YOUR letters
And it came to pass that you saw and reacted to The Force Awakens.
James Metherell, Facebook I fell in love with the original movies at the age of six. The Force Awakens made me feel like that child again.
Ross Warren, Facebook I’ve seen it four times so far and it’s everything I’d hoped for. It feels like Star Wars, introduces strong new characters and leaves it open to go in very exciting directions in parts VIII and IX.
Jimithyh, GamesRadar+ I’ve been wondering for years if and when Star Wars will be remade. It was with The Force Awakens.
Mark Howe, Facebook This was a set- up movie to pass the torch to the new generation. It’s not out there to reinvent the wheel, but to remind the world how great the originals were.
James Kinsley, email So, it starts with some secret plans ( sorry, a map) being hidden in a droid and smuggled to the Rebellion ( sorry, Resistance), has a father/ son “revelation” in the middle part, and ends with Han
Solo sneaking into and blowing up a shield generator so some X- wings can blow up a planet- sized laser gun. Don’t get me wrong, as a greatest hits package, it’s SENSATIONAL but I hope they’ve something new up their sleeves for Episode VIII…
Heyzeus7, GamesRadar+ It was definitely Star Wars, and it definitely featured JJ Abrams’ strengths as a filmmaker: relentless pacing, thrilling action, deft character development and emotional pay- offs. It also, however, highlighted JJ’s weaknesses as a filmmaker: plot holes the size of the ( old!) Death Star and smooth repackaging without really introducing anything innovative. SFX Now that Star Wars is well and truly back, I’m expecting Episode VIII to be something very different. What’s the point of hiring the brilliant Rian “Looper” Johnson to write and direct it if you’re just going to make a retread of an old movie?
Liam Curry, Facebook People are so happy to be back in the galaxy far, far away that they’re oblivious to the movie’s shortcomings.
Iain James Wilks, Facebook Really underwhelmed by the whole thing. Too many trailers left very few surprises.
Russell Smith, email I think the level of violence has increased to a level such that the film can
I hope they’ve something new up their sleeves for Episode VIII
no longer be considered to be family- friendly. It is one thing Stormtroopers being felled by lasers as in the original trilogy but quite another having blood splatters and extended scenes of torture. As with the James Bond films, each producer feels that moving forward requires more violence, horror and shock. It saddens me that “family- friendly” franchises are being drawn away from families. How long will it be before a Star Wars film gets a 15 rating? SFX I don’t think a Star Wars movie will ever get a 15, but the 12A ( and the PG- 13 in the US) has definitely given blockbuster filmmakers carte blanche to up the violence without risking box office. Perhaps they should think about toning it down at times.
Neil Tex Hickman, Facebook As good as it was to see them, the older characters kind of got in the way for me. I wanted to see more Finn, Poe Dameron and Rey.
Jonathan Mock, Facebook Way too much Mark Hamill in it. SFX What do you expect for second billing in the credits?
# SUPERNATURAL SELECTION
Ann Kenney, email Let me start off by saying how much I like Jayne Nelson; she is an ace writer who loves the same sort of things that I do. That includes the best television programme of all time, Supernatural.
However in this month’s Viewscreen [ SFX 269] Jayne has clearly gone a bit bonkers by stating that Rowena is one of the best female characters ever to appear in the show. The best? I believe that she meant the worst! She’s like a pantomime villain – I can’t be the only one who feels like shouting, “She’s behind you!” every time she appears.
I have never known such a hammy performance, all massive gestures and cod Scottish accent – and Ruth Connell is Scottish which is even more disturbing. I’m never sure if it is the actress’s fault or the directors’ but Rowena has brought down the tone of the programme and managed to spoil – what is it? – 13 episodes now. SFX Safe to assume you’re not a fan, then?
# ONE STEP BEYOND
Harold Okafor- Withers, email It has got to be a thankless task bringing out a trailer for your new movie in the month that Star Wars stole, but Star Trek Beyond’s teaser had me with its opening salvo. The Beastie Boys are an awesome choice to score the first trailer for a Trek movie because they’re so unexpected, a statement of intent that this is gonna be different. And blowing the crap out of that ugly JJ Enterprise? Good riddance. I’m hoping any future redesign will be something more aligned with the classic lines of The Motion Picture version, while still delivering something new and unique.
