A Star Wars family

Joshua celebrated his sixth birthday this year. Trying to find something different to do, we opted to rent a nearby community room, and entertain the kids ourselves. We decided on a space / Star Wars theme for the party. Since Joshua was in kindergarten now, we invited friends and children from both kindergarten classes at his school. Out of 40 kids, I’ll never understand the folks who never RSVP. I mean, really, can’t you pick up the phone?

Handmade lightsabers

As the party attendance grew to around 25 kids plus the parents, we decided that maybe we weren’t going to be able to successfully entertain all those kids (and their parents), and run the overall party simultaneously. A few days earlier last week, we opted to hire someone else to professionally come in and do it. In hindsight, great idea. I can handle entertaining my two kids, but 25 kids? Recipe for disaster, and me fleeing through the fields. We made a call to Dynamic FitKids, and they were available on Sunday afternoon.

My wife had some cool ideas, such as us wearing Star Wars t-shirts. As part of the goody/gift bags, each kid would take home their very own handmade lightsaber (made from a pool noodle.). Finally, Namita made a pretty awesome Star Wars birthday cake with a mini Death Star on it.

A Star Wars cake

Two years in a row, the day called for rain, but we dealt with it. We got to the hall about two hours before to set up and decorate. The kids and parents promptly began arriving at 3pm, but we were fairly ready. The kids ran around, then our entertainment arrived, set up quickly, and we were off. It turns out that 25 kids is a lot of children to handle, so we’re doubly glad we didn’t try to do it ourselves. I think everyone thought the cake was pretty cool, and the kids seem to enjoy beating each other with their lightsabers.

Joshua’s 6th birthday party – Rocket Ship Activity from Joel Ipe on Vimeo.

Today is our dating anniversary. I wouldn’t say we make a big deal of it annually, but always try to do a little something. The women have gone off to get a mani/pedi this afternoon, and the boys are hanging out at home. Actually, Josh, Paul, and Sean are playing Lego Star Wars on the Wii.

Tonight, Paul and Biji are watching the kids, and we’re going to see Christopher Nolan’s new blockbuster film Inception. Afterwards, we’re going to get some Mediterranean for dinner. Tonight is our last night in Michigan. Tomorrow, we head home. It’ll be nice to be home, but I’m going to miss hanging out with friends, vacationing, and all the relaxing.

Recently visiting our local library, I was pleasantly surprised to find a large and varied collection of DVDs. Amontg them, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. This is the CG-animated film that was released in 2008 and preceded The Clone Wars tv series on Cartoon Network. I hadn’t seen it yet, and originally it received some fair-to-middling reviews from the critics. So what’s my review?

Eh, it was okay. This is basically to set up the Clone Wars tv series that followed it, beginning with the introduction of Anakin Skywalker’s new padawan Ahsoka Tano. Following the events of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, we’re deep into the Clone Wars. Within the first 15 minutes, the characters are thrust into this strange plot to rescue Jabba the Hutt’s infant (larval?) son. The plot was contrived, and didn’t make a lot of sense to me. Jabba the Hutt is a vile gangster. He’s a Hutt. Why would he even care about offspring? Maybe this was more aimed at the kiddies, but it didn’t translate well for me. I also noticed that the animation wasn’t as fluid and life-like as the later animated series.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

I know it’s a popular event to get a chance to ring the opening bell the NY Stock Exchange, but this was just weird. Why is Darth Vader allowed to ring the opening bell this morning?  Flanked by Imperial Storm Troopers?  Were the traders wondering what was going on that morning? I love Star Wars and all, but that’s just weird.

Who here is a Star Wars fan?  Great, millions of you.  Who is also a fan of Episode 1: The Phantom Menace? Hello? Anyone there?  I just hear crickets.

Yeah, didn’t think so. The Phantom Menace came out in 1999, and I (like many other fans) had been psyched up after watching the special edition versions of the original trilogy in theaters. Man, what a letdown. Jar Jar alone ruined it for me, like he did for many people.  Still, there was more.  The corny humor, the plot, and don’t get me started on that Midichlorian crap.

