The re-release of The Phantom Menace opens with that exhilarating blast of John Williams's famous theme, the Star Wars title zooming off into the distance in 3-D before the familiar text crawl creeps across the starry backdrop, revealing the words we've all been longing to see back on the big screen:
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Those were the days: "So much for the long-standing rumor that Obi-Wan would be played by Kenneth Branagh, or the latest gossip that Charlton Heston would sign on as another Jedi or perhaps even -- good Lord -- the young Yoda." [Moviefone]
There are instances when reviewing intentions would be so much easier than reviewing actual movies, and Red Tails, which was directed by first-timer Anthony Hemingway but conceived, shaped and willed into being by George Lucas, is one of them. Red Tails is – or is intended to be – a rousing comic-book adventure based loosely on real-life events: The picture follows a group of Tuskegee Airmen as they shoot down German fighter planes and blow munitions transport trains to smithereens. In between missions, they fight more personal battles, against insidious racism and bigotry.
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“I’m retiring,” Star Wars media emperor George Lucas recently told the NY Times, having toiled through today's difficult indie film climate to get his ambitious Red Tails into theaters. “I’m moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff.” Or, as Lucas producer Rick McCallum put it: “Once this is finished, he’s done everything he’s ever wanted to do. He will have completed his task as a man and a filmmaker.” Say it ain't so, George! Wait, what's that? It's not really the end? Oh, you tease.
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Via The Playlist, here's your chance to finally weigh in on seven minutes of the George Lucas-produced, Anthony Hemingway-directed Tuskegee Airmen biopic Red Tails. The film opens Jan. 20, but your jaw drops effective immediately.
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If Yoda shilling for cup noodles made your skin crawl and your soul cry “Nooooo,” get ready to feel the Force sell-out even harder, and weirder, with a recent spate of George Lucas-approved shameless Star Wars marketing tie-ins. First, there’s Darth Maul and Yoda stumping for Lipton iced tea. Embarrassing, but that’s nothing compared to the super disgusting idea of a Darth Vader-themed hamburger featuring black-dyed buns. Blech. These are not the burgers you’re looking for, at least not to eat.
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First, George Lucas loaned Yoda to a Japanese instant noodle company in need of a marketing face (and wisdom applicable to ramen). And now, in an even bigger burn to U.S. Star Wars fans, the franchise creator has shipped Chewbacca to the set of Glee for a one-episode arc. What is this world coming to?
"Believe in your own power, you must." Words of wisdom from Star Wars guru Yoda have finally found their true purpose: Instructing a nation of instant noodle-eaters to activate their inborn power... to boil water! Seriously. You thought Vader's "Nooooo!" was blasphemous? Where's your god now, nerds?
And now, allow Carrie Fisher to break up your busy work day by pointing out the differences between the epic film franchise in which she starred as Princess Leia, Star Wars, and the television sci-fi series Star Trek. "They're not in the same league. I mean, they have the word 'star' in the title. And there is space travel. Where do they go to? [...] Klingon? That sounds like a laundry detergent." Click here for the rest of Fisher's inspired diatribe which also touches on Star Wars merchandising, her Princess Leia metal bikini and Dick Cheney's penis, of course. [YouTube via EW ]
I've said it before: Next Movie's "Rappers Review Movies" video series is ingenious. The latest rhymer to play Ebert with Hollywood's new releases is NYC-based Immortal Technique, a lyricist who frequently uses his songs to draw attention to socio-economic and political disparities. Taking on Tarsem's Greek actioner Immortals, he drops some serious conscious commentary on even greater issues: Namely, how much Clash of the Titans and the next-gen Star Wars movies totally sucked. PREACH!
Steven Spielberg may have hated George Lucas's addition of aliens into Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls, but the much-loathed refrigerator scene? All him. "What people really jumped at was Indy climbing into a refrigerator and getting blown into the sky by an atom-bomb blast. Blame me. Don't blame George. That was my silly idea. People stopped saying 'jump the shark.' They now say, 'nuked the fridge.' I'm proud of that. I'm glad I was able to bring that into popular culture." See here, fellas: No one gets away clean. [Empire]
The crowded backdrops of Star Wars movies aren't just populated by Frank Oz puppets, interns, and robots in Rick Baker makeup: There are genuine stars (and famous directors) running around there! We've pinpointed nine folks who made cameos in Star Wars films, and I'm willing to bet you couldn't catch most of these players upon first viewing. Sofia Coppola is practically hiding.
· George Lucas has been disappointing Stars Wars fans and cast members for years now with his trilogy tweaks and his profit hoarding, but these crimes have never been captured in a hilariously simplistic Taiwanese animation video. Until now! Click through to enjoy news organization NMA's take on Lucas -- which includes the Star Wars creator power drilling Harrison Ford from behind, raping the childhood memories of his fans and cutting Carrie Fisher out of Princess Leia laxative profits -- and then, stick around for more Buzz Break!
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