Run zig zags, crocs and their cousins are actually quite speedy in a straight line, but they have difficulty turning.

I'll bite. (needless to say, spoilers)

The characters certainly had motivation.

Jyn's motivation, much like Rae in FA, is simple, daddy issues. She isn't so much invested in the rebellion as she is in enacting vengeance for her father. She is stunted emotionally and is not idealistic, but I think she uses that as a vehicle to push other characters along with her. Her last moments with Cassian aren't driven by any great romance, just the solace of two people who don't know if what they did will make a difference, but they succeeded in what they set out to do. I suspect she understood before she left Yavin that she was not going to get out of it alive, which sort of fits with her fairly nihilistic view of the universe.

Cassian was entirely driven by the fight against the Empire. He was willing to do anything, and was completely ruthless at the start, but he does mellow towards the end as Jyn makes a point of saying that he was like a stormtrooper. He is a zealot, a true believer, and is willing to sacrifice everything, even his humanity, for the cause.

Orson, the imperial commander, is a mixture of patriotism and self interest. He's a fervant believer in the imperial ethos of bringing order to the galaxy, but he is also deeply interested in recognition and commensurate rise in rank. He is so motivated that he risks his life directly to try and stop the rebels (not something you typically see bad leader types do outside of superhero movies, that's what henchmen are for) at the end.

The droid is all programming, but his comedy relief is explained by the dialogue that slicing an imp droid can affect it's personality. He is the one of the few light hearted notes (and consequently gives us a pretty poignant note when he says goodbye and get's shut down) in what is a fairly depressing movie. His bluntly honest statements are perfectly ironic and as such really do deserve the laughs they get.

The monk and the warrior were guardians of a temple but are now displaced. While it's couched in the monks mysticism, I think honestly they were happy to stand up to the big bad guys who wrecked their temple and extract some form of revenge. I think it would please both of them to know that it was worth it in the end.

The imperial defector seems to have little motivation, but he has already taken the dangerous step of defecting and getting the ball rolling for the entire plot etc, he's obviously completely displeased about the empire and willing to risk his life to do something about it.

Saul has been driven mad by the fight. The rebel leadership all seem to fit well within their established roles in the canon, as do Tarkin and Vader. Random rebel and imp personal are placeholders and who really gives a fuck what their motivations are? X D

/shrug As far as character development goes, it's certainly not a work for the ages, but to say these characters are going to get a thing because they need to get a thing seems to be nitpicking for the sake of nitpicking.

Oh yeah, and in regards to AT AT's, it's a strategic imperial world and heavily garrisoned. Likely a staging point for excursions around the galaxy as well. It has major shielding, AA and fighter complements, Star Destroyers standing guard etc. Sure, fan service is a thing (although the homages in R1 are far less clunky than FA, including things like the Hammerhead, references to the cartoons etc), but as an imp commander, I would certainly release AT AT and AT ST vehicles against an attacking force of unknown size, particularly when you see a whole bunch of landing pads explode simultaneously. Are their 10 commandos or 1,000? 10,000? Yeah, go lowball and wait for them to walk out in the open right? \= |

It's not like the AT AT's were stomping all over the archive looking for a guy hiding behind valuable Imp data infrastructure, they are roaming the outer regions and are fairly proof against ground troops. Makes sense to me.

Dunno, I think the RLM reviews are generally entertaining and thoughtful, but in this case whoever writes Plinkett has let his acerbic dislike of "new" Star Wars cloud his objectiveness imo. It was an enjoyable flick and certainly one I intend to own. I don't think it's anywhere near the best sci fi (although I kinda like it on par with Empire) movie out there, but it's far better than RLM gives it credit for, imo.

I can't imagine why a just judge would be appealing to people in this day and age... ; )

Gold.

To be fair, there is already a tonne of science out there.

Seriously though, this doesn't fit with the Adam Ruins Everything vibe (usually he debunks what he's ruining rather than just being a sober reminder that we are kinda fucked).

Impurities settle over time, so freezing slowly from the top allows time for the impurities to fall to the bottom of the container.

This is a shitty rip off of http://videosift.com/video/How-To-Make-Clear-Ice-Cocktail-Chemistry

Dunno what drugs you've been on for the last few months, but you're starting to make me sympathise with BK33...

His statement was sarcastic... He even ticked the fucking sarcasm box for the visual cue that some people actually need to stop them going off half cocked.

edit: Hrm, dunno if quotes pick up on the sarcasm check box (said vs said jokingly) but they are different, unsure of timing but guess he ticked it after the fact to make the context clear (but seriously, who couldn't figure out that was a joke?!?).

Seriously Newt, you are the one being trollish and antagonistic here. More to the point, we see police brutality vids and you're all over them (justifiably), why can't we have some vids where the cops are being part of the community, fostering good spirit and showing that they are, for the most part, regular human beings just like the rest of us?

Call it "community engagement" if you need to. You think the police don't spend millions every year trying to fix up their public image? Something like this going viral is probably worth many times whatever actual time was spent making it. Well it would be if nitpicking whiners weren't losing their shit over it.

Seriously mate, you used to be cool but you're turning in to a bit of a wanker.

And this officer comported himself perfectly, and yeah, it's shit that they have to go through this.

Honestly, I'd get the giggles as a driver and kill us by the third turn...

As long as the Kardynal is in the house it is...




Just watch out for the penises...

Typically self indulgent twaddle from a person who was likely as toxic before the election as she is now. Walk it off.

Because facts are more important the feelings imo.

He knocked Cumberbatch off the top of my wife's bucket list and I'm not actually bothered if she managed to tap that... ; )

I've been watching a lot of anti-SJW stuff lately, mostly because I am a rabid supporter of freedom of speech and I don't like the authoritarian direction a lot of the most vocal (and yes, it's a minority) of SJW's seem to be calling for.

And you know the really hilarious thing? Gays like Milo Yiannopoulous (who has to be the most conflicted gay guy on the planet), or trans like Blaire White? They are accepted. Milo drinks the kool aid a little (okay, he bought the company and consumes their entire output), but Blaire seems fairly centered, and they are accepted by fucking right wing college guys who you would think would be the first ones to yell "OMG get away faggot" or some such shit.

People are still bigoted and I have a sneaking suspicion they always will be in certain aspects, but sometimes tolerance comes from the most unlikely of places. Maybe it's acceptance due to ideological alignment, or perhaps the current generation has the exposure such that gay/trans etc isn't really that big a thing anymore, I don't know.

ps. I think Trump cashed in on riding the Bernie wave of discontent with the establishment, mostly tantrums just make you look like a dumb cunt. ; )

pps. I think my greatest disappointment with the post Trump tantrums is that the total electoral turnout is somewhere around 30-40% of eligible voters in the US? So it's not even a quorum picking the leader of what is still pretty much the biggest and most dangerous nation in the world. There's tonnes of blame to go around here unfortunately, and part of that goes to people who don't give a shit either way, something the DNC really has to own. I think Bernie would have seen record voter turnouts, whereas Clint-bot... /facepalm

I get it, I really do. As a centrist, I hate the way the world is going. Bernie should have won and it feels like a bright future has been tossed in the shitheap for an uncertain one on the gamble that something will change.

We aren't the first to live in such times and won't be the last. Unfortunately.