Hobbit was 20% content and 80% filler. People were leaving theaters feeling indifferent. I've seen all three, rewatched only the first one at home and feel zero desire to sit through the other two again. For comparison, I've completely worn out my LOTR DVD's. Also, for me, JJ's Star Trek movies have considerable "rewatch value". There's something about his style, sense of action and pace, that makes his movies enjoyable on multiple viewings. I hope SW VII will be no exception.
When The Robau has made his appearance in a thread then it has achieved something great. This will be a day long remembered.
Well yeah, obviously it's Han, Luke and Leia everyone is most excited to see for this first movie, but I think once people get a taste of how much more fun and engaging the writing and characters are in this new trilogy, they'll be MORE than willing to come back for the sequels that more heavily involve the newer actors. The name Star Wars is a huge enough draw for people all on it's own, and as long as there are lightsabers, spaceships, droids, and space battles, audiences will continue to flock to these movies in droves.
I partially agree that it was a cash grab but it was also an attempt to do things that had not been done in Middle Earth before due to improvements of technology. In many ways, very similar to the PT, which was a testing ground for so many different technologies that Lucas wanted to play with in film making. The problem with the Hobbit and the PT was a lack of recognition of what made the original material special. The Hobbit is a children's book, and very episodic, not lending itself to the big budget film world like LOTR did. I think An Unexpected Journey got closest to the feel that the Hobbit would need, but that opportunity was wasted. I think that the Hobbit film (if one was to be made) would have been served well to be before LOTR and not requiring the big budget treatment, or not directed by Peter Jackson post LOTR. I don't think the Hobbit moves are forgettable, so much as unremarkable, and I think there is a difference. There are some amazing character moments and scenes, but they are mired by the rest of the film that overall is very generic. The PT is worse, in my opinion, because it lacked interesting characters and just used all the CG in the world to build the world, rather than using the effects to enhance the world. In both cases, what made the originals special is lost.
^ I'm the opposite. I think the Hobbit Trilogy is worse. Peter Jackson over-indulged himself WAY too much in adapting the story of the Hobbit. He turned the book into something it wasn't. Contrary wise, while the Prequels may not hit all the same beats as the OT, I don't think it was supposed to. Star Wars was born out of George Lucas's imagination and naturally his tastes and approach changed over time. The biggest difference is Peter Jackson had a road map to follow and chose to take a detour in order to stretch out the journey as long as possible. While Lucas had to imagine and create a story to tell. Listening to the commentary on the PT, Lucas talks about filling the film with things he likes. At the end of the day, you can respect Lucas for telling the story he wanted to tell, with characters he created. While that might not be to everyone's tastes, hey no one is forcing them to consume the product they don't like. Also, is it just me or does it seem the hate for the PT has been/is blown WAY OUT PROPOTION?! I mean people are still butthurt about the PT, when it's not the worst thing ever. I mean the PT is not on the same level of bad/terrible as Battlefield Earth, Skyline, The Alien V Predator movies + Alien Resurrection, the Transformers franchise, Star Trek (TPM, TFF, GEN, INS), Aeon Flux, the Resident Evil films etc You get the point.
I think I mentioned earlier that I would really appreciate an edit of the Hobbit that reduced it to two movies or even a single movie of three hours. I work in schools. At this point, the PT is THE Star Wars for nearly everyone under 20 and The Clone Wars for younger students. I showed my son A New Hope last year (he's in second grade) and he was so distraught that the movie turned the clones into the bad guys. My point being is that the perception of newer Star Wars is very dependent on at what age you see them.
Wasn't it Revenge of the Sith that turned them into bad guys? Gunning down Jedi left and right in the final third of the film wasn't exactly good guy behaviour.
It is. 'Attack of the Clones' is IMO way worse than any of the Hobbit movies, but I'd go as far as to say that 'The Phantom Menace' is on par with 'An Unexpected Journey' (perhaps just a tiny tad weaker), and 'Revenge of the Sith' is much better than ANYTHING Peter Jackson directed since 'The Return of the King'. Was it him, or was it WB? Officially it was his idea, but I don't buy it for a second. Prequel hate is pretty much an Internet meme now. It's been one ever since the first Plinkett video went viral.
That's no moon...That's no space station...It's Giant Robau Floating Head (tm)! Not necessarily. I saw the original OT, yet IMHO I still prefer the PT (and the OT's SE), although I will also see the ST. FWIW. OK?
You're wrong - it's only stayed in the consciousness of nerd circles, not public consciousness. The general public wouldn't be able to tell you a thing about TPM, nor has it even registered with them in over a decade. AOTC is still being reviewed by nerds and fanboys, not the public.
I think there are multiple factors, but the Hobbit was certainly over-indulged, both from a story perspective, and a CGI-perspective. I think both trilogies indulged in the CGI and felt they could do anything, and in so doing, ruined a part of what made the first trilogy so special. As much as I don't like the bloating of the Hobbit, it was, unfortunately, inevitible after the success of LOTR. The audience who was not familiar with the books would expect a broad sweeping epic, and the studio would also expect a giant movie. I'm sure PJ indulged himself, but I see WB's fingerprints as well.The PT is worse, IMO, because of the lack of characters, either poorly developed or caricatures that I don't identify with or don't care about. Say what you want about the Hobbit (and I could say, a lot more) but I at least find the characters more realistic and believable, for the most part and with some exceptions. As for PT hate, yeah it is way out of proportion. I know I'm in the minority in liking AOTC the best at of the three, but that's due to Obi-Wan's subplot more than anything else. I would not say there are the "worse movies ever!!!!" but they are not good films, save from a visual standpoint. So, despite the disappointment of the Hobbit, I'll still take it over the PT.
I think that shows the conceit of age, but ok. There's a whole generation that grew up with the prequels and the Clone Wars TV show.