Not a review of Star Wars

Soon, Roger Ebert will post his review of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, which will displace the strange placeholder which sits on his website now.

But the strange placeholder is so charming, I feel a need to preserve it for future generations.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
-- Lewis Carroll, "Jabberwocky" (1871)

Beware the Sith, my son! The jaws that bite, the vorpal light sabre that swooshes.... O, the Sith, they are a vengeful lot! Some Star Wars fans may recall that the third installment of the original trilogy (i.e., 1983's Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi) was initially titled Revenge of the Jedi -- and some pre-release posters were made up with that name -- but George Lucas, in his wisdom, realized that Jedi aren't into the whole revenge thing, and had them simply return instead. The Sith, though -- they are vindictive with a vengeance! Sith, O Sith, whyfore art thou so beastly and cruel and so chummy with the Dark Side of The Force and all? The better to practice most spiteful villainy, perhaps?

Lucas has described this film as the "darkest" of the Star Wars pictures. It is, after all, as everyone knows, The One Where Anakin Skywalker Becomes Darth Vader (which is probably, indeed, what they'd call it if it were an old episode of Friends). It is also said to be the last Star Wars picture. Will all the pieces fall into place? Will it be able to re-polish some of the franchise's tarnished lustre, after the generally disappointing response of many fans to previous prequel Episodes I and II? Is Revenge of the Sith a prequel or a sequel or both, considering that, chronologically speaking, it takes place before Episode IV (aka the original Star Wars) and after Episode II? And will it be any better than the Matrix sequels? You'll find out for yourself May 19...

(Jim Emerson)

Q: How many Sith does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: Nobody can tell. The singular is the same as the plural!

By the way, the advance buzz is good. But I still feel skeptical. Not that it will stop me from seeing the picture.