First off, I hate teaser trailers. There are a few exceptions but usually they suck. No story, no marketing scheme, and just a mishmash of cool looking shots. The real deal is the theatrical trailer. So for me its hard to judge a movie by its teaser trailer. That being said, here we go.
Green Lantern debuted its teaser on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - second best Potter movie next to the Prisoner of Azkaban. Anyway, I had already seen it on my computer a few nights earlier and I have to say I'm disappointed. I was so looking forward to something for Green Lantern on Harry Potter but this teaser was just bad. Visually I am sold. I think it looks great and that they have totally nailed the the ring and its powers. The thing I didn't like was how campy it seemed. I can't stand that Hollywood has to add so much camp to super hero movies. Its disgusting and the main reason why super hero movies have been held back for so long. Anyway, I would have thought that Warner Bros would have learned from the Dark Knight that serious is the way to go. To me the teaser made it look like Ryan Renolds' Hal Jordan was more of a comic than his comic book counter part. Now, they may be trying to appeal to a larger crowd early on with a teaser focusing more on the humor which I hope is the case. I mean, it is a new super hero that people haven't ever seen on the big screen.
I just can't help but feel disappointed. This could be the Avengers for DC Entertainment, but better. They don't need the Justice League movie if a Green Lantern movie is done well. Green Lantern encompasses all of the DCU so well that it unite all the characters and continuity under one film franchise in a way that the Justice League couldn't. I just hope that this is just WB testing the waters with which way they should approach marketing this movie.
On a better note, Sinestro looks pimp as hell, Kilowog is awesome for the split second we see him, and Tomar Rey looks killer.
This is not a review by any means. I just walked out of Inception and it might be the best film I have ever seen. It was mind bending in concept, flawless in execution, pitch perfect in pace, dynamically scored, wonderfully acted, and all pieced together by one of the greatest directors working today. I haven't felt this good about movies in a long, long time. This film is on a different level than anything I've seen. It challenges the audience but doesn't leave them behind, it holds your hand but runs too fast for you to keep up. Christopher Nolan has followed up his masterpiece that was The Dark Knight with his masterpiece Inception. This film is quite simply amazing. Beautiful. Perfect.
On June 13th 2003, as Paramount Pictures was engrossed in matters such as releasing Rugrats Go Wild in the United States, Germany revealed an atrocious situation arising within their borders. The announcement informed the public that German eurodance project, E-Rotic, had disassembled. Today marks the seven-year anniversary of this split.
Joining together in early 1994, E-Rotic, would be founded by Lyane Leigh and Raz-Ma-Taz. The group’s mission statement was simple- to provide the public with an onslaught of filthy sex and innuendo to the sound of highly danceable European-pop music.
With singles such as “Max Don’t Have Sex With Your Ex,” “Help Me Dr. Dick,” and “Fritz Loves My Tits,” E-Rotic soon found themselves on the Top-10 charts throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Later in 1996, France and Belgium would catch the E-Rotic bug too with fan favorite: “Fred Come To Bed.”
Despite the simplicity of saturating lyrics with sexual puns, E-Rotic managed to develop a game-changing structure behind their words, the intertwining narratives of reoccurring characters. Each player was first given an origin story, usually a single with his or her respective name in the title, “Willy Use A Billy… Boy,” (Willy fancied unprotected sex), “Oh Nick Please Not So Quick,” (Nick suffered from premature ejaculation), “Billy Jive With Willy’s Wife,” (Billy was an adulterer), etc.
From there, those characters were now accessible pawns to appear in all future albums developing a soap-opera-like essence to their existence. Dr. Dick would move in with a private checkup on Molly Dolly as poor Nick Not So Quick was left in the dust. Meanwhile, Willy Use A Billy would learn the importance of safe sex as his poor decisions led to unwanted pregnancies and diseases.
With the exception of one album, Thank You For The Music, (a tribute to their strongest influence, ABBA), the discography of E-Rotic proves they have stayed honest to their goal from start to end. Just browse through the album titles alone, Sex Affairs, The Power of Sex, Sexual Madness, Sexual Healing, Mambo No. Sex; hell, even their Greatest Hits compilation was cleverly dubbed, Greatest Tits. This very well may be the only group in history to ever reach a level of such immaculate consistency.
E-Rotic never quite made a name for themselves in America aside for several greatly watered-down Dance Dance Revolution tracks. This is unfortunate but should come as no surprise. As liberal and sexually explicit as the U.S.A. has become, we’re still ten blow-jobs and half a boner behind Europe. Don’t anticipate this changing anytime soon.
E-Rotic is the Freddy Got Fingered of music, you like it or you despise it, and nobody is in the middle on this one. As with all art, there should only be satisfaction held in this position. This group has managed to hurdle past mediocrity and land drastically on the side of brilliance and insanity- two fields that always overlap. Seven years have now passed in the world without E-Rotic and as much as I miss them; I could not claim their library to be anything but complete. Like an ideal television series, they left before the material got stale- and that’s saying so damn much considering the content they wrote about.
Here’s the music video to “Help Me Dr. Dick” for your viewing pleasure:
There are few things in this world that I am truly passionate about. Yes I like a lot of things; comics, movies, books, dogs, boobs etc. But when it goes just beyond liking something, when it transcends from entertainment to experience, when I am challenged not just as a viewer but as a person, and when I am touched deeply by people that will never exist, that is what I truly love. And never in my life have I ever cared more about something like I do Lost. I can't just say that I've never cared for a TV show more, because I've never cared more about anything else in my life that wasn't directly connected to me. I've so deeply invested myself and my life to the mythology and characters that now that it is over, I feel like I have lost something of myself. And now that I think of it, I can't remember exactly what my life was like before the show.
