Attack of the clones

[BorkBork]

Hey!

I just came home from a private pre-premiere screening of Starwars II. Man, it was great. Now things are starting to fall into place in the story. I understand much more of the older films now, after seeing this one.

I will not spoil anything for you, so i wont tell anymore of it.

By the way, Yoda looks really great as a CG animation. Much more facial expressions now, and...you can see him move in full body. Awesome. Go see it :)


/Anders

[Jackie]

NO SPOILERS OR I WILL BE VERY VERY UPSET! No one post any spoilers AT ALL! This is the whole reason why i am going tonight at midnight. I do not want people telling me what happens tomorrow LOL!

I AM SOOOOO pumped for this movie! Ask Byron! I just got off the phone with him!

REALLY!

I DID!

LOL!

FRYMYHIDE!

[beaker]

forget the spider, forget the blade, forget the scorpion....
THIS is the film Ive been waiting for for so long! Ive read a gillion reviews from even the most harshest of critics(some who called Episode One the biggest piece of doo doo) and they are unanmous in their priase. I hope Sony Metreon Imax in San Francisco will be playing Episode Two, as I always envisioned IMAX as the best way to see it. And yes, while Yoda is all cgi, Frank is STILL the voice and I heard we finally get to see Toda kick some butt. So indeed....soon...the imperial glactic battle shall begin!(*I hope it comes close to the first time I saw Jedi in the theare, best movie experience next to seeing MTM in theatres!)

///beaker///

PS: If you like Star Wars and you like humour, check out THEE FUNNIEST cartoon thing since The super friends wassup commercial(if you have a funny bone, youve gotta love this)

(*note: this short musical is rated G, no swearing or inuendo)

http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/content/atom_1403

[frogboy4]

Weird. I don't think I ever knew you were in San Francisco. I'll be avoiding the zoo at the Metreon and I'll probably see it at Van Ness. It's practically next door and I can easily pick my tix up early. That's how I got to see Spiderman so easily.

I do hear from critics that the digital-film format is not best viewed on the largest of screens as it's resolution is much less than that of regular film. I'm still on the fence about that.

[Jara19]

I will not spoil anything , but I loved this movie. Second best behind ESB. Yoda does look great in CGI.

[sidcrowe]

It's sold out where I am, and I work night shift, so I hafta wait until the weekend. I've been reading the reviews, and yes, Roger Ebert has said that it's not best on a huge screen. The other reviews have been mostly negative, yet they all begrudgingly admit it's better than Phantom Menace.

Up until today, I didn't know that Yoda was 100% digital.

A lot of the reviews consider this to be Yoda's film, so that's a victory for us Muppet fans...but only in a classic sense as it's Frank's voice, and not his physical performance in the film.

Hmmm...kinda weird that the best Muppet performance of 2002 is really just a bunch of ones and zeroes in a hard drive somewhere.

Anyway, go see it a ton of times, everybody. Meep that faith :D

[frogboy4]

That's what I originally heard before other critics started slamming it. But then again - these critics that say the new films don't live up to the originals didn't like the first trilogy much in the first place so it all has to be taken with a grain of salt. I'm stoked!

[matleo]

Saw it loved it. I can see a few places where critics wouldn't like it. Although I actually read one review where the author said "Fans will love it! Critics are gonna hate it!So ignore everything we say." And then he went on to slam it. Yoda was great. In fact, it was a real departure for Frank as an actor. Ya know how even in Episode 5 there's still that sort of "Muppet side" embedded in him, not so much with this one. It was weird seeing Yoda as CGI too. At first I thought, "No, Yoda can't do that with his face" and then I realized "well, it's a younger Yoda" and I went with it. I'm actualy kina sorry they used the puppet on Episode 1 cause I thought Yoda looked older in that one and stiffer. Oh well.
Jar Jar IS on the film but much less annoying. Actually I didn't mind him at all in this one. And he's much better animated.
And not to spoil it but when you watch it keep the first trilogy in mind, there are a LOT of story elements and themes that echo future mov...uhm I mean the past mov......Uhm, i mean the past movies that take place in the future..in the future, a long time ago in a galaxy far far a...my head hurts.
But seriously, I really want to see this one incontext between 1 and 4. There's a lot fro mthe first oen you have to rememebr and a lot of stuff set pu for 4 and 5, I may watch 4,5 over the weekend just to see.

