So, Dustin and I both had it in our heads that Back to the Future Part II was the best Back to the Future movie. I don't know when those opinions were formed for either of us, but it had to be a very long time ago. Like before we had eyeballs. Or brains. Or any sense of what makes a good movie.
So, you may wonder why we started with Part II. So, Dustin had it ranked at number 3 on his flickchart. I said that was ridiculous, because it was ranked above all of the Indiana Jones movies and all of the Star Wars movies. I, on the other hand, have Raiders of the Lost Ark ranked very high on my list. I said that it was heresy to rank even the best Back to the Future movie above the best Indiana Jones movie. Dustin disagreed. So, we decided we had to watch Part II and then watch Raiders to see who was right.
It didn't take long for Dustin to completely disavow his previous position. Back to the Future II isn't just the worst of the Back to the Future movies, it is just flat out a TERRIBLE movie. It obviously doesn't benefit from the fact that the future scenes are supposed to be six years from now, but that hasn't been a fatal problem for other movies, like 12 Monkeys or even Demolition Man. But it's also just a terrible movie. It copies ninety percent of the plot and dialogue from the original. I know that's supposed to be funny or whatever, but it's just lame.
So, as soon as it was over, we decided we had to watch Part II, which we both previously thought was the worst of the three movies. We're only about a half hour in right now, but it's already better than Part II by a LOT, and I don't think it would be possible for it to get so bad that it would be worse than Part II.
I don't have much else to say. I just wanted to impeach Dustin's taste in movies.
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Saturday, June 27, 2009
Film - 12 Monkeys
As I mentioned, we watched 12 Monkeys recently. I haven't seen it in probably five years, so there was a lot that I didn't remember. I mostly just remembered that I really liked it.
I really enjoy Terry Guilliam, and this is definitely my favorite Guilliam movie, with Brazil a somewhat close second. Both are dystopic films, which is pretty much my favorite genre whether we're talking TV, books or film, and Guilliam does a fantastic job of just making the viewer feel out-of-sorts, which makes the bizarre future he creates seem even more bizarre.
Dustin and I were discussing the film that 12 Monkeys is based on. It's a french short film called La Jete. It's kind of experimental, using still images for most of the film, except for one moment when a woman's eye blinks. I loved that film, even though it was more experimental than I usually go for. Dustin was far from impressed. But if nothing else, he still appreciates it for inspiring 12 Monkeys.
The reason I bring up La Jete is that that one eye blinking in the original film is supposed to highlight the main question posed by both films - how do we know what is real? In 12 Monkeys, John Cole thinks he knows what reality is, but because he travels back in time - and then tells everyone that he has traveled back in time - he's considered crazy and put in an asylum. Eventually, he convinces himself that he is crazy and that he's not from the future at all. But he does this more because the future he comes from is so bleak that he wants to believe that it's not real. He wants to believe that the past he keeps visiting is the only reality, because he's happier there than he is in the future. He loves a woman there, and the human race hasn't been all but wiped out. It's a better reality for him. But is it the real reality? The movie certainly takes the position that it isn't. But from the perspective of John Cole, there's no real proof that it's not. If people tell him that he's crazy, and he starts to believe it, then there's no real way for him to convince himself that the future is real. Kathryn, the psychiatrist, can prove to herself that he's actually time-travelling, because she sees the photo of him from WWI, and he just disappears when he gets brought back to the future. But even if she explains that to John, if he truly believed he was delusional, he might just believe that he was imagining her showing him the proof, because it aided his delusion. That's not really how the movie plays out, but it's interesting to consider.
It wouldn't be a blog post about 12 Monkeys without mentioning Brad Pitt's performance. I think that was the first time I was really impressed with him as an actor. That's not really fair, because he had already done Seven and Legends of the Fall - both great movies. You can make fun of me for Legends of the Fall, but I stand by my opinion. But this role was just different. He'd always been the pretty boy, love interest guy, and this movie was a departure from that. A brilliant departure.
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I really enjoy Terry Guilliam, and this is definitely my favorite Guilliam movie, with Brazil a somewhat close second. Both are dystopic films, which is pretty much my favorite genre whether we're talking TV, books or film, and Guilliam does a fantastic job of just making the viewer feel out-of-sorts, which makes the bizarre future he creates seem even more bizarre.
Dustin and I were discussing the film that 12 Monkeys is based on. It's a french short film called La Jete. It's kind of experimental, using still images for most of the film, except for one moment when a woman's eye blinks. I loved that film, even though it was more experimental than I usually go for. Dustin was far from impressed. But if nothing else, he still appreciates it for inspiring 12 Monkeys.
The reason I bring up La Jete is that that one eye blinking in the original film is supposed to highlight the main question posed by both films - how do we know what is real? In 12 Monkeys, John Cole thinks he knows what reality is, but because he travels back in time - and then tells everyone that he has traveled back in time - he's considered crazy and put in an asylum. Eventually, he convinces himself that he is crazy and that he's not from the future at all. But he does this more because the future he comes from is so bleak that he wants to believe that it's not real. He wants to believe that the past he keeps visiting is the only reality, because he's happier there than he is in the future. He loves a woman there, and the human race hasn't been all but wiped out. It's a better reality for him. But is it the real reality? The movie certainly takes the position that it isn't. But from the perspective of John Cole, there's no real proof that it's not. If people tell him that he's crazy, and he starts to believe it, then there's no real way for him to convince himself that the future is real. Kathryn, the psychiatrist, can prove to herself that he's actually time-travelling, because she sees the photo of him from WWI, and he just disappears when he gets brought back to the future. But even if she explains that to John, if he truly believed he was delusional, he might just believe that he was imagining her showing him the proof, because it aided his delusion. That's not really how the movie plays out, but it's interesting to consider.
It wouldn't be a blog post about 12 Monkeys without mentioning Brad Pitt's performance. I think that was the first time I was really impressed with him as an actor. That's not really fair, because he had already done Seven and Legends of the Fall - both great movies. You can make fun of me for Legends of the Fall, but I stand by my opinion. But this role was just different. He'd always been the pretty boy, love interest guy, and this movie was a departure from that. A brilliant departure.
