The Force Awakens - Issue/Argument/Resolution - Part 4

Disclaimer: I started this post way back in January/February 2016.  At that time, I was writing up Parts 1-3 of my rants about The Force Awakens.  I had a lot of issues with the movie upon viewing it the first time.  Some of those issues were resolved slightly with a second viewing.  Some things still lingered - even after a third viewing and a fourth.  

But that's okay, like I've said before.  It doesn't change the fact that I'm a Star Wars fan.  There were things I didn't like about the prequels (mostly Anakin/Padmé), and I still watch those.  Heck, I wrote fanfic for that era for years.  That's another story...stories, actually...

But anyway.  I went back through my blog posts just a little bit ago, and I saw this draft sitting out there.  I had to share it.  Basically, the stuff in regular font color is what already existed within the draft.  The new stuff that I wrote just today is in blue.  Some things deserved explanation.

Some things...didn't.  I'll leave it at that.  ;)


First Viewing Issue #5: Rehashing the "A New Hope" plot.  I really don't even need to go into the details of how it was rehashed.  This post was started so long ago, and the internet has already beaten this to death like a dead tauntaun on Hoth.  So I'll just move on with my thoughts.

Second Viewing Resolution #6: I'm slowly coming to grips with this.  I understand why we did what we did.  I mean, come on.  If we go back and look at the Legacy Expanded Universe (is that what we're calling it now?), we have so many rehashed plots.  I was just going into The Force Awakens hoping for something new.  Different.  Completely different, I guess.  Not...look a bigger, badder, Death Star.  Where are the Ewoks?  Are we in Return of the Jedi?  That sort of thing.  (I mean, c'mon.  Lucas rehashed his own plot idea...in the span of only 3 movies.  This is classic stuff.)

But I also understand this was the best way to bring people back to the fold, so to speak.  If you're going to reach out to the original generation that you alienated when you made Jar Jar Binks and the prequels, then you had to go early.  You had to go classic.  You had to go basic.  So they did.

It unfortunately just rubbed me the wrong way because I wasn't prepared for basic.  I was prepared for new.  Again, though, I went in with my own preconceived notion was what I should be seeing.  What I saw didn't match up.  That's okay.

First Viewing Issue #6: Kylo Ren doesn't frighten me; he makes me mad.  I would have killed him.

Second Viewing Resolution #6: Kylo Ren still makes me mad.  I would have killed him harder.

A General Update on Things and Stuff

There's just so much going on right now that I don't even really know where to start.  I know I've been quiet for a while because - surprise! - I've been sick again.  Yep.  Last Monday, my body decided to quit on me and gave me a fun little cold/mini sinus infection.  So far I haven't required a trip to the doctor; I've just been taking my cold meds on a regular basis and hoping again hope that it will go away soon.

But - surprise - it put us behind on training.  Again.  I'm going to try and readjust it as best I can, but I think from here on out, we're just going to have to do our best.  I think we'll be okay, but it will be a little harder because we won't be quite as prepared as we were hoping.  We're going to keep up with our schedule as best we can from now until race day, and I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed for no more illnesses!

In regards to the running costume, I got together with a couple of good friends the weekend before I got sick and had a "Sewing Weekend".  We all worked on various projects, and I brought along my Asajj running costume.  The only part I really managed to complete was the belt (and it's not really complete).  I ran into a snag with the belt buckle - didn't like my original idea.  I think that's going to get scrapped for another idea that's still in the making.  I was originally going to go back to JoAnn Fabrics on Monday night to pick up what I needed, and then - wham - sickness.  So that will probably be a weekend project for me.

In other fun news, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has a Blu-ray release date.  I'm seeing it all over my blog feed, with lots of news about deleted scenes, different covers released at different retailers, as well as who has what exclusives and whatnot.  It's insane.  I'm going to have to do research just to figure out where I want to go buy my copy so I can maximize my features.  (Which is funny because - despite my good intentions - I really only ever watch deleted scenes and that's it.) 

