Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

[Borgholio]

TIEs in the sun looks cool.

That and the "Wingcam" on the X-wings. The aerial visuals in this movie are looking like they're going to be as stunning to us as the opening sequence of EP-4 did back in 1978.

[ray245]

It'll be funny if there is no space battles in TFA.

[Borgholio]

There's at least one...if you call shooting at a fleeing TIE a battle.

[Rogue 9]

Yeah, but that was in atmosphere. In fact, the only space flight we've seen in the trailers has been the shuttle going to the Star Destroyer in the first teaser.

[Adam Reynolds]

TIEs in the sun looks cool.

That and the "Wingcam" on the X-wings. The aerial visuals in this movie are looking like they're going to be as stunning to us as the opening sequence of EP-4 did back in 1978.

I have to agree. The visuals in this movie, at least from the trailer, are amazing. Abrams might just have made the best film of his career. At least if the plot holds up well enough. Hopefully Kasden had enough of an impact there(though this is the first time in awhile that Abrams actually wrote the story himself rather than relying on Orci and Kurtzman). I just learned that he actually only worked on the pilot for Lost. So that actually makes him an excellent fit here. He delivers quite nicely on setup. The payoff will come from other directors and writers(and not those that caused the payoff in Alias and Lost to be subpar).

Yeah, but that was in atmosphere. In fact, the only space flight we've seen in the trailers has been the shuttle going to the Star Destroyer in the first teaser.

And the Falcon hitting lightspeed in the main trailer(#3).

In any case, I assume there is a tactical reason we are seeing atmospheric combat. Something to do with attacking Starkiller base. We also don't see any heavier vessels at this point either. I wonder if that is due to the choice in target making capital ships pointless targets (just as they were in ANH).

[Anacronian]

I gotta say I love the Tie fighters with the sun behind them - that's a visual I will remember.

[Anacronian]

The voice saying "Hope is not lost today, It is found" really sounds like Gwendoline Christie(Captain Phasma) to me.

[Adam Reynolds]

The voice saying "Hope is not lost today, It is found" really sounds like Gwendoline Christie(Captain Phasma) to me.

Pretty sure it is Maz Katana played by Lupita Nyong'o. It is the same voice as the previous trailer. Why would a bad guy have that line of dialog?

[Galvatron]

I gotta say I love the Tie fighters with the sun behind them - that's a visual I will remember.

That's what happens when you have a competent director calling the shots.

[ray245]

I gotta say I love the Tie fighters with the sun behind them - that's a visual I will remember.

That's what happens when you have a competent director calling the shots.

Oh fuck off.

[The Romulan Republic]

I gotta say I love the Tie fighters with the sun behind them - that's a visual I will remember.

That's what happens when you have a competent director calling the shots.

Oh fuck off.

How dare anyone say something you disagree with!

[Elfdart]

That's what happens when you have a competent director calling the shots.

If only TFA had one.

Oh fuck off.

Don't be too hard on him -he's trying to Whitta second hand.

[ray245]

That's what happens when you have a competent director calling the shots.

Oh fuck off.

How dare anyone say something you disagree with!

If he wants to attack Lucas, he should not rely on remarks like this to do so. I do not see why he feels the need to use TFA as an excuse to bash the prequels once again. Let TFA and the SW ST stand on its own as opposed to judging based on how much better this will be compared to the prequels.

[Galvatron]

I didn't even mention George in my post.

[Prometheus Unbound]

He didn't attack Lucas. He just said JJ is a competent director.

You seem very sensitive about this.

[Iroscato]

Oh fuck off.

How dare anyone say something you disagree with!

If he wants to attack Lucas, he should not rely on remarks like this to do so. I do not see why he feels the need to use TFA as an excuse to bash the prequels once again. Let TFA and the SW ST stand on its own as opposed to judging based on how much better this will be compared to the prequels.

You are becoming increasingly hilarious

[Adam Reynolds]

As someone that is close to neutral on the prequel issue, I will say that visually they are generally fantastic. It is no coincidence that the best scene between Anakin and Padme is the one in which they don't speak. The character problem in those films largely comes from dialog.