[beaker]

>>>Weird. I don't think I ever knew you were in San Francisco. I'll be avoiding the zoo at the Metreon and I'll probably see it at Van Ness. It's practically next door and I can easily pick my tix up early. That's how I got to see Spiderman so easily<<<

hey j! well, i dont live in sf, just go there a lot^_^ I hope to somehow get a tech or gaming industry job by the end of the year. Would *sooo* love to live in the bay area! Youre really lucky. Ok, funny ya mention van ness AMC as that is THE ONLY theatre I plan on seeing sw at. Hey, we should hook up one of these days. If I dont go to E3 I might be able to make it down to van bess for episode two. btw, is that where the digital screening is? I read that somewhere, and HAVE to see it on a digital screen.

:: beaker ::

[frogboy4]

Yeah, that would be cool. I'm probably going to the next puppet guild meeting in a week or so.

I think that the film is supposed to look better digitally projected because the film transfer from digital film appears murky. You think they could fix that.

[beaker]

Hey jamie...well Im so happy...I found out Episode Two is being shown digitally at sony metreon!!! So I AM so there next week(or weekend)!!! Sony Metreon to me is the coolest place in sf

///beaker///

[frogboy4]

It is a cool theater, but it is kind of a zoo. I have been there on many occasions, but have troubles with something half the time I go. Really great screens though! I also saw Fantasia Imax there. I prefer Van Ness because the screens are great and it takes me like 60 seconds to go down there and get my tix. I also smuggle in a bottle of water (shhhhh). LOL! With my student ID pass, it turns out to be a pretty good deal.

[beaker]

Hey Jamie! I decided Im going to go to Sony Metreon Sat Jun 1st to see it, the crowds will have died down, and plus Im going to be in LA all week next week for the big E3 convention(But I will be sure to post if there is any Muppet video game news!)

///beaker///

[scott]

I was in awe watching Yoda's big scene. I felt like a little kid!

[MrTheFrog]

Hey,
I saw it opening night at Midnight and twice since! I love it! In my opinion it's the best Star Wars film of the five, even in front of Empire. I never thought I'd say that, but I was simply blown away.
-Artie

[sidcrowe]

How come there isn't more action here under the subject "Attack Of The Clones?"

I wanna talk about it, but I don't wanna spoil anything.

Don't we have more to say about the movie?

Anybody?

[frogboy4]

Haven't seen it yet, but I plan to soon. Maybe this weekend. I am glad that Spidey's still holding his own though.

[pezbalubah]

I really liked it as well, definitly liked it better than Phantom Menace. The first scene with Yoda in a full body shot didn't look that good, but throughout the rest of the movie he seemed to get better, or maybe I was getting use to it. It seems they have gotten better with CGI since Episode 1, Jar-Jar looked better in this one.

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

Man, I loved this one!! And I'm not even a SW freak! :eek:

I can't wait to see it again! :D

[beaker]

hey, if ya can hold off til june ist i'll be seeing episode two in san francisco at the sony metreon. i know van ness has a digital screen too(no other way to see this baby!) but just something about metreon is so cool to me.

im so mad at the last minute i wasnt able to go to the big e3...arghhh! (lost my wallet with everything i needed in it)

\\.:beaker:.//

[frogboy4]

I may be seeing the film this weekend, but if it is good I could go for seeing it twice. I plan on seeing Spiderman again. And buying the DVD!:)

[beaker]

well, lemme know what ya thought of it. If ya liked spiderman im sure youll be doing backflips over episode two. if ya wanna see it again, lemme know if ya would wanna meet up for a sony metreon showing a week from this saturday!(since we didnt get to meet at mfest)

[frogboy4]

That sounds great. I'll keep you posted - I should be able to swing it! :)

[beaker]

ok, cool, yeah i'd love to meet a fellow veteran mc person! hehe, ok we'll talk about it next week(And let ya know which time i will be there) and remember to make sure ya get the digital screen showing at van ness this weekend!

[frogboy4]

Yeah, I hope it'll be a digital screen. I have heard how terrible the other print is. :)

[sidcrowe]

Let's keep this thread alive. As soon as everybody gets around to seeing it (cough-Frogboy–cough), we can start picking it apart.

Personally, I liked and disliked it.

I'll go back again, though.

[frogboy4]

I have the feeling I will have some of the same concerns I had in EP 1: Spectacular effects, poor dialog, hire an editor. But this one does prove to be much more exciting and has brought the wars part back into Star Wars. The last one just seemed like a very long pod race, but no teeth. I really hope I enjoy it.

[sidcrowe]

Yep, you'll like it...but I'll bet you'll have quite a bit to talk about.

