"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" got just eviscerated a la Mr. Plinkett

[lisa needs braces]

19 minutes long. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNAy7yCMyBw

[Rinaldo]

Far from Plinkett's brilliantly researched (and hilarious to boot) dissection. I've got my own gripes with VII and would particularly agree with the undercooked Republic - Resistance - First Order dynamic but this is mostly whining. Where were the calmer moments.. did he sleep through the first half of the movie? Arguing about scientific inaccuracies in friggin' Star Wars? Boy oh boy.

Plinkett & co's reaction btw (truly starts around the two minute mark):

https://www.youtube.com/v/AvsiJppCdmk

(spoiler: they liked the movie)

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Why am I not surprised 

[lisa needs braces]

Of course they liked it. The people who were making the unhinged and endless criticism of the prequel trilogy have been backed into a corner, because here's a Star Wars film that apparently doesn't have the flaws of those films. And if doesn't have those flaws it must mean it's good right? A lot of the praise for this movie sounds like "Yea, I guess it was good..."

[SimonNZ]

I want to hear from the people who thought the Holiday Special was the best installment. They must be out there.

[lisa needs braces]

Far from Plinkett's brilliantly researched (and hilarious to boot) dissection. I've got my own gripes with VII and would particularly agree with the undercooked Republic - Resistance - First Order dynamic but this is mostly whining. Where were the calmer moments.. did he sleep through the first half of the movie? Arguing about scientific inaccuracies in friggin' Star Wars? Boy oh boy.

Plinkett & co's reaction btw (truly starts around the two minute mark):

https://www.youtube.com/v/AvsiJppCdmk

(spoiler: they liked the movie)

The most damning part is the criticism of its similarity to A New Hope.

[lisa needs braces]

40 (!) unforgivable plot holes in "Force Awakens."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-abramson/40-unforgivable-plot-holes-in-star-wars-the-force-awakens_b_8850324.html

[The new erato]

40 (!) unforgivable plot holes in "Force Awakens."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-abramson/40-unforgivable-plot-holes-in-star-wars-the-force-awakens_b_8850324.html

There was a plot? I was there for the shooting, light sabres and vistas of the universe.

[Rinaldo]

Of course they liked it. The people who were making the unhinged and endless criticism of the prequel trilogy have been backed into a corner, because here's a Star Wars film that apparently doesn't have the flaws of those films. And if doesn't have those flaws it must mean it's good right?

Basically, yeah. The criticism wasn't unhinged, quite the contrary - it was very well argumented and based on astute, knowledgeable observation.

TFA has its share of problems but inventing plot holes for the sake of hating it (the Huff Post mixes few legit question with stuff that is very much 'forgivable' and stuff that is completely made up BS)? Sorry, I've got a solid (≠ perfect) Star Wars movie to enjoy.

[lisa needs braces]

The HuffPo guy adds 20 more plot holes and takes back a few from the first article as "brain farts."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-abramson/20-more-plot-holes-from-s_b_8856844.html

Rinaldo -- the flaws of the prequel trilogy (and I'm not a defender of those movies by any means) are unique to that series and George Lucas. Avoiding THOSE flaws doesn't mean others won't pop up -- others that result from the combination of J.J Abrams and Disney's need to turn this property into a cash cow. All I'm saying is: This movie is also deserving of derision, and maybe more so than the prequel trilogy as at least those movies did have some stuff going for them that "Force Awakens" doesn't even have.

[Rinaldo]

Rinaldo -- the flaws of the prequel trilogy (and I'm not a defender of those movies by any means) are unique to that series and George Lucas. Avoiding THOSE flaws doesn't mean others won't pop up -- others that result from the combination of J.J Abrams and Disney's need to turn this property into a cash cow.

Star Wars is (alongside many other things) a cash cow since its initial success.

As for JJ's effort, I see a bunch of things (flaws) worth critiquing. I don't see one single reason for 'derision'.

[Karl Henning]

There was a plot? I was there for the shooting, light sabres and vistas of the universe.

In this, it was true to the legacy of the 1977 original! 

[Karl Henning]

Star Wars is (alongside many other things) a cash cow since its initial success.

In this, too! 

[Karl Henning]

Basically, yeah. The criticism wasn't unhinged, quite the contrary - it was very well argumented and based on astute, knowledgeable observation.

TFA has its share of problems but inventing plot holes for the sake of hating it (the Huff Post mixes few legit question with stuff that is very much 'forgivable' and stuff that is completely made up BS)? Sorry, I've got a solid (≠ perfect) Star Wars movie to enjoy.

That's all fair, and why the hell not?

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Star Wars is (alongside many other things) a cash cow since its initial success.

+1

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

I won't watch 19 mins of literary criticism of what is, and has always been, purely mindless entertainment (nothing wrong with that, I am a fan of James Bond flicks)

But, as someone with zero interest in any SW films, who went to see it because of my wife, here are some thoughts:

1. Zero Torlo or whatever his name was, is not nearly as convincing or memorable a villain as Darth Vader. In fact, I even forgot his name. And shit, he looks like the love child of Justin Trudeau and Severus Snape. WTF?

2. Princess Leia reminded me of Hilary Clinton, mugging for the camera and saying only politically expedient things, like a very awkwardly tacked-on "May the Force be with you" at the very end. Dumb.

3. That new heroine chick was pretty impressive. (Ren?, Zen?) I'd like to see her in a gold bikini.

4. You could see the destruction of the new Death Star by rebel X-wing fighters coming from the very beginning of the film.

5. It was way too loud. Abusively loud. I had my earplugs at the ready, and deployed them at the first preview.

6. The 3D was pretty good-- a lot better than other 3D efforts I've seen in the last several years.

7. I think these movies pretty much make themselves, are incredibly formulaic, and people who like to find some deep philosophical meaning in these plots, characters, etc. are grasping at straws--like I said: mindless entertainment.

[The new erato]

The 3 prequels were certainly mindless.

[vandermolen]

I am not really a Star Wars fan but thought the redemption of Darth Vader at the end of 'Return of the Jedi' was a great moment. Never saw the previous three films which looked terrible. Enjoyed the new one in 3D which I saw as a friend wanted to see it. I especially liked the little droid figure.

[Rinaldo]

I am not really a Star Wars fan but thought the redemption of Darth Vader at the end of 'Return of the Jedi' was a great moment. Never saw the previous three films which looked terrible. Enjoyed the new one in 3D which I saw as a friend wanted to see it. I especially liked the little droid figure.

Yes, the finale of Jedi is one of the two moments (along with Yoda dishing out zen wisdom in Empire) that transcends the pulpiness of it all.

1. Zero Torlo or whatever his name was, is not nearly as convincing or memorable a villain as Darth Vader.

He's not supposed to be. He's merely a Vader wannabe. Rey overpowering him during her interrogation was the highlight of the movie for me.

[vandermolen]

Yes, the finale of Jedi is one of the two moments (along with Yoda dishing out zen wisdom in Empire) that transcends the pulpiness of it all.

He's not supposed to be. He's merely a Vader wannabe. Rey overpowering him during her interrogation was the highlight of the movie for me.

Yes. Agree about Yoda too. Coincidentally just been watching 'The Empire Strikes Back' with my daughter on DVD today.