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| Music Moments 02.10 | |
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2.23.2010
7:02 AM | Link0 comments |
 The Princess and the Frog / Original Soundtrack: I was glad when I found out that Disney's return to hand-drawn animation would be a musical, and even though it would have been nice to hear some new Alan Menken songs, Randy Newman did a surprisingly great job. This was the first CD I bought with my iTunes birthday money from my pal Melinda, and listening to it really makes me want to see the movie again! I love Tiana's voice on Almost There and the fun swinging feel of When We're Human (Louis the gator is great), but my favorite is definitely Ray's love ballad Evangeline, since he completely steals the movie for me!Weezer / Red Album: I'm sure I've listened to Weezer's famous Blue Album a million times, but never considered checking out any of their newer stuff until I heard Pork and Beans on DDR Hottest Part 3 (see, video game marketing really works!). Weezer is quite a bit different on this album, but there are still a few standout tracks that really have their signature sound and attitude, especially Pork and Beans and Dreamin'. They also get musically creative with a couple long tunes (5-6 minutes each), as well as lyrically nostalgic on Heart Songs, which lovingly looks back at cheesy 80s songs as the soundtrack of life for our generation. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters / Original Soundtrack: From the moment I laughed my ass off in the theater during the opening snack bar scene, I knew I had to get this CD someday (even though most of the tunes aren't really my style)! Cut You Up With A Linoleum Knife (the crazy "don't talk during the movie" song) makes the whole album worth it, but I also love Master Shake's hilarious Nude Love. There are a few songs with lyrics about characters like Meatwad and Carl, as well as four hidden tracks! mc chris / Part Six: Even though his raunchy lyrics are somewhat out of character for me, I'm totally a fan of mc chris' awesome nerdcore sound, so I finally got around to buying this album (which was actually released in parts as three CDs). mc chris will always be known for Fett's Vette (his amazing rap about Boba Fett and his car payments), so this time he continues the trend with IG-88's 57 Chevy, Zuckuss' Prius, and Dengar's Dumptruck, all of which are packed with detailed Star Wars references. He even has a Harry Potter track this time, as well as a touching love song about breaking up a long distance relationship because he doesn't know when his girlfriend farts (how sweet!). |
| LEGO Star Wars / The Visual Dictionary : 4 of 5 | |
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2.17.2010
7:12 AM | Link0 comments |
 Thanks to that first X-Wing set that I bought myself a few years ago, the majority of my LEGO toys are Star Wars vehicles, so my pal Melinda knew this book would be a great Christmas gift for me! This unique book is history of every Star Wars set that LEGO has produced, as well as a cool overview of the various ships and crafts of the Star Wars universe in general, overflowing with images and detailed information! Each page is a huge photo spread with various parts labeled to cover both Star Wars and LEGO trivia, making this a book that's fun to just study and drool over (since it really makes you want to buy and build more kits!). I loved the long timeline showing the incredible number of sets that LEGO has produced covering all of the movies and The Clone Wars series, and it's interesting to compare old and new models of the same ships (which always seem to get better). Of course, there's also lots of attention given to LEGO minifigs (I can't believe how many have been made!), and the book itself actually includes a limited edition (only available with this book) Luke minifig (wearing his medal from the end of Episode IV) encased in the cover, where mine will safely stay! The book includes a fascinating interview with the LEGO Star Wars team in Denmark who design all these wonderful toys (talk about a dream job!). They mention how they try to create models based on various price points (often determined by weighing the finished toy, something I never knew), and that each design has to be sent to LucasFilm for approval. There's also a photo of an unreleased set of the rebel base on Yavin which looks so awesome! Finally, there's a short section of fan creations, which are just spectacular (and amazingly huge). I wish I could go back in time and build some of the sets I missed, but this book definitely inspires me to keep up to date on all the current LEGO Star Wars releases!
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| Last of the Jedi Vol 10 / Jude Watson : 4 of 5 | |
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2.05.2010
6:34 AM | Link0 comments |
 After reading Volume 9 of this series, I was skeptical that everything could be wrapped up in this last book, but although the events seemed a little rushed, I ended up completely satisfied, surprised, and moved by the finale! Once again, lots of time is spent in the heads of the characters. Ferus now knows Vader is Anakin, and thinks back to their past adventures trying to discover why and how he changed. Vader is filled with rage and sadness while remembering choking Padme (as seen in Revenge of the Sith), and his inner conflict (fueled by the manipulations of the Emperor and the Dark Side) really generates a lot of sympathy in the reader. The big twist in this story (spoiler alert!) is discovering that the fledgling resistance had been infiltrated by a spy, who eventually causes the tragic ending of the last few Jedi that Ferus had rounded up, as well as the hidden asteroid base! There are many memorable moments getting to this point, especially when Ferus visits the destroyed Jedi Temple on Coruscant (where his flashbacks of childhood there are filled with beautiful descriptions) and finally faces Vader himself. Although I still think it's crazy that Ferus would carry around a Sith Holocron for so long, the way it speaks to him during this confrontation is interesting and makes for a really dramatic battle! I appreciated the various conversations between Ferus and Obi-Wan, some even taking place on Tatooine where Obi-Wan must help Ferus deal with his failure (as Ferus sees it). I absolutely never expected Last of the Jedi to end this way (I was even close to tears), but when Ferus ends up on Alderaan watching over the young Leia (just as Obi-Wan is watching over Luke on Tatooine), it definitely felt inspirational as Star Wars should!
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| Looking at LEGO | |
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1.08.2010
7:03 PM | Link0 comments |
 A few days ago I decided to use a cool website called Brickset to keep track of my growing LEGO collection, and I was kind of surprised that I already have 21 sets! I can still remember buying the Star Wars X-Wing on a whim, which was the beginning of my adult LEGO renaissance, and being amazed at the incredible design (especially the gears and rubber bands that allow the wings to change position). Of course, some of these sets are gifts from my pals and family, but I’ve done a nice job of collecting sets all by myself! Right now all of them are still assembled and on display in my Toy Museum, but eventually I’m going to have to take some apart and either store them or give them away. The first to go will be the Ferrari F430, which I only got since I wanted to build a car for the first time, and the Star Destroyer, which is the most flimsy set I own, regardless of its coolness. I’m always keeping my eye open for new sets (especially Star Wars vehicles), but I think this year I would love to get into LEGO Mindstorms. It’s an expensive investment, but the idea is that I would continually re-use the set to build new robotic projects, since there are so many plans on the web and in books ready to take on (I don’t really have the urge to create anything myself, but I love following directions). Hopefully I won’t go too LEGO crazy this year and eat up all of my museum shelf space!
