When “The Force Awakens” was released in December to financial and critical success (already it is the highest grossing film of all-time in the United States and was nominated for five Academy Awards), we were once again reminded that no matter how much time passes, Star Wars will always be loved by millions upon millions of fans.

Ever since the original’s release in 1977, the world has been intoxicated with the gigantic lore brought upon by the films, books, video games, and comics. Six out of the eight films (if we include the theatrical “Star Wars: Clone Wars”)  released were the highest grossing films of their year and is the second highest grossing movie franchise of all time, ahead of Harry Potter, James Bond (24 films in the franchise), Batman, Spider-Man, and Shrek.

Critically, the films have been praised and remain some of the most iconic films of all time. The franchise has racked up 27 nominations in total, which includes seven wins and possibly more to come. All three of the original films have been included in “1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die,” and that’s only one of the prestigious lists the films have appeared on. “A New Hope” is number 14 on AFI’s “100 Years…100 Movies,” all three of the original films appear on Empire Magazine’s top 100 greatest films, and four of the films appear on IMDb’s top 250 movies list.

The Star Wars franchise is the greatest innovation in cinema to both visual and sound effects that ever existed. Without the franchise, films like “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Jurassic Park,” “The Matrix,” and “Alien” would not be possible. Therefore, Star Wars is, in a way, the grandfather of all large scale, visual effects masterpieces.

With each new film released, a new generation of fans are born. At this point, there are more Star Wars supporters than the population of the entire galactic empire. These fans, myself being one, are some of the most supportive of any massive fanbase, greatly anticipating each and every release in the now four decade old saga. We have grown up with these films, and still continue to love and cherish them as we grow older.

Most films that garner this much hype, such as “Frozen,” “The Hunger Games,” and “Mean Girls,” never truly live up to the huge shoes laid before them. The ones that do, such as “The Dark Knight,” “Inception,” and “The Shawshank Redemption,” are not only classics, but some of the greatest films ever made. Star Wars has definitely deserved its hype and somehow continues to top it time and time again. With “The Force Awakens,” the film exceeded even my high expectations along with most other critics’ and fans’ alike. At this point, each film seems to be a guaranteed hit, bringing another worthy addition to the already beloved film series.

It’s no secret that the franchise does have its opponents. Most of them, however, have never even seen a Star Wars film before. For example, my girlfriend did not like Star Wars and had little to no desire to ever watch them. Once I finally convinced her to see them, her opinion took a complete 180. She’s far from a die hard fan, sure, but she now enjoys the films and has expressed her interest in the upcoming “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” On top of the fact that many of those that loath Star Wars have never even seen one of them, for each Star Wars loather there are another hundred die hards that completely support them. Quite frankly, it’s quite irritating that someone could hate something or find it overrated without even seeing it in the first place. What ever happened to not judging a book by its cover?

Certain films will become immortal and live forever, basking in the glory of praise provided by the masses and masses of people that had their lives changed from one single movie. That’s the power certain films possess. “The Godfather” has it, “Casablanca” has it, and I would say that “Star Wars” has that power too.