The film that started it all

Rating: Null/10 (28 June 1999)

It's 1999, 22 years since the original release of Star Wars, and we still have people flocking to SW conventions, dedicating entire web sites to SW, spending hundreds of dollars on posters and action figures, and generally assuring that the SW frenzy will live forever. Okay, I'm not critical of the die-hard fans, since I am one myself and very proud of that. I am told I bear a striking resemblance to Carrie Fisher, so I dressed up like Leia for Halloween once, complete with the cinnamon-bun hair. (I wanted to be Yoda but the costume shop said the outfit only had one ear.) Regardless whether you're nuts about SW or not, it is a masterful exercise in filmmaking and the original movie was, of course nominated for an Academy Award. Pretty unheard of for a sci-fi/fantasy.
George Lucas famously described the trilogy as a "three-act play." Everyone is introduced in the first act, SW; they are placed in a dark, desperate mess in the second, ESB; and finally they get out of the hole in the final third, ROJ. This setup works fairly well for the trilogy, although some find fault with Lucas's idea. They say Star Wars has too little character involvement, Empire is too dark, and Return is too happy. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, but I think Lucas's strategy works well in the long-term effect. We grow to love the characters after three movies; things like that take time and sometimes multiple movies!!!
Although SW is not my favorite of the three (I find it somewhat campy and unemotional,) it was a fantastic starting block and lead-in to The Empire Strikes Back, which was one of the most anticipated sequels of all time. Mark Hamill was adequate as Luke Skywalker, although the whining was a little irritating. The aerial battle above and around the Death Star is fabulous. James Earl Jones immortalized the ominous voice of Darth Vader. Carrie Fisher is young and tenacious (and not as drugged out as in the second movie. I'm not cruel, just honest!) And Harrison Ford was absolutely perfect as the rough-n-tumble Han Solo.
Judging by its cult-like following (heck, even Wedge has his own fan club!), Star Wars is one of those immortal things, so you might as well love it.