Over the past six years not only has this show kept me glued to my couch every week but it has ensnared me in its allure and mystery that there hasn't been a time since it began that I haven't thought about it or it influencing my life somehow. Never will I look at polar bears the same, never will I be able to say "son of a bitch" without thinking of a salty someone, and never will I forget some of history's most famous philosopher's names. This show has not only brought me joy, sorrow, laughter and anger over the past six years, it has also made me a better person. It has opened my mind to new ideas, turned me on to dozens of books, inspired me in my own career, and taught me what true story telling is like.
I have said before that I truly believe Lost will go down as being one of the greatest TV shows of all time. And the finale tonight has completely solidified that for me. I have never felt more satisfied by a series finale than I do right now. I thought that I would be frustrated or angry that we didn't learn more, but I see now that though the show was serialized and the story kept you through thick and thin, it was about the redemption of the characters and their journeys on and off the island. Without these characters we never would have cared. And over the past six years I have come to love Kate, adore Juliet, want to be Jack, wish I had Sawyer's courage, and aspire to be more like Hurley. Our journey was just as important as theirs and now that one has come to a close, ours can begin.
But where do we go from here? There will never be anything like Lost again. And good, there shouldn't be. Nothing would ever be as genuine or as beautiful as Lost. It will remain where it belongs, in our hearts. I apologize if this sounds corny or geeky but I truly have loved this show since I first laid eyes on it. It has been a big part of my maturing adult life and I owe a lot to the show. I know I will never be the same as I was before it began. And I love that.
So thank you Lost for everything you have given me. I will truly miss you. I'll see you in another life time, brotha.
So I just saw Kick-Ass two days ago and it has taken me those two days to finally come to a solid conclusion on the movie. I went it ready for one of the best superhero movies of all time, mainly since I have been hyping it up for so long in my head and IGN gave it 5 out of 5, though I should know by now never to trust their movie judgement.
Anyway, after the movie I was happy with it but the ending left a very bitter taste in my mouth. The movie was realistic to a point and very fun to actually see how a real superhero would fair in today's world. The best part of it was that Kick-Ass wasn't a good superhero if you could even call him that. He sucked, was stupid, and got the shit kicked out of him. The thing I loved about that though was the message that the film carried. That it wasn't about being a superhero, it was just about helping each other out, that we should all be inspired to do good. To me that was the true message that this pubescent teen brought to the silver screen that really hit home with someone like me. Someone who has always wanted to be a superhero.
Nicholas Cage was awesome and extremely disturbing at the same time. Chloe Moretz was amazing the fucking awesome. And Aaron Johnson as Kick-Ass was getting a 40 year old pregnant.
I've been getting emails, texts and phone calls from all my friends about Lost since it started. And its sad that I haven't had the heart to even write back. Lost, my favorite show of all time, has brought me to the breaking point. But right when I thought all was lost, it finds a way to bring me back. Like usual business, as soon as Desmond returns the show takes a momentum swing in the direction of good television. Movement and development and answers have finally started to come and most important of all, the alternate universe is finally relevant.
I felt the change when a friend of mine was complaining about the show and I started to defend it again! I was elated to finally find myself on the side of Lost once again, willing to rationalize and defend her to the end. I am genuinely excited now for what is to come and I feel my faith being restored that it will be a satisfying and amazing end to my favorite show of all time.
Not that I am the biggest fan of Captain America or Marvel for that matter, I find myself compelled to write at least something about this casting news. For me Captain America is in the same boat as Wonder Woman when it comes to moving to the big screen, with the Flash following in a dingy close behind. To me they look too goofy for real people to be wearing those costumes while audiences try to take them serious. I know its silly to say but on paper things work differently. As soon as a real person steps into a super hero costume, the first reaction can't be a giggle, or even an uncomfortable seat shift for that matter. You have to say "Cool" or "That's awesome", something to that affect because that's what comic books and comic book movies are, cool and awesome. Most of the time they lack the depth that the Dark Knight brought to the table though I do believe that things are changing very rapidly.
Which brings us back to Chris. In the Fantastic Four, he was perfect. The teen, action junky, heart throb, smart ass. And sadly, that is what most people remember him as. The Fantastic Four movies were some of the worst pieces of shit I have ever seen and I always look before I flush. But Chris Evans is definitely a better actor than that. He is absolutely a better actor than his movies. Sunshine is one of the few times where he actually shows his truly colors. Whether they are red, white, and blue or not, you would have to ask a Captain America fan. Plus with Hugo Weaving as Red Skull? Fuck me that sounds awesome. But that fact that an actor like Evans is now Captain America has me breathing a little easier. He's funny, smart, good looking, and jacked. Wait, am I gay?
Quite frankly, I think Lost has sucked this season thus far. Sure there have been plenty of great moments, subtle answers, and great character work, but as a whole, it has been slowly dying. With such a great start I truly believe that this was going to be the season we all thought it would be. But alas, it is not, and even more troubling, it is far from that.
Like Tim has said before, ever episode should have some earth shattering answer or revelation about at least one of the thousand questions we have had since day one. Grant it, there have been tons of subtle answers that either solidify speculations or flat out clarify theories. Though, as Lost often does, they build answers out of vague hints or analogies that ultimately lead to more questions. Its just how they do it and we have to deal with it. I just have been completely unhappy and fed up with the season. "Sundown", Sayid's episode, was powerful and compelling because things were happening. And therein lies one of my biggest problems with the show.
Nothing is happening. Everything seems to happen in the alternate timeline, while the main story which matters and we all care about, nothing happens. Ben's episode, "Dr. Linus", the alternate timeline had a fantastic story, but on the island Ben dug a hole, ran away, and then came back. That's it. The island story is what matters and to have only that happen is piss poor for the last season of Lost. Even "Recon" Sawyer went to the Hydra Island, had a conversation with Widmore, and then came back. That's not enough! Not now. Maybe in season 3 it would have been fine but we loyal fans have waited too long for that bull shit.
