This is not a movie review

But it is a comment on my generation

I loved Revenge of the Sith. Love, love, loved it. And let me just make an important disclaimer right here: I am Not a Geek. There are no costumes in our household and we wouldn't be caught dead at any Convention. However, my heart got caught in my throat when the first chord struck, and the block-lettered Star Wars logo scrolled up the screen For The Very Last Time in our lives. I cried a little. It was the beginning of me spending 140 minutes thinking about how this epic series has defined my generation. I wrote an article about this in 1997 -- which was published in the local newspaper, I might add boastfully -- when Episode IV was re-released. The original was, if I remember correctly, the first or second movie I ever saw in a theater. (Mom, do you remember? I think I was about six, which doesn't make sense because I was six in 1980, but somehow, it's imprinted as a milestone in my memory.) That article I wrote was about how, even though I was a little girl in 1977 and thus, didn't have any action figures or that cool Darth Vader carrying case, the movie and its sequels made an impact on me. Somehow we knew they were Important. My sister and I had a friend, Betsy, who made us "play" Star Wars in the mid '80s. Of course, she always got to be Leia. I think I was C-3PO on a good day. Probably a nameless storm trooper when she was feeling particularly bossy. And my sis, because she was the youngest, got to be an Ewok. (Whom we loved. What's with all the uber-fans being mad about the the Ewoks?! They were nowhere near as hateful as Jar-Jar. They were for us GIRLS, people. Get it, for Marketing? And thank you, Mr. Lucas.)

My point being, these movies have been part of my whole life. I never cared that much about them after the first three were done -- you know, in high school when cheerleading and musical theater and boys and algebra became central to my life. Or in college when I learned that there was such a thing as a Star Wars Geek. But since it has now been almost THIRTY years since the first "Ta-Da!" of John Williams' score hit the screen, I realize that in my life, Star Wars has always been there. The struggle between good and evil. The knowledge that there's A Force. The "I've got a bad feeling about this." I mean, our government named a missle defense system after this story. It's the mythology of our time. It's legend. It's that important.

Important enough, if I may be so bold, that I think I want my children to know (and maybe love?) these stories as much as we do. That was another thought I had while watching on Friday. At one point, the scene cut to a beautiful view of the planet Naboo, and I immediately knew it was Naboo, and I thought, "I want AJ to be able to recognize Naboo instantly, too." As if it's a real place! Ha! Am I weird for feeling that way?

I think it's hugely significant to these actors to have played a part in this story. It's like they, too, are a part of history. Forever, for All Time, their faces will represent these characters, no matter what other movies they go on to make. Because no one would ever re-make Star Wars, I hope. At least not in my lifetime.

I learned something interesting in talking to my co-workers about this last installment. Several women in our office -- my age, mostly, although a few are a bit younger -- said they never cared for Star Wars. WHAT? Well, they explained that their brothers had all the action figures and annoyed them to death with light sabre wars when they were little. Huh. Never thought about that. Since I didn't have any brothers, I wasn't made to hate it! And I'm so glad. I'm glad it means so much to me.

I think I'm making too much of this. Let me break it down to specifics.

• Hayden Christensen, despite his perfectly AWFUL performance in Attack of the Clones, was great. He sank beautfully into the dark side of himself.
• C-3PO had funny lines, just like in the first movies, that added comic relief when it was sorely needed.
• (Warning: Mini-Spoiler here:) I cried again when Obi-Wan was screaming, "Anakin, you were my [figurative] brother!" Ewan MacGregor rocks.
• And I cried the third time at the end, where the whole series, all six episodes, were finally tied up so neatly. The one question I'd been asking myself as the film progressed (based on a line in the movie that I won't give away) was answered at the very end, and I was so glad. Glad because it was the one surprise left in the storyline, that I hadn't read about anywhere.

In summary, go see it. Especially if you are part of Gen X, and even if you are not a Geek. You owe it to yourself to experience the whole long legendary thing. And (I have to say it, forgive me), May the Force Be With You.