end) just looked horrid.

As others seem to be saying (have quickly looked through here, after avoiding for a while now prior to seeing it) I really enjoyed the scenes with Darth Vadar. The fan service, while in a few cases was a bit grating and unnecessary, wasn't anywhere near as bad as in The Force Awakens and for a long time it really had much more courage about being its own thing until the bits I discuss above and Radiator better expresses than I could. Man its bleakly honest at its climax, loved big black imperial android chap and over all a pretty good war film, if not fantastic.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Pyroxian on 21 December, 2016, 11:05:33 AM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 21 December, 2016, 08:11:59 AM
The originals really hint that this was the job carried out by spies and hence with stealth.

The original crawl for Star Wars specifies:

It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.

During the battle, Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon, the DEATH STAR, an armored space station with enough power to destroy an entire planet.

Pursued by the Empire's sinister agents, Princess Leia races home aboard her starship, custodian of the stolen plans that can save her people and restore freedom to the galaxy...


So I'd say that Rogue One was very accurate in that case.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 21 December, 2016, 11:11:34 AM
Quote from: Pyroxian on 21 December, 2016, 11:05:33 AM
Quote from: Colin YNWA on 21 December, 2016, 08:11:59 AM
The originals really hint that this was the job carried out by spies and hence with stealth.

The original crawl for Star Wars specifies:

It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.


Whoops - yeah that does kinda remove the point I was making - I'd forgotten that line in the trawl.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mattofthespurs on 22 December, 2016, 04:32:58 PM
Went to see this again today but this time in 3-D.
To be honest the 3-D is fairly unobtrusive until the final 35 minutes but then it really comes into it's own and definitely worth seeing in that format.
Must say, despite the naysayers, I loved the musical soundtrack and thought the tiny, recognised, cues of the original Star Wars films were woven into this soundtrack beautifully. A good example is a tiny cue from Leia's theme, probably no more than a bar or two, at the end but followed by a great piece of original music.

The film stood up very well on a second viewing and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time around, if not more so.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mattofthespurs on 22 December, 2016, 04:33:21 PM
Also, some  may find this interesting https://filmschoolrejects.com/rogue-ones-missing-pieces-46-shots-that-didn-t-make-the-final-cut-e1a0737f3abf#.aajw86lbq
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: blackmocco on 22 December, 2016, 04:56:53 PM
Courtesy of a buddy who works up in ILM, I can gently allude to the original ending not having much of a [spoiler]space battle, no colliding star-destroyers (one of the storyboard peeps suggested it), and no Vader badassery (he was always in it, but really as more of a glorified cameo, nothing else). Jyn and co were going to have to deliver the plans by hand instead of via transmission. Probably 40% of the movie was reshoots, as rumours suggest, but my bud maintains the movie is infinitely superior because of them. The "making it feel more like Star Wars" quotes are all centered around adding the final space battle.[/spoiler] I'm not in a place to argue. I loved Rogue One. For me, infinitely superior to TFA in every way.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 22 December, 2016, 05:12:46 PM
That's a cool video that MattOTS links to, and together with Blackmocco's pal's scuttlebutt, it very much strengthens my impression that the movie we got was a lot better than the 'original' one: hokey dialogue and cheeky pouting are no match for a good[spoiler] Sith boarding action,[/spoiler] kid.

Still, the Blu-ray extras are gonna need a bigger disc!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: blackmocco on 22 December, 2016, 05:18:13 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 22 December, 2016, 05:12:46 PM
That's a cool video that MattOTS links to, and together with Blackmocco's pal's scuttlebutt, it very much strengthens my impression that the movie we got was a lot better than the 'original' one: hokey dialogue and cheeky pouting are no match for a good[spoiler] Sith boarding action,[/spoiler] kid.

Still, the Blu-ray extras are gonna need a bigger disc!

If there was one thing I felt the movie was missing, [spoiler]it was spending some time with young Jyn and Whitaker's character, to build their history a little. I'm perfectly capable of filling in that gap for myself, but would have had a bit more emotional heft had the movie shown us a bit more. Other than that, I was just thrilled to see what the original movies have alluded to without actually showing us: What life is like under the heel of the Empire. Good to see Stormtroopers doing day-to-day activities besides getting shot or blown-up.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 22 December, 2016, 05:31:43 PM

These changes are pretty much as expected. This was never going to pass as just a small, intense, militant focused off-shoot - especially since the central story concerns the first third of the original opening-crawl of Ep. IV., which in itself suggests a lot happened.

Like the average Judge Dredd story, a mixture of all the usual Star Wars elements are needed to make these stories work. The spin-offs are going to fuck around with differing amounts of various SW tropes but they'll still, in essence, be Star Wars films.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 22 December, 2016, 07:02:40 PM
Well, eldest daughter and I went to see it this morning. She loved it, more so than TFA.  Wants to go see it again so that must be a decent line.

TBH I wasn't expecting to be blown away.  As Ive said previously, I'm a little concerned that Disney are now going to dilute SW with profligate releasing.  All I'm going to say is, if this is the standard then that is a misplaced fear.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't perfect by any means.  Some of the early half of the film seemed to be grasping a bit for direction.  The defecting shuttle pilot didn't work as a character for me.  Even a fairly junior ranking pilot would have looked more like they belonged in the military.  He looked more like a reject from Air America.

The closing scenes brought it home nicely though.  Little surprised at part of the outcome, that said it did give it more of an emotional punch.  One can only imagine what the original prequel trilogy would have been like if they had taken the same approach.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 22 December, 2016, 07:40:03 PM
Hmm, I've seen a lot of people saying Bodhi seemed out of place in the movie, but I thought that was the point of the character. [spoiler]He's a cargo pilot doing runs to a processing facility, moved by conversations with a scientist to act on his conscience and throw in with a bunch of gung-ho freaks, and in that respect he's as close to an everyman as the film gets, with its former teenage terrorists, covert intelligence officers, temple guardians and sassy robots.  In fact he's not unlike Finn (a sanitation technician) in his reactions to his new situation, and Finn was raised from birth to be a stormtrooper.[/spoiler] I actually really liked the guy.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 22 December, 2016, 08:07:13 PM
This article really hit the nail on the head for me, and perfectly articulates a lot of my problems with the plotting, especially the ending, which felt totally dramatically hollow to me:

QuoteHow do you make a man on a mission movie where the mission is never clear?

How do you turn an obvious heist into something so unplanned and off-the-cuff (as in everyone's just going to wing it) to the point where you neuter your finale?... You absolutely need to create previously established objectives, so you can maximize the dramatic tension of the moment when that moment arrives. To dramatically care, the audience must be able to anticipate one result or the other. If I don't know what should happen, I can't fear what might happen. And it results in a "heist" with all these randomly shouted-out objectives in the middle of an unwieldy, unfocused battle that just wants to echo the last act of Return of the Jedi.

Every action beat is desperate for clarity and works overtime to explain in the moment, but that's why it fails. Like, there's no tension in them getting through the shield because there's established reason it should work. It's just dumb luck, like almost everything that follows. It feels like they're literally fucking their way up through this, stabbing for needles in haystacks and finding them. This is seriously unforgivable for this movie. Because a heist is constructed around quiet build-up and the careful set-up of critical moments. There's a reason every heist film has a careful, visual "going over the plan" sequence and it's all about setting up dramatic expectations. There has to be a plan in order for things to go wrong. It's freaking everything in these kinds of movies.

The thing is it's not going to be "bad," as there's enough cinematic competence to make it feel texturally interesting in some way, but in terms of drama and actually giving a fuck you have just taken everything away from your carefully set-up movie and turned it into limp, wheel-spinning... Instead of a nailbiter, we get noise.

How can I really care about a 'master switch' that was introduced just two seconds prior? It's like trying to learn chemistry on the fly as you take the test.

He also makes some great points about the Vader/corridor scene, which I felt was totally gratuitous in the moment.

What this article doesn't really hit on is another one of my beefs with the ending - the absurd number of times they repeat the plot beat of a character having to press a switch and/or open or close a door. Did anyone else think that got super repetitive and weird towards the end? There are so many apparently important switches and doors in play that at a certain point it all just starts to blur together and wash over you.

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/12/21/rogue-one-film-crit-hulk-the-slippery-sloping-story-of-rogue-one (http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/12/21/rogue-one-film-crit-hulk-the-slippery-sloping-story-of-rogue-one)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 22 December, 2016, 08:38:18 PM
"This film wasn't the kind of film I thought it should be."

That's sort of your fault, rather than the film's, surely?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 22 December, 2016, 09:19:47 PM
Am I alone in really, really rather liking [spoiler]the CGI Tarkin scenes?[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 22 December, 2016, 09:33:50 PM
While I agree about the Eadu sequence ([spoiler]the core of the some act) feeling unfocused, and even to some extent the muddy eddies of the ground battle that was (like the Gungan Grand Army's sacrifice before it) merely a distraction, I just can't agree about the climax of the movie: this wasn't a movie that was solely about these characters, it was a movie about the Alliance's first victory against the Empire, and the fact that the story kept going into the sacrifices of nameless ordinary soldiers and pilots while our heroes died on the planet below is what made the whole thing work for me. [/spoiler]This is not a self-contained action movie: it is specifically and intentionally a direct prologue to Star Wars.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Frank on 22 December, 2016, 10:28:49 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 22 December, 2016, 09:33:50 PM
I agree about the Eadu sequence

It was never a penalty (http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/images/g/jSIAAOSwBP9UWS25/s-l225.jpg). I'd like to have spent more time on Jyn Erso's homeworld of Pogba, maybe explore the spaceport at Marouane Fellaini a bit.


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 23 December, 2016, 12:36:38 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 22 December, 2016, 07:40:03 PM
I actually really liked the guy.

I thought Finn had some memory of being taken from his family at a young age?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: von Boom on 23 December, 2016, 11:24:57 AM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 22 December, 2016, 09:19:47 PM
Am I alone in really, really rather liking [spoiler]the CGI Tarkin scenes?[/spoiler]

No, you are not. [spoiler]I was extremely impressed at the first reveal of Tarkin, but the CGI became more apparent longer he was on screen. That aside I thought he was brilliant! Actors need to beware of becoming too diva-like or they'll find themselves replaced with CGI soon. The Princess Leia was less impressive, simply because she was so young in Star Wars so CGI just looked too smooth. [/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Greg M. on 23 December, 2016, 12:24:51 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 23 December, 2016, 11:24:57 AM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 22 December, 2016, 09:19:47 PM
Am I alone in really, really rather liking [spoiler]the CGI Tarkin scenes?[/spoiler]

No, you are not. [spoiler]I was extremely impressed at the first reveal of Tarkin, but the CGI became more apparent longer he was on screen. That aside I thought he was brilliant! Actors need to beware of becoming too diva-like or they'll find themselves replaced with CGI soon. The Princess Leia was less impressive, simply because she was so young in Star Wars so CGI just looked too smooth. [/spoiler]

On the one hand, and despite various naysayers, I thought [spoiler]the actual CGI looked very good. On the other hand, it completely pulled me out of the film and I couldn't concentrate on anything Tarkin was saying, because I was both marvelling at the artifice of it all, and also feeling somewhat unnerved by Cushing's 'resurrection'.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: von Boom on 23 December, 2016, 12:59:23 PM
Quote from: Greg M. on 23 December, 2016, 12:24:51 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 23 December, 2016, 11:24:57 AM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 22 December, 2016, 09:19:47 PM
Am I alone in really, really rather liking [spoiler]the CGI Tarkin scenes?[/spoiler]

No, you are not. [spoiler]I was extremely impressed at the first reveal of Tarkin, but the CGI became more apparent longer he was on screen. That aside I thought he was brilliant! Actors need to beware of becoming too diva-like or they'll find themselves replaced with CGI soon. The Princess Leia was less impressive, simply because she was so young in Star Wars so CGI just looked too smooth. [/spoiler]

On the one hand, and despite various naysayers, I thought [spoiler]the actual CGI looked very good. On the other hand, it completely pulled me out of the film and I couldn't concentrate on anything Tarkin was saying, because I was both marvelling at the artifice of it all, and also feeling somewhat unnerved by Cushing's 'resurrection'.[/spoiler]

[spoiler]
It made me enjoy the film more in fact, because it felt more unified with the original story for me.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 23 December, 2016, 01:11:03 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 23 December, 2016, 12:36:38 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 22 December, 2016, 07:40:03 PM
I actually really liked the guy.

I thought Finn had some memory of being taken from his family at a young age?

From imperfect memory General Clan Techie tells Kylo Ren that his stormtroopers are "...exceptionally trained - programmed from birth", and Finn tells Rey that "I was taken from a family I'll never know".  What age that actually implies I don't know, but it seems even younger than Justice Dept or Jedi Temple recruiting.  Bodhi on the other hand is (I think) a Jedha native, and being an Imperial cargo pilot seems to be a job.

