Like I said in the post I sincerely apologize about the delay. Shit's crae.
The movie is fucking TERRIBLE though. I could actually write way more about it, picking apart individual characters, but I tried to touch on as many major points as I could.
- One of the basic principles of a good film is the ability for the story to be contained within the screen. That means all of the character motivations, all of their various struggles, the narrative itself, it all needs to be fit in to the time that the movie is playing on screen.
Okay.
- This is a consistent theme with the movie, the reliance on every other film out there for understanding characters and motivation. I don’t know who these people are and I’m not able to determine their motivations while I’m watching, but I guess its really that they all just sort of know each other? I guess? And that’s why they’re all willing to die together and take on an ex-military super guy? I guess?
And then you compare a 6th movie in a series with continuity to the FIRST movie in a series, Star Wars.
- Say you sit down and watch Star Wars. Alright cool, its the first one. Characters: Luke, Han, Leia, Chewy, Obi, Vader. Motivations range from becoming a Jedi to money to politics to Life Day to training Luke to crushing the Rebellion. Clear motivations for the characters, all of which we understand through what we see happening before us. We do not need to see all of the films that influenced Star Wars in order to understand it, even if they enrich our experience of watching it. The narrative and characters are clear based solely on the evidence that the audience sees.
Why not compare it to Empire Strikes Back? An actual comparable sequel. "Does that Han guy like Leia? Does she like him? They certainly flirt a lot... kind of. I guess they kind of like each other or maybe had a past that's implied? Why did she kiss that other guy then? How come that other dude isn't using a gun and only has that light sword? What is the force? Is he telepathic? What's with this empire and why are they attacking these rebels? What's with the dude in the black getup? Is he a wizard? Who is that blue-glowy guy that appears and talks to this Luke guy occasionally? Who is Ben Kenobi and why did he lie to that guy with the light-up sword about who his father was?"
Please note, haven't seen FF6 and don't really plan to. But found your rant about what makes a film to be a tad hypocritical.
There are better films to compare it to, yes, but Star Wars was the one that came to mind since I love Star Wars more than anything else in the world, including my own testicles. Think about that.
Beyond the comparison between an original film and a sequel, the point I was making is that you are able to understand character motivations. It applies to the second and third Star Wars as well. For Empire, you can understand why Luke is going places and can get a grasp of what is happening without having seen the first. The audience can function without seeing the first, even though seeing the first film helps them appreciate the second even more.
Its late for me at the moment, but I could answer basically all of those questions to at least some degree using only the information presented in Empire.
Also, spoilers. This week will have me watching all of those fucking movies. Not Star Wars. Fast and Furious. God. Fucking. Damnit.
- I love Star Wars more than anything else in the world, including my own testicles. Think about that.
I think I thought about that way too long, and am now questioning my sexuality.
- Fast and Furious. God. Fucking. Damnit.
They aren't that great, but they aren't that bad. I actually really liked Tokyo Drift, the 4th one I think? It has no continuity with the films prior to it, but does have links to the one you just watched, it's where the character Han comes from I think. I just like it because it's in Japan, and it's just good ole' cheesy fun with a decent soundtrack and some pretty cool race scenes. But if you don't like import cars, Asian girls, or Little Bow-Wow... well I got some bad news for you...
That was beautiful! Your comparison of Predator 2 to what is wrong nails it.
- Not much. Its not great. I suppose if there’s a positive, its the feel of shortness. This film does not feel its 210 minute length, which is good, because I would have left the theater.