Finally saw the movie and so it's safe to get back on the interwebz.
First the good - this definitely has the feel of a movie set in the Star Wars universe (unlike the prequel trilogy) and carries a lot of the light touch of the originals, thanks largely to Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew who are excellent.
I agree with the one numeric rating I saw in this thread, at roughly 8.5/10. This is a good movie, but sadly anything less than 9.5 does not cut it for a Star Wars movie - so while it is an enjoyable night out, it falls just short of the classic status of the originals.
And I blame that entirely on JJ Abrams style of action-movie direction, where story is told /only/ through action. This is a great way to write an action movie, but was a terrible match for Star Trek, and while a better match for Star Wars, does not quite capture the magic of that time long ago in a galaxy far away.
The main thing missing is breathing space, slower scenes, with more dialog, that give us time to build the characters, build the story, and build the worlds - get a sense of the larger scale of the story. As everything is told exclusively from the eyes of the characters on screen, we never get the scale of the new galactic empire/republic/story.
Star Wars plays best as a Saturday morning serial, a format that died out before it and Indiana Jones launched to our screens, but is the essence of the pacing in story-telling in their respective universes. We just need more breathing room, and a wider variety of pacing, slow/fast/slow/repeat, rather than slow -> start chase -> action -> end movie 2 hours later.
So see the movie, enjoy the movie, enjoy the Star Wars universe on the big screen again, but don't expect another Star Wars movie, this is as close as we are likely to get, and is a fun romp while it lasts.
Well, except I have a hard time believing he'd never played around with Chewie's blaster before.
Yea that was a bit of a headscratcher as well. In all the times Han and Chewie have gotten into trouble Han has never had to use Chewie's Bowcaster? Seemed like a pretty big stretch.
I saw it yesterday. It was more like the original...maybe a little too much like the original. I mean, almost exactly like the original.
In a nutshell: the story follows a droid carrying some vital information that the bad guys are after, and ends up in the hands of some good guys, who have to take on the bad guys in a massive aerial dogfight with X-wings and TIE fighters (20 years since RotJ and spaceship technology hasn't improved beyond a single two-seater variant of TIE fighters?), and destroy a huge super-weapon before it wipes them out, while one of the main characters who is actually a jedi (and never knew) has a sabre duel with the big bad guy because destiny. Sound familiar?
I felt that the backstory could have done with a bit more development...it glossed over the events of the last 20 years or so with intro text and a few flashbacks, but never really delved any deeper (though maybe that's reserved for the next film).
It wasn't a bad film...it was just, basically, Episode IV Rehashed... you know how Star Trek Into Darkness was, basically, Wrath of Khan remade? This is a similar thing. It even featured all of the characters...ALL of them, even C3P0 (still not sure why he was necessary - other than to do that joke about his arm).
- R2D2 has shut itself down after luke leaves, but they can't turn him back on or copy any information that he has stored. Also the whole "R2D2 is now awake again" moment was just corny.
- Pacing isn't Abrams strong suit apparently. Kylo Ren's heritage is revealed in probably the first 30 minutes of the movie. Why? I kind of feel like the scene between Han and Kylo would have worked a lot better if as the viewer we weren't sure about the relationship between him and Han (even lead us into thinking it was a matter of business), but later found out after Han's death thanks to Leia (mentioning it to Finn or Rey). Better yet in fact, never tell the viewer. Keep us guessing!
- R2D2 has shut itself down after luke leaves, but they can't turn him back on or copy any information that he has stored. Also the whole "R2D2 is now awake again" moment was just corny.
- Pacing isn't Abrams strong suit apparently. Kylo Ren's heritage is revealed in probably the first 30 minutes of the movie. Why? I kind of feel like the scene between Han and Kylo would have worked a lot better if as the viewer we weren't sure about the relationship between him and Han (even lead us into thinking it was a matter of business), but later found out after Han's death thanks to Leia (mentioning it to Finn or Rey). Better yet in fact, never tell the viewer. Keep us guessing!
I don't agree on those points.
I thought that R2-D2 had shut himself down and locked his memory core on express instruction from Luke. Maybe he could have been hacked (sliced), but no one knew the information was in there (and it would have been useless without the rest of the map anyway). I assumed he awoke on a preprogrammed instruction, when sensors detected Rey arrive on the planet.
