GMD Social Poll: Top Ten Films of 2017

[no country for old wainds]

@Einherjar86 I was just breaking your balls, but interesting to hear some of it was based on nostalgia. I sucked The Force Awakens' dick in 2015 so I get it on some level. Contrary to Wainds, the middle film in the trilogy might be my least favourite, but at this point it exists more like a bad taste in my mouth rather than something I can articulate. Rewatches are needed.

I think the fact that the trilogy is bookended by massive nostalgia-milking says a lot.

Edit:


I still stand by this, and holy shit was noticing it a defining moment for how I feel about the new trilogy.

the rey thing makes a bit more sense in retrospect given that she supposedly knew who and how important rey was (and there are a lot of theories out there that they're related 'n shit for whatever that's worth), but yeah that kind of thoughtlessness is pretty prevalent regardless. totally agree about finn, it really stands out how the last two films just desperately find stuff for him to do by himself because he's become a completely useless redundant character.

I didn't mind the first reveal, but yeah, the second one sapped that plot development of any emotional power.

Spoiler

not to mention c3p0, they completely pussied out of that one as well.

 

[CiG]

the rey thing makes a bit more sense in retrospect given that she supposedly knew who and how important rey was (and there are a lot of theories out there that they're related 'n shit for whatever that's worth), but yeah that kind of thoughtlessness is pretty prevalent regardless.

For sure, for me it might even be less about it being a script issue (eg "whoops we forgot to acknowledge the grief of Chewy in this scene, our bad") and more just symbolic of my overall issue with the trilogy; that they're so fucking desperate to gas up Rey and force her into this position of importance similar to Luke or even Anakin in the prequels, where all the events and seemingly fate itself swirls around this one character. Leia was almost the embodiment of the audience in that scene, they didn't want us to focus our grief or shock on Chewy (or any other character we're familiar with) they wanted us, by way of that murder happening, to invest our reaction into Rey. When we think back to that event, we associate it as something that traumatized Rey, and the relationship they crammed into the first half of the film with her and Solo seemed literally to only exist as a set-up to this end. (Maybe cynical of me?)

I think the fact that they decided to go with the whole nobody of unknown origin as interesting and unconventional a choice it was actually hamstrung Rey because we get this character who is just already pretty great and has nothing else to identify with, that could balance out her abilities. Luke by contrast was a constant failure.

 

[Vegard Pompey]

I still haven't seen VIII or IX because I've heard so much about them at this point I feel like I've already seen them. I liked VII, mainly for the visuals and for Kylo. It seems the main issue with the sequel trilogy is the lack of any overarching vision. I've heard a lot of passionate defenses of RJ's subversive take on the series but I still can't help but feel that TLJ was the wrong sequel to a movie that spends 2 hours building up to the reappearance of Luke just to leave the audience hanging until the next film.

I've seen a lot of renewed appreciation for the PT in light of the ST and I kind of get it. The PT is bad, but endearingly bad, and it actually envisions a world very different from that of the OT in which the Jedi are still in power, and a cursory examination of video games and other expanded universe stuff reveals a lasting influence of the PT's world-building which I doubt the ST will replicate.

 

[CiG]

Ewan McGregor's Obi (genuinely can't wait for the series) wipes out anything in the Disney trilogy in my opinion. Not to say his portrayal was always deep or masterful, his more playful scenes were just as endearing as anything else.

 

[challenge_everything]

I always think of this review of the Phantom Menace, particularly the part at about 6:45 where he asks people to describe Star Wars characters without using physical descriptions

Spoiler

 

[CiG]

particularly the part at about 6:45 where he asks people to describe Star Wars characters without using physical descriptions

They couldn't describe (or even remember) Qui-Gon Jinn? lol dipshits. The character was wise, optimistic, caring, independent-minded, a kind of humanitarian. Not that hard, and I haven't seen those films in YEARS.

 

[challenge_everything]

They couldn't describe (or even remember) Qui-Gon Jinn? lol dipshits. The character was wise, optimistic, caring, independent-minded, a kind of humanitarian. Not that hard, and I haven't seen those films in YEARS.

You're doing much better than I could.

 

[CiG]

You're doing much better than I could.

It's just nostalgia from what I saw in that video. Granted Queen Amidala was void of personality, but acting like C3PO was some multi-dimensional character and Qui-Gon Jinn is vaguely stoic and forgettable is just retarded as fuck. Bet if he asked them to describe Jar-Jar Binks they'd have no trouble, because goofy campy characters are easy to remember for people barely paying attention.

 

[CiG]

Spoiler

it was a cool subversion that she was 'nobody from nowhere' until HURR SPOILER ALERT she's not.

Was thinking about this and realised something else that kinda annoys me about Rey and how they handled her as a character.

Spoiler

She's introduced as this unknown orphan who has amazing abilities but no training, can stand toe-to-toe with trained people, she don't need no man, she's a stronk female lead etc etc. This makes me and many others think "Mary Sue" and how is this miraculous shit resolved? Oh she's related to a very powerful male.