The Avengers = Geek Heaven

My Dad is in a movie group with his buddies. Every month they get together, go out for dinner and see a flick. Yesterday, after my recommendation they went and saw Iron Man 2. The film was success with the group (how could it not be, Iron Man 2 is the shit, see my infamous poem about that). While talking to him this morning, I briefly explained The Avengers to him and he agreed that it is going to be one cool movie. This fan made art, compiled from existing images above, gives us a mere taste of awesome this is going to be. For more information on "The Avengers" check out my previous much nerdier posts about the topic here.

And to make matters sweeter, the above image is missing some key players. There is no Hawkeye who is confirmed to be in the film, and there is no Nick Fury, who most certainly will be loudly kicking ass.

At this point, Comic Con should just stop existing after The Avengers comes out, because after this film, whether it's good or bad, nothing else will matter. Of course, until Christopher Nolan directs "The Dark Knight Returns."

Thanks to slashfilm for the image

Lost in 30 Days: Part I

A quick introduction: My name is BC Smith. I run a movie-news twitter feed and a business blog. When I first met TPG, he was babbling on about some fabled Nicholas Cage Action Trilogy, and I knew we'd hit it off right away. I quickly proceeded to make fun of his obsession with "his little island show." Now it's time for me to eat my words. A little over a month ago, I started watching Lost, and a little over a week ago, I finished watching it. Tim was kind enough to allow me to do this guest post chronicling my epic experience. What follows is Part 1 of 2. Enjoy.

Orientation

There are about 720 hours in a month. There are about 120 hours of Lost. To watch the entire series in a month would mean dedicating over one-seventh of your time to the show. It also stands to reason that, were one to sleep roughly half that time, one-third of all waking hours would have to be dedicated solely to watching Lost, if such a feat were to be achieved.

I achieved such a feat. And this is my story.

I know plenty of people started watching the show a little late in the game, only to catch up in a series of epic, marathon sessions. But I'd like to consider my task a particularly mammoth one. At first, it was surprisingly easy. I remember thinking, “If all of the episodes are even half as good as the first season, this will be no problem.”

Of course, they weren't all that good. By seasons three and four, watching Lost became a chore. A tedious, excruciating chore. The questions were mounting, the answers less and less forthcoming. Ben Linus was getting more and more irritating, if not creepier. The characters' subplots were getting less and less compelling.

And, let's be honest- Lost left us with no shortage of terrible subplots. (Charlie sleep-stealing Claire's baby? Just about everything to do with Claire's baby?) But like all shit-storms, the worst soon passed, and I was reminded—time and again—just why I was watching this show.

Every Man For Himself

Watching all of Lost before the finale was an undertaking me and my roommates all took on simultaneously. The only problem was we all had wildly different schedules, which meant we were all watching the show on our own. Soon enough, some of my roommates were seasons ahead of me, some seasons behind me. This resulted in a lot of isolation. I literally had to walk around the house with headphones on for a good couple weeks, doing everything I could not to look at the TV. Many meals were cooked with music blaring directly into my ears, then eaten alone in my bedroom, with Lost streaming directly into my frontal lobe. I explained the situation to my cousin, a rocket scientist and avid Lost fan, and he thought it was hilarious.

“Don't you see the parallel?" he said. "You're four people occupying the same space, but you're all temporally disconnected and alienated from one another. It's just like Lost."

It took me a few seasons of catching up to understand what he meant, though, to be honest, I'm still not sure I completely understand the analogy.

If You Like Confusing Time Travel Movies...

To me, Lost was at its best when our characters were dislodged in time, hopping blindly from era to era, with only the occasional signpost marking the way-- a rogue atom bomb here, a four toed statue there, an improvised birth in the bushes over there, etc. Everyone I talked to had told me to brace myself for the fifth season. The fifth season, they said, was when Lost started getting really crazy. But to me, it's when the show regained its footing. No longer were the producers trying to milk five episodes of characters being locked in bear cages. Instead, the show was taking creative risks, and getting just about as complicated as

a show can get while still appealing to a mass audience.

