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Neal Stephenson on Star Wars in the NYT

Posted by Zonk on from the best-of-all-worlds dept.

SnapShot writes "Neal Stephenson has an editorial in the New York Times about the difference between the old Star Wars and the new Star Wars, and the difference between geeking out and vegging out. Oh, and computer scientists and engineers are the Jedi of the U.S." From the article: "Likewise, many have been underwhelmed by the performance of Hayden Christensen, who plays Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Only if you've seen the "Clone Wars" cartoons will you understand that Anakin is a seriously damaged veteran, a poster child for post-traumatic stress disorder. But since none of that background is actually supplied by the Episode III script, Mr. Christensen has been given an impossible acting task. He's trying to swim in air."

8 of 679 comments (clear)

  1. Difference between old and new Star Wars by artemis67 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Old one didn't suck.

    1. Re:Difference between old and new Star Wars by HAKdragon · · Score: 5, Funny

      That reminds me of a conversation my Calculus professor (a true geek who constantly makes references to Star Wars, Star Trek and the ocassional BTTF) had with one the students during class.

      Student: I got to see Episode 1 in HD the other night.
      Professor: That's cool. Did it still suck?

      --
      "Our opponent is an alien starship packed with atomic bombs. We have a protractor."
    2. Re:Difference between old and new Star Wars by 64nDh1 · · Score: 5, Funny
      Calculus geeks - always expecting everything to change over time.

      Unfortunately, SW prequel suckage is a universal constant.

    3. Re:Difference between old and new Star Wars by julesh · · Score: 3, Funny

      so, you're saying dsuck(swe_{i})/dt = 0 for all i, 1 = i = 3?

  2. Neal Stephenson?!! Two pages?!! by stand · · Score: 4, Funny

    Gees! It must of killed him to be limited to so few words.

    --
    Four fifths of all our troubles in this life would disappear if we would just sit down and keep still. -C. Coolidge
  3. Besides lack of Anakin backstory... by Jtheletter · · Score: 4, Funny
    It didn't help that Hayden and Natalie apparently practiced their scenes together by first using broomsticks to represent the other character. At least that's the only plausible explanation I could deduce when watching the two perform scenes together in Ep III. In other (non SW) films they seem to emote just fine, Ms. Portman especially, but for some reason - bad coaching, bad script, bad directing, all of the above? - they just didn't seem to connect at all in the new Star Wars.

    Here's a fun game to play the next time you watch the film: in every scene with just Padme and Anakin, add the word 'Broomstick' to the end of each line they say to one another, it makes the acting more believable!

    e.g. Anakin to Padme: "I will never let you die... broomstick." (Variations like 'Mr./Ms. Broomstick', 'my sweet broomstick', or 'you lovely 2-by-4' add depth and drama!)

    --
    -- I'm not a pessimist, I'm a realist. It's not my fault that life sucks so much. --
  4. Re:The Real Difference by cyngus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Because, miss the true point of the story, you do. Bringing balance to the force, this story is about. Anakin and Luke, but elements of this process are. Focus on the light side of the force, the films do. When the light side Anakin, leaves, focus of the story does he lose. Luke, then, the hopes of balance rest with, and so focus does he gain.

  5. I can't swim, sir! by FhnuZoag · · Score: 4, Funny
    Mr. Christensen has been given an impossible acting task. He's trying to swim in air.

    Yet somehow, he manages to drown.