Go as soon as you can; if you've avoided spoilers this long, the odds are increasing that they'll find you soon. :eek:

[Drtooth]

I had to drop something off/pick something up at school.
but any way...

I was pretty angry at the negitive reviews, and I definately plan to see this film (And I can only see a few films, unless I come into money, I want to also see Men in Black 2 and Austin Powers 3) but let me say this:
The third Star Wars will be good. Why, you ask? Well Star wars one got a critical "BLECH" while critics give this one a "meh!" so the third one will be a "M-mm!" Actually, I did like Phantom Menace and I did like Jar Jar Binks. I just really want to see episode 2 SOOOOO bad! But I'm waiting till the fandom cools off, and see a matinee!
As for Yoda, I think it was better when he was a puppet. Granted, the CGI's make him look more detailed and realistic, but he moves very fluid. The puppet limits his movement, thus making him appear much older! I like the puppet one a might better for that reason!

[sidcrowe]

Yo Frogboy, if you get this, and if you've been to Clones, let us know so we can all have a go at discussing the movie.

-CAW!

[frogboy4]

Unfortunately or actually - fortunately I spent my free time last weekend attending the Puppet Guild meeting and Cyndi Lauper's club apperance. I will likely see Clones in a couple days. I wanna see some Yoda kick-butt action!

[sidcrowe]

Well, OK, as long as it's a puppet guild meeting and Cyndi.

Thou art forgiven for thy Clone lateness :D

[frogboy4]

There was a George Lucas debate in the breaks of the guild meeting. Sheesh- people more opinionated than I am. It was great!:)

[beaker]

Well, being the last person one the planet to see Attack of the Clones, I took in an early show 2 weeks after the release. I just have one thing to say: Spiderman is giving this movie competition(with fans seeing Spiderman over and over).

Forget the critics, Episode Two has to be one of the most explosive and insanely epic of the saga next to the masterpeice Return of the Jedi (Ok, in my book I doubt if anything could come close to the glory of Jedi). But I liked this one mountains over the the awkward and epicless Phantom Menace or the sterile gloomy Empires Strikes Back.

This film has it all...surprising revelations, all out warfare, romance(Which I didnt find to be bad at all) humor, an awesome bad guy named Jango Fett, and most of all out of hand visuals. I walked out of Spiderman feeling cheated and let down. I walked out of this one feeling triumphant and laughing at all the bad reviews.

So Star Wars fans who havent seen this one, WOW. Spidey doesnt have anything on this bad boy! And one other thing...Sam Jackson's Mace Windu and Oz' Yoda are MAIN characters finally. as we get to see Yoda kick some butt with a light saber.

[frogboy4]

Okay, maybe just a B, but that's mainly because Lucas has had 5 friggin' tries to get it right.

However, I did enjoy it very much. The dialoge was stale in parts, but it passed quickly. There were some chuckles at the screenwriters' expense throughout the theater.

Jar Jar was in it a lot more than I was told. Cut that dude out! And I'm still weirded by the negative racial stereotypes in the film. What's with that anyway?

The film skyrocketed on screen with much momentum and later sagged around the first third. I think a good 15 minutes could have been snipped out of the pic and saved for the DVD, but Lucas has never been much of an editor...or really a director. He's much more of a creator in my opinion and there were some great creations!!

The love scenes were pretty terrible and that is due to poor dialoge and direction. They do pass quicky, though I checked my watch about 5 times!

Once the film gets going again I am blown away! Some really great stuff. The very apparent pixelization of the digital image was a little distracting, but that is forgiven after some of the spectacular scenes. C3PO belts out a few one-liners that cracked me up a little. Good to see him back in top form.

Yoda totally kicks some major butt! I love my Yoda!! Worth the price ot the ticket right there.

Now, I did give Spiderman an A to A- grade. Why? They are entirely different films, but there were no slow moments in it. It's easier to make such a fantastic film with an enormous budget, but Spiderman was also thick on charm. Toby McGuire's nuanced performance made him just as thrilling out of the Spiderman suit and that's why I liked it a bit more (and so does much of America it seems). The only thing I would have changed about that was the Green Goblin's mask. Dafoe can be disturbing enough to freak us out without it.

We're talking Star Wars anyway. Great film - a must see. See it digitally projected, but sit around the middle to the back of the theater.

[Drtooth]

Last one? I haven't seen it yet, Beaker! (I was saving up for them Muppet Figures) And the way things are going, I'm going to wind up seeing Lilo & Stitch before that! I dunno why, probably waiting for the "Fandom Menace" to die down, and see it at my lesure!