As for drawing out the reveal of Kylo Ren's parentage, I think that would have been treating the audience like idiots, and anyway, there is enough of that nonsense with Rey. Anyway the line "bring back our son" is pretty much essential to explain Han's actions and Leia's guilt.
I do agree that the film could have done with quiet spots to expand character and backstory. On that line I was pleasantly surprised by the character of Maz Kanata, who I thought was brilliantly performed by Lupita Nyong'o.
- R2D2 has shut itself down after luke leaves, but they can't turn him back on or copy any information that he has stored. Also the whole "R2D2 is now awake again" moment was just corny.
- Pacing isn't Abrams strong suit apparently. Kylo Ren's heritage is revealed in probably the first 30 minutes of the movie. Why? I kind of feel like the scene between Han and Kylo would have worked a lot better if as the viewer we weren't sure about the relationship between him and Han (even lead us into thinking it was a matter of business), but later found out after Han's death thanks to Leia (mentioning it to Finn or Rey). Better yet in fact, never tell the viewer. Keep us guessing!
I agree with spoiler #1 but not #2. On #1 it would have been better . . .
to have Rey download the rest of the map from the first order's computer. Perhaps even sneaking away from the resistance with BB-8 so Luke's location could remain a secret.
I like the plot device -- the person who wakes from a coma or recovers from their amnesia at the last moment -- but it wasn't done very well. Low power to mode to full function was clunky. If you were committed to using the 'coma plot device' with a droid, then someone should have fixed R2D2 -- we know that he's an obsolete model so perhaps they needed something from Jakku to make him work?
Oh and @Fardragon is right -- Maz was great. Can't wait to see her new tavern.
The next installment should arrive at the same time as the Bg2 patch so I'll have to decide which I like more -- Star Wars or Baldur's Gate.
Another question that I had was the hug between Leia and Rey at the end seemed a bit long for two total strangers. Could this signify something? Or was it merely a commiseration between the two due to the events that just took place? Thoughts?
My personal and based on zero facts or knowledge are thus:
That Rey recognized Leia as the woman who left her all those years ago. Possibly at the time of the split between Leia and Han, she was pregnant with a second child only she didn't have the heart to tell him. That would be in keeping (sort of) with the now defunked EU and multiple Solo children AND in keeping with the Luke/Leia reveal in "Return". It would also explain why she was linked to the force (the force is strong in my family) and keep the Skywalker legacy consistent in the mythology. And finally it would explain the affinity between her and Han AND her flying ability.
@the_spyder No, I think the hug was merely these two women bonding and sharing a moment. Rey saw it happen...Leia felt it happen...and they both feel the loss. In that moment, Leia only *assumed* the role of "mother", the older woman offering comfort and guidance to the younger woman. Rey's technical and piloting ability are pure Force--she knows how to do those things, yes, but she really just lets herself go into the moment and "feels" her way into the correct course of action.
Another question that I had was the hug between Leia and Rey at the end seemed a bit long for two total strangers. Could this signify something? Or was it merely a commiseration between the two due to the events that just took place? Thoughts?
My personal and based on zero facts or knowledge are thus:
That Rey recognized Leia as the woman who left her all those years ago. Possibly at the time of the split between Leia and Han, she was pregnant with a second child only she didn't have the heart to tell him. That would be in keeping (sort of) with the now defunked EU and multiple Solo children AND in keeping with the Luke/Leia reveal in "Return". It would also explain why she was linked to the force (the force is strong in my family) and keep the Skywalker legacy consistent in the mythology. And finally it would explain the affinity between her and Han AND her flying ability.
Thoughts?
The movie very heavily implies that Rey is Luke's daughter, so Leia is her aunt. So yeah, they had met before.
I guess it's possible this is a deliberate fake-out though, like Finn with a lightsabre.
Maybe Han using Chewie's blaster was some in-joke? I didn't get it either.
I enjoyed it. Surprised I went to see it at the theatre, but it had got a good response from most people and I was excited enough to brave it.
I went into the movie after coming across the spoilers: 'Han Solo dies' 'Han is Kylo Ren's father' 'Kylo Ren kills Han Solo and the black guy.'
Would have preferred not to know about who dies.
