Personal Reflection pt 1.

I had the joy of watching Star Wars last night. Although it has the largest opening in history, some still complain..."Wooden love dialogue", "Wooden Actors", and my favorite "It was too predictable."

Too predictable?!?!?!? What--you expected something OTHER then the turning of Anakin to the Dark Side? Let me guess--it was by insight that you guessed that Palpatine was the emperor, that the Republic was doomed, that Padme would die, that she'd name the kids Luke and Leia, that Obi Wan and Yoda alone of the Jedi would live, etc., right? Oh wait--we already knew all that--we've known it for 20 years now. The point wasn't a new story--it was the chance to see it told in full.

And it was beautiful. I'll admit it wasn't the best story--but Star Wars as a legacy is easily one of my favorites. Despite the failures of Episodes 1 & 2, the Star War's fantasy has affected me more than almost any other fantasy I can think of. Its probably in part due to the fact that it lived on screen before it lived anywhere else--Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings was amazing, but didn't stir the same chord in me that Star Wars does. I watch the Lord of the Rings and I want to read the book. I watch Star Wars and I never want the movie to end (get better, sure, but not end...).

I'll admit it--I'm addicted to the story. The myth that Star Wars plays at is intoxicating. At the end of every one of the six movies I feel instantly a confused mixture of happiness, longing, excitement and sadness. I'm a fanboy--I know it and admit it. Never dressed up, probably never will...never spent money on the fakey looking "lightsabers"...because I don't dream about imitating the magic...my dreams are occupied with living inside it. That's why, though on occascion even I will groan, the dialogue can wizz by me even when its wanting without ruining my time. Its true of almost no other movie (though, again, I'll sheepishly admit I also have a soft-spot for John Wayne movies)...when I watch Star Wars I have always been totally involved in its story, and uninterested in the distracting factors that would pierce its fantasy.

I won't be writing about Star Wars anymore--having watched it there's little reason to continue to opine about my enjoyment of it. But it was a special moment last night. In many ways it was everything I could have wanted it to be--not perfect (and if you want I could give my suggestions for how they could have salvaged it--key word: the love story) but still very special.