The other problem is that the alternate timeline is where all the action happens. That's fine and very compelling to watch because the character work and acting is top notch but that timeline means nothing to us. Its past and its future effect nothing on the island. If Sawyer or Jack or Kate dies in that timeline, oh well. And the fact that the producers keep saying that it all makes sense in the end is frustrating. They are wasting an entire season with it, proclaiming that it all adds up later. NO! This is it. Its now or never to get it right. The last season of shows are primed for emotional story telling, for gripping action, and for down right great entertainment. And right now, Lost is not entertaining. Its boring and quite frankly annoying now.
I find myself picking about the dialogue, my eyes wonder while its on, and I talk badly about it like right now. That's now how its supposed to be. I love Lost. I think of myself as one of the biggest Lost fans. I hate that the show has brought me to this point, and that is not caring about what happens next. After every episode I love to see what's coming next and how exciting it looks, but now I know its not going to be good. I read everything I can about Lost online and IGN gives every episode 8's and 9's. They may be good TV but they are not good Lost. If you can sit down and watch it without seeing any other episode before it and enjoy it, its not good Lost. It should be full of references that casual fans won't get, flashbacks to things from previous seasons that now are revealed in a new light, and with major things happening to major characters which would move the fans that truly love these characters.
I could go on and on about this, mainly because I only know a few loyal Lost fans, being those of you that read this, that get my level of Lost fandom. Please, help me to like the show again. Leave comments that might make me feel better. I am off to watch "Ab Aeterno" which looks amazing, but we shall see.
Last month’s Olympic-centric episode of The Simpsons has sparked controversy over what is being seen as the funniest joke of the decade.
Quick Recap: Homer and Marge Simpson form a mixed-doubles curling team with Seymour Skinner and his mother. The team qualifies for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, but the Skinners see Homer as the team’s biggest weakness and plot to have him replaced. Elsewhere, Lisa becomes obsessed with collecting Olympic mascot pins and its up to Bart to save her.
The Joke: The camera pans leftwards from the National Curling Trials to a lot marked, “National Curly Trials.” We then see an expansive flock of Curly Howard impersonators mulling around, each with their own significantly exaggerated “woo-woo-woo, n’yuk, n’yuk, n’yuk, ruff, ruff,” or “n’gahh!” Moe Szyslak then spots the Curlys and exclaims, “Oh, wiseguys eh?” before slapping each in the vane of Moe Howard in one brilliant continuous strike.
While there is much debate in the entertainment world if this is literally, the funniest joke of the last ten years, without debate it clearly is.
1. Was it Rain Lockheart's plan to reset time when he sent the particle transmission to Laura?
2. If the gruntnick gang planted the triptonium seeds in vantage point K, does Gregory still impregnate Fyvish's daughter in Clark's reality of the Reim-Chin system?
3. When the faloopadoodle puddle quake hit phillistine balm-baddosh-theremin, can Phyddyck Thistlescumps re-postulate tenacity whilst reticulating splines blundery bastionalisig kumkwatzacoatloscopy?
Sticking with their vocation to offend everybody as often as possible, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, (creators of South Park), will be staging a Broadway musical based on the lives of members of the Church of the Latter Day Saints.
Cheyenne Jackson, (9/11 victim from United 93 or Danny from 30 Rock), an especially gay Broadway superstar is set to play the lead role, a Mormon missionary, in the show aptly titled Mormon Musical.
Stone and Parker will also be working alongside Robert Lopez, who wrote Avenue Q, the award-winning musical that dismantled the divinity of the educational children’s television standard, Sesame Street.
While the crew is making every effort to keep the details of this project “under wraps,” it is a given that it will infuriate the Mormons as the South Park team has done to countless other groups in the past few years: Blacks, Canadians, Catholics, Homosexuals, Jews, Scientologists, Old People, and of course… Mormons. The musical is slated to release off-Broadway in August of this year.
Okay now that my review is out of the way, its time to stretch those Lost analytical muscles and churn out some theories and observations based on the encyclopedic knowledge of the show. I am going to focus on the new timeline that the bomb created where Oceanic 815 lands safely in LAX.
I'll begin with saying that this is fascinating. It is so interesting to see what would actually happen if they landed. And its like a breath of fresh air to see the real Locke alive and well. I missed him very much and it was good to see him.
The shame of the new timeline is that this isn't how it would have happened.
Things aren't how they were. The first huge inconsistency was that Desmond was on the plane. Desmond being my favorite character, I delve deep into what this could mean. If he is there why I think he's there, and that is because he knows something's up, than that's fine. But if he is there otherwise, I'm going to have a problem with it. It just so happens that Desmond was on the same flight back to LA, I don't think so.
The second major inconsistency was, for me, was that Shannon wasn't there. That's really when it first hit me that things weren't right aside from Desmond. And Hurley being lucky? Things are really wrong here. Plus Hurley and Sawyer were in the wrong seats, which would leave them in the tail section of the plane. But therein lies the intrigue. This timeline isn't the timeline that would have been. This is an entirely new beast. But the one thing that has truly piqued my interest, was that Jack's dad is missing.
This little detail leads me to believe that this new timeline is incomplete. Its missing key components that the original has. I am about to list my potential theory so if you don't want to read it don't continue. I believe that the two timelines, in the end, will somehow merge, restoring our heroes to their lives but redeemed and knowing everything that happened on the island.
I know there are holes in this theory but, that is how I feel as of right now. I can't think of another reason why they would introduce the idea of another timeline. And why is the island underwater? And how did Juliet know the bomb worked? It was funny, right as the episode ended I found myself saying what I always say at the end of an episode, I fucking hate this show.
I apologize for not writing this earlier but I was away for the last few days, which gave me plenty of time to think about the premiere of Lost. I will say that I did not like it as much as Tim did, but I did think it was great. To me, it did what Lost does best, the unexpected. When last season ended it could have went a few different ways. Through the off season everyone was speculating which actually happened and couldn't wait to see if they were right. What the Lost writers did was combine all the theories into one, unexpected outcome that was more shocking than we could have ever thought.
