Stupidly applying a formula does not make someone a good storyteller. It's an amateur mistake I'd expect from a first semester drama student. Chiastic structure on a scale over six movies is insane. It works on smaller scale, it works in poetry. It does not work in movies. Film is not literature. The visual medium works differently than the written one. Completely misinterpreting the medium you're in, and how to efficiently use a stylistic device in the first place, isn't deep. It's deeply stupid.

It does work for me, so my opinion stands.

I recently watched the big lightsaber computer game fight (s - both Anakin vs Obi-Wan and the Emperor vs everyone) at the end of Ep.3 with the sound off and the Benny Hill theme running in the background. It gave me a whole new appreciation of the quality of the movie.

Looks like Simon Pegg had an impact on the film... I hope so


http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2015/08/14/simon-pegg-was-part-of-star-wars-brain-trust-jj-abrams-reveals/

Looks like Simon Pegg had an impact on the film... I hope so

http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2015/08/14/simon-pegg-was-part-of-star-wars-brain-trust-jj-abrams-reveals/

Yea, it`s good that Star Wars isn`t a one man show this time around, like it was last time.

I think these new movies will blow us all away! The character focus of the OT, even higher production value than the PT, the heart and passion of huge fans who also happen to be great artists and brilliant people who takes the franchise, the fandom and creating movies and stories very seriously. High hopes!.. Oh Force, I hope I`m right!

George lucas strikes back https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV7PnPnjNYI

Okay, this one isn't for you guys - I'm posting it because I'm at work and want to read it at home, and I'm too lazy to open my mail reader.

Star Wars Ring Theory

Even if this is true it doesn't really make any of the movies better. Or worse.

Okay, this one isn't for you guys - I'm posting it because I'm at work and want to read it at home, and I'm too lazy to open my mail reader.

Star Wars Ring Theory

Even if this is true it doesn't really make any of the movies better. Or worse.

Yes, that`s right. You can throw as much symbolism, imagery and art into a movie, without making the story better or the characters more compelling or interesting. It can be compelling in lots of ways, but you still need basic story telling and character development qualities. Some movies, like some artistic and/or modernistic movies, aren`t about the story or the characters, but to most of us, Star Wars should be.

It does work for me, so my opinion stands.

No disrespect, but it sounds like wishful thinking to me.

Trying to somehow elevate the quality of the Prequels by adding some artsy-fartsy spin to it. Still doesn't make them better movies IMHO.

Interesting, sure, but not better.

Kinda like Boyhood... fascinating concept, and intriguing from an artistic view, but still a pretty lousy movie.

I agree with you on the prequels, but Boyhood is a masterpiece of modern cinema. Calling it a lousy movie really is doing it a discredit.

I agree with you on the prequels, but Boyhood is a masterpiece of modern cinema. Calling it a lousy movie really is doing it a discredit.

To each his own.

Like we've established here, many people like the Prequels as well.

I just don't think that Boyhood is a good movie. The acting is sub-par and the story is not even close to interesting.

But the concept is fascinating.

As a movie, though, it's pretty lousy IMHO.

Yeah, I know your taste might differ and I am not argueing taste. It is indeed highly subjective.

However, when it comes to acting I really have to disagree with you. The acting was pretty stellar allround as demonstrated by the Oscar nominations and win.

Also, the movie was not story driven but a character study and a study into growing up, I actually am not sure I would have liked the movie had it been more "story driven". But I totally understand how that would not be your thing.

I don't have any beef towards them, but they don't hold anything close to the same sense of magic and wonder I got when I first saw the originals.

This sums up my opinion.

Except for the fact that both anakin actors are either terrible actors worse actors than the rest of the cast and it shows or have terrible dialoge written for them. or both. But I can't fairly judge acting in one of my favorite childhood movies, so there goes that.

And midichlorians. Whoever thought that those were a great idea needs to meet rancor, personally . Wanna show kid ani being overly powerful? Why not have him blast darth maul away as they escape (great way for the emperor to know about his next student), or actually show me that he's using the force during the podrace (which he can only do because he is so strong in the force), or show me when they test him in the jedi council with an actual jedi test and not memory.

But that is a strong NERD point for criticism, so again, point gone.

Yeah, aside from choice of actors and midichlorians I'm good with the PT movies. And I actually found jar jar funny. but it makes lots of fun to hate on him...so yeah again

It does work for me, so my opinion stands.

No disrespect, but it sounds like wishful thinking to me.

Trying to somehow elevate the quality of the Prequels by adding some artsy-fartsy spin to it. Still doesn't make them better movies IMHO.

Interesting, sure, but not better.

Kinda like Boyhood... fascinating concept, and intriguing from an artistic view, but still a pretty lousy movie.

Gives me a deeper appreciation for the saga as a whole to know that they are connected not just through the immediately noticeable specifics but through theme, composition, narrative and aesthetics (color and form). Not to mention it is wonderful to discover something new about the films I love after all these years!

I don't have any beef towards them, but they don't hold anything close to the same sense of magic and wonder I got when I first saw the originals.

This sums up my opinion.

Except for the fact that both anakin actors are either terrible actors worse actors than the rest of the cast and it shows or have terrible dialoge written for them. or both. But I can't fairly judge acting in one of my favorite childhood movies, so there goes that.

And midichlorians. Whoever thought that those were a great idea needs to meet rancor, personally . Wanna show kid ani being overly powerful? Why not have him blast darth maul away as they escape (great way for the emperor to know about his next student), or actually show me that he's using the force during the podrace (which he can only do because he is so strong in the force), or show me when they test him in the jedi council with an actual jedi test and not memory.

