Classic Empire Strikes Back climax with a twist.

In case you’ve missed it, Steve’s Star Wars Timeline has been alive and well at Jedinet. It’s viewable by the standard timeline and also a shipping schedule; plus, it’s got a nifty little quicklink to help you navigate Galactic History in search of your information. Check it out.

Brian Orndorf of FilmJerk recently posted a review of Heart of an Empire, the documentary film about the Fighting 501st Legion. Here’s an excerpt of this must-read review. No word yet on a DVD release.

Thompson recovers in the end by tying together the heartwarming attitudes and messages of the 501st in a neat bow, leaving the door open for anyone to join these men and women around the globe as they battle ridicule and mean-spirited gawkers to make the world a better place. “Heart of an Empire,” as mawkish as it might sound, is a sweetly clear blue sky piece of filmmaking, and encapsulates a rare breath of gee-whiz, irony-and-politic-free perspective that could do the world some good.

He can’t shoot straight, but boy can he groove. Here’s your video of the day, found via Gizmodo. I love Star Wars. And I love Japan. Don’t you?

On this corner … two meters tall. Bipedal. Flowing black robes trailing from the figure and a face forever masked by a functional if bizarre black metal breath screen. Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith.

And on the other corner … comedic, bungling Japanese Police. Who’s your money on?

Darth Vader vs. Japanese Police - video powered by Metacafe