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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Film When Fanboys Attack.

Posted by Erik Henriksen on Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 11:03 AM

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Fanboys is a comedy about Star Wars nerds that's apparently so goddamn good that it only got released in a few theaters. (It's not playing anywhere near Portland, so no Mercury review—but if you're curious, check out Paul Constant's take on the film over at The Stranger.)

In his review of Fanboys, Roger Ebert struck a little too close to home for some Star Wars fans.

Extreme fandom may serve as a security blanket for the socially inept, who use its extreme structure as a substitute for social skills. If you are Luke Skywalker and she is Princess Leia, you already know what to say to each other, which is so much safer than having to ad-lib it. Your fannish obsession is your beard. If you know absolutely all the trivia about your cubbyhole of pop culture, it saves you from having to know anything about anything else. That's why it's excruciatingly boring to talk to such people: They're always asking you questions they know the answer to.

But enough about my opinions; what about Fanboys? Its primary flaw is that it's not critical. It is a celebration of an idiotic lifestyle, and I don't think it knows it.

"Your fannish obsession is your beard." Awesome. And okay, Ebert's pretty harsh, but I think it's fair to point out that it's not like he's not totally off the mark—I suspect there's more truth in his review than a lot of hardcore geeks would be willing to admit. (And it's not like I'm looking down from on high, here—this in currently front of my keyboard, and this presides over the top of my bookshelf. Whatever, dude. Chicks totally dig Jabba.)

But guess who disagrees with Ebert's psychoanalysis? None other than Jimmy Mac, "the Chicago-based co-host of the 'The Force-Cast,' the most downloaded Star Wars podcast on the net." Mac wrote a letter to Ebert and went after the dude like a pissed-off wampa, even calling out the Eeb for being like the one critic on the planet who waxed rhapsodic over Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace.

Since your positive review of The Phantom Menace, you have pretty much ripped on anything having to do with Star Wars. Is this your way of making it up to your cronies in your industry??? Are you embarrassed you admitted you liked Phantom Menace (a wonderful film) in the first place?

My other favorite part of the letter is this, which seems to sum up everything pretty nicely.

An idiotic lifestyle??? How dare you Roger Ebert. How dare you.

Then things get threatening. In the least threatening way possible.

Oh yeah, and since you claim "the movie would have been better if it poked more fun of Star Wars fans," then I suggest if you ever see me, a Star Wars fan, walking down Michigan Ave. in Chicago, why don't you try to make fun of me? We shall see how funny THAT truly would be. I guarantee you that I will be the only one walking away laughing. To quote Luke Skywalker to Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi, "It's the last mistake you'll ever make."

Jimmy Mac also claims Ebert refused to share a pizza with him one time, and also fell asleep on his shoulder during a screening of The Empire Strikes Back. Grrr! Ebert has the whole letter posted here.

 

Comments (9) RSS

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1
okay wow, this is amazing. im a total star wars nerd, but more so a closet one, and this article cracks me up. i dont even know what to say. it all makes me think of triumph the dogs sketch on conan o brien with the star wars fankids.
Posted by megan kathleen on February 24, 2009 at 11:47 AM · Report
2
"Substitute for social skills"????

I wear my extreme fandom like a BADGE proclaiming to the world my severe and permanent social ineptitude.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some River Tam fan fiction to get cracking on. The serenity now forums wait for no woman.
Posted by kiala on February 24, 2009 at 12:11 PM · Report
3
Also, ALSO...

Kristen Bell and Chewbacca. You're welcome.

http://justjared.buzznet.com/gallery/photo…
Posted by kiala on February 24, 2009 at 12:15 PM · Report
4
"There used to be a time when I would seek out your columns and books. This is despite the fact that when you and the late, great Gene Siskel did a week of radio talk shows that I produced at The Loop in Chicago back in 1992, you ordered 3 pizzas, offered Gene a slice, and offered me nothing. This is back in the day when I was in my early 20s, poor, making no money, and a slice of pizza would have been a nice thank you for all the work I did for you that week. Do you know how hard it is to concentrate on work when someone is slamming a delicious pizza down their gullet right in front of ya???"

I love the mental image of Ebert ordering 3 pizzas and destroying them singlehandedly...
Posted by Donnie on February 24, 2009 at 12:27 PM · Report
5
Ebert rocks more each day. The other guy makes me feel ashamed of liking Star Wars. What do they talk about on his podcast? How great the shitty new cartoon is?
Posted by Marq on February 24, 2009 at 12:48 PM · Report
6
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDDDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Abusive on February 24, 2009 at 1:54 PM · Report
7
Actually Ebert was spot on with his observation. Time to grow up kids.
Posted by John Dedge on February 24, 2009 at 3:07 PM · Report
8
I grew up a normal kid, and never understood the Star Wars obsession. When I see a movie like 2001, I cream my pants. I pull something new out of that movie every time I've seen it, and I've seen it probably 20 times at this point.

When I watch Star Wars, I cannot stifle yawns. I also sympathize with the Empire throughout all six episodes without flinching. The critics panned SW when it came out, but something about it really resonated with people. Fine, the same can be said for Titanic (another yawner,) and now apparently the Dark Knight (which I refuse to see, I'm done with batman for life. We have milked that cow for all it's worth.

I did enjoy Star Trek (TV Series) a bit more than star-wars, but never to any point of obsession or costumery. All those series, including Battlestar, Firefly, had jumped the shark long before their demise. We need smart, fresh, science fiction.
Posted by NIG GER on February 24, 2009 at 9:02 PM · Report
9
hahah. That wookiee looks fucking funny.

Also, anyone who describes The Phantom Menace as "A wonderful film" is hopelessly out of touch and marginalized, just like Ebert suggested.
Posted by Will Radik on February 25, 2009 at 1:53 PM · Report

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