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The Force Remains Strong With 'Star Wars: Episode VII'

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Daisy Ridely as "Rey" with John Boyega as "Finn" in "The Force Awakens."

It’s been a month since Star Wars: The Force Awakes first arrived on movie screens around the world, and it has been a force, indeed. 

The movie earned more than $500 million at the box office in its first weekend alone, and its earnings are now over a billion dollars, making it the highest-grossing Disney film ever. It has also surpassed the record once held by the James Cameron film Avatar for the highest grossing film of all time.

"This movie is not just something that people who were teenagers in the late 1970's would like for nostalgic purposes," says film contributor Dave Luhrssen." The meaning of Star Wars and the adventure of Star Wars is something that has been contagious for every generation that has come up since that time."

Luhrssen examines why The Force Awakens has become such a success, as well as how audiences have responded both positively and negatively to the casting of the film:

Dave Luhrssen is arts and entertainment editor for the Shepherd Express weekly newspaper and author of itsI Hate Hollywood blog. 

Audrey is a WUWM host and producer for Lake Effect.