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Friday, June 26, 2009
Book - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I'm re-reading "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" in preparation for the movie. I'm back in the same mind-set I always get into when I watch the movies and read the HP books: it really sucks being a Muggle. Frown. That is all.
BTW: If you want to critique me for re-reading and re-watching so many different things, save yourself the time. Time spent gladly is never time wasted. Read more!
BTW: If you want to critique me for re-reading and re-watching so many different things, save yourself the time. Time spent gladly is never time wasted. Read more!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Film - 10 Best Picture Nominees
The Academy will nominate 10 films for this year's Best Picture category! Super exciting. I always love the Oscars and this will make the race even more interesting. Click HERE to read the LA Times article.
And here is the rest of it. Don't delete the line in between, as that is where the magic read more tag resides. Read more!
And here is the rest of it. Don't delete the line in between, as that is where the magic read more tag resides. Read more!
Film - The Departed
So, thanks to Flickchart Dustin and I have been re-watching some of our highly ranked movies that we haven't seen in awhile. I plan on keeping this going all summer long. There will probably be some Eternal Sunshine and some Children of Men coming up soon.
But so far, we've watched 12 Monkeys and The Departed. I'll post about 12 Monkeys later, but posting about The Departed can't wait. There are spoilers ahead, so proceed with caution.
Such an effing fantastic movie. I'm so glad that I watched it after recently watching Revolutionary Road (which was blogged about here by co-blogger Jenna). Revolutionary Road was, in my opinion, overacted and it kind of dulled my opinion of Leonardo DiCaprio. But watching The Departed brought him back to the top again. He dominates the movie. There are a thousand little moments where the camera catches him with a small eye movement or a fleeting facial expression that just makes his character a real person. I really almost forget that he's acting when I watch this movie.
Another great thing about rewatching this movie is that I would remember things that I loved about the movie shortly before they happened, so I was like a little kid, on the edge of my seat waiting for all of my favorite moments - like almost every line out of Mark Wahlberg's mouth.
But, best of all for me was that I had the exact same reaction to the end of the film that I had the first time I saw it. The first time I watched the movie, I was completely shocked when Costigan gets shot coming out of the elevator. Immediately following the shock though, I felt almost physically ill. Now, you may think that sounds like a bad thing, but just about my favorite thing about movies is that they are able to make me experience emotions that I wouldn't normally (and really wouldn't want to) experience in real life. So, I relish the fact that the movie is able to make me feel, even for only a few minutes, that kind of physical pain over not over the death of a particular character, but over the injustice of a world where that character dies. And even better than that is the moment when Sullivan walks into his apartment, and sees Dignum there. The shot revealing Dignum pans up from his feet, which are covered in plastic, up his jumpsuit and gloved hands to his face. Because the shot is like that, you have some confusion for a moment. You know there's someone in the apartment who shouldn't be there, and you know that they are up to something sketchy, since people don't generally walk around with plastic covered feet. But you don't know that it's Dignum right away, and the movie has done a pretty good job of making you forget about Dignum for the last half hour or so, and you're pretty much convinced that there's no one who could avenge Costigan's death. So, when that camera gets up to Dignum's face, you want to jump out of your chair. Sullivan starts to talk, and for a split second, you think that maybe he's going to get out of this, too, but the movie gets rid of that possibility very quickly. The point here, is that I thought that since I already knew that these things were going to happen, that I wouldn't have such a strong reaction watching them this time. But, when Costigan got shot, I writhed around on the couch, mumbling, "No, no, no!" And when Dignum blew Sullivan's brains out, I clenched my fists, like it was somehow my victory. But seriously, after that whole movie about crime and violence and the injustice of Costigan's death, somehow Dignum murdering Sullivan (and it most certainly is murder, planned, pre-meditated murder) makes you feel like all is right with the world.
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But so far, we've watched 12 Monkeys and The Departed. I'll post about 12 Monkeys later, but posting about The Departed can't wait. There are spoilers ahead, so proceed with caution.
Such an effing fantastic movie. I'm so glad that I watched it after recently watching Revolutionary Road (which was blogged about here by co-blogger Jenna). Revolutionary Road was, in my opinion, overacted and it kind of dulled my opinion of Leonardo DiCaprio. But watching The Departed brought him back to the top again. He dominates the movie. There are a thousand little moments where the camera catches him with a small eye movement or a fleeting facial expression that just makes his character a real person. I really almost forget that he's acting when I watch this movie.
Another great thing about rewatching this movie is that I would remember things that I loved about the movie shortly before they happened, so I was like a little kid, on the edge of my seat waiting for all of my favorite moments - like almost every line out of Mark Wahlberg's mouth.
But, best of all for me was that I had the exact same reaction to the end of the film that I had the first time I saw it. The first time I watched the movie, I was completely shocked when Costigan gets shot coming out of the elevator. Immediately following the shock though, I felt almost physically ill. Now, you may think that sounds like a bad thing, but just about my favorite thing about movies is that they are able to make me experience emotions that I wouldn't normally (and really wouldn't want to) experience in real life. So, I relish the fact that the movie is able to make me feel, even for only a few minutes, that kind of physical pain over not over the death of a particular character, but over the injustice of a world where that character dies. And even better than that is the moment when Sullivan walks into his apartment, and sees Dignum there. The shot revealing Dignum pans up from his feet, which are covered in plastic, up his jumpsuit and gloved hands to his face. Because the shot is like that, you have some confusion for a moment. You know there's someone in the apartment who shouldn't be there, and you know that they are up to something sketchy, since people don't generally walk around with plastic covered feet. But you don't know that it's Dignum right away, and the movie has done a pretty good job of making you forget about Dignum for the last half hour or so, and you're pretty much convinced that there's no one who could avenge Costigan's death. So, when that camera gets up to Dignum's face, you want to jump out of your chair. Sullivan starts to talk, and for a split second, you think that maybe he's going to get out of this, too, but the movie gets rid of that possibility very quickly. The point here, is that I thought that since I already knew that these things were going to happen, that I wouldn't have such a strong reaction watching them this time. But, when Costigan got shot, I writhed around on the couch, mumbling, "No, no, no!" And when Dignum blew Sullivan's brains out, I clenched my fists, like it was somehow my victory. But seriously, after that whole movie about crime and violence and the injustice of Costigan's death, somehow Dignum murdering Sullivan (and it most certainly is murder, planned, pre-meditated murder) makes you feel like all is right with the world.
