A short time from now (11 days and counting), in a neighborhood theater not too far away, the new "Star Wars" movie will finally unspool -- in many cases on multiple screens.

At this point it’s expected "The Phantom Menace" will be shown at the following theaters: Carmike 10 at South Hills Village, Carmike Cranberry 8, Carmike Southland, Harmar, Showcase East, Showcase West, Showcase North, Squirrel Hill and Waterworks.

l<B>SPOILSPORTS:</B> While it has been estimated that 2.2 million people could skip work to see the movie on its opening day, the Society for Human Resource Management doesn’t think that is wise.

"Don’t start a war with your employer over a movie," said Sue Meisinger, senior vice president of the group. "If you use pre-approved vacation time, your boss will be able to plan for your absence. Otherwise, you may be seeing the empire strike back, in addition to the ‘Phantom Menace.’"

l<B> ADVANCE WORD:</B> "Episode 1" was screened for exhibitors this week. While The Hollywood Reporter and Los Angeles Times stories indicated the film was received well, Variety reported several people complained "the PG-rated pic is geared more toward kids than teens or adults."