So, our next film, Classic or Crud, Hit or Miss, what say you ALL?

Our next film open for discussion, and ultimately an Overall RATING by you all, is:


Let the discussions flow. Likes, dislikes, classic film or overhyped trash, and DONT FORGET to place an Overall Rating when youre done.

Its easy, just give a Rating from 1 (Jaws 4:The Revenge) to 10 (Jaws), and thats it. Course I'd love to have you all give reasons as to why you feel it deserves this Overall Rating, and more than encourage discussions with us all about them.

ALSO: I urge Any and All of you who have yet to do so, to go back to our older catalogue of RtM films (Very easily done by the Links List right on the top of the Rate The Movies Forum), and vote for your favorite, not so favorite, and anything in between movies. We have HEAPS there already, some Classics, some Crud, let's hear what YOU think about them ALL!

So, what say you all?

Next Film: ??????

I'm going to open with a rating: A 3. Yes, a 3. And I feel I may be a touch generous with even that rating.

I fully recognize it's making huge amounts of money, I realize it's getting lots of raves, I realize there are people who are all hyped up about it; I don't care - me, the more I think about it, the more I'm pretty sure I outright hate the movie.

Here's the thing - it's a nicely put together movie, it's got a few cool bits here and there, it's very nice to look at - and let's face it, it's Star Wars - but I feel safe in saying that the movie's going to age poorly. Very poorly. Especially once we've gotten out of the 'honeymoon' period we're currently in. Without the 10-year gap between Episode III, without people having "this is totally not the Prequels and no more George Lucas" to celebrate, this movie doesn't have a whole lot to go on.

Even the people who like the movie have admitted it: when you get right down to it, Episode VII is a stealth remake of Episode IV. There's hardly a simpler or blunter way of putting it. It would almost be better if they'd just gone ahead and sacked the entire Star Wars saga as it existed and started over from scratch with a completely new universe and completely fresh continuity, but I'm certain they realized that such a move would be very hard to pull off.

As it stands, once the current trilogy is done, anyone who watches the movies back to back is going to see Episode IV twice, and without the current hype or real-world context surrounding VII, Force Awakens is going to replay terribly. To borrow from what others have said, whatever flaws the Prequels may have, at least George Lucas tried to do something new and original with the universe. He didn't just give us Episodes IV-VI all over again.

Dare I say it, for all their talk about respecting the franchise, I think VII actually harms the saga. The movie basically treats things like they were at the start of Episode IV. The Jedi have gone through another purge and are practically wiped out. It claims there's a new Republic, but it's hardly given notice aside from a moment to have its leadership wiped out when the capital planet is destroyed and it's basically neutered and rendered useless. The heroes you know and love from the past trilogy? They've all regressed as characters since the Battle of Endor.

Sure, the movie is making tons of money and getting lots of praise at the moment, but gives this thing time to mature, look at it again in a decade when the rest of its trilogy has been completed and it doesn't have the hype behind it, and I predict that it'll be ranked as one of the worst in the franchise.

I'll take a familiar plot that has fantastic acting, good action, and brilliant practical and generated effects over a film that tries to do something new, but fails to make it engaging and is terribly acted. To say that the Force Awakens will be ranked as one of the worst of the franchise, is frankly mind boggling. Even if the plot was predictable, I loved the new cast, and the movie planted enough seeds to make me excited for the next one. The movie did its job. It captured the creativity and feel of Star Wars, which is more than any of the prequels can say.

I'm giving it an 8.5 and calling it conservative. I loved this movie.

5/10

I loved the characters (Finn is probably now my fav SW character... he has a very compelling backstory, and actually seems like a human with real flaws and weaknesses)

The story and universe building were incredibly lazy.

Aside from recycling set pieces and scene straight out of a New Hope/Empire, the film's events existed in a plot/universe vacuum after Han Solo enters the story.

We weren't told who the First Order were beyond "evil". We weren't told ANYTHING about the new Republic (whether it was the government or not... and thus why it had a Resistiance). So there was NO investment in the whole First Order is going to blow up the Repubilc... I didn't know who was shooting or getting shot

All the awe and suspense of the originals was undermined for cheap comedy in this version. "There's always a way to blow it up" felt more like a line out of Spaceballs then SW, and made the whole end space battle seem trivial (and X-wings have always been my fav thing in SW... they really managed to take the fun out of that last sortee ).

That all said again, I did really love all the new characters, so much so I find I am excited for new adventures featuring them... provided they ARE new adventures, and not just MORE recycling. If we get a Empire clone next film, I'll lose all interest like I did in SW after the prequels.