Could I have done without Faraday's constant whispering? Sure. Did they say, "When are we?" one too many times? You betcha. But, damn it, I like confusing time travel stuff. (A Google Video search for "Confusing Time Travel" yields this Lost clip as the top result. Little asides like this on the nature of time travel--provided solely for the slower audience members--bugged me, I'll be honest. But then again, I'm a rocket scientist's cousin. I'm brilliant.) Maybe I'm biased towards time-travel malarkey. Hell, I even liked the Butterfly Effect, despite, you know, it's problems.

But I like to note that the first four seasons of Lost were all supposed to have taken place in a matter of months, while Season Five alone spanned three years. It was a much needed jump-start to the show, but it also brings us to one of Lost's biggest problems: Pacing.

When the show first started, they built up the mythology slowly, steadily. But pretty soon it seemed there was too much time and not enough story. The show crawled. When the freighter arrived at the end of the third season, I never would have imagined that they would drag that silliness out for another entire season. But they did. Then, with the end-date only a couple of years away, the show started blitzing through the story, sprinting at break-neck pace to the finish. For me, it was this highly uneven pacing that most detracted from Lost feeling like a cohesive, unified saga.

Go to Part II of "Lost in 30 Days."

Join me tomorrow as I wrap up my Lost experience. Thanks for reading, and thanks to TPG for letting me rant on his most excellent blog. Oh yeah, and follow me, @35mmofheaven, on Twitter.

Captain America Concept Art Released

This is cool, the more I see of this film, the cooler I think it will be. I think the fact that he's going to be fighting nazis in WWII is going to take the cool factor, and lower it to sub-zero freeze factor. Big tip to Aint it Cool for the scoop.

Josh Holloway (Sawyer) Being Considered for Marvel Projects

HAWKEYE?

It's clear to me that the Marvel masterminds who sit in magically marvelous lairs have every intention of delivering the goods to all the fanboys out there. The very fact that the Avengers is going to be a movie, and it's going to be directed by the much adored Joss Whedon (I don't love the guy) is evidence of that. Now they're taking it to the next level, with the guy the featured above.

There are rumors abound that Marvel is actively seeking out actor Josh Holloway, aka Sawyer from LOST for major roles in upcoming marvel films. While it's possible that Holloway could be playing "Ant-Man" or "Dum Dum Dugan" one must really hope that he will be playing "Hawkeye." I won't explain Ant-Man or Dum Dum, but I will tell all the none nerds out there that Hawkeye is a badass archer who is tough and funny. Which pretty sums up the Sawyer character from LOST. Don't believe me check out the video below.

When Prince of Persia First Came Out

When the original Prince of Persia came out in 1989, me and my brothers were playing it non-stop on the old school mac. Granted, I was three years old and now you can play Prince of Persia on a device 1/8 the size of those computers, but still, this game was/is/will be till the end of time the real deal awesome game. But since the movie is coming out today, let's take a look where everyone was when the original game came out.

1. Jake Gyllenhaal was 9 years old and just getting ready to star in the classic 80s film "City Slickers." Wait, what the shit? Jake Gyllenhaal was in City Slickers?

2. Jerry Bruckheimer was 45 years old which is crazy because he looks exactly the same now as he did then. And he's making the same type of movies. So basically he doesn't age, which either means he's an alien or he's got some really good Doctors.

3. Prince of Persia resident babe Gemma Arterton was 3 years old. Which makes her the same age as me. Which means she wants to go on a date with me, whoah, that's a big jump there, but hey, this is LA and I can dream.

4. Ben Kingsley had already won an Oscar for Ghandhi, so naturally in 1989 he thought to himself - "Now that I have my hardware, I can go make any movie I want"

5. The game was just a game. Little did creator Jordan Mechner now that it would soon spawn a mega franchise that would be reinvented four times and keep the name. Since that fateful game, there has been:

Prince of Persia 3D (No one talks about this one)

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (This is a reinvention cause this one is hyper violent)

Prince of Persia (cell shaded)

6.  Persia as a country had been around for about 7,011 years. That's a long time and shitload of princes

7.  Steve Jobs probably had the iphone, ipad, and the upcoming ibrain all planned out

8.  Paul Abdul had a number one album, which is crazy, because now Paula Abdul is still very much important, albeit in a much much different sense.

