The Lighthouse Lights the Way

Tonight on Lost episode 5 entitled "The Lighthouse" which continues on its Season 1 reboot by focusing on Jack, episode 5 in Season 1 was called "White Rabbit."  This episode is probably going to be pretty AMAZING being that it is written by Damon & Carlton and directed by Jack Bender... these episodes are usually pretty myth unloading heavy.  

I really have NO idea what to expect this week.  I don't understand the lighthouse reference nor what this mysterious Hurley mission will be.  I do know that Claire-seau is back and hangs with Jin, making the reunion of Sun & Jin still weeks away.

It looks like we won't get that reunion until Episode 10 "The Package" on March 30th.  I'm not looking forward to this more than I am looking forward to getting past the obvious drawn out episode it's going to take to reunite them... they haven't seen each other since the season finale of Season 4.

Anyway, can't wait.  

Until then, I'm going to be playing some Heavy Rain!  

PS - "They're coming" from last season means = "The Candidates."  My thoughts about the "Jacob" replacement - it's only a male who can take over.   So, it's going to be the following:

• 4 = John Locke, but he's dead.
• 8 = Hurley, he seems the most likely (being that he's already doing his bidding)
• 15 = Sawyer
• 16 = Sayid
• 23 = Jack
• 42 = Jin

Sorry Kate & Sun, you got the boobies.

Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby)

This is fantastic.

Jedward Music Video

Aziz Ansari - Harris

My #Lost Thoughts

SLIGHTLY SPOILERISH, I've read and watched all the sneak peeks/teasers.

Tonight's episode is called... "THE SUBSTITUTE" and it's John Locke centric... does that mean Locke was a substitute for The Man in Black's presence?  Since the Man in Black consumes other people's bodies is he taking over John Locke's body?

I also believe that the Locke-ness Monster is going to start building an army against Jack/Jacob.  On that army?  Sayid, Claire, Sawyer... and maybe (but not likely) Kate, I still believe Kate will be with Jack in the end.  I believe that the Locke-ness Monster is going to show Sawyer that he was "FORCED" onto this island by Jacob.  That all this pain and all that anguish he feels is the result of Jacob's doing - and so pins him against him... and so when Temple folk & Jack all say, "you're supposed to be here, you're on a list."  He's going to give them a big one two F and a U.

Going to be exciting - can't wait!

Don't (Gay) Kiss In Front of Notre Dame

For Valentine's Day, a group of Gay & Gay Supporters had meant to have a supposedly peaceful "Kiss In" - which soon turned violent and they were attacked with motorbike helmets and kicked.

For kissing?  

I really hate when people use religion to defend what is obviously pure ignorance and hated.  I'm not a religious man myself, but I just can't imagine that the true nature of Christianity (or other religions) is to teach hatred and violence.

100 Years of SFX... in 5 Minutes

Holy Banana Cakes! Yet ANOTHER Amazing Nike Commercial

Lost Explained By Viewers Who Have Never Seen It

Flaming Bacon Lance of Death

Challenge Accepted, Boing Boing (BBtv)

When Lynch Met Lucas

Nothing Is Irreversible / Dead Is Dead

DO NOT READ WITHOUT FIRST SEEING "WHAT KATE DOES"

So, my theories are forming on Lost and as the season starts (already 1/6th through) I am beginning to see where things are going - and where I think Lost will end up.

I want to start with essentially the basic theme of Lost.  Something that's happened since the Pilot.  And that is - there is a duality.  A black & a white.  Faith vs. Science meets Fate vs. Free Will.  I read a lot of the super smart Lost bloggers out there (Jeff "Doc" Jensen) & (DocArzt's) and most of my theories come from a collection of their ideas and also from writing up a 20 page timeline of the events of Lost... IN ORDER for Season 1 - 5, how I can write Season 6 into that timeline... well, don't think it will/should happen.  

So, with this Black/White meets Faith/Science meets Fate/Free Will themes, we have to boil it down even more... what does that even mean?  Do we believe things happen for a reason, that everything is pre-ordained?  Do we just have Faith, that everything will turn out alright?  Or do we go by Science, things are just organisms trying to survive and we have free will.  

The categories begin as such: to have Faith is to believe that you are somehow going to be taken care of, that things will just... work out.  You believe in Fate, to some extent.  I can't imagine if you didn't believe that God created the universe & was all knowing, that you can have much Faith in things... instead, I'd imagine you have to believe that you got to make your own path.  

