Rebecca Sugar's Steven Universe (Warning: Untagged Spoilers)

[MetalSkulkBane]

Okay, I watched a movie and my first though? Remember that one scene about character x standing long time in one place? I want a remake of it using Omega and Eggman. Come artists reading this, it's gold and you know it!

Also "something is clearly wrong" is so becoming a new meme.

But actual thought? It's fine. Not as good as I would want, but has enough fun to make it worth watching. My biggest problem is villain, Spinel. Her motives are reasonable, but HOW her past happens kinda bugs me. So her origins might disappoint you. Also songs weren't kinda mediocre, maybe except concert.

Spoiler

Wow, Pink was an ass. I can think of several excuses for her, I bet she grew as a person since then. But after she started rebellion, did she never though "oh my, I totally abandoned my first friend. That was kinda mean".

I'm glad main 3 Crystal Gems had so much focus, but repeating all their character development seems like... well a repeat.

OMG, Steven Greg fusion. I did not see it coming.

I'm mixed on Diamond being those obsessive aunts (although them being slightly racists is hilarious) and ending. It seemed like logical conclusion, but played like how comedies end with convenient random situation.

 

[Kellodrawsalot]

Really loved the movie the animation was also top quality 

[PublicEnemy1]

The songs are fucking stuck in my head. 

[Meta77]

13 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Okay, I watched a movie and my first though? Remember that one scene about character x standing long time in one place? I want a remake of it using Omega and Eggman. Come artists reading this, it's gold and you know it!

Also "something is clearly wrong" is so becoming a new meme.

But actual thought? It's fine. Not as good as I would want, but has enough fun to make it worth watching. My biggest problem is villain, Spinel. Her motives are reasonable, but HOW her past happens kinda bugs me. So her origins might disappoint you. Also songs weren't kinda mediocre, maybe except concert.

  Hide contents

Wow, Pink was an ass. I can think of several excuses for her, I bet she grew as a person since then. But after she started rebellion, did she never though "oh my, I totally abandoned my first friend. That was kinda mean".

I'm glad main 3 Crystal Gems had so much focus, but repeating all their character development seems like... well a repeat.

OMG, Steven Greg fusion. I did not see it coming.

I'm mixed on Diamond being those obsessive aunts (although them being slightly racists is hilarious) and ending. It seemed like logical conclusion, but played like how comedies end with convenient random situation.

 

Hugely overrated honestly.  Pink was a horrible person honestly.  She may have grew a bit but still. The villains introduction and song was the high point of the film. The rest was forgettable outside yet another villain nearly killing everyone and the only outcome of their actions is a song and stern stop being bad and all is forgiven. For as much as the played the ad every single day during every commercial break I guess I was looking for a bigger sendoff

[PublicEnemy1]

17 minutes ago, Meta77 said:

Hugely overrated honestly.  Pink was a horrible person honestly.  She may have grew a bit but still. The villains introduction and song was the high point of the film. The rest was forgettable outside yet another villain nearly killing everyone and the only outcome of their actions is a song and stern stop being bad and all is forgiven. For as much as the played the ad every single day during every commercial break I guess I was looking for a bigger sendoff

I don't think it was a sendoff, because RS confirmed that this isn't the end of Steven Universe. I thought it was a very fun movie with a memorable villain. Although if it WAS the real sendoff, then yes, I would be a bit disappointed.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

12 minutes ago, PublicEnemy1 said:

31 minutes ago, Meta77 said:

Hugely overrated honestly.  Pink was a horrible person honestly.  She may have grew a bit but still. The villains introduction and song was the high point of the film. The rest was forgettable outside yet another villain nearly killing everyone and the only outcome of their actions is a song and stern stop being bad and all is forgiven. For as much as the played the ad every single day during every commercial break I guess I was looking for a bigger sendoff

I don't think it was a sendoff, because RS confirmed that this isn't the end of Steven Universe.

Oh? Where so was this said?

[PublicEnemy1]

4 minutes ago, Jovahexeon Ogilvie Maurice said:

Oh? Where so was this said?

I believe a tweet from CN stated it, but I can't seem to find it. But Rebecca Sugar stated on the podcast that SU is still being made. It's just going to be different going forward. Plus, there are things that allude to being more explored, like
 

Spoiler

the box in Lion's Chest being opened sometime between the movie for those who caught it.

 

[Meta77]

I could have swore she said on stage before the film this was the sendoff for it

[DabigRG]

Remembered this movie was gonna be on around 4 or so and tuned in just in time to hear the Change Your Mind song. It was labeled Cartoon Network Programming for some reason, though.

It was pretty alright. You can tell it was, as Awestruck Vox had been saying, something of a best of compilation for the series. Thus much of it hitting on bigger elements in compact moments, while at least trying to hit on a select few things people might've been wanting to see for while.

