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Jimboxy
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Saw it yesterday in IMAX 3D (would've preferred to see it in 2D, but IMAX showing are mostly only in 3D nowadays).

It was absolutely phenomenal, everything I'd hoped it would be and more, surprisingly emotional at times as well, and I'm not embarrassed to say I welled up at three points throughout, the whole spectacle of the film and the weight behind the characters and ships etc. on screen just struck a cord with me.

It really was a roller-coaster of a film really, incredibly similar in structure and narrative to A New Hope but with lots more spectacle and nostalgic touches thrown in for good measure, as soon as Daisy Ridley got unveiled as the lead and the first few trailers came out (the only ones I watched) I just knew that she'd be the new Jedi, she just had that look about her, and I think it was incredibly cool and brave for Abrams to make it a Woman this time around and an English woman too!

The three points that made me well up were: Seeing the Falcon for the first time, 'Go to the good ship, the good ship, *BOOM*, oh garbage ship, garbage ship' was a great line, then you see them get in it and it's immediately recognisable, instant goosebumps and tears at the eyes.

The next was when Solo dies, I mean it was kind of predictable, but it was a sad moment, he's brought so much to the films over the years and a lot of character, wit and charm to this one, and it'll be a shame to lose that in the next two Episodes, but I can see that it needed to be done from a narrative point of view, so Ren can become to the ultimate evil cunt he is meant to be.

And the Third was in the Battle between Ren and Rey, when Ren is trying to Force pull the Lightsabre towards him, and it flies by him and goes to Rey, and it lights up, just an absolutely spellbinding moment, incredibly emotional, felt intense nostalgia and welled up again, such a perfect moment near the end of a perfect film.

I honestly don't know how they could've made it any better if they'd tried, it was just a fantastic spectacle and an incredible story, as soon as I came out I got the urge to see it again and I haven't got that urge for a VERY long time. Absolutely gutting that it's another 2 years until Episode VIII, although Rogue One will hopefully tide me over until then next Xmas.

10/10

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I listened to the Kermode and Mayo podcast and Kermode (a life-long Star Wars non-fan) finally understood what the series was all about and enjoyed this one.

It's not perfect. I would argue that it does lean a touch too heavily on nostalgia but after the shit show of the prequels that's not the worst thing.

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Hendo that's true. Apparently it's quite obvious too as he speaks.

Not really obvious, there's definitely an accent being put on.

It was interesting watching a second time, knowing what would happen and little things and lines that you might not twig the first time. I'm glad I saw it the first time in 2D though.

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I think it may be my favourite. I don't have a massive attachment to the original trilogy and while it does beat some of the same drums of the original I think in places it is in a place that is very now and learned from over 30 years of cinema blockbuster nonsense.

Finn and Rey are the best leads in a Star Wars film, I love that they don't fetishize the Dark Side and make Kylo Ren the kind of guy that would shoot up a school.

I loved the new stuff. The call backs I could take or leave but it did make me look forward to the future of these films. They got me. I'm looking forward to episode VIII.

I will also probably see it a second time after the new year. When I'm screen checking at work I still catch the odd cool moment and it makes me want to watch it again. Some scenes you just wanna whoop every time.

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Try to do this without spoilers, it might be my own fault for watching 4,5,6 the afternoon before going to watch the new one, but the film itself just became predictable i have avoided most of the trailers spoilers etc over the last week, but the film became predictable as i was watching i knew what was coming up next i like a surprise in a film something to make me think but this didn't. Things i did like

No particular order:

R2D2 when he switched on towards the end made me smile.

That first time the Falcon lifted off, and that battle scene as they get used to the controls was great.

The Tie Fighter escape with Flynn and Poe tethered down to the deck, school boy error.

Chewie having his medical treatment both times.

All the sci-fy battle scenes just immense the old battleships crashed on the planet as they fly through them all in the background.

This is where it grinds a bit it feels modern reboots rely on far too much from the past, dr who used to do it with little things but the current series does it in spades, and this film has it in spades, it makes you smile but it was just a little too much and made the film much more predictable, I'm looking forward to next years spin off as it will rely less on the franchise to make it work, and the guy from Hannibal is in it and he can be a great bad guy.

I'm not saying its a bad film, it just became predictable, it will be a Blu-ray purchase for the collection.

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I get what you are saying Manic, I tihnk this film really had a few things it HAD to do, and as a result I dont hold it against JJ at all, and I was fairly happy to see them, pretty safe in the knowledge that the next one will be free to explore some of the really excellent themes set up in this one.

