If you’re in the fluffer business you aren’t really allowed to gripe about the lack originality in Hollywood anymore, the dependence upon tent poles and franchises – we’re just supposed to stand back in awe of the double rainbow — look at all that money fly by. But this is supposed to be good because it’s JJ Abrams and it’s supposed to be good because look at this cast, just announced by Badass Digest:
John Boyega
Daisy Ridley
Adam Driver
Oscar Isaac
Andy Serkis
Domhnall Gleeson
Max von Sydow
Harrison Ford
Carrie Fisher
Mark Hamill
Anthony Daniels
Peter Mayhew
Kenny Baker
Cool cast! It looks as though you will be entertained so why not sit back, relax and enjoy the show? I’ve seen this hype machine a-rolling for about ten years now so it doesn’t exactly float my boat. Sure, when I was ten I would have been blown away. And of course, I was. When I was ten. But hey, movies aren’t for people like me anymore — they are for the ticket buyers and the ticket buyers will LOVE this. It could be so good it might earn a Best Picture nomination even.
I’ve said this many times before, but John Williams will get his 50th nomination here and finally wins his 6th after a 22-year break, his final Oscar. 50 is too big a story for them to pass and he’s not getting any younger.
So, there’s one Oscar for this.
AND this is a December release, unlike the other 6 films that came out in May.
I just watched Chinatown for the hundredth time and am still slayed when John Huston responds “I don’t blame myself.” Best. Film. Ever.
This is a pretty solid cast of talented up-and-comers. Then again, the prequels had some then-hot names, too. But they were stuck with Lucas’s horrible scripts, bad direction, and an overall story that was horribly unfocused, turgid, and rudderless, and a few other dozen unflattering adjectives. Prequels may equal bank but, in general, they suck the life out of a series. The Hobbit is the latest example of this – stories should always move forward. No one cares about what happened before what happened on a primal level. Because we already know.
Overheard Oscar and Adam on the phones with their agents: Please Mr Kennedy, I don’t wanna go to outer space.
(well, somebody had to reference it)
Paddy: Look into my eyes when you are doing a Catalyn Stark kind of death scene come Oscar time
Well I hope for God’s sake that this movie will be so much better than Star Wars I -II-III combined
Wasn’t Lupita N’yongo considered for a role in this? I wonder if that role ended up going to a man.
I don’t really care about Star Wars, but anything that gets Isaac more exposure is fine by me.
John Boyega being cast is pure awesome. Hope he’s the lead along with Daisy Ridley who is DEFINITELY playing Han and Leia’s daughter, mark my words. Don’t really give a shit about the original cast (although sure, why not), and I’m with Bryce that Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac should be one-and-done with this franchise. Wonder what Max Von Sydow is gonna do in this….
Thanks, Sasha–seriously. Now I don’t have to comb through a bunch of articles that may or may not have good information as they appear without people even looking for them.
Paddy, it could end up being great. It can’t be worse than eps I, II and III.
John Boyega!!! I’ve been waiting to see him in other projects. He was really great in Attack the Block.
That’s quite a statement, Paddy. Who knows, maybe we have another “District 9” on our hands. Or it could be complete shit, of course.
If this shit ever gets a Best Picture nomination I’ll cut my throats and everybody else’s too in shame.
@S.T.S.
Thanks for more info. I do appreciate it.
Not to be funny; it’s hard to forget that kind of name – for what it’s worth. I checked it out briefly before writing my first comment. I was quite digging the scene. So, I think I’m gonna go back for more.
In re: JPNS Viewer, Badass Digest actually produces some of the most insightful film criticism on the internet. If you haven’t read any of Film Crit Hulk’s essays on screenwriting and story, you’re missing out on some incredibly intelligent and well-written commentary.
[OT first]
LOL #with# the site’s name “Badass Digest” [see the link] — you’ve got to love these hip and beautiful minds. xD
I just watched 2 Broke Girls rerun last night; as usual, it was another kick-ass episode where Max came unzipped trying to file her own tax form; Caroline offered to help but for some reason they both ended up consulting with this somewhat ironic-cool-looking dude [think The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas wannabe but with the feels of the nerdy Weezer guy] at a tax consultancy company of sort named “(THE) TAX OF LIFE”. LOL . . . .
Thanks for the link, Sasha.
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Anyway, in general I’m connected with JJ Abrams, himself wearing a few different hats, when it comes to TV [reading: not really digging his silver-screen reputation in a #precise sense] — in the sense that if they put his name on display, I’m sold, basically. TV format seems to work like a gold mine for him. (Good for him.)
LUV ALIAS! And I like Fringe. I fancy Person of Interest very much. I’m currently feeling Almost Human vibes, too – but it still leaves me wanting for more even though better than nothing.
Not sure about this new Star Wars stuff, though, for now; but I think I’m gonna keep my eyes open just in case.
There is of course a downside. I really don’t want Boyega, Driver, Isaac, Gleeson getting the air sucked out of their promising careers for the next decade. Look what happened to Andrew Garfield; he had a stellar year in 2010 with THE SOCIAL NETWORK and NEVER LET ME GO (unarguably the ‘Supporting Actor’ of the year) Who knew we’d have to wait until -in all likelihood- December 2015 for his next promising role. So I hope Isaac is like the villain in this one and be done with it, given that he’s the least-young one out of those chaps. There is a way to balance it though…just ask out biggest star in this country, Jennifer Lawrence who is in *two* franchises and is nominated for the Academy Award *every* year.
How about if this gets the best reviews of any Star Wars film, gets a BP nom, gets Avatar-like odds of winning Best Picture…and then gets taken down by whatever Woody Allen’s got next year?
Nah, could never happen.
Domhnall Gleeson was such a delight in ABOUT TIME. Gosh, only great choices by Abrams.
Really bitter headline. Other than that,
Oscar Isaac?
Max von Sydow?
John Boyega?
Adam Driver?
Say what you will about Abrams. He’s done only one truly great thing (STAR TREK, 2009), but he can put together an ensemble that operates like few others as evidenced by all his work. If this is as good as his introduction to the TREK universe then I am very excited. I hope the Hamill and Fisher have rather small roles and they gradually disappear as the tentPOLE progresses.