A comedian named Marc (under the ID RedLetterMedia) has posted a 70-min movie review of the movie on Youtube, in seven different installments, 10 mins a piece.) It is hilarious review, with some other comedy sprinkled in, (some bits are a little lame.) However, the review makes a hundred great points, and actually makes you realize what a waste this movie really was.

Part 1 is below. Joshua hasn’t seen Episode 1 yet, because I don’t want to own it, and I think it’s not going to hold the interest of a child…… or an adult. I’m not saying that Episodes 2 or 3 are all that great either — I sped through many portions that Joshua wouldn’t want or shouldn’t see. George Lucas really screwed up on the original trilogy, didn’t, he?

Wired.com has some new info on the next Family Guy Star Wars parody, “Something, Something, Something Dark Side.” I love it!

It’s like a dream come true. Joshua is, I think, officially a Star Wars fan. He’s only 4.5 years old, but I think I can get continue my corruption, er, I mean, nurture his budding love for geekiness.  We’ve been watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars (I did say that it’s been pretty cool.) As I understand it, it’s the highest-rated show on Cartoon Network right now, and for good reason. The latest episode, Landing at Point Rain, was a phenomenal, engaging, action-packed war episode. I mean, it was really good.

We’ve also watched Star Wars Episode IV (A New Hope) and Episode V (The Empire Strikes Back) which are slightly over his head, but he asked a lot of questions.  He obviously didn’t get it all, and I did some minor fast-fowarding, but I kept him engaged in the main storyline.  I also made sure he thought Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Chewbacca are all pretty cool.  I think he just likes R2-D2 a lot. He’s already asking when are we going to find out what happens next in Episode VI (Return of the Jedi.) I was happy that at a birthday party a week ago where they had a Prince & Princess theme, he was amenable to the idea his sword was a lightsaber. 

This year, I’ve been embracing my inner geek. All these years, I’ve been too self-conscious to admit to it, but it obviously often showed.  Now, I feel secure enough to let myself…. um, be myself, I guess. I’m a geek.  Nothing wrong with that.  Why be a half-ass geek?  Go whole-ass, I say. Be the techno geek.  The sci-fi geek.  Why not, after all?  There are others out there like me.  As a matter of fact, Wired.com has a Geek Dad column, written by someone just like me. Enjoy it. Love it. Live it!

If I can make my kids enjoy sci-fi too, hey that’s great.  Their journey towards the Dark side will be complete.  I just hope they can get still dates in 10-15 years.

The original Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003)

[I want to talk about the new Star Wars animated series. If you don't wish to read about this, please cover your eyes, or move on to the next posting. This is your first and only warning. Star Wars geekiness to follow.]

Okay, the Star Wars prequels (Eps 1-3) did not live up the greatness of the original Star Wars trilogy (Eps 4-6.) The acting was eh. The dialogue was a bit boring. The kiddie jokes were almost bad enough to make you sick to your stomach (I’m looking squarely at you, Phantom Menace.) Once the dialogue stopped, and the action started, that was pretty good.

A few years ago in 2003, Cartoon Network broadcasted a series of animated shorts called Star Wars: Clone Wars. I completely missed out on them, but I heard they were pretty decent.  I stopped reading the Star Wars books many years ago, because there were so many, and you couldn’t keep up. To satisfy my SW lust, I’ve resorted in the past to playing my Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic games, and checking out the latest progress on the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG, which is scheduled to be released…. who knows when.

What is a Star Wars fan to do?  If you haven’t already, you need to check out Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Cartoon Network, because it is good. I believe it’s covering some of the same stories as the 2003 series, but I believe there are additional stories.  In any case, same idea — Lucasarts is filling in the timeline between Episodes 2 and 3.  It’s in the same animated style as the 2008 Clone Wars movie [same title, it seems] that came out last summer.  Now, is this series the greatest thing since….. Jamaican beef patties were invented?  No, certainly not.  Are these episodes as great as the original Star Wars trilogy? Not at all. 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

So why watch?  Well, they’re “good enough”, you could say.  The episodes are shorter than the long movies, so they’re bite-sized.  The stories are decent and interesting. The action is fun to watch. In a nutshell, you get your fix, and it is actually likeable. I’ve almost caught up on Season 1. Season 2 begins Oct 2nd, and I’m looking forward to it.

Oooh, man, I can’t wait.  I hope my PC can handle it.