9. Batman was the number one movie at the box office, it starred a Persian actor named Michael Keaton. I'm just kidding Keaton is not Persian, he's just a super hero.

10. The transformers were around, ready and waiting to be reborn into  a franchise.

Iron Baby Blasts Off

DAMNNNNNNNNNNN. Are you serious with this shit? I mean there is no way that this is real. Obviously it's just as real as when Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. showed up in my midnight screening. When I first saw the title I thought to myself, ohhh, how cute some guy made a video of his little child in an Iron Man costume. Then at the :10 second mark, that baby hand comes up with the repulser rays in his little baby palm, I realized this wasn't going to be some simple youtube video.

It's the little things that really make the video. The bunny getting blasted through the wall. The hot-rod in the background of the play room. The final credits that are just like Iron Man. Honestly, I'd love to see Iron Baby get his own franchise, this is just too much to handle now.

When you really think about it, it's also pretty crazy that this video can even be made. Just 10 years ago, effects like this would have cost a fortune to produce. Now, we probably have a Dad who clearly really loves his baby (and Iron Man) and made this video on his Imac. In time, videos like this will be easier and easier to make, and we all will be able to create own versions of popular franchises.

And finally I gotta say, this must have taken a considerable amount of time, maybe Mr. Stark senior, creator of this project, should spent some more actual time with the baby, instead of Ironizing him. Then again, I spent two hours writing a poem about Iron Man so.....more power to this guy.


**Big Ups to the legendary Ryan Kawamoto for tipping me off about this video**

Lost Finale Now With Light Sabers

Damn, do I love the Internet!

The Two Jacks: What Are Lost and 24 Really Telling us?

Now that "24" and "Lost" aka the anchors of my media existence have traveled on to the great television in the sky, I'm left reeling and wondering with their impact on society. Technically these are shows that exist at different ends of the television spectrum. "24" is a nail biting logic free thriller about Captain America aka Jack Bauer saving lives in the course of a day. "Lost" is a mind bending statement about faith, life, death, and everything else in between. They can't have that much in common, right?

Beyond the obvious comparisons that the focal point of both shows is a character named Jack, the real similarity of both shows is a theme of sacrifice. Both Jacks endure a heaping amount of bad shit in order to save the thing they love the most. In the case of Mr. Bauer, what he is protecting would be his country, everything else whether it's his family, friends, or own soul, comes second to the Red White and Blue. Jack Shephard on the either hand sacrifices many of the same things: relationships, sanity, and personal hygiene to save his friends on "The Island", and depending which way you look at it, the world (see the Lost Compasses for that)

But here is where our two Jack's split. 24 ends with our hero, our resident Patriot, bleeding in the streets of New York, betrayed by his country. The last words of the series are "shut it down" and then we scramble the screen and the clock winds down. Jack is alone, after all mental and physical harm he has endured for Lady Liberty, he's left solo, he still has his family, but it's tough to be a Grandpa when goddam Uncle Sam wants to kill you. His sacrifice was pointless. Perhaps 24, once deemed an ultra conservative show, is now telling us that war and counter terrorism leaves both terrorists and the "good guys" like Jack emotional wrecks walking the world with barren souls.

"Lost" on the other hand rewards the sacrifices that Jack with the ultimate prize: peace, love and understanding and a very very happy meet up with his buddies. He's at peace with his father, with his true love (Kate Austen) and with his buddies. His sacrifice was worth it. LOST is telling us that if you sacrifice for your friends, you'll be rewarded in heaven. What a Christian, and depending how you view the political spectrum, "neo-conservative bible belt" point of view.

