Fanboys

There are great films that you might not like because of the density of subject matter. And then there are bad films that you do like because they're just darn entertaining. Fanboys has so much to impart about the Star Wars phenom and American pop culture in general that it's impossible to pass up.
The story, set prior to The Phantom Menace release in 1998, revolves around Star Wars geeks who decide to drive across the country and get an advance screening of the film by breaking into the Skywalker Ranch. Of the gang one member has cancer and will probably not be alive by the time the film actually opens. Supposedly, which is akin to the Berg lowering his standards to Fox News style reportage, the film was assembled a couple of years ago, George Lucas saw a cut, the film got extra funding to shoot additional scenes, a different director shot some of those scenes, and the film even went through a new edit not involving the cancer plot. Who knows how much of that is true? The Fanboys I saw did have the original story intact, although in Fanboys' epilogue, set during the weekend The Phantom Menace opened, the character in question is absent.
The story moves in the realm of the early Internet. There are no text messages although Ethan Suplee plays Harry Knowles in what has to be one of Fanboys' near classic bits of comic mayhem. Another hilarious scene includes a diversion to the hometown of William Shatner where the fanboys rumble with Star Trek devotees dressed in Federation regalia and speaking Klingon.
Dan Fogler certainly isn't a common name (he hasn't been in any good films really) but this Tony winning actor propels the comedy with deft moves and wacky line readings. Joining Fogler in the jocularity are Kristen Bell (the tiniest fanboy) and Jay Baruchel who was so funny in Tropic Thunder. Chris Marquette and Sam Huntington are the straight laced fanboys and there's a slew of insider type cameos best discovered while the film unwinds.