I remember the good old days when I just took my money down to the local Media Play (anyone else remember those?) and bought my VHS Star Wars Trilogy.  Yep.  Those were the days.

I'm seeing a lot of Episode VIII pictures and "spoilers" pop up on my blog feed, too.  They're little things that don't really matter much in terms of spoiling plot lines, but I think they're pretty fun.  They're definitely fueling my little brain.  I'm excited for the return of Mark Hamill, and I really can't wait to see what he has in store for us.  He's always been one of my favorites.

The other major thing I'm waiting on is Rogue One news.  A trailer.  Something!  It sounds like some "footage" was shown to Disney Shareholders as a recent meeting, but it really didn't sound like much more than we've already seen here and there on the internet.  Maybe we'll get something soon...

Until the next time, may the Force be with you!

The Force Awakens - Issue/Argument/Resolution - Part 3

In the time since I start the whole "Issue/Argument/Resolution" posts, I have actually seen the movie a third time.  I don't know if it added much to my resolutions seeing it a third time through, and I think I'm sitting in a fairly comfortable nerdy position with this movie.  We've come to a kind of understanding.  It knows that I like it, but there are things I don't like about it, too.  (If only some Star Wars fans were so kind.  ;p )

So we'll continue.  And as always...

Musings of a Geeky Kind

Right up front.  We're gonna say...

And now I'm gonna talk geeky, yo...

If there's one really, really awesome thing I can say about "The Force Awakens" it's that it's awakened (ha) this whole sleeper cell community of fans that have been quietly going back to their "real lives" after the craziness of the prequels.  Sure, the insanity of the massive Star Wars Celebration gave us some fuel for the fire (Celebration Anaheim was just this past April in 2015).  But the truth is that the Star Wars community - or at least the niche of it that I was a part of - basically became boring, mundane, normal people.  We carried on with jobs.  Relationships.  Bills.  Car issues.  All of this stuff that's just boring.  

And then cue the opening credits for "The Force Awakens".  

Now there is a community of people who used to post on StarWars.com back when we had message boards (remember "message boards", kids?) who have come together on Facebook.  They're sharing memes and theories and delving into analysis and articles and interviews.  They're trying to figure out "The Force Awakens" and all its secrets while also being simultaneously enthralled with "Rogue One", "Episode VIII" and "Episode IX".  These people that I knew back in the day when none of us really had a "real life" to speak of (or so it seemed) have no all put their real lives on hold to come back together and be nerds to the nth degree.

I got sucked into a nerdy discussion last night - which started with reading some threads in the Facebook group and then went into an in depth phone call with a friend of mine as we scoured Google images and Wiki pages for clues.

This is our story...

What "The Force Awakens" Did Right For Me

Okay.  I'm going to issue an apology.  The last couple of posts have been of a "complain and cry and then resolve your issues" kind of rambling.  They have been therapy - a therapy I wish to continue.

But not today.  Today I wanted to be happy because this week has been pretty long after coming back to work after the holidays.  It's Thursday.  It's only Thursday.  I didn't really feel like complaining on a Thursday, so we're gonna switch it up and talk about some of the things that The Force Awakens did right for me.

The key words here are "for me".  This movie is many things to many people, but I still stand by the fact that we all experience stories differently - even if we're all watching or reading the exact same thing.  So these are my opinions and feelings, and I just want to share 'em as sort of a...well, another type of therapy.  Just not the whiny "I was gonna go to Tosche Station to pick up some power converters" or "It's worse.  He's overly critcal.  He never listens.  He doesn't understand.  It's not fair!" type of way.

So the warning.  Again.

 

The Force Awakens - Issue/Argument/Resolution - Part 2

Coming back from the holiday break at work makes me realized just how much of a geek I am known to be in my office.  First thing this morning, someone came over to my desk and stated, "So I finally got to see Star Wars" and then launched into their thoughts and a discussion of the movie.  It happened with another coworker maybe a couple of hours later, who shared their thoughts (and their spoiler out loud, which made me want to smack them a little).  And then at lunch time, a third coworker came over to discuss some podcasts they've recently listened to as well as their thoughts after their third viewing over the break.

