Star Wars - The Force Awakens

[inglenookfan]

Hello

If you have seen it; what did you think? REMEMBER - NO SPOILERS!!!!!

I couldnt help myself and went to see it with my wife on the 17th. Hasnt had the effect on me that it did in '77 but it was jolly good and i enjoyd it. I was 8 years old in '77 and was in flares, big clarks shoes and a sheepskin sleeveless jacket with a large amount of hair on my head. I could have done my own twist on cosplay and gone in clothes worn to the original instead of a character.

Due to arthritis in my knees i plod around with a crutch and almost used it as a light sabre on 2 talking kids, their mums and the woman who kept kicking my seat from behind. What is up with people? . In '77 i think i would've been chopped into small pieces for breathing to loud!

May the force be with you

Inglenookfan

 

EDITED TO REMIND ABOUT NOT SPOILING

[HSB]

I went to see it on Thursday afternoon with Railwayrod and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. Now looking forward to Episode VIII  B)

[Paul W]

Looking forward to seeing it on Sunday (20th)

 

I have reasonably low expectations, as it has been typically  soooo over hyped, so hopefully I won't be too disappointed. The effect the first film had on me when I first saw it was profound, I doubt this one will have the same effect, but then again I am not 11 any more (;

 

Still, it can't be as bad as episode 2, can it, as it doesn't have the wooden acting of Hayden Christensen to drag it down, (how did he get this part???).

 

Hopefully the audience will be an appreciative bunch and not be a disturbing influence too much, and as it is a very late screening I hope all the "kids" are at home in bed. This is the main reason I have not been to the cinema for over 15 years as the viewing experience has diminished greatly over the years with the "young uns" not knowing how to behave.

 

"Luke, I AM your father"

[inglenookfan]

Paul W - in my experience in the time you have not been to 'the pictures' the noise makers are as likely to be adults as young-uns.

 

I miss Pearl and Dean but brain does not miss Kia-Ora!!

 

 

"These aren't the droids you're looking for."

 

Inglenookfan

[F-UnitMad]

Seeing it later tonight. It can't possibly have the same impact as "The" Star Wars did, as the Original (ok Episode IV for the pedantic) was just so different to any SciFi that was done before it.

The bit that blew my mind in '77? :-

First sight of the Millenium Falcon in Docking Bay 94 at Mos Eisley. It looked like no other Starship ever. Luke Skywalker sees it and exclaims - "What a heap of junk!!"

 

That line just totally scrambled my brain.....

[Jeff Smith]

Saw it in 3D yesterday - fantastic! Worth the extra. Wonderfully in the style of Episodes 4,5 and 6, thankfully NOT 1,2 and 3.

 

Acting was reasonable but hardware, both real and CG was outstanding. I particularly liked the crashed Star Destroyer on Rey's planet. The stormtroopers of course still look the same even though now working for a different regime - they still can't shoot straight though! Harrison Ford was great.

[inglenookfan]

Wonderfully in the style of Episodes 4,5 and 6, thankfully NOT 1,2 and 3.

 

hardware, both real and CG was outstanding.

 

Agree completely. 2D was impressive so i can imagine 3D was something else entirely.

 

 

Inglenookfan

[mjkerr]

I have seen it twice now

 

I have been watching bookings since they became available

By Wednesday my preferred cinema was up to three screens for 3D and four screens for 2D, for 00:05 release

Their branch on the other side of the city was still only at one of each!

The first screenings of each in the morning had sold out by the evening

 

Surprised how quiet the cinema was on Thursday morning (second screening) for 2D

Next was Friday morning in 3D, third screening SuperScreen, and again was almost empty

However, they are sold out late evening over this weekend, and then quiet again on Monday morning

 

I have been looking at booking and 2D is booking about 3:1

 

Oddly I am old enough to have seen the original episodes 4, 5, and 6 in the cinema but only ever managed to see episode 4 (and only saw about half of it) when I was 5 years old

I so wanted to see the other films, but for some reason our family never got round to it...