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Monday, June 22, 2009
Film - flickchart.com
If you are starting to feel like may you aren't dedicating enough hours to the internet, you might want to visit flickchart.com. This site has you choose between two movies to generate a list of your favorite films of all time. There are some weird issues with the site. One being the distractingly obtuse posters they present for some of the movies. Read the titles below to posters to make sure you know which movie you are selecting. Also, it's incredibly difficult to compare certain films. How can I compare "Kindergarten Cop" to "Taxi Driver" ?! And then there's the issue of the shame you feel based on some selections: yes, so sue me, I picked "Robin Hood" over "Ghandi". But perhaps the biggest glitch is this site has a hard time letting go of certain films that make it too high on your list. For some reason it thought "The Count of Monte Cristo" was my second favorite movie EVER and would not change its mind, nor would it present me with the proper battles between films to set the record straight. Thankfully you can kill the film off of your list and start again. Read on for my current top 20 picks, as generated by the site, in a debatable order. Hopefully Metta will post hers in the comments!
1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2. The Godfather
3. Rain Man
4. Love Actually
5. Little Miss Sunshine
6. Wall - E
7. Shakespeare in Love
8. Jerry Maguire
9. Braveheart
10. National Treasure
11. Forrest Gump
12. Kung Fu Hustle
13. The Last of the Mohicans (inaccurate)
14. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
15. Brokeback Mountain
16. The Usual Suspects
17. The Departed
18. The Red Violin
19. The Hours
20. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (not my favorite HP film)
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1. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2. The Godfather
3. Rain Man
4. Love Actually
5. Little Miss Sunshine
6. Wall - E
7. Shakespeare in Love
8. Jerry Maguire
9. Braveheart
10. National Treasure
11. Forrest Gump
12. Kung Fu Hustle
13. The Last of the Mohicans (inaccurate)
14. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
15. Brokeback Mountain
16. The Usual Suspects
17. The Departed
18. The Red Violin
19. The Hours
20. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (not my favorite HP film)
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Film - My Kid Could Paint That
After viewing "Who the $%#! is Jackson Pollack," I remembered hearing about another art-based documentary "My Kid Could Paint That." So I moved this movie up my queue and checked it out. The movies are similar in many ways. They both explore the world of modern, abstract art, and they both conclude with unanswered questions, leaving the audience to make their own judgments. However, where "Who the $%#!..." made me smile even when I was frustrated, "My Kid..." made me sad. To hear a brief summary and more of my thoughts, click "Read More."
"My Kid Could Paint That" starts almost as a laugh about the world of Modern Art. Surely we have all seen a painting in a gallery where we thought, "Holy heck, it's a yellow rectangle on a red background! Anyone could do this!" Well here was a three-year-old (seen mostly in the film at age four) who was painting elaborate, colorful, and yes, masterful works of art that were selling for tens of thousands of dollars once brought to the attention of a local gallery owner. We delve into a debate about the true value of these pieces: are people buying the art for its intrinsic value? Or are they buying into the gimmick of a toddler receiving international praise for finger-painting? Pollack was also criticized in such a manner. Were people buying his art or were they buying a piece of the troubled celebrity?
"My Kid Could Paint That" starts almost as a laugh about the world of Modern Art. Surely we have all seen a painting in a gallery where we thought, "Holy heck, it's a yellow rectangle on a red background! Anyone could do this!" Well here was a three-year-old (seen mostly in the film at age four) who was painting elaborate, colorful, and yes, masterful works of art that were selling for tens of thousands of dollars once brought to the attention of a local gallery owner. We delve into a debate about the true value of these pieces: are people buying the art for its intrinsic value? Or are they buying into the gimmick of a toddler receiving international praise for finger-painting? Pollack was also criticized in such a manner. Were people buying his art or were they buying a piece of the troubled celebrity?
Surely Marla's paintings showcase nice color combinations, as well as great diversity in texture and smart compositions. The documentary wants to move towards the exploration of a prodigy, but it hits a road block: the parents are reluctant to have Marla be videotaped while painting. How can we study this girl's genius when we are never allowed to see her work? The documentarian tries once to film Marla as she paints, but she seems lost and creates a muddy mess on her canvas. Her father gets upset and claims she "always does this when the cameras are rolling," referring to other failed attempts at having her painting documented by film crews from various news operations.
Eventually the movie can't help itself but become an expose. Is Marla really the one painting these pieces that are selling for tens of thousands of dollars? The documentarian, Amir Bar-Lev, hates to pose the question, as he has let himself become incredibly attached to this family. Once Marla's parents discover that Amir is debating their honesty, the trust is broken and the documentary-experience ends. The true nature of Marla's talent remains a mystery.
As one journalist points-out during the piece, this is more a story about adults than a child. Can Marla's parents be trusted? You'll have to draw your own conclusion.
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TV - Lost Season Five
So much for my re-watching experience lasting me until next season begins, as was the original intention. I have no finished watching the not-too-distant Season Five! Read on for my musings.
Locke: Okay so I need to download and question a lot of information regarding Locke. Mainly my thinking all boils down to is Locke really getting signs from Jacob, or has he always been playing into the hands of the Man in Black? Is he supposed to lead the Others? Certainly Locke has always been an easily seduced dude, and perhaps one of these two leaders (or both) have been taking advantage of his gullible nature in order to further their missions.
Is Locke really meant to lead the Others?: Just for funsies, let’s take a gander at the history of how those dudes in Tibet determine the next Dalai Lama: High Lamas go to a holy lake to watch for signs that will lead them to the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. Once they think they have found the boy, they have him perform a series of tests to affirm the rebirth. The High Lamas ask the boy to choose from a variety of objects. If the boy chooses the artifacts that belonged to the previous Dalai Lama, then this is seen as confirmation that the signs have pointed them to the correct reborn leader.
