In case you didn't already know, it's "Star Wars" week.

With the premiere of "The Force Awakens" this weekend, nearly everyone is trying to tap into the collective hype — tech companies included.

Spotify released a fun little tool on Tuesday that scans the music you listen to and determines the "Star Wars" character you're most like.

So if you listen to a lot of 80s hair metal, "then you will probably get Chewbacca,"according to Spotify. Like Bruce Springsteen and classic rock? You're probably Han Solo.

I tried it and got Yoda, which is coincidentally my favorite "Star Wars" character, because I listen to a lot of "experimental" and "ambient" music on Spotify.

My colleague Steve Kovach got Anakin Skywalker because he listens to a lot of punk rock. 

Head on over to this website to log into your Spotify account and give the tool a try.

SEE ALSO: The 'Star Wars' game that looked AMAZING and got canceled

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NOW WATCH: Neil deGrasse Tyson explains the problem with the Death Star

"You're kidding, right?""What is wrong with you?""Do you hate fun?"— these are just a few of the stunned responses I get when I confess I've never seen a "Star Wars" movie.

Yes, I've never seen even a few minutes of a "Star Wars" movie. I know, it's one of the most popular series of all time — a $1.91 billion franchise, in fact — spawning an industry of merchandise and becoming a pop culture phenomenon that persists nearly 40 years later.

But it's not just "Star Wars." I've also completely avoided other cultural touchstones like "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter.”

Now that the upcoming "Star Wars" reboot is dominating conversation, I've had to defend my decision anew. Here's why I've never seen the galactic saga and have no intention to. 

What I know

When someone mentions "Star Wars," here's what comes to mind: space, galaxies, Princess Leia's braided buns, light sabers, and the phrase "Luke, I am your father" (which is basically the crux of an entire plot line, I've been told).

But even without seeing the movies, I'm still privy to a few longstanding references. Every year on May 4, I roll my eyes at the puns on "Star Wars" day; I'm familiar with the opening crawl; and don't worry, I know who Chewbacca is (I think).

I'm not the only one

Apparently there's a community of us. In the UK, there's a BBC radio and TV series called "I've never seen a Star Wars" where celebrity guests try out things they've never done before but are common to most people, like eating with chopsticks or practicing yoga. It was created in 2008 by a guy who had never seen a "Star Wars" movie and decided to capitalize on that cultural oddity.

And just last month, a Fox news contributor admitted that she wasn't buying the hype around "Star Wars," joking that she'd never seen a movie because she's been "too busy liking cool things and being attractive" (which ultimately served as my model for how not to confess, especially to a group of loyal "Star Wars" fans).

The time I saved

When I asked my parents why I never watched "Star Wars" as a kid, my mom said, "I never liked science fiction," and my dad said, "I only watched the first two movies as a kid and never had a desire to watch the others." No real concrete aversions here, just a general distaste for space odysseys. 

The same goes for "Harry Potter" and "Lord of the Rings." When my friends talked about the movies in high school and college, I'd have no commentary or I'd casually confess that I hadn't watched or read any of the series.

I'd elicit stunned reactions, but within minutes the conversation would move to some other facet of cultural importance that I'd have the knowledge to contribute to. And if ever any of the movies came on TV while hanging out with friends in my dorm or apartment, I'd decide it was prime time to catch up on my reading or watch Netflix episodes of some other show that effectively held my attention.

And that's something of a victory in the digital age, when my social media newsfeeds are constantly demanding that I watch this movie or listen to that song, lest I miss out on what everyone is talking about (i.e. the current hype surrounding the new "Star Wars"). Alas, my curiosity has never proved strong enough to sit down and spend hours committed to these franchises with the potential of hours and hours of subsequent obsession.

Actually, I've spent so much time not watching "Star Wars,""Harry Potter," and "Lord of the Rings" that I decided to calculate the hours I've saved. Between the eight "Harry Potter" movies, three "Lord of the Rings" movies and three "Hobbit" films, plus the six "Star Wars" episodes that have premiered to date, I've saved 54 hours. That's more than two days. And if you consider that most fans have watched these movies at least twice, that's 108 hours saved. 

In 54 hours, I could read two to three books, or I could watch 36 Academy Award-winning best pictures back to back. I could even hike from California's Big Sur to San Francisco with a couple hours to nap. And in 108 hours, I could train and run a marathon. In that same amount of time, I could also climb more than halfway to Mt. Everest base camp. 

What am I missing?

Despite the pride I harbor from successfully avoiding the biggest box-office franchises of our time, I occasionally wonder what I'm missing.

I can't seem to shake the feeling that simply because my family and I weren't interested in the "Star Wars" story and none of my adult friends forced me into a "Star Wars" or "Harry Potter" movie marathon, I may have subjected myself to lifelong ridicule.

It at least comforts me to know that some of the films, despite sky-high profits, weren't actually that great. A recent Los Angeles Times article chronicled every one of the paper's "Star Wars" film reviews dating back to the first in 1977. It notes that while some were "frankly irresistible" others were "noticeably lacking in warmth and humor."

So as I sit amongst the chatter of the latest installment, a pop cultural mainstay looming over my head, I continue to ask, Is it really worth all the hype?

SEE ALSO: The new 'Star Wars' gets widest December release of all time as Hollywood prepares for record-breaking box office

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NOW WATCH: Everything we know about the new 'Star Wars' movie

As “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” opens this week, the screenwriter of the film, Lawrence Kasdan, is busy putting the film out of his head. That's because he’s begun work penning one of the franchise’s most anticipated spin-offs, a young Han Solo movie.

Vulture caught up with Kasdan recently and asked him about how casting is going to find a young Solo. Around 2,500 actors have reportedly auditioned for the role.

There’s perhaps no one better qualified to give an opinion, as Kasdan, along with writing "The Force Awakens," also did the scripts for "Empire Strikes Back,""Return of the Jedi," and "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

So, essentially, he’s spent a good portion of his career coming up with dialogue for Harrison Ford.

"You want someone who isn’t going to be exactly like Harrison, you want someone who suggests him," Kasdan said. "It’s like when you adapt a book, and I’ve adapted a couple: You don’t want to adapt it word for word, you want the essence to come through.”

It’s been reported that, in their wide search, Lucasfilm and the movie’s directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have seen both unknowns and known actors like Dave Franco (“Neighbors”) and “Mr. Robot” star Rami Malek.

Whether the next Han Solo is an actor you’ve seen before or someone who just stepped foot into Hollywood, Kasdan thinks it’s going to be tough to fill Ford’s shoes.

“With Harrison, though, it’s not easy to find someone with those kinds of qualities," he said. "He’s like Spencer Tracy, and what does a young Spencer Tracy look like?"

SEE ALSO: Adele broke down in tears after her incredible first concert in 4 years

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NOW WATCH: A brilliant teen built a vending machine for McDonald's Chicken McNuggets — and it's made entirely from Lego blocks

Forget Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, George Lucas, J.J. Abrams, and the rest — Monday's world premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in Los Angeles was all about droids.

BB-8 literally rolled down the red carpet as R2-D2 and C-3PO basked in their newfound spotlight. There were even fully costumed Stormtroopers.

The fans were eating it up.

Story by Aly Weisman and editing by Kristen Griffin

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SEE ALSO: Here's why 2,500 actors are desperate to play Han Solo

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To help you share your excitement about the release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," Facebook has added an option where you can include a lightsaber on your profile photo. It's pretty easy to set up, and you can leave it on as long as you wish. But, which side will you choose?

Produced by Chris Snyder. Reporting by Tim Stenovec.

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Pop quiz, hotshot: You find yourself aboard a Star Destroyer, with sinister Stormtroopers coming at you without mercy or repentance. What do you do? What do you do?

That's the situation in which you find yourself in Google's new, must-play "Star Wars" game, "Lightsaber Escape."

The game turns your phone into your trusty lightsaber, while you fight bad guys on your computer screen.

It's just the latest entry in Google's ongoing "Star Wars" mania. 

And thanks to the involvement of Lucasfilm and Disney, it looks and sounds great. It's a great way to work out some of that pre-"Star Wars" release excitement before "The Force Awakens" officially opens later this week. 

Google calls it a "Chrome Experiment," or a fun technical showcase, like when it made an interactive map of Middle-Earth for "The Hobbit."

The way the game works is simple. Load up the game on your desktop PC or Mac, via the Chrome browser. Then, it gives you a web address to load on Google Chrome for your iPhone or Android phone. 

After a quick calibration, your phone becomes your trusty lightsaber. Wave it around, and your on-screen Jedi matches your movement. If your sound is on, your phone makes the lightsaber's signature hum and clashing noises.

You get a quick tutorial, and then the Stormtroopers come for you in earnest. When the Stormtroopers fire their blasters, it's your job to deflect them right back until you're the last Jedi standing.

Just remember that when the game is over, your phone isn't a lightsaber anymore. It's still okay to make the sounds yourself, though. I certainly plan on it. 

SEE ALSO: Google has an amazing hidden 'Star Wars' joke right in the search engine

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NOW WATCH: Droids stole the show at the 'Star Wars' world premiere

With “The Force Awakens” in theaters December 18, I’ve been catching up on all things “Star Wars” over the last few months.

The final item on my check list was hunting down the infamous “Star Wars Holiday Special,” a production so bad that it only aired once — November 17, 1978 on CBS — and was never formally released on video.

Just how terrible could it be? Well that’s what I wanted to find out. 

It’s actually not that difficult to find online. There’s a version you can stream on YouTube. (But now that I’ve outted it, don’t count on it being there forever.)

Initially, I tried watching it with my brother and mom, two big "Star Wars" fans who initially got me into the series. But after 20 minutes of watching Chewbacca’s Wookiee family making indiscernible noises without any actual dialogue, they begged for it to be turned off.

So I did, and then decided I would watch it alone. Was it a good life decision? I've made better.

The problem with the "Star Wars Holiday Special" is that it's bloated with unnecessary celebrity cameos. There are an obscene amount of tangential segments which direct the special off course from it's main objective: telling the story of Chewbacca trying to get home to spend a Wookiee holiday with his family.

It's evident the original cast is only there to help bolster ratings and to keep fans tuned in to see when they'll pop up next. Other than Harrison Ford's Han Solo, they add nothing to this special and could have easily been left out.

It would have been better as a 15-minute short instead of a nearly two-hour special. 

Here’s my live blog of reactions as I watched the entire thing: 

After one minute: It starts off all right. We see Han and Chewie in the Millennium Falcon. Chewie’s trying to get home to his family for something called a Life Day (more on that in a bit). They’re being chased after by Imperial forces and Han clocks into light speed. If the special continues like this — as Chewie’s adventure with Han to get home — this could be fun. (Spoiler: It doesn’t. This is just about the best it gets. I should have turned around now.)

3:50: Apparently, General Motors sponsored this CBS special.

3:52: We’re out of space and are shown a drawing of the outside of Chewbacca’s home. I guess that’s all the TV budget allowed.

4:30: We’re introduced to Chewbacca’s family who we haven’t heard about at all until now. They all have absolutely bizarre names which I only know because of the extended “Star Wars” universe.

Let me introduce them:

There’s his wife, Malla:

Here's Chewie's son, Lumpy. (Yes, that's his actual name.)

And then we have Chewie's dad, Itchy. (Sidenote: Who thought up these names? They’re awful.)

7:47: This entire sequence is just strange. It’s just Wookiees gurgling and growling at each other. I have no idea what they’re saying because there aren’t any subtitles on the screen. I’m guessing they’re just waiting around for Chewie’s return home since his wife looks longingly at a photograph of him.

8:54: We’re still chilling with the Wookiees. Little Chewbacca has a holochess board and is sitting watching some holograph circus. It’s so random and doesn’t help move the plot of this special along at all.

11:00: For some reason this holographic circus is still going on.

11:25: Thank goodness, it’s over.

12:01: It’s now been about eight minutes with the Wookiee clan and all I'm wondering is how much longer this can continue. Could they not afford to have all of the main stars on air long enough?

12:30: Chewie’s wife does a search of starships in the area. No signs of Chewie. You’re not the only one disappointed, Malla.

12:53: Finally! It’s Mark Hamill (wearing what appears to be a lot of makeup) and R2-D2. Malla gives him a call to find out what’s going on with Chewie.

16:20: We cut to an Imperial guard searching for some Wookiees at some random guy’s shop. For some reason he shows him a pocket-sized aquarium.

19:43: Darth Vader! You’re a sight for sore eyes. Please tell me you’ve come to make this bearable.

19:59: No! He’s gone! He just popped in to give some orders to search every home in the system for the rebels (presumably Chewie and Han).

20:03: Oh great. We’re back at the Wookiee home. Where are Han and Chewie?

21:09: Malla’s watching a cooking show to learn how to make Bantha Surprise. 

24:40: That’s over. There was no reason for that scene at all. Now, we’re back to Han and Chewie fighting off some TIE fighters. About time!

26:13: And we’re back to Chewie’s family. A general appears on screen and says they’re enacting Marshall Law on the Wookiee planet of Kashyyyk.

27:05: We find out the man from earlier is named Saun Dann. He’s a trader who stops by Chewie’s home to drop off a few items and some gifts.

29:41: Itchy gets a memory chip which allows him to see a kaleidoscope array of images. I think I’m staring at some swirl of women dancing. It’s bizarre.

I am now 30 minutes into this special. There’s an hour left to go and I’m about ready to give up at this point.

30:56: This is getting weird and trippy. Grandpa Itchy is hearing some mystical woman giving the strangest speech, “I know you’re searching for me. Searching. Searching. I am here. … I am found in your eyes only. I exist for you. I am in your mind as you create me. Oh yes.” Am I watching a holiday special or something on Pay-Per-View?

31:10: Oh whoa. It’s Diahann Carrol ("Dynasty").

32:19: Yeah, this is really weird. She’s just a figment of his imagination and goes on to sing to Itchy for the next three minutes. We’re basically watching Chewie’s dad live out some virtual sexual fantasies on a VR headset. This is supposed to be a family special. What is going on?

36:29: Princess Leia and C-3PO randomly pop in via a video call to speak with Malla. 

38:35: Han and Chewie are still flying around trying to land on his home planet. Everyone just keeps wishing Chewie and his family a Happy Life Day. It’s never explained what exactly this day is so I look it up. It’s a holiday celebrated once a year to celebrate all life, living and dead on Kashyyyk. It’s kind of similar to the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead, where they celebrate those who’ve died. Since the special was around Thanksgiving, people think it’s supposed to be a similar holiday.

39:39: Oh man. The Stormtroopers just found Chewie’s family. This is getting slightly more interesting.

44:02: Or maybe not. Saun Dann is distracting one of the Imperial troops with a music video. Apparently, we’re just going to sit through this whole thing.

47:57: This is still going on. Why?

48:10: Saun Dann starts dancing in the background. Sure, why not? It seems like everyone has forgotten the main point of this special anyway.

53:00: A cartoon introducing Boba Fett was cut out of this video. I found it in a separate video here. It shows Han, Leia, and Luke's first encounter with the bounty hunter who is actually quite friendly with Luke and his friends. That's not the case in later films.

The nearly 10-minute cartoon is probably the best part of this special. Han and Luke fall under a sleeping virus and Fett sets out for a cure with Chewbacca. However, we learn Boba is actually playing Luke and his friends and is actually working with Darth Vader. Outnumbered, Fett disappears and the 'toon comes to an end.

57:07: In the time Lumpy has watched this cartoon, the Imperial forces have scoured his entire home and decided to viciously tear apart Lumpy's room, breaking a bunch of his toys. Now, after cleaning up, Lumpy is watching a how-to video on assembling a mini-transmitter. This is the “Life Day” gift he got from Dann. I can’t believe they’re just showing us the entire video. It’s incredibly boring.

1:00:45: Everyone’s being instructed to watch a “mandatory” video about life on Luke Skywalker’s home planet of Tatooine for some reason. Honestly, it’s like they didn’t have enough of a story to fill up two hours of air time so they interspersed it with random clips throughout. We see shots of Stormtroopers walking through the streets and the inside of a cantina.

1:04:53: This turns into a side story featuring a man (played by Harvey Korman,"The Carol Burnett Show") and his unbridled love for a cantina bartender played by Bea Arthur. The spot, like so many other things in the special is so random and has nothing to do with the story.

1:05:36: So I guess the point of this clip is to tell us there's a curfew being put on Tatooine.

1:08:41: Now, Bea Arthur’s singing the crowd out of the bar. According to YouTube, I only have about 20 more minutes of this to go.

1:10:29: This song is still going on. She’s dancing with various characters in the bar. I’m trying to figure out who thought this was a good idea.

1:14:22: Finally, something happens! Lumpy uses that transmitter he made to trick all of the Imperial Forces into thinking they need to return to their base. One of the Stormtroopers ends up sticking around and catches onto Lumpy’s scheme. Man, I’d really like to know why they named this poor kid Lumpy.

1:15:35: The best part of this entire special is Chewie and Han arriving in the nick of time to take out the Stormtrooper. This entire special could have easily occurred in 15 minutes — 30 tops.

1:18:17: Han leaves Chewie’s family and I’m trying to figure out what could possibly happen in the last ten minutes.

1:21:07: The entire family gathers to celebrate Life Day. It’s not really clear what’s going on here:

or here:

One thing we can all agree on: It looks like they’re all wearing giant snuggies.

1:21:54: I think this is officially the end of the holiday special. R2-D2 and C-3PO appear out of nowhere at some giant Wookiee celebration for Life Day.

1:22:48: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford all appear at the gathering, too, for a quick group photo opp that was probably used in marketing to get people to tune in for the holiday special.

We know by now this special really wasn’t about any of them.

1:23:33: Carrie Fisher just starts singing.

1:24:37: Props to Fisher for actually looking like she’s enjoying filming every moment of this thing.

1:26:30: A bunch of end credits roll with some footage and scenes from “A New Hope.”

1:26:53: We’re not done yet! Chewbacca’s entire family gathers together for a Thanksgiving-like dinner.

1:27:39: I think it’s finally over. The movie’s zooming out over another painting of Chewie’s house at night.

1:27:49: Yup. There are the official credits. Wow. Yeah, as I said throughout, a lot of that could have been summed up in about 15 minutes if it weren’t for the extraneous amount of unnecessary side videos.

If you want to watch most of the special, you can check it out here on YouTube, but you’ve been warned. 

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NOW WATCH: George Takei just watched the new 'Star Trek' trailer for the first time and here's what he said

What started off as an unlikely underdog story turned into a phenomenon that changed the world.

While Hollywood expected "Star Wars" to be a huge flop in 1977, it ended up, as we know, one of the most financially successful films of all time, and kicked off a franchise that can't be killed.

"The Force Awakens," the seventh film in the "Star Wars" saga, will be released on December 18, 2015. Expectations are incredibly high. No less a Hollywood mythmaker than Steven Spielberg thinks it could be "the biggest movie ever."

While George Lucas gave up control of the franchise in 2012, he still made a tremendous profit off of it. That is not just because he created the original story. Lucas gained control of licensing and merchandising rights before "A New Hope" was even released. This smart move ultimately turned him into one of the most successful people in the entertainment industry.

This is the path that George Lucas took that turned him into a billionaire.

SEE ALSO: Everyone who was at the world premiere of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

In 1973, George Lucas had just finished directing the beloved coming-of-age film "American Graffiti."

The high school comedy remains one of the most profitable movies of all time. Made on a budget of $777,000, it earned $140 million in revenue.

Source: Pajiba

The success of "Graffiti" gave Lucas some much-needed clout in Hollywood. Producers were excited to hear his next idea. Lucas wanted to direct a sci-fi Western called "Star Wars."

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is in theaters Friday and Disney has done a good job keeping big spoilers under wraps.

The seventh installment in the franchise had its world premiere in Los Angeles Monday night, but don't expect to hear many reveals until the film makes its way into theaters — at least not from press.

Disney and Lucasfilm gave press a set of rules to follow for screenings.

Phones will be collected. Electronics are to be left at home. No one should be checking in on social media to tell people the location of the screening. 

Reviews are to be held until 12:01 a.m. PST Wednesday.

Press embargoes aren't the only precaution Disney is taking to prevent "Star Wars" spoilers. 

Here are a few other ways the Mouse House is ensuring fans head into "The Force Awakens" with some surprises intact:

1. The movie tie-in book was delayed until January

Disney asked that the book tie-in for the new movie be delayed until after the film comes out, the Wall Street Journal reports.  

The book, from Penguin Random House's publisher Del Rey, won't be out on store shelves until January 5, 2016, more than two weeks after the film's release in the U.S. The book was expected to be released during the holiday season. The WSJ notes that publishers typically release movie tie-ins two months before a film's release. 

The e-book version of the novelization will be available December 18.

2. "The Force Awakens" soundtrack will be released the same day as the movie.

Track titles can sometimes give hints about the direction or plot of a film. You won't be able to hear legendary composer John Williams' new score until the movie is released in theaters.

3. No one has said anything about this movie.

Everyone from director J.J. Abrams to Harrison Ford and newcomer actors John Boyega and Daisy Ridley have been extremely tight-lipped.

Mark Hamill hasn't revealed why his character has been hidden from marketing.

When director J.J. Abrams, Ridley, Boyega, and Adam Driver were on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on November 23, the most we learned was that the first word in the film is "this." Some of the cast also discussed how they landed their roles in the film.

4. Scripts were printed on red paper.

In order to prevent the script from leaking, "The Force Awakens" was printed on dark red paper. If anyone tried to photocopy anything, the printed copies will be illegible. 

5. Some of the toys still haven't been released.

While many "Star Wars" toys have already been released for the movie, a Hasbro representative previously told Tech Insider there are, unsurprisingly, other toys set for release after the film as well. 

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NOW WATCH: You can add a ‘Star Wars’ lightsaber to your Facebook profile picture — here’s how

Ever wished you could prolong the "Star Wars" scene when Luke builds a funeral pyre and burns his father? Well look no further. In the spirit of ridiculous "yule log" holiday videos, a YouTuber named BenjaminApple created a 5-hour loop of Darth Vader's burning body. 

In a time when fans are inundated with "Star Wars" news and headlines, people seem keen on this take. 

Darth Vader yule log video is just about the greatest Star Wars based thing I have seen lately: https://t.co/ThwI0A2bXc

— Matthew Gordon (@ratherironic) December 15, 2015

I know we're all tired of Star Wars hype but this five-hour Darth Vader Yule log is solid gold. https://t.co/x5yWCl0o6S

— Uncle Pilot (@unclepilot) December 15, 2015

The description on the upload reads: "Cuddle up with your loved ones and bask in the warming glow of this five hour Darth Vader yule log. Perfect for holiday parties."

And perfect for what we've officially dubbed "Star Wars Week" with the premiere of "The Force Awakens" just days away. We only wish BenjaminApple had listened to a commentor and renamed the video "Hearth Vader."

You can watch the full video here:

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NOW WATCH: You can add a ‘Star Wars’ lightsaber to your Facebook profile picture — here’s how

Like the prequel trilogy before it, continuing from the original "Star Wars" trilogy of "A New Hope,""Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" is a huge task because the story has to compete with decades of conversations and theories fans of the saga have had. 

But with "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" director J.J. Adrams successfully delivers a story that is loaded with nostalgic moments of the previous episodes as well as building a foundation of the next story line we are to embark on. 

The main focus is Finn (John Boyega) and Rey (Daisy Ridley), two outsiders who come together for a unlikely journey. 

Finn is a stormtrooper who has gone rogue. Not made out to be the killer he was bred to be, he ends up on a dessert planet as he tries to escape the First Order (which is what the Empire is called now).

Rey is a scavenger who spends her days getting little money from stripping parts from destroyed star destroyers, X-wings, and TIE fighters that crashed on her planet ages ago when the Empire fell thanks to the now mythical heroes like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo.

Finn and Rey connect through the droid BB-8, which is the property of hot shot rebel pilot Poe Dameron Oscar Isaac). 

Getting into why BB-8 is important would be opening the floodgates to a rush of spoilers, so what's best to say is the lovable droid (who would think a big ball could be so adorable) is the key for why Finn and Rey enter into the world of the Rebellion, where they cross paths with Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and General Leia (Carrie Fisher).

"The Force Awakens" is chock-full of battles (both in the sky and with the lightsaber), but what Abrams and fellow screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt have made strides in creating strong dialogue and emotion from the characters.

As George Lucas was always criticized for filling the earlier episodes with cold, stringent performances (especially in the prequels), the characters in "The Force Awakens" are passionate, joking, and give performances that don't feel forced. 

This is evident with the new members to the saga. The struggle of Boyega's Fin to be a stormtrooper gives the first signal that this is going deeper than what we've seen in the franchise. 

Adam Driver as the villain Kylo Ren is the perfect mixture of intimidation and conflicting. Wanting desperately to be the second-coming of Darth Vader, he is filled with doubts if he has enough of the dark side in him (by the end of the movie we realize he does). However, he also comes off as a spoiled brat at times as he uses his lightsaber to throw temper tantrums. It plays well for some comedy, just barely.

Then there's Ridley 's Rey, who gives a performance that gets better as the movie progresses and is a blueprint of how women in action movies should be portrayed here on out. Rey is a no-nonsense hero that doesn't need any assistance to do anything. She insists numerous times for Finn to let go of her hand while they run from danger. She flies the Millennium Falcon. She wields a lightsaber. Whether it was intentional or not, Abrams has announced that in his galaxy far, far away women don't just kick butt,  they are the focus of the story. I can't wait to see what else is in store for Rey.

"The Force Awakens" is an epic story for an epic franchise that has set the table for an intriguing new chapter.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens in theaters everywhere on December 18.

SEE ALSO: What the stars wore on the red carpet at the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" premiere

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All of the "Star Wars" movies are now available to download via various streaming services. Included in the downloads are a bundle of extra features featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews. One of the features reveals the original design of the iconic Millennium Falcon spaceship.

It turns out the ship's design came at the last minute after the original had to be jettisoned because it looked too similar to a spacecraft in the European TV-show "Space 1999."

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Continuing the original "Star Wars" trilogy of "A New Hope,""Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" would have been a difficult task for anybody. The new "Star Wars" movie, "The Force Awakens," needed a plot that wouldn't disappoint millions of fans who have spent decades theorizing about what might happen next in a galaxy far, far away. 

But with "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens," director J.J. Abrams nailed it. He successfully delivered a franchise movie loaded with nostalgic moments playing on previous episodes that also builds a foundation for the next storyline to come. (Only mild spoilers for the plot ahead.)

The movie's main focus is Finn (John Boyega) and Rey (Daisy Ridley), two outsiders who come together for an unlikely journey. 

Finn is a stormtrooper who has gone rogue — he finds he's not meant to be the killer he was bred to be. Instead, Finn ends up on a desert planet trying to escape the First Order (which is what the Empire is called now).

Rey is a scavenger who spends her days scrounging together money by stripping parts from ruined Star Destroyers, X-wings, and TIE fighters that crashed on her planet ages ago when the Empire fell (thanks to the now-mythical heroes including Luke Skywalker and Han Solo).

Finn and Rey connect through the droid BB-8, which is the property of a hot-shot rebel pilot, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac). 

BB-8 is important — but getting into why would open the floodgates to a rush of spoilers. So it's best to say the lovable droid is the key to why Finn and Rey enter into the world of the Rebellion, where they cross paths with Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), and General Leia (Carrie Fisher).

"The Force Awakens" is chock-full of lightsaber battles, chase scenes, and explosions, but Abrams and fellow screenwriters Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt also crafted strong dialogue that evokes serious emotion from the characters.

George Lucas was always criticized for filling earlier "Star Wars" episodes with cold, stringent performances (especially in the prequels). But the characters in "The Force Awakens" are passionate — even funny — and give performances that don't feel... forced. 

This is especially evident in the plot lines of new "Star Wars" charaters. 

Adam Driver as the villain Kylo Ren is the perfect mix of intimidation and conflict. He wants desperately to be the second coming of Darth Vader but isn't sure if he has enough of the dark side in him (by the end of the movie we realize he does). Ren's character also has a refreshing hint of humor, like when he uses his lightsaber to throw temper tantrums. 

Then there's Rey. Daisy Ridley gives a performance that gets better as the movie progresses and is a blueprint for how women in action movies should be portrayed. Rey is a no-nonsense hero who doesn't need any assistance to do anything. She insists numerous times that Finn let go of her hand while they run from danger. She flies the Millennium Falcon. She wields a lightsaber. Whether it's intentional or not, Abrams has announced that in his galaxy far, far away, women don't just kick butt — they are the focus of the story. 

The bottom line: "The Force Awakens" is an epic story for an epic franchise that has set the groundwork for an intriguing new chapter that might just be as exciting as the first one.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens in theaters everywhere on December 18.

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If you're a "Star Wars" fan, the best plan for avoiding spoilers is probably just to shut down your computer until you can see "The Force Awakens."

Unfortunately for Reddit moderators, their job is to scan for spoilers on a near-constant basis.

At this point, many of them know exactly what happens in the movie without seeing it for themselves. 

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" will be officially released to the public on December 18, but the premiere of the movie took place on December 14 in Los Angeles. This means the internet is already beginning to crawl with trolls who want to spoil the film for others. 

One Redditor wrote a warning post late Tuesday evening, saying "PSA: There are already people purposefully spoiling the new 'Star Wars' in various comment sections. Tread carefully." The leaks are allegedly coming from the notorious troll site 4chan.

A moderator named TheGreatZiegfeld chimed in, explaining: "We've banned dozens of users so far for this. I think all the mods have had it spoiled for them by now. We'll do our best to make sure you guys don't suffer the same fate."

Moderating a subreddit is a voluntary position, but the role is not taken lightly. In /r/movies, for example, moderators are vigilant about deleting comments revealing key plot points of any recent film. Every new movie has a special discussion thread with a spoiler warning, but not all Redditors play nice. 

This means the moderators are reading and reviewing every comment related to "The Force Awakens" in an effort to protect regular Redditors from accidentally stumbling on spoilers themselves. 

Their efforts don't go unnoticed. Many subscribers to these subreddits have expressed their appreciation and respect for the herculean efforts of the moderators. "You're doing God's work, we all really appreciate it I can tell you that,"one user said. 

"Yeah, the original trilogy was my childhood, it's not fun to have the new one spoiled for you over and over again, but I make up for it in other ways," TheGreatZiegfield replied. "I haven't seen a trailer for it yet, so every scene in the movie feels new. It's a small consolation."

There's no perfect solution to keep spoilers offline. A Chrome extension called Force Block was created, but it scans sites for literally any mention of "Star Wars," so the filter is very broad. You'd be blocked from accessing Facebook or virtually any news site with a headline mentioning the movie, even if there aren't actual spoilers there. 

In the meantime, the Reddit moderating teams' acceptance of a less-than-ideal role is admirable. "We signed up for the job, we can't just skimp out when things get hard," TheGreatZiegfield told the /r/movies community. "There'll be other movies that blow our minds with surprises and twists, Star Wars just wont be one of them."

SEE ALSO: Here's how to easily block all the 'Star Wars' spoilers online so you don't ruin the movie

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"Star Wars" is one of the most-loved science fiction series of all time, and it has attracted a fiercely loyal fan base over the decades.

A good number of those mega-fans are working scientists, and their passion for the books and movies has led to some hilarious yet surprisingly legitimate research.

In honor of the upcoming release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," we've rounded up some of the best science studies and experiments inspired by the franchise.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it does contain some of our favorites.

Scientists created a lightsaber...sort of.

Star Wars fans across the globe rejoiced in 2013 when scientists accidentally created a strip of light particles they said behaved just like a lightsaber.

The team had figured out a way to get particles of light to stick together and form a molecule — the same physics principle behind a lightsaber.

The bad news is that you can't actually duel with the lab-grown lightsabers. The problem, as astrophysicist and host of StarTalk Radio Neil deGrasse Tyson explains, is that most beams of light just pass right through each other.

If scientists ever figure out how to harness much more powerful, energetic light sources like gamma rays, then technically we might be able to create real lightsabers. That's because gamma rays will interact with other gamma rays and create a force, as physicist Briax Cox explained.

Can we get someone on that, stat? Because we'd really like to start our Jedi Knight training.

The Rebel Alliance probably left the galaxy in a devastating economic depression after the Battle of Endor.

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In a fantastically written research paper called "It's a Trap: Emperor Palpatine's Poison Pill," economics researcher Zachary Feinstein calculated that the Death Star cost approximately $193 Quintillion (in 2012 U.S. dollars), and the gross domestic product (GDP) of the galactic economy was roughly $4.6 Sextillion a year.

Banks in the galactic empire are likely invested in the Death Star and Feinstein estimates they hold about 60% of that mind-blowingly huge GDP. So after rebel terrorists blow up the Death Star in the Battle of Endor, Feinstein concludes they would have sent the economy into a tailspin and created biggest financial crash we've ever seen.

"In this case study we found that the Rebel Alliance would need to prepare a bailout of at least 15%, and likely at least 20%, of [GDP] in order to mitigate the systemic risks and the sudden and catastrophic economic collapse," Feinstein writes. "Without such funds at the ready, it likely the Galactic economy would enter an economic depression of astronomical proportions."

Faster-than-light travel would have made Luke Skywalker way younger than his twin sister Leia.

Einstein's theory of general relativity suggests that time slows down the faster you travel. It's called time dilation and scientists have already demonstrated it really happens.

In "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back," Luke and Leia are separated. Leia takes the Millennium Falcon to Cloud City, while Luke takes an X-Wing Starfighter to Dagobah to start his Jedi training with Yoda.

The Millennium Falcon can fly faster than Luke's X-Wing, so Leia’s journey yields a time dilation of about 63 days. But the journey to Dagobah is about 25 times the distance to Cloud City, so Luke is traveling at a fast speed for much longer than Leia. The students estimate his time dilation is about 701 days (1.92 years).

That means that Luke ends up about 1.75 years younger than Leia by the end of the movie.

The lovable new droid in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," BB-8, may speak in a mechanical garbled sound like the saga's best-known short droid, R2-D2, but there was actually an actor behind it.

In the previous "Star Wars" movies, R2-D2 and other droids that didn't speak with words were given voice thanks to the skills of sound designer Ben Burtt and his team.

HitFix, however, spotted in the end credits of "The Force Awakens" that Bill Hader was credited as BB-8's "vocal consultant."

The actor is known best for his comedic talents in front of the camera for years on "Saturday Night Live" and most recently in the film "Trainwreck" opposite Amy Schumer. But for years he has lent his voice to video games and TV shows, most recently "South Park." And he is skilled at coming up with multiple different voices.

But it seems getting the right "voice" for BB-8 put his vocal talents to the test.

Hader told HitFix what the job consisted of:

"J.J. [Abrams] f-----g around with this sound effects app on his iPad that was attached to a talk box operated by me. It looked ridiculous but it made BB-8's voice. At first I tried doing a voice, but we all agreed it sounded too human."

And Abrams didn't call only on Hader. According to HitFix, actor Ben Schwartz is also credited as a BB-8 voice consultant.

Admittedly, BB-8's voice attracts less attention in the movie than the droid's actions. Much more dynamic than R2's, BB-8's movements and gestures throughout the movie are quite impressive (yes, every kid is begging for one for Christmas) — even if NASA isn't too impressed.

Still, it's pretty cool to learn that Abrams had actors like Hader come in to find BB-8's voice.

SEE ALSO: 'The Force Awakens' lives up to the hype and promises a thrilling future

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With your busy and hectic life, you may not have 9 hours and 14 minutes to spare in order to get up to speed on the "Star Wars" universe before "The Force Awakens." Yes, that's how long it would take you to watch all six "Star Wars" films. So, we got several "Star Wars" experts to run through everything that happens before "The Force Awakens." Here's everything you need to know about the "Star Wars" universe.

Produced by Corey Protin. 

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Adam Driver is a commanding presence, both on the screen and off of it.

The 32-year-old actor stands at 6'3", but it's his background that makes him really stand out.

Driver is a Marine turned Juilliard-trained actor with Midwest charm and an intense discipline that shines through in his performances.

He got his start acting in Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and slowly began the transition to TV and film roles. His portrayal of the sometimes-obnoxious boyfriend to Lena Dunham's also sometimes-obnoxious Hannah in HBO's "Girls" put Driver on the Hollywood map. 

While he's taken on roles in major films ranging rom Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" to the Coen brothers' "Inside Llewyn Davis," none compares to the hype surrounding his casting as the newest villain in the "Star Wars" universe, Kylo Ren, a Darth Vader enthusiast in "The Force Awakens."

And that military background and classical training are what gave Driver the "ferocity" for the role, according to director J.J. Abrams.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" comes out Friday, but before you catch him as the evil Kylo Ren, get to know the actor below:  

SEE ALSO: How this 23-year-old went from British theater actor to starring in the next 'Star Wars'

Adam Douglas Driver was born on November 19, 1983, in San Diego, but when he was seven, he moved to Mishawaka, Indiana, following his parents' divorce. His stepdad was a Baptist minister and Driver sang in the church choir growing up. But he and his friends also created their own "Fight Club"-inspired group.

(Source: Newsweek) 

Driver was involved with school productions at Mishawaka High School and was president of the school choir.

(Source: South Bend Tribune) 

After graduating from high school, he auditioned for Juilliard but was not accepted, so he sold vacuums and was a telemarketer while trying to figure out what career path to pursue. During this time, he paid $200 in rent to live in the back of his parents' house and was forced to buy his own appliances, including a fridge.

(Source: Rolling Stone) 

Let's say you are the Sith Lord Darth Vader, when your employer, the evil Emperor, decides he doesn't need your services anymore and lays you off. Maybe he appoints another Sith, and for reasons known only to his own black heart, doesn't dispense with you in his typical way by ending your life.

You'll find yourself suddenly jobless, but with a lot of specialized skills that are surely valuable to some other incarnation of evil being.

One catch: You'll need a résumé. And given your previous work history, a boring, old-school résumé won't do. You'd need something snazzy. Something that can capture your skill, your personality, and the eye of a new nefarious lord you can serve. 

The folks at résumé-writing startup Enhancv came up with this résumé of Darth Vader for just such an occasion. Enhancv offers an online service that automatically critiques your résumé with suggestions to improve it. 

Darth Vader's résumé is an example of the kind of modern résumé anyone can use, even if the job seeker is looking for a role that serves humanity and doesn't destroy it.

For instance, the "what-I-accomplished-at-my-last-job" phrasing of Vader's résumé can be copied by anyone. As supreme commander, Vader "Oversaw the construction of the two biggest weapons of our time – the Death Stars."

But there are also plenty of tongue-in-cheek items that you probably wouldn't want to showcase in your own résumé. For instance, as a senior dark lord of the Sith, Vader "Dealt with a boss who refused to grant parental leave."

While that was certainly a hardship for Vader, it probably isn't wise to bad-mouth your old boss on your résumé. That goes doubly so if your old boss is the source of all evil.

Here's the full résumé:

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The first reviews for the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” movie are here and fans can rest easy — the film is good.

Of course, it was always going to be a success, but after three universally despised prequels and years of waiting, fans hoped for something better from new “Star Wars” director J.J. Abrams.

And it seems that they got it. Rotten Tomatoes is rating the film at a whopping 98% (8.4/10 average) based on 121 reviews. Only three reviews are “rotten,” with the other 118 gushing about the movie.

There are a few reservations, however. The movie is funny, heart-wrenching, action-packed — but the word “derivative” kept popping up more than a few times.

Keep scrolling to get a spoiler-free taste of what critics are saying about the latest “Star Wars” film.

Tech Insider called it “nostalgic”— in a good way:

The seventh installment in the saga, taking place 30 years after the events of “Return of the Jedi,” is like a giant reunion party with a group of best friends you haven’t seen in ages. You catch up, reminisce, and go out on another crazy adventure together. It’s a lot of feel good fun while setting the stage for the next films. There are many callbacks and nods to the original trilogy. It’s nostalgic.

The A.V. Club liked the way the movie referenced the preceding films:

It doesn’t just know that it’s operating in the long shadow of a classic; it hardwires that understanding into its own DNA, making legacy a prevailing theme. The "Star Wars" movies build myths on top of myths on top of myths, creating a universe where future legends are always nipping at the heels of established ones. 

The Mirror UK gave it 4/5:

For action, humor, and heart, the Force is strong with this one, even if the storyline is strikingly familiar to the 1977 movie that started it all.

It may be billed as a sequel but it often feels weirdly like a remake.

Parade called the movie “fabulous”:

With composer John Williams’ spectacular, swelling orchestral score once again providing the soundtrack, "Star Wars" has come roaring and soaring back, a fabulous, bountiful, richly rewarding payoff for anyone who’s been waiting, patiently or otherwise. You’ll cheer, you’ll chuckle, you’ll gasp, you’ll be giddy and you’ll maybe—likely—even shed a tear, or possibly two.

WIRED was plot-heavy in its review, but ultimately decided the movie was well worth the wait:

I’ll just say this: If you loved "Star Wars" once, everything you loved is back. And if you’re new? Welcome home.

The Chicago Tribune said it was a solid movie, though it didn’t blow the critic out of the water:

Not great. But far better than "not bad." Solidly, confidently good. Spoiler alert: The word "good" will crop up throughout this review, because it's the most accurate adjective for this Disney-owned product launch.

Uproxx thought it was well done— and funny:

"The Force Awakens" does not take itself too seriously […] and this is a good thing. Don’t get me wrong! There are many “serious” moments, it just threads that needle like a "Star Wars" movie should.

The Associated Press said fans will rejoice:

It's a movie made by someone who loves "Star Wars" deeply. Someone who can see more clearly than even its creator what made it so special to so many people. Abrams has taken everything that we adore about that first film, delicately mixed up a few elements, and churned out a reverent homage that's a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

USA Today said it was a wonderful first film for the new franchise:

"The Force Awakens" reveals surprising connections, begins a few bromances, solves mysteries while digging up others, and sets a strong tone for what comes next in "Star Wars" lore. Best of all? It’ll make you feel like a kid being introduced to something truly special once again.

Entertainment Weekly gave it a B+:

The wait is over. You, or that special someone you love, can stop panting into that brown paper bag and finally relax because there are about to be a lot of very happy "Star Wars" fans out there. J.J. Abrams’ "The Force Awakens" delivers exactly what you want it to: rollicking adventure wrapped in epic mythology, a perfect amount of fan service that fires your geekiest synapses, and a just-right cliffhanger ending that paves the way for future installments.

Only a few people didn’t like the movie. Salon’s critic was one of them, arguing that it was too much like the original:

For better or worse — and here’s where my hoodie-wearing friend’s thought experiment comes in – “The Force Awakens” is more like a remake or a mashup of the first two “Star Wars” pictures than a sequel. Yes, in technical terms Abrams and co-writers Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt are picking up the narrative some 30 years after the destruction of the Galactic Empire at the end of “Return of the Jedi.” But they barely even pretend to advance the story of the initial trilogy; they rewind it and repeat it, with new characters substituting for old ones but many of the same action set-pieces, narrative dilemmas and hidden connections.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” will open in theaters on December 17.

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