Star Wars / Star Trek Discussion (SciFi In General)

[MusicallyInspired]

Don't forget the 5th one. I like them all but I think the 3rd is the worst. 1st is definitely the best. At least that one should be watched by anybody at least once.

Wait a sec... there's a fifth PotC movie?

Okay, well, there is (not that I doubted you, MI, but it's possible you were pulling my leg too ) a fifth movie called Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, so I'll need to watch that. I had no idea another PotC film came out, let alone three years ago!

Chances are it's not all that good, but if it's on Amazon Prime or Netflix it's not like I'm paying more for it. Of course... that's a big if, considering the majority of stuff on Amazon Prime and Netflix is complete crap.

It did so poorly that they scrapped plans for a 6th film which was heavily sequel-baited in a post-credits scene. I'm kind of sad about it, but that's that I guess. There's also the fact that Disney now plans to reboot POTC without Johnny Depp which I think is a mistake.

[Rath Darkblade]

I wish they'd do any blockbuster-y "adventure" movies these days without Orlando Bloom. The man just irritates me - not sure why.

He's far too clean and good-looking, for a start. Adventures are sweat, mud, and blood. He never gets a scratch, even when goblins are firing arrows at him. And the stunts he's supposed to do are getting ridiculous - Rambo-level, "bow-and-arrow-make-a-helicopter-explode" ridiculous.

Give me Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones any day. At least he gets injured/bloodied sometimes. Orlando Bloom's job is to kill bad guys, look fabulous, and have a blank expression on his face. (Ever notice that? His expression never changes, at least when he plays Legolas).

Maybe that's why I never went in for POTC -- just wanted to avoid looking at Orlando Bloom.

[Tawmis]

Maybe that's why I never went in for POTC -- just wanted to avoid looking at Orlando Bloom.

Yeah but someone you REALLY like (I assume, based on another thread) plays the BEST character in several of the movies.

[DeadPoolX]

You might like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and its sequel, Jumanji: The Next Level (2019).

DO NOT confuse either of those movies with the Jumanji movie from 1995 that had Robin Williams. These movies have virtually nothing to do with one another, other than a few basic concepts.

Anyway... both J:WttJ and J:TNL are action-adventure films that takes place inside of a video game. A lot of video game tropes are used (some serious, but many are comedic) and very recognizable. Maia and I really enjoyed those movies, especially J:WttJ.

Oh, and there's no Orlando Bloom. So that's a definite plus, right?

[Tawmis]

https://www.starwars.com/news/future-lu ... s-revealed

FUTURE LUCASFILM PROJECTS REVEALED
GET READY FOR PATTY JENKINS’ ROGUE SQUADRON FILM, AN AHSOKA TANO LIVE-ACTION SERIES, THE RETURN OF HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN AND MUCH, MUCH MORE.
Today at The Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day event, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy announced a staggering number of new films, series, and surprises that will expand the Star Wars galaxy like never before.

Rogue Squadron

Patty Jenkins

The next Star Wars feature film will be Rogue Squadron — directed by Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman franchise). The story will introduce a new generation of starfighter pilots as they earn their wings and risk their lives in a boundary-pushing, high-speed thrill-ride, and move the saga into the future era of the galaxy.

“It’s been a lifelong dream as a filmmaker to one day make a great fighter pilot film,” said Jenkins. “As the daughter of a great fighter pilot myself, some of the best memories of my life are of seeing my father’s squadron take off in their F4s every morning, and hearing and feeling the awe-inspiring power and grace. When he passed away in service to this country it ignited a burning desire to one day channel all of those emotions into one great film. When the perfect story arrived in combination with another true love of mine, the incomparable world of Star Wars, I knew I’d finally found my next film. I’m extremely honored and excited to take it on, and grateful to Lucasfilm, Disney, and the fans for extending that thrill to me.”

“Patty has established herself as one of the top directors working in the film industry today,” said Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “She’s a visionary who knows how to strike the balance between action and heart, and I can’t wait to see what she does in the Star Wars galaxy.”

Lock S-foils in attack position: Rogue Squadron arrives in theaters Christmas 2023.


