Ah, the advantages of working for a geek.

[shirenomad]

My boss treated me out to Star Wars this morning. Hey, who needs to work for Google? (Which, I am informed, packed the theater next door to us.)

First, the pre-show entertainment... that is, three-hundred-plus geeks in a packed space with nothing to distract them but advertisement slides. Naturally, the traditional beachball had to come out. We got a bit more action when someone knocked it back to the best costume in the house: a really well-done wookie in the back row. He hammed it up for a moment to cheers before tossing it back (which may have been a mistake, because he got targeted more than anyone else over the next hour, just to get him to stand again).

Previews came up. Fantastic Four, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. War of the Worlds. The Adventures of Shark Boy & Lava Girl, which I can't imagine would get advertised on any other PG-13 movie. No Serenity, unfortunately. But then came a trailer with four British kids, and as people started recognizing what they were seeing the first glimpses of... well, when the wardrobe opened, I swear it got more cheers and applause than anything in the actual movie.

And they did a lot of cheering. When R2 showed he could actually handle himself in a fight. When the wookies showed up. When we realized one of them was Chewie. When Yoda showed you can't sneak up on him. When Yoda smacked down both of Palpatine's guards without even trying. When Obiwan said what we were all thinking (though we would have added "you moron!" to the end) right before they started dueling. When that first raspy breath of air went through the mask.

I gotta say, the fights were all fun to watch. The big capital ship shootout, the two Jedi cleaning out an entire elevator of droids, Obi-wan vs Grievous, that one youngling fighting for his life against all those clone troopers... the two final duels weren't as great, since Anakin vs. Obiwan kinda descended into cliche and Yoda gave up too easily, but they were good for what they were. Also fun: every time Sidious ordered the death of someone who trusted him: Dooku's expression at Palpatine's casual "Kill him" was perfect, I doubt Grievous ever realized who spilled his location, and Gunray was pleasantly clueless until the end. And watching Order 66 get executed -- and realizing Palpatine had been planning this with the clone troopers for ages and none of them had told anyone -- that hurt. (As it should have.) Especially when Anakin took out the kids. And moving back to happier things, looking at the uniforms, ships, etc., and seeing early versions of what we'd see in Episode 4 (with consideration Star Trek: Enterprise never quite managed).

On to Anakin. Damn, what an ego. What an ability to come up with the most ridiculous justifications. You're the youngest Jedi to sit on the Council; don't go around afterwards insisting you need to be taught the secrets of the universe as well. You killed an unarmed Dooku because he was too dangerous; don't tell Windu he can't kill Palpatine, who not only outfought three out of four Jedi but was just shooting lightning a moment ago and could again. Don't think you and the Chancellor know better than the entire Order what's best for the Republic. Don't think Palpatine gives a bantha's ass about you and your wife when he's betrayed everyone else he's worked with. But kudos to the newly crowned Emperor, for recognizing that ego (and probably having a good role in its making by being a mentor to Anakin for all those years) and then capitalizing on it in a very believable way.

Okay, downsides. The writing still needed some work, especially the cliches. ("What have I done?" got some giggles, and "NOOOOOO!!!!" was just painful.) I also agree that for Obi-wan and Yoda to go running off like that at the end seems uncharacteristically cowardly of them; I know Lucas had to get everyone in their places for A New Hope, but it seemed kinda forced. And Yoda, Yoda, Yoda... your best advice to Anakin was "meh, everyone dies... suck it up"? You've never, ever had a girlfriend, have you? (Oh right, a Jedi, sex needs not. howardtaylor had a few comments on that business, and I happen to agree with them.) Finally, more a personal thing than anything, but if you say Qui-Gonn has figured out the whole spirit guide thing, you can't just end the film without having him actually show up and deliver some pithy advice to Obi-wan!

And I'll close with a few of my MST lines that I never actually said out loud:

*Grievous breaks out the four sabers*
Me: "Okay, that's just cheating."

Anakin: If you're not for me, then you're against me.
Obi-wan: Only a Sith deals in absolutes!
Me: Ha! You just made an absolute statement! *chanting* You're a Sith, you're a Sith!

*Yoda gestures to Sidious before they begin to fight*
Me: "My kung-fu, stronger than yours is!"

*the platform Anakin and Obi-wan are dueling on begins to fall into the lava*
Me: "Uhh... truce?" "Truce."

Obiwan: You were my brother! I loved you!
Me: Slashficcers, start your keyboards...

Comments

Re: Icon Wonders

[darielsdove.livejournal.com]

Sorry, cmzero. Check my journal for proper citation and a link to you. You want "The Ronin Esper" on there too, just say so. Editing only takes a sec.

-Me

Re: Icon Wonders

[shirenomad]

Well, standard procedure is to list my username under the actual icon (that is, go to Edit User Pictures, where you upload new icons and change the keywords, and enter my name and any html you like under "comment" for that given icon). That way, my name stays listed with the icon, long after your post on the subject has faded into the mists of time.

Alternatively, you can link to my graphic design portfolio: http://boardspace.beyondfake.com/portfolio/

But thank you nonetheless for your prompt response.