Fanboys

Long, long ago in a Hollywood far, far away, Fanboys began a slow, strange trip into theaters. This love letter to Star Wars fandom was written in 1998 by a diehard Star Wars devotee as he awaited the release of the most anticipated film in movie history, Episode I: The Phantom Menace. Several years passed before the script was picked up, shot, and set for release. But that was back in the summer of 2007—just the beginning of a behind-the-scenes saga that's now legendary among film geeks and Star Wars fans.

Fanboys is about four Star Wars obsessed buddies road-tripping to California to steal a print of the Star Wars prequel so their dying friend, Linus, can see it before its release. He's only been given two to three months to live in his fight against cancer. The film's heart—friends bonding over a common love in the face of death—is strong with the force. And its many tips of the hat to Star Wars lore and fandom are a great deal of fun for the initiated. If you know what Ray Park looks like (or even who Ray Park is), recognize the name Harry Knowles, or have ever seen THX 1138, then you'll get a big kick out of the movie.

As a child of 1977 with more Star Wars toys in his office than I'd like to admit, I had a blast. Well, with the Star Wars stuff at least. Not all is well with this movie—even for a geek like me. And almost all of the negatives and flaws can be traced back to the battle that has stymied the release since 2007.

When Fanboys first screened for industry folk in 2007, it gained a lot of notice. George Lucas loved it (and even let the filmmakers use sound effects from his movies), Internet anticipation blew up like a thermal detonator, and director Kyle Newman was given extra money by The Weinstein ...

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