By Obi-Wan's Beard

There are many, many things I should probably be ashamed of, my treatment of Fidgit from Time Bandits being just one. I don’t even pay him minimum wage yet I get him to perform all sorts of demeaning tasks to ensure the smooth running of The Incredible Suit.

One thing I’m not ashamed of, though, despite constantly being made to feel so, is that I really, really enjoyed last year’s animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars film. There, I’ve said it. It’s out there. Do your worst.

Of course it’s not ‘proper’ Star Wars, nothing is except the first three films. Of course the battle droids are almost as annoying as Jar Jar Binks. Of course it’s irritating that Ahsoka Tano keeps calling R2-D2 ‘Artooie’. And of course it’s odd that each character looks like it’s being played by Kryten from Red Dwarf.

But watch it big and loud and, by Obi-Wan’s beard, it’s breathtaking. The opening battle, which goes on for about half an hour, is astonishing. The direction of the animation puts you right in the middle of it all and doesn’t stop till the last wisecracking battle droid has had its wise well and truly cracked. The sound effects are incredible, the music – rearrangements of John Williams’ perfect score – is energetic and exciting, and the action is stunning. And then, just when you’ve caught your breath, there’s another massive battle that takes place vertically, up the side of a cliff.

I mention all this now because I just bought the first series of the Clone Wars TV show, and it’s just as good. Not only that but it comes on four discs in one normal-sized DVD case, which is more welcome than a last-minute rescue by a roguish Corellian, and comes with a beautiful booklet of production designs and illustrations. AND it features absolutely no trailers before the main menu, which - if you can remember as far back as yesterday's post - puts it in the Top 10 Greatest Things Ever.

If you too are ashamed to show your Clone Wars love in public then feel free to do it here, under The Incredible Suit’s umbrella of tolerance. All are welcome, unless you’re a battle droid. You lot can boil in the fires of Mustafar for all I care.

Being an adult means I can't own one of these.

I hate being an adult.

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