Plotting a Great Story

\

They say every great story follows the same plot line. When I see a new movie there's something inside me that makes me compare it to the basic Star Wars Synopsis. I've seen this done with The Wizard of Oz, Back to the Future and other really popular movies. 

Too bad I don't consider this when writing my own books. I always see it after the fact. Then I'm too tired of the story (writing and rewriting, editing and reediting) that I just move on. Usually I have more than one book going at a time and that's my worst habit. 

Today I painted rocks all day. Tomorrow I shall write! 

(I do have that vampire to torture. It's time for her call to adventure. )

The Hero's Journey & Family Time

So I've been working on a story and trying to outline it by using the Hero's Journey. It's my mission now to understand the HJ inside and out. So I found an outline of the Hero's Journey for Star Wars and printed it out. Then I made a basic Hero's outline with blank spaces. Last night as the family sat down to watch Star Wars I passed out the papers and told them this movie was an assignment.
After they stopped laughing and making sarcastic comments they actually read the papers and started filling them in. We only had a few minor stumbling points.
Did the HJ have to go in the order it was outlined? Does the supernatural aid have to come BEFORE crossing the first threshold? In Star Wars was the supernatural aid the lightsaver or the force?
Who is Luke's soul mate? Leia? Obi-wan? Hans?
Is the "Over coming temptation" the fight in the bar?
We're still not in agreement.
Any answers out there?
How does the Hero's Journey fit your work?