So:

Faith / Fate = John Locke    &    Science / Free Will = Jack Shepherd

Faith / Fate = Jacob    &    Science / Free Will = Man In Black

However, since we now know (can make a pretty educated guess) the Man In Black can.... "claim" people, it seems that the LOOPHOLE is that the Man In Black had to "claim" one of Jacob's chosen ones... the touched.  And it's fitting & ironic that the one that he "claims" is Locke, the one with Fate & Faith on his side, the one who most likely fit Jacob's philosophy (see "The Incident" and the opening scene).  

Jacob, being a man of Fate, opens "The Incident" with a weaving loom (ahem creator)... he's waiting for The Black Rock and, being a seemingly "creator," isn't surprised when Man in Black shows up.  He starts (after offering some fish) with this, "I take it you're here because of the ship."  As in, you don't come around my statue very often... these guys don't talk much.  

But here has Jacob gone: bringing people to the island and, as the Man in Black states, only to have them "... come, fight... destroy... corrupt,"  And, "it always ends the same." This obviously annoys the Man in Black because, so far, in all the incarnations of this "test" - he's been right.

But Jacob is kind of a dick and doesn't take just one "test" as a fool proof answer.  

And so he keeps bringing new people to the island.  The Black Rock, Ajira 316... but something went array - Flight 815: The Flight that killed Jacob.  I believe this Flight was never supposed to happen.  And Desmond (the special one) made it happen.  He corrupted Jacob's original plan which was to bring Bram & Ilana, and possibly others to the island. (Frank Lapidis, "the canidate"?)

In fact, Desmond was... "a variable."

I believe that the Man in Black took advantage of this and manipulated the 815'ers until he was able to find his Loophole, eventually settling in on John Locke.  When did he settle on John Locke?  In episode 104 "Walkabout" when Locke first laid eyes on him.  

Just as Miles can read the recent dead, Hurley can see dead people, Walter is semi-psychic... the Man in Black can see into people's pasts, can read their minds and when he read all that "faith & fate" spewing from Locke's brain, I think the Man in Black had a great smile on his face.  (Isn't it ironic?)

I believe this is why Ben Linus was told to follow Locke in "Dead is Dead."  All of this a grand manipulation to prove Jacob wrong.  And what is he wrong about?

"That humans are just organisms trying to survive, nothing more & nothing less.  There is no fate, there is no pre-determined destiny."  The Man in Black IS philosophically season one's Jack Shepherd...

BUT!  LOOK OUT!  Because, Jacob... being the time traveling genie that he is, saw this manipulation and so went back - touched a few souls... and manipulated them into getting on that already destined to crash onto the island flight 316... And you know what else is happening... roles are REVERSING.

John Locke is now the PHYSICAL manifestation of "Free Will & Science" he IS the Man in Black... and the man he's butted heads with for all season's past... Jack, the man we grew to know as the "Man of Science," well, isn't he looking a lot more like Jacob?  Sad eyed, knowing, a bit more giving to... fate.

Didn't he say in last year's finale, "this is our destiny!" WHOA!  

So, how does it all end?  

Well, the first three episodes (LA X part 1, LA X part 2 & What Kate Does) have given us a good direction - we are seeing both.  We see the Faith/Fate Answers (Off Island Timeline) and the Science/Free Will Answers (Island Timeline)... it didn't work... it was all for nothing, there was NO destiny as Sawyer has clearly stated... it did work... it all happend for a reason!

And the answer?

Well, I think Jacob's right, "it only ends once and anything that happens before that is just progress."  It all happened for a reason, it was all a path to a SINGLE end. 

That end?  Redemption.  Our characters, as everyone knows, are Lost.  Misguided & bumped off their way and each of them, I believe will finally find that Redemption OFF the island.  The OFF island timeline will give each of our characters a chance to find peace and happiness.

And for the ON island characters?  Well, they shouldn't be there.  This wasn't their FATE, their pre-determined path and so, one by one - they'll die (Juliet, Charlie, Boone, Shannon, etc) or they'll be corrupted (Locke, Claire has been "claimed," now Sayid)... 