PE1 is right--half of the songs stick with you for a while after watching this: the villain song in particular keeps coming back to me. That aside, I loved the collective intro song & it's different verses and I also liked the smooth [genre] song a fair bit, with what a contrast it was from how many of the songs sound.

Oh and Pearl & White Diamond continue to chew the shit outta the scenery.

Now for some of the more spoilerly stuff

Spoiler

The route they took this story was interesting and unexpected, but it does sorta sidestep much of the heated confrontation we were promised for more than quite a while and instead primarily jump amongst safe vignettes. Like, I can more than understand why this is a TV movie and not in theaters like my nephew questioned.

Unfortunately, the stuff with the plot was most notable in the build to the climax, where it feels like we get around 3 minutes of instrumental while Steven hangs onto the more suitably named Injector and the other Crystal Gems save a few people. The final fight was fairly satisfying in length and tension, although I was sorta distracted by my next subpoint.

Spinel was a fairly good character overall, although there's two or three criticisms that can be attributed to her:

1. The protracted point about her being "redeemed." On one hand, she definitely felt more sympathetic than some of the other antagonists of late from the outset(I picked up on her backstory once she debuted). But on the other, they sorta do this thing where it seems like she's deliberately climaxing into needing to be defeated. So it ends up feeling very weird in the end--a mixed message that's not really much of one.(Unless, idk, maybe a theme of her arc was supposed to be some sort of catharsis?) 

2. One viewpoint I saw in what little TVTropes had included at the time was that her role probably could've been filled by Pink Pearl. Now while it's pretty obvious why they didn't do that, it did kinda make me wanna think for a second. 

3. Super minor thing, but something about her design feels...incomplete/off? Mainly in her base form, where her body is somehow most of her frame despite being more or less the same length did I feel this. Perhaps it's a lack of something in the back?

As for the other stuff, at the risk of sounding like that guy, this movie felt a bit like a tease of stuff that could've been great. You know that Gem Town we see in the trailers? Barely spend time in it outside of the bit that lead to Ruby & Sapphire fusing and it's somewhat implied that it's only recently being that amount of completed. And among the cast, I noticed that Lapis, Lars, Alexandrite, and Opal had very little to do in this movie despite being major characters; the last two are the main concern obviously and the latter does get some singing in, but idk, I kinda thought we'd get a little more. And on a very minor note(according to the wide consensus anyway), one thing I thought was a little cheap was how many of Beach City's citizens looked more or less unchanged. They're not onscreen for long, but what you do see is virtually the same--Peedee, interestingly, is the only notable change.

Also, who did Chance the Rapper voice? He was supposed to be in this, correct?

 

[Strickerx5]

According to the show staff (Ian Jones-Quartey on a podcast and Sugar on a TVLine interview), this isn't the end of the series. To quote Ian specifically from the SU Podcast:

Quote

"This isn't the end of the end of the Steven Universe franchise, but the end to this particular story we started writing back in 2011."

Sugar's quote from TVLine reads similarly but they really didn't have the best sourcing in the article so I'll leave y'all to decide whether it's something to go off of.

So basically, while no one at CN proper has really come out and confirmed anything, I don't think it's wrong to assume there's going to be more in the future (however gd long it'll be till then). There are quite a number of unanswered questions and considering that CN seems to like this show as sort of a rep boost more than anything (makes them look real good come things like comic-con and stuff), all I'll say is that it'd be a very dramatic turn for them to end things off here.

Hell, wouldn't be surprised if they even recoup the cost of the several episodes they produce a year from the soundtracks alone.

 

Though as for a movie, gotta say I enjoyed the hell out of it. It definitely had some slower moments and odd choices that I probably wouldn't have gone with (basically repeating the character arcs of the Crystal Gems was meh) but most of them really did work out for it in the end. Led to some very touching moments and makes the movie completely work as a bridge between what has happened and the future. Also, dear lord that music. I know what I'm listening to during the car ride to work tomorrow.

As for a short blurb on the more spoilery stuff

Spoiler

Yeah, if there's one flaw I can really give the movie atm, it's what they're implying about Pink. Like damn, what the actual fuck? If they stick to this, this might just be the biggest heel turn of a character in a show yet. From Earth's savior to immature, hypocritical child. Yikes. Really hoping they continue with the series just to explain this on its own.

Also, I like Spinel. Her motives were clear and pretty damn real. Plus, the animation on her was often top notch. She was just incredibly fun to watch. Also, she has the best song with her introduction. While it could've been interesting to see a villain actually stay a villain, I can't deny how well her redemption was handled. Very glad she'll be around going forward.

Plus, Steven and Greg's fusion... oh Sugar you mad lad, yes.

And as a side note, the diamonds were hilarious in this lol

So yeah, overall I greatly enjoyed that. Wasn't perfect, probably wasn't even the best thing to some from the series, but damn if I didn't have a great time watching it. The multitude of great moments annihilated the bad ones imo. Enough so that this honestly gets a high recommendation from me.