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| Christmas Toys 1978 | |
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12.15.2009
7:06 AM | Link0 comments |
 By the time Christmas of 1978 rolled around, Kenner was cranking out the Star Wars toys by the ton, and of course I had already been collecting Star Wars action figures all year long! My Santa parents took the holiday opportunity to deliver some of the larger Star Wars toys, including the massive Death Star playset, which had a unique design to represent a multi-level “slice” of the space station. I went nuts with this toy, since there was so much to do with it, and I’ll never forget the cool trash compactor (filled with bits of foam garbage). I also got a TIE Fighter (sized so a figure could pilot it), and I loved carefully putting on the decals and then pressing the secret buttons to pop off the wings to simulate battle damage! Aside from action figures, I got the human-sized Stormtrooper Rifle that had some pretty cool firing effects and was a blast to hold. It was definitely a Star Wars extravaganza!But as usual, Santa brought even more amazing stuff, such as Electroman, which was a cool large action figure with a big light on his forehead and sensors to detect movement (he was the same size as the Six Million Dollar Man, so they went well together). I also got the Star Bird Avenger, one of the most innovative space ship toys I can remember, which changed its electronic engine sounds to match the angle of the ship, and it even had fantastic laser sounds and lights. I even got the Star Bird Command Base to go with it! I have no idea how all this stuff fit in my room. After 1978, Dad stopped using the old home movie camera, so I can only dream about the spectacular toys I received in 1979 and beyond. I know that when I read nostalgic toy sites like Plaid Stallions I am constantly reminded of cool stuff that I had, all thanks to my incredible parents (and being a spoiled only child). Every Christmas brings joy and happy surprises, and it’s been fun remembering my childhood treasures! |
| Christmas Toys 1977 | |
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12.10.2009
8:00 AM | Link2 comments |
 When I hear the year 1977 mentioned, I immediately think of Star Wars, so you would think that Santa’s sleigh would have been overflowing with Star Wars toys this year. Actually, the toy companies had no idea that Star Wars would be such a success, so when Christmas rolled around almost nothing was available! However, Santa did manage to get me the Escape from the Death Star board game, which I thought was the coolest piece of cardboard in the whole world (I’m sure I played it a million times with my friends).Instead of Star Wars, 1977 turned out to be the Christmas of the Micronauts! I don’t even remember how I got into these toys, but suddenly they were all I wanted (just like my friends, cousins, and everyone else). Micronauts were a bit more expensive than your average toy, but my Santa parents got me all they could, including individual figures like Acroyear and cool vehicles like the Galactic Cruiser. But my favorites by far were Baron Karza (all black and Vader-esque) and his horse Andromeda, who had fantastic magnetic joints that gave them excellent posability as well as making them interchangeable (so you could turn the two into a centaur!). I was a Micronauts freak for years, and I really wish I had Baron Karza on my toy shelf today! |
| Last of the Jedi Vol 9 / Jude Watson : 4 of 5 | |
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12.02.2009
11:37 AM | Link0 comments |
 Usually a lot more time passes by before I read the next book in this series, but since I lucked into a copy from PaperBack Swap I could continue the story right away. This next-to-last volume was particularly great because it has lots of connection with classic Star Wars characters, including a toddler Princess Leia! Several kinds of plots are going on at once. Ferus (still undercover working for the Empire) is on Alderaan to throw off the Empire from researching Leia (who has shown Force-sensitivity by saving the life of a nanny), but he's also stupidly carrying around a Sith Holocron that the Emperor gave him! His internal dialogue is interesting, since he keeps hearing voices to tempt him to give in to his anger, but it seems a little crazy to me that he would even carry around something so dangerous. The next plot involves digging into Vader's past, and Ferus' friends discover the connection to Mustafar through some detective work, while at the same time Vader himself is still pushing Empire scientists to develop a selective memory wipe drug so he can stop his tormenting thoughts of Padme (how sad). There are some really cool conversations and details, such as Obi-Wan talking with Bail Organa (whom he last saw at the end of Episode III), and even some mentions of Captain Antilles and the Tantive IV, which every fan knows will set the scene for the beginning of Episode IV! The ending of this volume felt pretty rushed, and there's so much happening that it's hard to believe it can get wrapped up in the next volume, but I'm enjoying every chapter until then!
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| Last of the Jedi Vol 8 / Jude Watson : 4 of 5 | |
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11.19.2009
12:21 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm still enjoying these fantastic Star Wars children's books (with totally non-childish quality!), and while the plot of this volume wasn't exactly spectacular, there were still a few elements that made it stand out among the other books in this series. In true Lucas style, there are several simultaneous stories going on with quick transitions from one chapter to the next, which really gives things a Star Wars feel. Ferus is still undercover with the Empire, Trever is also undercover at the Imperial military academy, and the rest of the resistance is working behind the scenes. The narrative also switches the point of view very well, contrasting the conflict going on in Ferus' head with Vader's tormented memories of Padme. There are some great insights into Ferus' character as he is tempted by the dark side of the Force (even accepting lessons from the Emperor), and tears apart a room with Force powers as he rages over the death of his friend Roan (killed by Vader in the previous volume). It's also interesting that Vader is pushing forward with medical experiments to selectively erase memories as a way of forgetting his loss of Padme! The real action of the story heats up with the rescue of Lune (a Force-adept boy) that connects the Ferus and Trever storylines, which also involves an interesting defection by a teacher who doesn't want to work for the Empire. The end of the book finally has a glimpse of Obi-Wan (aging into Alec Guinness on Tatooine) who orders Ferus to check out a report involving a certain little girl on Alderaan! Sounds like a fantastic tie-in to me, and I'm ready to get into the next volume soon.
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| Last of the Jedi Vol 7 / Jude Watson : 3 of 5 | |
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9.04.2009
12:03 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm still enjoying this incredible Star Wars series since I'm fascinated with these imaginative events that take place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. I always end up waiting a little too long between reading each volume (since I have to keep up with manga and other books!), but thankfully there is a new Guide to Characters that covers everyone in the story (which really helped me out!). In this part of the saga, Ferus Olin is operating as a double-agent, officially working with the Empire right under the nose of Darth Vader. This is especially dramatic since Ferus was friends with Anakin at the Jedi Academy (as seen in Jude Watson's previous Star Wars books), and there's a scene where Ferus almost begins to figure out who Vader could be after studying his fighting moves! The setting this time is the planet Belassa (where Ferus is from, which makes him look like a traitor to his people), and the Empire is stepping up factory production for a huge project (which I am guessing could be the Death Star, since Grand Moff Tarkin is involved!). There are also scenes on Coruscant involving the kidnapping of a Force-sensitive boy, including other familiar characters such as Dexter Jettster. The end of this volume has a really sad and dramatic scene that I can't reveal, but it leads to the Emperor talking to Ferus and offering him the same kind of "training" he gave to Vader! Hopefully I'll read the next volume before I forget what's going on. Things are getting exciting and chilling - I almost wish there was a movie of this series!
