Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Rian Johnson, December 15, 2017) Movie • Page 338

Shouldn't "opinions" (it was more of a statement) change when new information is given? Statements of someone's intent aren't really opinions and additional information showing the actual intent, can, and I'd argue should, be healthy. Supplemental material diving into a director's intent and process give us insight so we don't have to guess.

 

Johnson has said, in virtually every interview on this movie, why he made the choice. It was not just in the documentary. It is almost impossible to imagine having any interest in this film and avoiding his quote about why he made those choices. In fact, I seem to remember him saying, prior to the film even coming out, that he looked at every character and built the story around what information / situation would challenge their character the most.

Here is an article from the day after the movie was released:

“I was thinking, what’s the most powerful answer to that question? Powerful meaning: what’s the hardest thing that Rey could hear? That’s what you’re after with challenging your characters.

The easiest thing for Rey and the audience to hear is, Oh yeah, you’re so-and-so’s daughter. That would be wish fulfillment and instantly hand her a place in this story on a silver platter…The hardest thing for her is to hear she’s not going to get that easy answer. Not only that, but Kylo is going to use the fact that you don’t get that answer to try and weaken you so you have to lean on him"

EDIT: Yup. Found the interview. From 9 months prior to the film's release:

"Johnson also said he approached writing The Last Jedi with the aim of challenging all his key players, from Luke to Kylo Ren. 'I started by writing the names of each of the characters, and thinking, what’s the hardest thing they could be faced with?'"

 

Thanks for sharing this insight. Still doesn’t quite fit together in my head yet. Quite happy with where we’re at after The Last Jedi but feel like there are some missing jigsaw pieces that will help continue to flesh out the character of Rey.

 

Well, her journey is not complete. So, sure.

But I don’t think they will explain things like this in ep9. It was just a visual way of telling us about Rey. Her entire introduction sequence is a fantastic case of showing and not telling us all about her. She doesn’t say one word for a very long time. I love it.

 

I remembered today why I stopped listening to Collider Jedi Council. The first story this week was all of them just saying how they hoped Kylo was lying about Rey’s parents and in the second story, Harloff literally said Last Jedi didn’t feel like Star Wars. I don’t even know what that phrase means anymore. Looks like I’m sticking to ForceCenter.

 

Yea that was some weak shit today haha. Ken wasn’t there so it seemed more one-sided in favor of retconning.

This is more evidence though that making new saga films is always gonna come with way more drama. Looking forward to the freedom that could come with the new stuff.

 

I still check it out every once in a while, usually when there's bigger news to talk about. But, every episode lately Harloff says something that really gives away that he doesn't like the movie. Which is fine, but then he goes on to says he likes it. That kind of rubs me the wrong way.

 

Wow that literally sounds like the Nerd Crew. I had no idea how accurate those videos are.

 

Yeah I really like Kristian but he’s been annoying me with how he presents his opinions lately. Especially saying Claudia Grey understands Star Wars more than Rian Johnson. That basically implies that he understands Star Wars more than Rian to be able to make that statement.

I totally disagree with his opinion that (Paraphrasing) there are traditions in Star Wars that fans deserve. Rey being a part of a lineage. Often bringing up having a light saber on light saber battles which there wasnt technically in TLJ. Then having more canon material being a part of the movies (which hes mentioned about every episode/news story for the past 2 months). I definitely agree with him on a lot of things about TLJ, Filoni being a bigger part of the creative direction, etc... but hes starting to remind me of the fans who feel entitled to certain things and think their interpretation of Star Wars is better than others.

I probably wont stop watching but I might skim it depending on who the guests are. I dont listen to Force Center as I dont really listen to podcasts but I love Ken so I think Im gonna start.

 

Force Center>>> Jedi Council

 

I watched this movie on a plane today lol. Didn't get to finish it, had to leave directly after the throne room scene. Watching it with headphones gave me a renewed appreciation for the score and sound effects.

And that opening scene, still so good. Such a powerful scene with a character that is on screen for like 2 minutes.

 

Hahahaha reading this post reminded me of watching Rogue One on the way back from Boston and I'd zone into the movie and every 7 minutes the captain would interrupt and I couldn't watch it at all

 

yes this happened many times too, so obnoxious. the firstest of first world problems....stop interrupting my star war on my plane ride!

 

Force Center is great. I like it because they’re able to be critical and honest, but not get bogged down by the things they don’t like. They approach Star Wars from the perspective that every movie, book, game is someone’s favorite even if it’s not theirs.

 

Of all the things TLJ did differently, this was my favorite decision. Right before the movie came out I was thinking about how all of the saga films (with the exception of ANH) have followed a formula where the climax has to revolve around a lightsaber duel. I was really hoping we'd break that formula and Rian did. And he did it with one of the best fight sequences in all of Star Wars.

 

Agreed. Like who gives a fuck if it was light saber on lightsaber. It was easily one of the top fight sequences in Star Wars.

On that note, since we need to kill time before Solo, what is everyones favorite light saber sequences/scenes taking into factor everything (choreography/cinematography/drama/dialogue)?