Yeah I know, like the characters on both Lost and 24 there is a lot of grey area here. No one is completely good or entirely evil. But in the case of these shows, and our beloved Jacks, their only is one happy ending, that is of course until the inevitable  sequel, feature films, and spinoffs.

24 Points About 24: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

 TRUTH

1. First point, here we go, Kiefer such a classy guy. Thanks for thanking us for watching, even if only the even numbered seasons were good. Wait, actually this season is awesome, and it's an even numbered season, so the curse is broken.
2. Michael Madsen has so many damn servers, you'd think he was running the entire network for limewire, bearshare, and kazaa.
3. Jack saved Madsen's life in Damascus. What was Jack doing in Damascus? You know it's ending, and I can't ever do this again, so I hope that Jack was killing vampires and demons in Damascus.

4. If there is one thing FPJ hates, it's the when the press get's abused. You see FPJ has a degree in journalism from Syracuse and also a law degree in First Ammendment litigation from the halls of Harvard or as he says Hevid.
5. I said it last week, Charles Logan is such a rookie. He's still having conversations on cell phones in the accident scene within earshot of everyone. Get your game up Charlie Boy.
6. Charles Logan doesn't know how to quit Jason Pillar or it's the other way around.
7. Love how Jack Bauer's hands are literally bloody in the car with Pillar. You know that P-Meng was losing in shit, maybe literally, when Jack appeared in that back seat.
8. This scene with Dalia Hassan, President Taylor, and the pen is really driving home how far Allison Taylor has fallen in the abyss of evil, and you know what Angel cleans the abyss of filth, angel Bauer
9. I'm not sure why Chloe is talking about email the file to everyone in the government and the media. Just post that shit on the CTU twitter or the CTU facebook page with a hashtag "JUSTIN BIEBER TWILIGHT" and it will blow up quicker than that suicide bomber.
10. "You try to make a move on me, the slightest twitch, I will put a bullet in your brain," says Jack to Pilar. And then he follows it up with "I AM JUDGE AND JURY!" Classic shit right there
11. Meredith Reed being involved this late in the game is a great twist by the writers, a twist, that I didn't see coming.

12. Dalia Hassan vs Allison Taylor, one of the best scenes in 24 history.  I'm making the call right now. Acting, acting, and more acting! Necar Zadegan, the actress playing Dalia Hassan is on point and just when you thought it couldn't get crazier, Cherry Jones as Pres Taylor brings the acting wrath by threatening war!
13. Where are these buildings in New York City where you can just walk through marble hallways with a giant packpack and a pistol? No security cameras or nothing.
14. The word "Russian Bastards" should be used more in action movies and television shows involving spies. It's just so cool, almost as highly ranking as "these nazi bastards."
15. Arlo is one sly son of a bitch, picking up Jack's Bauer reflection in a vending machine selling Appolo bars? That's two finales in a row with vending machines playing key roles.
16. Jack getting on that video chat is a statement to the whole series. He's talking to the viewers, the dedicated folks who've tuned in for eight years, he's explaining his entire philosophy, of the show.

