FreakyFoucault Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 4 minutes ago, punctilious said: LOL. I wish I could like this, but I’m out of reactions. I'm out, too, and I was going to upvote your video. We'll call it even! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow T. Robot Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 5 hours ago, FreakyFoucault said: @punctilious, don't even bother with the prequels. They're trash, everything in them is trash, and they're a compelling reason to not like Star Wars. Actually, scratch that: Get really drunk -- gin drunk, even -- and watch them all straight through. You'll have a ball, especially with precious moments like this one: My 2 cents: I can't help but think that the SW prequels are a bit like the Alamo. They are so widely thought to be a letdown that slowly--quietly, through all the accumulating counter-hype--I feel like they have actually become underrated. Revenge of the Sith had some of the coolest fight scenes in cinema history IMHO. And I still think The Phantom Menace, awkward of a balance between protracted political negotiations and cheap fart jokes as it is, kinda captures the small-kid-in-a-big-universe wonder that the original movie had. I don't know if I can find anything nice to say about Attack of the Clones, though, for reasons captured perfectly in the video you linked... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakyFoucault Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 @Crow T. Robot, I agree that RotS isn't a complete letdown; it probably has the most potential of the three. I recently tried to watch TPM, however, and I couldn't finish it. The pacing is so horrifically bad that by the time our protagonist shows up, I have no interest left. I think you're right that perhaps there is something to the "small-kid-in-a-big-universe" dynamic, but the kid's lines are so cringe-inducingly vapid that, again, I'm taken right out of the drama. AotC is the worst, but because it's the worst, it's also the best. So, in my book, TPM is the actual worst. Richard Brody, of The New Yorker, has an interesting take on how the prequels fit in George Lucas's aesthetic. His is analysis is very ... how do I say ... Richard Brodian, so take it with a grain of salt. But still worth a read: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/what-the-seven-star-wars-films-reveal-about-george-lucas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punctilious Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 @Crow T. Robot & @FreakyFoucault, Revenge of the Sith is the one where [SPOILER ALERT] Anakin gets all his limbs chopped off, right? I remember thinking that scene was so gross, yet so great as a kid. That's all I remember from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk-8 Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 5 hours ago, FreakyFoucault said: So are you ready for Darth Binks in Episode 9? Only if he's black, red, has horns, and got written super poorly. But gosh, what a terrible character concept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakyFoucault Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 @punctilious Indeed, the very same! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk-8 Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 13 minutes ago, FreakyFoucault said: @Crow T. Robot, I agree that RotS isn't a complete letdown; it probably has the most potential of the three. I recently tried to watch TPM, however, and I couldn't finish it. The pacing is so horrifically bad that by the time our protagonist shows up, I have no interest left. I think you're right that perhaps there is something to the "small-kid-in-a-big-universe" dynamic, but the kid's lines are so cringe-inducingly vapid that, again, I'm taken right out of the drama. AotC is the worst, but because it's the worst, it's also the best. So, in my book, TPM is the actual worst. Richard Brody, of The New Yorker, has an interesting take on how the prequels fit in George Lucas's aesthetic. His is analysis is very ... how do I say ... Richard Brodian, so take it with a grain of salt. But still worth a read: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/what-the-seven-star-wars-films-reveal-about-george-lucas I have unpopular opinions on RotS. I had always been in the "Yeah, it's the best" camp, but after rewatching, I think the acting is just so not great it kind of ruins it. Like, even the awesome battle is just so.... lame. But I let it slide because I can look at Ewan McGregor. I always saw the good in TPM because it could be so much more. There are interesting characters & cool villains, but golly gee they're so confusing. Who's the main character? How do they relate? The pacing just tops it all off. Sorry to others this kind of turned into a Star Wars discussion. To take some of the edge off, have a TERRIFYING STORY: I see I have an email from a school and, you know, am very excited! I open the email and its apparently about how MY TRANSCRIPTS ARE MISSING OR UNREADABLE OR SOMETHING. At the time, I was on break from my class, so the rest of class I'm pretty much just zoned out, worrying about my transcripts. I /think/ the issue is some dual enrollment credit from my undergraduate transcripts, which were a pain to get because that was yearssssss ago, but I managed to get some screenshots of unofficial ones. I guess it was the Spreadsheets class I had to take my junior year that did me in. So, hopefully everything is okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakyFoucault Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 (edited) 30 minutes ago, mk-8 said: There are interesting characters & cool villains, but golly gee they're so confusing. Who's the main character? How do they relate? The pacing just tops it all off. Aaah, @mk-8, I have to disagree. I don't think any of the characters are interesting! Qui-Gonn is stoic and not much else; Obi-Wan has like 10 lines; the Federation aliens' mouths don't