Ahhh, I can remember it like it was yesterday. It's a sunny day in May of 1977. I'm eight years old, and my parent's drop me off at my favorite babysitter's house. When I say babysitter, I actually mean movie theater. This particular movie house, was a single screen theater. Big and beautiful, and much more intimate than the common multiplexes we're all accustomed to visiting these days. The theater was located in Santa Rosa, Ca. The film I was there to see was a little sci-fi picture that 20th Century Fox didn't have much faith in. I'm not referring to the cheesy but entertaining Damnation Alley (a movie that Fox actually hoped would be their big tent pole release of the season). No, I'm speaking, of course, of a little space opera known as Star Wars. A film that would change movie culture as we know it. A stunning piece of cinematic entertainment that would ultimately coin the expression "blockbuster."

Strangely, I did not see the movie in a theater packed with people - it was the first showing of the day and it was around noon. It didn't matter though. Even though I was only in a room with about fifty people, I knew that Star Wars was something special from the moment I saw that opening crawl and listened to that magical John Williams score. Upon exiting the theater, I was stunned to see hordes of people lined up for the next screening. I was so enamored by what I had just seen that I knew I had to experience it again. I convinced a young couple to allow me to pose as their son and sneak in line with them so that I could see the movie again. They obliged and in fact, I even sat through the following screening. I was completely transfixed. No, captivated was more like it. My parents couldn't drag me away.

Before Star Wars left theaters that year, I had seen it in the neighborhood of thirty times, and would go on to view it several more times during it's various re-releases. Crazy you say? At that time, there was nothing like Star Wars. And I've never experienced anything like it since. Sure, I've seen other large scale movies that appealed to me through the years (Indiana Jones, the Lord of the Rings films, and even The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi), but none of them generated that same sort of high I felt the first time I saw Star Wars.

Like so many others of my generation, this was an important film. It was one of the very first movies I have a vivid recollection of seeing on a big screen (although I do have faint memories of a drive-in screening of Steven Spielberg's Jaws - the first movie I ever saw at a theater) and it was simply awe inspiring. I'm all grown up now, and I've seen countless movies through the years, therefore I'm not about to tell anyone that Star Wars is the greatest film of all time, but I can say it is the picture that introduced me to the magic that is the movies, and it served as a great inspiration in my life. In a way, Star Wars is sort of responsible for my passion for movies. That passion still lingers in my soul to this very day.

As everyone knows, director George Lucas didn't stop with just one film. He would go on the make more Star Wars pictures. While he didn't direct follow-ups The Empire Strikes Back (my favorite in the series) and Return of the Jedi, his signature was clearly all over them.

Sixteen years later, he would return to the directing arena to helm the much-vaunted Star Wars back story - a series of films he had always envisioned making, but not until the technology permitted him to realize his true vision. Not only did this technology come to be, but it was Lucas and his effects company ILM that helped create it.

While The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones were met with a mixed reception from fans around the universe, there's no denying that technically, these films offered the goods. What really appeared to be missing was the innocence of the original trilogy. Granted, through the past few years, I've come to realize that 1977 was a long time ago. Star Wars isn't the only thing that's changed - I've changed as well. Who's to say that if I'd seen Phantom Menace at eight years old, I wouldn't have been as captivated by it as I was by Star Wars?

At any rate, expectations are a bitch, and the anticipation that surrounded the Star Wars prequels is virtually undescribable. It would be tough for any movie to match the kind of expectation we're talking about, let alone surpass it. I have several friends/fans who think I'm being too kind to the prequels, but I think they're just being too hard on them. What can I say. I have an undying passion for the entire Star Wars universe. I even enjoyed that notorious Star Wars Christmas special. It was hailed as so bad, it only aired once in 1978. Lucas has virtually disowned it, but this hasn't prevented collectors from selling copies on E-Bay. I recognize that this particular special is awful, but it's bad in a good way.