Locke was presented with a baseball glove, a knife, a vial of sand, a “Book of Laws,” a compass, and a comic book entitled “Mystery Tales.” He picks the vial and the compass, and Richard seems hopeful. However, then he takes the knife and Richard is angry. Locke has failed the test. What was the other object Locke was supposed to pick? The compass is especially interesting because it is a mobius loop. If it is the same compass passed between Richard and Locke, then we have seen Richard give Locke the compass in 2007, then Locke gives Richard back the compass in 1954, and then Richard gives Locke the compass BACK in 2007. So it’s a time-loop conundrum item with no origin, making it pretty special.
So is Locke supposed to be the leader of the Others (and is the leader of the Others really Jacob’s second in command)? He fails the test as a child. However, Richard seems to have changed his mind by the time Locke becomes introduced to the Others in Season Three, saying he’s special. Certainly Locke has some report with the Island, considering it healed his legs and gave him all sorts of visions. The smoke monster lets Locke live on two different occasions. However, Christian tells Locke that HE was supposed to be the one to move the Donkey Wheel, meaning he was supposed to be kicked off the Island for forever… so: What’s the deal with Locke?
Another interesting tid-bit: Locke hears someone say “Help me” in the Jacob cabin. My current theory is that this was the Man in Black, who was trapped in the cabin somehow (and kept in there through a ring of ash). And the end of season five we see that the ring of ash has been trampled through, troubling team Ilana, and of course by this time the Man in Black has embodied Zombie Locke.
Smoke Monster: Who he is and who he isn’t
With the Smoke Monster holding trial against Ben in Season Five, there are a lot more questions about the nature of this ash cloud.
Yemi: I’m fairly certain the smoke monster appeared as Yemi. Notice that Yemi’s body was missing.
Christian: so Christian is also roaming around the Island, and Jack discovered that his dead body was missing from inside the coffin. Is Christian a smoke monster incarnate as well?
ZombieLocke: A reader of this blog (?!), Dean, questioned if ZombieLocke is the Smoke Monster. If this is true, then that means the Man in Black is the Smoke Monster. It would also mean that either Christian is not Smokey, or Smokey can be in more than one place at a time considering Locke is with Ben and Cesar during the same time Christian is with Sun and Lapidus (I think). Delving further, Smokey tells Ben to do whatever ZombieLocke says, leading us to believe that these two could be one in the same. However, I think it could just as easily go in the direction that Jacob wants the Man in Black to find the loophole because he knows something we don’t (is Jacob the Smoke Monster?). ZombieLocke seemed a bit surprised that Smokey told Ben to follow Locke’s lead. Notice also that Locke’s body has not mysteriously disappeared. Ilana has it… In conclusion: I really have no idea what I’m talking about.
Change the future?
Okay so now that we’ve theorized some about Locke, Jacob, the Man in Black, and Smokey, let’s tackle the final scene again.
Throughout my re-watching experience, I’ve also listened to the Official Lost Podcast hosted by the executive producers and head writers Damon and Carlton. They have said a lot of stuff that makes me feel a bit more comfortable, although still confused, with the whole “Did they change the future” question.
To start, throughout their season three finale and season four podcasts, they often discussed the fact that they were “paradox averse.” They do not believe in parallel universes or that the future could be changed. A lot of their discussions about these issues came when fans were asking them if the flash-forwards were definitely what was going to happen in the future, or if they were only one possible vision of a potential future.
The producers also stand-behind Eliose’s course correction thesis. If something is meant to happen, it’s going to happen no matter what. It’s a “What happened, happened” look at the past and the future.
However, then Faraday comes up with this whole “The Variable” theory that could possibly lead them to believe they *can* change the future. Damon and Carlton said that a scene that was cut from this episode explained Faraday’s new theory pretty clearly: think of a pebble being thrown into a stream. Although it creates a little splash, it does not affect the path of the stream. (Desmond catching a pigeon so Charlie wouldn’t was only a pebble in the stream: Charlie still eventually died.) Now picture tossing in a boulder! Suddenly the stream has a huge obstacle, and it will change its course. Apparently Daniel hypothesizes that doing something super duper major will change the course of the future, like detonating a hydrogen bomb and blowing up the Island. However, I would have originally thought that Sayid shooting baby Ben would have been a boulder, and if we are going to buy into this theory, than we have to classify that action as a pebble.
So my conclusions? Although I think that setting off the bomb is going to mess things up for a couple of episodes at the start of season six, it’s not going to be big enough to stop the Island from course-correcting and getting all of the original fuselage castaways back together (memories intact) at the same time on the Island to face the big reveal of what it all means together. I believe the writers will stick to their guns and avoid alternate universes where the fuselage gang doesn’t remember their Seasons 1 – 5 experiences.
What I can’t develop is a theory for how those scenes where Jacob touched our various castaways at points in their past are going to play-out. Are they going to be relevant for where or when and in what mental state the characters “wake-up” after the bomb detonation? Part of what makes those moments so interesting is that for some of the characters, they are touched before having crashed on the Island, but for others, it is after they have returned as part of the Oceanic Six.
Trivia:
If you made it this far, then you deserve a nice little trivia tid-bit. Did you know that the aforementioned head writers come up with clever codenames for the whopper scenes in the finales?
- Season One’s scene where Walt was kidnapped was called “The Bagel” for no logical reason.
- Season Two’s scene where those dudes call Penny to tell her they “found it” was called “The Challah” only because they wanted to continue the trend of naming these scenes after Jewish breads.
- Season Three’s scene where Jack yells at Kate that they “have to go back,” which was a flash-forward, was called “The Rattlesnake in the Mailbox” because Carlton was telling Damon about how spooky and surprising it would be to find such a thing and they both thought it set the appropriate mood.
- Season Four’s scene where it is revealed that Locke was actually the body in the casket was called “The Frozen Donkey Wheel” as a way to deter spoiler sites (for there was a leaked image of Ben turning a frozen donkey wheel, which is an earlier scene).
- Season Five’s scene where Juliet detonates that son-of-a-bitch of a bomb was called “The Fork in the Toaster.” This name was actually chosen by a fan in a “name the finale scene” contest held by the podcast. There have been rumors that the final scene was actually supposed to be the one where Ben kicks Jacob into the fire, but I think the name fits and the finale works better with the Juliet ending.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Film - New Robin Hood Movie
Thank you to my husband for bring this to my attention!
Starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, and Kevin Durand from Evil Mr. Keamy Lost fame! Here's the imdb page. Read more!
Starring Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, and Kevin Durand from Evil Mr. Keamy Lost fame! Here's the imdb page. Read more!
Saturday, June 13, 2009
TV - Lost Season Four
So Season Four is all about getting off the Island and the freighter folk. We meet Daniel Faraday, Charlotte, Miles (my favorite of the new crew), Frank Lapidus and a whole slew of meanies out to get Ben Linus. Instead of flashbacks, we have flash-forwards where we learn about the lives of the Oceanic Six off of the Island. Although this Season was cut short by the writers’ strike, it actually seems the longest, placing itself as my second least favorite year of Lost. Read on for a discussion of some interesting ideas presented in this season.
Good v. Evil
A major element to Season Four is the debate over who is good and who is evil. This is a key theme to the entire series, but it’s especially highlighted in this year. Are the freighter folk really out to kill everyone on the Island? Is Charles Widmore the bad guy, or is Ben the bad guy? Is it good to get off the island or is it bad to get off the Island is sort of an extension of this.
Regarding the intentions of Widmore, naturally his hired-hand Evil Keamy didn’t hesitate to do a “shock and awe” on New Otherton in his attempt to get Ben. Was it Charles Widmore’s plan to kill everyone on the Island after apprehending Ben? I’m not sure.
Certainly the science team was looking out for the livelihood of the castaways in an attempt to gain trust and because they are not bad people. Daniel and Charlotte made the journey to the Tempest to render the evil poison gases inert in order to prevent Ben from gassing the non-Temple folks on the Island. Was Ben really going to gas the Island? I believe Ben was willing to sacrifice the lives of the castaways in order to kill the freighter folk, knowing his Others were safe in the Temple. So Charles and Ben were both willing to kill those who interfered with their objectives (capturing Ben / not getting captured). Thus we’re sort stuck in a stale-mate in the debate of who is good and who is bad.
This brings us to the War these two characters discuss. We are unsure of who represents what side. They both have been leaders of the Others with the assistance of Richard Alpert, and thus they both have theoretically been serving Jacob. But is that the case? I think it’s possible that Widmore could represent the Man in Black somehow.
Another reason to think that Ben represents Jacob and Widmore is on the side of the Man in Black is their discussion in Charles' penthouse suite. Ben charges Widmore with changing the rules by killing his daughter. Widmore questions if Ben is there to kill him. Ben says “You know I can’t do that” leading me to believe that there are larger Island forces governing their behavior. Remember in Season Five how the Man in Black wanted to kill Jacob, but knew that he’d need to find a loop-hole in order to do so? Interesting parallel!
However, we still don’t know which of the leaders (Jacob or the Man in Black) is evil, therefore learning that Ben and Widmore are indeed working for these guys doesn’t solve the mystery for who should really be wearing white and black. I’d put my money on Ben and Jacob somehow being on the side of goodness. If nothing else, Widmore’s henchman Abbadon (whose name is a reference to Satan or the anti-Christ) certainly looks evil…
Tunisia:
Maybe you’re wondering what the deal is with Tunisia being the exit for the Island. It may interest you to know that Tunisia is the anti-podal point of some empty South Pacific ocean spot not too far from Australia. Do the characters travel through the center of the Earth when they turn the frozen donkey wheel? Very Jules Verne!
Aaron:
What’s the deal with Aaron? Claire was told by the psychic that no one should raise the baby but her. If we are to believe the psychic, why should Aaron not be raised by anyone else? Was the psychic foreseeing that Claire would run away with Christian leaving Aaron behind, and that this would be bad news for Claire and the Island? Or was he reacting to Aaron being adopted by Kate (essentially) because they got off the Island, and this is the negative experience the psychic was picking-up? Or could it be something truly about Aaron being raised by other parents? We’ll have to leave this to Season Six.
Best Moment:
Sawyer jumping out of the helicopter. I know that this scene has a possible underlying element that Sawyer wasn’t in fact being heroic, but rather being a coward unwilling to take the risk of pursuing a future with Kate. I don’t care. Those folk want to get on the freighter, and he allows that to happen. Also, he is embracing the thinking Kate should have adopted: nothing but trouble awaits Sawyer on the mainland, why bother? He is rewarded with three blissful years as a respected head of security and boyfriend to Juliet. <
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Films - Up & The Hangover
My internet is FINALLY back. So, that means I'm back to blogging. Lucky you. We saw Up about a week ago and The Hangover last Sunday. I'm going to briefly blog about both of them. The internet's a big place and I've got a lot of internetting to do.
First, Up. It was fantastic. Pixar has completely perfected the combination of funny sweet that turns me into a little puddle of whimpering mush.
The movie begins with about fifteen minutes of backstory on the main character. As a little kid, he idolizes an explorer/adventurer, and he is lucky enough to find a little girl who shares his passion. They share a dream of following in their idol's footsteps to travel to Paradise Falls, in South America.
We follow them through their lives. They fall in love and get married. In a small tragic montage, we learn that his wife wanted to have children, but they weren't able to. They built a very happy life together, but never traveled to South America. He buys some plane tickets when they are getting older, but his beloved wife passes away before they are able to take the trip.
I'm pausing here. Those first twenty minutes were completely touching. Some friends of mine felt like it was too manipulative. I understand the criticism, I just don't agree. It was a brief but necessary set up for us to understand Carl as an old man. Because, you see, for most of the film, he is crotchety and mean, but the audience still needs to like him. That first twenty minutes explains to the audience why he is the way he is, and it allows us to cheer for him despite how mean he sometimes is.
Then he goes on his adventure. He accidentally brings along a little boy scout. I'll forgo giving away the details of the rest of the plot. I'll just say I laughed a lot.
Also, a different friend suggested that Up was actually better than Wall-E, which was the second best movie of last year, BTW. I have to disagree. I do think that Up is a more even movie. The least good parts of Wall-E were not as good as the least good parts of Up, but the best parts of Wall-E are transcendent.
Okay, on to The Hangover. What can I say. It was EXACTLY what I thought it would be. Hilarious, gross, shocking, and wonderful. Also, Bradley Cooper is insanely hot. I'm glad he's finally getting a little bit of buzz. He totally deserves it. He's hilarious, gorgeous and majorly talented. Can't wait to see what he's in next.