However, once they were re-released in the 1990s I saw them all, as intended at the cinema

 

Overall, the effects are expected, but compared to other recent films are quite similar

Sadly, there was nothing new (like the mines and sound effects in episide 2)

With respect to the storyline, there was TOO much of the legacy actors for me; some short cameo appearances would have been acceptable

 

Oddly, I have been to see most sci fi films at the cinema in the last few years, and with each episode 1 to 3 been to see it at least three times

I have now been to see episode 7 twice, and whilst I would recommend 3D over 2D, I am now not sure what format to se it in next

[mjkerr]

Should just add to that, I plan to visit (Cineworld) Glasgow Renfrew Street for 3D Dbox seats, but this is mostly full, so will be waiting until January when the schools and colleges go back, as Screen 11 is limited to 24 seats every 3 hours

 

So I am visiting Glasgow Silverburn, this was my first visit to Screen 11 / SuperScreen, and viewing any film in 3D

All future visits will be here, again off-peak

[F-UnitMad]

Is it me, or could you watch "The" Star Wars (IV) as a 'stand alone' Film; it is somehow self-contained, and understandable without any other Episodes, whereas all the others , Prequels & Sequels alike, need the back story of the other films to make sense..??

A bit like Back to the Future; Part 1 stands alone - Part 2 in particular makes no sense at all without Parts 1 & 3.

[mjkerr]

Is it me, or could you watch "The" Star Wars (IV) as a 'stand alone' Film; it is somehow self-contained, and understandable without any other Episodes, whereas all the others , Prequels & Sequels alike, need the back story of the other films to make sense..??

A bit like Back to the Future; Part 1 stands alone - Part 2 in particular makes no sense at all without Parts 1 & 3

Any of the Star Wars films can be watched alone, I have known people who have accidentally done this

 

As an example is Episode 2, there are references to Episode 1 but you do not need to have seen the film to take a quess at what they mean

 

Equally, Episode 4 (as it was eventually re-released) was viewed before Episodes 1 to 3

 

Don't get me wrong, if anyone was watching it for the first time, I would advise them to watch in the final release order (ie Episodes 1 to 6) and then go to the cinema to see Episode 7

However, a few people I know have done this recently and all commented at how old Episodes 4 to 6 look, and are surprised these weren't simply replaced / updated

 

Finally, don't forget "Star Wars" when released in 1977 was just that, a single stand alone film

It wasn't until 20th Century Fox saw the income potential and re-released the film with the originally intended edit, which included the Episode 4 heading in the scroll (which at the time made no sense)

[PaulRhB]

I thought we were back in the groove of 4,5 & 6

I saw all the originals too, I was 6 when Star Wars came out. 1,2 & 3 green screen worlds I can leave but this was back to the gritty world of the original films. The comedy was back to one liners and the subtle actions of the droids, spot on no slapstick chuckle brothers characters.

Only thing to criticise for me was one of the reveals was a bit quick and they could have kept us in suspense longer.

The two main actors Rey and Finn were great and I thought the cameos worked in well, particularly Han and Chewies intro

[StuAllen]

Saw it in IMAX yesterday - impressive it was.

 

Just annoyed by the other cinema goers, why do people insist on arriving just as the film is starting and then spend the first 5 minutes of the film getting settled.

[mjkerr]

Just annoyed by the other cinema goers, why do people insist on arriving just as the film is starting

This has happened at almost every screening I have been at

 

I do not know how other cinemas do this...

If the screen timing is 10:00, the general adverts start at 09:50, the coming soon films start at 09:55, then it STARTS at 10:00

I think part of the problem is the film STARTS at 10:00

 

A few people have completely missed that first scene

At the second screening I went to they arrived during the second scene, they soon realised this, got up and left, presumably to ask to see the next screening as they had mised the opening scene

At the third screening a group of three people arrived about 40 minutes into the film; they arrived so late the cinema had to increase the illumination slightly whilst the member of staff accompanied them

[StuAllen]

This has happened at almost every screening I have been at

 

I do not know how other cinemas do this...