So the bomb worked, but it didn't. And now there are two timelines, one where Oceanic 815 landed safety and the other where they crashed. That's awesome! I was blown away when I first saw it. And now the flashbacks are flashes to the alternate timeline. Also we finally were shown the Temple, which I has been dying to see since it was first mentioned in season 3. But my favorite was when we got some hints towards the black smoke monster. Season 5 is already shaping up to reveal, just as Tim was saying, answers that are subtle. A lot of conclusions I've made about this episode came later when I put some thought into it, and whenever a show or movie does that, its fantastic.
My gripe with the episode it that you can count one constant in Lost; that big things happen in the premiere and final episodes. For a premiere I felt that not much actually happened. The pacing was off for the first hour and the characters were in one place. Finally with the Temple, the story picked up a bit but still, I felt like not much actually happened. I was way more interested in the alternate timeline. And then there was Juliet's second death. Okay, maybe she survived the bomb with a flash to a new time or something, but to have her die again was comical. I thought Josh Holloway's performance was amazing but the material he had to work with left a lot to be desired. "I have to tell you something...ugghhhh...." That is way too cliche for Lost but it in no way made me hate the episode.
The main thing is that I am more intrigued by Lost than ever before. I can't stop thinking about it. Locke aka Jacob's nemesis aka black smoke monster are all the same thing. It solidifies what people have been speculating for years that the black smoke monster is actually all the dead people we have seen on the island. But what the shit is it? How did he know Locke's last thoughts? Why in the alternate timeline was the island underwater? What the hell is it all about? I love it! The premiere answered as many questions as it raised but it is all fresh and new. Lost always changes and that's why its so great. I can't wait to see what is going to happen. Thank god its Tuesday tomorrow.
So it comes, the end of the begining of the end. As I sit here at 7:30pm waiting impatiently for the season premiere I write this blog entry. Lost is flowing through my veins and my mind races with anticipation for what is to come. So here goes my last entry for the countdown with my #1 favorite Lost episode of all time.
The Constant. In the midst of season 4's hints of science fiction, Desmond Hume found himself on a journey through time itself. Again, Desmond is my favorite character and I fully believe that his relationship with Penny is the heart of Lost. Everytime they are on screen together or apart, the magic of their relationship transcends any other on the show, giving us the greatest episodes of Lost. And this episode was the absolute best.
The time travel aspect was introduced perfectly, getting us used to the idea through the concept of someone's consciousness being sent through time and not their body. It prepared us for what was to come and it also introduced Faraday as the voice of knowledge and importance in the Lost mythology.
But really, the story of Desmond is what makes this episode so fantastic. His self imposed exile and his fight to return to the love of his life has never been more genuine and never felt so potent in an episode. The final moments of the episode when Desmond and Penny speak for the first time in over 3 years was choppy but pitch perfect. It was a swirl of emotions and excitement as not only our hero was able to reconnect with Penny, but his life was saved in the process.
The Constant also furthered Desmond's importance in the show's story. He is an exception unlike any other character in the series, and I do believe he will come back in a big way. He and Faraday will be instrumental in the show still and I can't wait to see them both return.
The Constant is a showcase of direction, writing, and acting for not only Lost but television as a whole. It has more power than most films nowadays and it retains its magic everytime you watch it. I can't say enough about this episode other than I have never seen anything as good as it on TV. Period.
And that's it for my Lost countdown. Sorry Brian that you're episodes didn't make my list, maybe you should do one too. I hope everyone writes something about the new episode. I don't care if we all write reviews or even just thoughts. I want to hear all of it, since I will be writing plenty. So enjoy the premiere and "I'll see you in another life, brotha."
I will say that I have never been shocked more than at the end of the Sixth Sense and at the end of Walkabout. Its the feeling that came with such a revelation that Bruce Willis was dead and that John Locke was paralyzed. All the pieces of the puzzle that made up the time you have been watching finally all make sense in a rush of realization and awe that you can't help but turn to your friend and scream holy shit!
That is why Walkabout is my #2. But not only that, it introduces the once mysterious, John Locke and his extremely boring everyday life. He works at a box company during the day and calls a sex line at night. He has no friends, no family, and no life. But that is what makes Locke so great. On the mainland he was nothing, on the island he is everything. He hunts, builds, and plays a mean game of backgammon. What's not to like?
The writers went to great lengths to destroy our image of Locke as a man to build him back up as the man on the island and it really payed off. There has never been an episode with such an amazing impact like Walkabout. Even now when I watch the episode, I still get chills when you see him stand for the first time.
Not many episodes can cut to the heart of Ben Linus like the Shape of Things to Come. This episode was dark and real. Well real besides the black smoke monster but we'll get to that.
On Lost, if we're lucky, a character's death is long and drawn out in a cinematic way. We are given closure and plenty of time to think about it. (Charlie, Boone, and even Shannon) But the rest of the time, the characters are ripped from the show realistically leaving us stunned and wanting answers. In the episode of season 4 where shit got real, we got just that.
First of all, time travel was still new and Ben's flashback was actually a flash forward but back to the past, confusing eh? That aside, the real meat of the show came with Keemy's siege of the barracks and Sawyer's uncanny ability to dodge bullets. It built to the stand off with Keemy and Ben which resulted in the death of Alex, Ben's adopted daughter. It was such a blow to the audience to have someone actually carry out a threat and kill a major character that we all watched in horror, including Ben. But that was the best part, to see Ben finally lose, to him him out of his element, to see him see his plans turn against him. For the man who always has a plan and always has something to say, was speechless.
Then to top it off, we were told that Ben can summon the black smoke monster and the attack on the mercs was absolutely satisfying. This episode was full of suspense, build up, action, and regret. And it truly was a hint at the shape of things to come.