Untitled Taika Waititi Film

A brand-new Star Wars feature with acclaimed filmmaker and Academy Award-winner Taika Waititi is in development. “Taika’s approach to Star Wars will be fresh, unexpected, and…unique,” said Kennedy. “His enormous talent and sense of humor will ensure that audiences are in for an unforgettable ride.”

Obi-Wan-Kenobi logo

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Hayden Christensen

Last August at D23 Expo, Lucasfilm announced the return of Ewan McGregor in the iconic role of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi for a special event series on Disney+. Officially titled Obi-Wan Kenobi, the series begins 10 years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith where he faced his greatest defeat, the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker turned evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. The series is directed by Deborah Chow, who helmed memorable episodes of The Mandalorian Season 1.

This will truly be a day long remembered, as it was confirmed that Hayden Christensen will be returning as Darth Vader. “This will be the rematch of the century,” Kennedy said.

“It was such an incredible journey playing Anakin Skywalker,” said Christensen. “Of course, Anakin and Obi-Wan weren’t on the greatest of terms when we last saw them… It will be interesting to see what an amazing director like Deborah Chow has in store for us all. I’m excited to work with Ewan again. It feels good to be back.”

Ahsoka logo

Ahsoka

After making her long awaited live-action debut in The Mandalorian, Ahsoka Tano’s story, written by Dave Filoni, will continue in a limited series starring Rosario Dawson and executive produced by Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau.

Rangers of the New Republic logo

Rangers of the New Republic

Set within the timeline of The Mandalorian, this new live-action series from executive producers Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni will intersect with future stories and culminate into a climactic story event.

Lando

Everyone’s favorite scoundrel Lando Calrissian will return in a brand-new event series for Disney+. Justin Simien, creator of the critically-acclaimed Dear White People and a huge Star Wars fan, is developing the story.

Andor logo

Andor

Andor, a tense nail-biting spy thriller created by Tony Gilroy, is set to arrive on Disney+ in 2022. Diego Luna, reprising the role of rebel spy Cassian Andor from Rogue One, will be joined by a fantastic new cast that includes Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona, Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, and Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma. Production kicked off three weeks ago in London.



The Acolyte

Leslye Headland, Emmy Award-nominated creator of the mind-bending series Russian Doll, brings a new Star Wars series to Disney+ with The Acolyte. The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take the audience into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.

The Bad Batch logo

Star Wars: The Bad Batch

The series follows the elite and experimental clones of the Bad Batch (first introduced in The Clone Wars) as they find their way in a rapidly changing galaxy in the immediate aftermath of the Clone War. Members of Bad Batch — a unique squad of clones who vary genetically from their brothers in the Clone Army — each possess a singular exceptional skill which makes them extraordinarily effective soldiers and a formidable crew. In the post-Clone War era, they will take on daring mercenary missions as they struggle to stay afloat and find new purpose.

The animated series will arrive exclusively on Disney+.



Star Wars Visions logo

Star Wars: Visions

Presenting all-new, creative takes on the galaxy far, far away, Star Wars: Visions will be a series of animated short films celebrating Star Wars through the lens of the world’s best anime creators. The anthology collection will bring 10 fantastic visions from several of the leading Japanese anime studios, offering a fresh and diverse cultural perspective to Star Wars.

A Droid Story

As Lucasfilm continues to develop new stories, the intersection of animation and visual effects offers new opportunities to explore. Lucasfilm Animation will be teaming up with Lucasfilm’s visual effects team, Industrial Light & Magic, to develop a special Star Wars adventure for Disney+, A Droid Story. This epic journey will introduce us to a new hero, guided by legendary duo R2-D2 and C-3PO.

Other Lucasfilm Stories

Lucasfilm is currently in pre-production on the next installment of the Indiana Jones franchise. At the helm is James Mangold, director of the Academy Award-winning Ford v Ferrari, and Indy himself, Harrison Ford, will be back to continue his iconic character’s journey. Indy will begin shooting late spring of 2021 and will arrive July 2022.