As to the [spoiler]Tarkin CGI: look, it's as good a job as I've ever seen, but unfortunately that sort of buried it deep in the Uncanny Valley for me, and while I'm not averse to CGI characters, I thought the VO didn't really capture Cushing's clipped menace, and as Greg says, consciously trying to process all that just kept pulling me out of the movie.  [/spoiler]Maybe I'll have better luck on  my next viewing.


Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mattofthespurs on 23 December, 2016, 02:48:12 PM
[spoiler]I agree the voice was off but I thought they pulled off both CGI characters almost perfectly. Added to my enjoyment I must say.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tony Angelino on 23 December, 2016, 08:51:45 PM
Went to see it tonight. I thought it was great. Really enjoyed it.

Kept thinking Cassian Andor must have been for too hot with that big jacket with the fur rimmed hood on during the Jedda scenes.

I also kept wondering when all the scenes from the trailers were going to appear only to find they didn't.

I should really be a film critic with this level of analysis. I could say more except I haven't properly figured out how to do the spoilers yet.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 23 December, 2016, 10:31:16 PM
Anyone following the Carrie Fisher heart attack news? I'm genuinely gutted.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 23 December, 2016, 10:42:55 PM
Quote from: SIP on 23 December, 2016, 10:31:16 PM
Anyone following the Carrie Fisher heart attack news? I'm genuinely gutted.
Mark Hamill survived a car crash. Ford a plane crash. There are powers at work here.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 23 December, 2016, 11:04:05 PM
It's not looking great, reportedly took them 15 minutes cpr to get a pulse. 2016 has sucked in so many ways.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Spikes on 24 December, 2016, 12:05:50 AM
Not long back from seeing it, and whilst not brilliant, I did like it a lot. Liked it a whole lot more than TFA.

Still a bit messy, and disjointed I thought. Heaven knows, it must have been a right clunker prior to the reshoots.
Tarkin wasn't perfect, but still good, but he did draw me out of the movie.  They really should have recast.

But still, plenty to like. And when people say that Vader scene at the end is totally bad ass, they are totally correct.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: von Boom on 24 December, 2016, 12:11:52 PM
Quote from: SIP on 23 December, 2016, 11:04:05 PM
It's not looking great, reportedly took them 15 minutes cpr to get a pulse. 2016 has sucked in so many ways.

Apparently she's stable for now, but I can't find any new information at the moment. 2016 sucks arse.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 25 December, 2016, 04:26:08 PM
Promising news at least. I hope she's better soon .

I saw the film yesterday with a friend instead of after Boxing Day as originally intended. What a great way to spend the evening of Christmas Eve!

I enjoyed that a lot. It was nice to see a film that was not focussed on the Skywalker clan (much as I like them, and welcome more of them in the forthcoming sequels). [spoiler]And kudos for killing off all the main characters. Sure, part of me hoped the last two would get away at the last minute. But let's face it, the bloke was a central character in the Rebellion, and the girl had also become an influential element by the end. If they'd survived, I'd have thought their characters would have been fairly prominent in the Rebellion inoriginal films if they'd survived, even if their appearance was minimal. I can't see them saying "I did my bit. I'll leave the rest for the others". Mind you, I guess they could have been away doing secret agenty stuff. But I think this decision was a good call.

The reprogrammed imperial robot was an amusing  character, but in a very different way to the droids of the past. The priest/monk character and his enormous sidekick with the super shooty blaster were great characters. I'm curious if the priest was an ex Jedi, or another force sensitive individual? One of the Imperial characters (was it Tarkin, or the other chap? My mind is like a sieve sometimes) mentioned the last of the Jedi order being destroyed with Jedha, which suggests the former. I'm leaning towards the latter though since the order seemed very much that character's life. That being said, maybe it's possible for certain  Jedi to have dual function as Jedi and priest where it suits their purpose.Maybe all the priests are.

The blind martial artist concept is not new (see Rutger Haur's character in Blind Fury, and (a better fit) the wonderful One Hundred Eyes Taoist Monk from Marco Polo as other examples, but seeing this gentler version in the Star Wars universe utilising the Force in such a subtle way (no telekinetic hijinks, just using it to guide his actions) was lovely.

The  leader of their squad was also an interesting rather dark character. Quite a moral journey he goes on, from quickly executing a fellow rebel/informant in cold blood (although he might have considered it a kindness should he fall in Imperial hands) to staying his hand when about to assassinate the scientist before anyone could stop him.

As for the CGI Moff Tarkin and Leia, I thought they did a wonderful job. I wonder, did they use real actors and digitally augment or (more likely) cover the faces, or were they completely CGI?

Sure, it didn't look quite right, but it was impressive nonetheless. My companion turned to me when she saw Leia and exclaimed in wonder "how did they do that?" Tarkin 's voice didn't quite fit Peter Cushing's voice for me, but it was okay.

One thing that does bug me a little: why does nobody think to situate their planetary shield generators behind their shield?

But that's a small niggle.[/spoiler]

Big thumbs up from me. Is it better than The Force Awakens? TFA has a real soft spot in my heart, but I did think this had a better story. They both had their merits.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: DaveGYNWA on 25 December, 2016, 10:12:37 PM
Did our now traditional "cinema on xmas eve" with the sprogs yesterday and 2 years in a row it's Star Wars.

Me: I'll be honest and say that 20 minutes in I felt a bit "uh, oh...Phantom Menace time" but the 2nd act caught things up, and [spoiler]that space battle was just brilliant. And then Vader kicking ass[/spoiler] i enjoyed it overall.

Wife: She was "meh" about it.

Youngest daughter: She was bored after 20 minutes, and only got back in to it when I told her that [spoiler]Leia was going to turn up. She did enjoy Vader kicking ass though.[/spoiler]

Oldest dauther: She loved it - totally fixated, she knew exactly where it fit in with the whole story. And she loved it when [spoiler]Vader kiccking f**king ass.[/spoiler] The only thing that didn't work for her was [spoiler]they all die - questions at the credits were "What happened to Jyn? Why do all the characters that I like die? When is the next one!!?!?!?!?"

[spoiler]Vader kicked ass - oh yes!![/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 26 December, 2016, 01:10:34 AM
Bit of a mess of a film, but a very entertaining one.  It meanders for the first hour and a bit, but when the Rebel ships suddenly just jump out of hyperspace, you know it's on now - and it is.  Some of the starship battle reminded me of Clone Wars/Rebels, but that's a good thing.
Agree with most of the positive comments, especially Vader's return to his panto villain roots as an utter monster who inspires terror, rather than as the huffy kid* which popular culture seems determined to remember him.

I also had a Christmas rewatch of A New Hope and found that R1 slots nicely into what follows, explaining some stuff that maybe didn't occur to me at the time, like "why is this Rebel ship in orbit of the planet that's farthest from the bright center of the galaxy in the first place?" (they've come for Ben Kenobi), and "if everyone is at that meeting where Tarkin announces the dissolution of the Senate, why is there an empty chair at the table?" (the Director was sacked by Tarkin and then killed on Scariff).
As I say, it's a mess of a film, but it's still the film that I wished I'd seen when I went into The Force Awakens.



* Which remains a criminally incorrect reading of the PT text.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 26 December, 2016, 09:02:21 AM
Quote from: Mardroid on 25 December, 2016, 04:26:08 PM
One thing that does bug me a little: [spoiler]why does nobody think to situate their planetary shield generators behind their shield?[/spoiler]

Ahh but did they[spoiler] knock out the shield at all?  The space station was just acting to create and control a gate through the planetary shield - all they did was disrupt the station and thus the signal jamming long enough for their 56k modem to download WompRat.gif. Without the gate station, the shield went back to being fully intact. [/spoiler]This illustrates the real power of the Death Star - with just a low-power blast it could cut through any shield, rendering all plenetary defended irrelevant.

Incidentally the other four main Star Wars shield generators (Endor, Hoth, Starkiller Base and Great Grass Plains) were all inside their shields, hence the need for ground assaults or infiltrations.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 26 December, 2016, 04:24:57 PM
Okay, fair enough. [spoiler]I guess I was mainly thinking of the shield for the second Death Star whose generator was located on the forest moon of Endor, and I guess I misunderstood what happened in Rogue 1. I thought they were disrupting the shield to allow the signal through. Although thinking about it, they did communicate with the rebel fleet earlier so I guess it didn't block that.

So... why did they need to do that again? Something to do with jamming working on greater amounts of data than ordinary communications signals? Okay I need to watch that again.  :lol:[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 26 December, 2016, 06:58:12 PM
We all do!

I think the only [spoiler]communication with the fleet was with the Blue Squadron pilots who made it hrough before the gate was closed, and then the signal Bodhi managed to boost  just telling them to be ready to the intercept the data transmission... [/spoiler]But as noted, additional viewings are clearly required.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Ancient Otter on 26 December, 2016, 08:13:54 PM
Quote from: Bad City Blue on 19 December, 2016, 09:26:54 AM
Anyone else think the robot was channeling Sheldon Cooper?

I did a bit too.

When it came to the names of the planets in the film - [spoiler]did I miss the name of the planet where Darth Vader lived or was it not shown?[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 26 December, 2016, 08:21:53 PM
Quote from: Ancient Otter on 26 December, 2016, 08:13:54 PM
When it came to the names of the planets in the film - [spoiler]did I miss the name of the planet where Darth Vader lived or was it not shown?[/spoiler]

It was not, which was cheeky.  Pablo Hidalgo has confirmed fan suspicions that it was indeed [spoiler]Mustafar, which deepens the horror of the character fabulously[/spoiler], but as with anything that isn't explicitly on the cinema screen, that claim only lasts as long as Disney wants it to.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tiplodocus on 26 December, 2016, 08:32:16 PM
So Vader's castle stirred memories from long ago for me... something I read in a poster magazine or something when I was a young lad in 1977 about him living in a castle on a volcanic planet.  It was a poster magazine where I also first remember reading about the fight between him and Obi-Wan (though to be fair, that could have been in the Alan Dean Foster... er sorry... er... George Lucas novelisation.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 26 December, 2016, 08:55:47 PM
Based on some old McQuarrie art -

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2vUDmCUpUzxNjdIx080NQeH8iE2IVF-T_-7L64VoWtsW56ugvyvDnCkp7hYviO4jTbCodaTC5VytKeY=w2560-h1600-rw-no)


http://heytheremrbruce.tumblr.com/post/119669728025/gameraboy-concept-art-by-ralph-mcquarrie-for
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 27 December, 2016, 09:56:43 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 26 December, 2016, 08:55:47 PM
Based on some old McQuarrie art -

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2vUDmCUpUzxNjdIx080NQeH8iE2IVF-T_-7L64VoWtsW56ugvyvDnCkp7hYviO4jTbCodaTC5VytKeY=w2560-h1600-rw-no)


http://heytheremrbruce.tumblr.com/post/119669728025/gameraboy-concept-art-by-ralph-mcquarrie-for

That very much reminds me of Castle Bran in Transylvania.

I was a bit nonplussed by Vader's wee volcanic chateau.  It had a bit of an Austin Powers vibe:

(http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/scale_small/8/87790/2285623-box_apwtmul.png)


Also, I would have thought a military asset like Vader would have been kept mobilised, rather than left to skulk on the planet that constantly reminded him of his defeat and hideous injuries.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 27 December, 2016, 10:18:43 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 27 December, 2016, 09:56:43 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 26 December, 2016, 08:55:47 PM
Based on some old McQuarrie art -

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2vUDmCUpUzxNjdIx080NQeH8iE2IVF-T_-7L64VoWtsW56ugvyvDnCkp7hYviO4jTbCodaTC5VytKeY=w2560-h1600-rw-no)


http://heytheremrbruce.tumblr.com/post/119669728025/gameraboy-concept-art-by-ralph-mcquarrie-for

That very much reminds me of Castle Bran in Transylvania.

I was a bit nonplussed by Vader's wee volcanic chateau.  It had a bit of an Austin Powers vibe:

(http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/scale_small/8/87790/2285623-box_apwtmul.png)


Also, I would have thought a military asset like Vader would have been kept mobilised, rather than left to skulk on the planet that constantly reminded him of his defeat and hideous injuries.

Yeah, but.....he has a castle on a lava planet..... it's bad-ass. 😊
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Magnetica on 27 December, 2016, 01:59:07 PM
Saw this last week and I enjoyed it. I did have a sense of "yes we know how this turns out" but was telling myself its "how we get there and what happens to everyone that matters."

