# Star Wars Episode II review up (7 years later) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905 "2010-04-04T14:09:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/41 "2010-04-07T07:14:40Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > All his flashbacks to Star Trek? Do you mean the guy in the background who asks questions? Just that or were there more? Unless I’m somehow mistaken, there were tons of them. Such as when the the same object turned up in both Star Trek and Star Wars. ---
**Author:** ![YamatoTwinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/cc9497/32.png) [@YamatoTwinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YamatoTwinkie)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/42 "2010-04-07T13:43:57Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I just saw Part 7 and I agree. He basically gets into why George does not know what he is doing and how it is clear that he is diminishing people like Yoda and so forth by making them fight and use tiny lightsabers. > > I mean, Lucas just has no idea. _..they’re like poetry. They rhyme._ ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/43 "2010-04-07T18:42:06Z")
Part 1 is back up, for anybody who missed it. P.S. If anybody has any questions for the guy that made these films (Mike Stoklasa), let me know. I know him peripherally (he’s friends with one of my best friends). ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/44 "2010-04-07T18:59:59Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > Unless I’m somehow mistaken, there were tons of them. Such as when the the same object turned up in both Star Trek and Star Wars. That wasn’t Star Wars - that was **The Last Starfighter**. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/45 "2010-04-07T19:26:12Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > That wasn’t Star Wars - that was **The Last Starfighter**. I think he means the one with the flashing red lights that was also in _Airplane II_. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/46 "2010-04-07T19:31:02Z")
> [@YamatoTwinkie](#): > > P.S. If anybody has any questions for the guy that made these films (Mike Stoklasa), let me know. I know him peripherally (he’s friends with one of my best friends). Cool. I can’t think of anything to ask, but that’s neat. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/47 "2010-04-07T20:21:11Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > P.S. If anybody has any questions for the guy that made these films (Mike Stoklasa), let me know. I know him peripherally (he’s friends with one of my best friends). I don’t suppose you could ask what he thinks of his whole serial killer gimmick? Personally, I think it does nothing but detract from otherwise good reviews, but maybe he’s got a fanbase that enjoys it. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/48 "2010-04-07T20:37:15Z")
Well, if you look at other Red Letter Media productions, you’ll see there’s a lot of horror and black humor. Speaking personally, I think that just a straight-up 70- or 90-minute analysis of a movie could (and probably would) get really tedious really fast. I’ll ask Mike about it specifically, tho. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/49 "2010-04-07T21:08:03Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > Well, if you look at other Red Letter Media productions, you’ll see there’s a lot of horror and black humor. Speaking personally, I think that just a straight-up 70- or 90-minute analysis of a movie could (and probably would) get really tedious really fast. > > I’ll ask Mike about it specifically, tho. I’ll check this out soon, but I do agree the more ‘subtle’ horror scenes in his Star Trek reviews (well, shorter clips of a blood filled bathtub or a crashed car or a coked-out cocktail waitress, with accompanying screams and sound effects) worked better as he veered off his reviews… So, did he actually mail out any pizza rolls? I’m not sure if I’d want a pizza roll sent through the mail, although there were plenty of comments on his videos from those people that did. (Oh yes, his Plinkett persona mentioned he was running out of rolls on his Avatar review - did he buy another bag?) ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/50 "2010-04-07T21:15:31Z")
I can tell you that the concept for the Episode II review was that he was taping over some old tapes, which is why you get bigger chunks of the serial killer stuff, versus the little flashbacks and side comments you had on other reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/51 "2010-04-08T00:02:26Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > I can tell you that the concept for the Episode II review was that he was taping over some old tapes, which is why you get bigger chunks of the serial killer stuff, versus the little flashbacks and side comments you had on other reviews. He sort of said so in the first review segment on Youtube. The jokes aren’t bad, it was funny when he offered one victim a straw for her coffee. Or when (IIRC) the “that’s what he said” girls ended up in the jigsaw analogy scene for real. Maybe I’ll catch the full scenes with the reviews next time I browse them. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/52 "2010-04-08T03:19:26Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > Youtube took it down because of a copyright infringement claim by cartoon network. I guess he used some cartoon network footage inappropriately. Appears to be up again. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/53 "2010-04-08T03:22:10Z")
Hey **Shot** … Does he have any ACTUAL film experience? IE being a teacher, having gone to film school, made movies etc. Or is he just a very well informed nerd? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/54 "2010-04-08T03:28:57Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Hey **Shot** … > > Does he have any ACTUAL film experience? IE being a teacher, having gone to film school, made movies etc. Or is he just a very well informed nerd? Good question. He just seems like a really educated and informed movie/TV fan. What he does well is articulate what most of us have noticed. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/55 "2010-04-08T03:52:56Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Good question. He just seems like a really educated and informed movie/TV fan. What he does well is articulate what most of us have noticed. At least in the first review, he explained something I felt, but had not really been able to form a coherent thought about, in terms of his explanation of why the characters didn’t make any sense. His thesis in the review of Phantom Menace, insofar as he has one, is that the lack of distinct characters is was really dooms the film, since without that nothing can matter to the audience on an emotinal level. In both reviews he makes the equally valid point that the movie really misses the mark in failing to distinguish between the characters of the wise older Jedi (Qui-Gon Jinn in Episode I, Obi-Wan in Episode II) and the apprentice (Obi-Wan in Ep.I, Anakin in Ep.II.) Again, that was something I had a sense of, but couldn’t have really explained. Of course, the movies were terrible in so many ways you’d have to watch them a lot to get all the badness straight. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/56 "2010-04-08T15:18:23Z")
Welp, Mike’s not up for answering questions, but he has wisely given me carte blanche to [del]make shit up[/del] answer for him. So, here goes. Mike is really the alter-ego of director Tommy Wiseau, who studied at the Berkeley Digital Film Institute for seventeen years before being expelled for attempting to turn in a DVD copy of \*Garbage Pail Kids \*with his name scrawled on the front in crayon as a senior project. The serial killer segments of the reviews are re-enactments included in an attempt to both taunt the police and impress the producers of America’s Most Wanted, who declined to previously hire him to shoot similar segments. “Mike” has hired a fleet of Totino’s trucks to distribute the 2,549,844 pizza rolls currently owned to commenters. ( **STC** : If you want to see some other things he’s done, go to the [Red Letter Media](http://redlettermedia.com/) website–you can watch shorts and get info about the feature-length films.) ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/57 "2010-04-08T16:06:39Z")
Does Mike recommend dipping pizza rolls in ranch or honey mustard or does are they better straight up? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/58 "2010-04-08T19:47:08Z")
Hoisin sauce with a little bit of lemon. (Also, #56 should say “owed to,” not “owned to.”) ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/59 "2010-04-10T07:57:10Z")
Who was the female protagonist in both reviews? I really liked her bit near the end in Review EP. 2. She was pretty hot, and her voice reminded me of Harley Quinn. Play the video again Mr. J. Sex. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905/60 "2010-04-12T17:30:34Z")
The hooker in the basement? I didn’t recognize her, but I’ll see if I can find out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-wars-episode-ii-review-up-7-years-later/534905.md?page=4)