Yesterday, I sat in the third row of Theater #2 in the United Artists Sheepshead Bay Multiplex and saw one of the most incredible feats of cinematography I have ever seen. For 140 minutes, I watched a film that completed a twenty-eight year story that has followed me throughout almost all of my life. And as soon as it was over, I sat there and applauded the man who gave myself and everyone else this amazing story – George Lucas.

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge Of The Sith was, by far, the best of all six movies. Aside from the special effects – which are as much ahead of their time as the effects of the first three movies were when they were released – this movie perfectly tied together both trilogies, and left no question unanswered. With the release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, many die hard Star Wars fans were disappointed due to the film’s several historical inaccuracies – as well as the incessant ramblings of Jar Jar Binks. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones made up for the first of the second trilogy, but still left Star Wars fans hungry for more – but rest assured that Episode III will certainly quench every fan’s appetite.

As with all five other movies, Episode III begins with the scrolling words and trademark spaceship scene – and ends roughly eighteen years before Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope begins. The film not only provides the customary battle scenes both on the ground and in the air – it gives us deep insight into the minds of many of our favorite characters. Besides learning how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader – we are shown why. We see the emotional toll that the Clone War takes on the surviving Jedi – and we can actually feel the heartbreak of Queen Amidala as she realizes that she is losing the man she loves to the Dark Side of the Force.

What I love most about the three prequels of this six movie masterpiece is that although we knew some of what would happen since we have seen Episodes IV, V and VI – moviegoers still gasped at predictable scenes. For example, everyone who has seen all five movies knows that Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi get through Episodes I, II and III virtually unscathed – but in scenes which found them in peril – fans still sat on the edge of their seats hoping they would last through the film – that is truly an amazing and impressive feat by George Lucas.

The film has only been out for three days, and already had destroyed all box office records that stood before it. In fact, on its first day at a theater near you, it debuted on 2,900 screens nationwide, and grossed an unbelievable $50,013,859 – making $16.5 million on its very first screening. That number has never been achieved by any other movie in history. And according to box office experts, Episode III will gross well over the $100 million mark, and far surpass Spider-Man, which currently holds the record for the biggest grossing opening weekend at $114.8 million in May of 2002.

To everyone, movies are a means to temporarily escape life and enjoy a story that wraps us up in its excitement, and entertains, even if only for a little while. George Lucas has wrapped up all of us in a story that has taken nearly three decades to tell. Through his vision of a galaxy far, far away – the Force has been with us all, and has taken us through six chapters of the lives of characters we all know and love. We have seen them live, die be born and be re-born. We have watched them win and lose, turn to good and turn to evil, escape certain doom and embrace certain death. We have grown to love some while hating others, cheered when they won and cried when they lost. The Star Wars universe has definitely become a part of mainstream America, and even if this is the last of the Star Wars films ever made – the phenomenon that George Lucas created will forever dominate our destinies.

Thank you very much Mr. Lucas, I bow before you…

…now how about Episodes VII, VIII and IX?