One small gripe was I did not catch half of the characters names during the film - which kinda makes it hard to care. It's a bit bad having to read them in my son's Rogue One book afterwards. But I am looking forward to getting the DVD and re-watching, when none of that will matter.

I have now also just re-watched the sequel to Rogue 1 (you know... A New Hope ) and I think they have done a really good job of Rogue 1 leading into it. It has even made me look at ANH in a slightly different way, especially Leia. she is definitely not the damsel in distress and is probably thinking "who are these jokers who have turned up to rescue me?" It was all there on the screen 39 years ago but Rogue 1 really re-enforces it [spoiler]i.e. she is a top Rebel Alliance agent.[/spoiler]

Love the way the end leads almost directly into the very opening scene of ANH...presumably there is [spoiler]just a hyperspace chase from Scarif to Tatooine in between.
[/spoiler]

Quote from: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 07:16:58 PM

In the trailer Jyn, K-2SO & Cassian are shown running with the plans in Canary Wharf as they, presumably, exit the tower which suggests there's no [spoiler]transmission/antenna part to the story or maybe it's the located somewhere else[/spoiler].


[spoiler]hmm not sure they could have left that out...now I have no inside info what so ever, but in ANH Vader interrogates a Rebel Alliance officer about the transmissions the Rebel ship received and ok they were actually sent to the larger ship that one was inside but I think the point holds - to be consistent with ANH the plans had to be transmitted.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 27 December, 2016, 03:50:54 PM
If I had to guess, [spoiler]the Tie fighter seen in the first trailer was in some way responsible for disabling the antennae (probably initiating the falling walkway bit left in the theatrical cut) before the plans could be transmitted, so they run through Canary Wharf and across the surface chased by Krennic (a sequence also seen in the trailer) to get to another transmitter of some sort.  Possibly that whole sequence with the pilot guy MacGuyvering something for Transmitter Reasons in their captured Imperial ship originally comes much later in the film, along with his and the other characters' deaths so that the possibility that they might escape is dangled for a bit longer.  Apart from anything else, this would be a callback to the scene where they talk to the control tower on Yavin 4, which would now be a scene in which it's established that the Imperial shuttle can communicate on Rebellion frequencies and the rush to tinker something together was just to boost their signalling power to breach the jamming caused by the still-operational planetary shield.[/spoiler]
If I was a cynical man - and we all know I am not a cynical man etc - I would suggest that a lot of these reshoots make a Special Edition release of the film possible somewhere down the line.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 27 December, 2016, 03:59:23 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 27 December, 2016, 01:59:07 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 07:16:58 PM

In the trailer Jyn, K-2SO & Cassian are shown running with the plans in Canary Wharf as they, presumably, exit the tower which suggests there's no [spoiler]transmission/antenna part to the story or maybe it's the located somewhere else[/spoiler].


[spoiler]hmm not sure they could have left that out...now I have no inside info what so ever, but in ANH Vader interrogates a Rebel Alliance officer about the transmissions the Rebel ship received and ok they were actually sent to the larger ship that one was inside but I think the point holds - to be consistent with ANH the plans had to be transmitted.[/spoiler]

Which does not mean they weren't transmitted ship-to-ship after the plans were hand delivered by the rebels to whatever the original destination was.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 27 December, 2016, 04:22:23 PM
This is all getting very complicated. Have these here rebels never heard of Dropbox?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mute77 on 27 December, 2016, 04:47:47 PM
Just seen this at the cinema and managed to avoid most spoilers. Really enjoyed it. I thought some of the sfx were brilliantly done. Perhaps more importantly  I can now read all the blacked out bits on this thread!!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 27 December, 2016, 05:17:36 PM
I may be 'memb'rin' wrong,  but I think the [spoiler]satellite dish is in a completely separate location to the Citadel tower[/spoiler] in some of the trailer footage. Not going looking now, though!

Was ruminating on SW matters during a long drive today, and it occured to me that R1 both suggests a new plot problem in ANH, and simultaneously solves a long-standing one. In the first instance, [spoiler]the rather pointless presence of R2 and 3PO at the Yavin base strongly implies that Leia was not the only person on board the Tantive IV who knew the location of the Hidden Fortress - as has been argued in the past as the reason her resistance to Imperial torture was so important, despite the numerous prisoners we see being taken above Tatooine.

Now, despite Vader's best efforts there must have been a hell of a lot of prisoners taken on the Rebel flagship at Scarif, probably including Admiral Raddus and his staff - so while we can accept that Leia holds out against interrogation as Vader asserts, it seems impossible that everyone with this knowledge did.

The positive side of this is that it explains why Leia is happy to let the Falcon be tracked to Yavin - she knows that someone is going to spill the beans sooner rather than later, if they haven't already, so she may as well get there as fast as she can.[/spoiler]

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 27 December, 2016, 05:51:29 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 27 December, 2016, 05:17:36 PM
I may be 'memb'rin' wrong,  but I think the [spoiler]satellite dish is in a completely separate location to the Citadel tower[/spoiler] in some of the trailer footage. Not going looking now, though!

(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/burlearth/antenna_zpshxejy1ok.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Magnetica on 27 December, 2016, 06:14:51 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 27 December, 2016, 03:59:23 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 27 December, 2016, 01:59:07 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 18 December, 2016, 07:16:58 PM

In the trailer Jyn, K-2SO & Cassian are shown running with the plans in Canary Wharf as they, presumably, exit the tower which suggests there's no [spoiler]transmission/antenna part to the story or maybe it's the located somewhere else[/spoiler].


[spoiler]hmm not sure they could have left that out...now I have no inside info what so ever, but in ANH Vader interrogates a Rebel Alliance officer about the transmissions the Rebel ship received and ok they were actually sent to the larger ship that one was inside but I think the point holds - to be consistent with ANH the plans had to be transmitted.[/spoiler]

Which does not mean they weren't transmitted ship-to-ship after the plans were hand delivered by the rebels to whatever the original destination was.

Yes that's certainly true, but I think a line needs to be drawn some-where otherwise the complexity of the plot starts to spiral out of control.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 27 December, 2016, 06:52:52 PM
They got there in the end...


(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C0s-cd0XAAATN4j.jpg)

Kenny Baker & Carrie Fisher - both gone within months of each other.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 28 December, 2016, 03:18:35 PM
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 27 December, 2016, 04:22:23 PM
This is all getting very complicated. Have these here rebels never heard of Dropbox?

They're obviously in an area with dodgy mobile connections; you know, like Wales.   ::)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 28 December, 2016, 04:11:59 PM
Faster than light propulsion, hyperspace mapping technology, gravity manipulation systems, weapons capable of reducing planets to pebbles and techniques for the practical application of remote strangulation - but poor Wi-Fi.

Yep, sounds like Alderaaystwyth all right - best keep your eyes peeled for Uskan Raiders.

I'll get me robes...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 28 December, 2016, 04:19:03 PM
"Porth.  You won't find a greater hive of scum and villainy in the galaxy.  We must be careful butt!"
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 28 December, 2016, 04:28:52 PM
Scardiff?


(http://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/vulture/2016/10/13/rogue-one/rogue-one-10.nocrop.w529.h233.2x.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 28 December, 2016, 04:32:17 PM
Heh. I think I'll step away from this before I fall bach into any residual 70s* racial stereotyping clinging on from my formative cultural brainwashing, oggy, oggy, oggy, iznit and so forth.

*I know, because I was there.

Oh, what a giveaway!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 29 December, 2016, 07:48:39 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 28 December, 2016, 04:28:52 PM
Scardiff?


Not enough rain!  Plus you wouldn't have stormtroopers running around everywhere, more likely Valley Commandoes staggering around after a night out.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Dr Feeley Good on 29 December, 2016, 10:14:59 AM
Finally watched it last night...really enjoyed it,hundred times better than the force awakens...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 31 December, 2016, 12:11:57 AM
Just back from my second viewing, this time in 4DX! Smoke, wind, rain, weird smells, and a chair that rocks violently back and forth and pummels you in the back. It was like a two hour Star Wars funfair ride!! Plus 3D, which I was pleasantly surprised by.  I don't think I'd fork out the extra bob for any other film, but if you're a Star Wars fan, do it the once for the shits and giggles - it was a right laugh!

Anyway, on second viewing I was able to relax and really enjoy it. It's not perfect, but is definitely the best of the new bunch. I watched Jedi the other night, and you know what? I think Rogue One might actually be on a par with it.

That scene at the end with Vader brutally exterminating the Rebels is still incredible.

Of course, with the recent news of Carrie Fisher's death, the very final moment of the film was very happy/sad. I think some of the smoke got in my eye a bit.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 31 December, 2016, 08:24:53 AM
I have also seen it twice now, first time in imax 3D and the second time in standard 2d. The cgi characters looked way better in the 2d version, and will look even better on a tv screen.

I think there are structure problems with the film - the first hour feels a little messy. It is also lacking the fun factor that force awakens and the original films have had and I don't think it's as re-watchable.

I still really enjoyed it but it falls behind all of the originals, the force awakens and revenge of the sith for me, despite the 30 seconds of Vader being one of the best things ever.

Managed to spot chopper and the ghost on the second viewing that had completely passed me by on first viewing.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Richard on 31 December, 2016, 11:42:03 PM
Saw it tonight and thought it was brilliant. The franchise is definitely in safe hands.

That scene with Vader made me wish that they'll remake episodes 1 to 3, and 3 can just be Vader massacring everybody for two hours.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 01 January, 2017, 01:13:57 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 27 December, 2016, 05:17:36 PM

Was ruminating on SW matters during a long drive today, and it occured to me that R1 both suggests a new plot problem in ANH, and simultaneously solves a long-standing one. In the first instance,[spoiler] the rather pointless presence of R2 and 3PO at the Yavin base strongly implies that Leia was not the only person on board the Tantive IV who knew the location of the Hidden Fortress - as has been argued in the past as the reason her resistance to Imperial torture was so important, despite the numerous prisoners we see being taken above Tatooine.

Now, despite Vader's best efforts there must have been a hell of a lot of prisoners taken on the Rebel flagship at Scarif, probably including Admiral Raddus and his staff - so while we can accept that Leia holds out against interrogation as Vader asserts, it seems impossible that everyone with this knowledge did.

The positive side of this is that it explains why Leia is happy to let the Falcon be tracked to Yavin - she knows that someone is going to spill the beans sooner rather than later, if they haven't already, so she may as well get there as fast as she can.[/spoiler]


Quote from: TordelBack on 27 December, 2016, 05:17:36 PM


I've been thinking about this and it could be that [spoiler]the majority of the crew don't know the location of the rebel base. They're in a ship, like submariners in a submarine, with no way of knowing where they've surfaced or come out of hyperspace. Only the officers of the ship, and a handful of top ranking rebels like Leia, need know the co-ordinates or even the planet's name. 3PO and R2 may stop over at the Yavin base but that doesn't mean they know where they are. The base would most likely be referred to as a number or code name amongst those with no need to know specifics. True, once the crew has disembarked at the base the chances of them finding out where they are increase but I'd guess security protocols and culture would prevent anyone actually talking about it. All anyone need know is that they are on a moon orbiting a red gas giant, which could be any one of a million worlds.

Those officers and officials, or at least some of them, might have taken to escape pods and been killed (iIrc, the pod in which C3PO and R2D2 escaped was not fired upon because it showed no life signs, possibly implying that manned pods had been targeted and destroyed). Given the sensitivity of the information, it is possible that the officers in possession of it made sure, either through suicide attacks or just plain suicide, to keep it secret. It is not entirely impossible, in such circumstances, for Leia to be the only surviving prisoner with the relevant knowledge.

It is also possible that Vader may have been subconsciously fascinated with his daughter - mistaking a paternal instinct for one of suspicion. He knows there's something about her but doesn't quite know what and assumes her secrets are all about the rebellion, thus Vader is blinded or blinkered into focusing his efforts on her and not the rest of the prisoners.

Also, Leia may be "happy" to let the Falcon be tracked to Yavin because she knows that's where the stolen plans will do the most good. If the Death Star's going there anyway, she may as well get there first with the vital plans. This might make Leia a tactical if somewhat desperate genius, turning Yavin into a trap for the Death Star. Her initial plan, when neither the Rebellion knew the location of the Death Star nor the Empire knew the location of the rebel base, was to simply safeguard the plans until the Death Star could be located and attacked. She used Yavin as the perfect bait to draw the Death Star out, with the Falcon as the lure, because running off to hide on Dantooine would give the Empire time to think and time for the Death Star's crew to grow more proficient. Or maybe she just blundered about and made the best of it. Either way - BOOM! [/spoiler]

I think the next Star Wars Story should be about the team sent to free prisoners from the Death Star before it blew.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Dash Decent on 01 January, 2017, 02:18:48 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 31 December, 2016, 12:11:57 AM
That scene at the end with Vader brutally exterminating the Rebels is still incredible.