The ON island life is going to be rough and awful because it's not the way it was supposed to be.  They can't find Redemption.  Sawyer is a wreck, Kate is a wreck, Jack is a wreck, heck even Hurley is... if they don't die at some point in the season, they'll end up dying when the island blows it's volcanic lid in the Series Finale.  

"What Kate Does" was a perfect prelude to the season to come.  

In Season One: Episode One threw us into the world... here's what you're going to get.  Episode Two (Kate's episode) gives us the structure.  Here you get ON island PRESENT Kate and OFF island PAST Kate... we discover what brought Kate to the island (and in subsequent back stories) why she NEEDS redemption, she killed her Father or more importantly she Lost her Mother.  And coupled with this, her ON island PRESENT self is affected, in need of redemption.

In Season Six: Episode One threw us into the world... here's what you're going to get. Episode Two (Kate's episode) gives us the structure.  Here you get ON island PRESENT Kate and OFF island PRESENT Kate... we discover what Kate does to spiral down further away from Redemption (What Does Kate Do?  Run after the wrong guy, Sawyer)... And coupled with this, her OFF island PRESENT self spirals... towards Redemption (the way she looks at Jack Shepherd in this episode... it's going to end well for them).

Are we going to figure out what the Polar Bears mean?  NO.  Are we going to figure out where the food drops came from?  NO.  Are we going to figure out where Walt's powers came from?  NO.  It's funny that Hurley's "I can see ghosts" isn't that big a deal... but Walt "I Can Summon Birds" Power... must be answered... 

These questions are fun to ponder and through all the Lost lore, we may be able to manifest some kind of answers for ourselves.  

The Producers have stated very clearly that they don't want a "metachlorian" explanation to things that don't really matter... is our lives going to be that much better if we know WHY Libby was in the nut house with Hurley?  Or can we just safely say, "you see and interact with hundreds upon thousands of people in your life, millions perhaps... is it not possible that you may run into them again... even if you didn't know it?"  

****

Dead is dead.  Fate is sealed.  What Kate Does?  Runs.  She's always done it: in her past, her present, her future... her sideways self... this is what she does... this is who she is... and who she's destined to be until she is redeemed.  

When Juliet set the bomb off in 1977, time shifted... and we're seeing the butterfly effect from 1977 to 2004... when Jack looks out from the airplane window at an unseen & sunken island.  Things are the same, What Kate Does... is still what she does, but things are different and just as Faraday predicted and what Jack Shepherd wanted for his friends... "I want this to never have happened."  It worked and through it comes redemption.

John Locke will walk because of Jack Shepherd, not through the magic of some mysterious island - and that my friends, is a beautiful thing.

Here's the ONLY questions I believe are going to be / and need to be answered:

1) A detailed explanation of the roles the Men in Black & Jacob had on the island and the nature of their relationship?  What is the game they're playing?

2) What is Richard's role? Most likely a disciple like John Locke or Jack Shepherd, just a bit more advanced, having been on the island longer... and I believe once Jacob touches you... you're not going to age / die on the island.

3) Significance of Ilana & her gang of "shadow of the statue"?

4) Kate chooses Jack over Sawyer?

5) How does each character find... REDEMPTION?

6) Desmond is the THIRD wheel to the Jacob/Man in Black relationship... I think he's somehow connected to them.

7) As you can see Ben Linus wasn't part of the "big picture" - and it's starting to show, his character is reduced to looking wide eyed and bewildered... so, I think they're going to have to kill him off soon.

8) Adam & Eve.  A Theory I Believe: Adam & Eve are Rose & Bernard... even though I think there's going to be a little time fuck up there in that they should of died in the 1950s or 60s... not in the 1970s.... maybe the time bomb going off in 1977 shifted them back to the 1950s... And also, this may be another answer we don't get.  And that's alright.

Is It Bad That I Got Emotional?

The Future of Maury

A Must Watch for Tonight's LOST

Oceanic 815 - Side by Side (SPOILER! If you haven't seen the Season 6 Premiere)

Repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell: A Slippery Slope to Invest In

It's been raining a lot here.

In fact, fear of mud slides have threatened coastal regions and other places here in Southern California.  These literal slippery slopes is what usually brings the metaphor into territories of the unwanted and avoidable.

But, when it comes to Gay Rights, 9 times out of 10, the biggest argument that comes against it is - slippery slopes.