17. Tim Woods is the new Agent Pierce.
18. A fellow CTU Agent points out that the head of the UN, who by the way we haven't seen all season, looks a lot like Tyler Perry.
19. And another fellow CTU agent points out that Logan is always picking out ties, and then agent points out that the fact that Logan is always fixing his tie is a way of showing, not telling us that Logan is obsessed with his appearance. What a dream team of CTU agents I have working with me?
20. Chloe is the head of CTU, she should know better than to go off the grid in high heels and a pant suit.
21. Jack taking out Chloe was disturbing, there's history there, I didn't like it one bit.
22. Then again, I DID LIKE Jack smiling at the end of barrel with Logan's face at the end of it.
23. Honestly I forgot that this Russian President Yuri Suvarov has been featured in past seasons five and six. And man what a surprise that he played a slimy bastard on LOST too. Yes, believe it, he was  psychic Richard Malkin on LOST.
24. My fellow CTU Agents and I are in agreement that the scene where President Logan has nothing to say to the Russian President was actually pretty funny. "So brah, what the shit are we talking about here, you called me up here for nothing?"
25. Jack can't stand see someone put their hands on his real true love - Chloe.
26.  THE RETURN OF THE VAMPIRE BITE! Pillar had it coming.
27.  FPJ you've been through so much today, you've buried bodies in Marshes, engaged in fire fights in docks, and done other wild shit, but you can't stop two stooges from stopping your file transfer, weak FPJ, weak, go back to Wing Commander.
28. Damn, Logan is getting pretty Shakespearean with his description of Bauer "he will claw his way out of the very depths"
29. Jack's video message to President Taylor was a little too hippie for me, but I understand Jack's been through a lot and after 8 days he's developed a little liberal streak, not sure how the network is going to take this.
30. I never would have thought that one of the most tense moments of the season would have been the simple act of signing a treaty
31. The drone finally works! The Drone works! Arlo saved the day!
32. "I would do anything to take back the time" says President Taylor. Not sure if I would, I love every damn hour of this show. Even the bad ones were better than everything else*.
33. It's been real doing these points for you guys these past years, thanks for reading, I appreciate it. So until the movie.

Scramble and countdown to zero

TPG's LOST COMPASS: The End

So this is how it ends, not with a head spinning twist for people to theorize til the end times, but with with a portrait of our beloved characters painted with beautiful strokes of human emotion.  It was the least physical of the season finales, but the most emotional by far. And lest there is any doubt, IT WAS AMAZING. So what do you say, one last time, we tie a rope around our waists and jump into the heart of The Island.
1. What a wonderful way to wrap it up. I knew something was going on when Jack entered the church and every single religious symbol in the history of time was all over the walls. But boy was I not ready for that end. Now, it's open for theorizing, but as I see it, the flash sideways world was purgatory, and they were waiting for Jack before they could travel on, that's enough right there to make a couple mind melts, and I got the cooking hat on.
2. MIND MELT USING OLIVE OIL INSTEAD OF BUTTER - How great was Ben and Hurley's conversation. "You were a great #2!" says Hurley. Just how long was Hurley the Island Jedi that he wished he was the whole series? Why didn't Ben join them in the church? Did Ben not go in because he thought he wouldn't be welcome? Was he waiting for Walt to show up? Or perhaps could Ben not go inside because The Island wasn't finished with him.
3. MIND MELT HEATING UP, ADD SOME RED ONIONS - Pretty sure that magical Church was the same one that good ol Eloise Hawking used to find the Island in the beginning of season 5.
4. MIND MELT COMPLETE SERVED WITH A SIDE OF CAPE COD POTATO CHIPS - I loved how the end of the series was a direct reference to the fans. The island, the object that you've obsessed over for years, literally fell into the ocean! "Let go" says Christian. It's like Damon and Carlton were saying "hey, look, it's over, and it's ok, you guys can move on to other shows and perhaps move on with your lives, go pick up a new hobby, stop bloggin'."

5. When Desmond goes to the bottom of the Island, I couldn't help but notice the skeletons that littered the groovy architecture. Were these the skeletons of the previous incarnations of the smoke monster? Was the Island built on the foundations of these people's bones. Who were these people? Were they Egyptians? Were they from Atlantis? Oh that one is far out.
6. Way back in April, I spoke about how LOST at it's core is a show about LOVE. And man, what a fulfilling episode in that context. All these people having their connections, realizing past lives, damn, it was like "The Constant" on Steroids!
7. Of course I wanted that battle between Smocked out Locke and Jacob Jack to be even more epic, but let's just be honest, those two are exactly Sayid Jarahhhhhhhh. While both have shown a proficiency in badass fight moves in the past, they both were weakened here, so I'll let it past. Props to Kate Austen for having a very Red Sonja one liner with the whole "I saved a bullet for you" moment.
8. You thought I was done, after the MIND MELT main courses, I now serve you up a little dessert, call it a MIND MELT CREM BRULEE. When Jack is lying there in the jungle with Vincent and he sees the plane fly over. What plane is that exactly? Is that the Ajira flight which Richard "I've never been on a plane before even though I'm old as shit" Alpert on it? Or is it the original Oceanic flight now intact and fine?  
9. And finally, I just want to say what a pleasure it was writing these posts for everyone. I'd like that thank my good friend Dewey, wherever you are brotha for pushing me to blog about Lost. I'd also like to thank all my brothas from school who sent me positive emails of encouragement as the season moved on. Thanks to fellow Bostonian Crit over at fuckyeahlost, for posting my shit. Steve over at Lifting Fog (great LOST poem over there) for challenging me about the show. Thanks to the actual creators for making such a great show too, I guess they deserve to be thanked. I'll have one more Compass for you on Wednesday, where I'll try to answer some lingering questions, but until then:

