It was 1978. I was 5. My father decided to take me to the movies to see a fantasy story of foreign worlds, superhuman powers, destiny and love. It was actually Superman and I absolutely loved it. It's a long time since I've experienced that tingling sense of child-like wonder.
Nothing is complex.
Everything makes sense. We might not have been drowning in hype in Ireland compared to the US, but this movie still means a lot to 20 and 30 somethings all over the island. The paranoid reader can stop here, and rest assured that no matter what the critics say they have a treat in store on July 16th. Just as the original Star Wars in 1977 suffered from a critical mauling of its rickety script and melodramatic acting, The Phantom Menace will not be studied at acting school. Naboo is benevolently ruled by Queen Amadala, sensitively portrayed by the beautiful Natalie Portman.