Your Evening Linc: Return of Return of the Jedi, OUAT in Wonderland News, Fresh Prince Back In Style, and More!

It's a beautiful evening here in New York. The air is calm, the sky is clear, and the cicadas are buzzing louder than a TIE's ion engines. Don't know what a cicada is? Well, once, every 17 years, the denizens of the East Coast are visited by a plague of giant, blind insects who burrow up from the depths of the Earth to mate, drop from trees, bump into bystanders, and then die after laying their eggs back in the ground. Then their offspring wait for their turn to terrorize the populace. Luckily, we have the internet to keep us inside and safe!

1. "Return of Return of the Jedi" Celebrates 30 Years of Ewoks, Emperors, and Endor

30 years ago this month audiences witnessed what was then the final tale in the Star Wars saga. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, my absolute favorite of the series, brings Luke Skywalker face to face with his destiny, hoping to redeem his father and thwart the utter evil of the Emperor. Our heroes battled Jabba the Hutt's minions and destroyed the second Death Star, finally restoring peace and freedom to the galaxy. This movie represented the ultimate battle between good and evil and perfectly ended the trilogy that had inspired a generation. And...of course....it gave us the gold bikini.

God bless you, George Lucas.                   

Now, filmmakers Kyle Newman (Fanboys) and my friend, J.C. Reifenberg (Hughes the Force), along with David Collins and Jeff Yorkes,  have brought together the geek elite (such as  Kevin Smith, Seth Green, Chris Hardwick, Jaime King, Topher Grace, Fall Out Boy, Eli Roth, and Jason Mewes) to share their stories and memories of Return of the Jedi in....The Return of Return of the Jedi: 30 Years and Counting.

Sadly, I can't embed it here, but you can check it out here!

2. Once Upon A Time IN Wonderland


That title is going to make a lot more sense once I tell you that the new series from the creators of Once Upon A Time will, ever so slightly, cross over with its predecessor. Once Upon A Time In Wonderland follows Alice as she leaves the real world behind to find her lost love in the crazy world of Wonderland. And, according to Entertainment Weekly, it will all start in Storybrooke!

  "Get this: The first episode of Wonderland currently starts in Storybrooke. We’re sworn to secrecy on details beyond that. But let’s just say that while the two shows will maintain clear and separate identities (it’s important to ABC and the showrunners that Wonderland can stand-alone with its own easily accessible story) this won’t be the last time the world Once Upon mingles over to Thursdays at 8 p.m."

I think this is a really smart approach: give just enough of a link to OUAT to make the show feel as if it's in the same universe, but then let it stand on its own and follow its own path. We'll be travelling down the rabbit hole this fall on ABC.

3. Now This Is A Story All About How...

Brits and Anglophiles alike will know "chat show" host Graham Norton for his quirky and entertaining show, suitably titled "The Graham Norton Show" where I'm not even quite sure he knows what will happen. Sitting alongside Bradley Cooper and Heather Graham (hello!) Will Smith and his son Jaden were discussing their upcoming movie After Earth. Graham asks the father-son duo if they ever recorded an album together...and then that's when it all went down!



Not only did Will provide a sick beat for Jaden's rap (a different kind of sick), but then the Fresh Prince brought back his partner in crime, DJ Jazzy Jeff. After treating the crowd to a rendition of the Bel-Air theme, the music changed to something more classic, more dignified, more suited for a member of the Banks family! As Alfono Ribeiro danced to his own quasi-theme song "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones, the beat changed again and the three men, along with Graham, did the "Jump On It" routine, with Bradley and Heather clapping along in the background. It was actually really touching to watch the old friends hug and high-five, as if no time had passed at all.

DJ Jazzy Jeff, however, left by traditional means.

4. Coming Soon....The World's End

Previously I posted the teaser trailer to Simon Pegg's latest homage film The World's End. A bunch of old friends reunite for the ultimate pub crawl, but making it to The World's End soon become the least of their worries. Check out the full trailer below.