Zach Galafinakis was stellar. He also deserves to finally have large roles in mainstream movies. There are some pretty shocking shots during the end credits involving him, so stick around, for sure.
Ed Helms was great, too, but I knew that already.
The movie itself is basically Dude, Where's My Car? There is definitely an intentional homage involving an impounded car and Cleo King. There's no way it was a coincidence that she plays a police office in both movies, and has impounded the protagonists car in both movies. Considering how much I love Dude, Where's My Car? (for anyone who is curious, I'm not sarcastic about that at all; it's a great movie), it makes sense that I loved this.
Delicious screwball comedy goodness.
Read more!
First, Up. It was fantastic. Pixar has completely perfected the combination of funny sweet that turns me into a little puddle of whimpering mush.
The movie begins with about fifteen minutes of backstory on the main character. As a little kid, he idolizes an explorer/adventurer, and he is lucky enough to find a little girl who shares his passion. They share a dream of following in their idol's footsteps to travel to Paradise Falls, in South America.
We follow them through their lives. They fall in love and get married. In a small tragic montage, we learn that his wife wanted to have children, but they weren't able to. They built a very happy life together, but never traveled to South America. He buys some plane tickets when they are getting older, but his beloved wife passes away before they are able to take the trip.
I'm pausing here. Those first twenty minutes were completely touching. Some friends of mine felt like it was too manipulative. I understand the criticism, I just don't agree. It was a brief but necessary set up for us to understand Carl as an old man. Because, you see, for most of the film, he is crotchety and mean, but the audience still needs to like him. That first twenty minutes explains to the audience why he is the way he is, and it allows us to cheer for him despite how mean he sometimes is.
Then he goes on his adventure. He accidentally brings along a little boy scout. I'll forgo giving away the details of the rest of the plot. I'll just say I laughed a lot.
Also, a different friend suggested that Up was actually better than Wall-E, which was the second best movie of last year, BTW. I have to disagree. I do think that Up is a more even movie. The least good parts of Wall-E were not as good as the least good parts of Up, but the best parts of Wall-E are transcendent.
Okay, on to The Hangover. What can I say. It was EXACTLY what I thought it would be. Hilarious, gross, shocking, and wonderful. Also, Bradley Cooper is insanely hot. I'm glad he's finally getting a little bit of buzz. He totally deserves it. He's hilarious, gorgeous and majorly talented. Can't wait to see what he's in next.
Zach Galafinakis was stellar. He also deserves to finally have large roles in mainstream movies. There are some pretty shocking shots during the end credits involving him, so stick around, for sure.
Ed Helms was great, too, but I knew that already.
The movie itself is basically Dude, Where's My Car? There is definitely an intentional homage involving an impounded car and Cleo King. There's no way it was a coincidence that she plays a police office in both movies, and has impounded the protagonists car in both movies. Considering how much I love Dude, Where's My Car? (for anyone who is curious, I'm not sarcastic about that at all; it's a great movie), it makes sense that I loved this.
Delicious screwball comedy goodness.
Read more!
Film - Who the $%#! is Jackson Pollack
The other day I watched this 74-minute documentary about a woman who bought what could be a real Jackson Pollack painting at a thrift store for $5. Tess is a bawdy broad who drives an 18-wheeler, and loves to dumpster dive. After getting a heads-up from a local art teacher that she may be the proud owner of a 25 million dollar treasure, she sets out on a quest to have the painting authenticated.
The juxtaposition between her gruff and spunky personality against the snootiness of the art world's elite is a hoot, and the battle between science and soul is fascinating. Definitely worth the short amount of time, if only to hear Tess's bullshit story about how the painting could be linked from Pollack to herself. Read more!
The juxtaposition between her gruff and spunky personality against the snootiness of the art world's elite is a hoot, and the battle between science and soul is fascinating. Definitely worth the short amount of time, if only to hear Tess's bullshit story about how the painting could be linked from Pollack to herself. Read more!
TV - Lost Season Three
In my continued (and surprisingly fast-moving) quest to re-watch all of Lost, I have finished Season Three. This was by-far my favorite season of the five, and that’s saying something considering how much I love this show. Read on for my musings.
There are a lot of reasons for why Season Three is my favorite. For one, there are so many answers given to previously established mysteries. We learn how Locke’s legs became paralyzed, we learn about Jack’s tattoos, we learn a whole lot about what’s going on with the Others, and we certainly gain a better understanding of the Smoke Monster (hint: I don’t think it’s nanobots!).
Smoke Monter
When the Smoke Monster encountered Eko in Season Two, it flashed images of his life-story. It would appear in Season Three that Smokey has used this information in order to learn what form it should take to best get Eko’s attention. When Eko sees Yemi, the “ghost” says “You talk to me as if I was your brother,” and the executive producers confirmed in their podcast that this was an incarnation of the Smoke Monster.
So we learn that Smokey can take the form of people (and horsies!) and that it probably does so for a set purpose (to lead the characters towards an enlightenment experience?). Since Eko gets beaten to death by the Monster after refusing to apologize for the crimes that haunt him, I think it’s safe to assume that Smokey, at least in part, is on the Island to lead the castaways to redemption.
Shipper Friendly
Another awesome part about Season Three is that it is incredibly shipper friendly. Kate and Sawyer get-in-on while Jack watches, Jack and Juliet start their relationship, Claire and Charlie kiss, we learn that Ben had a mad crush on Juliet, and Jack tells Kate he loves her. It’s also really interesting to watch any of the scenes between Sawyer and Juliet, knowing what happens in Season Five. I could even be convinced that Juliet knew what would happen between her and Sawyer in future-1977 should some wacky story-telling lead us in that direction.
The Others
One of the joys about re-watching Season Three was that this time around I could really like Ben and Juliet. Well, with Ben it’s more of a love-to-hate type reaction. Learning about his history on the Island in “The Man Behind the Curtain” was crazy-fun and also exciting because I know there’s a chunk of history missing there that I hope will be revealed in Season Six. What happened to Anne? What happened between his first encounter with Richard and the Purge? I bet we’ll get some answers.