INFODUMP! O_O
While I felt Finn was a believable and likeable character, I found Rey only likeable, if a bit blank. If she had only impressed Han once or twice in the pilot seat, I would have felt better. Rey was also much stronger with the lightsaber than Finn, for reasons unknown. (Both having never used the thing.) Also, Ren was a very weak swordfighter, which was unbelievable given his background. I didn't understand how two untrained people could beat him, even injured. He was the head of some knights who wiped out all other jedi apprentices, destroying the new jedi order. ... ... BUT -- these are quibbles. Hollywood logic. Luke had hardly any training before he bested Vadar.
Surprising to me, Chewie was my favourite part of the film. He and Finn were the funniest. I liked the line about the trash compactor, because that was one thing Finn would actually know. X3
The monsters which attacked the smugglers looked bad. Rest of the film looked great, though!
Although I feel Ren is a weak villain (weak in strength and mental fortitude), I'm at least interested in his master, Snoke. Overall, this felt closer to the original series than to the prequels. Would have liked longer slow moments. Also, would have liked to have seen Luke more often. Will have to wait.
Satisfied. c:
I would say "weakness" is the core of the character of Kylo Ren. As Luke's student and nephew, he felt pressure to live up to the reputation of his grandfather, but he simply didn't have what it takes. This was made worse when Luke's daughter turned up - ten years younger and already more powerful. Resentment towards his parents built up for sending him somewhere he couldn't hack it. Thus, he was an easy target for Snoke to seduce with the offer of quick and easy power. However, he found it difficult to fully embrace evil. Hence his tendency to destroy furniture when angry, rather than kill people.
Now, I'm not sure if this was the best way to go, since it left TFA without a truly impressive villain. I guess they decided they couldn't compete with Vader so they wouldn't try too.
That's entierly possible, but the timeline doesn't add up for her to be
a second child of Han and Leia.
Han certainly doesn't know he has another child, so she would have to have been born just after Han left. Hovever, it looks like these events happened within a short space of time, about 15 years before TFA:
1) Ben Solo (probably around 16) betrays Luke's jedi accadamy;
2) Han walks out on Leia;
3) Rey, aged around 5 or 6 according to the vision, is hidden on Jakku.
The other options: Rey is a random peson who just happens to be very strong in the Force, she is a clone or artificial being, don't make any sense from a story telling point of view.
Bottom line, the Star Wars saga needs a character called Skywalker in it's centre.
The movie very heavily implies that Rey is Luke's daughter, so Leia is her aunt. So yeah, they had met before.
I guess it's possible this is a deliberate fake-out though, like Finn with a lightsabre.
That doesn't quite track because:
If Rey is Luke's daughter, either she would know Luke and thus know about the force or she would not have met Leia having never been a part of that circle. And she would certainly know Han, which she doesn't other than by reputation.
It's all speculation anyway and I guess we have to wait till episode 8 before we know for sure.
Actually, what if Rey's memory was simply wiped before she was dropped on Jakku? I mean, those visions she was having where most likely simply lost memories.
True enough, but she was clearly and distinctly waiting for someone that she knew to return for her. plus, if she didn't remember Leia why the moment of recognition?
Actually, what if Rey's memory was simply wiped before she was dropped on Jakku? I mean, those visions she was having where most likely simply lost memories.
I started a thead on how many plot elements TFA borrows from KotOR. Although I don't think JUST lost memories - the future seems to be in there too.
A Force suggestion would explain her need to wait on Jakku.
It's also possible she knows much more than she lets on. Early on she says her origins are "classified".
It's also possible she knows much more than she lets on. Early on she says her origins are "classified".
If you don't mind me correcting you, Rey actually says the word "classified" as a surprised reaction to BB-8 using that term to describe its own mission (deliver the map to Leia). She's pretty much just translating robot-noise-speech to the audience.
With that said...
[spoiler]I don't think she's Luke's child. I think it's more likely her family is no one we know and she's been called by the lightsaber because she's strong with the Force. Who knows? Maybe it (the Force) has concluded that Skywalkers always screw up.
Joking aside, in the end I think the movie hints heavily on Rey being a second Han and Leia's child of which Han was never told about (having left after the Ben/Kylo fiasco). The evidence is:
1) She is similar to both in a lot of ways. She's got both Leia's snarky attitude (and the Skywalker high midichlorian count Force sensitiveness and Han's unique understanding on how to operate the Falcon "right" (they share opinions to the point of completing each other's sentences). Plus, she's the only other character we meet (other than 3PO) who's shown to understand Chewbacca. Were there any Wookies in Jakku? I call it plot hole in the name of foreshadowing.
