I think the hate for the lightsaber will all disappear if we see it in action. A lot of people thought Mauls saberstaff was rubbish until we saw it in action, now it's one of the best weapons out there

It is rubbish. If he were fighting with a spear or quarterstaff, then the length makes sense. But if you watch, you can see he hits himself at least once or twice with his own weapon. Not very practical, wise or safe.

This new one is rubbish as the "side blades" do nothing to protect the user from two blades sliding along each other as one will hit the metal hilt and not the blades.

Also, my experience with the EU/prequels leads me to believe that it would be almost impossible for Abrams to do worse than Attack of the Clones, Troy Denning, Karen Traviss, the Force Unleashed, etc. If he does, it would be an epic feat in a way.

His Star Trek movies weren't the best but they were certainly better than Insurrection, Nemesis, Enterprise and even Voyager (arguably, it did have Robert Picardo).

Abrams isn't the best but he isn't the worst thing the fandom has faced before; that's a pretty low standard when the creator of the franchise is also responsible for some of it's lowest points.

Yeah, the only way is up really... unless someone can get a pick and start hacking away at rock bottom.

Biggest issue I had with the prequels was the lack of depth, they where simply action movies in a sense that its been well stated a lot of the "quieter" moments where cut from the releases simply to maintain the faster tempo. For example the scenes where Mon Mothma, Bel Iblis and other senators gathered in secret to discuss the 'proto-rebellion' (02:40)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICsryK_w9P0

A couple of small scenes, but in the larger sense of the actual story this ties in the reasons and motivations so much clearer for all the main characters. Plus, it also makes the fact that Palpy 'you must trust me to do the right thing' tine wasn't exactly getting away with murder without anyone noticing.

But he was simply better prepared and had the iniative to deal with the plots of both senators and jedi alike.

Apparently the viewers would have been bored by this, so it was chopped

As a comparatively adult viewer of movies, I don't mind some slower parts to explain things along the way and it gives the actors a chance to get into character a little more without being under fire. That's about the only thing I'm sort of worried about a JJ movie... hopefully he does have one key factor in his direction and production crews that GL didn't and that's someone prepared to say "No JJ, that's just a bit dumb"

Maelora,

It wasn't meant as a swipe at you, but a lot of your posts where the prequels are concerned are pretty negative, and frankly I can't really recall you ever having anything truly positive to say about them.

And there are folks that are far worse in their criticisms of the prequels and won't waste any opportunity to harp on at length about how Lucas should have handed the franchise off to some other director; Peter Jackson was popular for a while due to his work on LotR, and Steven Spielberg also got a frequent mention as well.

MKX,

Well, with Disney now owning the rights, I think it's a safe bet that Abrams will have someone around to tell him no. Which I agree was a major problem in that when he did the prequels, Lucas was surrounded by yes men with nobody like Ford to tell him stuff like, "George, you can write this stuff but you can't say it!" in regards to the dialogue in the original films.

when he did the prequels, Lucas was surrounded by yes men with nobody like Ford to tell him stuff like, "George, you can write this stuff but you can't say it!" in regards to the dialogue in the original films.

Got to hand it to Hugh Quarshie (Captain Panaka), though:

Casting Director: Okay Hugh, Episode II is going into production. I'll have the contract out to your agent straight away!

Hugh: Excellent. Please send me the script as well, I'll read it, and then decide if I'd like to sign the contract.

Casting Director: What?!? Are you kidding? Nobody gets to read the script!

Hugh: Very well. *click*

My opinions of SW as a whole has changed over the past few years as my now 6yo has discovered and loved all things branded SW. h has a love and passion for it that helped remind me of my younger passions. while i don't like the "We must make sequels to every movie" that hollywood has taken to new heights in the last 15 or so years, i do believe it helps build passion for something.

Most of the the people raving about Avengers would have had no clue about them before the movies, and certainly would not have read any of the comics.

Im excited for the new Star Wars movies, including the side movies, not because i think they will be amazing and better than the OT, but because i get to share these with my kids, and share the EU going forward with my kids. Ensuring that they have passion for the culture of Star Wars is what make me excited.

His birthday this year is going to be SW themed, and he has asked us all to dress up "Properly". there will be Luke, Anakin, Leia, Amidala and probably a little Yoda. but the point is he is excited, and as a parent that is Gold.

Movies are an exciting thing, and even if the story is bad and terrible acting abounds, ill go, ill take my boy (who will be old enough) and we will enjoy it for what it is.

My opinions of SW as a whole has changed over the past few years as my now 6yo has discovered and loved all things branded SW. h has a love and passion for it that helped remind me of my younger passions. while i don't like the "We must make sequels to every movie" that hollywood has taken to new heights in the last 15 or so years, i do believe it helps build passion for something.

