the_gneech | May. 2nd, 2005

Re-watched The Phantom Menace this weekend for the first time since it was in the theaters. It was actually a lot better than I remembered it being, even though Jar-Jar Binks and Boss Nass are still frankly awful at all times, and "oops, I saved the galaxy" is a really weak plot device. The podrace and the Qui-Gon/Obi Wan/Darth Maul duel are actually quite cool, and the soundtrack is really good. I think that really it was just the initial shock of Jar-Jar that made the movie so painful a thing after 15 years of waiting. If you're braced for the impact (so to speak), it's easier to get past the stupid bits and see the good parts.

Also, as if that weren't Star Wars Geekery enough, I broke down and got one of these this weekend, because

lythandra spotted them on sale at 20% off their initial price. They really are extremely cool, moreso than the pictures suggest. Certainly a lot cooler than the lightsaber I built myself in high school out of a flashlight, plastic tubing, and a theatrical lighting gel...

-The Gneech