[scarylarrywolf]

Well, I'm glad to see that some people liked it. It seemed more like George Lucas' "TO-DO" list to me somehow. It was wonderful to see Yoda so much, but he wasn't a PUPPET! They ought to be ashamed!

It seems to me that with each movie comes more and more CG. I like it in backgrounds, Special FX, and completely animated movies; but when they use it to make characters in films with real actors in it, it seems cheap to me. I guess it's a lot easier to contrast with real footage. That's just my point of view on it.

Although it was nice to see more of the plot unfold, I didn't see it as one of Lucas' better films. Or maybe I'm just jealous of that guy they've got playing Anakin...

--"Scary" Larry Wolf

[sidcrowe]

Hi, y'all.

I got my DSL back.

Attack of the Clones?

Episode II was a disappointment. The original Vader was played by a retired British bodybuilding champ; even covered with a helmet, David Prowse gave Vader a sense of menace and power simply by the way he carried himself. Christensen is too skinny. Are we supposed to believe that he gains well over 100 pounds between the upcoming episode III and IV? And how about the acting? I want darkness and mystery from a young Vader, not whining and pouting. His romance with Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) has no fire, and their dialogue is terrible. Oh yes...the dialogue–it’s weak throughout the entire film! Of course, the constipated talking compliments the wooden acting. Sure, CGI effects look great, cost less money and can be tweaked endlessly, but they ensure that the performances will suffer when used too much. Surrounded on all sides by blue screens and talking to characters who exist only as markers with name tags day in and day out relentlessly erodes the strength an actor can put into a character. Back in 1979-80 when Episode V was being filmed, Mark Hamill was surrounded by a big mess of real fake trees and mud on Dagobah, and Yoda was a real Muppet interacting with him in realtime. That’s why Luke Skywalker’s Jedi training scenes were so believable–Hamill and Frank Oz were two real actors on a real set who had time to get used to each other and the place they were in. They believed in it, and, each other. That simple, foolproof situation is in very short supply with Episode II. The few comedic lines spoken by C-3PO are just stupid. At the very least, couldn’t we have a few good laughs with the droids? The emotional high point of the film is when Anakin begins to slaughter Sandpeople, and it’s cut short before it really gets going. We should’ve seen Anakin trembling and soaked in blood after it was over, but no, it’s merely implied and then told to us in another weak scene from Christensen. The best scene is the lightsabre battle between Yoda and Count Dooku, but it’s too short and leaves little payoff. Count Dooku, played by the 79 year-old Christopher Lee, is for my money the best thing about the film, and he was also freakin’ awesome as Saruman in last year’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, which also brings to mind a comparison with the summer of 1999. Back then I had three expectations for three films. I expected Episode I to be great, Muppets From Space to be fun, and the South Park movie to be crap. I was wrong with all three. The event of a new Star Wars movie proved more exciting than the movie itself. The Phantom Menace was weak, and also spoiled by the baffling stupidity of Jar-Jar Binks and the pitiful acting skills of Jake Lloyd as Anakin. I was further sickened by Lloyd’s appearance in a Star Wars Pepsi commercial that year as well. Muppets From Space was garbage. In a summer that had the return of Star Wars after 16 years, it would have been a piece of cake to do a send-up of all things sci-fi. But no, the movie was a crummy “caper” thing that took place on a few boring sets, with a predictable ending that ruined the mystery of one of my favourite Muppet characters–the Great Gonzo. Let down by both George Lucas and the Henson company, I had zero expectations at that point for South Park: Bigger. Longer & Uncut. That film was a surprise. It was filthy, to be sure, but it was also smart, very funny and had a good story. Its greatest strength was in its music. The New York Times called it “...the best movie musical in years.” The point is, after Episode I and Muppets From Space, I began to wonder if I was the one with the problem, but South Park reminded me that I was right. I’m not jaded, I just know the difference between quality and crap. The Lord of the Rings, released so late last year may as well have been a 2002 film, and it has become my surprise great movie for this year, not Episode II. It’s the little things that count, and there’s a scene in Episode II where Anakin floats a bit of food across a table to Padme and she catches it and eats it. The CGI made easy work of floating the food and giving it a shadow as it traveled, but at the moment when it was eaten, the little scene failed. And, after all the reviews of the film that I’ve read before writing this, it is that scene which gives me a metaphor all my own to end this with. Taking a quick, playful bite out of a piece of fruit can’t be replicated by CGI, because there isn’t any way to compensate for the fact that Natalie Portman wasn’t really eating anything, and it shows. Episode II is like that bit of CGI food: technically flawless, yet unreal. It provides no nourishment as it frustrates and disappoints. Still, I liked it anyway.