When Lost first came on, I didn't watch it. I thought it was stupid and that if I ever was going to watch it, I would wait until it was over so that I knew I would eventually get some answers.
Well, that didn't happen. And now I'm obsessed with it.
And I do give most of the credit to the Pilot. This series premiere was unlike anything I had ever seen on TV. The special effects, the action, the characters, and the mystery. It was all there. There had never been that kind of quality cinematics on TV. There was suspense, terror, tension, and despair. The characters all were mysterious, but one character stood out from all the rest.
The Island. The pilot had gone to great lengths to be weird, out of the ordinary, and scary to create this personality behind the island. And it worked. When you first hear the Rousseau's message that has been repeating for 16 years, the chills just creep up your spine. And it all starts with the first mysterious, and probably the last answer we'll get; the black smoke monster. Of course it was just a monster than, but I remember the mystery that lay beyond those weird dinosaur slash mechanical wails. I had theories out the ass which proved wrong.
The Pilot was of course the selling point for me. It was an achievement in television's power and it hooked the world in with its mystery. I sometimes miss the old days when we didn't know everything, which is why I hope they don't answer everything. Some things are just better left unsaid.
Out of the large stable of characters Lost has at its disposal, Desmond takes the cake for me. I've said it many times before, that Desmond's (and Penny's) story is truly the heart of Lost. Jack and Kate and Sawyer may be the more popular or at least more focused on, but when you are getting the what really makes the shot tick, the real meaty stuff that means so much personally and in terms of the arc of the show, Desmond is the man.
Live Together, Die Alone, was really the first Desmond centered episode. At that point in the show, Desmond was the mysterious man locked in the hatch, seemingly with more answers than his crazy escapist mind would let on. Alas, this was not the case of course. Desmond knew basically nothing of what he was doing. "Saving the world, brotha" as he would say. But when the finale of season 2 came, we were granted a glimpse at what the best of Lost looks like.
Desmond's story of redemption is ongoing, but his journey off the island and what he has brought with him, is heartbreaking and inspiring. This episode captures a man, lost at sea, trying to make sense of the uncontrollable. This story is what Lost is all about. Redemption. Leaving the world, being on the island, and hopefully returning home anew.
Oh yeah, and we find out Desmond is responsible for the plane crash. And there is a four toed foot of a giant statue. Hm.
But I will never forget the chills that crept up my spine in the last few minutes of the episode, as the music crescendos and Desmond turns the key to an undetermined fate. The episode deepened the mysterious of Lost while revealing answers we didn't see coming. I think that there are going to be many more episodes like this in the final season of the show, which I can't wait for.
I found this cool picture of The Incident in google images. So now you know, its my #6.
The episode did a lot for Lost. It created a framework for the show, using Jacob as bookends to the beginning and present, and finally proving that Locke has been right all along; they were all brought there for a reason. Whoever or whatever Jacob is, his motivations still remain hidden but his actions have proven that nothing has been coincidence in the show. Everyone was visited by Jacob and eventually brought to the island, but for an unknown purpose.
In that regard, The Incident contained one of the biggest answers we've received yet. But there were others; Locke's dead, Faraday's dead, Sayid will probably die as will Juliet, and Jack blew up a hydrogen bomb. Man, that's a lot. Both parts of the episode were jam packed with action and movement as Jack made his crusade to blow up the Swan Station to reset time.
The pacing and build of the episode were pitch perfect and just like the previous season finale, it featured a great Jack vs confrontation. This time with Sawyer, the conversation between the two titans of the show built in tension until the only way to break it was to punch each other.
The thing that I think is so great about this episode was the fact that we heard about the "incident" back in season 2. Never did we ever think that we would actually get to experience it! That is the great thing about Lost. Expect the unexpected, cliche as it is to say. Plus, ending on the biggest cliff hanger, this episode has been making me think since it aired. This episode alone is enough to get you pumped for season 6, so just imagine those of us who have the rest of the series to help us get excited.
Season 4 built and built until it reached the breaking point straddling the fence of action and sci fi. Keemy was the perfect bad guy, ruthless and cunning, and our heroes were helpless and desperate. I still to this day think that the pace and build of season 4 was the best so far. The story had movement and timing, it was what we were all waiting for.
There's No Place Like Home makes it to #7. This was the season finale for season 4 which tied right into the very last minutes of season 3's finale. It was huge in terms of answers posed by season 3 and 4. We saw how the Oceanic 6 got off the island, we saw what happened to the freighter, and we saw the island literally move.
But the best parts of the show I believe were those at the Orchid Station. First, the confrontation between Jack and Locke was wonderful. Throughout the whole course of the show these two have been going at it and all the emotion and anger built up from season 4 culminated in this one conversation. Then all that happens with Ben, Keemy, and Locke in the Orchid was all the more mysterious, harking back to the mysterious days of season 1.
This episode was a perfect blend of all that Lost can bring to the table; action, suspense, emotion, pacing, mystery, and science fiction. And Locke was shown dead at the end but in the future. What? BOOM
The other episode I spoke of in the previous blog was Jughead.
Jughead was the third episode of season 5. At that point, a lot of us were just getting used to the idea of time travel and seeing things that will or have come up in the past now making sense. But Jughead was the first to give us some huge answers in the way of back story.
Where once Lost had used flashbacks for story telling, these jumps allowed the show to experience literal flashbacks and not just memories. And with these Jughead revealed huge pieces of information about the island's inhabitants.
First off, Richard is still the same age, the others know Latin and wear WWII uniforms, there is a hydrogen bomb on the island, and Faraday loves Charlotte. But the biggest surprise was that Charles Widmore was once an other. The next day at work everyone was talking about this. It was huge in the implications it had on Widmore's motivations and methods.
Jughead set the stage for the season finale as well as what kind of story we were to see throughout the season. Though, reruns of the episode won't be as powerful, the episode still rocked.
