Let me start at the beginning. When I was 7 years old I would never admit it, but my step brother was the coolest person on earth to me. I wanted to do everything that he did, and that included watching and reading what he watched and read. That is how I got into "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings." One of the more important moments was when my brother showed me "Star Wars" for the first time.
Granted, my first "Star Wars" movie was "The Phantom Menace," but I fell instantly in love. I loved all of the creatures and different planets and I almost instantly demanded to be Queen Amidala for Halloween and book character day at school. (My step brother was Darth Maul. It was awesome, and I wish I still had the picture.)
Eventually, my step brother brought over a box set of the original trilogy. We dedicated an entire day to sitting in my room and watching Luke Skywalker's story unfold. If I hadn't been hooked before, I was after that day. Han Solo was an instant crush of mine, and Leia was who I aspired to be. From then on, I was proud to call myself a "Star Wars" nerd.
Fast forward about 12 years and Disney bought Lucasfilm and said that there may be new "Star Wars" movies. I was hesitant to see a new episode, but I'm willing to give almost anything a shot. A couple more years passed and the new "Star Wars" movies were definitely going to be a thing. J. J. Abrams was going to direct them. After seeing the absolutely fantastic "Star Trek" movies, I knew that "Star Wars" was in good hands.
My heart stopped the moment the teaser trailer came out. I literally screamed out loud when Harrison Ford came on screen and said "Chewie, we're home." I had to make sure everyone had seen it, and that they were just as excited as I was. They were, and we started making plans to see the movie.
After almost a year of agonizing waiting, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" finally came out this weekend. I went to see it with my best friend and fellow nerd, and I could barely contain my excitement. The moment the theme played and the rolling text made its way across the screen, I was misty eyed. I was so excited that I was sitting in a theatre about to see a brand new "Star Wars" movie. And boy, it did not disappoint.
The new characters were wonderful. I was so happy that the movie had such a well done female lead in Rey. Daisy Ridley's performance was spot on. Fin was a nice addition as well, and I thought he added a great perspective to the story. When the film did introduce beloved old characters (no spoilers), it was beautifully done and I couldn't help but squeal and hit my friend on the arm.
From a visual standpoint, the movie was absolutely beautiful from start to finish. I was thrilled that Abrams chose to stick to a retro aesthetic that matched the original trilogy perfectly, and he executed it brilliantly. Even the scene transitions made me feel like this was a part of the original episodes, just with a bit of a modern twist. Every scene was wonderfully composed and beautiful to look at.
All in all I thought this film was spectacular, and it makes a great addition to the "Star Wars" universe. It is also amazing to see how this story has officially impacted three different generations. The original trilogy is coming up on its 40th anniversary, and now my little nieces and nephews are telling me that Han shot first. My heart is full knowing that they are discovering this universe at about the same age I did, and that it's impacting them just as much. I cannot wait to see what else is to come from the rest of the new films. May the force be with you.