If the screen timing is 10:00, the general adverts start at 09:50, the coming soon films start at 09:55, then it STARTS at 10:00

I think part of the problem is the film STARTS at 10:00

 

A few people have completely missed that first scene

At the second screening I went to they arrived during the second scene, they soon realised this, got up and left, presumably to ask to see the next screening as they had mised the opening scene

At the third screening a group of three people arrived about 40 minutes into the film; they arrived so late the cinema had to increase the illumination slightly whilst the member of staff accompanied them

 

The Cineworld in Crawley (my local) publishes the start time as the tine the adverts start then you get trailers so there is normally 10-20 minutes before the film starts, but it's not guaranteed, I've been to a few showing where there are no trailers.

[big jim]

i dont think i'll bother seeing it until after christmas when the hype has died down, we did today however see the star wars exhibition at madame tussauds in london, the kids absolutly loved it

 

 

 

[PaulRhB]

I see you photobombed the shot with Leia . . .

[chris p bacon]

The problem I have is I keep thinking of the family Guy versions.

 

Emporer - Can you turn Luke to the dark side.

 

Darth/Stewie - I can probably make him Bi but I don't know about all the way......Oh you mean That dark side...

[Reorte]

Don't get me wrong, if anyone was watching it for the first time, I would advise them to watch in the final release order (ie Episodes 1 to 6) and then go to the cinema to see Episode 7

However, a few people I know have done this recently and all commented at how old Episodes 4 to 6 look, and are surprised these weren't simply replaced / updated

That surprises me. 4 looks a bit dated but I don't really see it in 5 and 6.

[Karhedron]

The Cineworld in Crawley (my local) publishes the start time as the tine the adverts start then you get trailers so there is normally 10-20 minutes before the film starts, but it's not guaranteed, I've been to a few showing where there are no trailers.

Both the Vue and Odeon in Basingstoke typically run at least 10 minutes of adverts and then 10 minutes of trailers (usually more). This means the actual film will not start until at least 20 minutes after the publicised screening time (usually more like 30). There may be exceptions but this has been the case for every film I have been to see at either of them. If people are used to this, I can understand why they would not bother turning up on time.

 

Moving on to the film, I thought it was fantastic. I am not a hater of the prequels but I was delighted to see a return to the grittier feel of the original trilogy. The dialogue and acting was probably the best of any any entry yet. Kudos in particular to John Boyega and Daisy Ridley who both deliver outstanding performances. The new team have clearly followed the maxim of "show, don't tell" when it comes conveying emotions. Consequently we don't get people talking (clunkily) about how they feel, we get to see it in their performances!

 

I have only seen it once so far but I will definitely try and squeeze another trip in over the holidays. Good news is that my boys enjoyed it too. I was slightly nervous about taking the younger one to see a 12A but he was fine with it and there was only one bit that creeped him out slightly (not the bit most people would probably expect).

 

There is loads more I would like to post but I don't want to post any spoilers as I am sure there are still plenty of people waiting to see it. If you have seen it, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you have not, get out there, you will not be disappointed.

[micklner]

Good film, a bit predictable but then its Star Wars !!

[PaulRhB]

These ARE the droids you've been looking for . .

 

saw BB8 in the window of the Disney store and thought I'd get R2 a friend. Not as cool operating as the Sphero one but a darn nice model.

 

 

R2 D2 stands about 18 inches tall

[Horsetan]

Then, as now, the Dark Side has all the best uniforms. .

[Purley Oaks]

We went to a galaxy far far away this morning for the 9.45am 3D showing (film started at 10.15am) and had a good time. Cinema less than a third full, good seats.

 

Had a really good time; fun film, well-acted. The new droid is just this side of cute - any more would have been too much. Nice to see the old actors, too, thought the younger ones did well.

 

Concerned that the bar has been set very high, but if the other sequels are this good, fantastic.

 

Mal

[Nelson Jackson]

An absolutely awesome movie, I would definitely watch it again, loved it!