This year has arguably been one of the best for new and old “Star Wars” fans alike. The opening of Galaxy’s Edge brought the magic of a galaxy far far away as close to the touch as humanly possible. We’ve witnessed the start of a new line of stories with the Mandalorian, and experienced the whole fandom unite over Baby Yoda’s indisputable cuteness. With “Looking for Leia” a fan-centric series hits our TVs just in time for the Holiday season, but arguably the most anticipated piece of “Star Wars” pop culture is the final movie in the Skywalker saga, The Rise of Skywalker. “Star Wars” fans are likely some of the most passionate fans out there, so Nerd Alert News expected nothing but pure excitement when attending a private screening of “TRoS,” organized by fans for fans at a local Regal Cinema. And indeed, our short clip below shows just how much joy and emotion was palpable all around.
In addition to just basking in the fandom giddiness and lightsabers galore, the local organizers also treated their group of friends and family to a fun trivia game, hosted a costume contest, and collected donations for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. This nonprofit’s vision is to ensure full post-secondary educational support to surviving children of special operations personnel and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operations personnel – today and in the future. With a welcoming, joyful and inclusive atmosphere, and charity support, this evening absolutely proved that the “Star Wars” fandom can bring out the best in people.
Private screening of the Rise of Skywalker: pre-movie fun
After all the pre-movie fun, the anticipation reached its peak when the Lucasfilm logo hit the big screen and the “Rise of Skywalker” started with lots of shouts and claps. I’m sure fans will dissect this movie in painstaking detail in the coming weeks. Nerd Alert’s spoiler-free assessment is that this final film will surely leave you with a lot of emotions, for a long time. It’s been over 24 hours for this fan, and the digesting is not over yet. It’s a wild ride, with some predictable and some unpredictable storytelling, with very touching moments, sprinkled in comedic relief, and a bittersweet ending. While the reviews are coming in very mixed, we can only encourage you to see it for yourself. It’s a treasure-trove of nostalgia, pain, joy, and most importantly, hope. May the force be with you nerds and “Star Wars” fans, always!
Addendum: If you’re interested in organizing your own private screening at a Regal Cinema, you can contact them here.
Written by MJ “A Galaxy Far, Far Away”
