Mainstream media posted their reviews from the advance screenings this week. If you really want to color your opinion with someone else's, you can find these reviews at Rolling Stone, Variety, Hollywood Online and the New York Times.

Reader Paul Starke attended the Friday 7pm New York screening. Here's his tale (minus his review of the film)...

At the press screening tonight was Roger Ebert and his wife, Jeffrey Lyons, Robin Quivers, Mark McEwen and Isaac Hayes. Very cool to be sitting one row behind Ebert.

The screening was at the UA Theatres in Union Square; the tightest security I've ever seen. They won't let you keep your tickets or anything, and each pass has some sort of black light watermark to prevent duplication.

Now then, the film.

I really wished that I'd seen it with "fans" rather than media people, because they weren't as enthused as I. But when the words "A long time ago..." appeared, I welled up.

Most stories echo the tale told by Sarlaac who was at the Minneapolis screening

When we got to the doors, there was an armed guard was there, and we got bracelets and our tickets were scanned with an ultraviolet light...and the Lucasfilm logo appeared on the back of the ticket. Quality! (unfortunately, they kept the tickets, which was a major bummer). Then, just before the film started, a woman read us all a Fox memo that said this was not a final print and that any lines running across the screen or any sounds that were off cue would not appear in the May 19th showing. Also, she said the print would be destroyed, and then she asked that we all do our part to report anybody with video cameras to the nearest theatre offical. "We wouldn't want this on the internet," she said. The crowd laughed.

Also, we've received a few independant reports of individuals (all Canadian, so far) unexpectedly receiving tickets for a Tuesday, May 11 release for the press in anonymous, unmarked white envelopes. Needless to say, these people are extremely excited, but somewhat confused. To the benefactor, if you have more tickets, this Canadian wouldn't mind an envelope too!