Star Wars - The Force Awakens

Post by **Cail** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:27 pm

Well, The Spice Girls sold a lot of records too. That didn't make them any good.

Post by **Orlion** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:03 pm

Don't get me wrong... very few of the original Star Trek movies could be considered "good movies"... but the ones that were had more then "outgun whatever threat" there is. The Enterprise is a research vessel, not a warship. As a result, it should try to avoid conflict when possible and use tactics when it is forced defend itself.

It isn't a space ship that is meant to go after squadrons of TIE fighters.

There is really none of that thought in the new Star Trek films (or the bad old ones like Nemesis) and certainly none of the sacrifice. Spock at least stayed dead until the sequel.

Could the original be improved upon? Of course it could (particularly with the fisticuffs)... but something that is missing now and is a necessary core characteristic of Star Trek is the idea of scientific progress and exploration with the awe that brings (Insurrection dropped the ball big time on this idea). Abrams just never seemed to understand this.

Post by **Zarathustra** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 6:56 pm

Orlion wrote:Don't get me wrong... very few of the original Star Trek movies could be considered "good movies"... but the ones that were had more then "outgun whatever threat" there is. The Enterprise is a research vessel, not a warship. As a result, it should try to avoid conflict when possible and use tactics when it is forced defend itself.

What? Starfleet was the Federation's military. The Enterprise was the flagship of this military fleet. Yes, they did research. For the military. As far as we could tell from the TV show, they had precisely one scientist on board. It wasn't a research vessel. It was a warship on an exploration mission.

but something that is missing now and is a necessary core characteristic of Star Trek is the idea of scientific progress and exploration with the awe that brings (Insurrection dropped the ball big time on this idea). Abrams just never seemed to understand this.

There were only two movies that dealt explicitly with scientific progress/exploration as a theme, ST: The Motion Picture and ST: First Contact. The former sucked, the latter was awesome. All the other movies were character-driven action flicks, and one goofy time travel environmental propaganda piece.

(j/k I like the whale movie.)

Almost every Trek had some kind of villain + space battle. The show was more about science, but the movies were more about character.

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:06 pm

They certainly had more than one scientist on TOS. We saw: geologist; archaeologist/anthropologist; historian; an engineer, if I'm not mistaken; possibly a doctor; and others will probably come to mind.

It's difficult to reconcile the Enterprise being the flagship of the Federation's military with it being, as Kirk said, a vessel of exploration.

Post by **Orlion** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:11 pm

Zarathustra wrote:
Orlion wrote:Don't get me wrong... very few of the original Star Trek movies could be considered "good movies"... but the ones that were had more then "outgun whatever threat" there is. The Enterprise is a research vessel, not a warship. As a result, it should try to avoid conflict when possible and use tactics when it is forced defend itself.
What? Starfleet was the Federation's military. The Enterprise was the flagship of this military fleet. Yes, they did research. For the military. As far as we could tell from the TV show, they had precisely one scientist on board. It wasn't a research vessel. It was a warship on an exploration mission.

Hmmm, I seem to have been mistaken, since there were other actual research vessels.

The Enterprise (at least originally) I think would be more of a scouting vessel. There were other designs designed more specifically for combat. I mean, how often was it used for military purposes merely because "it was the closest/we have nothing else/our regular military ships were destroyed by one Borg cube"....

Come to think of it, maybe Starfleet just sucked at designing military vessels

Post by **SoulBiter** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:09 pm

I would also like to add that I would LOVE for them to come out with a movie from that original timeline of the Original series that was more true to what made the original series special. I just don't think its possible in a two hour movie to get the Character development off the ground in a meaningful way.

I also had high hopes that 'Enterprise' the series would have been that, but it was too easy most of the time, and like Sorus said, they were too advanced for the time period they were supposed to be portraying.

Post by **Sorus** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 10:52 pm

They shouldn't need to do a ton of character development on characters that have been around for almost fifty years. Just give them more depth, more charisma, more whatever. That should be possible in a movie.

Post by **caamora** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 11:15 pm

Zarathustra wrote:I love what Abrams did with ST. I thought most everyone agreed.

This looks freakin cool. I love the retro SW look.

Same here. I love the new Star Treks. I think the casting is inspired.

I'm totally pumped to see the new SW but my only criticism is that Han is still wearing the same clothing and wearing his hair the same way. C'mon, decades have passed. I'm sure he's been able to get a new outfit and a haircut since then!

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 12:37 am

He's a guy, caam. I've had the same haircut for thirty years.

And we can't all look really hot in homemade clothes.

Post by **Zarathustra** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 3:21 am

It looked like Chewy had the same hair style, too. Lame.

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:52 am

Post by **caamora** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 12:43 pm

LOL!!!
You guys know what I mean. It's kind of like the 3rd Chrons - no one changed after 2,000. I'm not even close to the same person I was 30 years ago. Now I'm almost expecting the donuts on Leia's hair!

Post by **Zarathustra** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 1:03 pm

caamora wrote:LOL!!!
You guys know what I mean.

Honestly, I do know what you mean. It was comforting to see them look familiar, but still a little weird.

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 3:12 pm

Doesn't Han day, "We're home."? Maybe they were in an Odyssey situation.

Post by **caamora** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 12:31 pm

Fist and Faith wrote:Doesn't Han day, "We're home."? Maybe they were in an Odyssey situation.

Not a bad assessment.

Post by **MsMary** » Fri Jul 10, 2015 6:56 pm

All I can say is: Hans Solo!!!!

Good, bad or indifferent, I will be seeing this movie.

Post by **Hashi Lebwohl** » Tue Oct 20, 2015 9:03 pm

Make sure to check out the latest trailer. We get some more action, more shots of some of the main characters, and a little blurb as to the main bad guy's evil scheme.

Post by **Cail** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 12:20 am

I'll be there opening weekend, but again, I don't expect a whole lot. I just hope to see Solo say, "Get. Off. My. LAWN!"

Post by **Avatar** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 5:20 am

Cail wrote:I'll be there opening weekend, but again, I don't expect a whole lot.

And me.

--A

Post by **dlbpharmd** » Wed Oct 21, 2015 3:46 pm

And me, assuming I can find a ticket. Apparently, millions of tickets for opening weekend have already been sold.

I'm underwhelmed by the latest trailer.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

Star Wars - The Force Awakens