We worked on the house and yard pretty late, ate dinner at 9:30, then we sat outside on our new patio. (I love that word. It feel so retro-50s. Patio. Patio. Patio.) We have a cool table with a firepit in it, so my BH made me a fire, and we lit citronella torches that kept the mosquitoes away. And then, because he is the most patient man I know, BH listened to me rant about various and sundry things until 1:30 in the morning. He is probably praying he grows up into one of those old guys who is deaf and needs hearing aids so that when I shift into Full Rant Mode he can turn the hearing aids off. That sure would have helped him last night.
I am trying not to rant today.
Except I have to. Must Rant About Star Wars. (warning – movie spoilers ahead)
We saw it last week with our son and a friend of his. As a social outing, it was a blast. As a movie….. meh.
Here is what I liked: the tying up of loose ends, even when it was not done in a fully convincing manner. It was oddly satisfying in that respect. Scenes in which the future Leah and Luke are born, when they are delivered to foster parents, etc., felt like putting down the last pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. This “episode” had loads of scene changes, and more diverse backgrounds than any of the others. I’m looking forward to watching the DVD just so I can freeze and study the different planets and cities. And from the story structure POV, being able to experience foreshadowing when you already know what’s coming is a nifty trick. And a couple of the fight scenes were engaging enough to have held even the attention of my former nemesis, Mr. Octopus Hands.
Here is what I didn’t like: hokey, crappy scenes, like the whole making the Frankenstein monster/Darth Vader thing. I almost walked out when he screamed that fake “No!” I felt force-marched through the “emotional development” of Vader. I wanted to slap that silly Padua or Pad Thai or Knick Knack Paddy Whack, whatever her name is, every time she showed up. Are we really expected to believe that a society that has perfected hyperdrives, space travel, and pod racers still hasn’t come up with reliable birth control?? Oh wait – I know why. Because females exist only for breeding in LucasWorld. I’m also disappointed that the plot wasn’t richer. In fact, all that jumping around to different locales is in part a cover-up for the thin story line. I wish Lucas has shown more and not told so much. (Sound familiar fellow writers?)
Summary: it was good enough, but not as great as I had hoped.
However, as soon as they offer the entire series on DVD, I will watch them back to back to back in order during a blizzard. That might change my mind.
No more ranting today. I really promise.