Season 5 was definitely hard to get used to or even comprehend. Where Lost was shedding viewers, those faithful to the show hardened their resolve and actually put some thought in the show. It that regard, season 5 was amazing. But their were two episodes that solidified this fact early on and one of them was LaFleur.
Not only did this episode see the end of the time jumps but it completely change the show once again. With those left behind literally left behind in the past, the show's dynamic was turned upside down. Sawyer and company help the Dharma Initiative and then join them! The fact that Sawyer's conning skills come back into play is powerful and it gets them out of some tight spots. But the fact that they are now living with the Dharma Initiative pales in comparison to the revelation at the end of the episode.
Sawyer walks through the Dharma barracks passing friends as he moves to a house. He enters to find a very happy and healthy looking Juliet who is happy to see him. Then, they kiss and exchange I love you's. Holy shit.
This scene, bookended by the scene where he asks if she has his back before she gets on the sub to leave, is one of the best of season 5. Juliet and Sawyer together was better to me than Kate and Sawyer and I was heartbroken as the big, burly man watches her fall to her death in the finale.
LaFleur was a gamechanger if there ever was one and it set the pace for the rest of season 5. Thus is place on my countdown.
While Apple's iPhone App Store has managed to pave a new market for developers looking to broadcast valuable content into the world of new media, it has also encouraged a handful of thieves to find creative ways to trick the public into buying deceptive, poorly designed, and unnecessary applications as well. The following is a list of the seven best attempts I've seen at selling iPhone applications that really don't need to exist.
7. Flashlight ($0.99) Stuck in the dark again pal? FLASHLIGHT displays a graphic of a light bulb or a white screen… or you could just turn on your phone and use the light from that.
Second Opinion: “This app makes sneaking to get a glass of water at night a breeze.” -Battery13
6. MATG ($449.99) A ridiculously overpriced financial management system for your iPhone. The application is designed for sales reps and marketing executives allowing access to customers, statements, and sales order transactions. Since those people typically have more money than average-Joes I suppose they figured the $450.00 price tag wouldn’t be a bother. Taking into consideration that this app hasn’t sold one copy of itself since it’s release on July 15, 2008, the developers were probably wrong.
Second Opinion: N/A
5. Hold On! ($0.99) Let me start off by saying, I found this in the “Productivity” section of the App Store. HOLD ON! is an application where you hold a digital button labeled, “Hold On” for as long as you can. There’s also a multiplayer option where you can compete with friends over the Bluetooth network. Clever.
Second Opinion: “I taped it to my face” -Lihanitastic
4. Proposal: “Will You marry me?” ($0.99) Don’t stress over the pressure of figuring out how to pop that big question. Now, your iPhone can do it for you with a jpeg of a wedding ring and the text, “will you marry me?” You’ll certainly be the talk of the family when your sweetheart tells this romantic proposal story.
Second Opinion: “Great Idea!” -Theoneandonlytim
3. Massager ($0.99) Can’t find the vibrate setting on your iPhone? Do you love the feel of a sexy smooth touch-screen coddling your skin? MASSAGER just might be the app for you; now with four vibration settings: Rising Sun, Rolling Waves, Whispering Winds, and Soothing Meadows. This application also doubles as a sex-toy if your willing to sacrifice your iPhone’s liquid damage warranty.
Second Opinion: “Who needs a man when you have this?” - Georgia Girl 2009 2. Mirror ($0.99) Following the spectacle of FLASHLIGHT, app developer Juice Wireless Inc. released MIRROR, an application which grants you the convenience of a picture of a mirror. Fun Fact: The mirror works better if you turn off your phone and just look into the blank reflective screen.
Second Opinion: “Mirror is a unique and simple application. No need figuring out how it works, it does one thing; it functions as a mirror.” -Genos
1. I Am Rich ($999.99) Produced by German developer Armin Heinrich, this application serves the sole purpose of showing your friends you can afford it. The app allows you to flaunt a graphic of a red gem as the ultimate status symbol available for the iPhone. Eight users purchased Heinrich’s application before enough complaints arose to convince Apple to shut it down completely. Not to be out of the spotlight forever, Heinrich uploaded a new application entitled, “I Am Rich LE” last December for the price of 99 cents simply to be a dick, (he got it approved by adding a calculator function to the gem). Armin Heinrich to this day still holds the record for being the only developer to sell an application for the max price allowed in Apple’s App Store, $999.99, and for this he wins the number one spot for the most immorally genius iPhone application of all time. Second Opinion: “I got this app for $998.99 cheaper then the others!” -Creyzy
I put Greatest Hits on this list because of a few things. Its not one of the greatest episodes ever but does something that many of the great episodes of Lost don't. Instead of action, instead of WTF moments, and instead of twists, Greatest Hits is a touching memoir of one Charlie Pace.
Going through the years of his life, Charlie remembers the greatest moments and writes them down for Aaron. The apparent inevitability of Charlie's death hits home as the flashbacks register more as memories of a life troubled and reborn. I've never been totally sold on Charlie's death since I did not think it was completely necessary but this episode always helps to think about.
I do think that this episode is a glimpse of what's to come in season 6. Its going to be heartbreaking and there will be many more to die before the end. There isn't much more I could say about this episode, just that it was one of the most touching. It ends with the never before seen meeting of Claire and Charlie which could not be more perfect.
For the longest time, Lost had stood outside the door of science fiction, parading on prime time television as a drama. We all knew that it was a scifi show but there were plenty of people who didn't and when season 4 came around, they were turned away. For us loyal fans, it was a time of great excitement and joy. The thought of time travel finally entered the canon of the show which brought just as many questions as it did answers, which brought along one of my favorite characters of the show.
Daniel Faraday. His quirky, twitchy, Einstein way about was different and very much welcome. Faraday brought answers and that's what we wanted. He is the smartest person on the show and soon became the driving force behind parts of season 5.