So now that my office geek status has been firmly solidified in my head for 2016, I figured now would be a good time to continue on with our Issue/Argument/Resolution topic.

As a reminder, folks - you have been warned...

The Force Awakens - Issue/Argument/Resolution - Part 1

Over the Christmas holiday weekend, my husband and I went to the movie theater with his mother, brother, and sister-in-law to see "The Force Awakens".  This was the first viewing for the other three and our 2nd viewing.  I realized a few things after seeing the movie a second time through, and I'm sure as time goes on, I'll come to realize a few more things.

While I still know there are folks who haven't seen the movie (and have endeavored to remain unspoiled), I'm going to keep this introduction sparse.  You can read on for the guts of my thoughts...

But be warned...

Well, I Saw It...

...and right now, I'm going to say that I'm not sure how I feel about it.

I feel like a horrible fan because out of all of my friends who love Star Wars like a family member, I think I've only talked to two other people who are feeling about like I do.

I'm not sure what I'm blaming - whether it's me and my preconceived notions on how things "should be" or if it's writing flaws or what.

That's all I'll say because I don't want to spoil people.  I don't want people to ruin it for me, and I don't want to ruin it for other people.  Like I've said before - this blog is just my opinion on things, and it's okay to not agree.  I'm a firm believer than you can't take someone else's opinion/critique for gold.  You can't make dinner reservations based solely on that you read on TripAdvisor or a message board.  And you can't judge a film without first sitting down and seeing it for yourself.

And it is worth seeing.  May you take from it what you need to, and may the Force be with you.

Unedited, Uninhibited Fangirl Squeeing

I have drafted and rewritten and ignored and then looked at and then ignored again a post for the last four days.  It's because these last four days have been a whirlwind of crazy, fangirl activity mixed in with real life responsibilities, and - frankly - I'm exhausted.  Writing seemed like too much of an effort, and I didn't want to have to edit down my ramblings to something that made sense.

I've been celebrating Star Wars week by "dressing up" my typically casual-esque Star Wars clothing to fit within the lines of my work place's business casual dress code.  I went shopping for fun necklaces, raided my closet for all sorts of items, and threw together awesome outfits.  I took more selfies than a teenager at lunchtime in the bathroom.  It was embarrassing - and amazingly fun.  I had every intention of writing a post a day this week - share an outfit or a story or just ramble.  But nope.  Just felt like it would take me too long to do it. 

So we'll forget the editing and the pictures and all of that.  This post will be unedited, uninhibited.  And ohmygoodnessi'msoexcitedbecausetheforceawakenscomesouttoday.

That's really what today is.  It's Star Wars Day.  It's a day of renewing our fandom, of bringing new friends into the fold, of coming together and seeing something we all love on the big screen again.

I thought I was blessed when I got to see the prequels released in the theater.  I missed out on the original trilogy by five years, and I didn't get to see them on the big screen until the Special Editions were released.  So when Episode I (and the other films) were released, I thought I was a lucky Star Wars fan.

Today - I realize I am far more lucky than I ever realized.  Or maybe, in my experience, there's no such thing as luck as Obi-Wan would say.  Maybe all of my life has pulled me to this silly little franchise because this is where I've found some happiness.  I've found true friendship here and spent so many good times surrounded by good people all in the name of Star Wars.  It sounds horribly silly when you type it out like that, but that's what honestly makes it all so special - the people we share this love with.

So I'm ignoring spoilers and reviews and photos of premiers and everything like that.  I'll be on internet shutdown for the majority of the day.  My showing starts at 8:00pm tonight.  Regular 2D, nothing fancy.  But I am so excited to sit down and share this with my fellow fans. 

May the Force be with us.  Always.