Willow logo

Willow, coming to Disney+, will be set decades after Ron Howard’s 1988 movie, continuing the spirit of adventure, heroics, and humor of the original film. Warwick Davis will return in the role of the great sorcerer, Willow Ufgood, with Jon Chu (director of the groundbreaking Crazy Rich Asians) directing the pilot. Willow begins shooting next March in Wales and will debut on Disney+ in 2022.

Finally, the Lucasfilm catalog is expanding further with a story that will introduce a new hero and explore an original world that feels perfectly paired with Lucasfilm storytelling: Tomi Adeyemi’s New York Times bestselling novel Children of Blood & Bone. The story will center around a young African girl’s heart-racing quest to restore magic to her forsaken people, the Maji. Lucasfilm will partner with 20th Century Studios on this coming-of-age adventure.

[MusicallyInspired]

Been waiting for Obi-Wan Kenobi's show forever. Interesting to hear Hayden is in it....they said "rematch of the century" which worries me. They're not supposed to meet again until A New Hope (the first movie). I hope they don't screw that up.

Looking forward to Ahsoka because she was awesome in Clone Wars, Rebels, and now Mandalorian. She's Dave Filoni's character and everything that man touches makes Star Wars better. He's currently producing Mandalorian with Jon Favreau. I have high hopes.

The Acolyte sounds intriguing with its label of "mystery-thriller" and "emerging dark side powers" lines. We'll see.

The Bad Batch is another Filoni project and a direct spin-off of The Clone Wars so I'm looking forward to that too.

Visions sounds really interesting. If it's anything like the Batman anime stories that came out a while back it should prove to be pretty cool.

Everything else,......we'll see. That's a lot to throw out at people.

[Tawmis]

Star Wars: Battlefront II Celebration Edition is free on Epic Games.

[DeadPoolX]

I avoid Epic Games on principle due to their anti-consumer policies. I know, they have free games from time to time, but by anti-consumer, I mean having "exclusives" that lock the game onto their platform.

Epic Games seems to think the publisher/developer is the client and that gamers are the product. They've misunderstood the power dynamic here. Gamers are the clients, and publishers/developers provide the product. End of story.

Exclusives have been (and should remain) a console issue, not a PC one.

On the PC, games should never be locked by distributor (with the possible exception of that platform having created the game itself, but even then, that doesn't happen all too often). The only claim Epic has to that is Fornite, which as far as I know, is ONLY available on their platform anyway.

I tend to avoid games and publishers/developers that've signed any sort of exclusive contract with EGS, even if they eventually come to Steam or GOG. Any publisher or developer that signs an exclusive contract is anti-consumerist and can go screw themselves.

[MusicallyInspired]

One other thing to note about BF2 on Epic.....it actually requires Origin to download and launch. It links with your Origin account and adds it to your Origin game list. Oh but do you think that this would allow you to just launch Origin from that point forward so you can just download and play the game that way? No. You'd be wrong to think that. Because in Origin BF2 has this Epic Game Store logo on it and it doesn't allow you to download or launch the game at all. You MUST attempt to install the game through EGS so that it can launch Origin and download it for you. Then you must launch the game from EGS so that it can launch the game through Origin for you so you can actually play it.

This has got to be the most EA thing EA has ever done. Yeah, you get a free game....for the price of not one but TWO DRM platforms. Bravo, EA. Seriously. You've outdone yourself this time. I'm legitimately impressed.


....I redeemed the game anyway and 3 other copies for my immediate family on their accounts. I have no shame. But my kids like the game so....*shrug* And I still like free stuff. I've never and likely will never spend a cent on EGS but I still go there every week/day and redeem whatever game is up for grabs. I don't mind. But that story was too fun not to tell. lol

[Tawmis]

One other thing to note about BF2 on Epic.....it actually requires Origin to download and launch. It links with your Origin account and adds it to your Origin game list. Oh but do you think that this would allow you to just launch Origin from that point forward so you can just download and play the game that way? No. You'd be wrong to think that. Because in Origin BF2 has this Epic Game Store logo on it and it doesn't allow you to download or launch the game at all. You MUST attempt to install the game through EGS so that it can launch Origin and download it for you. Then you must launch the game from EGS so that it can launch the game through Origin for you so you can actually play it.
This has got to be the most EA thing EA has ever done. Yeah, you get a free game....for the price of not one but TWO DRM platforms. Bravo, EA. Seriously. You've outdone yourself this time. I'm legitimately impressed.
....I redeemed the game anyway and 3 other copies for my immediate family on their accounts. I have no shame. But my kids like the game so....*shrug* And I still like free stuff. I've never and likely will never spend a cent on EGS but I still go there every week/day and redeem whatever game is up for grabs. I don't mind. But that story was too fun not to tell. lol

Yeah, I picked it up because it was free. Downloaded 90GB worth of the game. Tried to run it. Worked - but it was like playing in a stop motion game for the most part.