 

1 hour ago, DabigRG said:

 

  Hide contents

Also, who did Chance the Rapper voice? He was supposed to be in this, correct?

 

Pretty sure he was only on for the soundtrack (instrumental and lyric work). Don't think it was ever confirmed he'd be voicing someone.

[Kevin]

Aside from some nitpicks (Connie barely doing anything for example), this movie was wonderful! The music was its biggest strength and the visuals were gorgeous!

[MetalSkulkBane]

Question: Was the whole movie a commentary on cartoons?

Spoiler

The most blatant comment is Spinel herself: she's old cartoon. Cute and amusing, but something you get bored of after a while. People either leave it (Pink) or watch for nostalgia for good old time (Diamonds).

A pit pushing, but Evil Spinel might be comment on dark-egdy reboots, how self-destructive they are.

And Steven represented better, more complex cartoons of the "future is here and it's bright" with a small warning to not be overcomplacent, to not forget lessons from the past and that there is always room for improvement, to change.

 

[DabigRG]

.

17 hours ago, Strickerx5 said:

 

  Hide contents

Yeah, if there's one flaw I can really give the movie atm, it's what they're implying about Pink. Like damn, what the actual fuck? If they stick to this, this might just be the biggest heel turn of a character in a show yet. From Earth's savior to immature, hypocritical child. Yikes. Really hoping they continue with the series just to explain this on its own.

 

Uh, I think you got that backwards, Selenia.

17 hours ago, Strickerx5 said:

 

Pretty sure he was only on for the soundtrack (instrumental and lyric work). Don't think it was ever confirmed he'd be voicing someone.

Oh, is that it? Huh.

I was under the impression his name was among those listened as a special guest.

6 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Question: Was the whole movie a commentary on cartoons?

  Hide contents

The most blatant comment is Spinel herself: she's old cartoon. Cute and amusing, but something you get bored of after a while. People either leave it (Pink) or watch for nostalgia for good old time (Diamonds).

A pit pushing, but Evil Spinel might be comment on dark-egdy reboots, how self-destructive they are.

And Steven represented better, more complex cartoons of the "future is here and it's bright" with a small warning to not be overcomplacent, to not forget lessons from the past and that there is always room for improvement, to change.

 

I suppose that's one way of looking at it. Would help explain that motif of hers.

[dbzfan7]

I honestly like how Steven is just allowed to grow up. Time is allowed to pass. So many other shows and places they perpetually keep the same age and timeline over and over. But to actually allow a character to grow up, it's not that often in western properties.

[DabigRG]

Any idea who the girl next to Topaz is supposed to be?

[Little T]

5 hours ago, DabigRG said:

Any idea who the girl next to Topaz is supposed to be?

I always thought it was supposed to be a human version of Nephrite, with the patch representing her one gem-eye.

[DabigRG]

3 minutes ago, Little T said:

I always thought itw as supposed to be a human version of Nephrite, with the patch representing her one gem-eye.

Oh okay, so I was forgetting someone.

Thanks!

[StaticMania]

19 hours ago, dbzfan7 said:

I honestly like how Steven is just allowed to grow up. Time is allowed to pass. So many other shows and places they perpetually keep the same age and timeline over and over. But to actually allow a character to grow up, it's not that often in western properties.

What are you saying? That's really common now.

[dbzfan7]

2 minutes ago, StaticMania said:

What are you saying? That's really common now.

Really? Usually I see forever teenagers or children who can't age.

[StaticMania]

51 minutes ago, dbzfan7 said:

Really? Usually I see forever teenagers or children who can't age.

Those types are pretty unlucky, but it's definitely more of a thing.

Maybe I'm missing something, but the timescale also matters.

[dbzfan7]

12 minutes ago, StaticMania said:

Those types are pretty unlucky, but it's definitely more of a thing.

Maybe I'm missing something, but the timescale also matters.

The only time aging is allowed is in live action stuff where there's no choice. In cartoons though which have switched from mostly action adventure to sitcoms over the last decade, tend to forever be locked in a time period. All status quo having to be reset to 1 every time. With some exceptions.

[StaticMania]

3 minutes ago, dbzfan7 said:

In cartoons though which have switched from mostly action adventure to sitcoms over the last decade, tend to forever be locked in a time period. All status quo having to be reset to 1 every time. With some exceptions.

Not having a story to tell...sitcom or not, would be the case for that.

There's always been sitcom cartoons though...

[dbzfan7]

7 minutes ago, StaticMania said:

Not having a story to tell...sitcom or not, would be the case for that.

There's always been sitcom cartoons though...

I know that. I'm just saying the landscape has changed to favor more the comedy/sitcom show in animation is all.

[Sonictrainer]

Really interesting

 

[DabigRG]

19 minutes ago, Sonictrainer said:

Really interesting

 

Oh yeah, I remember reading something like that.