Casilda was asking if we were going to watch or discuss the Clone Wars cartoons yesterday. I figure since I always include them whenever I watch the saga I’d pop them in the DVD player sometime b4 next week. If anyone else is planing to do the same, I’m more than happy to discuss Clone Wars Volume 1 or 2.
I was planning to watch it sometime this week also, though I don’t have anything planned. Meaning, I haven’t planned when to watch.
But even doing this, LOL, I can be so stuck in my ways… there’s no just skipping from AOTC to ROTS! C’mon! 
Are they any better than the actual movie? I love Star Wars, and appreciate 1-3 despite their flaws, but AOTC was still one of the worst movies I have ever seen. When I try to enjoy the movie the dialogue kills my enjoyment every single time.
They are quite good. There are no cringing moments. Genndy Tartakovsky did it, so if you like Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack, you’ll dig 'em.
I had a friend say that he felt the prequels were just live-action cartoons with all the CGI. To him, it didn’t feel like the original trilogy at all. I was reminded of that comment when I just saw the trailer for the new cartoon movie.
They are fast-paced and do not have the Lucas directional touch (e.g. long exposition, zoom-in’s on emotionless faces, etc.).
When we gonna do this?
cas. and frakkin…
I meant watch it in your own time and then discuss in the thread.
Oh yeah, the Clone Wars is awesome. Volume 2 leads directly into EP.3. We see how Palpatine is kidnapped etc.
OK let’s do the watch it on your own and we can discuss throughout the week. That sounds like the best way to get people involved. So: GO WATCH CLONE WARS VOL. 1 and 2.
And if you haven’t seen them before, they’re a lot of fun, but not in the way that Jar Jar was intended to be “fun.” They’re fast paced and there are lots of cool things going on. And thank God GL couldn’t heavy hand them.
The animation and fighting scenes are amazing. I like how the Jedi Strength is way out of proportion almost to the force unleashed scale. Also seeing a bunch of different battles shows how epic the Clone Wars was.
Wisebob approves.
What they do with the Jedi is awesome. IMO the best episode is the one with Mace taking on the droids and that big World Devastator like cruiser.
okay, vols 1 & 2 recently ABOM (acquired by other means)
will have questions/comments later
Yaaaay! This is really what got me excited for ROTS.
Ok, it didn’t take much, but still.
I’m currently watching both cartoons in preparation for Ep.3. 
We must be moving in tandem or something, because I just finished up Volume 1 and am about to start Volume 2…
Some thoughts on Volume 1:
- Palpatine is already interfering in things, mr. oh let’s make Anakin commander suggestion.
- The clones in the cartoons are awesome and capable. Seriously, the commando team attacking the Banking Guild? Are amazing. And then my mind of course turns to stormtroopers… What happened? Is it degradation over time??
- The Calamari are a neat idea, but seriously, GL should have come up with a different name. Or did people not in Italy not know what Calamari was in the 70’s? (entirely possible, but it is still weird today)
- The gladiator scenes on Rattatak are cool.
- The starship fight between Anakin and Assaij Ventress are actually hilarious. I was laughing out loud.
- I like the perspective on the Mace fight.
- I think my favorite storyline is the Ilam one - the crystals! Yoda! Though I do have to ask why Padme was traveling with Yoda…
- The rain on the lightsabers is cool.
- I’d like it to be noted that all Padawan’s whine. It’s not just Anakin, evidently it’s all of them. Please see Exhibit A, Barrek’s padawan during the Battle of Hypori.
And I have some thoughts on Volume 2, as well:
- Grievous is much creepier and cooler in the cartoon than he is in ROTS.
- If only we could replace Jake Lloyd with small animated Anakin! I also enjoy the parallel with Anakin/Qui-Gon and ESB Luke/Yoda
- Obi-Wan goes to bat for Anakin! Which is so sweet. It’s interesting that the Jedi Council notes that Palpatine is interfering, yet their response is “Politicians have no voice.” That one can go to the Jedi Arrogance thread…
- Maybe something else to take into account with Anakin’s fall is his unorthodox trials.
- The romantic dialogue still sucks, but it’s better than GL’s! Anakin’s “You do look really good in the dark” was kind of hilarious. Plus, who doesn’t love Anakin brushing off C3PO?
- Animated Wookiees are too cute for words.
- Mace Windu’s taming of the rogue droid fighter is pretty amusing.
- The living wall paintings Anakin sees on Nilvaan are cool, too.
- What’s with the Jedi jumping into air all the time? Maybe this is my fear of heights talking, but that doesn’t seem smart to me.
- I (heart) Shaak Ti. She does so many cool things! You go, Shaak Ti!
I also found myself contemplating what a Cardassian Jedi would look like. I know, random.
question: so that sinewy thing that envelops obi-wan in vol 1–is that supposed to be an early/less mechanical/pre-mechanical grievous?
No. That dude is a bounty hunter by the name of Durge. He was a big part of all the EU related material in the years between Ep.1 and Ep.2 Other than the toon he has a role in the comics and in some of the Boba Fett young adult books.
so was I just not paying close enough attention?
No, in the cartoons themselves it doesn’t really explain who he is. But if you go to IMDB’s entry it gives you basic information like character names and/or locations that aren’t made explicit in the cartoon itself.
I had to look a lot of stuff up the first time I watched!
I guess they don’t to explain thing to the kids. 
whaddaya mean, “to the kids”? they don’t explain things to anybody! (yeah, I know–buy the comics, read the novels)