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| Star Wars / Darth Maul : 3 of 5 | |
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8.27.2009
12:25 PM | Link0 comments |
 Even though I’ve pretty much ignored the huge amount of Star Wars comics that have been published in recent years, I couldn’t resist getting this graphic novel (which collects an original four-issue series) when I noticed it was available on PaperBack Swap! I’ve always thought Darth Maul was pretty cool, even though he’s far more menacing than most characters I get into, and like other fans I’ve always wanted more than his few awesome fights (and sparse lines) in The Phantom Menace. This story takes place just before Episode I while Darth Sidious is preparing to start the blockade that opens the movie, but first Darth Maul needs to take out a mafia-style crime organization called Black Sun, just in case they get in Sidious’ way. I enjoyed the moment when Sidious gives Maul the Sith Interceptor (I’ve always liked that ship), along with his speeder bike and probe droids that we’ve seen him use. Most of the book is filled with extended fight scenes, with all the hands and heads (as well as bodies being cut in half) that you would expect from Darth Maul! The artwork is exceptional (Maul really looks like Ray Park, who played him in the film), and I was impressed with the use of so many cool Star Wars species (I spotted lots of cantina aliens and even an Ugnaught). Unfortunately, this story reads rather quickly, and by the time it’s over I hadn’t learned anything new about Darth Maul. More insight into his character (vile as it may be!) would have been nice, and I recommend the interesting Star Wars Journals: Darth Maul as an example. But putting that complaint aside, this was still a fun way to get into some recent Star Wars comics, and I really enjoyed all the Sith action!
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| Fanboys : 2 of 5 | |
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7.28.2009
12:27 PM | Link0 comments |
 Since the characters in this film are all Star Wars fans, I was really excited about this movie as it was being made and looking forward to seeing it when it finally was released, and then I somehow didn't even go! Movies like Fanboys which both celebrate and spoof geek culture are either awesome (like Free Enterprise) or lame, and I'm afraid this one is more of the latter in my opinion. The simple plot is about a group of friends who decide to break into Skywalker Ranch to see The Phantom Menace before it is released, spurred on by the fact that one of the friends has cancer and not much longer to live. It's a nice idea, but most of the movie ends up feeling like a so-so Mel Brooks film, especially by opening with a stupid spoof of the classic Star Wars text crawl. There's also an incredibly dumb drug-induced hallucination that really cheapened the whole film! Still, there are some funny moments, including some Star Wars vs. Star Trek fan battles (Seth Rogen plays a brilliant double role as the ultimate Trekkie and a Star Wars loving Las Vegas pimp!), and a few good cameos from William Shatner and Harry Knowles (Ain't It Cool News geek extraordinaire). There's also a good bit of trivia thrown around (easy stuff for fans like me) - my favorite was the reference to parsecs being a unit of time (thanks to Han Solo's famous line about the Kessel Run!). Thankfully, the movie really brightens up when the group finally makes it inside the Lucasfilm facility, where all the guards are dressed like the THX 1138 police robots and tense standoffs involve possible damage of priceless Star Wars props (which are all over the place!). I liked the brief messages of the film (such as "Find your Death Star"), but overall I was pretty bored by the end of the movie, and I doubt I'll ever have the urge to see it again.
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| Last of the Jedi Vol 6 / Jude Watson : 3 of 5 | |
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5.07.2009
6:59 AM | Link0 comments |
 I'm still enjoying this series of Star Wars books, and I'm definitely not ashamed to be reading these Scholastic big-print mini-novels (except in public)! Our hero Ferus Olin is now fairly established as a double agent, so there's lots of creepy interaction with the Emperor and Darth Vader, which is the best part of the story, since Anakin and Ferus grew up together in the Jedi Temple. Ferus doesn't know who Vader really is, but of course the opposite isn't true (and Vader even says "I know you" to Ferus in a particularly tense scene!). The plot is a seamless transition from the previous book, and is kind of overflowing with planetary political intrigue that gets a little tedious at times, but there are still some good action-packed moments to break up the monotony. It's interesting to read about pockets of resistance forming and their various plots, but the main theme of this book is the danger of Ferus being so close to the evil of the Empire and his worries about the dark side, which Ferus counters with memories of his Jedi training and his old master in some poignant flashbacks. I love how Jude Watson constantly switches the point of view character in each chapter, so the reader gets to see things through the eyes of Ferus, Trever, and even Vader at times - internal dialogue and characterization has always been a strongpoint of these books that keeps me coming back for more. Overall, this volume wasn't spectacular, but of course it was good enough to make me want to keep reading the series!
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| Star Wars: The Clone Wars / Special Edition : 4 of 5 | |
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3.14.2009
6:47 AM | Link0 comments |
 Although I wasn't completely blow away by The Clone Wars when it was released in the theater, since then I've become a huge fan of the series on Cartoon Network, which made it essential for me to add this DVD to my Star Wars collection! Now that I can see the direction the TV series is taking, it was fun to watch this movie again and consider it as one long episode of the show, and I enjoyed noticing details that I had missed before (such as the awesome World War II style nose art on the troop transport ships and Obi-Wan calling Ventress "Darling"). I had even forgotten that the Twilight, Anakin's ship that appears regularly in the series, was stolen from Tatooine in the film! The commentary track is really fascinating, revealing all kinds of trivia (my favorite fact being that Yularen, who often appears on the show, is actually a character seen in Episode IV!). The bonus disc is fantastic, with materials that really dig into the entire first season of the series, including focus on individual episodes and how they are constructed as mini-movies (with lots of involvement by George Lucas himself). It was great to learn that many designs for ships and settings are taken from ideas that didn't make it into the movies (including awesome Ralph McQuarrie designs), and I loved the discussion about clone personalities and how they take on the aspects of their Jedi trainers. The voice actor segment was better than expected, and I enjoyed the composer's quick analysis of the chords used in Asohka's theme (which made it interesting to follow the score more closely). The deleted scenes included are almost fully rendered (meaning they were cut at the last minute!), and watching Anakin and Ventress battle on the back of a raging Rancor was pretty awesome! The best thing about The Clone Wars series and this film is that there's no doubting this is an authentic Star Wars experience, and this DVD made that completely clear!
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| Last of the Jedi Vol 5 / Jude Watson : 3 of 5 | |
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12.17.2008
12:37 PM | Link0 comments |
 Even though I keep hoping this series will focus more on Obi-Wan, it's becoming obvious that the Last of the Jedi is really about Feris Olin and his band of Jedi remnants that are slowly forming into an Alliance of their own. I love it when these stories have solid connections into characters and worlds in the Star Wars movie universe, but this volume is particularly cool since it also directly ties in with plotlines from the Jedi Quest series! The major bad guy this time is Bog Divnian, who went up against Feris and Anakin both in another story, and the plot also involves Astri, who was actually kind of a love interest for young Obi-Wan! Darth Vader also plays a part in this story, and there is an amazing moment where he has to meet Feris (who is blackmailed into working for the Empire). Of course, he recognizes his childhood friend, but can't say anything since his identity as Anakin is lost to the personna of Darth Vader. Jude Watson really writes Vader well, always getting into his head and revealing his inner thoughts to the reader, which really expands on the character, since he's the true center of the Star Wars saga after all! Although the Emperor also has scenes in this story, he certainly never lets loose with Force lightening, so I have no idea why the cover of this book is so scary! As usual, this is a great story (even a little better than usual) and a quick read, and it makes me want to get into the next book really soon!