match their speech; Queen Amidala is emotionless; Queen Natalie Portman is a yawn; Palpatine is okay-ish (only because Ian McDiarmid is a gifted actor); Maul has 2 lines; and ... I think those are all of the characters (yeah, yeah, there's the Jedi Council, but they don't do anything of note except navel gaze). And what else is there to say about Anakin, our would-be protagonist, that's not included in the video below? (Also, corrupting a thread with Star Wars analysis is a mainstay of the Internet, and also, that sucks about your transcripts frickin' thing!!) N.B. I forgot to mention Jar Jar, probably because my brain would like to preserve the few cells that weren't already destroyed by freshman year or Jameson. But he's probably got the most panache out of all the so-called characters. Says a lot! Edited January 19, 2018 by FreakyFoucault What's up, boyos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk-8 Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 4 minutes ago, FreakyFoucault said: Aaah, @mk-8, I have to disagree. I don't think any of the characters are interesting! Qui-Gonn is stoic and not much else; Obi-Wan has like 10 lines; the Federation aliens' mouths don't match their speech; Queen Amidala is emotionless; Queen Natalie Portman is a yawn; Palpatine is okay-ish (only because Ian McDiarmid is a gifted actor); Maul has 2 lines; and ... I think those are all of the characters (yeah, yeah, there's the Jedi Council, but they don't do anything of note except navel gaze). And what else is there to say about Anakin, our would-be protagonist, that's not included in the video below? (Also, corrupting a thread with Star Wars analysis is a mainstay of the Internet, and also, that sucks about your transcripts frickin' thing!!) (Took out the video for length). I guess I'm speaking more to the potential of the characters than how they're actually written/depicted in the movies (which is a stretch). I think Qui-Gonn is confusing almost to the point of being annoying, and maybe if his character had been thought out more it would've made more sense. They (and the movies in general I guess), could've just been so more..... but those trade routes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakyFoucault Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 4 minutes ago, mk-8 said: I guess I'm speaking more to the potential of the characters than how they're actually written/depicted in the movies (which is a stretch). I think Qui-Gonn is confusing almost to the point of being annoying, and maybe if his character had been thought out more it would've made more sense. They (and the movies in general I guess), could've just been so more..... but those trade routes. Fair enough, I won't disagree. And hey, taxes are important. So is allowing corporations to raise gigantic space armies and occupy peaceful planets. Because GOVERNMENT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Renault Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 On 1/17/2018 at 10:03 PM, FreakyFoucault said: Agreed. Especially if it’s Lagavulin. Good choice. I prefer Laphroaig, though Lagavulin has its flavor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakyFoucault Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Jerry Renault said: I prefer Laphroaig Laphroaig is a little too boggy for me, but, for sure, I’d never turn it down. I’ll take that peat any day. Edited January 21, 2018 by FreakyFoucault Jerry Renault 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Renault Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 7 minutes ago, FreakyFoucault said: Laphroaig is a little too boggy for me, but, for sure, I’d never turn it down. I’ll take that peat any day. Cheers. FreakyFoucault 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakyFoucault Posted January 21, 2018 Share Posted January 21, 2018 10 minutes ago, Jerry Renault said: Cheers. Here’s to you, @Jerry Renault! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley623 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 I literally had my dad hand me my phone while I was still coming off a major anesthesia high in my hospital bed after getting my tonsils cut out so I could check my email. FreakyFoucault and Audyou 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audyou Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 @katie64 I literally laughed so loud that I choked after reading what you just wrote. #gradschoolapplicationlife ashley623 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley623 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 3 minutes ago, YoungAUD said: @katie64 I literally laughed so loud that I choked after reading what you just wrote. #gradschoolapplicationlife Right?! You know you've applied to grad school when.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audyou Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 @katie64 Yes! The struggle is so real right now. Every time my cellphone email alert goes off, I have a mini panic attack. And usually it's some email about what's currently 20% off at Applebee's....smh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_sort_of_fractious_angel Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 10 hours ago, katie64 said: I literally had my dad hand me my phone while I was still coming off a major anesthesia high in my hospital bed after getting my tonsils cut out so I could check my email. This is now the only I want to check email, hahaha. Are you guys reading anything fun? I'm halfway through Neal Stephenson's Seveneves and it's been enticing enough to keep my mind away from all things email/portal/electronic. God knows what I'll do when I'm done, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakyFoucault Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 7 minutes ago, a_sort_of_fractious_angel said: Are you guys reading anything fun? I'm halfway through Neal Stephenson's Seveneves and it's been enticing enough to keep my mind away from all things email/portal/electronic. God knows what I'll do when I'm done, lol. Netflix recently released the first Lord of the Rings movie, and after watching that, I'm seriously considering reading the books. My parents and many of my friends are huge LotR nerds, and they've been badgering me forever to read them. The only rub is that I'm not much of a fantasy guy, and I also hear that "One does not simply read LotR" since it's a huge world and the books are long, etc. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Any LotR nerds out there? Other than that, in anticipation of re-learning Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, I'm reading Isacoff's Temperament, which is about how the West came to accept the equal-temperament tuning system that made today's music possible. It's quite good! I'm also a huge music nerd, so there you go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punctilious Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 16 minutes ago, a_sort_of_fractious_angel said: Are you guys reading anything fun? I'm halfway through Neal Stephenson's Seveneves and it's been enticing enough to keep my mind away from all things email/portal/electronic. God knows what I'll do when I'm done, lol. My husband just read Omon Ra by Victor Pelevin, and is now onto Five-Carat Soul by James McBride. He loved Omon Ra and it was a quick read for anyone looking for some contemporary Russian fiction! I personally just read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I've never actually read the Harry Potter books, but I figured I probably should! My three classes just started, however, so I'm now reading a visual communications textbook... we'll see if I have time to fit in the Order of the Phoenix between work, school, and freelancing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustPoesieAlong Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 (edited) @FreakyFoucault I love LotR and highly recommend reading the books after you watch the movies. If you're anything like me, reading the book first often destroys the movie experience. "WHY didn't they include X character's major input here?!" etc. The books do drag in places for me--namely in the never-ending battle scenes--but they give so much more life to characters like Samwise and the other hobbits (hence much of Stephen Colbert's arguments that Samwise is the true hero). @punctilious I hope you get the chance to finish the HP series. It's not perfect, but I love the series. That said, I can't speak highly enough of Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, if you're looking for a similar read. As much as I love Rowling, Pullman's work is even more engrossing and is, in my opinion, much better written. He draws heavily from themes from Milton's Paradise Lost as well as Byron's take on it. Plus, it features a fiery female protagonist instead of an often-pissy teenage boy. Funny enough, however, Pullman lodged some heavy criticism of LotR, alleging that the trilogy is " “just fancy spun candy. There’s no substance to it.” Edited January 25, 2018 by JustPoesieAlong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punctilious Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 3 minutes ago, JustPoesieAlong said: @punctilious I hope you get the chance to read the HP series. It's not perfect, but I love the series. That said, I can't speak highly enough of Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, if you're looking for a similar read. As much as I love Rowling, Pullman's work is even more engrossing and is, in my opinion, much better written. He draws heavily from themes from Milton's Paradise Lost as well as Byron's take on it. Plus, it features a fiery female protagonist instead of an often-pissy teenage boy. Funny enough, however, Pullman lodged some heavy criticism of LotR, alleging that the trilogy is " “just fancy spun candy. There’s no substance to it.” I have really enjoyed the first four books, despite some minor annoyances (Like how do they not know how to pronounce police or what basketball is? Does the magic world just 100% entirely isolate itself from the muggle world? And also, I could use like way less quidditch, as I don't care much for sports in real life so I don't need to read hundreds of pages on their various games/cups. Haha. Oh, and some of the treatment of Hermione is frustrating to me.). Thank you so much for the recommendation! I'll have to check that out once I've finished HP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreakyFoucault Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 Thanks for the input, @JustPoesieAlong! My friends have all said the same, and Samwise is quite popular among them, too. I also love when Colbert had a LotR-themed week on his Report (in 2012, I believe), during which, on the way to interview Andy Serkis, he was intercepted out of nowhere by Ian Mckellen, who chanted "YOU ... SHALL ... pass!" So cute and funny I think I'm going to give the books a shot! I've got nothing to lose, after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mk-8 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 10 minutes ago, FreakyFoucault said: Thanks for the input, @JustPoesieAlong! My friends have all said the same, and Samwise is quite popular among them, too. I also love when Colbert had a LotR-themed week on his Report (in 2012, I believe), during which, on the way to interview Andy Serkis, he was intercepted out of nowhere by Ian Mckellen, who chanted "YOU ... SHALL ... pass!" So cute and funny I think I'm going to give the books a shot! I've got nothing to lose, after all. I didn’t realize we were talking LOtR books! (And movies!) I love both; but they’re so different I just consider them completely different works of art/interpretations of a universe. +1 for they can drag on, but if you have time to kill, they’re definitely a good source of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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