I tried living spoiler-free, but they've been everywhere, and I'm a weak, weak man.

Let me tell you: Revenge of the Sith won't suck.

Will it be a magical movie like A New Hope was back in 1977? Well, no.

Will it be better than the last two? Oh my yes.

Did Pod expect a return to the movie innocence we all had before Star Wars? Ain't gonna happen. Nothing, but nothing can duplicate the magic of 1977. No one had ever seen anything like it before - and we've gotten all too used to seeing it since.

Pod complains about stilted dialogue? Did he not see the first three movies? Or, after nearly three decades, is he so used to how bad it was that he just doesn't care. I know I don't. At the age of eight, I didn't know from bad dialogue. Now I do. Yet the first Star Wars keeps its magic.

Since then, it's been mostly downhill. But, oh -- what a ride!

My friend Walter, a brilliant guy, really, was pretty "Meh" about the RotS, and I can't make the same excuses for him as you made for Podhoretz -- Walter loves "Evil Dead," for example, and I'm pretty sure he gave both Spider-Man movies four stars (well-deserved, IMO).

But Walter is world-weary and burned out by having to watch crappy movies for a living.

The TomatoMeter is standing at an astonishing 93%. While it is possible that we're all just willing to be deluded, I think it's far more likely that this movie will actually satisfy the majority of fans: we know what has to happen, we just don't want Lucas to screw it up to much in the telling. All reports so far have indicated that is, indeed, what happens.

Stilted dialog? If you're going to a Star Wars movie and commenting on the dialog, your priorities are in the wrong place. And I'm not trying to suggest that the F/X are the be-all and end-all, either. We're going to this movie to watch Anakin's final fall from grace, Padme's death, Yoda's and Obi-Wan's flights into exile. All of these things are inevitable, but can still be presented in challenging and interesting ways.

I'm psyched.

I'm sure there must be many drinking games based on poor dialogue from the SW films. Off the top of my head I can think of quite a few, including:

Take 2 drinks whenever
-Darth Vader says, "You're ______ is complete." ("failure," "training as a jedi," etc.)

-Jar Jar sticks his tongue out

-Jar Jar says, "How wude!"

-Han, Leia, Luke, Obi-wan or anybody else says, "I have a bad feeling about this."

3 Drinks whenever
-Annikin and Padme's lack of on-screen chemistry makes your skin crawl.

-you see an alien that looks like a Muppet.

- an alien or creature eructs or farts.

Drink until unconscious when
- Greedo shoots first (Special Edition Version only).

Unlike your other commenters (no slight intended), I've actually seen an advance screening of Revenge of the Sith. I think it's on a par with any of the original three - which was a HUGE relief after the disappointment of Episodes I & II. There was some iffy acting (like A New Hope was Oscar-caliber in all roles?!?!) and some off lines (from A New Hope: "Listen, I can't get involved. I've got work to do. It's not that I like the Empire; I hate it. But there's nothing I can do about it right now... It's all such a long way from here." This is not Shakespear, people...) but overall, I think it stands as a strong and worthy bridge to the originals.

Just see it with an open mind. And remember, part of the reason you think the original was so good was that it was the first of it's kind (which, by definition, this one can't be), and part of the reason was that you were damn' near 30 years younger (if you saw it on original release). Perhaps part of the nostalgia has to do with what you brought to the theatre, rather than what you found there!

I think Pod will be wrong about RotS, but American Idol is great teevee. You really shouldn't knock it until you've tried it, and you have to watch more than the first few "look at how bad these people suck" episodes.

A chaque un son gout [to each his own taste] as they say in France. I don't think the Star Wars movies are all that great, but I still enjoy them and won't miss Revenge of the Sith.

I am perplexed at the American Idol remark though. I watch it every week. To be fair to you, I dismissed it as pap the first couple of seasons as well, but started watching with my wife and daughter at the end of last season. I haven't missed one this season.

Sure, some of the Idol chatter is annoying, but its basic premise makes for good television--the hopes and dreams of real people and the drama that this makes. Its the best reality television there is period. Hey--if you can root for Luke Skywalker, you can root for Bo Bice.