It's way past time I get a new computer. But I am not one who gets it for PC games, since my preference for gaming these days (except for old games) is on console. And pretty much limited to Gears of War. I care very little for any other game franchise/series/anything anymore.

[MusicallyInspired]

Battlefront 2 was free on PS+ a few months ago so I grabbed it there. My son plays it a lot. But I can't FPS with a controller (though, I'm suffering through it with Doom Eternal to unlock skins for the series events they have going on every month).

Over Christmas I got myself and the rest of the family Age of Empires II Definitive Edition. Which is quite good. I also picked up all the rest of the Age of Empires/Mythology games on Steam that I didn't have. That's a game series I'm still passionate about (and I think I've had a decent break from until now). Also, Doom Eternal is never getting uninstalled on my system. Best Doom game ever. Those are the only two modern games I have on my computer right now.

Oh yeah, also Half-Life Alyx. The rest are some retro-style indie games from some friends I support.

[DeadPoolX]

But I can't FPS with a controller (though, I'm suffering through it with Doom Eternal to unlock skins for the series events they have going on every month).

I can't either, but I did figure out why controller FPS gamers and KB+M FPS gamers have such trouble using the opposite's controls.

In an FPS game designed for a console for use with a controller, you need to play it as if you're a tank, not a person. In other words, most of your movement is you actually moving left, right, forward, backward. You only make small adjustments to aim.

In contrast, an FPS game designed for the PC for use with KB+M, it's the exact opposite. You use the keyboard to move, but the majority of your actions are done with the mouse by turning and aiming. It's not unusual to move one direction, jump, and spin 180 degrees, aim, and fire. Try that with a controller and you'll have an uncontrollable mess on your hands.

This is why whenever I've played any FPS game with a controller, I'm flailing all over the place: I'm trying to control it the same way I would with KB+M.

I've also found that console FPS games are designed far more horizontally than PC FPS games, which have a greater degree of verticality to them. This isn't a constant, as some games are designed for both at the same time, but in general, console games attempt to limit the degree of aiming and keep you on a more level playing field, whereas PC games expect you to adapt to whatever they throw at you.

Console FPS games also have auto-aim or aim-assist, probably to help cut down on the amount of movement a player needs to do when actually aiming with the right analog stick. I'm sure this is also there because no controller can match the accuracy of a mouse.

That said... some games are definitely better with a controller. Platformers, many third-person games, and especially games where you drive or fly a vehicle. The latter in particular is due to the analog control controllers allow, whereas keyboards only allow for an all-or-nothing setup. This could be alleviated if more PC games let players steer with the mouse, but relatively few do.

[MusicallyInspired]

Yeah, I find platformers and 3d platformers are a lot better on a controller. I can't play the Arkham games without a 360 controller, for instance. It just flows so much more nicely. Really plays to its strengths. FPS? No thanks.

[DeadPoolX]

DEEP SPACE 9
Maia and I are watching Deep Space 9 on Netflix right now and we're enjoying it for the most part.

We've just started Season 2, so the characters still feel a bit off to us. I'm not entirely sure I even like the characters very much, but more than that, the acting isn't the greatest. I understand that sometimes it can take a while for actors to get comfortable with their roles, but some of them, such as Avery Brooks (who plays Commander Sisko, the CO of DS9) deliver his lines very awkwardly.

Plus, the series is obsessed with Bajoran politics. I get it, the station is orbiting Bajor and the wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant (the reason for Starfleet sending officers to a Cardassian-turned-Bajoran station) technically belongs to Bajor as well, so there's bound to be a lot of storylines involving Bajoran interests. It just gets to be a bit much after a while.

