Second Time Around

If any of you keep regular tabs on my movie page, you may have, over the next few weeks, cause to wonder if I have completely lost my mind. On the right side of the page, where I keep a list of each movie I've seen so far this year, you will see Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith appearing several times. Not yet; as of right now, it's only up there twice. I'll be seeing it many more times while it's in theaters, though.

Currently, I've seen it twice. I went to see it for the second time yesterday after work. I didn't think it was possible, but I actually liked it even more the second time around. I think it was because I knew what was coming, so I could glance around the screen and take in some of the secondary details instead of just focusing on the essentials. I'll probably like it more and more each time for the next few times I see it. Eventually it'll level off, but for now I'm enjoying the climb.

I'm sure it baffles some people that I, and so many others like me, spend money over and over again to see the same movie more than once in the theater. Sure, after I saw it the first time, I could have waited until November for the film to come out on DVD before I saw it again. A film like this, though, was meant to be seen in the theater. The special effects, both visual and auditory, are best experienced in the large-scale format you can only get in a real theater. I've got a pretty sweet home theater system, with a nice flat screen TV and a powerful surround-sound system, but it still isn't the same. The theater is the way to go. The darkened room with the film as the sole focus allows you to immerse yourself more complete that you can at home. I actually get so into the movie that it takes a while for me to readjust to the real world after I leave the theater.

Eventually I'll probably post a full-blown review, but I'll hold off for now. I want to give everyone a chance to see it before I get into a discussion of some of the finer plot points. Beyond that, I also want to see it a few more times to fix it more firmly in my memory, and I also want to read the novel (which I bought last night) to see how it complements the film.

After I finish the Revenge of the Sith novelization, I've got plenty of other Star Wars reading to do. I need to read the last book in the New Jedi Order series, which I've had on my shelf since it came out. There are plenty of other books that have come out in the meantime, and eventually I plan to get to most of them. Now that the films are complete, I'm hoping that the books will be able to explore more into the world of Darth Vader. Perhaps they've even started already. I'll find out. The question I have to answer as I go forward is whether or not I want to get into the graphic novels that are also out there. I have a few already, but I've never been a dedicated reader. I think the answer will probably be yes. After nearly twenty-eight years, I'm still hungry for all the Star Wars stories I can get my eyes on.

For now, though, I'm content to enjoy Revenge of the Sith while its run at the theaters lasts. I've got one more viewing planned for this week (Friday after work), and I'm thinking I may be able to drag Brandi out to see it again at some point over the long weekend. Go ahead, consider me a freak if it makes you feel better; I get such limited opportunity to indulge my freakish behaviorin this way, I'm taking full advantage while I can.