Quote from: Mr.Obvious on August 14, 2023, 12:26:52 PMFinally watched dune.
Loved it.

It was fun to see in many ways how it kept to the original book, yet how different it was in my mind.

The bulbous Harkkonen craft were interesting, as well as their ludicrous level of lethality when fully unleashed, presumably when pesky las-shielding is no longer an issue (las guns + las shielding = giant kaboom)

Though I got really frustrated with that movie's lack of explainations for anyone new to the franchise.  Even simple stuff like the importance of spice, the sandworms' hatred of rhymthmic vibrations, the cultural aversion to robotics in general and thinking machines in particular, and the Emperor/Noble houses/Spacing Guild political state of the empire was given short shrift, if any.

Spice allows the Spacing Guild to "fold space" and thus allows instantaneous travel between planets. Handy, that, for an interstellar empire.

Oh, and the Harkonnen knew the Atreides ships had had their shields removed and stored to prevent accidental activation.

QuoteIs Star Wars tanking?  I'm not sure. 

As a Star Wars fanatic for about 30 years now, I would say yes at a corporate direction level... but there is a very dedicated team of writers, animators, and cinematographers who are trying their hardest to keep it afloat even while being handicapped by terrible working conditions, terrible buzz-trends having to be shoehorned in, and just trying to clean up the narrative mess that was left behind.

(And for that third one, that's not aimed purely at Disney - Clone Wars did much the same for Ep2 and 3.)

Star Wars will be fine, it just needs to stop being treated like a golden goose or a money printing machine and be treated with respect again. At it's best, it is single-handedly the best fantasy media invented since like... the Iliad or Gilgamesh.

Quote from: Hydra009 on August 14, 2023, 02:50:41 PMThough I got really frustrated with that movie's lack of explainations for anyone new to the franchise.  Even simple stuff like the importance of spice, the sandworms' hatred of rhymthmic vibrations, the cultural aversion to robotics in general and thinking machines in particular, and the Emperor/Noble houses/Spacing Guild political state of the empire was given short shrift, if any.

https://dune.fandom.com/wiki/Dune_Wiki  The book was published in the '60s, so they avoided explaining the more mundane things, and got on with the movie.

Yesterday I watched a Steve Carell movie called Dinner for Schmucks that was pretty good. Not among my all-time favorites, but certainly watchable.

Today I'm watching a Danny Devito movie called Other People's Money. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Quote from: Unbeliever on August 14, 2023, 03:22:33 PMYesterday I watched a Steve Carell movie called Dinner for Schmucks that was pretty good. Not among my all-time favorites, but certainly watchable.

My favorite quip was when one guy a the dinner asked the blind artist if he was any good, and the artist replies, "I don't know."

Quote from: Shiranu on August 14, 2023, 02:55:17 PMStar Wars will be fine, it just needs to stop being treated like a golden goose or a money printing machine and be treated with respect again. At it's best, it is single-handedly the best fantasy media invented since like... the Iliad or Gilgamesh.

Tolkien would disagree, but yeah, you're right.

It's an incredible setting filled with magic, aliens, droids, even scum and villany.  One could write almost any sort of story in that setting.  Even seemingly one-note characters like the clones and Mandalorians can be greatly expanded upon in satisfying ways.  Hell, you can even write stuff into it if you're careful.  As long as you have some sort of armed conflict, you're golden.

This series was written as an homage to old timey serials, but looking back, people have a voracious appetite for serials!

Quote from: SGOS on August 14, 2023, 05:30:56 PMMy favorite quip was when one guy a the dinner asked the blind artist if he was any good, and the artist replies, "I don't know."

That was also my favorite line in the movie! 🤣

But I think the funniest scene was when the blind guy turned off the lights and thought no one could see him! 😎

Quote from: Unbeliever on August 14, 2023, 06:30:15 PMThat was also my favorite line in the movie! 🤣

But I think the funniest scene was when the blind guy turned off the lights and thought no one could see him! 😎

Yeah, I forgot about that one. I just remember the movie from years ago.  It was nonstop nonsense, kind of like Mad Mad Mad World.

Yeah, that's a good one!

Well, I finished watching Other People's Money, and it was OK, but I probably wouldn't watch it again.

Quote from: SGOS on August 14, 2023, 08:29:32 PMYeah, I forgot about that one. I just remember the movie from years ago.  It was nonstop nonsense, kind of like Mad Mad Mad World.

BIG W!!!!

I saw the big W before any of the characters did! Maybe we viewers were supposed to, though. 🤔

That's the impression I got, back in 1963.

Quote from: Unbeliever on August 14, 2023, 09:21:36 PMI saw the big W before any of the characters did! Maybe we viewers were supposed to, though. 🤔

I don't think I did, but in a later rewatch I spotted it much earlier.

It was available before a context was known.