On waking up early and Star Wars

Why does my body insist on waking me up at 6:30am every morning? Ok brain, I got up at 6:30 for 3 days in the past week - Tuesday - Thursday. Why then am I STILL being woken at 6:30? There's no alarm, no noise to wake me up but still you insist on waking me up. Why?

I saw Star Wars yesterday. I'd love to write a long, detailed review of the film stating it's good points and bad points. But I really should get in the shower then do something productive. Ah, what the hell.

Star Wars Episode 3

Good point: It actually works! The film IS the missing piece of the saga. Plot lines are carried on from the first two prequals and then carried on into Episode 4. It all sits so neatly and just flows. It is a VERY polished production.

Bad point: Arrrgggggggghhh! Will somebody please, please convince Hayden Christensen to take up another career, anything other than acting? This film is meant to show his inner turmoil, his angst, confusion and lust for power that the Jedi Council won't give him. So why doesn't he show it? He spends the whole film saying the words but very rarely does his tone of voice, facial expression, body lanugage or anything else match them. He cannot act. Honestly, the best Anakin was the kid from Episode 1. His character does hold the whole film together but that's only because he's in most of the scenes.

Good point: Yum, Natalie Portman is in it again looking as fine and as gorgeous as ever.

Bad point: What HAVE they done to her character? Did George Lucas actually watch Episodes 1 or 2? In those films she was a butt kicking senator. She was in the action with the rest of them. Not so in this film. It would seem that the interveaning years have been hard on her and turned her into a weepy cry baby who just stays at home and waits for the man in her life to take care of her. That just doesn't fit and is a complete character change. I'm not say that a pregnant woman should be out saving the world but I'm sure there is something she could've done! Argued against Palpatine in the Senete perhaps? I don't know.

Good point: Damn these fight scenes are good. Polished, effects laden, the "whum, whum" of lightsaber sound effects. They ARE good.

Bad point: What's with stopping a fight scene half way through so the characters can have a chat? As a matter of fact, what's with two characters fighting 2 inches above a lava river and NOT EVEN SWEATING? It was a volcanic planet. They were outside on floating platforms mere inches above the Lava. It would've been well above body temperature, the air would've been toxic, they would not have been able to breathe. Yet there Obi-Wan and Anakin stood, fighting away. Why not have the fight inside the building then push Anakin outside to get burnt? That'd've worked, especially if you did it on an observation platform where the lava could've been seen in the background. But lets ignore science eh? :P

Good point: Anakin's slide to the dark side was cool. His whole "I love Padme" thing influencing his decisions, his angst and sorrow and anger over losing his mother. It all worked and helped to make his slide more belivable.

Bad point: Didn't anyone have the guts to tell George Lucas he cannot write dialogue? Anyone? An example (pinched from Bill Johnson's Blog "Hold me Anakin, like you did by the river on Naboo so long ago when our love was all there was." Arrghh! Or how about:

The Emperor: Lord Vader, can you hear me?
Darth Vader: Yes, my master. Where is Padmé? Is she safe, is she all right?
The Emperor: I'm afraid she died... it seems in your anger, you killed her.
Darth Vader: I couldn't have! She was alive! I felt her! She was alive! It's impossible! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

George - if you ever read this blog (LOL) please LET SOMEONE ELSE WRITE THE DIALOGUE IN YOUR NEXT FILM!!!!!!!!!! For the sake of people's sanity! PLEASE!!!!!!!!

Good point: Obi Wan and Yoda kick butt. Obi Wan is so cool in this film, he takes on General Grievious by himself despite the fact that Grievious has 4 lightsabers that he uses. Obi Wan also flies out to battle Anakin despite his reluctance to do so because Obi Wan is a good Jedi and knows what must be done.

Bad point: I can't think of one related to Obi Wan.

Good point: Wookies! There's a battle on the Wookie home planet - Wookies and Commandos versus droids. It's quite well done and Chewie is there!

Bad point: Well, there are a few. The battle is left hanging, we never find out who won, that's a pretty major one to be honest. Also there's a scene where a Wookie swings onto a droid vehicle whilst yelling like Tarzan! It's bloody stupid and really annoyed me.

SUMMARY: A good fun film. Loads of space scenes, battles, fights, drama, alien species, conflict, amazing CG effects and so on. It's Star Wars. It's great. BUT, like the first two prequals, it's let done by some bad acting (visible in Ep 2) and some terrible lines. But R2D2 gets a big part (I wonder if he got paid?) And C3PO isn't in it too much. And Portman IS gorgeous. Go see it. 17/20



I'm sure there's more I can write about but I can't be bothered now.