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| Cool clones | |
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10.17.2008
8:17 AM | Link0 comments |
 I'm really impressed with The Clone Wars series so far. Although the Clone Wars movie was just OK, somehow the TV shows have been spectacular! I was expecting the first few episodes to be taked directly from the film, but I was surprised to see entirely new stories (at least for the first three episodes), with really interesting plots, too! Each episode has featured some great dialogue (by Star Wars standards) on the theme of "clones are people, too" - Yoda gave a great speech about the Force to his soldiers, and Plo Koon talked about the value of each clone. The clones are actually treated as true characters, rather than expendable warriors (and the guy who does their voice sure gets to talk a lot, since they are all the same). Pretty interesting stuff, making it especially sad that Order 66 is coming to turn them all into bad guys! Of course, you have to get past the weird opening announcer voice and the silly battle droid lines (although I'm starting to like them!), but in general these are fantastic stories that really feel like authentic Star Wars. It's amazing to see bits of various alien races and cultures from the movies, such as Toydaria (Watto's planet) or the Kaminoan head of the clone medical station. The battle scenes are totally fantastic, and the ship designs are phenomenal, too - incredibly cool fighters and battle cruisers that make me want to buy LEGO sets of all of them! I'm definitely hooked, and I'm sure I'll want to buy this series on DVD. It's just great to have a regular Star Wars injection to look forward to each week!Labels: star wars |
| Dino/LEGO weekend | |
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10.08.2008
12:37 PM | Link0 comments |
 Last week was pretty tough at work, so I decided to spend the weekend free of all responsibility and just have fun! First I went back to Zilker Botanical Garden to see the DinoLand exhibit, which I had tried to see with my parents, but it was removed due to the hurricane scare. It's all setup again now, and there were lots of people out in the nice weather enjoying it. It was really cool to see life-size dinosaurs (all really detailed with beautiful colors) set against the natural trees and plants - it made them look so real (and instantly reminded me of Disney's Dinosaur, which used the same technique with CG against photographic backgrounds)! Walking along the path and seeing a giant dinosaur up ahead was really fun, and I had a great time taking pictures. After that I went to Toys R Us to buy a LEGO set to build, and I decided on another Star Wars set - the AT-AP Walker. I picked it because it was mid-price range with lots of pieces, and also because all my other Star Wars LEGO sets are ships, so this was my first land-based vehicle. I really enjoyed building it, especially the skinny legs (which are actually quite sturdy) and the cockpit interior. LEGO always brings a smile to my face! View photos: DinoLand
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| The Last of the Jedi Vol 4 / Jude Watson : 4 of 5 | |
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9.03.2008
12:39 PM | Link0 comments |
 My favorite volumes of any Scholastic Star Wars series are always the ones with strong ties back to the movies, featuring characters, planets, or mentioning events that are already familiar. With that consideration, this is the best book of the Last of the Jedi series yet! After Ferus escapes from prison, the plot returns to Inquisitor Malorum and his ongoing investigation of Padme's death, which actually brings him to Naboo and the capital city of Theed. All of the scenes here are fantastic, giving some insight into Naboo culture, and we even get to meet Padme's grandmother (although her moments with Malorum come to a chilling end). When Ferus, Solace, and the rest of our heroes arrive on Naboo, the Gungans become involved (it's always fun to have Boss Nass in the mix!) and suddenly a huge battle is planned, which unfortunately goes by too quickly at the end of the book (I was sure they were going to save it for the next volume, but the author squeezed it in). However, part of the action is a cool fight that takes place in the same location where Qui-Gon fought Darth Maul, and it's interesting to read Ferus' thoughts and emotions during this intense scene. I love how this storyline follows Episode 3 so nicely, while using so many cool elements from Episode 1 - I hope they can keep up the good work in the next book!
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| Star Wars: The Clone Wars : 3 of 5 | |
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8.19.2008
7:42 AM | Link0 comments |
 I really enjoyed the first two seasons of the 2D animated series on Cartoon Network several years ago, so when I first heard that The Clone Wars was going to be continued as a CGI series, I was definitely excited. I was even more thrilled to hear that the first few episodes of the series were being combined into a theatrical release, since there's nothing better than seeing Star Wars in an actual theater! But after reading a few bad reviews of this movie, my expectations were really low, and maybe that made it possible for me to enjoy the movie more, since my pal Matt and I had a great time seeing it. The CGI animation looks fantastic for space ships, equipment, droids, and so on, but the character design inherited from the 2D series doesn't translate well in my opinion (their movements really felt like marionettes to me!). The plot is pretty cool with an interesting twist involving Jabba's fruity uncle, but essentially the movie is a long string of battle scenes, which is OK when they look this cool! I really enjoyed seeing the clones with their helmets off (all the same with different hairstyles, and the Jango Fett voice was well-done), and it was great to see Asajj Ventress again. Anakin's new padawan Ahsoka is pretty interesting, through her cutesy voice doesn't really go with her exotic looks, and I'm glad Padme was included (and I enjoyed her brief eye contact with Anakin). Even though I generally groan at battle droid dialogue, I actually thought their goofy lines were funny this time! Of course, there are lots of things wrong with this movie (don't get me started about the opening narration), but for me there were enough good things going on to get me excited about the upcoming TV series. The Clone Wars certainly doesn't compare to any of the six movies, but during a Star Wars drought, I'll take what I can get!
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| The Star Wars Vault / Stephen Sansweet : 4 of 5 | |
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7.14.2008
7:16 AM | Link0 comments |
 It takes me forever to get around to reading coffee table books (mainly because they just aren't portable), but I've finally started on a few giant books that I got for Christmas! The first was The Star Wars Vault, which is filled with reproductions of paper memorabilia from all six Star Wars movies (much like the Disney Treasures books that I enjoy so much). The items are concealed in pockets in the book's pages so you can take them out to examine them, and it was so nostalgic to hold things that I remember looking at over and over again as a child! My favorite was the original Kenner toy catalog (which only had things like the board game and puzzles), and I also loved the old Star Wars Fan Club newsletter called Bantha Tracks - I remember the exact issue they reproduced! I had even saved some of the Star Wars newspaper comic strips that were included, which was such a coincidence. The book itself has some fantastic photos and interesting text, which is much more fascinating when discussing merchandising and promotion rather than the making of the movies, which is covered much better in other books. I enjoyed seeing the incredible swag items that the crew members received, and it was so cool to look at photos of T-shirts that I used to wear - they even included a reproduction iron-on (although I don't know if it can actually be used)! As a nice bonus, the book also comes with two CDs of interviews and rare material (including Leia's song from the Holiday Special!), and listening to this stuff was pretty exciting (especially the making of the NPR radio drama). I'm not sure if younger fans would enjoy this book, but if you're my age, then The Star Wars Vault is definitely a nostalgic trip!