Run to the Dark Side - We Have Cookies

I've been sick-ish this past week or so, which has really put a damper on a lot of things that I had on my "to do" list.  When you can't breathe, your head is stuffy, and you're just generally wanting to do nothing else but be in bed by 9:00 PM, you're sort of - well - useless.  Thankfully, I'm out of the overly-tired phase of the sickishness and moving on into the my-head-doesn't-feel-great-but-I-can-move phase.  This blog, a few threads on the Disney message boards I read/respond to, housework, and working out have definitely been neglected.  Things are starting to pick up again, though - slowly by surely - and I think we're on the upswing.

That being said, we can move onto something a little more fun than listening to me complain about being sick and real life to do lists.  Lets talk about Disney.  More specifically - runDisney.

runDisney consists of a series of running events (including half-marathons and marathons) that occurs yearly at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland.  All events are held over a weekend and revolve around a different theme depending on the time of year.  I'm usually a "snow bird" when it comes to going to Walt Disney World, so I'm most familiar with the two winter events which have occasionally coincided with my visits - the Walt Disney World Marathon in January and the Princess Half Marathon in February.  I usually end up in Walt Disney World just about the time the Princess weekend is over, so I still see a bunch of attendees and runners sporting their expo exclusive gear and shoes and their fantabulous bling (aka medals).

A couple of years ago, my husband and I both traveled down to Disney World and spent our first day at (what was then) Downtown Disney.  It's a good way for us to start off our trip - ease into things, take it easy and not have to worry about squeezing in a trip to a park.  We were on the resort bus, people watching, and I happened to look around me at all of the ladies who were sporting these amazing half marathon medals.  There were all sorts of people.  Some were what I've always labeled as "obvious" athletes - folks with that classic lithe, strong, athletic build who really truly loved running and sports and all things athletic.  Other folks looked "normal" - like someone who just decided this was something they wanted to do, and so they DID it.  They ranged the entire body shape and size spectrum, and it was amazing.

Now, personally, I have never been an athletic sort of person.  I have to admit I was a chubby little kid who grew into a somewhat chubby teenager who grew into an even chubbier college student.  It wasn't until I was out of school and started my first job that I realized I had to do something about my health.  I decided to cut down on the fast food intake and up my exercise level.  I would go out walking on my lunch hour when I could.  I found an exercise VCR tape (VCR - I know - right?) which worked out well for me, so I used that every now and then at home.  I also put together a list of my favorite upbeat dance tunes, and I'd just dance around my room like a crazy person to get my heart rate going.  Hey - whatever makes you happy and keeps you healthy.  That's the way I see it.

And it worked.  My cholesterol had been in the "high" zone during college, and it went back down to normal.  I dropped 42 pounds total over 2-3 year or so (I never kept track of weight over time).  My efforts took me to the smallest size I had ever been in my adult memory.  I was thrilled.  I felt better.  Look what I did!

That same sort of thrill - that accomplishment - was what I saw on the faces of these women on the Disney resort bus.  These women who were smiling and happy and wearing their Princess medals.  They were so happy and so excited.  Look at that they'd just accomplished!  Some of them had probably never done anything like this before, so how awesome is that?!

I said to my husband who was sitting next to me, "If they can do it, I wonder if I could."

My husband - who is always my cheerleader when I don't have the confidence I really need - told me, "Of course.  Why not?"

Which is why - I think - we're now involved in one of the craziest undertakings up to this point in my life.  My husband.  I'll blame him.

In late August, my husband sent me a fun little article that stated that Walt Disney World would be hosting the first ever "Star Wars Dark Side" half marathon in April 2016.  The first ever Star Wars half marathon took place in Disneyland in early 2015, but now they were moving the fun to Florida in 2016.

I was beyond excited.  You could run in a Star Wars themed race.  At Disney World.  Through the theme parks.  And get a cool, shiny medal.  And feel awesome!

