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kalvasflam

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    2013

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Everything posted by kalvasflam

  1. kalvasflam
    seem to recall in TPM , it was damage to the hyperdrive, and they needed some parts, which is why hippie Jinn went off to barter for parts.
  2. kalvasflam
    The resistance died and lived because of very idiotically contrived plot points. Lived: because the FO just couldn't launch swarms of thousands of Ties to swamp and kill the few pitiful ships left. Yet somehow, oddly, Kylo managed to do it. No, let's drag this f'ing thing out with a boring chase till there is no fuel. Oh, and by the way, why call Ren back? Cause that bad boy, asides from not killing his mother, could've survived out there indefinitely. Died: because... aside from all of the reasons mentioned above, they are also hampered by the fact that they suddenly had only fuel left for one jump, and their own stupidity. Seriously, have you guys ever heard of splitting up your forces, you had like four ships, just go in four different directions. Yes, I'm sure there is some contrived reason why the splitting of forces wouldn't work, but fuel for massive starships had never been a problem until this movie, so this either meant Leia or her underlings were incompetent, or yet another contrived reason to have a little drama.
  3. kalvasflam
    TPM was a start of the prequels, and I didn't think it was blatantly as bad, the whole prequels can be summed up in terms of just overall expectations, I think people expected way too much from their childhood favorite and when it didn't meet expectations, fans started picking up faults with it. Whether or not people thought of the portrayals of Gungans and the Trade Federations as caricatures was perhaps more a matter of sensitivity. To me, Jar Jar was just a pointless exercise in trying to be cute. Comedic relief that didn't really fill the part. TFA was certainly entertaining enough, I know people didn't like it because it was too much a carbon copy of Ep IV, but so what? JJ was trying to pull in nostalgia. You could argue that he was trying to introduce the franchise to a new generation, and well, it worked out fine. TLJ however made it seem like they were deliberately tearing down the old characters to build up the new ones. Oh and when possible, older characters should try to not so much impart their wisdom but gets chastened by youth and enthusiasm. Honestly, it might have worked better if they just killed Luke rather than turn him cynical.
  4. kalvasflam
    Seto, I tend to think Rogue One was overlooked because the focus was more on the action, and the "familiar settings." It was certainly not the in your face style of work done in TLJ where literally they started incorporate all different types of themes that overshadowed the story, you could cut out half the movie, and the story would still flow. There is a right balance between subtlety and screaming crap in your face. Added to the fact that TLJ's focus on story and action was just so bad, it makes the movie not worth it. The Luke moment was so disappointing, the action so contrived and outside the norms set by other Star Wars movie, it made people question why the rebels just didn't build a bunch of cheap blockade runners run by droids and suicide them against star destroyers via hyperdrive and won the war that way. The problem was always there, but TLJ screamed it out loud in your face. TFA had some of the same problems with plot and consistency, but at least, there, you could see them trying to stick to lore in some respect. Disney and RJ tried to appeal to a wider audience beyond the base, and then they went to make the movie relateable to the masses, but they completely forgot that we go to the movies to escape from the day to day outrage culture and the barrage of crap we see in the news. If I want a story about inequality, racism, and female empowerment, I can turn on CNN, or surf the web, or watch a bunch of other films, I don't need to pay Sideshow Bob a fee for that. But in the end, it is still all about the audience, and what the writers and directors think about the perception of the audience. We'll see if the last one does anything to make right the steaming pile of crap called TLJ. As the old dude said, time to set things right.