With the Enterprise gone the crew will have to fend for themselves, so it looks like this entry in the series is definitely going to shake things up a bit. SFX After most of the internet – and even Simon Pegg – were critical of the trailer, Paramount will be delighted it’s struck a chord with someone! ( I’m optimistic the movie’s going to be ace too.)
# LIFE AFTER DEATH
Alan Dombrow, email I will be sorry to see Clara go. I think Jenna Coleman is amazing. I might even stop watching now with Clara gone but time will tell. She brought convincing, spirited energy to the show – bright, beautiful, knowing and with a
I might even stop watching Who with Clara gone
terrific twinkle in her eye. She could have her own show – the last Who episode looked like a two- female spin- off is possible, so I hope so! All the companions since the reboot have been great, and the next one, plus the writing, might determine if I keep watching – not that advertisers and programme- makers care about my age group ( I’m 71), even though we have the money! SFX Will Clara be back? That probably depends on how well Jenna Coleman’s new Queen Victoria drama does for ITV.
Neil Alsop, email I’ve just caught up with Doctor Who season- closer “Hell Bent”.
To be polite, at best it was a tedious bottle episode. To be less than polite, it was a complete and utter load of old bollocks. The gratuitous resurrection of Clara came as no surprise and neither did the poor old General having the polarity of his neutron flow reversed – though the appearance of Ashildr as the last human immortal at the end of time did spark a little interest.
Time for Steven Moffat to move on, I think, before he drags a once- great series down even further and it gets cancelled again, this time perhaps permanently. SFX Woah there, Neil! I think the chances of Doctor Who getting cancelled are tiny – especially when you think of the vast amounts of money the Beeb makes from the show. And let’s not forget, Moffat’s sublime “Heaven Sent” aired just a week before “Hell Bent”.
# MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENT Pradeep Batura, email Your Massive 2016 Preview was a big let- down. Only 10 films to look forward to in 2016? I am sure there must be many other films in sci- fi and fantasy genres too which many people would pay for. You could have easily given more coverage instead of wasting so many pages on The X- Files and Agent Carter features. After all, the 2016 Preview was billed as massive by you. Moreover, I certainly did not want to see The X- Files on the cover of a preview special. In this manner, the disappointments began with the cover itself. SFX What have you got against The X- Files?! Like you we’re looking forward to loads more than 10 movies this year – but we did say the ones we listed were the 10 ESSENTIAL ones. And yep, with 40 movies/ TV shows/ books/ comics previewed across 26 pages, we do think it qualifies as massive.
# WE ALSO HEARD FROM Aron Masters, email I really want there to be a ThunderCats live- action movie. Since the brilliant ThunderCats cartoon was cancelled, I’ve really wanted to see more – it had a wicked storyline and wicked characters, and would make for an excellent live- action origins story movie. SFX Given Hollywood’s love of resurrecting old franchises, I’m sure it’s just a matter of time...
Mike Garner, email Haven has had some stupid powers during its run but season five’s 22nd episode has the strangest. A hole filling- in power? It can be seen at the end of the episode when Dave is attacking clocks with a golf club. It can’t be bad continuity, can it? SFX At last, a superpower with practical everyday applications! We’re still waiting for the Tipp- X- Men who eliminate mistakes. ( Sorry.)
Keith Tudor, email I really enjoyed your 50 years of Star Trek feature and timeline in your latest issue [ SFX 270]. However, in the timeline for 1993 when you list the start date for Deep Space Nine with the pilot episode “Emissary”, you have included a picture of Worf and K’Ehleyr from The Next Generation season two episode, entitled “The Emissary”. Apologies for being a pedant.
SFX Oops. Hopefully this picture will make amends.
Andy B, email SFX 269… BEST ISSUE EVER! Not only did you heed my sage advice from issue 266 and adorn the front cover with the ever- delightful Gillian Anderson, but I also scored more than seven points on Blastermind for the first time ever. RESULT! SFX How did you get on with our “Art And Artists” quiz on p129?