Fanboys

Ok, time for a confession: I'm a nerd. Maybe that was obvious to anyone who read the reviews I gave Star Wars and Star Trek, but I just wanted to make sure that I was clear on my biased review of Fanboys. This movie was essentially made for me, and I enjoyed it guilt-free.

What is a Fanboy?

If you didn't know, fanboys (and girls) are obsessed fans of one series or another, and the term is typically used when referring to fans of Star Wars and Star Trek, although some use Trekkies (or Trekkers) instead -- the documentaries explain that in more detail. Set in 1998, this movie focuses on the cult obsession for Star Wars that existed prior to the release of the three Star Wars prequels, and has a lot of material to work with.

You can't really grasp the essence of fanboy-ism until you see it firsthand, and this movie addresses that issue firsthand in the first few minutes of the movie. Darth Vader walks into a Hallowe'en party flanked by a pair of stormtroopers, grabs a beer, then sits down to open his laptop for an online date. THAT is the essence of the fanboy who doesn't care what people think, and unerringly follows his obsession.

Darth turns out to be Jay Baruchel's character, who is referred to only as Windows, and his cohorts are Linus (Chris Marquette) and Hutch (Dan Fogler, Balls of Fury). When they run into Eric, an old acquaintance who has given up his fanboy past, tempers flare and Eric finds out that Linus is dying from cancer.

The Quest

Very appropriately, Linus's sickness rekindles his old friendship with Eric, and a quest is born: to watch Star Wars: Episode 1 at the ranch of George Lucas before its release in theaters. What follows is a classic trip by four-halfwits filled with unsuccessful interaction with the opposite sex, random cameos by Star Wars actors, and a hilarious cameo from one well-known Star Trek actor.

One point worth noting is the incredible appearance by Seth Rogen, who plays the leader of a Star Trek club and also a Las Vegas escort entrepreneur. The Star Wars / Star Trek fan interaction is always hilarious, as each set of fanboys insults the other's obsession, inevitably leading to an old-fashioned brawl. I don't think I'll ever forget the look on Seth Rogen's face as he yells "Disable their vehicle! DISABLE THEIR VEHICLE!" while the fanboys make their escape. Right. We all know I'm a nerd.

Find Your Death Star

While I was biased in favor this film and caught a lot of the nuances that would go over some people's heads, Ginny also enjoyed this movie -- although I think some of her laughter was at my reactions when I kept falling off the couch.

This movie is light-hearted, means well, and underlines some important points, whether you're a Star Wars fan, Star Trek fan, or not a fan of the Stars at all: follow your dreams, find your Death Star, and never give up on a friend.

Definitely a must-see.

Rating: 8.0/10.0