Hearing this, I sort of laughed... NAMBLA!?  Who said anything about those weirdos?  I really just don't understand why Homosexuality is always compared to these fringe sexualities like Man/Boy Love or ... Beastiality.  It's down right infuriating.  There's always this talk of the "gays" as this group of lesser humans, that somehow we're unequal.  

How can you open your mouth and purposely say such hateful things?   It just doesn't make sense to me.  There's no good argument against homosexuality - and if you're going to make arguments up, the best you got is "if you allow gays to do it, next you'll be allowing people to have sex with ducks."  

No.  No.  No.

The big issue with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is that you are acknowledging that Homosexuality exists.  And if you acknowledge its existence, then you have to start giving rights to those individuals, rights like... housing and the big one: Marriage.  You see, soldiers come from all walks of life - and from all places of the US.  So, you'll mix Mass. Gays with Cali. Gays.  Those who are allowed to marry and those who aren't.  Side by side, close quarters.  

Those who have the right to marry each other - and those who do not.  

The military to me is like it's own state.  It has its own medical plan (Universal & Free), it's own housing, it's own regulations and laws.  The inclusion and acknowledgement of gays in the military creates a slippery slope for the changing of laws and discrimination.

I welcome this change - and I hope that it, like a real slippery slope, starts off as the single incident: repealing 'don't ask, don't tell' - and suddenly excellerates into a full own Equality Act.  Allowing two consenting individuals to live their life as they choose, to express their love openly and allow the cloud and stigma that being gay is different (morally wrong, weird, creepy, icky) to vanquish.

When a nine year old can freely feel he can express his crush on a boy in his classroom, without fear of repercussions and ridicule from his classmates, a ridicule that a boy crushing on a girl never fears - the world will grow to become a much better place.  When being gay isn't something you have to "come out for" - but just something that is, like the fact that you're a particular race or nationality: promiscuousness, the spread of HIV (in America), and pent up angers will fade to a normal and healthy pace.

We'll never rid ourselves of racism completely.  We'll never rid ourselves of cheating or treating each other like shit, but right now, the silent oppression and fear Gay teens and soldiers and men and women face everyday makes things that shouldn't be... be.

And I believe Obama's administration has done the right thing here and found the loop hole to opening the flood gates, to beginning the slippery slope to equality for all.  

It doesn't start at the top, it's from the bottom up.  

The Origin of Zombies

The S From Hell

Don't You Put It in Your Mouth

Martini Ranch "Reach" directed by James Cameron, Starring Kathyrn Bigelow

Zachary Quinto - Tyler Shields

Spaceman - Tyler Shields

Matt Dallas - Tyler Shields

Hayden Panettiere - Tyler Shields

The Stormtrooper - Tyler Shields

I Heart Sirocco

Congratulation Oscars!

Wow!  

What a surprise to wake up too.  For years, I've been kind of cynical about the Oscars, they tend to nominate things like "Brokeback Mountain" but also nominate "Crash" - and then at the end of the day, they let "Crash" win.  This year... well, they've done some kind of cool things. 

First, they gave "The Hurt Locker" 9 nominations that equal "Avatar."  That's impressive, because "Avatar" is the obvious winner in the below the line categories.  Secondly, although, I'm not a fan of the film, I know MANY who are - they nominated "District 9" over "Invictis" - which was an obvious Oscar bait film... that's awesome.  However, "The Blind Side?"  I really have to see this film now.  

And this all but GUARANTEES Sandra Bullock's win.  There is no way in God's green Earth Carrie Mulligan or Gabourey Sidibe has a chance now.

My Oscar predictions back on the 17th were 75% right... or 49 out of 65 nominations right... and District 9 was the big winner here, and the big surprise to me.  I'm kind of proud of this film now and I think I should take another gander at it, although I still think it sort of is two different films from beginning to end. 

The other film that I thought might get more nominations was (500) Days which just didn't make the cut, so instead other nominations took over.  

I'm also really surprised by the Animated Category - What the hell is "Secret of Kells"!?  That's fantastic, winning over Cloudy & Ice Age 3, which in previous years was all but sealed in stone.  

My last point would be that Best Editing is now the "BEST PICTURE" category.  This Category is usually the big pointer to what the Best Picture will be and this year the best Editing went to:

AVATAR, DISTRICT 9, HURT LOCKER, INGLORIOUS BASTERDS & PRECIOUS.  