[Joun_Lord]

As someone that is close to neutral on the prequel issue, I will say that visually they are generally fantastic. It is no coincidence that the best scene between Anakin and Padme is the one in which they don't speak. The character problem in those films largely comes from dialog.

I think one of the problems with the Prequels (atleast 1 and 2) is they just didn't have too many "wow" moments like the TIE Fighters in the sun or the shot of crashed Star Destroyer probably will be. Shots like in the original trilogy the Tantive 4 being chased by the Star Destroyer or the Executor casting shadows over the already huge Star Destroyers.

Episode 3 had some good wow moments like the Anakin/Padme silent scene (though not because their dialog sucked but because for that scene them not having in dialog was much more powerful), the opening shots of the Battle of Coruscant, the Jedi Temple being invaded, and Yoda and SHEEV tossing around Senate pods. Scenes that were memorable, scenes that made me sit up in my seat in wonder.

I can't really recall any such scenes from Episode 1 or 2. Maybe the Darth Maul scene in the hanger but even thats iffy. Those movies had nothing that really burned itself into my brain the same way that the stormtroopers bursting through the Tantive 4 door did, nothing that I can recall vividly like Palps declaring the FIRST....GALACTIC....EMPIRE... for a safe and secure society.

I'm still iffy on The Swartz Awakens but just judging by the trailers it should have some pretty kickass scenes.

I just super cereal hope that all those awesome scenes aren't just what we saw in the trailer like some movies do.

[Lord Revan]

the main problem with Episodes 1 and 2 was that there was no consensus as to what they wanted to be, so they ended up being tonally a mess with no clear central theme or "feel".

[Adam Reynolds]

I think a major reason that most people had issues with the storytelling in Episodes 1 and 2 is that they were all setup with hardly any payoff. The payoff came in Episode 3 and in the OT. This flaw is inherent to all prequels. Because we know how the story has progressed, drama is inherently harder. This is why The Godfather part 2 is often considered to be among the best prequels ever made, because it also has events that take place during the present and thus the drama is far more effective. Given the more omnipotent style of Star Wars it wouldn't really have fit.

[Adam Reynolds]

Another point about visuals in the PT is that a major motif was that of falling. It is something that Anakin literally spends a large part of AOTC doing. It is also no coincidence that Utapau is a sinkhole planet.

[Borgholio]

First TV spot is up. A few more snippets of new footage...looking even better still. I got my ticket for December and I can't wait.

[Iroscato]

Really good interview with JJ Abrams in WIRED.

http://www.wired.com/2015/11/star-wars- ... ew#slide-7

[Ziggy Stardust]

If only TFA had one.

What makes you think JJ is an outright incompetent one? Regardless of whether or not you like his work (I, personally, am not a huge JJ Abrams fan), it is silly to deny the fact that he is at least competent at what he does. The problems with his works have a lot more to do with writing than direction, anyway.

[Elfdart]

If only TFA had one.

What makes you think JJ is an outright incompetent one? Regardless of whether or not you like his work (I, personally, am not a huge JJ Abrams fan), it is silly to deny the fact that he is at least competent at what he does. The problems with his works have a lot more to do with writing than direction, anyway.

There's more to being "competent" as a filmmaker than knowing how to line up the shots. A talented filmmaker knows how (and more importantly when) to set aside his or her personal style enough to blend in with with the style of an established series. Irvin Kershner had no distinctive style. Watch his other movies and you'd never guess they were directed by the guy who did The Empire Strikes Back. It's like a musician being invited to play in an established band. In my opinion, the musician has an obligation to try to merge his or her sound with that of the band, even if it means setting aside their own signature sound -not to copy the previous musician's sound exactly, but to meld in a way where it's clearly a continuation of the band.

From the clips I've seen, it looks like Abrams is trying to meld Star Wars with his style of movie making (the sudden zooms, lens flares, etc.) rather than the other way around. He's like a musician who knows a couple of notes and plays the shit out of them whether the song calls for it or not.