Speaking of Richard, we learn a significant amount about him in Season Three, but not nearly enough. (BTW: How does he get the Man from Tallahassee without the aid of the submarine and so freaking fast?) I think one of the ways that the writers will reveal much of the Island mythology next year is through a Richard flash-back episode and that would be AMAZING.
And we also hear a lot more about the Super-Mega Other: Jacob. Was he really the one in the cabin telling John to help him? Or was that the Man in Black? We know now that Ben couldn’t really see or hear anything in the cabin, so has Ben ever really gotten directions from Jacob? The list with the names of Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley was said to be from Jacob in Season Two, but in Season Three we see Juliet and Ben discussing who to put on the list in the Pearl Station… so Ben’s actual relationship with Jacob is still a bit of mystery.
There are a lot of reasons for why Season Three is my favorite. For one, there are so many answers given to previously established mysteries. We learn how Locke’s legs became paralyzed, we learn about Jack’s tattoos, we learn a whole lot about what’s going on with the Others, and we certainly gain a better understanding of the Smoke Monster (hint: I don’t think it’s nanobots!).
Smoke Monter
When the Smoke Monster encountered Eko in Season Two, it flashed images of his life-story. It would appear in Season Three that Smokey has used this information in order to learn what form it should take to best get Eko’s attention. When Eko sees Yemi, the “ghost” says “You talk to me as if I was your brother,” and the executive producers confirmed in their podcast that this was an incarnation of the Smoke Monster.
So we learn that Smokey can take the form of people (and horsies!) and that it probably does so for a set purpose (to lead the characters towards an enlightenment experience?). Since Eko gets beaten to death by the Monster after refusing to apologize for the crimes that haunt him, I think it’s safe to assume that Smokey, at least in part, is on the Island to lead the castaways to redemption.
Shipper Friendly
Another awesome part about Season Three is that it is incredibly shipper friendly. Kate and Sawyer get-in-on while Jack watches, Jack and Juliet start their relationship, Claire and Charlie kiss, we learn that Ben had a mad crush on Juliet, and Jack tells Kate he loves her. It’s also really interesting to watch any of the scenes between Sawyer and Juliet, knowing what happens in Season Five. I could even be convinced that Juliet knew what would happen between her and Sawyer in future-1977 should some wacky story-telling lead us in that direction.
The Others
One of the joys about re-watching Season Three was that this time around I could really like Ben and Juliet. Well, with Ben it’s more of a love-to-hate type reaction. Learning about his history on the Island in “The Man Behind the Curtain” was crazy-fun and also exciting because I know there’s a chunk of history missing there that I hope will be revealed in Season Six. What happened to Anne? What happened between his first encounter with Richard and the Purge? I bet we’ll get some answers.
Speaking of Richard, we learn a significant amount about him in Season Three, but not nearly enough. (BTW: How does he get the Man from Tallahassee without the aid of the submarine and so freaking fast?) I think one of the ways that the writers will reveal much of the Island mythology next year is through a Richard flash-back episode and that would be AMAZING.
And we also hear a lot more about the Super-Mega Other: Jacob. Was he really the one in the cabin telling John to help him? Or was that the Man in Black? We know now that Ben couldn’t really see or hear anything in the cabin, so has Ben ever really gotten directions from Jacob? The list with the names of Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley was said to be from Jacob in Season Two, but in Season Three we see Juliet and Ben discussing who to put on the list in the Pearl Station… so Ben’s actual relationship with Jacob is still a bit of mystery.
Expose:
One of the weirdest episodes in all of Lost history is "Expose." How bizarre to have a complete filler episode on a series that had for two and a half years prior been relying on a reveal-some, question-some pace. I remember being completely baffled and frustrated when watching this episode live because it was essentially a waste of a week for someone who wanted answers. This time around I enjoyed the episode because for one, I think getting buried alive is crazy compelling. For another, it really illustrated how the creators and writers listen to the fans. They heard that the fan community wanted to learn more about the whole slew of other castaways (called the "socks" by the writers), so they introduced Nikki and Paulo. Then they heard the tremendous backlash against these idiots, so they took an episode to get their story-line out of the way and kill 'em off. I love that they respect their fans and were able to react to the response in a timely manner.
Finale:
Season three is made all the better by it’s awesome finale. Whether or not you knew right away that those were flash-forwards (like co-blogger Metta did), it’s still a cool change of pace! The mysteries were a lot less frustrating when you knew that the characters would be reaching a certain destination at some point, it was just a matter of how they got to that point and where they would go from there.
Repeated Lines:
We have to indoctrinate Charlie in the “Don’t tell me what I can’t do” crew. We also have a new repeated line when Locke quotes Eko saying “don’t confuse coincidence for fate.”
Questions:
Of course there are still many questions. One of which is why can’t a nice show like Lost afford good wigs? Some of the hairdos in the flash-backs were beyond laughable.
Read more!
Finale:
Season three is made all the better by it’s awesome finale. Whether or not you knew right away that those were flash-forwards (like co-blogger Metta did), it’s still a cool change of pace! The mysteries were a lot less frustrating when you knew that the characters would be reaching a certain destination at some point, it was just a matter of how they got to that point and where they would go from there.
Repeated Lines:
We have to indoctrinate Charlie in the “Don’t tell me what I can’t do” crew. We also have a new repeated line when Locke quotes Eko saying “don’t confuse coincidence for fate.”
Questions:
Of course there are still many questions. One of which is why can’t a nice show like Lost afford good wigs? Some of the hairdos in the flash-backs were beyond laughable.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Film - Girls Just Want to Have Fun Remake
I don't know whether to be very happy or very sad about this news. "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" is a masterpiece. I strongly encourage you to watch the original before you see this remake (whenever it gets made). As for the Miley Cyrus casting rumors? I think it could be a good thing! She reminds me of a young Sarah Jessica, actually...
Funny story for you who chose to "Read More." I once agreed to eat a piece of rhubarb pie (which I hated) in return for having the rest of my male roommates (Bob, Tom, and Greg) watch GJWTHF with me. Good times. . Read more!
Funny story for you who chose to "Read More." I once agreed to eat a piece of rhubarb pie (which I hated) in return for having the rest of my male roommates (Bob, Tom, and Greg) watch GJWTHF with me. Good times. . Read more!
