So you remember that half-assed Star Wars: The Force Awakens “boycott” that the white supremacists tried to get going a couple of months ago?
Well, apparently it was a GIGANTIC SUCCESS. In some alternate universe. Probably.
Aren’t there like infinite universes or something? There’s probably an alternate universe somewhere where we’re all giant land-squids, and in that universe every single giant land squid decided to spend the day playing Jarts instead of going to Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Oh, also in that universe Jarts are still legal.
Meanwhile, in this universe, where very few of us are giant land-squids, the Star Wars boycott kind of flopped big time.
Making this dude very, very sad, we imagine.
Oh , I thought this article would be about said racists actually claiming that their boycott was successful and there would be lots of hilarious screen shots of twitter posts explaining why it was successful.
I’m sort of disappointed.
I also would like nominate that this thread become a spoiler free zone for those of us who haven’t seen the “The force awakens” yet
Star Wars never did anything for me, even as a 13-year-old in 1977. But if it pisses off the racist MRA douche-bags, count me in as a fan-boy!
Tell me more about this alternate universe with legal jarts! And more importantly, fill me in on the legal status of jorts in that universe. If THEY are illegal, I’m ready to pack my bags!
You know, assuming that the land-squids really were skipping the movie out of a love for jarts and NOT because of this asinine “boycott.”
@Fabe
Me too.
I’ve seen it twice so far. And, having done so, can confidently predict we will hear yet more whining from the people previously objecting to John Boyega and Daisy Ridley. Oh yes, indeedy!
#LovedIt
#SeeingItAgain
#YesIKnowThisBlogDoesntUseHashtags
I also want to suggest Star Wars spoilers as the obvious successor to this little bit of genius:
https://www.wehuntedthemammoth.com/2014/02/15/breaking-boner-how-a-dick-pic-receiver-got-her-revenge/
This was the success The Sarkeesian Effect was supposed to have, I presume, with Jordan and Davis visting all the fancy TV shows.
Where are they now?
There’s a field of physics called Statistical Mechanics which, amongst other things, helps us understand what other universes must be like. I looked at the equations of Stat Mech in order to work out what sort of universe would have the boycott be entirely effective.
That’s the first time in my life that I ever saw maths physically curl up and whimper. I don’t mean it figuratively: I mean that the ink on the paper actually got up and formed itself into an anthropomorphic little person and hugged its knees whilst rocking back and forth, muttering to itself something about “President Jar-Jar” and “punished for thoughtcrime.”
So now we know.
(I seem to be talking about science a lot today and it’s not even 8am.)
The movie should be boycotted, but only because it’s very mediocre. Not because of any kind of imaginary misandry.
Awww bless Walter, are you a Star Wars Scrooge? Boba Humbug.
I’m not a film buff, and I think Star Wars is overrated, but this latest offering provides a very similar excitement level to the original first movie, and almost (not quite) washed away the disappointment of those middle prequel films. So much of those prequel films I wanted to just tear my eyes out. In that dreary awful episode 1 which opens with a trade dispute with racist tropes, I thought to myself – I would rather read the (no doubt six inch thick) trade agreement than watch the rest of this film.
I took my son yesterday and he loved it. He’s about the same age now as I was when Star Wars first came out.
I’m not gonna offer any spoilers… but I will say this:
John Boyega’s character didn’t need to be black, but didn’t need to be white or indeed any particular ethnicity. He did a good job. He was very enjoyable to watch. There are a few things I have some quibbles with character wise, but I don’t feel I can go into that without spoiling – anyway, those are nothing to do with his skin colour. But I can see why white supremacists will be upset by his character and its central place in the film. Knowing they were already upset and likely to be more upset once they see it or read about it added an additional enjoyable layer to this film for me.
Daisy Ridley’s character occupied a space in the plot which would have been often occupied by a male character. She was skilled and resourceful, but suffered from youth and inexperience (as was right for plot and character). +1 to the enjoyment factor knowing misogynists wouldn’t like the way her character developed.
A big Nelson Muntz ha ha to the haters.
I won’t spoil anything in the movie. I’ll just say that despite the fact that I had a few issues with specific plot points and the character development (or lack thereof) of one of the major characters, I thought the movie overall was a whole lot of fun.
After sitting through the slog of the prequels, it was nice to have a Star Wars movie where I liked the characters and cared about what happened to them again.
Lucas for all his flaws has a vision and ambition that JJ Abrams and the studio heads at Disney lack. The prequels were very lacking, but they came from the vision of one person and I can respect that more than soulless merchandise machine made by commitee.
Lucas forever, Disney NEVER!
Are you a fan of auteur theory then, Walter?
@ Walter
With the original film though George Lucas did take lots of advice from his friends and colleagues. The problem with the prequels is that there wasn’t anyone in a position to say “George, are you sure about that?”
@ EJ
Ha, I was going to use that term but you know that situation where you can’t even get close enough to a word for the spell checker to take over? 🙂
“I can respect that more than soulless merchandise machine made by commitee.”
Because the prequels were not merchandise-driven at all, apparently.