Most of the the people raving about Avengers would have had no clue about them before the movies, and certainly would not have read any of the comics.

Im excited for the new Star Wars movies, including the side movies, not because i think they will be amazing and better than the OT, but because i get to share these with my kids, and share the EU going forward with my kids. Ensuring that they have passion for the culture of Star Wars is what make me excited.

His birthday this year is going to be SW themed, and he has asked us all to dress up "Properly". there will be Luke, Anakin, Leia, Amidala and probably a little Yoda. but the point is he is excited, and as a parent that is Gold.

Movies are an exciting thing, and even if the story is bad and terrible acting abounds, ill go, ill take my boy (who will be old enough) and we will enjoy it for what it is.

A dog called Yoda... http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Yoda-Pet-Costume/dp/B008J47KBG

My opinions of SW as a whole has changed over the past few years as my now 6yo has discovered and loved all things branded SW. h has a love and passion for it that helped remind me of my younger passions. while i don't like the "We must make sequels to every movie" that hollywood has taken to new heights in the last 15 or so years, i do believe it helps build passion for something.

Most of the the people raving about Avengers would have had no clue about them before the movies, and certainly would not have read any of the comics.

Im excited for the new Star Wars movies, including the side movies, not because i think they will be amazing and better than the OT, but because i get to share these with my kids, and share the EU going forward with my kids. Ensuring that they have passion for the culture of Star Wars is what make me excited.

His birthday this year is going to be SW themed, and he has asked us all to dress up "Properly". there will be Luke, Anakin, Leia, Amidala and probably a little Yoda. but the point is he is excited, and as a parent that is Gold.

Movies are an exciting thing, and even if the story is bad and terrible acting abounds, ill go, ill take my boy (who will be old enough) and we will enjoy it for what it is.

A dog called Yoda... http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Yoda-Pet-Costume/dp/B008J47KBG

Lol! Our youngest was going to be Yoda, but i think plans may change now!

Richard, I'm with you mate.

My daughter's 9 now, so she's grown up with the prequels, clone wars and now Rebels. And she loves it all. I showed her the movies 4, 5, 6 then 1, 2, TCW to season 5 and then Ep 3. She'd forgotten the "I am your father" moment by the time the end of Sirh rolled around, and after all those episodes of the clone wars with Anakin as the hero, she was going "Anakin no!"

She loves the prequels as much as anything. But she can still say "That's from the asteroid chase!" when I play the music from the Ep 4 soundtrack.

I'm a happy geek Dad

The Force Awakens will be the first SW movie that we BOTH get to watch together for the first time, and for that if nothing else, it's going to be special.

Someone mentioned BB-8 as being CGI. Apparently it isn't CGI, but rather a practical effect remote controlled robot. Mark Hamill commented that he was playing with the thing on set to the point of distraction... From what I understand, there's a lot more in these new films that are genuine practical effects, rather than the CGI fests the prequels were. That having been said, I did enjoy the prequels for what they were, and can still watch them.

Who am I kidding, I'd probably watch the Holiday Special if I had the chance...

Makes sense that some, including myself, thought it was CGI, given that it is a rolling ball with something staying on top. I guess it is more like a mini segway and we just didn't see the axis that splits the ball in two to attach the top piece to.

If you have seen the holiday special you would immediately regret it.

Its bad almost Ewok movies bad.

Oh who am I kidding it makes the prequels look like the greatest things made since the dawn of time.

Hmm is it bad that I enjoyed the Ewok movies as a child more then the prequels as an adult?

TBH the new saber just made me eye roll rather than hate. It is just saber one one-one-upmanship. The thing that really bothered me about the new trailer no one else seems to mention...............HOW LOW WERE THOSE X-WINGS FLYING!!!!!!!!

I am looking forwards (tentatively) to episode 7, but i am worried about the amount of fake lensflare that Star Trek had transfering over.

You mean they cast a black actress as a Twi'lek slave and a white actor as a Twi'lek overseer?

2x facepalm combo

TBH the new saber just made me eye roll rather than hate. It is just saber one one-one-upmanship. The thing that really bothered me about the new trailer no one else seems to mention...............HOW LOW WERE THOSE X-WINGS FLYING!!!!!!!!

I am looking forwards (tentatively) to episode 7, but i am worried about the amount of fake lensflare that Star Trek had transfering over.

Wow, it took a while for some of these remarks to show up on these pages. I am sad they finally did...

You mean they cast a black actress as a Twi'lek slave and a white actor as a Twi'lek overseer?

2x facepalm combo

Bib Fortuna was not an overseer but a Majordomo and thus a slave himself.

Peter Jackson was popular for a while due to his work on LotR

. . . .thank god that never came to pass. I love his early exploitation stuff, but his later stuff? WAY too bloated - the man needs a strong editor to slap his hands and tell him no. There was no way that Kong should have been 3 hours long and the ending - why all these false climaxes? Just have Kong get to the top of the Empire State and cue the biplanes.