For me the ending chase was the best part of the movie.  The absolute hopelessness of the rebel soldiers in the fight against Daft Aida had a real sense of breath-catching-in-your-throat desperation.  The rest of it was good - a million times better than The Force Awakens - but that part was brilliant.  I'll happily watch it again on DVD.  It felt a bit 'fan fictiony' in places and the start jumped about over too many locations but overall it was pretty good.

I loved all the little nods and it was great seeing 'proper' Star Wars gear again.  The 'early' storm trooper armour in the prequels and the later design in The Force Awakens just don't look as good as the classic gear.  I also liked the faithfulness in recreating Yavin base, the lookalikes (Mon Motha and the bearded general (Dantanna?) etc), even the rank badges the rebels used.  That's how to do it, TFA people!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 03 January, 2017, 11:18:01 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 19 December, 2016, 02:02:04 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
So people actually liked the Vader scenes?

The groanworthy pun? The fact that he was desperately shoe-horned in, and served zero purpose in the story other than to upstage the bland actual villain of the movie? The way his hyperkinetic, over the top fight/massacre scene was jarringly in contrast to the lumbering space gangster figure we meet in the original movie?


Shoe-horned in?  I can't see how they could present the film without him - the film which follows directly afterwards starts in the middle of him chasing Princess Leia's corvette!

Only if you need the dots joined between this film and that in the most literal, on the nose way imaginable. Imo it is the (comically overly literal) ending of RotS all over again, except this time people are eating it up rather than ridiculing it.

Darth Vader has nothing to do with the events of this movie*, was reportedly not in John Knoll's original pitch for this movie, as evidenced in the original Star Wars doesn't give two shits about the Death Star and has very little to do with it specifically, and is only in this movie at all so Disney can get bums on seats and shift merch.

*Seriously. Try to describe his role and function in the plot of Rogue One and what would be lost, other than blatant fan service, if he wasn't in it.

Quotehundred times better than the force awakens...

I feel completely the opposite way - in fact, Rogue One felt so utterly flat and characterless to me that it's made me appreciate TFA a little more in retrospect for at least managing to have somewhat likable, memorable characters.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 04 January, 2017, 07:58:39 AM
Oh dear!  Is Rogue One turning out to be the Marmite of all the Star Wars films?!   :o :lol:
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Spaceghost on 04 January, 2017, 08:22:01 AM
Quote from: radiator on 03 January, 2017, 11:18:01 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 19 December, 2016, 02:02:04 PM
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
So people actually liked the Vader scenes?

The groanworthy pun? The fact that he was desperately shoe-horned in, and served zero purpose in the story other than to upstage the bland actual villain of the movie? The way his hyperkinetic, over the top fight/massacre scene was jarringly in contrast to the lumbering space gangster figure we meet in the original movie?


Shoe-horned in?  I can't see how they could present the film without him - the film which follows directly afterwards starts in the middle of him chasing Princess Leia's corvette!

Only if you need the dots joined between this film and that in the most literal, on the nose way imaginable. Imo it is the (comically overly literal) ending of RotS all over again, except this time people are eating it up rather than ridiculing it.

Darth Vader has nothing to do with the events of this movie*, was reportedly not in John Knoll's original pitch for this movie, as evidenced in the original Star Wars doesn't give two shits about the Death Star and has very little to do with it specifically, and is only in this movie at all so Disney can get bums on seats and shift merch.

*Seriously. Try to describe his role and function in the plot of Rogue One and what would be lost, other than blatant fan service, if he wasn't in it.

Quotehundred times better than the force awakens...

I feel completely the opposite way - in fact, Rogue One felt so utterly flat and characterless to me that it's made me appreciate TFA a little more in retrospect for at least managing to have somewhat likable, memorable characters.

As usual, I find myself agreeing with Radiator. The most alarming aspect for me is that this empty, shallow fan service seems to be what "fans" want from a Star Wars film.

The Force Awakens was flawed, yes, but the interaction between the very memorable characters (the new ones, not the conspicuous oldies) had me repeatedly grinning to myself. Finn and Poe's TIE Fighter escape from the Star Destroyer had me internally punching the air because I already liked these people.

Rogue One's various, expressionless, brown-clothed cyphers left no impression whatsoever and I consequently couldn't have given less of a fuck about what happened to them.

But hey, AT-ATs!!!!!11!!!!! YAAAAH BRUH!!!1!!!1!!!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 04 January, 2017, 08:36:41 AM
Quote from: Spaceghost on 04 January, 2017, 08:22:01 AM
But hey, AT-ATs!!!!!11!!!!! YAAAAH BRUH!!!1!!!1!!!

*shrug* My wife, no Star Wars fan by any stretch of the imagination, said she thought Rogue One was the best film she'd seen this year.* The easter eggs, the fan service, all completely irrelevant to her, and she loved it.

*With the proviso that we haven't seen a lot of films this year.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 04 January, 2017, 09:36:37 AM
The point of Vader, AT-ATs etc. being in this movie is that Rogue One is what it is - Disney making the most of all that very expensive IP, and turning in an accomplished action movie set in the SW universe, albeit with some overly heavy handed references to the source. The fact that reactions range from adoration to disgust is probably to its credit.

I've seen it twice now, and while I enjoyed it even more the second time ([spoiler]Tarkin and Leia looked better on a more forgiving non-IMax non-3D screen[/spoiler]), then watched it back to back with ANH and greatly appreciated the added depth it lends that most remarkable work, it's still not really what I want from a SW movie: but surely that's sort of the point of these off-year films? Doing something different with the familiar toys?

Red Letter Media tear into it with their usual entertaining gusto, but much of their scorn seems to fall on fans uncritically lapping up the familiar imagery and cameos like Pavlov's dogs salivating to the sound of the bell even when there is no meat.  I think this misses the point (apart from there being no meat). Sometimes it's quite nice to be the fan that's being serviced, and Rogue One does that job. If you want to see more of the X-Wing V TIE Fighter glory days of the Rebellion in its most desperate hour and Vader being returned to his rightful place as the stuff of nightmares, this does very nicely. If you want enduring characters, a compelling standalone plot that make sense and fresh visions of the GFFA, it probably doesn't. And if you wanted a bright cheery diversion for for the kids over Christmas, it definitely does not.  But does it have to? Aren't these expectations we should be nervously heaping on Episode VIII instead? I would hope that If nothing else the ability to milk the familiar IP in the anthology movies to please us grognards frees up the 'saga' movies to break new ground.

If you didn't enjoy it despite its shortcomings, that's a pity. But no-one waxed lyrical about sand, no cutesy CGI trolls did a musical number, nobody mentioned midichlorians and instead a lot of cool-looking stuff blew up. Remember when that was the stuff of dreams? Rogue One does exactly what it promises to do, and maybe a bit more. And it's not like we have to wait 3 years for the next one.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 04 January, 2017, 10:41:34 AM
Hate to be a total geek, but they aren't AT-ATs in Rogue One, they are AT-ACTs. They are cargo carriers and are not as armed or armoured as AT-ATs. This also explains why the x-wings could shoot them down so easily.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: NapalmKev on 04 January, 2017, 11:15:37 AM
If we're going down the fan-service route I would suggest that The Force Awakens is the bigger culprit. Han, Leia, a new sort of Deathstar, a young desert dweller being called by the Force, a cutesy droid, a new type of Empire!

And as Tordleback, and others have said: Vader actually acts like a fearsome badass, instead of the sulky child he's portrayed as in the prequels.

By my own admission I'm a hard person to please, but (as I've said previously) Rogue One reinvigorated my interest in Star Wars after the disappointing Force Awakens.

Cheers
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Spaceghost on 04 January, 2017, 11:39:24 AM
Quote from: NapalmKev on 04 January, 2017, 11:15:37 AM
If we're going down the fan-service route I would suggest that The Force Awakens is the bigger culprit. Han, Leia, a new sort of Deathstar, a young desert dweller being called by the Force, a cutesy droid, a new type of Empire!

You're absolutely right, but it also had great new characters, charm, wit and a sense of fun and adventure. All of these things were absent from Rogue One.

I have to say though, I did enjoy seeing Vader methodically murdering the rebels, and I didn't hate the film. I just found it pretty boring and a big missed opportunity.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 04 January, 2017, 12:29:29 PM
Quote from: SIP on 04 January, 2017, 10:41:34 AM
Hate to be a total geek, but they aren't AT-ATs in Rogue One, they are AT-ACTs. They are cargo carriers and are not as armed or armoured as AT-ATs. This also explains why the x-wings could shoot them down so easily.

"Easy?!? You call that easy?". Your geekhood is acknowledged. May the Force of Others be with you, my son.

Rogue One seems to have pleased a lot of lapsed OT fans who didn't quite gel with TFA's retread/rebootish stylings - my Father-in-law, Brother-in-law and several mates for example. People who are happy to have SW repackaged in glorious -looking more gritty modern style, but firmly set in the world they know from 30 or 40 years ago. This is generally a Good Thing, the more fans the merrier.

While I think TFA did a much better job creating lasting and fun characters, that wasn't R1's job: we did get some endearing Magnificent 7/Dirty Dozen thumbnails in Baze, Chirrut, Bodhi and Potassium Sulphide, and slightly more intriguing figures in Saw and Cassian, but by and large these were just meat for the grinder, and their disparate motivations were subsumed into their experience of Jedha's destruction.  Jyn unfortunately didnt really work for me - it was never really clear which version (of many) of the character we were watching at any one time. Essentially none of them needed to endure or express much beyond their desperation and willingness to give everything to oppose the Death Star and what it represented. And that was enough.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 04 January, 2017, 12:43:30 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 04 January, 2017, 12:29:29 PM
Quote from: SIP on 04 January, 2017, 10:41:34 AM
Hate to be a total geek, but they aren't AT-ATs in Rogue One, they are AT-ACTs. They are cargo carriers and are not as armed or armoured as AT-ATs. This also explains why the x-wings could shoot them down so easily.

"Easy?!? You call that easy?". Your geekhood is acknowledged. May the Force of Others be with you, my son.

Thanks you sir! Now I'm a happy geek 😊
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 04 January, 2017, 12:49:43 PM
Quote from: SIP on 04 January, 2017, 10:41:34 AM
Hate to be a total geek, but they aren't AT-ATs in Rogue One, they are AT-ACTs. They are cargo carriers and are not as armed or armoured as AT-ATs. This also explains why the x-wings could shoot them down so easily.


Great work - I hadn't realised it was a different model - thought it was just the usual one with both windows open :)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 04 January, 2017, 12:51:02 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 04 January, 2017, 09:36:37 AM
I've seen it twice now, and while I enjoyed it even more the second time then watched it back to back with ANH


I've only seen it the once, but am lucky enough to live about three minutes away from the local cinema (with no major roads in between) so managed to be sat down watching ANH within about ten minutes of leaving the screen :D
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 04 January, 2017, 01:24:02 PM
Cool! It is a genuinely seamless transition, and I really appreciated the extra kick I got from knowing just what Leia was fleeing from, and what those plans had cost. I also found myself reinterpreting Leia's actions right before she is captured: it now looks a lot like she was attempting suicide-by-stormy to protect Yavin IV's location, and maybe even Ben's. Her defiance of Vader in the following scene is now even more impressive - she's outright lying to his face and they both know it. Such magnificent disrespect in the face of such a monster! I also really like Sharkie's idea that Vader is troubled by his instinctive reaction to this defiant girl, this unknown connection they share.

Knowing the stakes more clearly in the light of Rogue One, Leia and her Rebellion really move to center stage in ANH, where before they were maybe more of an adjunct to the Luke Skywalker Story. And while it has always got me, every single time, the destruction of the Death Star itself was even more cathartic this time. That awful thing, all the lives it took to destroy it.

So even on those grounds alone, Rogue One has been a success for me, in the way RoTS so definitely was not.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Bad City Blue on 04 January, 2017, 02:08:46 PM
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I'm not some fanboy nit picker who thinks Disney should have emailed me the script first so I could told them EXACTLY how to improve it.

This was a perfectly exciting family sci fi film, with humour, drama and action throughout. That, my friends, is exactly what a Star Wars film should boil down to.

Only thing that jarred for me was Moff Tarkin, who gave me the creeps. I think a re casting (even with a dubbed vocal) would have been better.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 04 January, 2017, 02:14:13 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 04 January, 2017, 12:49:43 PM
Quote from: SIP on 04 January, 2017, 10:41:34 AM
Hate to be a total geek, but they aren't AT-ATs in Rogue One, they are AT-ACTs. They are cargo carriers and are not as armed or armoured as AT-ATs. This also explains why the x-wings could shoot them down so easily.