Monday, June 1, 2009
TV - Lost Season Two
I've finished re-watching Season Two of Lost. Read more for my analysis, favorite moments, some trivia, and questions that I still have about this season.
Read more!
Season Two is not one of my favorite seasons. I guess I won't be sure where to place it until after I've re-watched the first five, but I'm going to guess it'll be either my second or absolute least favorite. The success of Lost rides in it's ability to keep viewer's engaged in the Island's mysteries and in the characters emotional journeys. Season Two focused a bit too much on the Mystery of the Hatch and the character bickering was tiresome. Not only were Locke and Jack constantly feuding, but Charlie drifts dangerously close to unlikable.
New Characters
Although I somewhat resented the time it took to get to know the slew of new characters presented this season, almost all of them are welcome additions, like Desmond, Mr. Eko, Libby, and "Henry Gale." One is a triumphant annoyance: Ana Lucia. in true Lost style, Ana was presented in such a way that the audience was supposed to have a strong (negative) reaction to her, that would then be questioned once her back-story was revealed. However, learning Ana's story that she had been shot in the abdomen, resulting in the loss of her pregnancy, really didn't do much in reducing my hatred of her. The massive backlash against Ana was so powerful that the writers made a last minute decision to kill Libby off as well as Ana in "Two for the Road" in order to create the necessary emotional-blow.
I have to say, I'm sticking to my guns about my theories regarding Kate/Jack/and Sawyer. In this episode Kate attacks Jack for his goodness and is mad knowing that she'll "never be good" like him. She also addresses the fact that Sawyer reminds her of the ugliest parts of her - the fact that she can have murder in her heart because step-dad was actually dad-dad. But the fact that Sawyer represents who she really is and Jack is what she "just ain't" is a pretty good predictor in my book about with whom Kate'd have the most successful relationship. Take that sentence structure and basic grammar!
Although I somewhat resented the time it took to get to know the slew of new characters presented this season, almost all of them are welcome additions, like Desmond, Mr. Eko, Libby, and "Henry Gale." One is a triumphant annoyance: Ana Lucia. in true Lost style, Ana was presented in such a way that the audience was supposed to have a strong (negative) reaction to her, that would then be questioned once her back-story was revealed. However, learning Ana's story that she had been shot in the abdomen, resulting in the loss of her pregnancy, really didn't do much in reducing my hatred of her. The massive backlash against Ana was so powerful that the writers made a last minute decision to kill Libby off as well as Ana in "Two for the Road" in order to create the necessary emotional-blow.
Repeated Lines:
Add Mr. Eko to the "Don't tell me what I can't do!" club!
Favorite Moments:
- The Rose and Bernard reunion, of course! It was great knowing that Rose's gut was right all along and that her husband was, in fact, alive. It's also great for the 'shippers out there (hello: me!) to have a stable relationship to enjoy.
- The Orientation film: what a creepy, weird scene! I love a great big WTF moment on Lost, and this true introduction to the Dharma Initiative is one of my favorites.
- In the episode "The Hunting Party," we get a nice chat from a bearded Tom. This is another one of those truly game-changing moments in Lost: there's no denying from here on out that our castaways are not alone on the Island. And that "Light them up!" shout, revealing that our castaways are surrounded by Others with torches is a truly exciting, nerve-wracking scene.
- Knowing who "Henry Gale" really is makes watching the episodes with him trapped in the ammo room so much more enjoyable. My favorite scene of his is watching him react to Eko's redemption speech in "Maternity Leave," complete with his slack jawed reception of Eko's beard trimmings. Although Ben prides himself on always sticking to a plan, he lets a genuine "oh shit - this be crazy" face slip-out.
Favorite Episode:
It was hard for me to pick a favorite episode from this season. Although many episodes contained great moments, the episode as a whole was often tainted by endless Ana Lucia hating, or Locke vs. Jack grumblings (which were important for defining these characters, but a bit exhausting).
I'm going to go ahead and pick "What Kate Did." Here was an episode with a nice answer to a mystery, as well as some relationshippy goodness, and some more mystery with the appearance of Kate's black horse and Michael IMing "Walt" on the computer.
I have to say, I'm sticking to my guns about my theories regarding Kate/Jack/and Sawyer. In this episode Kate attacks Jack for his goodness and is mad knowing that she'll "never be good" like him. She also addresses the fact that Sawyer reminds her of the ugliest parts of her - the fact that she can have murder in her heart because step-dad was actually dad-dad. But the fact that Sawyer represents who she really is and Jack is what she "just ain't" is a pretty good predictor in my book about with whom Kate'd have the most successful relationship. Take that sentence structure and basic grammar!
Trivia:
Creator and Executive Producer Damon Lindelof confirmed the Hatch's hieroglyphics mean "Underworld" in Egyptian.
A glass eye was found by the Tailies along with the bible and the radio. Did you know the world's "first glass eye" was supposedly found in a tomb containing a backgammon game? (See Season One)
We hear Mama Cass's "Make Your Own Kind of Music" a lot in Season Two. While vacationing at the Virgin Islands, Mama Cass was hit on the head by a falling copper pipe and claimed that after the incident her vocal range had increased by three notes.
The Dharma Initiative logo incorporates the "ba gua" Chinese symbol, which represents eight interrelated concepts such as wind, water, mountain, and earth.
Questions:
The Smoke Monster: In Season One it ate the Pilot immediately. Then it showed Locke a brilliant white light. Then in this season it shows Eko flashes from his past. Certainly the monster behaves differently based on with whom it's interacting. What drives the Monster's behavior?
Libby: Libby was shown in the same mental institution as Hurley. What's the deal there, especially considering she said she was a psychologist?
Walt: We hear from Ms. Klugh some interesting hints at Walt's talents (teleportation?), and we've gotten the idea that he can kill birds when he's angry and throw a mean knife. Certainly he has some special abilities that I'd love to have explained.
The Pearl Station: What was the experiment being monitored? Was it watching people push the button over in the Hatch? Or was it watching them take their shots? Or was the experiment, like Desmond hinted, the other way around and the monitors were actually the test-subjects?
That's more than enough on that. Hope you took something away of value to help you with your own Lost theorizing!
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