Showbits

Star Wars has inspired some fantastic fan films, from Chad Vader to Ryan vs. Dorkman. As artistic and engaging as these creations are, they are usually limited in their budget and scope; few are more than a few minutes in length. Meanwhile, more ambitious projects, such as Heart of an Empire or 5/25/77, never see the light of day.

Finally, a feature-length film inspired by Star Wars will get a nationwide theatrical release — thanks in no small part to a cast that includes Kevin Smith, William Shatner, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Kristen Bell, Seth Rogen, Ray Park, and Superman Returns' Jimmy Olsen, with Kevin Spacey producing. The first trailer for Fanboys brings to life every geek's hopes and dreams:

Although I'm not always a fan of either Seth Rogen or Kristen Bell, this star-studded film looks like a ton of fun for anyone who knows Star Wars and Star Trek as well as the typical Showbits reader. A healthy dork is one who can laugh at himself, and I suspect I won't be alone in counting myself among that crowd come Fanboys' opening night of February 6, 2009.

(Hat tip to ComingSoon.net)

I was told if I liked Buffy the Vampire Slayer — and I do — then I'd like Veronica Mars. Not knowing any details of the show beyond that, I watched the pilot episode this weekend.

A precocious teenager outwits her father, the police, and the high school bullies to solve crimes. Why didn't someone just say it's a modern Nancy Drew?

And by "modern", I mean "dark". The first episode alludes to a variety of sad truths that CSI fans may classify as entertaining, but it's hardly escapism. Before I watched Veronica Mars, I never consciously observed this trait of my viewing habits: I like shows that are fun. (Go fig.) Sure, a show's characters should be real people who face real situations — but I prefer metaphorical representations that employ vampires, aliens, and cowboys. We have enough problems in our real world that I don't need our own environment and social ailments repackaged as entertainment. Give me something I can't get on the evening news.