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The story: An organization of superheroes believes they are fighting for truth, justice and freedom, but eventually discover that they've been working for their sworn enemy all along.

The films: the Star Wars PT and the Marvel movies (most explicitly, the Winter Soldier)

Who did it better?

I say Marvel because they showed the political intrigue without putting the audience to sleep, and they kept the action and suspense high throughout.

But on the other hand, light sabers and force powers!

Are you f*cking kidding?

Originally posted by Lord Lucien
Are you f*cking kidding?

Not really. What did you find odd about my post?

The Marvel films aren't exactly examples of cinematic greatness, but the notion that any aspect of the prequel trilogy could outperform Marvel in a realm other than soundtrack, is baffling and terrifying.

Hehehe.

Originally posted by Lord Lucien
The Marvel films aren't exactly examples of cinematic greatness, but the notion that any aspect of the prequel trilogy could outperform Marvel in a realm other than soundtrack, is baffling and terrifying.


Well at least we agree on who filmed it better, though it sounds like I'm not as completely down on the PT as you. I'll try to come up with a more challenging question next time!

Originally posted by Ace Hambone
it sounds like I'm not as completely down on the PT as you. You will be. You, will be.

Originally posted by Lord Lucien
The Marvel films aren't exactly examples of cinematic greatness, but the notion that any aspect of the prequel trilogy could outperform Marvel in a realm other than soundtrack, is baffling and terrifying.

Marvel has had their fair share of fantastic films. Spider-Man 2 will always be my favorite super-hero movie, and one of my favorite films of all time as well.

They have also made plenty of films I won't be talking about 15 years later either.......like The Phantom Menace.

The PT films, while not necessarily "better made" have at least entertained me more than several Marvel films.

I don't think continuing to talk about a film years later is worthy of any regard when the reason for the ongoing jabber is a combination of a prior love of the pre-PT franchise, and immense disappointment.


I didn't like Magnolia, but I didn't grow up watching the Original Magnolia Trilogy, playing as Bill Macy's character as a kid, and diving in to the Expanded Magnolia Universe. I then wasn't treated to the worst possible follow-up Prequel Magnolia Trilogy years later. If I was, I can bet I'd have plenty to say about many years later. As it is I complained briefly after I saw it, then largely forgot about it. TPM keeps popping up because it's disappointing, terrible, and popular. Popularity/occasional entertainment at awfulness =/= good or even worthwhile film.


Just look at the Twilight Saga.

I hear ya.

My approach I suppose is just a bit different than most people.

Coming from me, as someone who couldn't have adored or been a bigger fan of Raimi's first 2 Spider-Man films, I could not have been more disappointed with Spider-Man 3. Left the theater that day literally having to wipe my jaw off the floor with utter shock.

But, that was 7 years ago now, and other than bringing it up here for the sake of using it as an example, I really don't devote time anyplace getting into deep philosophical discussions about why it sucked. I'm sure some people do, and I myself have a laundry list of reasons and could go on all day about it, but my love for the first 2 movies didn't keep me glued to some Spider-Man 3 thread somewhere for the last 7 years. I simply accepted it as a disappointment and moved on. I honestly haven't bothered with the reboot.

I have more than my share of issues and disappointments and missed opportunities with the PT as well, believe me.

But, despite it's shortcomings, there were enough things about it that entertained me that have kept me coming around this place for a decade now to talk about it.

As for the Twilight Saga, I remember all the hype, so you're right about it's popularity. I'm sure they were bad, but I never saw them. lol

You're missing out. The Twilight movies are a gold mine for people who love horribly hilarious movies.


I have a feeling that the continued attention the PT gets is not because they're bad movies (or good, whatever floats your f*cked up boat). It's because they're Star Wars movies. They're directly tied to three of the most influential and beloved films in history. No matter how you watch them, you know what they're part of.


So aside from the young children who have no taste and just like "cool thingz and stuff", most of us keep paying attention because of the idea the prequels are apart of the bigger picture we already enjoyed. Not because they have worth but because we either feel like they should, or because we're trying to convince ourselves that they do.

I did that for years, attempting to lie to myself that the movies made sense just because I really wanted them to. Trying to reconcile my youthful enjoyment of the action and CGI with the utter horseshit of everything else. And making it all serve my desire to fit in with the originals. I think there's a lot of people still trying to do the same thing.

I don't like doing that anymore. It's apologizing for something that doesn't deserve defence.

Just the fact that we still talk about it, shows people actually CARE about SW. Just as, I am sure, people care about Star Trek. There are just some things that are more than 'just a film'. And honestly, SW is just that.

So I don't think it's strange. Yes, Sw has had a huge impact on cinematic history, more perhaps than any movie ever: it launched B-movie topics into the A-movie realm, it completely changed sci-fi, but more than that it transported filmmaking into the digital realm: from computer guided camera shots of miniatures to (as a logical consequence on the slightly longer run) computer animation (see Willow) and perhaps even more impressive: Lucasfilm (with SW money) developed one of the first real nonlinear editing systems, which are the norm today. The list is endless of Lucas' and SW' impact on movie history.

It is therefore more than disappointing, humiliating almost, that the prequels (SW movies that for the first time in history had NO limitations at all in making them) were so ultimately sucky.

Exactly. Some of us tried to block out that disappointment by justifying as much as we could. Others flat out refused to see anything wrong and point out the amazing fight choreography as proof that the PT was, in fact, better.


Can you imagine if 10 years from now, J.K. Rowling release a new series depicting Dumbledore's rise to being Dumbledore? And it was so far up its own pretentious ass? People would still be talking about it long afterward, some out of anger, others out of a misguided attempt to justify and apologize for it.


Immense popularity breeds conversation and more popularity, regardless if the sequel/prequel material actually deserves it.