At first he believed that those stuck in the past could not change time, that things will happen the way they happened no matter what. After studying it up with Dharma for a bit, he then theorized that you could change the past, because humans are the Variables. Which brings us to number #11 on the countdown; The Variables.
Not only did this episode bring direction in the way of a story arc to the season 5 finale, but it brought ideas that could very well change the course of the show indefinitely. Plus it had the emotionality brought by the death of Faraday, though I do not think it will be permanent. The Variable was like a breath of fresh air for those of us that were looking for the main arc of the show to return that would eventually unite the characters. It had all the pacing and build that a season finale needs and the twist of Faraday's mother sending him back to the island knowing full well that she would be killing him was intense.
First off, I love the fact that Lost is very much influenced by and very quick to reference literature. ABC features the Lost book club which is full of great books that really encompass the feel of Lost and everything it brings to the table. I wish there was one for Battlestar Galactica but I digress.
Through the Looking Glass was by all means a game changer. Where season three slacked, the second half built up to some of the best material Lost has ever produced which culminated with Through the Looking Glass. Everything had built up to this epic and action packed finale which payed off in a bigger way than any of us could imagine and showcased the biggest Holy Shit moment of all time.
Desmond was a bad ass, Mikhail died a few times, Hurley saved the day, and Charlie died. You can always count on finales to showcase someone dying and unfortunately it called Charlie's number. Though I don't think it was completely necessary it was fitting and his sacrifice was not in vain. It brought all the emotion and finality that was needed for season three and then it just blew our god damn minds with making us think that a flash forward was a flash backward.
The fact that it ended with this realization left me sour. At first I saw it as a glimpse of the end of the series, which we now know it wasn't. But I hated to see Jack utterly destroyed and unrecognizable. Thankfully that wasn't the end. Though Jack sucks now more than ever.
Through the Looking Glass will forever be one of the greatest cliff hangers (though not the greatest) that Lost has ever seen. The show was never the same because of it and that's what I love. Change came, and change is real. And that is what is great about Lost. Things change.
After I started thinking about it more, The Long Con might be higher on my list than this but whatever, I'm putting it here at #13. This episode was absolutely fantastic and truly fleshed out who and what Sawyer really is.
Not only does it get to the heart of the character by exploring his life as a con man but it ends with the twist of him playing Cassidy after an episode of having us thinking he wasn't. But this doesn't mean we saw Sawyer being the bad guy that he tries to be, we actually see the first inklings of what Sawyer really is. It kills him to do that to Cassiday and Josh Holloway's performance is top notch and one of his best in the entire show. When he sits in the car and we see that no one is in there with him, there doesn't need to be words, we know what Sawyer is thinking about feeling and its brilliant.
This doesn't make my list because of the WTF moment at the end, it makes it because it humanizes Sawyer, and grounds him in the real world with his one real connection; Cassidy.
Okay, now this is what Firstshowing.net is reporting with the picture:
"Matt Reeves Says 'Let Me In' Will Be Darker Than 'Twilight'
....WHAT THE FUCK??? I'm sorry to use such language but I literally shake with rage over this. I can't stand Hollywood!!! Think about this. Have you seen the original film. It was fantastic, beautiful, touching, dark, and unforgettable. Why in god's name would you remake something that came out in America that was that frickin good?!? WHY?!?
And then on top of it all, Matt Reeves says this????? Darker than Twilight? It should be so much darker that Twilight looks like Dora the Explorer in comparison. It should be so much darker that Twilight goes and gets a tan on its diamondy skin and dresses differently. It should be so much darker that Twilight goes and rents Twin Peaks on DVD and locks itself in a room to watch it over and over again until it learns its god damn lesson.
Why remake it? Its a blatant disrespect for the source material especially when you say this shit! God damnit!
Next on the agenda: Spider-man reboot
Okay. This gets me equally as pissed off as Matt Reeves directing Let the Right One In does. First off, the Spider-man WERE fun. Spider-man 2 was my favorite. 1 was okay and 3 was god awful. But to reboot it already? Rebooting Superman I get, its been years since we've seen him in movies. Batman even had been years since we saw him. The Hulk no one saw so the reboot was okay, but still no one saw it. But to reboot Spider-man? It still holds records! Sam Raimi started something great and ruined it. Let the bad taste leave everyone's mouth. Don't reboot it yet. Wait a few years Hollywood, or don't do it at all. Its unnecessary and disrespectful.
And that's what gets me so mad. Its disrespectful. Hollywood is just about the money and not the art whatsoever. It makes me sick and bitter. I won't go to see Spider-man because I have already seen it. Give us something new, Hollywood. Stop recycling or you will dig your own grave.
The Man from Tallahassee. To many, Lost season 1 was the strongest, season 2 expanded the mythology of the island, season 3 was okay, season 4 was thrilling, and season 5 was confusing. To me, season 1 was spectacular, season 2 was revealing as well as spectacular, season 3 sucked for half and then was awesome, season 4 was the best season yet, and season 5 finally started giving us real, concrete answers, skewed though they are.
I bring this all up mainly for season 3. It was the season during the writer's strike and thus suffered because of it. The story stalled because of the strike but also because the writers didn't know how long the show would go on for. After the strike, they said it would be 6 seasons and then season 3 picked up. It picked up so much that it is some of the best material Lost has ever produced and will make my countdown. But one of the early gems in all the chaos, was The Man From Tallahassee. In a season full of questions upon questions we were given an answer that was so blatantly in our face but none of us saw it coming.
This episode makes the list just because of that. The confrontation between Sawyer with the man who was responsible for the death of his parents who just so happened to be Locke's father. It was something I never thought we would get an answer to (who is the real Sawyer) and yet it was so obvious. And it was a huge stepping stone for Sawyer who has since become more of the hero than the villain. I'll never forget the moment that Sawyer found out and then strangled Locke's father. I don't think I've ever had the rug taken out from underneath of me like that and that's what I love about Lost.
