Don’t freak out but… I haven’t seen Star Wars.
Before you judge me too harshly, I should tell you that I know the plot of the saga in its entirety. I know the characters and twists and turns and arcs. I’ve even caught bits and pieces of the action while my husband (a Star Wars enthusiast) watched over the years.
Oh, and speaking of my husband? In the three short months since he returned home from his last deployment, he’s somehow managed to turn our daughter into a massive Star Wars fan . Don’t get me wrong… She still loves Rapunzel and Barbie and Tinkerbell, but now she owns an Ewok shirt and a Yoda shirt, and a Darth Vader action figure. She wants to be Princess Leia for Halloween. She also wants my husband to be Anakin and me to be Padme, because (spoiler alert!) they’re Leia’s parents. Makes, perfect sense, right?
To me? Not really.
Star Wars fans, don’t hate me, but I just don’t get it. Sure, I haven’t sat down and become absorbed in the franchise, but the thing is: I don’t really want to. I see value in the story and the entertainment it lends — I really do — but it just doesn’t appeal to me.
At all.
Tell me: Is there a super popular movie (or series of movies) that holds no interest for you? Does your disinterest make you feel like a crazy person?
katyupperman.com 
Wow, I’m not the only one! I feel so obligated to see the Star Wars movies…but at the same time, I’ve made it 26 years without seeing any of them, so at this point I’ve kind of accepted that this is the way of things. Plus, when I finally watched the first Indiana Jones movie a few years ago, I found it a combination of boring and infuriating. So I’m taking it easy on George Lucas flicks for a while.
I’m finding there are lots of Star Wars virgins running about! I’m glad to find out I’m not the only one as well, Jess! And yeah… I haven’t seen Indiana Jones either!
I think we’ve finally found an area where we’re DIFFERENT. 🙂
I am the Star Wars fanatic in my family – never could get my daughter into it (even though I took her to see Episode 3 in the theater), but man, when my son was old enough? Um…his room is wall-to-wall Star Wars Legos and figures. And he hardly ever wants his hair cut because he wants to look like Anakin. So, YAY for your daughter’s new found interest!
And I have to think about that question. I don’t know if there is a super popular series I’m not crazy about. Spongebob? I’ll get back to you on that one.
PS – LOVE the shirt!
Ugh… Spongebob. No, thank you! I’m glad you got your boy and your fellow Star Wars fanatic! My husband is so happy to have our daughter on board with one of his favorites! And thanks — the shirt’s from Target!
You’re not missing out on a lot. 😉 And this is coming from a fellow who built his own lightsaber.
What you have with the Star Wars movies is a strange phenomena where the universe that was created for the story is incredibly intriguing, while the story itself is pretty flat and…well, bad. They’re worth seeing, but they’re not some pinnacle of cinema. My Star Wars fanboyness stems from stories that have been written for the universe, but have yet to appear in any movies. -Those- are worth looking into.
“…the universe that was created for the story is incredibly intriguing, while the story itself is pretty flat…”
That totally makes sense, Ian! I’ve never thought about it that way, but you’re right: the world George Lucas created is pretty cool, but the story itself holds very little interest for me. I bet the fantastical world is a big part of what holds my daughter’s attention!
Hi, got a lot of Star Wars afficionadoes in my family ( I like them too). We all like science fiction, BTW. Now, I love country music.. I was country when country wasn’t cool. Now nearly 79 years of age. Best regards to you and yours. Ruby aka Grammy
Thanks, Ruby! I’m a huge country music fan too, so I think we’d get along quite well. 🙂
Not a fan of the last 3 movies. The first ones with Harrison Ford were great, but I wouldn’t call myself a junkie.
I’m not into the whole Marvel Comic Book movies I’ve seen coming out lately. They’re hokey. Not into Iron Man either. Didn’t get into the Terminator movies and so many others.
Ugh… I don’t like any of the comic book movies either, Jenny. They’re all way too cheesy for my taste. The one exception would be the newer Batman movies. They’re so dark and well done — I’m a fan.