Great work - I hadn't realised it was a different model - thought it was just the usual one with both windows open :)

I didn't know what they were called when I watched the film, but I did noticed that the sides were gold coloured instead of grey. And I think a couple might have had a hollow body. (Or that might have been simply because it got broken apart by X-Wing fire.)

When one was destroyed by X-Wing fire, I did wonder about that, but then I remembered that the craft used against the AT-ATs in Empire.. were snow-speeders. I conjectured that since X-Wings are space craft, their cannons might be more powerful than that of craft that are purely atmosphere based, although I think that might be  a bit of a stretch.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 04 January, 2017, 03:09:33 PM
I thought it was disappointing enough that this Star Wars film that has Star Wars in the title tied into the Star Wars films, but to my mind it beggars belief that Disney would put one of the most iconic pop-cultural figures of the last four decades into a movie just because it would guarantee that people would come see it.  Makes no sense at all - even less so after everyone started saying those scenes were their favorite thing about the film.  To my mind, that just proves what a mistake it was to include them.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Fungus on 04 January, 2017, 03:25:27 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 04 January, 2017, 03:09:33 PM
I thought it was disappointing enough that this Star Wars film that has Star Wars in the title tied into the Star Wars films, but to my mind it beggars belief that Disney would put one of the most iconic pop-cultural figures of the last four decades into a movie just because it would guarantee that people would come see it.  Makes no sense at all - even less so after everyone started saying those scenes were their favorite thing about the film.  To my mind, that just proves what a mistake it was to include them.

Quite  :)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 04 January, 2017, 03:44:01 PM
For all the grumbling about Vader i'll interject with my own pointless cameo, the C3-PO and R2 one really didn't add anything, espescially at that point in the movie. At this point I assume its just contract bound that the two have to appear, seeing as they're the only characters to apoear in all 8 movies thus far.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 04 January, 2017, 04:03:40 PM
Annoying thing about that one is that they could have had a perfectly fine cameo in passing on board the Tantive IV, where they belonged. As it is, it's my least favourite scene of the movie - it essentially breaks the fourth wall, they may as well have been footage of a Disney exec pointing at two droids and shouting 'See? See? Betcha weren't expecting that!'
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 04 January, 2017, 07:43:57 PM
Quote from: Spaceghost on 04 January, 2017, 11:39:24 AMYou're absolutely right, but it also had great new characters, charm, wit and a sense of fun and adventure. All of these things were absent from Rogue One.

Don't know about that; I'd say K-2SO's mocking wit and Donnie Yen's impish ways can well stand against the most popular characters in the OT and the Star Wars gallery in general.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 04 January, 2017, 07:51:40 PM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 04 January, 2017, 03:44:01 PM
For all the grumbling about Vader i'll interject with my own pointless cameo, the C3-PO and R2 one really didn't add anything, espescially at that point in the movie. At this point I assume its just contract bound that the two have to appear, seeing as they're the only characters to apoear in all 8 movies thus far.

Like Cornelius Evazan and Ponda Baba (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68BrauMLt_0), the droid cameos are so short - mere seconds - that as much as they're not worth the effort of inclusion, they're also not worth complaining about amidst 2 hours of far more vital content.




Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 04 January, 2017, 08:12:53 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 04 January, 2017, 12:29:29 PMWhile I think TFA did a much better job creating lasting and fun characters, that wasn't R1's job: we did get some endearing Magnificent 7/Dirty Dozen thumbnails in Baze, Chirrut, Bodhi and Potassium Sulphide, and slightly more intriguing figures in Saw and Cassian, but by and large these were just meat for the grinder, and their disparate motivations were subsumed into their experience of Jedha's destruction.  Jyn unfortunately didnt really work for me - it was never really clear which version (of many) of the character we were watching at any one time. Essentially none of them needed to endure or express much beyond their desperation and willingness to give everything to oppose the Death Star and what it represented. And that was enough.


Indeedy. The short-hand actions to understand the short-time relationships between the crew in a time of instant crisis was well enough for the performers to do the rest and carry the characters through to the end. The only one left blowing in the wind is Jyn - a short sequence after Galen's capture of kid Jyn acting as cub to Saw Gerrera's lone wolf, as they carry out some terrorism, followed by the rift in their partnership would've solved clarity issues.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 05 January, 2017, 02:04:37 AM
I watched it, and didn't hate it, but I thought the whole thing was a bit of a messy mess.

SPOILERS

It really could have done with the rolling text on a starfield opening.
The EVIL GALACTIC EMPIRE are developing an
ULIMATE DOOMSDAY WEAPON!
Unbeknown to them, the lead scientist, "TV's HANNIBAL LECTOR"
is reluctant to unleash such an evil on the galaxy,
and has enlisted the help of a defecting imperial pilot.

Armed with a cryptic message the pilot triees to deliver
hope to one of the rebel factions, in the hope that the disparate
insurgents will unite against the greatest threat this galaxy has known



Something like that to set the scene, but with better writing. I didn't have a solid grasp on any of the events until well into the second act.  A wee introduction would have gone  long way. They could have cut a lot of preamble and replaced it with some solid character development.

They missed out on the whole idea of the rebels being an alliance. The main thing I took from the first act was that the rebellion was a bunch of different groups opposing the Empire. Much like here in Norn Iron, you had the INLA, the 32CSM, the IRA, the Provisional IRA, the Real IRA, the continuity IRA, the Fat Free IRA, the Gluten Free IRA and all these different groups with the same goals, but different ideals.

The movie should have focused more on them all uniting, and the battle@infiltration
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 05 January, 2017, 02:15:40 AM
Double post removed as per request following.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Definitely Not Mister Pops on 05 January, 2017, 02:33:08 AM
Drunken double post. Sorry. If the mods could fix that, it would be just super
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 05 January, 2017, 10:24:35 AM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 05 January, 2017, 02:15:40 AM
It really could have done with the rolling text on a starfield opening:

You want the entire plot laid out in an opening crawl, presumably so the film could skip straight to the end? Well, okaaaay...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 05 January, 2017, 11:23:38 AM
I think it was a good decision to leave the opening crawl out of this film as it helps set it apart from the main spine of the ongoing narrative. It is, after all, a Star Wars story and not Star Wars. As soon as I realised the crawl wasn't there I was momentarily dischuffed but almost immediately changed my mind and thought its absence a perfectly acceptable and even desirable state of affairs.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 January, 2017, 01:43:26 PM
Didn't mind the missing crawl, it did mark it out immediately as a different beast to the main episodes and that was neat. One thing I did find distracting was the way it skirted around the musical themes from the main series while also seemingly trying to keep them at arm's length (with one very notable exception). In theory it was another nice way to distinguish it from those films but in practice I thought a lot of the time it had that 'cover version tweaked just enough to avoid copyright' feel to it.

Probably won't bother me on repeat viewings, but was a little distracting on a first watch.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 05 January, 2017, 02:01:29 PM
Rogue One's editors reveal the scenes added in the Star Wars standalone reshoots (https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/rogue-ones-editors-reveal-scenes-added-in-the-star-wars-standalone-reshoots-exclusive-110124381.html)



Yahoo Movies: How did the reshoots change the film?

John Gilroy: They gave you the film that you see today. I think they were incredibly helpful. The story was reconceptualised to some degree, there were scenes that were added at the beginning and fleshed out. We wanted to make more of the other characters, like Cassian's character [Cassian Andor, the Rebel spy played by Diego Luna], and Bodhi's character [Bodhi Rook, the defected Imperial pilot played by Riz Ahmed].

The scene with Cassian's introduction with the spy, Bodhi traipsing through Jedha on his way to see Saw, these are things that were added. Also Jyn [Jyn Erso, the reluctant leader of the film, played by Felicity Jones], how we set her up and her escape from the transporter, that was all done to set up the story better.

Of course, things like that have a ripple effect all through the movie so there was a lot of work to do, and as Colin said, there were three of us, we rolled up our sleeves and we got to work and made the movie you see.

The point with the opening scenes that John was just describing was that the introductions in the opening scene, in the prologue, was always the same. Jyn's just a little girl, so when you see her as an adult what you saw initially was her in a meeting. That's not a nice introduction.

So having her in prison and then a prison break out, with Cassian on a mission... everybody was a bit more ballsy, or a bit more exciting, and a bit more interesting.

They got there eventually in the film, but this way we came in on the ground running, which was better.

John Gilroy: It became very important to plant the seeds the right way, you've got to set up the movie the right way, and then things pay off in the second and third acts.

Yahoo Movies: How much of the film's final third changed?

John Gilroy: It changed quite a bit. The third act has a lot going on. You have like seven different action venues, the mechanics of the act changed quite a bit in terms of the characters, and I don't want to go into too much detail about what had been there before, but it was different.

We moved some of the things that our heroes did, they were different in the original then they were as it was conceived.

Because you needed to figure that out, and everything else changes. Everything was connected to everything so doing something to one venue would change all the other venues, so really we had to... we were working on that until the last minute, because we working closely with ILM, they were giving us temporary shots and we'd put them in, we'd work them, we'd reconceive again.


It was really like a very tight puzzle and we had to keep honing that and honing that, and I'm very proud of what we did there.




(https://cbr3.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/rogueone-cassian-jyn-beach-battle.jpg?auto=format&lossless=1&q=90&w=864&h=576&fit=crop)

(https://i0.wp.com/media2.slashfilm.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/rogueone-krennic-blasterdrawn.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 05 January, 2017, 03:02:18 PM
I think they made the right decision with those added scenes.

And I really like Krennic's blaster in that photo. Kind of reminiscent of a big old revolver with a Sci-fi twist. Similar I guess to Captain Reynold's shooter from firefly.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 05 January, 2017, 03:53:07 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 05 January, 2017, 01:43:26 PM
Didn't mind the missing crawl, it did mark it out immediately as a different beast to the main episodes and that was neat.

Agreed, although I did miss it! I'd even have settled for one of Tom Kane's newsreel intros to Clone Wars, but on the second viewing it didn't bother me at all .  What did rankle, and still does, is the bizarre placement of the titles.  It's just plain awful, a starfield inxplicably wedged into the transition from Jyn-as-child to Jyn-as-adult. Having dispensed with the crawl, I would have preferred if they just stuck it at the beginning or even the end credits.  As it is, it just breaks a nice transition between scenes and adds nothing. Ugh, I say!

Yes, this film is so far ahead of its prequel chums that I'm reduced to slagging off droid cameos and title placement.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Keef Monkey on 05 January, 2017, 04:03:42 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 05 January, 2017, 03:53:07 PM
Yes, this film is so far ahead of its prequel chums that I'm reduced to slagging off droid cameos and title placement.

That's definitely a good sign!

While we're having quibbles and gripes though, the one thing story/action-wise that I really didn't like (and I did really, really enjoy the film so this was a rare blip for me in an otherwise hugely enjoyable film) was the way the [spoiler]confrontation on the top of the radio mast played out.

It seems pretty obvious from the trailer footage that it was one of the things that changed late-on, but the whole 'baddie has her in his sights dead to rights, then goodie you haven't seen for a bit appears to conveniently shoot him in the back' thing felt so, so lazy. With all that money and talent that ex machina bull is the best they could come up with to resolve that?![/spoiler] Really bugged me, just like it's bugged me in the other 7 million movies that have done it before. Not sure how much it'll bug me on future watches (I might come to terms with it or my annoyance might snowball) but I really groaned when it happened.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: radiator on 05 January, 2017, 06:36:09 PM
Quote...no-one waxed lyrical about sand, no cutesy CGI trolls did a musical number, nobody mentioned midichlorians and instead a lot of cool-looking stuff blew up....

No offence Tordels, but it's this sort of attitude (or at least the perception of it) that can tend to get peoples backs up a bit - ie, that we should all fawn over a movie, no matter how mediocre or messy in its execution, and that any criticism of it is dismissed as 'nitpicking', purely because it isn't as catastrophically awful as the prequels were....

It's also short-circuits my brain a bit when people can straight up admit that they don't like or understand/care about the lead character of a film, and do the required mental gymnastics to justify universally weak character writing like this:

QuoteI think TFA did a much better job creating lasting and fun characters, that wasn't R1's job... by and large these were just meat for the grinder, and their disparate motivations were subsumed into their experience of Jedha's destruction... Essentially none of them needed to endure or express much beyond their desperation and willingness to give everything to oppose the Death Star and what it represented.

...and still say with a straight face that it was still a good or even great film. And Saw and Cassian 'intiguing figures'? Really? What cut of the movie did you watch?  :lol:

I'm honestly a bit shocked at how much of an easy ride it's getting from you lot, when I firmly believe that, stripped of its familiar Star Wars trappings and associated nostalgia, and having to stand on its own merits as a generic sci fi/adventure film, its average at best.