Of course as everyone is well aware, the Star Wars saga isn't quite over. On May 19th 2005, the entire series comes full circle with Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. I was lucky enough to see the first eight minutes of Episode III, and I must admit - in those opening frames, I felt something I haven't felt since the original trilogy. A kind of magic. Those opening minutes made me feel like a kid again. Something The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones were unable to do. I can only hope that that feeling will be sustained for the entire running time of the film. My only concern is that perhaps Lucas has spread himself too thin. I personally feel like there's too much ground to cover in one movie. I certainly hope this isn't the case. I very much want to love Revenge of the Sith.

Lucas has been doing a lot of press for Episode III as of late and suggests that this final installment is very dark (it's even garnered a PG-13 rating - a first for the saga) and extremely sad. He also promises ties to the previous trilogy. But most interestingly, he promises that when Episode III has ended, you'll see the entire series for what it actually is - a story of fathers of sons and a classic tale of good vs. evil.

Regardless of the outcome, George Lucas and his Star Wars universe will forever be imbedded in my brain. Despite a few minor reservations, I'm excited as hell to see this movie, and plan on camping out in line and reminiscing with all those great fans. It may be 2005, but I'm going to party like it's 1977. May the force be with you too!

Here's a breakdown on the saga thus far. The titles are in order of appreciation.

5. THE PHANTOM MENACE

Upon leaving the theater after a packed premiere midnight screening of the first prequel, it was clear that I felt disappointment, but at the time, I didn't have the heart to admit it. The Pod race was thrilling and the Darth Maul duel is perhaps the best battle in a Star Wars film thus far, but too often, Lucas seemed intent on delving into stuff I really didn't find terribly interesting (i.e Anakin built C-3PO - WHAT!) But perhaps my biggest gripe with the film (in addition to an annoying Jar Jar and the sluggish pace) is the revelation that the "midichlorian" count makes up the force. What an absolutely ridiculous inclusion to the Star Wars mythology. I always looked at The Force as spirituality-faith. Not something explained by science. But then, I suppose there has to be an explanation as to why some characters have the power and others don't. Still, this was the most off-putting theory of the entire saga.

4. ATTACK OF THE CLONES

I really enjoyed Attack of the Clones. It's hardly flawless, but it moved at a faster clip than it's predecessor and proved to be considerably smarter (even with all the cheesy dialogue). Hayden Christensen was a little too stiff as Anakin, but I suppose Lucas must take some of the blame for that. The climactic lightsaber duel left a little to be desired, but the Yoda/Dooku showdown was fun, if a tad silly.

3. RETURN OF THE JEDI

While Return of the Jedi is a satisfying conclusion to the series, it is bogged down by one too many cute creatures. I'm referring to the Ewoks who, while not nearly as irritating as the infamous Jar Jar Binks, assist the Jedi in their defeating of the Empire. The first thirty minutes of Return of the Jedi, in which Luke and crew snatch a frozen Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt, are incredibly thrilling, and the Luke/Darth confrontation is not only exciting, but also pulsates with genuine drama.

2. STAR WARS

While nothing can beat the sheer shock of seeing this movie for the first time, it is my second favorite picture in the series, but it's an extremely close second. The film that started it all is surprisingly simplistic in it's approach, but absolutely grand in execution paying homage to Akira Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress. Star Wars is full of stunning imagery and the climactic battle through the crevices of the powerful death star is a dynamic pulse pounder.

1. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

This isn't only one of the all time great follow ups (rivaled only by Godfather 2) but one of the greatest films of all time period! The second tale in the saga is dark to be sure, but it's also the meatiest of the series - offering up one of the greatest (and most shocking) revelations in the history of movies. While nearly everyone in the universe has seen The Empire Strikes Back, I hate spoilers, so I won't reveal the twist here. Other highlights include a dazzling dogfight through an asteroid field and a spectacular lightsaber duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.

Where will Episode III rank on this list? Come May 19th, I'll let you know.