I can't stand these terrible terrible comic movies -- but they are very popular these days. I think SW has been hit rather hard with the prequels and the bad taste is still in everyone's mouth...but JJ knows his stuff and if the acting can shine like it did in the old movies it will hit home. These terrible comic movies will still be around--- DAMFers will still watch them and Hollywood will keep pumping out that diarrhea as long as they throw money at it.

There are a lot of other good movies you can spend your money on, nobody forces you to sit through the agony of a so-called "blockbuster". Vote with your dollars.

(Haven't they ceased being real blockbusters - i.e. movies that would draw everybody into the theatre so the entire block was deserted - a long time ago?)

Some of the players say they will see the movies, but none of us seems to think they'll be anything beyond a pale shadow of what once was.

Ahhhhhh, NO! They will not be on par with the OT, but I definitely expect they'll be

a) a lot better than the prequel (OK, that's not that difficult),

b) a lot of fun.

J.J.Abrams has his weaknesses like every director, but he can take an established brand and show new perspectives, and I believe that can be interesting for Star Wars. So I'll give him the benefit of doubt and watch his take on Star Wars. So yes, it's gonna be a new approach and a couple of nice ideas/images will be there to "exploit". Plus, it kills the Yuuzang (or however they are spelled).

The Clone Wars CGI series was OK, but nothing great but had it's moments (a few). Even the prequel wasn't ALL bad - I liked the separatist ships and the Gungans - except for one of them (and the soundtrack). Apart from the movies and some additional stuff (starship models, etc.) I have a lot of SW roleplaying material and - the old ones here will know - they basically invented the EU, but that is not to say it was all great. WEG published real gems … and real crap, too. So let's not be too fanatical about it, it's not a religion, it's about having fun.

P.S.: Yes, EotE is THE best Star Wars RPG ever, that is a scientifically proven fact!

I dont hate something because its new. im a musician, finding enjoyment in new is important to continued work for anyone in a creative medium. what's more, I was 14 when ep. 1 came out, that's a perfect age to be introduced to somehing new. I haven't said anything good about the prequels because in the 16 years since they came out, I haven't found a single thing praise worthy.

the writing is a holocaust. the plot, as ridiculously bad as it is, has holes large enough to drain the English channel in. that's not exactly true, it more implodes upon itself into a singularity in which no light can hope to escape. to call the disjointed uncomfortable acting phones in is to give apple a bad name. special effects are so "dense," like someone jingling keys in front of a toddler. the costumes had all the excitement as a monastery. robes as far as the eyes can see. well, besides for padme who changes every scene, so girls can say, ooh she looks pretty. I would look to the music, but all it does is make me cry that it deserved a better movie.

as for the lightsaber, my mind is a whirl with possibilities. lightsabers don't slide, so what if she uses the cross gaurds offensively and the long blade defensive. what's the story behind it?really though, I don't care. wow, a new lightsaber design! this will surely destroy/improve the movies! nothing will ever be the same!

TBH the new saber just made me eye roll rather than hate. It is just saber one one-one-upmanship. The thing that really bothered me about the new trailer no one else seems to mention...............HOW LOW WERE THOSE X-WINGS FLYING!!!!!!!!

Why is that an issue? A) They have repulsorlifts B) That isn't an impossible thing to do

or

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=912_1362851129

There are a lot of other good movies you can spend your money on, nobody forces you to sit through the agony of a so-called "blockbuster". Vote with your dollars.

This. This right here. Like, how was The Avengers? Who knows. How was Blue Jasmine? Really **** great.

I dont hate something because its new. im a musician, finding enjoyment in new is important to continued work for anyone in a creative medium. what's more, I was 14 when ep. 1 came out, that's a perfect age to be introduced to somehing new. I haven't said anything good about the prequels because in the 16 years since they came out, I haven't found a single thing praise worthy.

I had just turned 30 when Phantom Pregnancy came out. I can't think of a single good thing about it either. Maybe...

- the music is pretty good?

- Natalie Portman has a nice smile?

- it's not as horrific as the sequel prequels?

- uhhhhh.... midichondrians...?

- 'Bueller, anyone?'

Funnily enough, I don't consider myself a 'grognard', those kind of gamers who thought the world ended in 1974. Some of the recent games are the best I've ever played in my life (One Ring, EoE/AoR/F&D). In terms of music, there's so much out there that's fantastic, I'm finding new artists to love every week almost. And while I'm no big fan of the Marvel films, I felt Guardians of the Galaxy was absolutely brilliant.

I thought guardians was an average sci fi flick with delusions of grandeur. under normal circumstances it would have found a happy cult following as a b movie, but, due to the marvel name goldmine, it received a budget.