QuoteThe most alarming aspect for me is that this empty, shallow fan service seems to be what "fans" want from a Star Wars film.

Agree 100%. It's also weird how the one bit of the film that almost everyone is consistently praising is the weird tacked-on scene at the end that has almost nothing to do with the rest of the film.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 05 January, 2017, 07:06:28 PM
I think I'd agree if this was just another film, a world and story unto itself, but it isn't. It's part of a larger canvas. It's like saying you don't like this one small piece of a jigsaw because it's a funny shape or you don't like this Dredd spin-off because Dredd's in it.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 05 January, 2017, 07:12:27 PM
Don't recall ever saying it was a 'great' film... in fact I've said more than once that it isn't really what I want from a Star Wars movie.  But I did enjoy it greatly for what it was, which is also exactly what was promised. 

Quote from: radiator on 05 January, 2017, 06:36:09 PM
It's also weird how the one bit of the film that almost everyone is consistently praising is the weird tacked-on scene at the end that has almost nothing to do with the rest of the film.

This is where I think we really differ.  The last scene has everything to do with the rest of the film - this film positions itself as being a story about how the Alliance acquired the Death Star plans, the thing Vader is chasing after when we first met him.  Vader is at the height of his powers, the Big Bad, in the period this story is set, and he is personally involved in the pursuit of the Plans: how you not include him, and how could you include him in the main body of the action without him completely taking over? Having watched our ordinary heroes' successful struggles against the Empire, here comes the unstoppable Force himself to remind us how insignificant all this fighting over 'technological terrors' is.  It's a right kick in the teeth, but at the same time permits a much-needed upbeat ending: Rogue One [spoiler]may have died in the mud, but Leia escapes to bring hope to the galaxy[/spoiler]. 

It's probably correct to argue that this is a mediocre muddled action film when stripped of its Star Wars trappings, but it also makes no sense as an accusation: it's the trappings (and their blowing-up) that make it fun, and Vader is a big part of that fun.  The film only exists, and I only went to see it, because it explicitly and deliberately leverages the nostalgia (and timeless cool) of Star Wars IP.  I want more from Star Wars than this, but this time out this is what was offered, and delivered.

As to not 'getting' Jyn, well that is a flaw of the film for me.  But it's not like this is a character study. 
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 05 January, 2017, 07:16:56 PM
Quote from: radiator on 05 January, 2017, 06:36:09 PM
No offence Tordels, but it's this sort of attitude (or at least the perception of it) that can tend to get peoples backs up a bit - ie, that we should all fawn over a movie, no matter how mediocre or messy in its execution, and that any criticism of it is dismissed as 'nitpicking', purely because it isn't as catastrophically awful as the prequels were....

No offence, Radiator, but it's your persistent snotty elitism, or the perception of it, than can get other people's backs up a bit.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Dandontdare on 05 January, 2017, 07:38:12 PM
saw it
Loved it
Best Star Wars film since 1983

'nuff said
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 05 January, 2017, 07:45:30 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 05 January, 2017, 07:16:56 PM
Quote from: radiator on 05 January, 2017, 06:36:09 PM
No offence Tordels, but it's this sort of attitude (or at least the perception of it) that can tend to get peoples backs up a bit - ie, that we should all fawn over a movie, no matter how mediocre or messy in its execution, and that any criticism of it is dismissed as 'nitpicking', purely because it isn't as catastrophically awful as the prequels were....

No offence, Radiator, but it's your persistent snotty elitism, or the perception of it, than can get other people's backs up a bit.


Also, I do not agree that the prequels were "catastrophically awful".......but please carry on.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 05 January, 2017, 09:23:39 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 05 January, 2017, 03:53:07 PM
What did rankle, and still does, is the bizarre placement of the titles.  It's just plain awful, a starfield inxplicably wedged into the transition from Jyn-as-child to Jyn-as-adult. Having dispensed with the crawl, I would have preferred if they just stuck it at the beginning or even the end credits.  As it is, it just breaks a nice transition between scenes and adds nothing. Ugh, I say!

For me it's not so much the placement of the title but the lacklustre font and underwhelming music swell. There's no weight to it which makes it feel superfluous. It's a strange choice.



Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 09 January, 2017, 04:09:21 PM
I liked Rogue One, definitely a 4/5 movie, my only real gripe is:

[spoiler]The indiscriminate massacre of all the good guys.[/spoiler]

I am surprised Disney allowed that to go ahead. Indeed, I understand an alternate version was prepared just in case they objected. I would probably have given that version 5/5.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 09 January, 2017, 04:15:42 PM
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 09 January, 2017, 04:09:21 PM
I am surprised Disney allowed that to go ahead. Indeed, I understand an alternate version was prepared just in case they objected. I would probably have given that version 5/5.

Not at all, according to an interview I read recently. Much of the re-shooting was accommodate the new ending, which Edwards originally never even suggested to Disney because he thought they'd never go for it. Disney observed that [spoiler]the primary cast's complete absence from the subsequent stories suggested that the mission didn't turn out well for them, and that they were fine with that, prompting Edwards to go for a much darker ending than he'd originally planned.[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 09 January, 2017, 04:25:00 PM
And they've got form - they killed Bambi's mum!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 09 January, 2017, 06:00:46 PM
No doubt the ending made sense in the context of the original trilogy. That's [spoiler]bad news for the Star Wars Rebels crew[/spoiler], though.

I remember absolutely hating [spoiler]Sunshine[/spoiler] because of the ending, which is broadly similar. Just seemed like a slap in the face for bothering to care.

Mind you, I absolute love the way [spoiler]Blake's 7[/spoiler] finishes, so perhaps it's all about the execution, and I'm not just a total wuss.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: The Legendary Shark on 09 January, 2017, 06:09:47 PM
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 09 January, 2017, 06:00:46 PM

...it's all about the execution...


Badum-tish!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 10 January, 2017, 12:02:15 AM
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 09 January, 2017, 04:09:21 PM
Indeed, I understand an alternate version was prepared just in case they objected. I would probably have given that version 5/5.

I believe an alternate ending only existed during scripting but Disney didn't want it.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/12/20/14022380/rogue-one-ending-original-different-gareth-edwards

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 10 January, 2017, 11:25:24 PM
Interesting, if true, although it doesn't really add to the film a whole lot itself:

https://youtu.be/TLsLvbs-NgU
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 11 January, 2017, 07:53:03 AM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 05 January, 2017, 07:38:12 PM
saw it
Loved it
Best Star Wars film since 1983

'nuff said
You know what DDD, you're alright. You're alright.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Frank on 13 January, 2017, 01:03:03 PM
.
THREADJACK: interview with Mark Hamill (http://nerdist.com/nerdist-podcast-mark-hamill-returns/). He talks about Rogue One, Force Awakens, Lucas, and the prequels, but the bit I found most interesting * was his observations on what the deleted scenes from the original Star Wars reveal about his character. No wonder the Emperor thought he could be turned.

Hamill also does a mean Harrison Ford impression and reveals why Larry Hagman shat his pants.


* Along with the tales of alternate Star Wars casting. That never gets old.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 16 January, 2017, 12:35:13 AM
Finally saw this tonight. Liked it a lot. There follow a few observations which have undoubtedly been mulled over earlier in this thread.

Could've trimmed a few shots of generic rebels running around and getting exploded in the last third but that's about my biggest complaint.

Jyn was great. Largo Winch was a decent foil. Yer big robot man had all the best lines. Obviously loved Donnie Yen and, more importantly, the fact that they learned from TFA and actually gave him a couple of good extended fight scenes. Slightly bemused by Brother Ghost Dog's weird combination of Vader, Immortan Joe and Frank from Blue Velvet. In a good way.

Callbacks to earlier films were there but seemed far less obtrusive than the greatest hits package of TFA. Also, it actually makes sense for R2D2 and C3PO to be in this rebel base.

The blatant parallels between the initial rebel ambush and similar attacks on occupying forces in desert countries of the real world was unexpectedly ballsy for a Star Wars film as was the brief exploration of different levels of commitment vs fanaticism.

I took it that Bale Organa's parting line is a major revelation for future installments but maybe it's just something I've missed by not reading the Poe Dameron comic?

Overally, very surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 16 January, 2017, 01:14:55 AM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 16 January, 2017, 12:35:13 AMI took it that Bale Organa's parting line is a major revelation for future installments but maybe it's just something I've missed by not reading the Poe Dameron comic?

The Leia reference?


[spoiler]Mon: Despite what the others say, war is inevitable.

Bail: Yes I agree, I must return to Alderaan to inform my people that there will be no peace. We will need every advantage.

Mon: Your friend, the Jedi.

Bail: He served me well during the clone wars, he has lived in hiding since the Emperor's purge, yes, I will send for him.

Mon: You're gonna need someone you can trust.

Bail: I would trust her with my life.
[/spoiler]
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 16 January, 2017, 01:51:00 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 16 January, 2017, 01:14:55 AM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 16 January, 2017, 12:35:13 AMI took it that Bale Organa's parting line is a major revelation for future installments but maybe it's just something I've missed by not reading the Poe Dameron comic?
The Leia reference?
Ah. I have somehow misinterpreted this as "her" being the Jedi and, therefore, a new character.

As an aside, my girlfriend said afterwards that being made out of computers made Tarkin look "too evil." I suggested that Peter Cushing had been a singularly evil man when he was real but she wasn't having it, concluding with the inarguable assertion that "at least he had human eyes."
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: SIP on 16 January, 2017, 06:34:03 AM
Disney just need to put out a new special special edition of bree hope with added cgi evil eyes to tarkin. Sorted.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 16 January, 2017, 04:01:20 PM
I have to agree with the people saying that CGI Tarkin looked fake compared to the one in the originals.  I don't know why they didn't just use a puppet again.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Mardroid on 16 January, 2017, 05:14:25 PM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 16 January, 2017, 04:01:20 PM
I have to agree with the people saying that CGI Tarkin looked fake compared to the one in the originals.  I don't know why they didn't just use a puppet again.


(http://i406.photobucket.com/albums/pp149/cmardle/Mobile%20Uploads/2017-01/TF1-MuppetsTV-PhotoGallery-39-Statler.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Eamonn Clarke on 16 January, 2017, 08:49:54 PM
(http://www.petercushing.co.uk/grim1.jpg)

Could have used this one.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 17 January, 2017, 08:07:25 AM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 16 January, 2017, 12:35:13 AM
The blatant parallels between the initial rebel ambush and similar attacks on occupying forces in desert countries of the real world was unexpectedly ballsy for a Star Wars film as was the brief exploration of different levels of commitment vs fanaticism.
On reflection, I should add that (like Tordelback) I'm not convinced this is what future generations really need from a Star Wars film but it's definitely one of the things which has stuck in my mind about the film.

Sub-nerd question. When does Anakin actually give in to the dark side? Is it when he kills the younglings or when he butchers the sanndpeople. The latter for me.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Krakajac on 17 January, 2017, 09:19:39 AM
"When does Anakin actually give in to the dark side?"

Sub-nerd answer...:)

I'd say during the confrontation between Mace Windu and Palpatine.  Just prior to that, Anakin had advised Windu that the Chancellor was a bad apple - so he might still have been salvageable up to that point.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 17 January, 2017, 09:28:57 AM
Quote from: Krakajac on 17 January, 2017, 09:19:39 AM
I'd say during the confrontation between Mace Windu and Palpatine.  Just prior to that, Anakin had advised Windu that the Chancellor was a bad apple - so he might still have been salvageable up to that point.
Surely he gives in to his anger (like what Yoda predicted) in AotC and it's all inevitable from there.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheldipez on 17 January, 2017, 09:43:26 AM
He's always had a mean streak but I'd agree that the turning point was with the Tusken Raiders, it was a slippery slope from there with things like killing Dooku until he finally was christened Darth, before then I'd say he was with the darkside and the name was merely a formality. It always bothered me when Padme has a line of dialogue in  Sith where she says something like "I don't know who you are/ What you've become" as when he tells her about slaughtering a mass of Tusken Raiders she just says something like everyone gets angry. Like slaughtering Sand children was fine but Jedi children was a step too far. Shocker your husband is a killer.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 17 January, 2017, 10:21:23 AM
I'd always hoped that Palps was in some way behind the Sandpeople's inexplicable treatment of Shmi.  I mean, what was all that about? The problem with seeing Ani actually falling to the Dark Side at that point is that everything we see afterwards in the two Clone Wars series must depict a man already lost, rather than a boy still struggling with his demons. I like and understand cartoon Anakin in a way I could never grok live-action Anakin.

As to the Jedha ambush, as I probably already droned on about somewhere upthread, Saw is just repeating the ambush tactics we see taught to him by Anakin, Ahsoka and Rex on Onderon, which even if not intentional adds a marvelous layer to the allusion.

