The First Star Wars Trailer

Admittedly not much to it, but for what it is worth, you can watch it, here.  I suggest you watch it soon.  I worry that it isn’t supposed to be on the net, and it might get taken down.

Update: here's an embedded version, below the fold:

I am cautiously optimistic.  When I first heard Disney had bought Lucas out, I remember many Star Wars fans being very worried, but I took it as a potentially good sign.  Disney buying Marvel hasn’t ruined Marvel, right?  And my comment to my fellow fans was something like, “you know, it isn’t like Lucas is a perfect steward of the Star Wars franchise, either.”  The truth is Disney has done an admirable job of taking beloved properties—Marvel, the Muppets, etc.—and keeping them true to themselves.  They own them, but they are letting them be them, as far as I can see.

To the extent that there is anything in that trailer, it looks promising.  But then again, the trailers for The Phantom Menace looked downright awesome.  Seriously watch this and remember what it was like not to know how they screwed things up:

I remember geeking out with a friend.  “Holy crap!  He has a double bladed lightsaber!  (Darth Maul was so cool he almost saved the movie.)  Oh, and Sam Jackson looks really cool!”  And that “fear leads to hate” bit was well done, too.  And then we saw it.

So...  who knows?

And we might as well share the other trailer that came out recently: Jurassic World.  The original working title for it was “Jurassic Park 4: They Haven’t F—king Learned.”

Meh, sorry, I will be watching that when it pops up on Netflix.  First, much of the appeal of the original movie was that you were seeing the dinosaurs you dreamed of, as a kid.  Seriously, what kid didn’t want to imagine they were a T-Rex?  I have witnessed several kids marching around their house, snarling, pretending to be one.  So having everyone stalked by a new monster that never existed before doesn’t hit that sweet spot.  It might be a competent monster movie, but it doesn’t scratch that itch.  And, second, it just doesn’t seem like there’s very much new, here.  When I heard the title “Jurassic World,” I guess I had hoped for something really crazy, like maybe a future dystopia where resurrected dinosaurs rule the earth or something.  Maybe even a rehash of the defunct show Terra Nova, only not boring.  But if it is a rehash of the original plot, but with a new mutant dinosaur, it doesn’t appeal to me, unless they have something fresh up their sleeve.  Yes, it might be fun—I enjoyed the sequels—but I’ll watch it on Netflix.

As a final programming note, there is a non-zero chance I will be on the BBC this afternoon.  I suggest you watch my twitter for any announcement.

---------------------------------------

My wife and I have lost our jobs due to the harassment of convicted terrorist (and adjudicated pedophile) Brett Kimberlin, including an attempt to get us killed and to frame me for a crime carrying a sentence of up to ten years.  I know that claim sounds fantastic, but if you read starting here, you will see absolute proof of these claims using documentary and video evidence.  If you would like to help in the fight to hold Mr. Kimberlin accountable, please hit the donation link on the right.  And thank you.

Follow me at Twitter @aaronworthing, mostly for snark and site updates.  And you can purchase my book (or borrow it for free if you have Amazon Prime), Archangel: A Novel of Alternate, Recent History here.  And you can read a little more about my novel, here.

---------------------------------------

Disclaimer:

I have accused some people, particularly Brett Kimberlin, of reprehensible conduct.  In some cases, the conduct is even criminal.  In all cases, the only justice I want is through the appropriate legal process—such as the criminal justice system.  I do not want to see vigilante violence against any person or any threat of such violence.  This kind of conduct is not only morally wrong, but it is counter-productive.

In the particular case of Brett Kimberlin, I do not want you to even contact him.  Do not call him.  Do not write him a letter.  Do not write him an email.  Do not text-message him.  Do not engage in any kind of directed communication.  I say this in part because under Maryland law, that can quickly become harassment and I don’t want that to happen to him.

And for that matter, don’t go on his property.  Don’t sneak around and try to photograph him.  Frankly try not to even be within his field of vision.  Your behavior could quickly cross the line into harassment in that way too (not to mention trespass and other concerns).

And do not contact his organizations, either.  And most of all, leave his family alone.

The only exception to all that is that if you are reporting on this, there is of course nothing wrong with contacting him for things like his official response to any stories you might report.  And even then if he tells you to stop contacting him, obey that request.  That this is a key element in making out a harassment claim under Maryland law—that a person asks you to stop and you refuse.

And let me say something else.  In my heart of hearts, I don’t believe that any person supporting me has done any of the above.  But if any of you have, stop it, and if you haven’t don’t start.