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| The Last of the Jedi Vol 3 / Jude Watson : 3 of 5 | |
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6.16.2008
9:45 PM | Link0 comments |
 I haven't given up on this great Scholastic series - it's just taking me forever to start reading the next volume after finishing the previous one! At first I was a little disappointed that this story has almost no Obi-Wan in it, but the plot turned out to be so interesting that I didn't mind the focus on Ferus and Trever. This volume takes place entirely on Coruscant, as the former Padawan and his streetwise friend sneak into the old Jedi temple in hope of rescuing other Jedi. These scenes are fascinating, since they describe not only images from the movies, but also rooms and events from other Jude Watson books. There are several flashback sequences since Ferus grew up in the temple, now defiled and taken over by the Empire, and certain moments, such as finding a room full of discarded lightsabers, are just incredible. There's also a brief encounter with Darth Vader, which has even more impact since Ferus knew Anakin when they were both Padawans, but of course, Ferus doesn't know he's hiding from his old friend. The story moves to the deepest levels of the huge cityscape of Coruscant, providing some cool background information about how levels of the city were built, and Dexter Jettster (another character from the movies) makes an appearance. Eventually they do find another living Jedi, and they all return to the Jedi temple for another skirmish with the Empire, but then the book ends with a huge cliffhanger as Ferus is captured! Hopefully I won't wait too long before moving on to the next volume this time!
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| Birthday bliss | |
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1.30.2008
3:39 PM | Link0 comments |
 Happy birthday to me! What do you know, I turned eight years old again! Actually, if I had to pick an age, I'd go with 27 - you're old enough to do anything you want, but young enough that everyone says "Man, you're so young!" For the past few years, I've been spending my birthday in total zero responsibility mode, so I took the day off work, and I've been relaxing at home watching Animaniacs cartoons and Jpop videos, reading manga and drinking coffee. I also recently discovered that I had an old Droid Developer Kit LEGO set from 1999 that I had never even opened, so I just finished building R2-D2! It even has a motor so it can roll around - as usual, I'm completely in awe of LEGO engineering. It definitely makes me want to build more and more Star Wars LEGO sets! Tonight I'm having a birthday dinner with my pal Melinda, and I've been getting some nice birthday emails today, too. As you know, Mom & Dad bought my iPhone super-early for my birthday gift, but they still sent me some surprise cash anyway (because they are such amazing parents)! As I get older, each year seems a little shorter, but I also feel a little more peaceful and content with my life each day, which makes every birthday a happy one!
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| The Last of the Jedi Vol 2 / Jude Watson : 3 of 5 | |
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1.29.2008
7:00 AM | Link0 comments |
 It's been a long time since I've read one these Scholastic Star Wars books, but since I enjoyed both Jedi Apprentice and Jedi Quest so much (both by the same author), I decided I had to get into this latest series. I read the first volume ages ago, and now that I'm working on all of my unread books, this second volume finally made it into my hands. The Last of the Jedi series focuses on Obi-Wan's life on Tatooine after Episode III, silently watching over baby Luke from afar and communicating with Qui-Gon via the Force. This story quickly ends up off planet, however, thanks to the re-introduction of Anakin's old friend Ferus (a character from the Jedi Quest series), and soon there's tons of action as they outwit Boba Fett! The plot then splits as Ferus travels to Ilum (the place where lightsaber crystals come from) to find another still-living Jedi, and Obi-Wan visits Polis Massa, where Padme gave birth to the twins. Obi-Wan's side of the story is really fascinating, as the Empire starts reviewing medical records and discover certain materials missing from inventory that could be evidence about the secret births (a pretty complex plot for a young readers story!). Overall, this volume had a little too much action (which ultimately is a little boring when you're just reading descriptions of battles), but thankfully also included some nice character insight for Obi-Wan and his grief about Anakin's fall. I'm happy to be reading these books again, and I'm excited about the next volume!
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| MAD About Star Wars / Thirty Years of Classic Parodies : 4 of 5 | |
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1.02.2008
6:19 PM | Link0 comments |
 My second Christmas book was this amazing collection of Star Wars parodies from MAD Magazine, which has been on my Wish List from the moment I heard it was being published! I used to love reading MAD (and Cracked, too), so it was a blast to re-read lots of great stuff that I remember from the 70s. The original Episode IV parody is a riot, and I love the old references to things like the Hollywood Squares, as well as the tunes used in the funny Star Wars musical! All of the great covers are reproduced as well, along with the cool Fold-Ins from the back cover (each one is conveniently revealed in its folded state on the next page so you don't have to mess up the book). All of MAD's parodies of the prequels were new to me, since I haven't read any recent issues in several years, so it was great to see what they did with Jar Jar and Jake Lloyd's terrible acting (it received exactly the treatment it deserved!). This book even includes current parodies like new versions of the recent Star Wars postage stamps (I loved the stamp of Luke's severed hand!). Along with all the hilarity, the margins of every page feature some great trivia about Star Wars and MAD Magazine in general, and there are also a few pages of letters that George Lucas wrote to the magazine. I'm so glad Lucas was a huge MAD fan and even called-off his lawyers when they tried to attack without his knowledge! I would definitely recommend this great collection to Star Wars and MAD fans alike!
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| Star PEZ | |
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12.06.2007
6:41 PM | Link0 comments |
 One of the segments in my Christmas video project this year was a little spoof of classic Star Wars scenes acted out by PEZ dispensers! I love Star Wars (of course), and I have so many PEZ actors waiting to perform, so it was really easy to make. Since not all of the characters I needed are available as PEZ, I had to use a few stand-ins. Where else can you see Fred Flintstone as Han Solo or Santa Claus as Obi-Wan Kenobi? My favorite sequence to shoot was the cantina scene, since I could have gone all day picking out weird looking PEZ creatures from my collection! I also had fun printing out various backgrounds to shoot against. Watch for the thrilling lightsaber duel (and please ignore when my hand creeps into the frame)! Enjoy! Watch video: Star PEZ
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| Duel of the Tributes | |
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9.26.2007
8:08 AM | Link0 comments |
 Last night I watched Family Guy's incredible hour-long retelling of Star Wars, which was a total blast! I think it's so cool that they took the time to actually re-create the entire plot of A New Hope, even duplicating several shots exactly with identical soundtrack cues! There were some hilarious moments - Stewie as Vader was brilliant, and I totally cracked up to see Meg's only role as the dianoga in the trash compactor. The John Williams/Danny Elfman gag was awesome, and I enjoyed hearing them play on classic lines that all fans know (Peter's "Don't get penis-y" as Han Solo was one of the best). But overall, I wish I had laughed more. I think the animators were so psyched to have a big budget to spend on 3D modeling for ships, and so excited about duplicating original shots from the film, that often long segments just play out exactly like the film (such as the Death Star battle, which has tons of special effects, but very few jokes!). Actually, one of my favorite scenes isn't even part of the Star Wars retelling - it's at the end when Seth MacFarlane (as Peter) and Seth Green (as Chris) start arguing about Robot Chicken's recent Star Wars special! MacFarlane is the creator of Family Guy, but also does voice work for Robot Chicken, while Seth Green is one of the creators of Robot Chicken, but does voice work for Family Guy! It was a totally cool inside joke - I love that stuff! Now that I've mentioned Robot Chicken, I have to say that their Star Wars tribute was actually much, much funnier (though less ambitious than a total retelling). I will never stop laughing about Admiral Ackbar's breakfast cereal, the Force-ghost of Jar Jar, or Luke hanging out at Toshi Station to pick up those hot "power converters"! I wish every year were the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, because all of the TV specials, books and articles, and limited merchandise this year is truly a geek's dream.Labels: star wars |
| Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination | |
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8.22.2007
6:59 AM | Link0 comments |
 This weekend my pal Chris and I drove to Fort Worth to see Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. This is a traveling exhibit of original Star Wars models, props and costumes, presented along with kid-friendly activities to learn about the possible science behind all the Star Wars technology. I knew the exhibit would be cool, since I heard they had the original full-size landspeeder and a Yoda puppet on display, but I was completely amazed by how incredible the exhibit was! There were several rooms, each packed with fantastic treasures of Star Wars history, and I simply went crazy to see it all right in front of me. I was especially excited about the rebel blockade runner (the Tantive IV) from A New Hope, since that's the first ship ever seen in a Star Wars film. The model was huge and detailed - it's incredible that it's been preserved so well for 30 years! I also really got excited about various hand-held props, such as Han's portable scanner on Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back, because they are burned so well into my memory that it was awesome to study them up close. The three piece Darth Vader helmet from the end of Return of the Sith was beautiful in person, and I was even impressed by Leia's costume from A New Hope, just because it still exists (all of the items from A New Hope were my favorites, since I instantly felt 10 years old again). Of course, there was so much more, including a massive Millennium Falcon, plenty of lightsabers and blasters, and even Luke's training remote. It was definitely worth the drive to Fort Worth (and thanks to Chris for driving!), so if you get a chance to see this exhibit, don't miss it! View photos: Star Wars Exhibit