“Because the prequels were not merchandise-driven at all, apparently.”
Yeah, like that one character (Jar Jar Binks) that was more blatantly made to appeal to young children (and was backed up by copious amounts of merchandise than anything in the OT.
Some of the criticisms I’ve seen leveled at TFA are completely unfair like this, and are over things that are almost complete non-issues. I’ve seen people get really up in arms over slight nods like the hologram game and Luke’s training ball making brief appearances (things which are actually really mild and tastefully done) on the Millenium Falcon when the PT had things like an army of Boba Fetts.
http://www.duffelblog.com/2015/12/isis-star-wars-spoiler-every-message/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=Duffel%20Blog&utm_content=ISIS%20Secures%20Comms%20By%20Putting%20'*Star%20Wars%20Spoiler*'%20Before%20Every%20Message
JARTS! Hell, yeah!
That’s all I’ve got. Haven’t seen the new SW yet.
Walter, it’s statistically likely that at least one member of that “committee” has a bigger dick than you. Your argument is invalid.
These dudes must play Jarts in jorts. No wonder the ladies are always cuckin’ ’em. Go Your Own Damn Way Already, dudes! You won’t be missed, and you’ll be a whole lot happier! (Or at least WE will be, when we no longer have to hear you whine.)
Meanwhile, for those who claim there’s no room for black, Latin@, or whatever in the Star Wars universe: People, there is room for actual, non-human ALIENS in there. Humans of non-white complexion are not only acceptable, they are to be expected. Also, LANDO CALRISSIAN. Your argument was invalid way back in the early ’80s, already.
What’s a Jart?
God, the Star Wars boycott. Did these white supremacists really think that they’d be able to affect sales in any way? If so, there’s another ridiculous ‘belief’ added to the wretched hive of scum and villainy that is their collective minds. These people (I know this doesn’t actually need to be pointed out) were never fans of Star Wars and never will be- I mean, some Star Wars ‘fans’ are pretty horrible, but nowhere near to the extent that these guys are.
@ Walter
“Lucas for all his flaws has a vision and ambition that JJ Abrams and the studio heads at Disney lack. The prequels were very lacking, but they came from the vision of one person and I can respect that more than soulless merchandise machine made by committee. Lucas forever, Disney NEVER!”
Both George Lucas and Disney have different approaches, but both are brilliant approaches. Lucas had a fantastic vision, but so does Disney- have you seen Frozen? Have you seen Tangled? Have you seen the MCU? Have you seen Aladdin, or Toy Story, or Fantasia, or Phineas and Ferb, or… the list goes on.
Also, Star Wars has always, always, always been driven by merchandise. That’s not ‘soulless,’ that’s just what Star Wars is like- its a good thing that you can buy anything that you an think of baring the theme.
When the original Star Wars was brought out, the novelisation came out before the film was released.. Everyone derided George for wanting action figures released, telling him it wouldn’t work- he soon put them right! (and the figures are now better than ever!) Point is, Star Wars has always been driven by accompanying merchandise, so deriding Disney for doing it too is silly. (Seriously, collecting a Lego battle droid army is very satisfying.)
@ Alan Robertshaw
“The problem with the prequels is that there wasn’t anyone in a position to say “George, are you sure about that?””
Um… not really. George had hundreds of people working alongside him- he involved himself with a lot of the production- design department, etc. The documentaries on the Revenge of the Sith DVD are worth a look-in- George was constantly surrounded by other people brainstorming with him during the making of the prequel trilogy.
IMHO, the main problem with the prequels is that George was trying to make a film, ultimately, for children. That’s what he had always done with Star Wars, from day one- he was trying to recreate his own childhood of Flash Gordon and the like, repurposing it for a new generation of children.
The audience for the original trilogy loved it as children, then grew up with fond memories. When the prequels came around, those fans wanted to see something in line with their new tastes- but George wanted to continue with what he’d started, not continue what other people who were not filmmakers started. Look at how much children love the prequels nowadays- George was right to do what he did. There’s a bigger fandom than there would have been if the nay-sayers were in charge.
@ Bniru
An army of Boba Fetts. That is one of the best descriptions of the Grand Army of the Republic ever! (although I personally like the clones more- Boba barely does anything in the entire original trilogy!)
I wonder if the frothing racists have stopped to think about who was the voice of Vader in the original films.
@Alan
Lawn dart!
Seeing TFA yesterday w/my husband & his dad and the sheer joy they had made me realize just how selfish my own father was when it came to geekery and fandom. How he didn’t WANT to share his interests in SF/F with his own daughter. If I liked something, it was a bug not a feature. If he lived long enough, he probably would have been a G-Gator. *shudders*
He would have hated Rey and Fin. Good.
I really enjoyed the new movie! Boyfriend liked it so much that he’s already looking for round 2 tickets – no small feat, since it’s sold out in every theatre here until mid-January.
Personally, I disagree with the assessment that the prequels were panned because they were children’s films and disappointing to adult fans. I was 10 when I saw Episode 1 and I didn’t like it at all, even before my stepdad pointed out the racism.