Speculating on some of the cuter Episode VIII rumours (POSSIBLE MAJOR SPOILER[spoiler]intelligent puffin natives on Ach'too[/spoiler]) with the Boy during our morning run yesterday, I was struck afresh by the fear that this Mature Readers! take on SW is all that the 'fans' will accept from now on. Which, fun as Rogue One is, would be awful.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 17 January, 2017, 10:33:03 AM
As far as Tarkin's inclusion, or indeed exclusion, from Rogue One could be concerned, there where only really three options.

1) Leave him out completely. This would no doubt annoy fans, including myself, if for no other reason other than he's fairly integral to A New Hope. And this being the immediate precursor to ANH he's kind of required.

2) Bring back Wayne Pygram to reprise his role cameo from Episode III. The only problem with this is though he might look the part...from a three quarter length shot...for a few seconds...I'm not convinced he could have pulled off the kinda of scenes Tarkin had in RO.

3) The CGI, which IMHO was the best course of action. This kind thing is of course a slippery slope, but as I said before I was chuffed with the execution and so long as it doesn't become a regular occurrence i'm happy with this irregular method used for such an irregular movie.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: CalHab on 17 January, 2017, 10:35:38 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 January, 2017, 10:21:23 AM
Speculating on some of the cuter Episode VIII rumours (POSSIBLE MAJOR SPOILER[spoiler]intelligent puffin natives on Ach'too[/spoiler]) with the Boy during our morning run yesterday, I was struck afresh by the fear that this Mature Readers! take on SW is all that the 'fans' will accept from now on. Which, fun as Rogue One is, would be awful.

I totally agree. I watched Rogue One with my nephew and, while he enjoyed it, it's certainly not a child-friendly film. I worry that the internet has made the opinion of moody teenage boys too powerful. Not everything has to be "dark" or knowing. Sometimes things can just be fun. Of course 2000AD has struggled with this historically as well.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 17 January, 2017, 10:40:22 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 January, 2017, 10:21:23 AM
I'd always hoped that Palps was in some way behind the Sandpeople's inexplicable treatment of Shmi.  I mean, what was all that about? The problem with seeing Ani actually falling to the Dark Side at that point is that everything we see afterwards in the two Clone Wars series must depict a man already lost, rather than a boy still struggling with his demons. I like and understand cartoon Anakin in a way I could never grok live-action Anakin.
Heh. It's a while since I've expended any mental energy on this but I remember thinking at the time that this had to be the pivotal part of the PT. It comes at pretty much the halfway point of the film and the trilogy. In terms of reflecting the OT, it's at almost exactly the same point as Luke faces the Vader-image on Dagobah. A faiure which he ultimately recovers from.

It baffled me at the time why they comprehensively rowed back from that until the Jedi temple massacre. On the other hand, I've never watched Clone Wars or Rebels or any of that stuff.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 17 January, 2017, 10:46:11 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 January, 2017, 10:21:23 AM
...I was struck afresh by the fear that this Mature Readers! take on SW is all that the 'fans' will accept from now on. Which, fun as Rogue One is, would be awful.
Totally agree. I like the idea of a vast galaxy capable of embracing different tones but really it should be accessible to kids.

Although every time someone brings this up, I can't help thinking of the charred skeletons of Owen and Beru.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 January, 2017, 10:47:26 AM
Anakin knew what he'd done to the Raiders was wrong - and struggled with it - because he'd acted in anger, but when he put Mace thru that windu he made a conscious choice.  He never "gave in" to the Dark Side, he chose it as a path to follow after Mace tried to assassinate Palpatine offering the exact same rationale - "he's too dangerous to be allowed to live" - that Palpatine offered for killing Dooku.  At this point, Anakin had betrayed Palpatine and chosen the Jedi, but they - Mace and Yoda - let him down, and he chose thethe one path that he thought might let him save Padme.
Although if you want to view it in absolute terms, he probably became evil when his eyes started glowing red and yellow.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 17 January, 2017, 10:48:26 AM
Quote from: I, Cosh on 17 January, 2017, 10:46:11 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 January, 2017, 10:21:23 AM
...I was struck afresh by the fear that this Mature Readers! take on SW is all that the 'fans' will accept from now on. Which, fun as Rogue One is, would be awful.
Totally agree. I like the idea of a vast galaxy capable of embracing different tones but really it should be accessible to kids.

Although every time someone brings this up, I can't help thinking of the charred skeletons of Owen and Beru.
This is kinda why I dig The Clone Wars and Rebels so much. Both series really embrace the notion of an vast galaxy of mixed cultures and races.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheldipez on 17 January, 2017, 10:48:53 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 January, 2017, 10:21:23 AM
I'd always hoped that Palps was in some way behind the Sandpeople's inexplicable treatment of Shmi.  I mean, what was all that about? The problem with seeing Ani actually falling to the Dark Side at that point is that everything we see afterwards in the two Clone Wars series must depict a man already lost, rather than a boy still struggling with his demons. I like and understand cartoon Anakin in a way I could never grok live-action Anakin.

It's amusing that the Anakin in Clone Wars is a more fleshed out, 3 dimensional character compared to the version you see in the films; those series does a lot of heavy lifting for the prequel timeline one expected of an animated cartoon delivered in 20 minute chunks.

Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 17 January, 2017, 10:33:03 AM
As far as Tarkin's inclusion, or indeed exclusion, from Rogue One could be concerned, there where only really three options.

1) Leave him out completely. This would no doubt annoy fans, including myself, if for no other reason other than he's fairly integral to A New Hope. And this being the immediate precursor to ANH he's kind of required.

2) Bring back Wayne Pygram to reprise his role cameo from Episode III. The only problem with this is though he might look the part...from a three quarter length shot...for a few seconds...I'm not convinced he could have pulled off the kinda of scenes Tarkin had in RO.

3) The CGI, which IMHO was the best course of action. This kind thing is of course a slippery slope, but as I said before I was chuffed with the execution and so long as it doesn't become a regular occurrence i'm happy with this irregular method used for such an irregular movie.

I didn't have a problem with Tarkin, I think Star Wars series should always try and push the expectations from SFX (as much as I am not a massive prequel fan, I do give Lucas massive amount of praise for attempting to push the technology with near all digital set pieces, all digital clone troopers and the push to filming digitally) so I think they did the right thing. If I was in charge of Rogue One though I don't think I'd be as brave and would of tried to hide the pitfalls of the Tarkin CGI model within a hologram projection in conversations with Krennic, that way you could hide a lot. I do wonder if they considered that or always intended to do nothing but the full version.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: I, Cosh on 17 January, 2017, 10:50:22 AM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 17 January, 2017, 10:47:26 AM
Although if you want to view it in absolute terms, he probably became evil when his eyes started glowing red and yellow.
At last, the voice of reason!

Almost feel like rewatching the prequels to see if any of this stuff is actually in there or if you're all just cribbing it from your (no longer canon) comic books.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Krakajac on 17 January, 2017, 10:57:58 AM
"Surely he gives in to his anger (like what Yoda predicted) in AotC and it's all inevitable from there."

True.  But your question was 'when does he actually give in'.  I'd still say when he assisted killing Mace.  Sure, prior to that he was well on his way - and yes, he had a mean streak.  But if he had already 'given in' - he wouldn't have bothered telling Mace that Palpatine was dangerous, etc.

I might be wrong - but I think his eyes changed colour just after killing Mace - a sign that he had definitely turned and 'couldn't go back' (at least for 20 years or so!)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 January, 2017, 11:32:28 AM
Clone Wars is canon now thanks to Rogue One, so the heavy lifting done there applies to the PT.  AotC through Clone Wars, Anakin is torn and it's only in Sith that he actually turns.
It was never "inevitable" though - if the Jedi hadn't betrayed the Republic, Anakin would have stayed loyal.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheldipez on 17 January, 2017, 11:40:13 AM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 17 January, 2017, 11:32:28 AM
Clone Wars is canon now thanks to Rogue One, so the heavy lifting done there applies to the PT.

It was always canon though because George was heavily involved throughout (and how better the end result when he takes an mentor role rather than driving the thing himself).

Quote from: Professor Bear on 17 January, 2017, 11:32:28 AM
AotC through Clone Wars, Anakin is torn and it's only in Sith that he actually turns.
It was never "inevitable" though - if the Jedi hadn't betrayed the Republic, Anakin would have stayed loyal.

Loyal for how long though, until something else happened to trigger something else? From the beginning he showed problems against authority figures which is why they thrust Ashoka upon him to help show here what he should be like (even though it turned out to be do as I say, not as I do). If he had stopped with the Jedi the truth about his children could have jeopardised him staying with the order had they found out.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 17 January, 2017, 01:11:45 PM
Up until he turns, Anakin could always be saved and it's the Jedi who fail him, not the other way around - Anakin has resolved himself to the Jedi's judgment the moment he reveals the Sith Lord's identity to Windu, and only Windu's betrayal could turn him around.
Add to that that the Jedi know that Anakin is the father of Padme's children - go back and watch Anakin's consultation with Yoda, or failing that just watch Obi-Wan state outright that Anakin is the father of her children to Padme's face when Obi-Wan begins to believe that all hope for Anakin is gone.

Also, how is the Jedi finding out about his kids and his marriage much of a worry to Anakin?  If Windu hadn't screwed the pooch the galaxy is saved for another thousand years, Anakin has to leave the Jedi order and so has no more prophecy being held over him alongside arbitrary and unreachable standards for which the goalposts are constantly moved further away from him by the distant and dogmatic Jedi Council, he gets to be with his wife and kids and live out the life denied he and his mother, presumably wandering the galaxy just like he said he would all the way back in Episode 1 when he laid out their shared destiny to Padme.  Anakin being chucked out of the Jedi is the best thing that could happen to him, not the worst.

QuoteIt was always canon though because George was heavily involved throughout (and how better the end result when he takes an mentor role rather than driving the thing himself).

Spin-offs were always up in the air, canon-wise, as evidenced by Disney purging the EU once they took control.
I'd say George's contribution to Clone Wars was swings and roundabouts: he took a firmer hand in the creative side and then gave us three episodes about banking and income taxes, for instance, though we also got stuff like entire acts of an episode being single-shot takes, as well as Asoka being written-out in a non-fatal manner (which I think Tordels called beat-for-beat several years before it happened).
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Eric Plumrose on 23 January, 2017, 12:58:52 AM
Saw it Saturday gone. Surprised by how much I enjoyed it, despite not having a Scooby what was going on half the time. Hindsight's not doing it many favours, though. Don't hate it, unlike THE FORCE AWANKENS which seriously annoyed me pissed-me-the-arsing-fuck-OFF-while-actually-WATCHING-the-bastard-thing. That, despite my quite liking the first half-hour or so of him, Finn, and her.

Loved the opening scene between Le Chiffre and John Daggett, even if I did wrongly assume the former was a former Jedi on hearing he has "talents" (or whatever's said. Yes, the DOCTOR STRANGE movie may well be a mitigating factor, here).

Stuff then happens. Doesn't help that Cineworld has the picture contrast at its lowest setting and too often I'm finding myself wondering when best to nip out and collar a member of staff, fat lot of good it did me during ARRIVAL.

Marvin, the paranoid android K, the cheer-not bot seems written/edited to steal the show in a rather obvious Christina Ricci/Wednesday ADDAMS FAMILY VALUES kind of way. Surprisingly, it works. Almost.

Hang on, that's Riz Ahmed! Playing a freedom fighter and not (for once) a terrorist. The Last King of Scotland says something about his Brian-sucking squid leaving people permanently Brian-sucked but Riz is left simply addled and recovers later when sprung from his cell.

Zatoichi the Whiller, he's cool. Oh, by GEORGE, yeah, he's cool!

. . . Except when he's babbling on about him and the Force and the Force and him. Yeah, that's kinda annoying. He also has a sack placed over his head. Funny!

-- except, of course, the joke's then explained for the hard-of-thinking.

More stuff happens. People keep saying this is a heist movie but there doesn't seem to be any plan as such.

The ghost of Peter Cushing plots and exposits. Far from taking me out of the movie (which I was about to do myself in the hope someone could sort out the contrast) the CGI Tarkin keeps me watching. But like Forest Whitaker in THE CRYING GAME it's the voice that doesn't work, despite the correct inflection.

I am actually enjoying this!

Because, even though it's quite obviously a STAR WARS film, it's actually making some effort to be its own thing.

That is until the Rebels attack the Death Star Gerald Scarfe, or whatever that planet's called. That's where I kinda lose interest. People whose names I can't remember die. Surprisingly, this saddens me. Except for Hannibal's daughter and that bloke from AND YOUR MOTHER, TOO. That's not surprising 'cuz I'm a sucker for doomed lovers resigning themselves to Fate (see also SKYLINE).