  5. kalvasflam
    I think the overriding problem with Star Wars is its audience, or to be more precise, what the director and writer thinks his audience is like. Society in 1977 is far different than it is in 2017. So, the writer and then the director does their work according to what they think will drive that core audience. Primarily who they want the audience to be and what they think society will accept that will drive more revenue in the future of the franchise. Han's "I know" moment in ESB if it was done today would totally be unacceptable and viewed as chauvinism of the worst kind. No one would've batted an eye at Jar Jar in 1977, in 1999, Jar Jar was considered a racial caricature by the audience, while Lucas must've thought it was cute, and the technical marvels involved in doing such a CGI creature. Fast forward to TLJ, we end up with social justice as a noticeable part of the movie because it's now part of the progressive culture. And by the way, the people who writes and directs this stuff, sees the reaction from the past, and then gauges on how to change to script appropriately to satisfy what they think is the target audience. The problem is, catering to the young invariably piss off the older fans. When the younger generation don't take to the interpretation of the film, the whole thing becomes a steaming pile garbage. They should've probably left Lucas at the helm I think. It would've worked better, Lucas would've been at least some what consistent, even if he had to retcon Ep 1 to 6 all over again.
  6. kalvasflam
    You know, for the purpose of fan service, Rian could appear as an extra in the beginning of the movie, and get killed by both sides... insert whatever reason you want here. It would be a way of appeasing the fans,
  7. kalvasflam
    The way I read that, it is implied the F-18 E/F can actually carry heavier ordinance load while flying off the deck of a carrier, but I note that he didn't mention anything specific about range on the aircraft. Does that seem about right?
  8. kalvasflam
    Yeah, the F-18E/F have really pathetically short legs, to extend out their range, they practically need to have another Rhino providing tanker support because the KS-3A and the KA-6D were withdrawn from service years ago. Ha, what they could really use is a bomb truck like the old A-6, but equip it with longer range precision guided munitions, the Intruders carried about the same amount of munitions as the F-35, but something like an extra 200 nm of range when fully loaded.
  9. kalvasflam
    I think it comes down somewhat to economics, stealth is there for a particular reason, improved survivability against air defenses and enemy fighters. That said, the alternative to stealth is SEAD. You have to create a temporary situation where non-stealth aircraft can survive. So, two possible scenarios here. One in favor of the F-35, and another slightly open. For the Air Force, a beast mode F-35 is supposed to carry something like 18K lbs of weapons, where as the F-15E would be able to handle about 23K lbs, so the question then becomes what is the RCS of the F-35 beast mode relative to the F-15E. However, for the Navy, if you compare the same F-35 to an F-18 E/F, then the choice is more clear cut, the F-18 carries just under 18K lb of ordinance. SO, there might not be that much of a difference in terms of performance, and then the F-35 will likely be superior when it comes to RCS.
  10. kalvasflam
    I doubt if Chrono meant from the campaign point of view. Because there is going to be just peace time operation for 99% of the life of the aircraft. You can't just let the stealth coating degrade during that period. Then if you suddenly get called to action (because it is not a given that the US will always dictate the pace or the initiation of the conflict), then what, you can't ask the action to hold off for a few hours while the maintenance crew are busy slapping on pieces of RAM material or recoating the aircraft. As for the beast mode concept, I think that is dreamed up by some desk jockey as a means of offsetting the fact that the F-35 load in stealth mode sucks. Because no one in their right mind would assume that anti-air will be forever suppressed after the first week in a campaign, sure if you're hitting Afghanistan again, may be, against mother Russia, not so much. Then suppressing air defenses become a more grinding affair that occurs over the time of the campaign, and beast mode F-35 might not be sensible, so rather than having F-35s come back, just get some F-15s or F-18s to come in behind the F-35 with time on target hits. This would of course relegate the F-35 to the role of a SEAD aircraft, for which the volumes become suitably less.
  11. kalvasflam
    I wonder where that Raptor is based. It wouldn't surprise me if this was in Hawaii. The combination of constant exposure to the humidity and the sea air would definitely do that to the plane. Ouch. I wonder if it makes sense to even consider putting these planes into air conditioned hangars.
  12. kalvasflam
    I eventually expect the two to team up, and beat up on the king again. After all, there was a left over head from the King. I refuse to acknowledge Godzilla as the king, it's just so unseemly.
  13. kalvasflam
    I always looked at the X-32 like an A-7 trying to get fit. Or may be to be not so politically correct, the ugly girl trying to pretty itself up. The Navy really needs another Intruder type aircraft.