2) She and Han share this little father/daughter moment when he hands her a blaster. And then he invites her to join the Falcon's crew. I don't think that was just because he was impressed. It could be he instinctively recognizes her (that's plausible... right?) and thus subconsciously wants to keep her close.
3) It's also hinted at by Kylo Ren ("you see him as the father you've never had...") - could be a throwaway line, could very much also be more foreshadowing.
4) The way Leia hugs her when they meet. Have you guys noticed that that's the very first interaction they have in the movie?
Now, I know Leia felt Han's death so this could be verbalized as something like "hello there, you've been through a lot, I can feel it, but it's going to be okay. Also I'm totally ignoring Chewie even though we are long-time friends who have just suffered a terrible loss."
Wouldn't it be cooler if it was more like "hello again, you've been through a lot, I can feel it, and I'm also totally your mom. But I'm not dropping the bomb on you at this moment because the last thing you need to know right now is that the man you just watched die was your father and the guy who tried to kill you and nearly killed your new BFF is actually your brother. I mean, I've already burdened you with some huge abandonment issues so one emotional trauma at a time, wouldn't you agree, dear? ANYHOO, I'm so glad to see you again and I'm so sorry I've had to keep you away for all these years. We'll explain it on the next movie, that's a promise. But hey, it's going to be okay, because you're going to inherit your dad's old ship (I'm pretty sure Chewie will be more than happy to be your co-pilot as a last service to his best friend) and I'm sending you to your uncle Luke so he can train you as a Jedi so you can help me fix this mess and dammit if he doesn't get it right with a student this time I'm kicking his ass all the way back to Mos Eisley. Also speaking of Chewie I know I'm totally ignoring him when he's clearly desolated but I'm sure he understands because as devastating as the loss of Han is for both of us, finally laying eyes on the daughter I couldn't watch growing up and being able to hold her again after over a decade kinda makes want to lay off the mourning for a couple of minutes."
Yeah, I know what was said. I was paraphrasing. It is still possible to interpret it as meaning either "I don't know" or "I'm not alowed to say".
1) She understands tha Falcon because a) she helped install the modifications in the first place, and b) she inherited Anakin's mechanical intuition. She also understands droids and several other alien languages. A Force based gift for languages was one of Revan's special abilities. See my similarities between TFA and KotOR thread.You can't genetically inherit the ability to understand a foreign language anyway.
2) I wouldn't call that a farther daughter moment. It could just as easily be an uncle niece moment. Indeed "avuncular" perfectly describes Han's attitude. Han certainly doesn't recognise her, either way, as it is Finn who wants to rescue her, Han doesn't seem hugely bothered. His priorities are very much 1st Ben; 2nd destroy the Superweapon; distant 3rd Rey.
3) Kylo Ren is jealous of the bond Rey has with HIS farther. The novelisation suggests Kylo Ren knows who Rey is, in which case, the line only makes sense if he knows Han is not her farther.
4) Yes, I noticed. It's entirely consistent with greeting the daughter of a missing brother, and probably not emotional enough for greeting your own long lost daughter. Leia certainly knows who she is anyway.
@smeagolheart , Thank you so much for posting that Jimmy Kimmel a capella choir video. I would have missed that gem if not for you. I can't believe Kimmel got all the cast members to record for that, and I'm pretty sure the ones that sang were really doing their own singing.
Also, it's such a marvelous tribute to John Williams, that basically everybody alive can sing his themes on the syllables "ba", "pa", "ba-dah", etc.
I've been playing KOTOR today and getting more and more thrilled by what I saw in my first viewing of Awakens.
I Googled
"Ben Solo", and found out something interesting about the character name choice. Although the Expanded Universe (EU) has been retconned out by the reboot, there is apparently a pair of characters in the EU, Ben Skywalker and Jacen Solo, who appear to have been combined into Ben/Kylo (possibly).
Wikipedia writers are already hard at work preserving and incorporating all knowledge we have to date of how the reboot might have retained inspiration from the EU. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylo_Ren
Also, I have noticed name alliteration here - should be obvious, but it was not obvious to me on a first viewing until I read and watched stuff on the internet - "Rey-Ren". Also rhyming - "Ben-Ren". Names always mean something in Star Wars, that is, all names are allegorical in some way, ranging from obvious to subtle to huge stretches.
