J. J. Abrams takes over Valve

[bananafishtoday]

Pretty nice, Abrams is a very talented director who might make a watchable video game movie for once.

Yeah, I'm not sure if "very talented" applies, but I do agree, he could turn out some watchable video game films.

Yes, this is a true statement. But... I think we should have a much higher standard than merely "watchable."

I don't know of anyone who thinks Abrams is a bad filmmaker. He's just aggressively mediocre. Honestly, I couldn't care less about a movie that could be summed up as "watchable." I'd rather watch a spectacular failure--at least a trainwreck leaves an impression.

Should we be interested in games that are merely "playable" or novels that are "readable?" I just don't see the point in something that has the same impact as staring at a ceiling.

 

[Tanakh]

That SoB Abrahms! He made me agree with Bob!!

I guess this is karma for loling at SW fans a few weeks ago.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Misleading title, poisoned posts, probably in part due to MovieBob and "Zomg Star Wars/Trek", and no discussion beyond a link to a source and noting that yes, MovieBob has indeed posted the opinion that anyone could have guess he would have without him having to do anything. I like were this thread is going!

Summation: Director talks with Valve about maybe making a movie.
I'll give a damn when something solid comes of it. I don't start foaming at the mouth when someone talks about collaborating for the same reason I'm not holding out for the Halo movie, or that Bioshock just because they were in pre-production.

 

[Abomination]

Please don't use a title like this unless Valve's stock gets bought out, the current title is very misleading.

But that's how you get badges! Gotta get a lot of views, man!

I too clicked on the link thinking "Gabe SOLD Valve? That can't be right. Who in their right mind would sell a company that prints money to a director who couldn't possibly have the personal capital to afford a company that PRINTS MONEY."

 

[CryoSynth]

Summation: Director talks with Valve about maybe making a movie.
I'll give a damn when something solid comes of it. I don't start foaming at the mouth when someone talks about collaborating for the same reason I'm not holding out for the Halo movie, or that Bioshock just because they were in pre-production.

That. Valve has considered other directors in past, as everyone knows, whom they turned down because they pitched horrible ideas. For all we know Abrams has asked if he could take a shot, and Gaben has just agreed to see what he can come up with. In all likelihood Abrams will make a pitch and Valve will refuse it yet again.

The mere possibility of it going ahead is just an excuse for media to blow this out of proportion.

 

[bafrali]

I... really don't know what to think of this. Are we supposed to watch for Star Wars games by Valve or a Half ife movie by Abrams? Hope it is the former

 

[Altorin]

Is there anything this guy wouldn't direct?

I mean, I didn't really mind the star wars movie, and the first couple seasons of lost were pretty good..

but does this guy really need EVERYTHING?

 

[NightmareExpress]

I... really don't know what to think of this. Are we supposed to watch for Star Wars games by Valve or a Half ife movie by Abrams? Hope it is the former

I've always wondered what Star Wars characters would look like with a plethora of hats and miscellaneous items that may or may not fit their personalities and time period would look like.

But I think it's more like a two hour Half-Life cutscene with a copious amount of lens flare.

 

[BanicRhys]

Well, he's not Scorcese but he managed to take and old and stale Science Fiction series and turn it into an enjoyable action movie.

By destroying over 40 years of established lore and completely disregarding the themes and tone of said "stale" series.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5RjrmTsncM&t=2m11s

Next we'll see a wise cracking Gordan Freeman blazing through legions of headcrabs that look nothing like headcrabs while dodging a barrage of lens flares and shaky cam-quakes.

 

[Casual Shinji]

God, I'm so enjoying everyone going apeshit over this. My sides would be literally splitting, if not for the oh so funny lens flare jokes that have totally not become a dead horse conveyor belt.

Hey guys, maybe they should call it Lens Flalve now. Get it? Cuz it's like lens flare and Valve... Man, where is the roof on this thing?

 

[blackrave]

WHY?
For fuck's sake, why most developers think that game based movies are good idea?
games are about interactivity, it is their strongest trait
without interactivity stories are usually pretty dull
Exceptions exist- like Persona4 anime, but it was anime, not full motion movie
Besides Persona4 had excellent story.

What is the purpose of this?
Grabbing all the money possible?
It is failed attempt.
Gamers mostly won't waste their time on not-game with already known story.

Educating uneducated masses that games has evolved beyond tetris, and now occasionally have quite good stories?
Do they really care?

Trying to invade "higher" form of arts?
Who said games are lower than movies?
After watching Battleship, I'm positive that games inhabits same level as movies (if not higher).

So what is the deal with everyone trying to make movies out of the games?
You can make good games out of movies- Riddick, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings proved that
But I have not seen any good game based movie.
Is it even worth trying?

 

[Archer666]

People freaking out about J.J. Abrams talking with Valve. Just talking. Nothing's been decided yet, maybe except for what kind of coffee Abrams wants while they talk. Its funny.

But yeah, I'm curious to see where this will go. Seeing as Valve has been talking to other directors through the years, this could just wind up to be nothing again.

 

[Birdfalcon]

SO i'm gonna go with the obvious joke here and ask...."does that mean half life and portal are going to be remade with lens flares?"

 

[Pinkamena]

What the shit? Seriously did not see this coming.

 

[Tayh]

J. J. Abrams?
I feel like I know that name...
Oh yeah.

 

[Woodsey]

"J. J. Abrams takes over Valve"

And this is what we call 'misleading'.

Please don't use a title like this unless Valve's stock gets bought out, the current title is very misleading.

And that in and of itself would require a headline announcing that they'd put themselves on the stock market.

 

[bigfatcarp93]

I don't really get why everyone goes on and on about the lens flare thing... wasn't that just ONE movie he did?

 

[Souplex]

It's like all the mediocrity in the universe is converging into a single point.

 

[DaKiller]

Video game movies can be good:

Spoiler

Then again, that franchise isn't very good anymore. I'm still going to classify this news as: skeptically optimistic.

 

[Saika Renegade]

Interactive mediums trying to translate back to non-interactive ones seem to be a step backwards. When a player plays as a lone nerd clutching a crowbar, they get to decide whether Gordon Freeman is shocked, confused, and terrified because of the horrors of invasion and the proof of alien life (and that it and his own government is hostile to him) or elated because he now has squishy things on which to take out his frustrations from MIT a la Freeman's Mind. Being told we're humanity's savior can be uplifting or morbidly hilarious depending on our own personal context, something we lose when we're watching a character rather than controlling them.