Darth Vader. He's in it, too. Kicks some arse, though in no meaningful way. Maybe instead it shoulda been Rogue One he leaves smeared in that corridor, their buying time while the Jones woman transmits those plans to . . .

Princess Leia. I don't give a flying fuck about the supposed naffness of the CGI. I cried.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tjm86 on 23 January, 2017, 05:51:28 PM
You know, reading this review I'm almost tempted to go see the film again.  I think it's going to make for a fare more interesting viewing experience.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 23 January, 2017, 07:56:05 PM
Quote from: Eric Plumrose on 23 January, 2017, 12:58:52 AM
Hang on, that's Riz Ahmed! Playing a freedom fighter and not (for once) a terrorist. The Last King of Scotland says something about his Brian-sucking squid leaving people permanently Brian-sucked but Riz is left simply addled and recovers later when sprung from his cell.


Which one was Brian?
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Theblazeuk on 29 January, 2017, 11:12:05 PM
I thought it was great and seeing [spoiler]Carrie[/spoiler] was the first time Star Wars has made me shed a tear. My wife was in tears at every major death though which led to a very tear streaked face by the end. Personally I don't want nothing but 'dark' Star Wars either but I don't think this was crass or cheap in its execution, which is the hallmark of the 'moody teenage boys' tone in my book. And it reminded me in a lot of ways of the book series of Rogue and Wraith squadron, but with an even higher body count.

Honestly though I think it's important and good to have such a well made, escapist universe where the [spoiler]heroes die along with the red shirts, and the only thing that escapes is hope for the future.[/spoiler] It'll only be a problem if we can't have the fun movies as well but I don't think there's any fear of that. Be at least as much of a barrel of laughs as Empire Strikes Back... and this was too barring some murders and deaths ;)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 19 March, 2017, 03:45:17 PM
You know, whatever grievances you might have about the entirety of the movie, but I think the fact it's been three months and the corridor scene STILL gives me the chills like I just walked out of the cinema from seeing it is credit to how well done Vader was in this movie.

Like, holy shit guys.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 21 March, 2017, 04:35:17 AM
Most importantly they've fixed Vader's sticky-out neck.

(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/burlearth/vlcsnap-2017-03-21-04h31m09s242_zpspy91h1jt.png)

(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/burlearth/14819498597darth-vader-in-rogue-one-a-star-wars-story-2_zpsksklbfrw.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Eric Plumrose on 28 March, 2017, 07:45:52 PM
"No, Luke! I am your mother!"
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Steve Green on 05 April, 2018, 07:05:28 PM
A bit more info on the reshoots.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-rogue-one-writer-tony-gilroy-opens-up-reshoots-1100060 (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-rogue-one-writer-tony-gilroy-opens-up-reshoots-1100060)

Quite surprised he's talking about it...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 05 April, 2018, 08:53:45 PM
Gotta get the ball rolling on the Special Edition release of the dvd and blu-ray, I guess.  Having read the dreadful Marvel adaptation and seen some stuff cut from the original draft, I suspect he might be ass-covering, mind.
Going by the Marvel script, characters originally had more complete arcs, especially pilot man and K2: in a nutshell, pilot man gets his brain broke by the mind molester octopus but K2 appeals to his Imperial training after they crash their spaceship on rainy planet and need a new one, so he and K2, as Imperials, infiltrate the Empire's base together to liberate the ship the Rebels later use to escape (and later still to infiltrate Scarif).  Pilot man gets to make his training count for something - a recurring arc for other characters who feel their lives were wasted on acts of terror and sabotage before their hour finally comes - because the characters couldn't have infiltrated Scarif without pilot man's Imperial background and the stolen shuttle, which to me seems a bit more structured than their just grabbing a random ship on Yavin 4, which may as well have been the case in the theatrical cut where the characters are just sort of there in an Imperial shuttle after the rainy planet bit, despite us having just seen the Rebels flatten the base.  K2 is also seen to do something seemingly altruistic (he doesn't think he needs pilot man but insists he come along anyway) without needing prompting from Cassian or the others.
Despite his relative inexperience, Gareth Jones does actually seem to know how to structure a film and make a basic plot/character arc, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and not the guy justifying a hugely inflated paycheck who was drafted in by notoriously meddling execs who've stuck their claws into every new SW film so far - though we'll probably never really know what the original film would have been like.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Steve Green on 05 April, 2018, 09:12:15 PM
Yeah, without seeing the original cut it's a bit 'Hey it was shit before, but I saved it - what you want to see the original cut for, mine's loads better!'

I can't see Disney releasing an alternate cut, doesn't seem like the sort of thing they'd do.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 05 April, 2018, 10:52:48 PM
Certainly not if the original cut was even just passable - that would only highlight that they spent millions on unnecessary reshoots of what was always an event film whose end quality was a distant concern.  A Star Wars movie set in OT continuity and featuring Darth Vader?  It would have been harder to not make a quarter of a billion dollars.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 21 September, 2019, 10:20:42 PM
I'll see your Solo Necro and raise you a Rogue One necro.

Watched this one again over a couple of nights and yep enjoyed this more than I remember doing. Enjoyed it enough the first time and while it still has significent problems was pretty damned fine. I loved the fact it was bold enough to be its own thing. Got over most things that I thought annoyed me about it ... most and overall really enjoyed it.

Having enjoyed both Solo and Rogue One more than I thought I would I'm now worried I'm not going to enjoy Last Jedi as much as I remember...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 22 September, 2019, 10:16:35 AM
Apologies if this has been posted already, or if you've seen it doing the rounds on FB, but this reaction reminded me of the swirling emotional maelstrom in my head when I saw it in the cinema:

https://youtu.be/mIe2TLPryJw

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Colin YNWA on 22 September, 2019, 12:39:38 PM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 22 September, 2019, 10:16:35 AM
Apologies if this has been posted already, or if you've seen it doing the rounds on FB, but this reaction reminded me of the swirling emotional maelstrom in my head when I saw it in the cinema:

https://youtu.be/mIe2TLPryJw

At least she has the courtesy not to watch in the cinema!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Keef Monkey on 23 September, 2019, 09:14:04 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 22 September, 2019, 10:16:35 AM
Apologies if this has been posted already, or if you've seen it doing the rounds on FB, but this reaction reminded me of the swirling emotional maelstrom in my head when I saw it in the cinema:

https://youtu.be/mIe2TLPryJw

Yeah that really brought the goosebumps back! Still remember feeling very much like that, and it was as we were waiting on the train home afterwards that I saw the news online of Carrie Fisher passing away and it really hit hard given what we'd just watched. An emotional night.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 23 September, 2019, 12:21:38 PM
Rogue One is ever in the lower half of my personal cinematic Star Wars rankings*, but the ending was just the absolute business.  It serviced this fan very nicely, thank you kindly.  I'm shallow, cheaply bought, and I'm comfortable with that.


*(Today: V, IV, VI, VIII, I, Solo, VII, R1, CW, III, II)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: shaolin_monkey on 23 September, 2019, 02:42:31 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 23 September, 2019, 12:21:38 PM
(Today: V, IV, VI, VIII, I, Solo, VII, R1, CW, III, II)[/size]

What, no 'Battle for Endor' or 'Caravan of Courage'? 
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 23 September, 2019, 04:09:50 PM
Don't start!  (IIRC only the former had a theatrical release, which must have been blink-and-you'll-miss-it, because I did).
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tiplodocus on 23 September, 2019, 11:07:09 PM
Mrs Tips is away so I might research this tomorrow night.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 23 September, 2019, 11:08:30 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 23 September, 2019, 04:09:50 PM
Don't start!  (IIRC only the former had a theatrical release, which must have been blink-and-you'll-miss-it, because I did).

Limited as it was, they both got a cinema release in certain countries, but I think we Paddies only got COC.


(https://i.imgur.com/jS5ixwY.jpg)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 23 September, 2019, 11:16:56 PM
Well I never! Always thought they were both TV movies, with subsequent cinema space found for the marginally less awful CoC.  You learn something new every day, but no-one ever said it had to be something good.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: JOE SOAP on 24 September, 2019, 12:11:31 AM
They're technically TV films (shot 4:3) made for ABC Sunday Night Movies that, like the CBS Spider-Man series, got cinema releases outside America.

Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tiplodocus on 25 September, 2019, 08:45:03 AM
Yes, I enjoyed that. Had volume pumped up because I had the house to myself.

The first hour and a bit still drags slightly but has the advantage of me noticing more character bits that I missed on my first viewing.

I like the way Jyn and Cassian (great character, shame we won't see more) become a team towards the end. And Jyn is not the passive knockabout somevreviews would have you believe.

I'm softer on the fan-wank stuff; it just flies through scenes now as opposed to pulling me out of them. Same with the CG characters.

But the Darth Vader in lava castle scene still feels like a cosplay/fan film of Vader.

Donnie Yen is just great as Chiwoot (sp.)
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: wedgeski on 25 September, 2019, 09:12:59 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 25 September, 2019, 08:45:03 AM
I like the way Jyn and Cassian (great character, shame we won't see more)
https://www.starwars.com/news/cassian-andor-live-action-series-announced
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tiplodocus on 25 September, 2019, 11:53:27 AM
Oh, I'd forgotten that. Be trick not to make it too relentlessly grimdark given where he starts Rogue One. But I'm sure they can manage.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: wedgeski on 25 September, 2019, 12:00:54 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 25 September, 2019, 11:53:27 AM
Oh, I'd forgotten that. Be trick not to make it too relentlessly grimdark given where he starts Rogue One. But I'm sure they can manage.
Yeah, he's kind of a dick at the start of the film, so...
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Hawkmumbler on 25 September, 2019, 02:09:13 PM
Lets all have a moment of silence for the true MVP's of Rogue One. The crew of that wee hammerhead ship that utterly wrecked a pair of Star Destroyers.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tiplodocus on 25 September, 2019, 02:21:03 PM
...which crashed into the almost invulnerable shield lock, leaving it wide open for the transmission to make it out.

I loved the way that wasn't just a pointless cool bit of action and sfx but moved the story resolution forward.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 25 September, 2019, 02:51:35 PM
Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 25 September, 2019, 02:09:13 PM
Lets all have a moment of silence for the true MVP's of Rogue One. The crew of that wee hammerhead ship that utterly wrecked a pair of Star Destroyers.

F
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 25 September, 2019, 03:00:56 PM
I feel the need to up the heroic adulation by hailing the entire complement of Raddus' crippled and boarded Profundity committing suicide rather than being captured and revealing the location of the Hidden Base, which they'd just come from.

I mean that must have happened, right?

(I'm prepared to accept that of the crew of the Tantive IV that only Leia and Antilles knew the location, as it was an Alderanean diplomatic ship that joined the Profundity en-route to Scarrif, where it took on R2 and 3PO for some reason. But we saw that Mon Cal bridge crew at the Yavin council meeting).
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 25 September, 2019, 03:13:40 PM
I imagine they went out fighting like the rest of the cast, and those few taken alive were killed by Vader before they could answer any questions, like that poor chump at the start of ANH.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 25 September, 2019, 03:19:50 PM
If only the stormtroopers had some kind of stun setting on their blasters... and if only it was reeeealy important to find out where the rebel base was. Important enough to allow Leia to escape the Death Star with the plans in the company of Obi-Wan's companions for example.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Tiplodocus on 25 September, 2019, 03:32:52 PM
But say the base just had a code name. I doubt your average grunt (pilots and bridge crew excepted) could have pointed it out on a star map.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: Professor Bear on 25 September, 2019, 04:31:47 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 25 September, 2019, 03:19:50 PM
If only the stormtroopers had some kind of stun setting on their blasters... and if only it was reeeealy important to find out where the rebel base was. Important enough to allow Leia to escape the Death Star with the plans in the company of Obi-Wan's companions for example.

US troops don't barge into Afghan weddings shooting tasers - much as I and several million grieving Afghans would prefer otherwise - so there's probably soldier reasons for not doing stun settings in a battle.  Maybe the paltry soldier armor that Rebellion crewmembers wear is enough to negate stun settings?  I quite like this explanation, as it would mean they were wearing literal plot armor.
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: TordelBack on 25 September, 2019, 04:59:26 PM
Hah, excellent!
Title: Re: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Post by: sheridan on 25 September, 2019, 06:58:40 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 23 September, 2019, 04:09:50 PM
Don't start!  (IIRC only the former had a theatrical release, which must have been blink-and-you'll-miss-it, because I did).


I definitely remember having seen a review on TV, keeping an eye out for it at the cinema and not seeing it.  I don't think I blinked.