The World's End hits theaters August 23.    

Well, I think that should keep the cicadas at bay! Keep on reading for more geekery here at The Missing Linc!

Til' next time.

- Joe

Your Linc At Lunch: The Office Series Finale, Attack of the Clones Anniversary, Dave Filoni Researching For New Show, EA's Domain Name Grab, and Simon Pegg's New Movie

Hold the hummus and put down the pita! It's time for another round of Linc at Lunch:

1. Scranton Bids Farewell To You: The Office Series Finale

Tonight we bid an emotional and fond farewell to the employees of Dunder Mifflin. After nine seasons, The Office is ending its run tonight at 8:00 PM. As I've said before, I am a proud graduate of the University of Scranton, and I love that city. There is a charm to it (coupled with an ever-present feeling of shadiness) that you have to experience for yourself. When the cast came for the first Office Convention my senior year, you would have thought the Beatles had landed. I was sad to miss the Office Wrap Party, but luckily my friend Tony (better known as Captain Catholic) was able to capture the whole Q&A session at Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Yankee Stadium (including the surprise appearance by Steve Carrell!)



He also was able to get into the Backyard Ale House where the cast hopped behind the bar and served drinks:



You can check out more coverage by clicking here. UPDATE: Buzzfeed has its "59 Reasons Why We'll Miss The Office". Hit the link to check them out and see if you agree.

And, finally, (if you're in the mood for a good cry), here is a farewell from some of the writers and cast:



UPDATE: Part 2 here. There are times where I feel like I'm losing a connection to a place I called home for four years, and to friends I saw on a weekly basis. But The Office will live on, both in syndication and in our hearts. Because remember: Ain't no party like a Scranton party, 'cuz a Scranton party don't stop!

2. Happy Birthday Attack of the Clones!

First, let's remember that on this day, 11 years ago, Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones premiered in theaters. I was lucky enough to go to an advanced screening where I shook hands with James Earl Jones, won a Destroyer Droid Alarm Clock, met Miss Universe 2002, and got to declare my teenage love directly to Natalie Portman (her security guards denied me a picture with her, though.) I remember feeling the darkening tone of the film, the excitement of the chases through Coruscant and through the asteroids above Geonosis, the heartbreak of Shmi's death, the awe of seeing the clones and Jedi fighting the droid army, and the absolute utter euphoria of the entire theater when Yoda ignited his lightsaber for the first time. I also remember listening to and being swept up by John William's magnificent theme "Across the Stars". Happy Birthday, Episode II! MTFBWY!



3. EA Buys Star Wars Domains, But No Titles Til' 2014

Although EA Games says it will not release any Star Wars titles until 2014, they sure are buying up a lot of domain names for them! Names like "Gungan Frontier", "Wolf Pack", and "Order 67" definitely pique my interest. Hopefully we'll see some exciting games in the near future. See the full list here. The Wolf Pack one is particularly interesting because it references the squad, created by Dave Filoni, that served under Plo Koon. And speaking of Davey Strands....


4. Dave Filoni Is "Doing Research" For His Next Project

You keep working hard there, Dave.

As if we all didn't already want his job, Dave Filoni posted a short video via Twitter about his diligent research for the new and as-yet unnamed Star Wars animated series. What would he need a TIE Fighter for? I guess we'll have to wait and see!

5. Simon Pegg's "The World's End" Is The Ultimate Bar Crawl

The man behind Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, no to mention this generation's "Scotty" is at it again. Here is the synopsis and trailer for "The World's End"

"20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hell bent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by mate Gary King, a 40-year old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their home town and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub, The World’s End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind’s. Reaching The World’s End is the least of their worries."

The film also stars Pegg's every-faithful companion, Nick Frost, Sherlock's Martin Freeman (aka Bilbo Baggins), Paddy Considine, and Eddie Marsan (they're....British). I don't know about you, but I could certainly go for a pint!

That's all for now, fans and fanettes! Til' next time.

- Joe