Of course, "Ben" could also be a "name your child after your hero" thing for Han and Leia, but, "Ben" is Luke's hero, and not Han's and Leia's. I guess you could point out Leia's "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're our only hope", but, that seems like all business, and never anything personal. Did she ever even call him "Ben"? I think Leia would only have given that name to her son to make Luke happy.
So is that all there is to it? Leia wanted to make Luke happy by giving her son his hero's familiar name? Or could it be that the new reboot has combined Ben Jr. with Jacen, making his eventual fall to the Dark Side even more tragic and life-destroying for Luke, Leia, and Han?
I've also encountered speculation that, since Rey is told to be much younger than Ren/Ben in the reboot, she could still be Han and Leia's daughter and Ren/Ben's sister, where she was in utero after Ren fell, Han left Leia in the emotional devastation, Leia decided to not tell Han she was again pregnant, and both Luke and Leia decided to hide the new baby in a similar fashion to how they themselves had been hidden, due to new visions of "awakening" of the Dark side of the Force.
Anyway, this is all wild rumors and speculation among fans who loved the new movie and the reboot, but I consider it a testament of the power and quality of the reboot that those of us who love it are wildly theorizing and speculating about this. Honestly, we're as giddy as we were at whatever ages we saw the original movies at this point.
I love this rebooting of the franchise so much, I am planning to get up early tomorrow (Sunday) and go to my neighborhood theater to see Awakens in 3-D IMAX. They have a 9:00 AM showing. I am hoping that because most people in my region will be in church at that day and time, I won't have huge crowds to deal with. My best friend and I saw it yesterday on a regular screen, because that showing was the most convenient time to avoid Christmas Day crowds.
Also, I don't usually like either 3-D OR IMAX showings of movies, so I requested to see it on the regular screen. I'm so blown away though, this movie is actually making me want to experience it in 3-D IMAX, just so I can have had the ultimate, greatest possible experience of it before it leaves theaters.
Comments
First the good - this definitely has the feel of a movie set in the Star Wars universe (unlike the prequel trilogy) and carries a lot of the light touch of the originals, thanks largely to Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew who are excellent.
I agree with the one numeric rating I saw in this thread, at roughly 8.5/10. This is a good movie, but sadly anything less than 9.5 does not cut it for a Star Wars movie - so while it is an enjoyable night out, it falls just short of the classic status of the originals.
And I blame that entirely on JJ Abrams style of action-movie direction, where story is told /only/ through action. This is a great way to write an action movie, but was a terrible match for Star Trek, and while a better match for Star Wars, does not quite capture the magic of that time long ago in a galaxy far away.
The main thing missing is breathing space, slower scenes, with more dialog, that give us time to build the characters, build the story, and build the worlds - get a sense of the larger scale of the story. As everything is told exclusively from the eyes of the characters on screen, we never get the scale of the new galactic empire/republic/story.
Star Wars plays best as a Saturday morning serial, a format that died out before it and Indiana Jones launched to our screens, but is the essence of the pacing in story-telling in their respective universes. We just need more breathing room, and a wider variety of pacing, slow/fast/slow/repeat, rather than slow -> start chase -> action -> end movie 2 hours later.
So see the movie, enjoy the movie, enjoy the Star Wars universe on the big screen again, but don't expect another Star Wars movie, this is as close as we are likely to get, and is a fun romp while it lasts.
In a nutshell: the story follows a droid carrying some vital information that the bad guys are after, and ends up in the hands of some good guys, who have to take on the bad guys in a massive aerial dogfight with X-wings and TIE fighters (20 years since RotJ and spaceship technology hasn't improved beyond a single two-seater variant of TIE fighters?), and destroy a huge super-weapon before it wipes them out, while one of the main characters who is actually a jedi (and never knew) has a sabre duel with the big bad guy because destiny. Sound familiar?
I felt that the backstory could have done with a bit more development...it glossed over the events of the last 20 years or so with intro text and a few flashbacks, but never really delved any deeper (though maybe that's reserved for the next film).
It wasn't a bad film...it was just, basically, Episode IV Rehashed... you know how Star Trek Into Darkness was, basically, Wrath of Khan remade? This is a similar thing. It even featured all of the characters...ALL of them, even C3P0 (still not sure why he was necessary - other than to do that joke about his arm).
