Thoughts on Star Wars

You know, I don't understand all the dissing of Episodes I and II. I love Episode I. The pod race was freaking cool, and I am totally enamored with Darth Maul. The lightsaber duels were way better than anything we saw with the original three movies.

Anyway, got Rolling Stone in the mail today, and Darth Vader is the coverboy. First thing I read was the article by Kevin Smith, and I quote:

The rest of us who grew in the sixteen years between Jedi and Phantom Menace view the new trilogy for what it is: three movies, not three impossible-to-fulfill expectations of folks who need a bearded billionaire in flannel to dream for them.

I went into each of the three new movies hoping for some cool special effects, action, and escapism. I think I got them. I don't understand what else it is that people were expecting. Maybe once you know the story so well, you see it in your own head one way and set yourself up for disappointment when it's realized another way.