LOL…I really thought I was the only one too. I’ve tried, really, really tried to sit still and watch Star Wars. But for some reason, I cannot. Still trying though..hehe Oh, love the t-shirt. 😀
Visiting from A-Z challenge. It’s great to meet you, and happy Wednesday!
Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to checking out your blog. Oh, and the shirt’s from Target. 🙂
Ditto. I’ve never seen Star Wars either. It’s sort of become my thing—I’m the girl who’s never seen Star Wars. Although my husband, like yours, is a huge fanatic, so we have a deal. I’ll watch them when he reads Harry Potter (which is the bigger sin of omission in my book!)
That sounds totally fair, Meredith. My husband sees all of the Harry Potter movies with me, but he hasn’t read the books. I definitely think he should! And glad to know I’m not alone in my Star Wars resistance!
I’d watched Empire and Return of the Jedi a ton of times when I was a kid, but never saw the original until it was re-released in theaters during my senior year of high school. I enjoy the series, but I’m not a fanatic or anything. Chewbacca has, and always will be, my fave character.
I’ve never seen Titanic or Avatar – this always seems to surprise people. I have no desire to watch either one.
Oh, I do love Chewbacca… how can you not?!
I saw bits of Avatar in a nail salon once and was NOT impressed. It’s very politically charged and kind of a Fern Gully rip off. I’d rather watch Fern Gully, frankly. 🙂
Star Wars is fun, but I wouldn’t begrudge anyone that didn’t want to see it. I’m not really that into it, either.
One of the things that my husband can’t fathom is that I don’t want to watch The Godfather. I have no interest in sitting down to watch all of them. Ugh.
I’ve never seen The Godfather movies either! I’m Italian, and I STILL have no interest. 🙂
My favorite thing as a kid was my Princess Leia toothbrush. I was obsessed with her!
Like Jennifer, I have zero interest in Avatar. Negative interest, actually!
Yep, negative Avatar interest for me as well. Total Fern Gully rip-off, I think.
And yeah… if I can find a Princess Leia toothbrush for my daughter, I’m totally getting it. She’d be head-over-heels in love!
I’ve never seen Star Wars either! There was actually an episode of How I Met Your Mother about this. 😉 I used to be good friends with this guy who was really into movies, and when he found out that I had never seen any of the Star Wars movies, he told me that I had a unique opportunity to watch them in order starting with Episode 1. So my boyfriend at the time & I decided we would do that. On the night we were supposed to watch Episode 2, we broke up instead. I never got around to watching it, and never saw any of the others either.
I’ve never seen Lord of the Rings. I kind of want to watch them, but just never got around to it. They are sooo long.
Aw, that’s the saddest Star Wars story ever! I see why you never bothered with the rest of the series!
I watched the Lord of the Ring trilogy with my husband as it was released in theaters. I didn’t have any interest in the story and I hadn’t read the books, but I was pleasantly surprised by how entertained I was. Might be one to check out if you’re ever stuck inside over a long, rainy weekend.
*SPOILER ALERT!* LOLOLOLOL I seriously laughed out loud when I read that.
I have three little boys and a husband. Star Wars infiltrates my life from every direction. I step on light sabers, purchase ridiculous amounts of action figures, spend $200 on AT AT walkers for Christmas (that hurt). and collect upc’s to send off for limited edition Boba Fett action figures. I even don 3d glasses to watch movies I’m really not interested in. Oh well. Such is the life of a mother.
But, you should have seen me when they tried to put up a fight to going to see TANGLED as a family a couple of years ago. “Oh no you didn’t! Don’t even get me started on the movies I’ve gone to over the years.” Needless to say, my boys (ALL my boys) went to see Tangled with their mother!
Mommies of boys get to do all kinds of crazy things! And don’t worry — I’m constantly tripping on Barbie accessories and spending tons of money on Princess toys. 🙂 I’m so glad you got to see TANGLED together though… Did your boys like it? I absolutely adore that movie. We took our daughter to it THREE TIMES because she loved it so much. We even had a TANGLED fourth birthday party last summer. 🙂
I loved Tangled, and the boys liked it too. Even my husband thought it was okay for a “girl” movie!! haha!! I wish I had a girl!
