Fanboy fun

Grade: A-

???After falling into the hands of the Weinstein Company surgeons, Fanboys went under the scalpel with reported orders of cuts, edits, and reshoots, ending up with a continuously delayed release date.

???Many of the spectacled followers of the film had just about given up on seeing it on the silver screen, instead clamoring for its straight-to-DVD release at Blockbusters nationwide. The film has finally found its way into movie theaters as director Kyle Newman delivers a hilariously nerdy romp.

???Featuring several Apatow scene-stealers Kristen Bell and Jay Baruchel, as well as Dan Fogler (Balls of Fury) and Chris Marquette (Alpha Dog), the film surprisingly lives up to expectations and, in many ways, surpasses them.

???The premise of Fanboys is simple and likely one that many Star Wars fans have dreamed about while laser blasting and re-enacting the controversial "who shot first" gunfight between Han and Greedo.

???A group of childhood friends consisting of Eric (Sam Huntington, Cavemen), Linus (Marquette), Hutch (Fogler), and Windows (Baruchel), spend hours planning a way to sneak into one of the most heavily guarded establishments of all time-George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch.

???It isn't until the four are reunited at a Halloween party that their high school pipe dream becomes a reality. During the reunion, the group of misfits deals with the revelation that one of the four Star Wars-kateers has cancer.

???With a life at stake, the group feels that it's the perfect time to resuscitate their old dream and make it a reality. So, down the yellow brick road they go on a cross-country journey filled with comedy and celebrity appearances.

???Fanboys may not be for everyone. For the common Kevin Smith fan, the film will feel like an almighty montage depicting his love for Star Wars. Although not written or produced in anyway by Smith, he and sidekick Jay (Jason Mewes) make their presences known in the film, creating the notion that Smith had to be lurking around the production room for most of the creative process.

???Regardless of the light character development and an implausible plot, the film is a wonderful homage to geeks everywhere.

???The movie is not going to play well to wide audiences, but that wasn't what this film was made for. As "The Reader" has proven to be The Weinstein Company's gem, Fanboys' laser lines a fun and harmless layer of icing on their cake.