Going Into Lost Weekend Strong

It's official, I'm not ready for LOST to end. I'm going to try to see MacGruber to this weekend to take my mind off it, but that won't help. In the meantime, check out these truly touching words from Hurley about what the show means to him:

I think the time spent under the cast tent on set will be what I'll miss the most. We sang songs to Terry and Naveen's guitar playing, made valiant group efforts to complete a Friday edition of the New York Times crossword puzzle and played a lot of Scrabble.

Amen Hurley

BROTHA! 

Waterworld Re-Strikes Again

May moons ago I wrote a post about why "Waterworld" is almost as good as "Casablanca," and now to my surprise it's clear that Costner's aquatic opus is now taking on legendary status by saving the world. Check out the video below.

Now, just in case you aren't familiar with Waterworld, I present the following legendary video of The Mariner finding a creative way to get fresh water. There is a nice  new electro soundtrack here which is welcome.

Now the bar has really been raised for other 80's stars. Arnold becomes governor Costner saves the oceans. Stallone becomes a painter, Van Damme remains a Universal Soldier. As for Bruce Willis, he's now Tracy Morgan's partner. I've just learned that Costner is also opening up a wolf dance studio , ugh, that one was bad.

No Megan Fox in Transformers 3!

It was just announced that Megan Fox will not be returning for Transformers 3. Great news, I found it annoying that Fox thought she was a huge part of the transformers success. Listen I'm here for the robots, the explosions, the vehicles turning into robots, the explosions, the robots, the destruction, and the babes. Which before we forget, it's not like there is a short supply of hot babes for these movies. Check out Isabel Lucas from Transformers 2 below

Garnett Explains Lost

'Lost' audio: Garnett explains the island to 'Big Baby' from The Basketball Jones on Vimeo.

BIG PROPS TO THE LEGENDARY JAY JUDAH FOR THIS VIDEO

TPG's LOST COMPASS: What They Died For

Welcome to the final Tuesday edition of TPG's LOST COMPASS. It's been a real pleasure writing about LOST for you readers these past couple of months, and now I"m just working on finding my replacement.  You see I've been bringing all of you to the blog for a reason....wait...sorry....thought I was Jacob. Last night's episode titled "What They Died For" was in classic LOST fashion, a set up episode for the finale, but boy, was it good, chock full of answers and awesomeness. So what do you say, we burn some ashes and inhale the fumes of the episode.
1. In the great pantheon of fictional badasses, Desmond ranks somewhere just below James Bond, who carries a number one ranking. This dude bribes cops, sexes up chicks, beats up Linus for fun, is a serious romantic, and can travel between parallel universes. He's CONSTANTLY awesome and has really proven himself as one of, if not the best character on the show.
2. DOUBLE MIND MELT WITH CHIVES - Yeah bet you haven't thrown chives on a grilled cheese before. Tonight we got our first "remember" moment in a while, and how great was it that it came when Desmond was playing fight night with Linus's face. I noticed though the recollection was bathed in a gold hue, the exact same color that lives at the heart of the Island.
3. I loved Jacob's confirmation that he created the monster. The Lost writers have said that no one on LOST is 100% good or evil, and Jacob, white robes at all is not exempt to that. The theme of him killing his own brother and then seeking redemption through healing other wounded souls is a biblical one. Last week we had communion, and tonight had our baptism, with our shepherd of lost souls Jacob, crowning the new protector of the Island Jack Shepard, whoah, did I just sneak a mind melt slider in at ya.
4. When Kate was grilling Jacob about why our characters died, she didn't mention Frank Lapidus and that broke my heart. However some quick research turned up this photo from the LOST writer's office, so it's all good.