Girls are super fun — wouldn’t trade her for the world! But if I had started with a boy, I think I’d want all boys like you have. Except… it’s going to cost you all a fortune to feed those boys when they’re teenagers!
Oh my heart…I think it broke a little.
I love Star Wars. I love that your little girl loves Star Wars. I hope when I have kids they love it. But since your husband and daughter love it, they have some GREAT gifts/items at ThinkGeek.com — Tauntaun sleeping bag, wampa rug, Jedi/Sith bathrobes.
Ooh, I’m definitely going to check out ThinkGeek.com… I bet there are all kinds of treasures for my husband and daughter there! And I’m so glad my girl loves it for my husband’s sake. And mine… now I don’t have to watch the movies just to keep him company!
I love the t-shirt!!!
And I won’t judge you for never having seen Star Wars. I’ve seen all of them – and yes, I love them…but I think that’s because it started when I was a kid and my sisters and I would dress up in white sheets and put our hair in buns on the side of our head, while my brother whacked us with an empty wrapping paper roll and made this (not-even-close) wooooaaawwwwwhhh lightsaber sound. Those memories are what bring a smile to my face, when I think of Star Wars.
And I don’t have a popular movie, but I do have a show I haven’t jumped on board with: Downton Abbey. I’ve heard SO many great things about it…and yes, I’m sure I’ll start watching it one of these days (especially now, since season one is on Netflix streaming…which is amazing in and of itself, since nothing ever is!).
Great post, Katy!
Thanks, Erin!
I haven’t watched Downton Abbey either, though I think I’ll like it. I just so rarely watch TV, the idea of starting a new series is a bit daunting. Like you, though…. One of these days!
I’ve seen them all but I think they’re just… okay. Not a huge fan but I don’t hate them.
I’m not into The Godfather or Rocky.
You are not alone, Melanie. I haven’t seen The Godfather or Rocky either!
I think this is an example of a series of movies that you had to see when you were young to attain total geeky Star Wars fan status. I think if we were to sit down now and watch some of these movies for the first time, we wouldn’t have that early attachment and would just say “I don’t get why people love this”. I remember watching The Princess Bride with some teens not that long ago. They were seeing it for the first time, and they didn’t really get into it. I really can’t understand why because I love the heck out of that movie. But then again, I’ve seen it a million times since I was a kid. Who knows? As many times as I’ve seen Star Wars (a million and one times), I still couldn’t really tell you what the whole storyline is. I still kind of get lost, which is embarrassing to admit. So you’ve got me beat there. 😀
The Princess Bride IS my childhood. I love that movie with a fiery passion. I recently let my daughter watch it and she fell equally in love. Obviously that made me, like, the happiest mama ever!
Avatar. I’ve heard so much about how it’s basically Pocahontas/Dances with Wolves/Fern Gully with CGI, and after having read a review that listed every dumb cliche and ‘twist’ that crops up in the film, I just can’t be bothered to sit through the storyline for the effects right now.
I mentioned this already, but I’ve caught bits of Avatar and I didn’t enjoy what I saw at all. It’s VERY political, and I thought it was a total rip-off of Fern Gully, which I happen to think is adorable. And great special effects don’t do much for me. I’ll take a simple-but-moving story over stellar CGI any day.
I’ve never seen the 1997 version of Titanic, and have no desire to do so ever. I find it morally repugnant that the needless deaths of over 1,000 people were used as a minor backdrop to a beyond-improbable MTV-era “love story” set in 1912. There are also a boatload of historical inaccuracies, far beyond just the improbability of the “love story.”
I don’t really watch many modern movies anyway. I’ve seen 928 silents to date, and many early sound films. I just find the older films more intelligently-written, with time taken to develop characters and situations, instead of scripts filled with curse words, explosions, and people falling into bed after less than 24 hours.
