Star Wars (1977)
Really, do you need justification to watch “Star Wars”? OK then, how about that it’s the story of a successful rebellion against an evil empire? Not good enough? How about the fact that George Lucas fundamentally changed America (for better and worse) with this film that debuted the summer after our bicentennial? Still need more? It is the template for the American blockbuster, with its Joseph Campbell story telling, its big shiny explosions, and its simultaneous comfort with violence and coyness towards sex. Seriously, like it or not, “Star Wars” is America.
