Category: the clone wars

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‘Landing at Point Rain’ lands positive reviews!

Always with the smirking.

Last week’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode ‘Landing at Point Rain’ has been garnering the praise from the usual reviewers. (Don’t forget our review!)

  • Eric at TheForce.net calls it “Best. TCW. Ever.” with words like “cinematic”, and says the “episode shines because of the visuals”.
  • IGN gives it 8.8 out of 10, while noting that it is light on content and heavy on gritty and intense action, and pushing the envelope on content and POV.
  • BigShinyRobot calls it an all out half-hour battle straight out of WWII movies, and praises the camera work, but calls out Cartoon Network on their special airtime – on a school night.
  • Joseph Lewis points out that only real risk-your-life-on-behalf-of-your-fellow-soldiers is done by the clones, twice saving Jedi, while the some of the Jedi seem to be more interested in their kill scores.

And as a general caution to the parental types, TV Squad points out that while the new episodes of The Clone Wars are stunning, they are veering away from its kid-friendliness with greater intensity of violence. Joseph Lewis ponders whether that line for carnage has been crossed for what he feels is a franchise meant for children.

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The Clone Wars S1 DVD/BLU-Ray rakes up good reviews

Now that season one of The Clone Wars has been released for a week on DVD and Blu-Ray, here’s what they’re saying:

  • Wired’s GeekDad likes the featurettes looking at the artwork, and says it is “definitely worth picking up.”
  • HD Room reviews the Blu-Ray, gives it 8.5 out of 10 with great video and replayability, thinking that this show has the best prequel-era stories.
  • iF Magazine selects it as DVD pick of the week, with the characters that you love, and new characters that are as fascinating as the familiar faces.
  • Blu-Ray.com gives it a 4 out of 5, with near-perfect video transfer, awesome featurettes, and says “the series itself has proven to be far more captivating, inventive, and entertaining than the feature film that bears its name.”
  • Den of Geek doesn’t review it, but shows off some exclusive concept art.

Looks like the release of season one is getting a good thumbs-up!

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Reviewing The Clone Wars: ‘Landing at Point Rain’

Things that go boom

After the political intrigue of ‘Senate Spy’, ‘Landing at Point Rain’ put both the clones and the war back into The Clone Wars. This episode serves as the opening chapter in a Geonosis-based story arc much in the same way that the invasion of the beaches of Normandy starts off Saving Private Ryan – lots of dirt and death. Could the episode title be an oblique reference to the Spielberg movie? Continue reading “Reviewing The Clone Wars: ‘Landing at Point Rain’”

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Cute attack: Star Wars at Build-A-Bear Workshop

Shouldn't the more reddish bear get Obi-Wan's outfit? NOT CANON!

Even putting the Ewoks aside, fanmade Star Wars and other sci-fi themed teddy bears are nothing new, as a quick search on Flickr (and CJ’s own Lissy) will tell you.

But now we have something from the official realm to make it easier to please kids and collectors: Star Wars costumes from Build-a-bear Workshop. Currently they only have Clone Wars-inspired Anakin, Jedi (totally Obi-Wan,) and Rex, plus a Darth Vader and a themed pajama set. Will we see more movie-inspired styles? I suspect the Christmas sales rates will tell us… Dressed bears cost $40-$35, and the costumes alone go for $15-12. The Vader outfit is currently one of their top 20 products! (via)

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New Clone Wars makes an early ‘Landing’

Landing at Point Rain

Just a reminder of tonight’s special showing of the new Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode, ‘Landing at Point Rain’ – the first of a four episode arc – debuting a few days early on Cartoon Network tonight at 8 PM (ET/PT). DVR users: My DVR didn’t have the updated scheduling from Cartoon Network, so be prepared to record whatever your schedule says is in that time slot (possibly “Destroy Build Destroy”). Or, if you’re patient, it’ll rerun on the regular time Friday.

StarWars.com sheds some light on this opening chapter in a larger story arc, hoping that the action to retake Geonosis is “intense as any live-action movie about the assault on Omaha Beach.” Leading into this story is a prelude script set before ‘Landing at Point Rain’, read at the Fan Days in Dallas and now available online. In addition to setting the stage for ‘Landing’, it wraps up the events of ‘Senate Spy’ with some wry banter.

Starwars.com also has put up the conclusion of the S1 box set tour. (Grant Imahara fed his box set to the rancor!)

Or, you can just say screw it all, stay on the computer, and become a fan of Dave Filoni on Facebook.

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The Clone Wars returns early next week – on Wednesday!

The next episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars is coming two days early next week! ‘Landing at Point Rain’ will be airing on Wednesday, November 4 at 8 PM, according to Leland Chee’s twitter feed and TheForce.net. Dave Filoni gave the Today show several online interview pieces, some of which tie into the episode:

Meanwhile, Newsarama takes a look at the stealthy revival in Star Wars, thanks to The Clone Wars helping to give the prequel era the feel of the original trilogy, and looks at the push and pull between Dave Filoni and George Lucas. Meanwhile, Hollywood Outbreak asks Lucas why behind The Clone Wars?

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The Clone Wars S1 DVD and Blu-Ray coming Tuesday!

The box set containing the complete first season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray this Tuesday. StarWars.com starts a tour of the box set, looking at the contents of disc 1 – and showcasing the full cinematic aspect ratio used on this release, versus the broadcast version. There’s more picture to these moving pictures! The four disc set contains all 22 episodes of season 1, as well as seven extended director’s cuts, and a concept art book. The Blu-Ray version also comes with the Jedi Temple Archives bonus feature.

  • CinemaBlend has got some clips, including a trailer and some episode clips.
  • Monsters and Critics also takes a look, with a clip of their own.
  • BigPictureBigSound gives the Blu-Ray version 3.5 out of 4 stars, and says about some of the extended director’s cuts: “I was surprised more than once by the level of intensity… It’s not the Star Wars I grew up on, but taken on its own, The Clone Wars is a captivating long-term adventure.

So add it to the holiday list, folks!