You know, I’d like to add more classic and silent films to my To-Watch list. I absolutely believe that they were, for the most part, better quality. As are many things from the past. 🙂
Oh Katy. *sigh* I think we need to talk.
Ha! I was worried I’d get this reaction, Carol! I fully support my husband and daughter in their love of The Galaxy Far, Far, Away, so that’s got to count for something, right? 😉
KATY, WE CAN NO LONGER BE BLOG FRIENDS. *holds out lightsaber* I LOVE Star Wars! I’ve seen (almost) every movie on the big screen – 1997 re-released 4, 5 and 6 on movie screens across the country and Dad and I parked our butts in those chairs and watched. I’ve also seen the newer (1, 2 and 3) films in theatres as well. I used to read the chapter books for kids. I was obsessed. I also think that Anakin Skywalker’s storyline is so fascinating — a look at how a villain becomes a villain you know? 😛
I don’t get the hype of Divergent or Beautiful Creatures. I found their stories to be…not for me, at best. Same with The Selection (its new/ just came out). I don’t get the hype of any of them. I found the writing simplistic and the world-building poor. I didn’t believe BC’s male narrator at all. I also found Will Grayson, Will Grayson tiresome and never got past page 5. But I love ALL other John Green books. …I guess it just depends on your taste? It’s all relative? *shrug*
Oh, yeah… I think it’s all about taste and personal preference. While I adored DIVERGENT, I do get what you’re saying about some of the other stories you mentioned. That’s the great thing about books (and movies and TV and magazines!): There’s something for everyone, and what you don’t like, you don’t have to read or watch. 🙂
Awesome and hilarious. This sort of feels like a rite of passage, but honestly, I should talk. I haven’t seen any Academy Award nominees for the past 12 years.
So yeah, Katy, some of us miss out on the draw of Titanic and Avatar (ahem).
Uh, yeah… I don’t see a lot of Academy Award nominees either. They mostly seem a little dry. And the James Cameron movies, for the most part, hold very little interest for me. I feel ya!
A popular movie series I have absolutely no interest in? Uhh… Twilight. I haven’t read the books, I haven’t seen the films, and I have no desire to do either. Life’s too short. (Sorry sparkly vampire fans!)
As for Star Wars, sorry Katy, I’ve been a fan since the first movie first came out. I’m not a totally geeked-out fan. I have family members who can give you backstory from Star Wars novels, and can tell you alien races, etc. That’s not me. But I was the one who introduced my kids to the franchise. 🙂
Don’t worry, I’ll still be your friend. 😀
Oh, thank goodness, Colin. I really was worried that I’d be judged on my lack of Star Wars interest. It almost feels like my Nerd Status is at stake! And I don’t blame you at all for your disinterest in Twilight. I’ve seen the movies and they are absolutely horrid.
No judgment from me because I haven’t seen the movies either! I really should…
So glad to learn I’m not alone, Ghenet… Turns out there are lots of us who haven’t seen it!
Star Wars would definitely be my answer. Or Star Trek. Or…The Hunger Games movie *hides* Okay, the latter was OKAY–but I was expecting my mind to be blown based on the oohs and ahhs on Twitter. Maybe when I see it again on DVD I’ll have a new perspective.
Oh, I’ve never seen ONE episode of Star Trek, Pam. I think that’s one of those shows with which you’re either madly in love, or completely indifferent. And you didn’t care for THE HUNGER GAMES? I liked it quite a bit, though I did see some flaws AND I had TWILIGHT-like expectations. They were blown out of the water. 🙂
So I have never watched STAR WARS and we don’t own the movie 😀 I did enjoy AVATAR a lot. Of course, it has messages and one may agree with them or not but the movie itself is quite beautiful and you can get lost in this world. And here I am about to admit something which I’ve never admitted to anybody…are you ready? I have never read Harry Potter! Nope, as a YA writer, never…ok please don’t cast me on an island!
I won’t cast you onto an island, but oh my goodness, Elodie! Please, please, PLEASE read the HARRY POTTER series in its entirety, then watch the movies (then maybe read the books again!). That story is amazing in every sense of the word!