- Pacing isn't Abrams strong suit apparently. Kylo Ren's heritage is revealed in probably the first 30 minutes of the movie. Why? I kind of feel like the scene between Han and Kylo would have worked a lot better if as the viewer we weren't sure about the relationship between him and Han (even lead us into thinking it was a matter of business), but later found out after Han's death thanks to Leia (mentioning it to Finn or Rey). Better yet in fact, never tell the viewer. Keep us guessing!
I did notice a red protocol droid in the farewell scene where 3PO had his gold arm back, so maybe it was borrowed.
As for drawing out the reveal of Kylo Ren's parentage, I think that would have been treating the audience like idiots, and anyway, there is enough of that nonsense with Rey. Anyway the line "bring back our son" is pretty much essential to explain Han's actions and Leia's guilt.
I do agree that the film could have done with quiet spots to expand character and backstory. On that line I was pleasantly surprised by the character of Maz Kanata, who I thought was brilliantly performed by Lupita Nyong'o.
I like the plot device -- the person who wakes from a coma or recovers from their amnesia at the last moment -- but it wasn't done very well. Low power to mode to full function was clunky. If you were committed to using the 'coma plot device' with a droid, then someone should have fixed R2D2 -- we know that he's an obsolete model so perhaps they needed something from Jakku to make him work?
Oh and @Fardragon is right -- Maz was great. Can't wait to see her new tavern.
The next installment should arrive at the same time as the Bg2 patch so I'll have to decide which I like more -- Star Wars or Baldur's Gate.
My personal and based on zero facts or knowledge are thus:
Thoughts?
The movie very heavily implies that Rey is Luke's daughter, so Leia is her aunt. So yeah, they had met before.
I guess it's possible this is a deliberate fake-out though, like Finn with a lightsabre.
Now, I'm not sure if this was the best way to go, since it left TFA without a truly impressive villain. I guess they decided they couldn't compete with Vader so they wouldn't try too.
I mean, I think it's very unlikely, but what if.
Han certainly doesn't know he has another child, so she would have to have been born just after Han left. Hovever, it looks like these events happened within a short space of time, about 15 years before TFA:
1) Ben Solo (probably around 16) betrays Luke's jedi accadamy;
2) Han walks out on Leia;
3) Rey, aged around 5 or 6 according to the vision, is hidden on Jakku.
The other options: Rey is a random peson who just happens to be very strong in the Force, she is a clone or artificial being, don't make any sense from a story telling point of view.
Bottom line, the Star Wars saga needs a character called Skywalker in it's centre.
I would have payed big time to see teen age "Yoda" as the new jedi savior!
It's all speculation anyway and I guess we have to wait till episode 8 before we know for sure.
I mean, those visions she was having where most likely simply lost memories.
Again for fun if nothing else.
Probably ret-conned by The Force Awakens. Either that or they've made up since then.
A Force suggestion would explain her need to wait on Jakku.
It's also possible she knows much more than she lets on. Early on she says her origins are "classified".
With that said...
[spoiler]I don't think she's Luke's child. I think it's more likely her family is no one we know and she's been called by the lightsaber because she's strong with the Force. Who knows? Maybe it (the Force) has concluded that Skywalkers always screw up.
Joking aside, in the end I think the movie hints heavily on Rey being a second Han and Leia's child of which Han was never told about (having left after the Ben/Kylo fiasco). The evidence is:
1) She is similar to both in a lot of ways. She's got both Leia's snarky attitude (and the Skywalker high midichlorian count Force sensitiveness and Han's unique understanding on how to operate the Falcon "right" (they share opinions to the point of completing each other's sentences). Plus, she's the only other character we meet (other than 3PO) who's shown to understand Chewbacca. Were there any Wookies in Jakku? I call it plot hole in the name of foreshadowing.
2) She and Han share this little father/daughter moment when he hands her a blaster. And then he invites her to join the Falcon's crew. I don't think that was just because he was impressed. It could be he instinctively recognizes her (that's plausible... right?) and thus subconsciously wants to keep her close.
3) It's also hinted at by Kylo Ren ("you see him as the father you've never had...") - could be a throwaway line, could very much also be more foreshadowing.
4) The way Leia hugs her when they meet. Have you guys noticed that that's the very first interaction they have in the movie?
Now, I know Leia felt Han's death so this could be verbalized as something like "hello there, you've been through a lot, I can feel it, but it's going to be okay. Also I'm totally ignoring Chewie even though we are long-time friends who have just suffered a terrible loss."
