The religion-beat pros at the ReligionLink.org project have read the signs of the Hollywood times and released a newsroom-friendly guide to the God-talk elements in Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and other similar summer flicks. So why do these movies matter? Preach it:
These and other science fiction films create alternate realities with their own belief systems. In the case of the Star Wars series, The Force -- which contains elements of several real-world religions -- has become a metaphor in popular culture for the life energy of the universe. Fans sometimes take these "invented" religions for their own, and occasionally it's difficult to discern the line where fandom and genuine faith intersect.
Like I said the other day, may the sources be with you. If you want me to quit saying that, let me know. The flood still hasn't hit.