Okay! So here it goes, my countdown to the Lost Season 6 premier with my top fifteen episodes. I consulted many different top episode lists which didn't not completely agree with me nor I them, but these are mine. These are the outstanding episodes that I remember most because of their shock value (WTF moments) pacing, storytelling, whatever! I'm doing two today because I missed yesterday.
Number fifteen but number 1 on the countdown is THE MOTH. There are plenty of episodes from season one that will appear on this countdown but The Moth will forever be one of my favorites. Before this episode, Charlie was nothing to me. He was a junkie that I felt the producers and writers forced upon you. But this tore down everything we knew about him only to build him back up stronger than ever.
Still being one of the only episodes that truly gets to the core of Charlie, The Moth had all the magic that season one could muster. Locke was still very mysterious and almost mentor-like. The island was still new and exciting and the mysteries of the Mary statues were not fully explained. It was mysterious and heartbreaking, which I believe is the very foundation of Lost.
The final conversation with Locke and Charlie just encapsulates the story perfectly and I will never forget the imagery of the moth flying up into the night sky. Alas, Charlie you are dead now. I do miss you, but I know we'll see you again. Though like many of Lost's reoccurring characters, it will not be the Charlie will all knew and loved. RIP buddy, as I sing, "You All Everybody"!
There are few people who's opinion I respect more than Tim Kail. Actually, there are only a few people who's opinion I really respect at all. Alex Megaro, Brian Ariotti, Mike Atkinson, Mike Dejoy, and Christopher Walken. All of whom read this blog. So Tim, this is not an attack of any sort, just a difference in opinion which will highlight things you have said about Uncharted 2 and possibly contradict them.
Recently IGN has done contradictory pieces on big games such as Uncharted and Batman Arkham Asylum. Its very interesting to read about other people's opinions on games that either are liked or disliked. Their argument for Batman was that he shouldn't be able to see through walls and the fact that you can strips him of everything Batman is. I don't agree, but I see where they are coming from. But sorry IGN, the game rocked.
Now I will start with what they said about Uncharted and move into Tim's arguments. Their major concern was the lack of variety, much like Tim said. Shootout after shootout that led to platforming that led to shootouts. Now, having played the first one, I knew exactly what I was getting in that lack variety. The game isn't Grand Theft Auto or Fallout so it will never have that replay value that varied gameplay brings. Uncharted is like watching a summer block buster that you control. Albeit there is sometimes more movie and less gameplay. But if it means anything, Metal Gear Solid (my all time favorite series and the sole reason I have a beard) has even longer movies and possibly less gameplay time. Snake Eater is my favorite game of all time and there are times when you walk four seconds and then watch a twenty minute long video which leads to another four seconds to another video.
All I'm saying is that Uncharted is an interactive movie the likes of which have never been seen before. That doesn't mean its perfect or one of the greatest games of all time. But if you are looking for something to fill the hole that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull put in your heart, Uncharted 1 and 2 are exactly what you need.
Yes, the platforming is somewhat repetitive and more times than I like to remember Nathan would jump somewhere I didn't want him to. But Assassin's Creed had me way more frustrated in terms of troublesome climbing and unwanted plunges to my death. I loved Assassin's Creed by the way. I'm right now trying to get a platinum trophy on it, it fucking rocks.
Though, Assassin's Creed story is much, MUCH more unbelievable than Uncharted's. Both Uncharted games had a little supernatural twist which I love but Assassin's Creed pulled one from left field, which is awesome. Yes, the puzzles in Uncharted are absolutely ridiculous and unbelievable but I take that with a grain of salt. Video games in general are usually ridiculous. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is ridiculous in terms of story. I frickin loved that game and platinumed the hell out of it but warfare is never that cinematic nor that personal. Not that I know personally but I can surmise.
Uncharted is popcorn. Its fun, cinematic, and innovative. Its a cheesy summer blockbuster that people love and some critics bash. Tim is not the first person I've heard that doesn't like it. Plenty of friends of mine don't at all and people I've talked to at work don't either. But the voice acting and character animations bring to life the story and characters like never seen before. The only game that is close to it in that regard is Mass Effect which I will be blogging about soon. I believe that Uncharted will bring with it a new standard in story telling for video games. But I don't think it will stand the test of time. If anything its multiplayer will probably be remembered longer than its solo play.
I think that the world is dumbed down by MTV, Michael Bay, the Black Eyed Peas ect. People want flashy things and quick thrills to satisfy their three second attention spans. I think that's why this game is being heralded as much as it is. I like it a lot and I hope they make more, but much more is needed if this is going to stand the test of time.
So there. My longest blog ever. There are my two cents, or there is my two cents, whatever it is. If you will learn anything from this blog though, it is this. Don't ever argue with Tim Kail. He is smarter than you and usually always right. Seriously.
The above picture is a crude adaption of what Peter Sarsgaard will probably look like since being cast in Green Lantern the movie. I have said it before and I will say it again, that when super hero movies need actors like Peter and Lively. They bring no Hollywood baggage to a film that needs their blank slate sort of approach to make these fantastic characters real. Renolds is much like Robert Downey Jr by being on the fence of Hollywood. Robert has more recently planted his feet in the mind of movie goers and is rapidly approaching his super stardom I believe he has been owed. But the cast that Campbell is building truly has my support and has me believing that this movie will bring the realism that it must have to be good, and the talent that we all want. Sarsgaard is awesome and will be a perfect Hector Hammond. I just don't like the character.
The other good thing about this news is that we now have more information on the story which leads me to believe it is the Secret Origin story. If you have never read it or comics in general, pick this one up. Its a great read and welcomes noobs into the modern mythos of the Green Lantern saga which seamlessly blends the old stories with the new. The story reads just like a movie and also includes such plot points that lead to future events that shock the Green Lantern and DC Universe. Bomb!
