Everything leading up to Episode VII looks great so far.
I was three years old the first time I saw A New Hope in theaters. That was a different time for theater goers. Movies were cheaper. Effects were handmade. George Lucas had a brilliant plan. And the galaxy, far far away, was a gleaming light at the end of the tunnel that left audience members with a sense of amazement and a set of characters that would stay with them forever.
Well, JJ Abrams appears to have the faithful touch that will finally bring us back to the good old days of light versus dark. Obviously, we all have to wait until December to see what he's really created with this continuation of the Skywalker saga. From the onset of the marketing campaign for The Force Awakens, one thing has been abundantly clear. Abrams is doing exactly what Lucas couldn't do with the prequel trilogy. He's going to give us die hard fans, young and old, the first in a trilogy that will most likely be just as strong as anything Lucas ever did with the franchise and hopefully won't make the mistakes that destroyed the prequels. With the returning cast, it's hard to imagine for one second that this movie won't deliver.
To say my hopes are high at this point is a massive understatement. From the care he's taken with matching the tone and the practical effects of the original trilogy sets my mind at ease and creates a new sense of wonder that hasn't been felt since Return of the Jedi ended in 1983. To see our old heroes back in the fray with new villains and a lifelong fan behind the camera is exactly what we've needed for decades. Lucas bashing aside, it will be nice to experience Star Wars from a new perspective. My children are now old enough to fully appreciate the original films for what they were and they can also recognize the deeply flawed prequels. To share the cinematic experience of seeing Han, Luke, Leia and the rest of the crew in a new adventure is something I never thought would be possible.
Now, The Force Awakens will finally give them a true sense of what it meant to be a Star Wars fan back when it all started. For that, I am truly thankful and hopeful that this will be everything we're gearing up for. From all the early footage and the love that's being thrown at this production, The Force Awakens will take us back to a time when people enjoyed movies and could engage with a heroic set of characters that stood for something. December can't get here soon enough.
-CG
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