Yeah, aside from choice of actors and midichlorians I'm good with the PT movies. And I actually found jar jar funny. but it makes lots of fun to hate on him...so yeah again

I find Hayden's acting superbly nuanced, especially in EP III. After he has turned and encounters Padme on Mustafar, you can see and hear in his voice all the emotions that are boiling through him as he tries to negotiate with Padme. Even saying he will overthrow Palpatine to win her over and even he seems unsure of that. Then you can see, just through his expressions, he shuts all of that down as soon as he sees Obi Wan. Wonderful scene and acting if you ask me. If anyone is lackluster throughout the films it is Padme. Natalie is just trying way to hard to be noble and tough like Leia in the OT. Carrie nails it though so Natalie had big shoes to fill anyway. I think all of the Jedi Council actors are excellent, there is a definite air of superiority and arrogance about that them makes you not really like the Jedi Council throughout the 3 films. And, oh God, the tension between Jango and Obi Wan on Kamino the first time they meet, SO tense!

Hayden Christensen isn't a bad actor. Sure, he's no Al Pacino or Michael Caine, but he's not bad either. His problem (and the problem of pretty much all the other actors in the prequel trilogy) is that he is given terrible, terrible lines. George Lucas is good at a lot of things, but he writes awful dialogue. It's seriously painful to listen to sometimes.

With actors I meant both Anakin Actors, the rest is fine/great/good.

I will not defend natalie portmans acting in the movies, I meant mostly Ewan Mcgregor who Hayden has to act with/against, and in my opinion his lackings show most in those scenses. And I wholeheartedly agree about jango+obi-wan. One of those great scences in movies where nothing is happening but you feel like the situation is about to explode any second.

One dead giveaway for bad actors and the script acounting for that is when they pronounce their feelings "I am so angry/tired/frustraded right now" or another character referencing it "I haven't felt you so tense since..." instead of talking or doing something while showing their emotions (watch out for that, a loooot of films like doing that).

I completely disagree about nuanced acting to the point that I think you might be trolling

The only thing he's capable of is glancing at the camera menacingly from below his brows (instead of looking down on those he thinks below him for not seeing the truth, him being the one who got the right way) and flaring his nostrils and breathing with his shoulders like a child that doesn't know how to act angry - my 4year old nephew acted exactly the same way when he tried to seem upset.

But Anakin is a 23-year old man who spent a sizable part of his life meditating and finding inner balance (which is needed to contact the light side) where I'm pretty sure he encountered rage and anger and temptations of the dark side several times before, but now he has given himself fully over to the searing sharp ice-cold rage that is the way of the sith. But he looks like my nephew.

Important: In Star Wars he sucks at every aspect of being an actor. I honestly enjoyed him in several other movies, but oh my god, C-3PO has better facial expression than Anakin Christensen

Ps: Sorry if it seems to incite, I'm very used to having these conversations over a few pints where nobody takes things too seriously.

I completely disagree about nuanced acting to the point that I think you might be trolling

Nope, just an outspoken fan who enjoys the prequels and finds them quite enjoyable. Never been called a troll before...

I completely disagree about nuanced acting to the point that I think you might be trolling

Nope, just an outspoken fan who enjoys the prequels and finds them quite enjoyable. Never been called a troll before...

To be honest, I wasn't sure if you were trolling myself. Calling the acting nuanced or even remotely good is pretty far out.

Important: In Star Wars he sucks at every aspect of being an actor. I honestly enjoyed him in several other movies, but oh my god, C-3PO has better facial expression than Anakin Christensen

There are more issues with Christensen's acting in the prequels than his facial expressions, but it is kind of difficult to determine if it is him, the directing or the script that makes him look so bad in the two movies.

Anakin is obviously the most powerful Jedi evah, though. He has such control over his post-death projection (where did he learn that trick, exactly, though...) he turned himself young and sprightly again where Yoda and Obi-Wan have to settle for being old forever

The actors get all the blame for clumsy and bad directing. And the dialogue was terrible, it was painful! Hayden Christensen is actually a good actor. The direction in the PT even made Sam Jackson come off as bland and boring.

waste of a thread.

Are there a limited number of threads? Did this thread beat up your thread? No, to both. Back under your bridge.

^ I would remind you not to resurrect old feuds, but it is apparent that GM Knowledge Rhino is no longer on these boards.

I'll agree with the notion that Hayden's acting, especially in Episode III, was terrific. It's just the dialogue that stinks it all up.

^Yea, Hayden was very good when he didn`t have to speak.

It`s clearly something wrong, not just with the dialogue and writing, but with the direction! Even the kid in Phantom Menace may have been saved with a little direction.

Do people think you just hand a little boy the script, put him in costume and shoot the scene? It`s about directing your actors! It`s not the actor`s fault. It`s casting, directing and writing..

Look at the kid who plays Voldemort as a boy in Harry Potter, do you think that acting, that creepyness and tone happened by accident?...
Man, to have had something like that in Episode 1, that had been a young Darth Vader to reckon with!

Edit: Poor Lucas:-/ He is an exelent ideas man, with a crazy impressive imagination. He is an awesome worldbuilder and visionary. Don`t hate Lucas, he is great in many ways!

But he needs talented people around him to help him with directing and to filter his ideas. Maybe tell him which choices are good and which are not so good.

George Lucas didn`t make the first three movies alone, even if a lot of people seem to think so..