Honestly im just so excited at the prospect of the future films to come, the expansion films and the main trilogy.

My real hope was just that it wasnt shit, and I need to see it a few more times (im actually seeing it twice this week due to totally random happen-stance) but I think it really could be as good as the originals for me and I truly didnt think id even be saying that, so, yeah pretty pleased.

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Seen it yesterday with the family. I don't agree with Blakey or Manicm. But it's a solid Star Wars film. I enjoyed it.

I thought new characters were well acted with Daisy Ridley being the stand out. I also think they managed to a lot of the plot under wraps too, which was nice. If you're thinking of seeing it I would go asap. There's ALOT of big spoilers.

A few HUGE spoiler questions that I was confused by..

Wasn't it explained how Rey went from not knowing she had the force to being full on Jedi? I thought it took a lot of training and practise to unlock it?

And was it explained why the empire decided to build another giant planet weapon. Have they not learned their lesson? :lol:

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Seen it yesterday with the family. I don't agree with Blakey or Manicm. But it's a solid Star Wars film. I enjoyed it.

I thought new characters were well acted with Daisy Ridley being the stand out. I also think they managed to a lot of the plot under wraps too, which was nice. If you're thinking of seeing it I would go asap. There's ALOT of big spoilers.

A few HUGE spoiler questions that I was confused by..

Wasn't it explained how Rey went from not knowing she had the force to being full on Jedi? I thought it took a lot of training and practise to unlock it?

And was it explained why the empire decided to build another giant planet weapon. Have they not learned their lesson? :lol:

The Force is all around in the Star Wars universe and like the Air we breathe on Earth, I think the ability to manipulate the Force is something that only certain people in the universe can do though, they can do a test of how much 'force energy' or whatever is in a potential Jedi's blood by testing the blood for a midi-chlorian count, if it's high, that means the force is strong in him/her.

With Rey though, she had none of that, and had no way to know. She was just dumped on this desert planet as a child and left to fend for herself, so she had no way of knowing until Ren tries to get in her mind when she's on that chair, she wants to block Ren out of her mind, to keep him from knowing the Skywalker plans, and it just awakens inside her and enables her to keep Ren out.

Rey is far from a Jedi yet though, she's definitely a padawan at the moment, just starting out, testing her powers. She'll (presumably) be trained properly by Skywalker in Ep. 8 and become his Apprentice I would've thought

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I think with Rey, presuming she is a skywalker, then its fair to assume that she has probably been using the force all along without necessarily knowing it. This is just like how Anakin was able to pod-race as a kid and build droids etc, he was using the force without knowing it because in the Skywalker lineage the force is exceptionally strong.

Also couple that with the fact that she has heard stories of the force, admits to being an exceptional pilot and is very proficient with her staff. I dont find it too much of a stretch to believe that she would be proficient with a lightsaber especially with the force guiding her as it does with being a pilot. That manoeuvre where she flips the falcon over so that Finn has the perfect shot on the Tie fighter was clearly achieved by using the force.

There is a line that Mas Kinata says (the one with the funky goggles) that is in the trailer but cut from the film and it talks about the force calling to somebody, presumably Rey, we never see in the trailer, and all the person has to do is let it in. I imagine that line was initially in Mas' palace when Rey finds Luke/Anakin's saber and at the end of the film Rey puts two and two together and lets the force in.

Thats my take on Duck's question anyway.

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Yeah, I think might go see it again next week just to see if I missed anything.

A friend of mine said they made a joke about building another planet weapon. But I can't remember it.

I hope Marvel starts releasing some comics on the Awakens characters now. Apparently the Awakens prequel comic Shattered Empire has some back story on Poe which I'll probably checkout. I'd love a Poe comic on how he made to where he was in Awakens.

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Well I saw it again last night and am seeing it again again tonight, total random coincidence that it turned out that way. I cant really say im any clearer on any of the questions, the film has obviously been thought through very well and old JJ does love his little mystery box.

Its obvious on the second watch that Rey is using the force throughout the film without realising it, but that doesnt really definitively say one way or another who she might be related to.

I did see an interview with JJ where he talks about the fact that Star Wars is a kids film without being for kids, and as a result he wanted to make the narrative very clear and understandable. So judging from the fact that he wants it straight forward Id go with the theory that has the most evidence which is that she is Luke's

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