Wouldn't it be cooler if it was more like "hello again, you've been through a lot, I can feel it, and I'm also totally your mom. But I'm not dropping the bomb on you at this moment because the last thing you need to know right now is that the man you just watched die was your father and the guy who tried to kill you and nearly killed your new BFF is actually your brother. I mean, I've already burdened you with some huge abandonment issues so one emotional trauma at a time, wouldn't you agree, dear? ANYHOO, I'm so glad to see you again and I'm so sorry I've had to keep you away for all these years. We'll explain it on the next movie, that's a promise. But hey, it's going to be okay, because you're going to inherit your dad's old ship (I'm pretty sure Chewie will be more than happy to be your co-pilot as a last service to his best friend) and I'm sending you to your uncle Luke so he can train you as a Jedi so you can help me fix this mess and dammit if he doesn't get it right with a student this time I'm kicking his ass all the way back to Mos Eisley. Also speaking of Chewie I know I'm totally ignoring him when he's clearly desolated but I'm sure he understands because as devastating as the loss of Han is for both of us, finally laying eyes on the daughter I couldn't watch growing up and being able to hold her again after over a decade kinda makes want to lay off the mourning for a couple of minutes."
2) I wouldn't call that a farther daughter moment. It could just as easily be an uncle niece moment. Indeed "avuncular" perfectly describes Han's attitude. Han certainly doesn't recognise her, either way, as it is Finn who wants to rescue her, Han doesn't seem hugely bothered. His priorities are very much 1st Ben; 2nd destroy the Superweapon; distant 3rd Rey.
3) Kylo Ren is jealous of the bond Rey has with HIS farther. The novelisation suggests Kylo Ren knows who Rey is, in which case, the line only makes sense if he knows Han is not her farther.
4) Yes, I noticed. It's entirely consistent with greeting the daughter of a missing brother, and probably not emotional enough for greeting your own long lost daughter. Leia certainly knows who she is anyway.
Also, it's such a marvelous tribute to John Williams, that basically everybody alive can sing his themes on the syllables "ba", "pa", "ba-dah", etc.
I Googled
Wikipedia writers are already hard at work preserving and incorporating all knowledge we have to date of how the reboot might have retained inspiration from the EU.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylo_Ren
Also, I have noticed name alliteration here - should be obvious, but it was not obvious to me on a first viewing until I read and watched stuff on the internet - "Rey-Ren". Also rhyming - "Ben-Ren". Names always mean something in Star Wars, that is, all names are allegorical in some way, ranging from obvious to subtle to huge stretches.
Of course, "Ben" could also be a "name your child after your hero" thing for Han and Leia, but, "Ben" is Luke's hero, and not Han's and Leia's. I guess you could point out Leia's "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're our only hope", but, that seems like all business, and never anything personal. Did she ever even call him "Ben"? I think Leia would only have given that name to her son to make Luke happy.
So is that all there is to it? Leia wanted to make Luke happy by giving her son his hero's familiar name? Or could it be that the new reboot has combined Ben Jr. with Jacen, making his eventual fall to the Dark Side even more tragic and life-destroying for Luke, Leia, and Han?
I've also encountered speculation that, since Rey is told to be much younger than Ren/Ben in the reboot, she could still be Han and Leia's daughter and Ren/Ben's sister, where she was in utero after Ren fell, Han left Leia in the emotional devastation, Leia decided to not tell Han she was again pregnant, and both Luke and Leia decided to hide the new baby in a similar fashion to how they themselves had been hidden, due to new visions of "awakening" of the Dark side of the Force.
Anyway, this is all wild rumors and speculation among fans who loved the new movie and the reboot, but I consider it a testament of the power and quality of the reboot that those of us who love it are wildly theorizing and speculating about this. Honestly, we're as giddy as we were at whatever ages we saw the original movies at this point.
I love this rebooting of the franchise so much, I am planning to get up early tomorrow (Sunday) and go to my neighborhood theater to see Awakens in 3-D IMAX. They have a 9:00 AM showing. I am hoping that because most people in my region will be in church at that day and time, I won't have huge crowds to deal with. My best friend and I saw it yesterday on a regular screen, because that showing was the most convenient time to avoid Christmas Day crowds.
Also, I don't usually like either 3-D OR IMAX showings of movies, so I requested to see it on the regular screen. I'm so blown away though, this movie is actually making me want to experience it in 3-D IMAX, just so I can have had the ultimate, greatest possible experience of it before it leaves theaters.