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| Ralph McQuarrie concept figures | |
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8.11.2007
7:03 AM | Link0 comments |
 Even though I'm proud that I still have all of my original Star Wars figures, I pretty much stopped collecting them soon after Return of the Jedi was released (although I bought a couple more for fun while I was excited about Revenge of the Sith). But when I heard about the special 30th anniversary Ralph McQuarrie concept designs, I was really intrigued! I used to have this incredible portfolio of Ralph McQuarrie concept paintings way back in 1977, and even though my 10-year-old brain had no idea why everything looked so different, I still spent hours admiring them, so I've had an appreciation for these concept designs for a long time! I decided to buy the concept C-3PO and R2-D2 set that was available at Celebration, but then I quickly realized there were going to be a lot more of these figures, and now I've been trapped into a new collection! Since all of these include a special collector's coin and interesting packaging, I'm actually not going to open them (I definitely want to rip them open to take better photos, but I'm holding back this time!). So far I have the concept droids, Luke (with his gas mask!), Stormtrooper (with lightsaber and shield!), Chewbacca (definitely scary), Boba Fett, plus the Obi-Wan and Yoda set. These figures are pretty limited, so some places are charging up to $35 bucks just to pre-order these guys! I just have to keep my eyes open and stay lucky to keep this collection going. I have to admit it's fun to have something new to track down! View photos: Ralph McQuarrie concept figures
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| Chewie's autograph | |
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8.05.2007
10:51 AM | Link0 comments |
 This week I was talking about Star Wars with my pal Ryan (as we often do) and marveling over the actual Chewbacca head that went up for auction this weekend starting at $80,000, and it made me remember meeting Peter Mayhew at A-Kon last year. He was a really nice guy and was willing to talk for a couple minutes even though there was a line of fans waiting. I realized that even though I got his autograph, I never scanned it to share with everyone, so I dug it out of my souvenir bin yesterday (I knew right where it was thanks to all of my organizing!). And so, here you go (click the image for the large Flickr version)! It may not be a valuable movie prop, but it's still a fun piece of my Star Wars collection.Labels: star wars |
| Rainy holiday | |
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7.04.2007
2:02 PM | Link0 comments |
 Happy 4th of July! I'm enjoying this rainy day off with lots of studying, de-cluttering my bathroom and washroom cabinets (if anyone needs some anti-itch cream that expired in 2004, let me know!), shooting a few toy photos, and taking breaks to watch anime. Tomorrow I'm off to Oklahoma City for a short vacation with Mom & Dad, but I think I'll still make a few WEBmikey posts, so stay tuned.I've finally took some shots of my finished LEGO Y-Wing fighter, which I built while watching Episode 4 (and drinking beer) as my own little Star Wars 30th anniversary celebration. The Y-Wing design is really cool, and it actually took just about the exact length of the movie to complete! View photos: LEGO Y-WingLabels: decluttering, lego, life, star wars |
| More Star Wars geeking | |
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6.03.2007
7:11 AM | Link0 comments |
 This week I decided to have a little more Star Wars fun by checking out Star Wars: Revelations, without a doubt the biggest production fan film ever made. I had seen most of the movie before in pieces, but after hearing more about in the George and Me documentary, I decided to download it and enjoy it all. The movie is completely free (they can't charge since it's based on Lucasfilm properties), and now they even have complete DVD images with amazing menus, which makes it a breeze to enjoy the film on your TV. There's a lot to like about this movie, and of course plenty to cringe at, but you can't ignore the truly amazing special effects! I love the fact that so many people put so many hours into something purely for the sake of fandom, with no compensation at all.I also was pretty psyched to see the first trailer for the upcoming Lucasfilm animated TV series, The Clone Wars! The 3D-ization of the original Cartoon Network character designs looks a little strange to me, but the space battle sequences look perfect, and I'm sure the whole production will only look more amazing when it finally airs. I'm also excited that Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination is coming to Fort Worth - this cool exhibit has been traveling for quite a while, and now I'll finally get to see it, since some of my pals and I are planning a trip in the coming months. |
| A long time ago... | |
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5.26.2007
6:42 AM | Link0 comments |
 Yesterday was the official 30th anniversary of Star Wars! It's amazing to think that the original movie classic was released on May 25th, 1977, and like countless other 10 year olds (and every other age!), it's been a huge part of my life since then. So, I thought I would take a moment to share the beginnings of my Star Wars fandom.When I was in grade school, Dad used to surprise me often by coming home from work with a few new comic books for me, which I used to take to school and read at recess and share with my friends. One day he gave me the first issue of the classic Marvel Comics adaptation of the film, which came out before I had even seen a trailer in the theater. I didn't even know it was going to be a movie, but I loved the comic! One day at school someone told me it was going to be a movie, and I couldn't believe it! Soon after that, I found the novel adaptation and bought it (probably around April 1977), and read it every day until the movie was out. I think I only got about a third of the way through the book before seeing the movie, but I remember I had a clear idea in my head of how scary Darth Vader would be! I'm not sure of the date that I saw the movie for the first time - it wasn't opening day, but I didn't have to wait too long. My parents took me to see it at this giant domed theater, which made me anxious since the last movie I had seen there was Jaws, which gave me a million sleepless nights! It was a little scary just going to that theater again, but Star Wars overcame that previous traumatic movie experience by filling me with sheer wonder and excitement! I can vividly remember the opening theme and seeing the title blast into the distant star field, but my strongest memory is my first look at the "real" Darth Vader, when he boards the Tantive IV after the Stormtrooper gunfight. I can remember hearing his breathing for the first time, and when he marches towards the camera I remember focusing on the details on his costume and actually thinking to myself, "I'm going to see this over and over again!" Of course, all of my friends became fans around the same time, and we saw it again whenever we could. My pal Mark Kempton's dad would take us to see it practically anytime we asked, so I must have seen it at least 10 more times with him, and still more times with my other pals! I started collecting things right away (I think my first items were a wall calendar and the Kenner board game!), and soon I got The Story of Star Wars, which was a book and record set containing most of the dialogue of the movie (condensed into about an hour). I listened to that so many times that I quickly memorized the entire film, which has become one of my secret talents to this day. I'm so happy to have been a Star Wars kid! I think being the right age at the right time made my childhood even more magical and exciting, and 1977 will always stand out for me as one of the coolest years ever. So, I'll chime in with the millions of other blogs and thank George Lucas for making it all happen! I could go on and on about how my fandom has continued to evolve, but instead I'm going to celebrate today by watching Episode IV: A New Hope and building a LEGO Y-Wing fighter! |
| George and Me : 3 of 5 | |
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5.04.2007
7:40 AM | Link0 comments |
 I heard about this DVD on several Star Wars fan sites, and since they recently started selling it online for a cheap price (due to the upcoming 30th anniversary of Star Wars), I decided to check it out. Sky Wilson is a kind of web celebrity in the UK who has made several internet video projects about Star Wars fan films. For this new documentary, she decided to look at fandom in general, and so she travels around in both the US and the UK interviewing lots of fans, most of whom are pretty interesting. Of course, she covers Celebration (the huge yearly convention), but I would have loved to see more footage of the show itself, rather than only interviews. Sticking to her fan film roots, there's a long segment on Revelations, one of the best and most professional fan films ever made, which was really fascinating. There's also a nice overview of the 501st Legion, the huge group of costume enthusiasts (mainly Stormtroopers) with over 3,000 members worldwide. Overall, this documentary is really well made, with slick production values, transitional music and effects, and definitely stands above most independent documentary films of this kind. It was fun to watch and enjoy fandom from different perspectives, and I loved the positive view of everyone's obsession! Now if only the title had been better - George and Me is a catchy name, but it really doesn't fit the movie at all!
