Those who know me well know that I do not watch tv save for one show...Lost. I pride myself on not wasting much time in front of the boob tube (at home we don't even have the option of watching tv because we have no cable or antenna), and I'm not completely sure why Lost strikes me as different than other shows, but it's the only show I've seen in recent years that has made me feel like I had to watch more! I feel like an utter nerd talking about it, but I own the first four seasons on DVD and now that the fifth season has begun, I eagerly anticipate each new episode!
That being said, for the other Lost watchers out there, I just wanted to share some thoughts. Until last night's episode, I thought that Richard was simply traveling through time and that's why he appeared to be the same age no matter when the scene took place (in the present, at Locke's birth, when Ben was a young boy, etc.). However, now Juliette mentioned something about Richard being very old, so either she's mistaken or there's more to Richard than mere time travel. Is he native to the island and therefore has some sort of extra long life? Aside from Charlotte, he's the only character thus far who might have been born on the Island right? Or am I forgetting someone? Maybe Richard is actually the mysterious Jacob, and he simply allows other people (like Ben and Locke) to believe they are in control?
Any Ideas? I feel extremely dorky blogging about Lost theories but I decided to get over myself and just do it because I really want to know what other people think.
January 29, 2009
January 26, 2009
Left Right and Center
I just want to highly recommend listening to the weekly radio show on KCRW (89.9FM in the LA area) called Left Right and Center (LRC for short). It airs live on Fridays at 2:30pm and then is aired again at 7pm, or you can do what I do and get the free podcast on iTunes and listen to it at your leisure.
I've listened to the show every week now for the last couple of years, and the host of the show, Matt Miller is a really sensible and intelligent guy who moderates between pundits representing the political right (Tony Blankley), the left (Robert Scheer) and sometimes Arianna Huffington (of the Huffington Post) in the "independent" category (although she leans heavily to the left).
Anyways, all this to say that they do an excellent job of providing varying viewpoints on the issues and events of each week. It's a half hour show so they really have to squeeze in all the topics, but I just can't say enough good things about it. They cover current events with balance, and eloquence. I highly recommend it for anyone and everyone who wants a short recap of the week's news from more than one perspective, or anyone who wants to learn more about politics in general. Hearing the left and right side respond to the same issue (in a civilized manner) taught me a lot about where the key ideological differences lie. It's a nice antidote to MSNBC or Fox News.
Oh and Matt Miller's new book "The Tyranny of Dead Ideas" is on my short list of books to read in the near future. Check it out if you have a chance.
One thing that I learned about from listening to the show last week was a website called bailoutsleuth.com where they document what's being done with all the bailout money; a topic which the press has all but neglected. Prepare to be outraged, but take a look if you're interested in seeing what has happened with the billions "we the people" lent out to the banks.
That's enough free advertising for now. You'd think I was getting money from LRC :)
I've listened to the show every week now for the last couple of years, and the host of the show, Matt Miller is a really sensible and intelligent guy who moderates between pundits representing the political right (Tony Blankley), the left (Robert Scheer) and sometimes Arianna Huffington (of the Huffington Post) in the "independent" category (although she leans heavily to the left).
Anyways, all this to say that they do an excellent job of providing varying viewpoints on the issues and events of each week. It's a half hour show so they really have to squeeze in all the topics, but I just can't say enough good things about it. They cover current events with balance, and eloquence. I highly recommend it for anyone and everyone who wants a short recap of the week's news from more than one perspective, or anyone who wants to learn more about politics in general. Hearing the left and right side respond to the same issue (in a civilized manner) taught me a lot about where the key ideological differences lie. It's a nice antidote to MSNBC or Fox News.
Oh and Matt Miller's new book "The Tyranny of Dead Ideas" is on my short list of books to read in the near future. Check it out if you have a chance.
One thing that I learned about from listening to the show last week was a website called bailoutsleuth.com where they document what's being done with all the bailout money; a topic which the press has all but neglected. Prepare to be outraged, but take a look if you're interested in seeing what has happened with the billions "we the people" lent out to the banks.
That's enough free advertising for now. You'd think I was getting money from LRC :)
January 24, 2009
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
*Spoiler alert for those who haven't seen the movie yet!
Leann and I saw Benjamin Button last night, and we both agreed that it lacked something: an overarching sense of purpose or meaning for Benjamin's incredibly unique experience. I found myself detached from him and unaffected by his death. It was a story with a beginning and an end, but nothing that tied it all together.
The attempt at a "Big Fish" like ending seemed unsuccessful as they showed images of all the people whom he had met and who had an impact on his life. Benjamin said they had impacted him, but his character never seemed to do anything that showed he had been affected. He occasionally played piano (which he had learned from the old woman), but never seemed to derive any joy from it. He seemed to coldly experience his own life as an onlooker. It's hard to explain, but Benjamin never seemed fully engaged with the things he was experiencing; as though he was simply being carried along by circumstances. He would meet people, and simply go along with them. Even his affair with Elizabeth seemed circumstantial. There was no good reason why he loved her besides the fact that she was around and willing. His love for Daisy was equally unenthusiastic.
I don't know how much to attribute to the script and how much to attribute to Pitt's acting, but Benjamin seemed so unaffected by everything. I left the theater feeling like I would be fine with never seeing the movie again, which definitely rules it out for "Best Picture" in my mind. The film had some ambitious visuals and a great cast, but nothing to make it truly classic; nothing that makes me want to watch it again. The connection with hurricane Katrina seemed unusual and unnecessary as well.
Someone please tell me what I missed because I know a lot of people liked the movie. When it was over I just wished we had gone to see Frost/Nixon instead...
Leann and I saw Benjamin Button last night, and we both agreed that it lacked something: an overarching sense of purpose or meaning for Benjamin's incredibly unique experience. I found myself detached from him and unaffected by his death. It was a story with a beginning and an end, but nothing that tied it all together.
The attempt at a "Big Fish" like ending seemed unsuccessful as they showed images of all the people whom he had met and who had an impact on his life. Benjamin said they had impacted him, but his character never seemed to do anything that showed he had been affected. He occasionally played piano (which he had learned from the old woman), but never seemed to derive any joy from it. He seemed to coldly experience his own life as an onlooker. It's hard to explain, but Benjamin never seemed fully engaged with the things he was experiencing; as though he was simply being carried along by circumstances. He would meet people, and simply go along with them. Even his affair with Elizabeth seemed circumstantial. There was no good reason why he loved her besides the fact that she was around and willing. His love for Daisy was equally unenthusiastic.
I don't know how much to attribute to the script and how much to attribute to Pitt's acting, but Benjamin seemed so unaffected by everything. I left the theater feeling like I would be fine with never seeing the movie again, which definitely rules it out for "Best Picture" in my mind. The film had some ambitious visuals and a great cast, but nothing to make it truly classic; nothing that makes me want to watch it again. The connection with hurricane Katrina seemed unusual and unnecessary as well.
Someone please tell me what I missed because I know a lot of people liked the movie. When it was over I just wished we had gone to see Frost/Nixon instead...
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