Mine
1) Rey/Kylo Vs. Snoke/Praetorian guards
2) Luke Vs. Vader in Empire (very close 2nd)
3) Throne Room scene with Luke vs. Vader in Jedi
^
All 3 of these are really close

4) Maul vs. Kenobi/Qui Gon (would be #2 if it was just choreography)
5) Anakin vs Obi-wan in ROTS
6) Yoda vs. Sidious
7) Kylo vs. Rey & Finn
8) Obi-Wan vs. Vader in ANH

Drop off

9) qui-gon vs Maul on Tatooine (quick but I love it and a sense of wtf was that?)
9) Anakin/Obi-Wan vs Dooku at beginning of ROTS
10) Yoda/Anakin/Obi vs Dooku in AOTC
11) Obi-Wan Vs. Grievous in ROTS
12) Palpatine vs. Mace Windu/Jedi & Anakin's turn (this ones painful to watch for me)

 

RANKINGS!!!

For me:

1) Luke Vs. Vader in Empire
- The tension in this fight is incredible and it's draining to see our hero so outmatched and then just completely devastated at the end
2) Throne Room scene with Luke vs. Vader in Jedi
- I go back and forth with this one and Empire. The final minute when Luke is just wailing on Vader is so well done. In Empire, we are rooting for him to defeat Vader, in this one, we are dreading what happens if he does. That last minute also has one of the more undervalued pieces (r at least not talked about enough in my eyes) of John Williams' score.
3) Rey/Kylo Vs. Snoke/Praetorian guards
- amazing choreography, the tension building up to it and then the rollercoaster of emotions it takes our two main characters on is perfect
4) Kylo vs. Rey & Finn
- I really can't think of a better setting for a lightsaber fight. The heat of the blades against the cold and snow is perfect. Plus the emotional weight of Rey having seen her mentor killed and Kylo having killed his father makes it meaningful.
5) Maul vs. Kenobi/Qui Gon (would be #2 if it was just choreography)
- Devoid of any real feeling, but the choreography is pretty great, I like the setting, and it's got Duel of the Fates. You can't beat Duel of the Fates.
6) Obi-Wan vs. Vader in ANH
- Not super flashy, but it's got a really heavy emotion weight behind it knowing that these two have a troubled backstory and that Obi-Wan's sacrifice.

....Takes a huge dive off a cliff...

7) Anakin vs Obi-wan in ROTS
- Has some emotional weight to it, and some great moments (I still like Ewan's "you were my brother..." speech at the end), but overall it's way to over the top and gets boring.
8) Yoda vs. Sidious
- The lightsaber part of this actually sucks, but it gets fun when they are using the force to throw stuff at each other (THAT'S ALL THIS FIGHT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, THESE TWO WERE ABOVE LIGHTSABERS)
9) Anakin/Obi-Wan vs Dooku at beginning of ROTS
- I always forget this one exists. How do Obi-Wan's legs not get crushed?
10) Yoda/Anakin/Obi vs Dooku in AOTC
- It has one good moment when Yoda absorbs the force lighting. Other than that, terrible choreography and no weight to it whatsoever. It just looks like strobe lights flying around when Anakin and Dooku are fighting. Also, Yoda fighting just looks ridiculous.

 

Nice. Other than the order I agree with every word you said.

Im going to bump up beginning of revenge of the sith above APTC too because even though it was much shorter, the combo of Palpatine saying “kill him”, Dookus reaction than the infamous “deeww it!”,him beheading dooku, and the “his fate will be the same as ours” line was better than any moment of the one in AOTC.

I go back and forth with Vader vs Obi-Wan. It’s almost unfair to judge. It’s like comparing the Celtics championships in the 60s to today’s teams. Like the game wasn’t the same. There were 14 teams in the league lol

It does have Vader and Obi which in the NBA analogy is like Wilt vs Russell and I do love the “strike me down” line and the climax which I guess automatically puts it above the other two. Yeah I’m going to change mine lol

Edit: Also I added some other ones I totally forgot about like Mace vs. Palpatine

 

Also rewatching this wtf is up with Palpatines voice change in this? His voice is extremely low especially at 2:10 and then once he puts his hood up at 2:30 his voice changes to the OG voice lol

 

Hey how exactly do you access the version of TLJ with just the score? I’ve redeemed it with movies anywhere

EDIT: figured it out, I assumed it transferred to Vudu and amazon

 

Just go to my movies on movies anywhere, then once you click on TLJ, scroll down and all the features should be there.

 

You make good points about the fight at the opening of ROTS. The little bits from Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine are nice moments. In hindsight I'd probably put that above Yoda/Sidious.

 

I said I wouldn't watch the prequels again after my last Star Wars marathon, but if there were score only versions, I would reconsider.

 

I just watched the Yoda and Sidious one. Not as great as I remember. Its just the fucking score that makes it so epic. Duel of Fates could make watching paint dry seem like an epic moment that determines the fate of the galaxy.

 

I love how during Luke’s speech telling Kylo how he’s wrong, it’s intercut with the new hero that exemplifies that point. “The Rebel is reborn today” -cut to Poe, the new leader of the Resistance/Rebellion who learned how to lead in the film
“The War is just beginning” -cut to Finn, the new hero of the Rebellion who finally decided he’s willing to fight
“And I will not be the last Jedi.” -cut to Rey trusting her powers/skills accepting her role and not looking to pass it off to someone else. All these things they failed at and learned from have made them the heroes and hope the Rebellion needs. Man I love this movie.