  14. kalvasflam
    You know, this is all Lockheed's fault that we end up with an entire generation of designs that looks alike. And of course, China and Russia has to copy these designs, meaning the F-22 and the F-35. And don't get me started on the design that Airbus is putting together. It's like common sense went out the window or something. I suppose it could've been worse, they could've selected the X-32, and all the designs could've looked like that. I can't believe the sleekness of fighter design is going to depend on Boeing. I hope the FCA looks a lot better than the current crop.
  15. kalvasflam
    Looks like an F-22 and the F-23 got together, had an unwanted stepchild, and then they tried to glue on some pieces from an old F-14 and a Typhoon to pretty it up.
  16. kalvasflam
    20 years or 50 years, some planes are just classics. Growing up in the end of the cold war era, my personal favorites will always be the F teens series. If I had to rank it in sequence, it would be F-14 (cause duh, Top Gun, and Macross), F-15 (because like the ad for F-15E in Jane's Aircraft says: shots down whatever is up, blows up whatever is down... America, F**K YEAH), F-16 (mainly because of the never realized -XL), and the F-18s (although I do like the Rhinos better than the Hornets) Then there are the Hellcats, the Zero, the Lightning, etc.
  17. kalvasflam
    don't worry, one of these days, Chris Evans is gonna need the cash, and he'll be back... Although may be not RDJ except in flashbacks.
  18. kalvasflam
    Bring on the B team, mostly.
  19. kalvasflam
    It's interesting, there doesn't seem to be a capstone to this phase like there was to phase 1. No ensemble movie that I can kind of see. So weird. I'm curious about some of this stuff, not others. Ten Rings... nope, Eternals... nope, WandaVision... nope, Hawkeye... nope, Bucky and Sam... nope. I am however curious about What If... DAMN YOU Sideshow Bob. I refuse to give you more money... I refuse... OMG is that a vacuum cleaner snaking its way toward my wallet... ARRRRRGH.
  20. kalvasflam
    As many as it takes for the writer to put Spiner back into the series. I get it, get every cool/hot character in the last twenty years of Trek and shove em in. Hope it works.
  21. kalvasflam
    I am sure he was a backseater on the F-18. I think the Youtube video pointed out that this was likely an F version of the plane. Besides, those shots of him were probably all done on a check ride, they might pull a few acrobatics, but you can be sure they'll be approved ahead of time, and probably have a very senior pilot up front. The Navy would want positive publicity, and it would never do if Cruise is hurt or killed in the process. All in all, this movie was probably less dangerous in terms of stunt shot than the last Mission Impossible, where he jumped out of a C-17 a bunch of times, or the one before where he hung from the side of an A-400. Whatever else you can say about the man, he earns his paychecks.
  22. kalvasflam
    All we need is Clint Eastwood and James Garner, and it is Space Cowboys too. Although I bet Hawkins would be surprised he has a son... "Are you sure you're mine?"
  23. kalvasflam
    Did anyone notice the as Maverick took down his sunglasses in his locker room, there is a picture of an F-117 out of focus? Does that mean he might have flown one? I have no idea what circumstances... but interesting. Oh yeah, and F-14 at the very end, if only we get to see it with a couple of phoenix shots along with it. That'll be nice. And I do hope that they put up some Flankers as opposition, it would really rock. Not the "terminator" flankers, but real life Su-35 types. F-18E/F vs Su-35... hmmmm, would be kind of cool As for the CGI, there is a right way to do CGI, and a wrong way. So far, I don't see much wrong with this on the trailer. I think they can make this work. Looking forward to it. I think that could've made the original better, after all, there are only so many shots of the same sidewinder leaving the same rail that one can take.
  24. kalvasflam
    nah, that's ep 10.
  25. kalvasflam
    Sideshow Bob appreciates the effort. Three showings on Endgame, possibly a fourth. Not bad. Sideshow Bob encourages you to do better with the next Marvel outing. No, we're not going to tell you what it is yet, it's a super secret surprise. Hint: "it's probably something in the DC verse. After all, if we can succeed with Marvel, why can't we rehabilitate DC too, WB, Sideshow Bob is looking at you."
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