7/10.
It was entertaining, although I had the feeling the whole time of having watched this movie before. Although admittedly I like Rey a lot more than young whiny Luke.
My rating would have been higher if the movie didn't leave so many questions unanswered. If these questions are answered in the next movie, my rating might increase slightly.

8/10

It was a really fun movie and had some heart. The recycled plot points were annoying, but it still felt like a fun space adventure with likable characters and funny puppets. That's all I really ever wanted from Star Wars.

I don't watch Star Wars because I want brilliant writing or new ideas. I would watch Star Trek for that (Which is unfortunately becoming a poor man's Star Wars with the new movies)

9/10

I had fun. Everything I want when I see a movie. I'm deducting a point for "Droid, please."

10/10 wonderful, wonderful movie, can't wait for the next one.

Next movie: would you rather

Anyone going this piece of crap higher than a 6, is a blind fan boy with blinders on. Anyone giving this moview a 1, is a hater that wouldn't have been satisfied no matter what they did.

That being said, the more I think about this movie, the less I like it. Visually, it was stunning. And that's about where it ends for me. Space Jawa pretty much nailed it. The thing that really made me dislike this movie, was the whiney emo 'Dark Lord'. Not scary or intimidating at all. Just bad. That actor was worse than Hayden Christansen was as Anakin in the 2 movies previous to this.

I'll give it a 4/10, and like Jawa, that's being generous.

I liked the movie. If A New Hope hadn't existed, this would have been so great. But it does, so I'm less impressed. And the more I think about the movie, the less I like it. Ren was terrible. Like we needed another whiny Skywalker... his temper tantrums? Sorry, I would rather have Maul or Grievous back... Captain Phasma!? Let me introduce to the most worthless character in Star Wars... for all the hype she was getting? What did she do? You could take her out of the next one and I don't think anyone would notice.

One thing I hate is how downplayed Finn is!!! Everyone is all "Rey, Rey, Rey"... but if not for Finn, NONE of the movie would have happened, and Han would still be alive!!!! If he hadn't had his moral quandary, Poe would be on the Destroyer, probably dead. Rey would be on Jakku, probably dead (that junker wanted BB-8 BADLY) soon. BB-8 only got to the Republic/Resistance because he heard Finn say "Resistance". If he hadn't, they'd have gone back to the her AT-AT, and that's it. Luke would have been found by the First Order and who knows what. They never would have taken off in the Falcon, Han would never have found it and he'd delivered his big beasties and gone along.

I'm just hoping that the next one doesn't see Rey losing any body parts, no one is frozen in "Larbonite" or something and and no nipple cannons.... well maybe those.

Honestly, I think the biggest annoyance has been the "Seen it 14 times" Fanboys... that's a little excessive.

4/10

(PS... Guardians did Star Wars better than TFA did)

Solid ten. I dont go to movies anymore save for star wars. I'm salivating over rogue one. Rebels is like a free sample for me. I came to it with expectations that it would be better than the prequels. I was not disappointed in the slightest. Loved the dialogue, action scenes, character development as well as the strong nostalgia I have for the OT. J.J. Abrams delivered( I was not concerned in that he is a star wars fanboy).

HCR Member Rating:

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS - 6.85 / 10

(10 members rating)

First time I saw this movie, I left with a meh feeling. After the second time, I was able to better appreciate the breadth and scope of the movie. I think Daisy Ridley did an amazing job, as did John Boyega. Adam Driver did well as Kylo Ren and the scenes were well done. The feeling I got when they show and then take the Millennium Falcon gave me goosebumps.

The initial feeling was that it was too much like A New Hope. But I got that pretty quickly after the second viewing.

8/10

My wife and I both enjoyed it, but I understand why some folks don't. The film even spoofs how much of a retread the film is when they are planning the Death Star Assault and one of the pilots makes a comment about running a trench or taking down the shield that was pretty much a 'come on guys, this is the exact same riff as Return of the Jedi'.

Acting was pretty decent, but Rey as a character doesn't do a lot for me. She's Luke+Han+Anakin+Padme+any other positive attribute such that you aren't sure why you need some of the other characters, like Finn (she's a tech wizard, ace pilot, great with a gun, super force user, hits it off with Han/Chewie, has the street smarts, etc etc etc while Finn is the janitor...seriously, you couldn't throw him anything guys?).

It does give me hope for a new serious though. Like his Star Trek this is meant to be a jumping off point for a new series that will pay homage to what came before. So, over all highly enjoyed it, but it has some flaws.

So 8/10