There are special days and then there are special days. I can remember, sort of, way back when in 1977 and I was quite young, there was something that made an impression on me; Star Wars was released and wow, that was amazing. Am I right? For a young boy, who had his head in the clouds, it was something special. Little did I know it would be movies and books that would take over a large part of my brain in so many ways. Although we may not get that same feeling again, especially as adults, there is a chance that we may feel that old magic again. Star Wars: The Force Awakens opened this weekend and I am starting to feel like that little kid again.
The bad news is I can’t see it with anyone till this weekend; the good news is I believe this is heightening my anticipation even more, if it doesn’t kill me first. I look forward to being able to share the experience with someone who equally appreciates the story. We will return to our days of geekiness and revel in the fantasy that has been the basis of too many jokes and movie nights. I don’t mind seeing movies by myself and I will probably see this one by myself at some point but sharing it is far more satisfying. There are moments that are unspoken between friends seeing a movie but everyone knows instantly what they are and it’s awesome. I don’t plan on doing a review once I’ve seen the movie, there are already too many of them and I won’t color someone else experience any more.
I am doubly reminded of that time long ago because it’s Christmas time and a very fond memory came back to me. I was over at my grandparents’ house for the family gathering and I had a rather large package under the tree; let me say as a young boy seeing a large present is spine tingling. Once again I had to wait, wait for dinner to be fixed, wait for diner to be finished, and wait for the adults to finally settle down so we could open our presents. When the excruciating wait was over, I finally was given this enormous package and I opened it, my eyes lit up when I realized I now had my very own Star Wars Death Star set. Amazed and a little overwhelmed to have been given such a large and ultimately perfect gift, I reveled in my joy enthusiastically. The night only got better as my little Star Wars world expanded and I opened other, much smaller gifts, and added some of the familiar cast of characters to my new world; Darth Vader was probably my favorite if I remember correctly.
This trip down memory lane has been exciting and a little nerve racking with the anticipation of a movie everyone hopes will live up to those memories. There is some consolation here because I have some friends who have already seen the movie and say it was really good; I can breathe a little easier. In just a little over a week, I will get a chance for my big screen experience and see if the force has truly awakened. For all of those who have somehow avoided the Star Wars phenomenon, I suggest taking a moment, stepping outside of their box, and taking a chance on an experience that became an integral part of our culture. If I could share why, with all of those who don’t understand, how a simple movie helped a young boy, a generation, and the world, fall in love with stories that still hold our fascination in a way that makes us all young. There is still some magic in those scrolling words and that all too familiar music that lead us into the next chapter and simultaneously takes us back to a time most often forgotten. I believe I can safely say, the force is strong with this one.
The bad news is I can’t see it with anyone till this weekend; the good news is I believe this is heightening my anticipation even more, if it doesn’t kill me first. I look forward to being able to share the experience with someone who equally appreciates the story. We will return to our days of geekiness and revel in the fantasy that has been the basis of too many jokes and movie nights. I don’t mind seeing movies by myself and I will probably see this one by myself at some point but sharing it is far more satisfying. There are moments that are unspoken between friends seeing a movie but everyone knows instantly what they are and it’s awesome. I don’t plan on doing a review once I’ve seen the movie, there are already too many of them and I won’t color someone else experience any more.
I am doubly reminded of that time long ago because it’s Christmas time and a very fond memory came back to me. I was over at my grandparents’ house for the family gathering and I had a rather large package under the tree; let me say as a young boy seeing a large present is spine tingling. Once again I had to wait, wait for dinner to be fixed, wait for diner to be finished, and wait for the adults to finally settle down so we could open our presents. When the excruciating wait was over, I finally was given this enormous package and I opened it, my eyes lit up when I realized I now had my very own Star Wars Death Star set. Amazed and a little overwhelmed to have been given such a large and ultimately perfect gift, I reveled in my joy enthusiastically. The night only got better as my little Star Wars world expanded and I opened other, much smaller gifts, and added some of the familiar cast of characters to my new world; Darth Vader was probably my favorite if I remember correctly.
This trip down memory lane has been exciting and a little nerve racking with the anticipation of a movie everyone hopes will live up to those memories. There is some consolation here because I have some friends who have already seen the movie and say it was really good; I can breathe a little easier. In just a little over a week, I will get a chance for my big screen experience and see if the force has truly awakened. For all of those who have somehow avoided the Star Wars phenomenon, I suggest taking a moment, stepping outside of their box, and taking a chance on an experience that became an integral part of our culture. If I could share why, with all of those who don’t understand, how a simple movie helped a young boy, a generation, and the world, fall in love with stories that still hold our fascination in a way that makes us all young. There is still some magic in those scrolling words and that all too familiar music that lead us into the next chapter and simultaneously takes us back to a time most often forgotten. I believe I can safely say, the force is strong with this one.
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