:D

[beaker]

Sidcrowe: if you didnt like Episode Two, go see Minority Report ASAP. I think this film will wash away any sci fi let downs you mgiht have had this year. I was severely disappointed with
Blade 2 and Spiderman, and AOTC was ok(in between bad and masterpiece) but I took in a preview of Minority Report a few days ago and was blown away. I'd clal it Blade Runner and The Matrix meets Memento.

[frogboy4]

I too was let down by the latest Star Wars film, but not as much as you guys seem to be. The dialog has always been rather corny, but the last two films have been at an all time low in that department.

I certainly wouldn't beat down the actors for Lucas' horrific lines. I wonder how he could ever have gotten married with such cheesy lines meant to be romantic. He's really the ultimate sci-fi goof IMHO. I think Portman and Christianson tried to rise above the garbage and put in capable performances. Lucas may be a good creator, but a crummy writer/director and don't get me started about editing.

That aside I was entertained enough to be willing to see the film again with a friend. B-

Minority Report
Incredible disappointment. Ick, ugh, thump. Kind of clunky IMHO. I really got rather bored, knew the ending in the first five minutes and didn't really care about the characters. All the FX were exploited in the previews so that didn't impress me much either. I just expect more from Speilberg, but after this and AI - I am beginning to put him out of my must-see film list. The whole thing just made me want to see Blade Runner and see how a real sci-fi action film should be. Definite C- I think the public sees this as a weak film too as it really didn't pack the punch it should have at the Box Office, but that's a moot point considering that Scooby Doo has done so well and received so many negative remarks from critics and auds.

Spiderman, however, was just what it said it would be and more. Yeah it could have been better in some spots, but I really enjoyed it. A pretty evenly-paced pic and a great performance by Mcguire made it even better when he wasn't in the suit. The CG was over-the-top, but those who moaned about that missed the point in my view. No one can move that fast, but this guy is Spiderman for pete's sake. Geez. LOL!
About an A for me.

If you liked Memento go see Insomnia. It's not as great but it's still a good film with powerful perfomances by three Oscar winners. What else can you ask for? B+ or A- can't decide.

Bourne Identity was okay. It really could have been more than it was. From what I read much subtext was stripped away from this pic and Julia Stiles pops up in a peculiar place with one of the most inane performances I've seen in years! It really is almost lauguable. For that the film loses an extra point and sinks to a C+

I still think I'm rather kind (I've been told) when I rate films. very few deserve an A IMHO but I really liked Spidey! A film really has to bite to get an F. Even AI gets a D- from me so that says a lot.
:)

[The Gobeek]

I just want to state that I can't believe how many people in this forum can support episode 2! I love star wars and it was awful! There is no depth to this movie. The acting is horrible. You can't identify with any of the characters. I watched this movie and felt attached to no one. This is quite opposite of how I feel about the original Star Wars movies in which I love everyone. We are supposed to believe that Anakin loves Padme? I don't. When she tells him she loves him, I laughed. I didn't believe her at all. Why would anyone love such a whiny brat!?

The reason you know this "film" is so bad is because of all the CGI. Yoda is a muppet. I mean he is voiced by Frank Oz! He is meant to be a muppet! I think that sums up why these new star wars movies are so awful. Muppet like puppets were in the first films, and everyone loved them! Now, no one could care less about star wars.

[sidcrowe]

I've been feeling kinda bad about what I wrote about the new Star Wars.:(

It's out of love, though. I wanted more from it.

But I STILL ENJOYED it.:)

I guess Lucas has me expecting the world from him.

That's a good thing, though.

[frogboy4]

I think Lucas was the main thing wrong with the last film. He should just leave it up to other people. He started Star Wars, but it is evident that all the new creatures etc that make it worth watching are made by people far more talented than he seems to be these days. That dialoge...ugh. I still get upset when people keep bugging on the actors. They did a pretty good job given the garbage they had to say.

[sidcrowe]

Yeah, wasn't Harrison Ford quoted from the time of the first movie as saying to Lucas: "You can write this ****, but you can't say it."

Ford also ad-libbed some of his own dialogue, too.

[frogboy4]

Apparently they didn't get along. Lucas also had a hard time with Gary Kurtz and others. These days he pays people to be yes men and I think it shows.

[sidcrowe]

I think this prequel series will redeem itself, artistically, in part, if the next one is really, REALLY dark. Other than that, what can we expect if Lucas is writing and directing?:rolleyes: