Episode Ii

Eager to be the first ones to see "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones," devoted fans shuffled into the UA Riverview Stadium on Columbus Boulevard yesterday. Ranging in age from 4 to 40, "Star Wars" fans anticipated great things from George Lucas and the epic adventure he has nurtured for nearly three decades. Despite lukewarm reviews from the critics, loyal fans refused to be swayed. "These critics wouldn't know a good movie if it was in front of them," said Tim Mayo, 17, of South Philly.

Allen Iverson as the young superstar, Anakin Skywalker Larry Brown as cosmic coach Yoda Wolfgang Sawallisch as the classic - baton, light saber, what's the difference? - Obi-Wan Kenobi David Morse, TV's Philly cabbie-to-be, as Jedi driving force Mace "Hack" Windu R&B singer Pink as the overdressed and hypercharged Senator Padm? Amidala The trash can at Second and Market as dependable droid R2-D2

Early this morning, at lots of movie theaters not very far away, crowds of movie fans greeted the arrival of the latest movie in the Star Wars saga. Many area movie theaters sought to capitalize on the evergreen popularity of the series by having midnight shows as the clocked ticked over to May 16, the first day Star Wars - Episode II: Attack of the Clones went into release. At the AMC theater complex in Marple Township, people began arriving at 9:30 yesterday morning for the 12:01 a.m. showing.

The latest Star Wars movie took in $116.3 million in its first four days and became the second-fastest film - behind only Spider-Man - to top $100 million. After grossing $30.1 million on opening day Thursday, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones collected $86.15 million Friday to yesterday, the third-highest debut for a three-day weekend, behind Spider-Man and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Clones did not approach box-office records set two weeks ago by Spider-Man, which debuted with $114.

During the front-loaded summer of 2002, Hollywood delivered audiences and the goods in what the studio spinmeisters will undoubtedly call a record-breaking season. Cartoon heroes ruled: Spider-Man was the summer's biggest winner with combined U.S. and Canadian box-office revenue of $403.7 million, and Scooby-Doo and Lilo & Stitch also placed among the season's top 10 moneymakers. But serious sci-fi such as Minority Report, spiritual thrillers such as Signs, and the sober drama Road to Perdition scored impressively against the ubiquitous sequels: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Austin Powers in Goldmember, and Men in Black 2. Whether Hollywood really improved on last summer's take, however, depends on how you define summer, hedges Paul Dergarabedian, head of Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc., which tracks box office for Hollywood studios.

The new Star Wars movie is opening nationwide today, but thousands have already seen it. More than a week before its release in theaters, bootleg copies of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones began circulating over the Internet, where they could be obtained in exchange for other files and downloaded into computers for viewing. One 17-year-old area high school student said he exchanged pirated copies of Spider-Man and The New Guy, two other recent releases, for Clones more than a week ago. "It wasn't so much that I was interested in Star Wars," said the student, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Longtime newswoman Beverly Williams is suing KYW-TV (Channel 3), accusing the station of discriminating against her on the basis of race, sex and age. Williams, 55, who is black, was once one of the station's top evening news anchors, earning as much as $350,000 a year. She has since been demoted to entry-level general-assignment reporter, earning $155,000 a year, according to her lawsuit. Williams, who has worked for the station off and on for about 20 years, wants her old position back.

Attack of the Clones isn't only the subtitle of 2002's most anticipated film. It's also an apt summary of this year's biggest trend: sequels. As if taking its cue from a year that ends in "2," Hollywood is counting on repeat business in a big way. In addition to Clones - better known as Star Wars: Episode II - look for Men in Black II, Stuart Little 2, Black Mask 2, Blade II, The Santa Clause 2, and Spy Kids 2 to enter the market, along with...

Critics and the latest 'Star Wars' installment To see a movie a critic has called a definite Oscar-winner (but will bore me to death) or one a critic says has a thin plot with shallow performances (but will entertain me for two hours)? This is the question. Critics are up in arms over the hate mail they received concerning reviews of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (Inquirer, May 25). I haven't seen that movie, but if the reviews are anything like I've seen for other movies, may the force be with the fans.

Anakin Skywalker takes another step toward the Dark Side. Steven Spielberg takes another stab at sci-fi. And M. Night Shyamalan takes another trip to the outer limits. The men in black are back, that dentally challenged secret agent returns for more shagadelic double entendres, and the Good Will Hunting boys (Affleck! Damon!) each star in techno-thrillers based on best-selling books. (Clancy! Ludlum!) The multiplexes have been abuzz since November with talk (and trailers) of a wee sequel to a prequel called Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, due out May 16. (Attention Obi-Wannabes: Only 11 more days in line!

During the front-loaded summer of 2002, Hollywood delivered audiences and the goods in what the studio spinmeisters will undoubtedly call a record-breaking season. Cartoon heroes ruled: Spider-Man was the summer's biggest winner with combined U.S. and Canadian box-office revenue of $403.7 million, and Scooby-Doo and Lilo & Stitch also placed among the season's top 10 moneymakers. But serious sci-fi such as Minority Report, spiritual thrillers such as Signs, and the sober drama Road to Perdition scored impressively against the ubiquitous sequels: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Austin Powers in Goldmember, and Men in Black 2. Whether Hollywood really improved on last summer's take, however, depends on how you define summer, hedges Paul Dergarabedian, head of Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc., which tracks box office for Hollywood studios.

Critics and the latest 'Star Wars' installment To see a movie a critic has called a definite Oscar-winner (but will bore me to death) or one a critic says has a thin plot with shallow performances (but will entertain me for two hours)? This is the question. Critics are up in arms over the hate mail they received concerning reviews of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (Inquirer, May 25). I haven't seen that movie, but if the reviews are anything like I've seen for other movies, may the force be with the fans.

Longtime newswoman Beverly Williams is suing KYW-TV (Channel 3), accusing the station of discriminating against her on the basis of race, sex and age. Williams, 55, who is black, was once one of the station's top evening news anchors, earning as much as $350,000 a year. She has since been demoted to entry-level general-assignment reporter, earning $155,000 a year, according to her lawsuit. Williams, who has worked for the station off and on for about 20 years, wants her old position back.

The latest Star Wars movie took in $116.3 million in its first four days and became the second-fastest film - behind only Spider-Man - to top $100 million. After grossing $30.1 million on opening day Thursday, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones collected $86.15 million Friday to yesterday, the third-highest debut for a three-day weekend, behind Spider-Man and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Clones did not approach box-office records set two weeks ago by Spider-Man, which debuted with $114.

Allen Iverson as the young superstar, Anakin Skywalker Larry Brown as cosmic coach Yoda Wolfgang Sawallisch as the classic - baton, light saber, what's the difference? - Obi-Wan Kenobi David Morse, TV's Philly cabbie-to-be, as Jedi driving force Mace "Hack" Windu R&B singer Pink as the overdressed and hypercharged Senator Padm? Amidala The trash can at Second and Market as dependable droid R2-D2

Eager to be the first ones to see "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones," devoted fans shuffled into the UA Riverview Stadium on Columbus Boulevard yesterday. Ranging in age from 4 to 40, "Star Wars" fans anticipated great things from George Lucas and the epic adventure he has nurtured for nearly three decades. Despite lukewarm reviews from the critics, loyal fans refused to be swayed. "These critics wouldn't know a good movie if it was in front of them," said Tim Mayo, 17, of South Philly.

Early this morning, at lots of movie theaters not very far away, crowds of movie fans greeted the arrival of the latest movie in the Star Wars saga. Many area movie theaters sought to capitalize on the evergreen popularity of the series by having midnight shows as the clocked ticked over to May 16, the first day Star Wars - Episode II: Attack of the Clones went into release. At the AMC theater complex in Marple Township, people began arriving at 9:30 yesterday morning for the 12:01 a.m. showing.

The new Star Wars movie is opening nationwide today, but thousands have already seen it. More than a week before its release in theaters, bootleg copies of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones began circulating over the Internet, where they could be obtained in exchange for other files and downloaded into computers for viewing. One 17-year-old area high school student said he exchanged pirated copies of Spider-Man and The New Guy, two other recent releases, for Clones more than a week ago. "It wasn't so much that I was interested in Star Wars," said the student, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

There's a snake in George Lucas' garden, an actual slitherer and a symbolic one. Two of the 250 employees at his 2,600-acre compound near San Rafael quickly assure Lucas that the filmmaker's pastorale of scrub oak and eucalyptus has been invaded by nothing more than a garter snake. If only they could promise that the symbolic serpent - the media horde for whom their boss has just previewed Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones - is as benign. The press-shy filmmaker, now a graybeard in blue jeans, is hedging his bets on the fifth installment in the six-part Star Wars saga, which opens on Thursday, two days after his 58th birthday.

Anakin Skywalker takes another step toward the Dark Side. Steven Spielberg takes another stab at sci-fi. And M. Night Shyamalan takes another trip to the outer limits. The men in black are back, that dentally challenged secret agent returns for more shagadelic double entendres, and the Good Will Hunting boys (Affleck! Damon!) each star in techno-thrillers based on best-selling books. (Clancy! Ludlum!) The multiplexes have been abuzz since November with talk (and trailers) of a wee sequel to a prequel called Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, due out May 16. (Attention Obi-Wannabes: Only 11 more days in line!