Thursday, October 22, 2015

Hey, did you guys know there's a blog?!

Inevitable as sunrise: trailer remakes

"the human rights situation for robots is horrifying"

More on Andrew's theory.  I kinda think this is more Lucas's blind spot than Lucas's subtle commentary, maybe because it was a blind spot for me too. But now that I think about it, it's everywhere. (Speaking of Harry Potter: sure, the house elves have a bad lot. But what about the paintings? Seems pretty clear they can think and feel. But they get stuck with n one place having to be password keepers / door wardens and the like.)

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

The Star Wars Posting Onslaught Continues

A little background is in order here:  This is a clip from Star Wars Battlefront, which had a trial beta a few days ago.  I spent a few evenings trying this, and yes, it does look this good.  (Worth cranking up the resolution on YouTube, if you can.)

One of the things you can do in the game is briefly turn into  Luke Skywalker, circa Return of the Jedi for some reason.  This clip is from the perspective of a Stormtrooper player taking on Luke.  Hilarity ensues.


Episode VII: Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst

Albert Burnenko wrote an outstanding critique of the entire Star Wars saga, noting that the series has at best a 33% success rate so far so maybe we shouldn't set our expectations too high. My favorite part is his comparison of the Vader of Episode V with the Vader of Episode VI. To wit:
After wearing Luke out with furious lightsaber skills from one end of Cloud City to the other; after bashing him to a pulp with flying space toasters; after blasting Luke out of a window and chasing him out to the end of a lonely windblown plank far from everyone who has ever known or cared about him, he lops the little pissant’s entire hand right the fuck off and then, then, only then, figures the time is right to go, Oh and also, I fucked your mom.
[...] 
With that in mind, let’s return to the scene from Return of the Jedi, in which a completely unafraid Luke Skywalker kicks skin-crawling televangelist game—I feel the conflict within you! Let go of your hate! Don’t you have somethin’ you wanna say to Jesus? Somethin’ you wanna ask Him for?—at the giant evil cyborg who chopped his hand off the last time they were in each others’ presence. Who is this soggy piece of shit wearing Darth fucking Vader’s clothes? Who is this whiny, slumping sad-sack, mewling about how he must obey his master?
I urge you to read the whole thing.

Friday, October 9, 2015

The Politics of Star Wars


As I mentioned to some of you, my political science group blog, The Mischiefs of Faction, got picked up by Vox.com last month. A few of us decided to start working on a few posts about the politics of "Star Wars." I thought you might enjoy.

Here's my first post on the lack of parties in the Galactic Senate.
Here's my colleague Jon Ladd's post on the inherent dangers of the Jedi.

There will be more in the lead up to the release of Episode VII, I promise.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

The Hill Treatment

So much opportunity here. Surely someone can think of a particularly good trailer or movie scene that needs just a little more Yakety Sax.