We sat down and talked it out.  I realized that having only run a 5K distance, it was probably a little crazy for me to go all out and say, "I'm gonna run a half marathon!"  So my husband and I settled on the 10K race.  It made sense.  Seemed like a good enough distance to see some things along the way.  Plus, you know, like...Star Wars and stuff.

Registration for this thing was absolutely nerve-racking in the beginning because I was told that you really wanted to get online at noon the day everything was released, otherwise you might not get a spot.  While they 10K took a while to sell out, it did eventually sell out, so I'm glad husband and I both were able to get in and get registered.  The only "extra" thing I sprung for was a commemorative pin because I'm a pin collector, and it makes me happy.

So then the research started.  How best to do this.  How to train.  What method to use.  When do I start.  With the blast shield, I can't even see - how am I supposed to fight?  That's pretty much how all of this has felt up to this point. 

But this is my first runDisney race, so I'm running on adrenaline and confusion mixed together, just trying to figure out how to do this.  I'm not an athlete.  I'm not a runner.  I'm a geeky girl who likes to wear costumes, loves Disney, and loves Star Wars.  This is not my forté.  Trust me.  But I figure you have to start somewhere - whether its with costuming, fandom or running.

So the "real" training will start next Wednesday, December 16th.  Then the Force will Awaken on Thursday, December 17th at 8:00pm (for me and my geeky crew).

All of this goes down in less than a week.  Holy...freakin'...mother of gundarks.

May the Force be with me. 

"There Has Been An Awakening..."

I keep waiting for my brain to catch up to reality that this is actually happening.

That we're sitting here on the cusp of the release of a brand new Star Wars movie.

Episode 7.

Something that was never supposed to happen.

I'm having fun with my font emphasis because - hey, seriously - this is pretty epic stuff right here.  Star Wars fans were always led to believe that episodes 7, 8, and 9 would never be made as movies.  The books and comics (known as the "Expanded Universe" or "EU") were our means of carrying on these stories and having adventures with these characters that we'd come to know and love.  We were fine with that because that was the way things were.  That's all we knew would ever happen - ever again.

Along comes Disney.  Buys up Lucasfilm.  People are either uber-excited or mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore.  New movies are coming out.  Again, either cheering or booing.  Then the Expanded Universe is wiped away.  Gone.  Eradicated from existence like Alderaan.  Like Han would say, "That's what I'm tryin' to tell you, kid.  It ain't there.  It's been totally blown away."

This left a lot of fans with a bitter taste in their mouth.  The EU had some pretty die-hard fans, even if not all of the stories were stellar.  The sad thing is that some great characters, great plot lines, and epic events have been wiped out because of this effort to "clean the slate" for the upcoming movies and new plot lines.  I'm sure that some of them weren't surprised by the move.  After all, one time I remember seeing Timothy Zahn speak at a convention.  Someone asked how he felt about them killing off his character Mara Jade in a later book (that he had nothing to do with).  Timothy explained it simply (and I'll paraphrase because I can't quote this after so many years): "You know, we get this great opportunity to come over and play with George's toys.  He invites us over to play with them, and we jump at the chance.  But all of his toys are in the driveway, so sometimes you just have to be prepared for a car to back out of the garage and run over one of your toys."  No doubt - you're crushed that you've lost this toy.  But holy cow, you got to play with it in the first place.

I will still say that I mixed feelings about the erasing of the EU.  I don't really love the idea because there are things I'm truly going to miss (most of which are Zahn's stories, actually).  But I also have to admit that I understand why it's being done, and for the most part, I agree with it.  I think if we're finally going to continue this storyline, we're going to have to start from scratch.  The EU had so much information, detail, new characters - there was no (good) way that any new films could stay true to it and still have a decent story, in my opinion.  It would have required a lot of effort, knowledge, and work-arounds to get it to finally become a decent stroy.

I really hope that they justify this decision to wipe out the printed stories by giving us one hell of a show on the big screen come December 18th.