5. This concert that is so damn important that Desmond makes Kate change for it on a city block (hey, she wants to change in front of Desmond, see point #1) could potentially be one epic gathering of characters. We already know that Miles, Jack, Charlotte, Claire, Desmond, Kate, Hurley, Sayid are showing up. Assuming that Pierre Chang is Miles' father, he'll be there. Someone is going to track the fugitives, so Sawyer will arrive. Faraday might be playing. You know what I mean, check out the analogy below.

Lost: Seinfeld

Final Concert in Finale: Finale Courtroom Scene in Finale

6. Linus says "It's where I learned I could summon the monster, until I learned it was summoning me." Man, what a head spinning line that was. Is he trying to say that everyone time he used the monster, his soul was blackened? If so, great line. And now, where does Linus stand? The great anti-hero/villian/punching pag of LOST is at a crossroads. Is our little Napoleon working for Smoked out Locke now? Will his flash sideways self learn some tragic truths about his Island self? Will he like his power hungry Island self better?

7. Finally, I leave you friends with a prediction. After all the crazy shit goes down in the finale, and Jack is still the keeper of the Island, I wonder if we'll see a scene way in the future, like floating car future, where Jack is still the boss of the Island but begins the process to pass the cup to someone anew. Time for LOST: The New Generation.

BROTHA TO THE FUTURE!

24 Points About 24: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

 TOTAL ROOKIE

1.  Press Secretary Angela Nelson of the United Nations is a pretty fine looking press secretary. On another note, President Logan's choice of a red and blue tie is mediocre at best. Logan, keep it the tie color solid, just straight red or consult this handy website about tie choice.
2.  Nice little shot of what's left over of Pavel, as Pilar said it "Bauer is out for blood," clearly he's out for lots of blood, aka, sangre, aka hemoglobin. Call the Vampires, Jack Blauer needs blood.
3. Jack Bauer has come a long way. Just seven seasons ago Jack Bauer hated the media, and now he's spilling it all out to some journo-reporter who doesn't even work for FOX news. Funny how Jason Bourne in his darkest hours also turned to a reporter. Of course that Bourne reporter got iced, but oh well.
4. You know it just occurred it me, why on earth would President Taylor trust Logan in the first place. This is a dude that both botched being the President and technically being a terrorist. I mean who made him the resident strategist? It's like having Doc Rivers call play for the Patriots; it just doesn't make sense.
5. I can tell how much President Taylor hates Charles Logan. Actually, one part of me really hopes that she finally gets in on some action and teams up with Bauer to take down Logan in one giant United Nations battle royale.
6. Michael Madsen is a fat slug.
7. Bauer has really turned up the heat with the size of Jack sack this season. In the next season the sack will twice the size of him and contain a pile of WMDs.
8. What type of pills is Allison Taylor taking? She planning on popping some ecstasy and hitting up CLUB CTU to hear that banging Armin Van Buuren techno remix of the 24 theme song? I mean they have those windows that turn into any room into a "VIP" area, if you know what I'm saying.

9. Really sad to see good ol Timmy Boy being President Taylor's errand boy. You're better than that Tim! Stand up up for the press. Make S.I. Newhouse school of Public Communications proud.
10. My fellow CTU agents and I are in agreement that Bauer's motorcade attack suit looked very Iron Man esque, in fact I'd say it's a ode to the legendary Mach 1 armor. Please consult here for more information on Iron Man armor modifcations including underwater armor, space armor, and armor made for battling the hulk.
11. Jack Bauer's face kick Logan's guard was clearly a nod to the World Cup fever that is about to sweep through the United States.