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| Old-school Star Wars | |
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12.13.2006
10:27 PM | Link0 comments |
 I finally watched the recent theatrical-cut releases of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back (and I'll check out Return of the Jedi soon). It had been a long time since I had watched Episode IV all the way through, and it really gave me a nice nostalgic feeling! It was cool to see the non-Special Editions, with everything the way I remembered it from all the times I saw it at the theater back when all I could think about was when the next Kenner figure was coming out. It definitely made me think that Lucas just went a little crazy with the prequels in the CG special effects department. As much as I like Episodes I-III, I would much rather watch "imperfect" miniatures than "perfect" CG models. The whole revolution of Star Wars was partly because everything looked homemade, and using CG in every single shot just ruins that feel. I also realized that the transition from Episode III to Episode IV is a little shaky, mainly when I think about Obi-Wan's reactions to meeting Luke and the droids on Tatooine. The audience has to believe that Obi-Wan is faking the whole thing, because he's got to know who Artoo and Threepio are. Anyway, I don't mind so much, but this was the first time I thought about it!Labels: star wars |
| LEGO bounty hunter | |
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11.02.2006
10:40 PM | Link0 comments |
 My new LEGO love is still going strong, so it's about time that I posted these long overdue photos of my third project, Boba Fett's Slave One ship. This is a fantastic set, since the design of the ship itself is so fascinating, which means there are tons of cool custom LEGO parts to put together. They really went all out with features, too, since there are great hidden missiles and a kind of rubber-tipped dart that actually fires, too! The Minifigs are cool, especially IG-88, who is made of non-Minifig parts. This is a really solid ship, too, so when you pick it up to watch the wings swing into position you don't have to worry about it falling apart (unlike the Star Destroyer, which is extremely fragile). In other LEGO news, I recently built the incredible Batmobile, which may have been my favorite set to date (so you'll have to wait for photos of that one)! I have no idea what set I should buy next, but I think I better figure out where to put these in my house first! View photos: LEGO Slave One
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| LEGO Empire | |
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9.27.2006
10:55 PM | Link0 comments |
 I finally got around to taking some macro shots of my LEGO Star Destroyer, so now you can take a look at the building experience! I just put my camera in one position and took a picture after I finished each major assembly, so the photos aren't that exciting, but you can see how it went together anyway. It was totally amazing to build something so big with that many pieces (over 1,300), and once again, I was really impressed with the engineering (although the Star Destroyer is much more fraglie than the X-Wing, mainly because it's hollow). After the building shots are some nice "studio" shots - the Minifigs are especially cool this time (but then again, Stormtrooper armor is always cool!). My next project is going to be Boba Fett's Slave One, which is only around 600 pieces, but I'm looking forward to seeing how the rotating wings work! View photos: LEGO Star Destroyer
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| Mikey's happy day | |
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9.02.2006
9:44 PM | Link0 comments |
 Friday was the first day-off I've had without a real purpose in a long time - maybe the first ever! I had such a great time just enjoying myself that I have to share what I did. It may not sound that exciting, but it was amazing to me. I got up early and went out to buy bagels (which I love, but hardly ever eat), then came home and made coffee and watched The Tigger Movie during breakfast. Then I played a little DDR and went out for a haircut, which turned out nicely. Next I dropped off two of my pipes at Pipe World for a tune-up, then went to the mall to just wander around, browsing video games and other stuff. Next I saw The Illusionist at the mall theater (seeing a movie during the day was so cool), so I had popcorn for lunch. After that I went to Toys R Us and checked out every aisle, taking my time - it was great to have no time limit for anything! For no reason at all, I thought it would be cool to build a Star Wars LEGO set, so I bought a fantastic X-Wing fighter (437 pieces!), and came home and spent a couple hours leisurely building it and drinking beer. Building LEGO was incredible - I had forgotten how much fun it is! It's cool to start out not even knowing what section you're working on, just following the well-designed instructions. I was really impressed with the end result, too - it even has landing gear and wings that go into attack position! Finally, I watched Whisper of the Heart (a completely amazing Studio Ghibli anime) and finished the bagels for dinner, and finally went to bed thinking I have three more days off to enjoy! View photos: LEGO X-Wing
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| Star Wars / Clone Wars Vol 2 : 4 of 5 | |
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4.27.2006
11:25 PM | Link0 comments |
 This DVD has all the right things going for it, since I'm a Star Wars fan, a Genndy Tartakovsky fan, and already a fan of this show, after watching it all on Cartoon Network (and gushing over the first DVD of this series). Just like before, it was cool to watch all of the episodes back to back with only one set of opening titles and one set of credits at the end, since they really do become a great movie that adds so much to the Star Wars saga! The connections with the Lucas films are pretty amazing - of course, it felt great to see Revenge of the Sith on opening day, knowing why Grievous was coughing while everyone else was wondering. The commentary really stands out, since it shows what sincere Star Wars fans the animators are - they truly revere the Star Wars universe and wanted to create something "worthy", and they definitely succeeded (in spite of incredible deadlines, which they pushed to the limit - Episode 5 was delivered the day before it aired!). The use of CG in the ship models is really well done, and I love how the animators were able to push the Lucas designs with various modifications and paint jobs, such as the totally cool Tiger Shark face on the Arc Trooper transport! They also really scored with the Stormtrooper boarding party that jets between ships in space - these guys are full of fantastic ideas. In my opinion, the Clone Wars series is definitely part of the "blessed" continuum, so if you haven't bought these DVDs, you know what to do. (And yes, I bought and watched this a long time ago - I'm just way behind on reviewing things!)
