I frankly agree. As a bleeding-heart lefty, no one was poised to have enjoyed an exchange like that more than me (Luke schooling oblivious Danny to his privilege should have been a slam dunk) but I found myself uncharacteristically annoyed with Luke Cage. How’s many times has he walked into a situation and shoved…

Once upon a time, I would have argued with you. But after watching GoT season 7? *shudders* the show has become medieval “24.”

Also late to the party (even more so) but I have to agree. That’s been the only music que on this whole show that really ever rubbed me the wrong way. It was too on-the-nose for one, and it doesn’t help that the song itself is utter sh*t. (Regina Spektor?) is just singing “nobody laughs at god when...” and then…

3 years later so I seriously doubt you will read this or care, but...

But just because it’s hard for the fans doesn’t mean it’s bad storytelling. If this were a different franchise that didn’t have such a fanatic fan base, we wouldn’t be having these ridiculous conversations. The very notion that filmmakers should take the whims and sensitivities of fans into account when crafting a…

Luke has never murdered a child in his sleep.

Also, hats off Jesse—I’ve just finished reading your exchange with Carlos and you have kept your responses a lot more measured and polite than I would have been able to.

But also your fundamental premise that Luke is inconsistent is incorrect. Luke is 3 very different people over the course of Eps 4-6 and to pick up 30 years later and expect him to be the same guy from RotJ isn’t a defense of serialized storytelling, it’s a plea to leave your childhood hero pristine and untouched. …

How exactly does Rey “win?” She leaves to defeat Snoke and redeem Kylo Ren. She succeeds at neither of these things.

No, it’s stupid to believe that one man *could* defeat the entire First Order singlehandedly.

Any chance you can point to concrete examples where the movie does this? Touting its own “maturity” I mean. I actually agree that the movie is largely a reaction to being embarrassed by the source material but specifically the prequels, NOT the original trilogy. Rian Johnson is very clearly a filmmaker who loved…

Yeah, in the future don’t preface two incorrect statements by saying “did you miss the part when...”

Upvoted for “a great many of the people who are mad that Rey is a ‘Mary Sue’ are equally mad that Luke isn’t.”

I try not to be dismissive of people I disagree with, but I have a really hard time taking most TLJ-detractors seriously. Most of their criticisms are just like this—either a complete misinterpretation of the themes and messages or a revisionist recollection of the material itself. Most of them (I believe) had an…

If you’ll notice, his comment never said anything *about* whether or not there were valid reasons to criticize or dislike TLJ or that every single detractor is a neck-bearded manchild.

I love Whilplash and Nightcrawler to death and I’ve never heard either of those movies ever being praised as “badass” for which I am extremely grateful. I can’t imagine having such shallow, inane appraisal of such dense, cerebral films.

Really hoped this would be quality...does not look like I’m gonna be disappointed. Fantastic cast coupled with really lean, focused storytelling. Plus the scene where he takes out the hit men in the car was one of those rare, earned “badass” moments that I oh-so-loathe....unless they’re done right.

You really should. Attman’s is incredible. Best corned beef I’ve ever had...and I’ve had an inappropriate amount of corned beef.

But you also realize the majority of people who saw this film (and the last) disagree with you, right? Not that numbers should sway your personal opinion, but when I am disappointed by something that larger swaths of people love, my first instinct is to always assume that I’m missing something.

I just flat out don’t agree that it doesn’t fit with TFA. What I think you mean is that it doesn’t treat the smaller, speculative aspects of TFA that certain fans spent 2 years obsessing over as important. In terms of characters and overall themes, though, this movie tracks perfectly. In fact, it retroactively…