BEFORE: Happy Star Wars Day! It may be a made-up holiday (but, essentially, aren't they all?) but it's one I plan to celebrate - I only found out about it last year, a few days too late. Now, most people probably celebrate by watching one or more of the two Star Wars trilogies back-to-back, but I don't have that kind of time. Plus I'm all about movies I haven't seen - maybe I'll watch the Star Wars films again while I'm on break in November. Linking from "Shanghai Knights" to Jedi Knights is easy, since Owen Wilson was in "Wedding Crashers" with Vince Vaughn, who was in "Couples Retreat" with Kristen Bell.
THE PLOT: Star Wars fans travel to Skywalker Ranch to steal an early copy of "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace".
AFTER: These, for better or for worse, are my people - the geeky, the nerdy, the sci-fi fans, the costumed and the clueless. We are simple folk, we watch movies, we harvest our crops, and we go to conventions.
But a funny thing happened with "Star Wars", and the phenomenon was later repeated with "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" - people BONDED over Star Wars. People of like minds FOUND each other because of Star Wars. Friendships, relationships and careers were determined because of a set of corny sci-fi films. I probably wouldn't have the interest in movies that I do, if not for these films - my life might be directionless, it's tough to say.
But the titular Star Wars fanboys are directionless, unfortunately - in their early twenties with no long-term plans, no goals, no girlfriends - except for one who's got a career in car sales that doesn't seem to interest him. Star Wars - or at least the prospect of seeing a new Star Wars film early - gives them a plan, a goal. I, for one, took that as a metaphor, but your mileage may vary. I understand that not everyone chose a career in film just because they liked a sci-fi film. And read George Lucas' biography. You get the idea.
But what I learned last week after seeing a film in a theater (for the first time in what, two years?) that it's not just about the film, it's the shared experience. The big screen, the smell of popcorn, people having a mock lightsaber battle in the aisle. You're there with your friends or loved one (hopefully) and you're sharing time, witnessing the same thing.
And that's the crux here - it's not the Star Wars film at the end of the trip (or at the end of the 6-month countdown to the premiere), it's the journey itself that's important, having a goal, having hope. I'm proud of the fact that I saw 5 out of the 6 Star Wars films on opening day - but it's probably a bigger accomplishment that I had friends that I saved seats for, and bosses that were willing to give me the day off (provided I saved a seat for them, too).
However, even though the film was nerdier than "Freaks & Geeks", had more Star Wars references than "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back", and just a little less Rush music than "I Love You, Man" - I'm not sure that it fully coalesced as a film. Great subject matter, no doubt - but a lot of random silliness along the way. An emotional ending doesn't fully make up for the long, winding path that it took to get there.
At the last minute, the characters celebrate the dimming of the lights, and the start of the Star Wars theme music and have one last regret - what if the movie sucks? Yeah, I sort of have a bit of that feeling myself after watching this...
But, I have found that many of life's problems can be solved by knowing a great deal of Star Wars trivia - so the movie at least gets that right. And there is no feeling in the world like watching a new Star Wars film for the first time (almost makes we hope to get amnesia someday, so I can watch them again, for the first time). I had an opportunity when "Phantom Menace" came out to attend a charity event and see the film a day early for about $500 - I figured, I've got 500 bucks, I'll probably make another 500 bucks in the future. But then I figured I could wait one more day and stand in line, that would be more sporting, and I'd save 490 dollars.
Also starring Sam Huntington (last seen in "Superman Returns"), Jay Baruchel (last seen in "Knocked Up"), Dan Fogler (last seen in "Taking Woodstock"), Chris Marquette, with cameos from Billy Dee Williams, Carrie Fisher (last seen in "The Man With One Red Shoe"), Ray Park, Seth Rogen (also last seen in "Knocked Up"), Danny Trejo (last seen in "Heat"), Christopher McDonald (last seen in "The House Bunny"), William Shatner, Kevin Smith (last seen in "Chasing Amy"), Jason Mewes, Ethan Suplee (as Harry Knowles!), Will Forte (last seen in "The Slammin' Salmon"), Craig Robinson ("Knocked Up"), Danny McBride (last seen in "Observe and Report") and Joe Lo Truglio (last seen in "The Station Agent").
RATING: 4 out of 10 stormtrooper helmets
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