You know what? I like Star Trek Into Darkness more than Star Wars The Force Awakens

[Hedji]

Sometimes when I'm feeling down I'll pop in the footage of Shatner's deleted "Rock Man" scene.

[Werewolf]

There's a bizarre small but very vocal subset of SW fandom that defend the prequels with an evangelical religious fury. It's kinda creepy really. I'm not the biggest prequel fan by any stretch and I still have no problem admitting there are some parts that aren't terrible. The soundtrack is great and Ewan McGregor's Obi Wan is very good. But there is no defending Jar Jar. Just no.

But the prequel fanatics always say "You just don't get it. kids love Jar Jar!" The mountains of unsold Jar Jar merchandise that hung around for years after Phantom Menace say otherwise. Jar Jar and Ric Olie kept the pegs nice are warm after the PM 3D merchandise glut as well. Years after the only SW figures my area had were dusty pegs of Jar Jar and Olie. I'm not kidding.

As much as people claim the Ewoks are hated, their merchandise always sells. Always.

[Hedji]

I hope the fact that I love the prequels doesn't make me a "creepy fanatic". I'd hate to be labeled. I just really, really enjoy them. Jar Jar and all.

[Hedji]

Double fanatical post.

[Mikey]

My biggest prob with the prequels is they seemed to take themselves too seriously to suit a particular hardcore fanbase.

Almost shades of what did in the original Doctor Who series.

Jar-Jar was a blatant attempt to sell the movies to an expanded audience beyond the hardcore fans.

On top of everything else, the overuse of CGI left most people feeling like they were watching their kids play a video game.

I would have never admitted it at the time but the New Star Trek got it right by NOT trying to appease hardcore Star Trek fans (like me)

[Werewolf]

I hope the fact that I love the prequels doesn't make me a "creepy fanatic".

Heck, no, nothing wrong with liking them and I actually think the Clone Wars animated series is quite good.

I'm only referring to the small group that freaks out when the prequels get even the mildest criticism and defend the movies like their lives depend on it.

Jar Jar and all.

Okay, you lost me there, that's just wrong.

[Hector]

What I hate most about the prequels is the horrid wooden acting...all thanks to Georgie boy himself...I think he wanted trees instead of people, the performances, the dialogue, oh brother, lol...

I mean, it has A list actors like Liam Nessan, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, etc, and they all perform like nervous deer on headlights newbies in some local high school play. Then you have your truly awful natural performances from Hayden Christensen, the kid, Jar Jar Binks (with his ridiculous Rastafarian Jamaican accent), and the Trade Federation chaps with their yellow peril stereotypical Charlie Chan accents, holy mother of Christ, what a mess, lol.

The only truly memorable performance was Ray Park's Darth Maul...and he indeed was the only good thing on that entire mess.

[Werewolf]

and the Trade Federation chaps with their yellow peril stereotypical Charlie Chan accents,

Good point. Jar Jar is so bad people tend to forget or overlook other problematic issues, like Neimoidians.

[Hector]

Good point. Jar Jar is so bad people tend to forget or overlook other problematic issues, like Neimoidians.

I live in the Bay Area, Northern California. It has a very large Asian population. When I first saw The Phantom Menace at the theater with my friends...one third of the theater was Asian. When they first heard the Neimoidians speak, I swear, the theater gasped in disbelief, heck, I gasped too...we were all looking at each other...literally saying to each other, "Why, George, why?"

[enyawd72]

I live in the Bay Area, Northern California. It has a very large Asian population. When I first saw The Phantom Menace at the theater with my friends...one third of the theater was Asian. When they first heard the Neimoidians speak, I swear, the theater gasped in disbelief, heck, I gasped too...we were all looking at each other...literally saying to each other, "Why, George, why?"

Why indeed. There was absolutely NOTHING racist in any of those characters other than what people project onto them. Jar Jar Binks was portrayed by a black actor. HE created the characterization, so I guess he was being racist towards ummm... himself? Add to that fact one of the noblest, most powerful characters in the prequels was Mace Windu.
How is a Nemoidian supposed to sound? Even a made up alien accent has to sound like something. So they sounded somewhat Asian and were the bad guys. So what? All the bad guys in the original Star Wars had British accents. Didn't hear anybody complaining then.
George Lucas is in no way, shape or form a racist. His wife is black for crying out loud. It's all a bunch of rubbish.

[Hedji]

I think I can bring this back on topic.

The biggest flaw in the Prequels is that Anakin needn't have turned to the Dark Side to save Padme. All he needed was some medical droids to (for no reason) inject dead Tribbles with Khan's Magic Cumberbatch Blood. Then he could've brought Padme back to life by giving her an injection. And any other character who dies in future stories.

[Klosterheim]

No, I get that...Roddenberry would be turning in his grave if he were to watch Into Darkness. Malevolence in the Federation? Blasphemy, lol.

I just thought it was more fun than Force Awakens, that's all...

Have you seen Chaos on the Bridge? (documentary)

If the writers did not rebel and basically engage in Star Trek mutiny, we would have missed out on character conflicts and really great action stories.

And not much would have happened on DS9. No Dominion War.

[Hector]

Excellent points ^^^^^^^^^

[Hector]

I think I can bring this back on topic.

The biggest flaw in the Prequels is that Anakin needn't have turned to the Dark Side to save Padme. All he needed was some medical droids to (for no reason) inject dead Tribbles with Khan's Magic Cumberbatch Blood. Then he could've brought Padme back to life by giving her an injection. And any other character who dies in future stories.

[Werewolf]

George Lucas is in no way, shape or form a racist. His wife is black for crying out loud.

I personally don't think he is racist, have never thought that and I haven't seen anyone here claim he is.

I don't think the problematic stereotypes in PM were done on purpose or maliciously. The point is, you can be totally not racist and still unknowingly absorb problematic stereotypes from popular culture and continue to perpetuate them.

You can also still enjoy movies, books, TV shows, etc. and still be aware of and critical of some the more problematic and or outdated issues they have. I still like Flash Gordon but I am aware that the stereotypical Fu Manchu characterization of Ming is problematic. So, I'm obviously, not saying people can't enjoy PM. But, yeah, there's some issues with stereotypes. When I read about what happened when Hector saw PM made me wince. I feel bad for the Asian Americans in the audience when they heard the Neimoidians speak. That had to really sting.