That would of been a pretty amazing 5 films.  All deserving, in their own rights... Just sad to see "Where the Wild Things Are" didn't do well this year, no nominations nor BO success.  Sadness.

Watch Before Tonight's LOST Premiere

PER DAMON LINDELOF - “We can’t rewrite history and say that at the time the pilot was being constructed we were using phrases like “The Man In Black” and “Jacob,” but we can say that the overriding theme of The Island and what an endgame might look like — and that Locke was the character that was tapped into this almost instantly — was all sort of calibrated. Looking back on that scene, its intention at the time that it was written and its intention today is exactly the same, which is to basically set the stakes for the entire series. At the time that we wrote it, we didn’t think that there was going to be an episode two. At the time that we wrote it, it was a conversation about the good and evil internal in the people themselves. But obviously, as the show grew and blossomed out, that same conversation grew to encompass the nature of The Island and The Island’s affect on those people.”

One of the Most Absurd Things Ever

My 2010 Sundance Roundup

This year, I was lucky enough to head up to the snowy Park City and check out the new crop of Sundance films.  I saw 24 films in 9 days, pretty awesome!  Here's my ranking:

1) Blue Valentine / best film here and may well be my favorite this year, can definitely predict Ryan Gosling's second Oscar nomination.

2) Tucker & Dale vs. Evil / hilarious film and deserves a big release and can't wait to see the sequel.

3) A Prophet / The French version of "The Godfather" set in jail.  

4) Buried / A film taking place entirely in a coffin... and totally riveting.

5) Cane Toads: The Conquest in 3D! / Seals the deal for 3D for me, it's here forever.

6) Exit Through the Gift Shop / Banksy doc about Mr. Brainwash.  Just awesome.

7) Winter's Bone / Saw this a bit too early in the morning, but it's got a great vibe, but not as good as her first film "Down to the Bone."

8) Cyrus / First of the mumblecore scene to make it to the big time (Fox Searchlight) and it works, a 50/50 blend studio & festival humor.

9) The Killer Inside Me / This film fails on so many levels, but is really compelling, the violence is ridiculous.

10) Temptation of St. Tony / Estonian "Bergman" meets "Lynch" film, funny & disturbing.

11) Bass Ackwards / A meandering film that kind of works, but not sure I'd want to see it again.

12) Daddy Longlegs / A great character and some great ideas but the filmmaking was a bit too sloppy for my taste, felt like a really indie 70's kid's movie.

13) The Kids Are Alright / Super funny, with lots of plot holes & what I predict may be a big leap in gay cinema.

14) Douchebag / My buddy shot this film, good structure but not a fan of this kind of low-fi handheld filmmaking.

15) Shock Doctrine / Seems like this year's "Why We Fight" and it's interesting to see how Obama's presidency is changing the ending notes of these political docs.

16) Splice / Strange ideas, weird execution and tonal shifts for days.  Not sure this works at all.

17) Hesher / No story, great (one note) character from Joseph Gordon Levitt.

18) Skateland / Beautiful people making beautiful people movies set in the 80s.  Story?  No time, just look at how hot our lead and his lady lover is supposed to be.

19) Grown Up Movie Star / Amazing performance from the lead, nothing much else to say.

20) Frozen / Ridiculous.

21) Twelve / Chace Crawford wanted to get into this role and said during his Q/A that he was trying to lose weight and get into the role which was describe from the novel as "thin & pale as smoke."  However, Joel Schumacher said to him, "don't lose too much weight we have to sell your fine ass."  Good job Schumacher, you've made yet ANOTHER horrible movie.

22) The Dry Land / Everything I hate about independent movies, terrible & super slow guitar music, a slap you over the face message, sad acting & a director who doesn't understand what a camera is for.

23) Happythankyoumoreplease / No wait, this is everything I hate about independent movies, glossy camera with young and "fresh" actors talking about their feelings and believing they're still in some urban 90s film like "Reality Bites."  Sorry, it's 2010 not 1994.

24) Lovers of Hate / No, I take it back - this is what I hate most about independent movies - people who should be thrown in Movie Jail and the keys thrown away.  Made for about 5 dollars, with no originality and poop jokes passed off as a... THRILLER/SUSPENSE FILM... kill me like Casey Affleck does to Jessica Alba... no wait, never mind, I want to keep my jaw.

Wonder Showzen - Deleted Scene