Well, although it is still May, the past few weeks has brought the "Summer Movie Season" upon us.  Of what you have seen over the past few weeks, what have you liked...what do you still want to see, and what are you looking forward to seeing the most this summer?  We caught Shrek 2 yesterday, and really enjoyed it.  I'd recommend it, although we really liked the first one as well.  If you didn't like the first one, you probably wouldn't like this one either.  We have been talking about going to Troy, as well as Van Helsing (although not as much now), but not sure if we will make it to those.  Other upcoming movies:

Opening This Week
The Day After Tomorrow
Raising Helen
Soul Plane

June 4, 2004
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

June 11, 2004
Chronicles of Riddick
Garfield
The Stepford Wives

June 16, 2004
Around the World in 80 Days

June 18, 2004
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
The Terminal

June 23, 2004
The Door in the Floor
White Chicks

June 30, 2004
Spider-man 2

That should take us through June, as far as "major" releases.  Of those coming up, between the wife and myself, we have talked about seeing Harry Potter (definitely), Garfield, Dodgeball, and most definitely Spider-man 2.  A couple of others look interesting, but will likely wait until rentals (might do that for Garfield and Dodgeball as well, we'll see).

I was kind of surprised that Shrek did THAT well, but it is a good movie.  We caught a matinee yesterday, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I think a lot of the criticisms of the movie come from the fact that with the first one, no one was expecting it...now they expect more.  I think I liked the first one better as well, but 2 was very good as well.  Puss in Boots was actually funnier than I expected too.  Saw some trailers for more animated features coming up...the Incredibles and Shark Tale, both looked kind of funny, lots of stars lending voices in Shark Tale the way it looks.

I'm still really liking this entire line of figures, hopefully we'll get some more pics soon (preferrably of Wave 3).  Now that Hasbro has finally started their "features" on each of the 12, we should start to learn a little more about each of them.  Thanks for posting the news about Wave 2 being up for sale Scott.  I'd like to hold out to find these at retail, but the way things have been around here lately (nothing new since Tatooine wave), I don't know if I can trust that.  Plus, despite the price, these should be pretty popular.  Like I said when we first saw shots of these, I think this is the type of line where if I didn't or couldn't have anything else as a Star Wars collection, I'd like to have these 12 figures on a shelf.  From the ones we have seen so far, they look pretty spiff-tastic.

I'm with those who are hoping for a gadget laden R2.  That would be pretty cool.  I'm curious to see what they do with Fett and Chewie as well.  This collection is basically just what I've wanted, well articulated versions of the main characters who are able to be neutrally posed or posed as you want...and to top it off, they are using the vintage cardbacks.  Now if they would follow JesseJames' advice and do this for at least the main characters/army builders throughout the other movies, we'd be all set.  Even though I'm more of an OT person than PT, I wouldn't mind seeing versions like this of PT Anakin, Obi, Padme, etc.

No doubt, thanks Scott .  This is great news though, glad to see that everything is included with each release (no matter which carded variation you might get).  Although the head sculpt might be a little off on the Dagobah Luke, I'm really looking forward to this wave overall.  Kind of nice to see Hasbro try something new like this interchangeable arms/head business.  As long as it is only used where appropriate, it should work out well.

On a side note, not exactly "Dagobah" wave news...but according to a little report I read over at RS, the repack Throne Room Vader will NOT have a removable helmet this time around.  I don't know if this makes a difference to anyone or not (this is one figure I will be skipping, I got it the first time around and am endlessly frustrated with it...getting it to stand, the cape, etc.).

I agree with what everyone has been saying here as well.  I really hope that they continue the cardback style that we are going to see in the OTC collection....for both OT and PT figures.  I think the cards really stand out, and are the best cards we have seen in the modern line.

As far as the actual "toys" themselves, I agree with the obvious that I don't want to see any more "action features".  As I have been packing up my collection in the past couple of weeks getting ready to move, I have realized once again how much I dislike these things.  It really hurt a lot of figures that could have been great.  I'm also not a big fan of the extreme poses.  At first I didn't think they were too bad, and figures like Luminara do "look" good...but I'd rather have more static poses.  Neutral, but with the articulation that allows you to put them in poses yourself.  I agree with increased, standard articulation as well.  I like a lot of posability, but the ability for them to stand neutrally as well.  From the pics we've seen, the VOTC figures are a good example of this.  I don't want articulation to the point where they look goofy, since they are in the 3 3/4" scale, but as long as they do it well, and where appropriate, I'm all for it.  Example, to me, figures like the upcoming Lobot (as well as Dodonna, etc.) don't have to have as much articulation necessarily as Vader, Han, Luke, etc.

I also could do without overly done multiple versions of characters in the same outfit, but that does come with the territory.  I don't mind it if it is resculpts years apart, to adapt with evolving technologies where the figures are worlds better than they were years back.  I'm actually someone that enjoys seeing main characters once in awhile, in resculpt form, when they are done better than before.  For example, I have more than my share of Commtech Han Solo, and I think that figure is great, but the upcoming VOTC one, while the same outfit, looks much better to me.  The multiples I don't care for are, for example, in movie years.  I didn't need quite so many Jangos or Mauls, or Anakins...but then again, I didn't HAVE to buy them either.  If I went back, I probably wouldn't have bought all of them.  But, like I said, this is just part of the line....we'll get one or the other, multiple character versions like the past couple prequel movies....or rehashed figures like was done in the vintage days (which didn't seem too bad back then, you could pretty much always find who you were looking for).

Finally, this is getting long...sorry, I'm down with people who would like to see some playsets.  Now I realize it is probably a bit of a risk for Hasbro to put out tons of playsets like we had in the vintage line, but it wouldn't be so bad to see one every once in awhile.  Personally, I'd really like to see a Death Star playset again, even if it was a vintage re-do type of thing.  I never had that as a kid, and always wanted it.  Otherwise, I agree with what others have seen, and I hope the line is at least close to what everyone wants in the future.

I just saw this pic as well, interesting to say the least.  I have read over at TF.N that there will likely be a number of changes to these DVDs, making them the "archival editions".  It is rumored that the most changes will be made in ANH, with a few others in the other movies.  I also see that Josh Griffin from the TF.N forums has said that the reason Anakin is young will be explained in Episode III, something to do with the fact that "dark side years" don't count against your Jedi spirit.  Something like that anyways

I agree Jeff.  Those pictures sure are nice.  I've really been back and forth on whether or not I want to buy the rehashed figures, but seeing them on cardbacks makes it awfully tempting.  I've always been an opener, but part of me wants to buy the recarded figures just to leave them on those purty cards.  I really hope that this cardback style continues for awhile, it just looks great.  Definitely looking forward to the Dagobah wave itself, and I might just pick up some of those rehashed figures in there as well.  Also...the X-Wing Luke rehash didn't look quite as bucktoothed as the POTJ one I have, so that's a good thing.