I'd love to be able to watch that movie, laugh, cry, gasp and grip the edges of my seat.  And at the end of it, I want to be able to truthfully say, "Chewie - we're home."

The Fandom Soap Box Rant

There's a couple of things I've kept (mostly) to myself in relation to the upcoming Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens.  I feel like if I enter into that sort of a conversation right now with some folks, I run the risk of entering into an argument similar to "the prequels are bantha poodoo and need to be banished from the face of the planet and thrown into the Great Pit of Carkoon".  I don't really desire to get in the middle of a heated fandom discussion like that right now, so - for the most part - I've kept my thoughts to myself about the new movie.

I've also tried to refrain from doing what I do - writing.  Not necessarily writing things down like fan fiction or the like.  But brain writing.  The kind of writing that isn't physical pen to paper, but it's when your brain waves do fun things like Oh, man, Shada.  Think about it.  Think what would happen if [highlight for Shada's crazy fan theory/personal weirdness]Poe Dameron was somehow mentally hijacked by Kylo Ren, and he's been implanted into the Resistance as a sleeper cell agent to help bring them down[/end Shada's crazy fan theory/personal weirdness].

But as the release date gets closer and closer, I can feel myself slipping on both of these things.

I find myself wanting to jump into the conversations that start with:

1. "Well, JJ better not screw it up because then we'll have to call him Jar Jar Abrams for the rest of his life."
2. "You know there's going to be so much lens flare you won't be able to see anything."
3. "It's just going to be a rehash of an old story with more graphics and less heart than the original."
4. "Disney is just going to f*#$ it all up because the Mouse rules all!"
5. "Disney has taken marketing to the extreme!  This is insane!  It's on everything from make-up products to collegiate football gear.

But my non-confrontational personality makes me step back and say, "Nope.  Nope, nope, nope, nope."  However, inside, my little inner hot-head makes her appearance, dusts off her soap box, and then unleashes fannish hell-blabber to whoever is around me that I trust most: close friends, close family, or my husband.  And now, this blog.  So lets's starts this thing off - in order:

1. Honestly, we're not going to end up calling him "Jar Jar Abrams" for the rest of his life.  Number one - because it won't suck that badly.  And number two - because you could come up with a lot better insult than "Jar Jar Abrams" if you really wanted to.
2. Does it really bother you that badly?  Any worse than the old-fashioned screen wipes from the original Star Wars?  Or the Yoda puppet in The Phantom Menace?  Or Sebastian Shaw's Force ghost being swapped out for Hayden Christensen?  Okay, fine.  If it bothers you that badly, ask and you shall receive.  J.J. talked to Stephen Colbert, and here you go: J.J. Abrams Promises Less Lens Flare.
3. There is the basis to this argument?  Do you have some concrete evidence of the plot line or access to the script?  Have we seen anything that's pointed to there being no "heart" in the trailers?  (Really, I've seen a lot of emotion portrayed there, actually.  So I dunno - I think you're going to be surprised by just how much this movie makes you feel...on multiple levels.)  And more graphics - when we're actually kind of reverting back to more sets, life-size props and vehicles.  Yeah, I don't agree with either of these.
4. Has Disney effed up your Marvel universe?  I can't say they've been 100% perfect, but no one ever is.  Now, I'm not even a comic book fan or a super hero fan, but I have really enjoyed these movies.  And I've talked to lots of other people who are comic book fans and super hero fans who really love them, too.  You're going to have a dud movie now and then no matter what studio you're working with.  It happens.  You can't please everyone all the time.  
5. I have 3 words for you: Phantom Menace promotions.  Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC.  Kentucky Fried Chicken, people.  C'mon.  It's not like this hasn't been done before.

And that, my friends, is my soap box for the day.  I know I said in my original post that I will have opinions that people won't agree with, and that's fine - because there are opinions that I don't agree with.  But that doesn't mean I'm going to bash someone for them if they share them.  Share away, but be respectful.

Be fans and be friends - because that's what this is really all about.