I'm a bit like captainsolo -
went to a TPM screening in early October 1999, just when it was starting to run in our local cinemas, as part of my 11th birthday present. I couldn't remember the day when I first watched Star Wars, but it's one of my oldest childhood memories and I was hyped about the movie. My parents were also fans of the OT. I loved the movie... they didn't. When I asked why, they politely explained I would understand when I grow up and let it rest - as did I.
I know it's a bad movie, but I somehow like it. It has a childish charm to it and it's visually/aesthetically closer to the OT, for some strange reason.
Can't remember much about how I felt for AotC, as I had an eye exam scheduled after the movie and I was psyched - I knew that I was shortsighted, but my friends and family didn't -I was supposed to go with my father after the movie (turned out wearing glasses ain't so bad after all ;) ). What I do remember was that my father was becoming increasingly sad and angry during the screening; oh, yes. and the Yoda laughter. I think he was going to cry at the moment.
After I got home in the evening and decided to play my brand new "Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast" (crystal clear with glasses, even) I had the terrible realization that the game was a far superior Star Wars story than the movie I had just watched.
By the time RotS rolled out in May 2005 I had begun hating the prequels. While I grew up in the '90s most of the neighborhood kids and my schoolmates not only hadn't watched Star Wars, but they bashed it constantly. I felt awful being a fan of the incredible and much-hated Saga. After the prequels came out, almost everyone became a raging nerd. Not only that, at every pace through my high-school years I was listening how awful the OT was and how amazingly "cool, visually stunning" the prequels were - of course, no one ever spoke about characterization, drama or plot. Just fancy CGI.
So, back to the premier of RotS - many of my friends, my father and uncle (who barely agreed to come after the first two prequels) preparing for the midnight screening. It began OK, space battle... and after the first two minutes, when instead of dazzling dogfights and story/choreography behind the battle, it turned into a CGI fest of stupid droids and a pointless melee of ships (one that didn't end properly even) I knew would be the same trash!
After the credits rolled, one my best friends - and huge prequel fan - turned and said '"they killed Star Wars. I'm going home to sleep, forget this .... and never watch it again".
nterestingly, my mother saw the movie later in 2007 and loved it - although she couldn't stand AotC.
I had pretty much given up on anything Star Wars until I found some great fan edit and this website. And realy, really wanted the prequels to be great. Looking back, I'm more sad about ho much time wasted anticipated them than for the fact they turned out to be awful.