Also, I can't take the Cardassians seriously. Oh sure, they're very serious in the show, but every time I hear "Cardassian" I want to laugh because I think of the Kardashians. To be fair, one's a potentially evil race of aliens and the other is made for Star Trek.

DISCOVERY & BIASES
That said... DS9 is still superior to Star Trek Discovery. The storyline in DIS improved when they went to the future, but the heavy-handed socio-political slant of DIS still ruins it.

Don't get me wrong, I know that Star Trek has always involved social politics, but the difference is they used to do it subtlety and use alien stand-ins. In DIS, they just smack you in the face with it.

It's also easy to see the anti-straight white male bias in DIS. I know, I know... that sounds a bit nutty, like something you'd hear from some right-wing extremist group.

But look at the facts: Except for Season 1, where the two straight white males (SWM) turned out to be villains, there are no permanent SWM characters on the USS Discovery* as far as named characters (which includes the bridge crew, engineering, and sick bay) are concerned.

There is ONE white male who's a permanent character, but he's homosexual. No, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with him being gay, but it's utterly bizarre that he's the ONLY permanent white male on the ship, and there are absolutely no heterosexual white males at all.

(* Both Captain Pike and Fleet Admiral Vance are white males who're presumably heterosexual, but Pike was a temporary member of the crew in Season 2, and Vance is the CO of Starfleet who remains at HQ in Season 3).

In contrast, we have numerous females (of all races and sexual orientation) and males of all sexual orientation who are of every race except Caucasian. They even included two non-binary characters and made sure to blatantly virtue signal to the audience (because once again, subtlety is a lost art).

The general response to this complaint has ranged from the mildly dismissive ("If you want straight white males, go watch any other Star Trek show!") to outright vengeful spite ("Ha! Now you know how it feels to lack representation!").

All of these responses miss the point: You can't claim to be diverse and inclusive (which is what Star Trek has been from the beginning) when you knowingly and willingly exclude a specific group and/or only include that group if the character is temporary, not a crew member, or a villain.

DISCOVERY & MAIN CHARACTERS
Beyond that issue, something that really bugs me about DIS is how the entire series focuses on one character, a female named Michael Burnham. The reason I pointed out the character is female is because her name is apparently "Michael" which has always been a male name. I'm not sure why they chose to do that, other than some misguided attempt at being unique.

Every other Star Trek show (with the exception of Star Trek Picard, but when the title includes the character's name, you at least know what the subject will be) has been about the group, generally the bridge crew, but also including engineering and sick bay. Sure, some characters were focused on more than others, but the entire show wasn't designed around a single character.

In DIS, Burnham is the main character and everyone else and everything else is peripheral to her. That's annoying, but at least it's manageable, right?

Well, it doesn't stop there. Not only is Burnham the focus of the entire show, she's practically a messianic figure. I'm not exaggerating. She can do no wrong, and no matter what her reasons are for doing something, she's always right and lauded for it in the end, even if it breaks the rules or does something she was against in another episode or something she would've criticized another character for doing. Characters regularly fawn over her, singing her praises and literally telling her she's "the only one who could've done this or that" and "she's the best in Starfleet."

In short, Burnham is almost the embodiment of a Mary Sue. The only thing that "saves" her at all from that designation is that she screws up a lot, but like I said, no matter how much screws up, it's proven she was right in the end and celebrated for her actions.

Now let me be clear: my issue isn't she's a woman. I loved Captain Janeway in VOY, and there are many female characters I liked in the ST shows. My issue here is Burnham's infallibility (regardless of the mess she initially makes) and the near-constant hero worship she repeatedly receives from everyone.

[goatmeal]

Of the first five ST shows, DS9 is my favorite by far.

It really finds its groove in later seasons, where there are much longer, continuous story arcs across numerous episodes or an entire season. It's turned out to be perfect "binge TV" now -- made in the 1990s before such a thing even existed -- but it also made it difficult to "jump into a random episode" at the time, since you had to know what has been happening before and leading up to the episode...

(...and hope that televised reruns were shown in the correct order.)