Someone has to do it **Enter at own risk, Episode 8 spoilers**

Are we going to discuss ep8?

Judas

Of course we are.  Probably gonna devolve into fisticuffs between the lovers and the haters, though.  It always does.

Hopefully we can avoid spoiling it for any poor souls who haven't managed to see it yet, yeah?

 

UnnaturalGas

We'll probably have to wait and see if a mod can set up some kind of spoiler thread so we can go into detail.

Tusserk

I'm a simple beast that's easy to please. I had a great time watching it and boy oh boy have they finally given me some great new critters to play with!

UnnaturalGas

It's been said that I'm far too critical, so I'll do my best not to harp too much on things like the unnecessary jewelry puppies (crystal foxes for those unfamiliar with marketing). I'll just say for now that I enjoyed Jumanji far more.

Tusserk

Sometimes I wonder if it's a moot point to have these discussions at all, since people will like what they will like and... why would you try to tell anyone otherwise? I never bother trying to say if something is a 'good' or 'bad' film or book or tv series, generally, because just because something rates as a quality piece of literature or cinema doesn't always reflect on how much people will enjoy it.

What you call 'unnecessary jewelry puppies' is one of the things that actually delights me more than anything else about the SW universe. Where some people view it in terms of plot relevance or marketing decisions, while I see creatures with an aesthetic I adore (finally, effing FINALLY the Star Wars universe isn't calling something a canid that just looks like a giant pig lizard??!!!), showing behaviours that let me extrapolate on natural history and world building, and it just adds extra sparkle (pun thoroughly intended) to something I'm having a blast watching. I'm in it for fun, for laughs, for emotion, and yeah some things are goofy as all heck, but Star Wars has always had that, too. And as far as I'm concerned, TLJ delivered. I laughed a lot during the film, had some moments where the audience actually burst into applause while we were watching, it was a great night out and I'll enjoy seeing it again. Woo!

(I'm also looking forward to Jumanji.)

Hablyonus Pense

I will say, I liked Ep. 8 more than I did 7. There were parts that irked me, some characters who I felt didn't get enough screen time. But on the whole, I liked it! Like Tuss, I'm big on aesthetic, though for me it's more about ships and technology, and in that regard, they certainly delivered!

Lord Crumb

I watched it on Friday with the family.  The action sequences were great but most of it let me down.  It is like Disney is going out of its' way to destroy the Star Wars we grew up with.  I give it a 3 out of 5 stars (the action scenes helped).  It is better than TFA but not by much.  IMO.

Hablyonus Pense

Well, I've never been much a fan of Disney as a company either, but the major thematic differences which seperate the newest trilogy from the first one are a product of the times. I'm not too happy about it either, but it bothers me less now, since it seems sort of inevitable.

Judas

So far, I have to say, I prefer the new trilogy to the prequel trilogy. However, I have to constantly re-evaluate myself to see if my opinion is based on nostalgia or cinema.  At this point I honestly can't say. I'm an old guy (older than Star Wars) so I have a different view of the saga than the younger generation.  What I can say is this: Star Wars has something for everyone.  Every episode appeals to something different in all of us.  That is it's beauty.  My kids love those cheesy Ewok films.  I have a friend who honestly praises the holiday special (he may have a pre-existing mental condition. lol).  Me?  I'm an 'Empire' guy all the way. 

But, people are different.

There is something there for everyone.

Episode VII made me feel like I was back in the 70's watching SW all over again.  Not everyone shares that opinion, and I respect that. 

'Rogue One' felt like someone made their RPG session into a fan film with a higher than usual budget.

That's just me. Episode VIII was the first movie my wife and I have gone to in Yoda-Knows-How-Many-Years.  So..yeah.  It's special to me.

It's all Star Wars.  It all takes me to a galaxy far, far away. It makes me feel like the little guy has a chance against overwhelmingly opressive odds.

There are cool ships blasting other cool ships,  dudes and dudettes moving rocks with their minds, and hope.

So, I don't care which SW you like. New, prequel, original, Clone Wars, Rebels......even those god aweful ewok flicks...we all have Star Wars.  And that, my friends, THAT is what makes us better than the Trekkies.