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| Happy holidays from Chewie | |
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3.23.2006
5:31 PM | Link0 comments |
 I can still remember watching the Star Wars Holiday Special when it originally aired in 1978. Now it's hard to believe it was ever made, but back then it was so exciting to see some "new" Star Wars action only a year after the craze began! Since that time I've seen several clips here and there, but never the whole show, since Lucas has vowed to pretend it never existed. Well, recently I caved in and ordered a great bootleg DVD of the show, and watching it was like a geek time-machine! The storyline is so stupid, of course - the idea of Chewbacca having a wife and son (plus his father) at home is silly, but it's fun watching all these wookiees grunting at each other for long periods with no subtitles. The guest stars are really dated (folks like Harvey Korman and Bea Arthur), and the way they use clips from the original movie with newly dubbed voices is pretty funny. The Boba Fett animation is much longer than I remember, so it was cool to see that again, and who could ever get tired of watching Princess Leia sing lyrics to the John Williams' main title score? The DVD also included over 50 Kenner toy commercials! They were so much cheesier than I remember, but my heart still jumps to see those cool Star Wars toys. This show is never going to be available as an "official" DVD, so if you haven't seen this masterpiece in a while, just go ahead and buy one of the many fine bootlegs available all over the web - Lumpy will be glad you did!
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| Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith : 5 of 5 | |
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11.08.2005
10:23 PM | Link0 comments |
 Waiting for a Star Wars DVD is almost as fun as waiting for the movie release itself, since the bonus material is always so cool! I pre-ordered this DVD from Wal-Mart, just because they included an exclusive extra DVD (which turned out to be C-3PO narrating clips from the other five films), and it showed up it in my mailbox right on time. I love to watch deleted scenes, and they are pretty good here (though Lucas cheated a little by not completely finishing the effects on the best one!) - it's cool to see the first meetings of what would become the Rebel Alliance! The documentary features are actually way better than the deleted scenes. The major feature, Within a Minute, focuses on a single scene in the film (during the Mustafar battle) and dives into every single department that made the scene possible - even the catering department! It's really a fascinating documentary - it's cool to see George approving and nixing things at all the various meetings. I had no idea that some of the lava was actually filmed when Mt. Etna was erupting in Italy! I also really liked the web documentaries (since I hadn't seen any of them), since it's fun to watch bite-size segments of info. The biggest revelation for me is that Wedge (Red Two, of course) is Ewan McGregor's uncle! Of course, the movie itself is great to see, though I miss the big screen feel (it makes my 32-inch TV seem so tiny). By the way, you've got to see the hidden dancing Yoda clip! I definitely don't need to tell you to buy this DVD, because you probably already have!
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| The Last of the Jedi Vol 1 / Jude Watson : 3 of 5 | |
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7.28.2005
6:04 PM | Link0 comments |
 The best news a Star Wars Scholastic book junkie like me could hear is that Jude Watson, author of the amazing Jedi Apprentice and Jedi Quest series, is starting a new set of stories! The Last of the Jedi series follows Obi-Wan during his early days on Tatooine, picking up just a few months after Revenge of the Sith. It's a fantastic idea for a series, and Jude Watson's definitely up to the challenge. We read about Obi-Wan making his little home, and sneaking out in the early evening to the Lars homestead to watch baby Luke crawl around with Aunt Beru in the pit. Obi-Wan is so dedicated, yet so sad, trying to be true to his mission to watch over Luke and not break down over his loss of Anakin. We also get a little Qui-Gon dialog, since Obi-Wan is supposed to receive training from his "Force spirit" as Yoda instructed. The plot of the story actually takes Obi-Wan away from Tatooine for a bit (he hires a ship at the Mos Eisley cantina, of course!), because it turns out that Anakin's rival Ferus (from the Jedi Quest books) is still alive, since he left the Jedi Order while still a Padawan. Ferus is starting his own little rebellion, and Obi-Wan helps him out of a tight spot - it's really cool to see a small master/apprentice relationship again as Ferus reconnects to the Force! This is a great start to the series, and I hope they can come up with enough ideas to keep it going a long time!
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| Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith / Original Soundtrack : 4 of 5 | |
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7.06.2005
8:59 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm a big fan of the Star Wars soundtracks, and I hear pieces of them all the time popping up on iTunes, but I haven't bought any of the prequel CDs until now (actually, I've had this CD for months, but I'm just now reviewing it!). The main reason I had to own this CD is that it comes with a bonus DVD (at no extra cost!) filled with clips from all the Star Wars movies set to various sections of all six soundtracks, kind of like music videos. The DVD is really wonderful - each segment is introduced by Ian McDiarmid, and moves through the whole saga from beginning to end. It was really cool to see several clips from Revenge of the Sith before it hit the theaters, too! The actual soundtrack CD is great - I love the opening action music after the main title. The huge set-piece, Battle of the Heroes, isn't quite as good as Duel of the Fates from The Phantom Menace, but it's still majestic, exciting, and full of that feeling of destiny. I love it when Williams brings back familiar themes from the other films, such as quoting Princess Leia's Theme during her birth, and of course the Imperial March at just the right moments. Some of the tracks are quite brooding, orchestrated by strings or deep organ and eerie choir sounds, which is quite a departure from the typical Williams sound, but it definitely works on pieces like Palpatine's Teachings and Padme's Ruminations. Overall, this is a great score to a fantastic film, and writing this makes me want to go see it again!
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| Secrets of the Jedi / Jude Watson : 4 of 5 | |
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6.17.2005
6:22 PM | Link0 comments |
 I've said it before and I'll say it again - Jude Watson really understands the Star Wars universe and its characters, and tells simply incredible stories! After finishing the Jedi Quest series (starring Obi-Wan and young Anakin), this novel came out as a special book before starting the new Last of the Jedi series (which I can't wait to get into). It's similar to Legacy of the Jedi in the way it follows several generations and weaves a single thread through a long timeframe. This time the topic is forbidden Jedi love! It begins with some of the heartache Qui-Gon feels after the death of Tahl (which was told in the Jedi Apprentice series), and then surprisingly moves to Obi-Wan's relationship with Siri, who had always been kind of a rival character in his youth. They make the right decision and push away their love for the sake of the Jedi, which stands in stark contrast to Anakin's secret wedding with Padme! The third part of the book involves Anakin and Padme, of course, and it's fun to see them in other Clone Wars action. The long action plot that pulls all of this together is pretty interesting, but truthfully it's the Jedi character interaction that makes this story so cool. Please ignore the fact that these are Scholastic kiddie books and just read them all!
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