12. "Mr. President, get up or I'll kill you right here!" Bauer as The Dark Knight/ The Black Knight/ Big Daddy was pretty damn terrifying.
13. Jack Bauer took President Logan underground, back to hell where he belongs, alright, I'm getting a little to carried away with Jack Bauer vengeance train.
14. You know, no one talks about it, but in all these interrogation scenes, whether it's Logan or Pavlov last week, people are always doing some damn fine acting.
15. If a person had never been to New York and was watching 24 this season as a preview of New York City life, they would assume that New York is 40% streets and 60% dark passageways with lots of indoor wire fencing.
16.  Chloe certainly knows how to put foxy/evil Pilar aids in their place, she's been in this 24 shit too long to let some none-hacker woman boss her around.
17. Love how journalists are shaping up to be heroes during this season of 24.
18. This season could really blast off into the legendary status if Tony Almeida some how re-appeared for the finale.
19. Only in 24 do the Russian henchmen have chinese letters on their necks and are super quick to give up information about guard locations and key card specifics.
20. DAMMMMMMN! Jack got knifed in the chest, didn't even flinch, pulled a quick lil turnaround reversal and promptly stabbed the the henchmen in his chest with his own knife, in almost the same location that Jack stabbed him. That is, dear readers, what I call beautifully violent symetry.
21. FPJ thinks he can put down Jack Bauer? Is he serious? Look FPJ, I like you but, you've been smoking way too many scooby snacks if you think you can take down Bauer.
22. President Logan, you left the show in season 5 and now every time you come back you either get stabbed in the chest or get your ass beat by Bauer. Tough break as a guest star, actually, you're a special guest star.
23. Jack Bauer was really doing work! Mikhail Novakovich has a fire place poker in his chest. Why wouldn't they show us this? Why! Why! Why! If there is any justice in the world this scene will be on the deleted scenes on the DVD.
24. This is two times in a row that Bauer has attached a listening device onto Charles Logan without him knowing it. Come on Logan, you'd think by now you'd learn Bauer's tricks. You are such a rookie.

Summer Movie Smackdown: Babies

Director: Thomas Balmes

Starring: Bayar, Hattie, Mari, Ponijao

Plot? - Four babies. Four Countries. No dialogue, well technically the babies make baby noises. This is a documentary that whimsically follows four babies on four different continents as they grow up.

Reminds You Of?  -  Iron Man 2. Actually, I'm just kidding, babies reminds you of going to the park on a sunny afternoon, putting down a blanket, opening up an intellectually stimulating page turner, drinking some chilled lemonade that has a nice balance of sour and sweet, and munching on some cashews. Just a nice little time, that's all. Beautiful score, cute kids, nice scenery, 86 minutes, and that's all.

Ass Kicking Factor (AKF) - A baby takes a spill after going down a slide. A baby takes a motorcycle ride. A baby messes with a cat. 

Oh Shit Moments (OSM) - The babies poop on screen. I'll let you make your own jokes here.

Memorable Dialogue  - This is not "Look Who's Talking," this is real life. Of course I imagine this movie would be hilarious if the babies had voice over narration as they existed. My dream line up would be Alec Baldwin, Morgan Freeman, Ken Wantanabe, and John Cho.

MOM Factor - This is a movie about babies, I saw it on Mother's day. This is the ultimate MOM movie.

TPG Truth Drop - Babies is a french film that captured American audiences, with it's simple trailer of babies being cute. The credits aren't translated, it's like the filmakers know that people are there for the goods, aka the babies. However, the reason people are so excited about the film is because like all great stories, whether they are massive pictures like "Avatar" or small documentaries like "The Cove" we as people are fascinated by the unknown. And nothing is more unknown to us than ourselves as a baby. You can see pictures, watch videos, and hear stories, but no one remembers being one year old. Seeing babies on screen makes you think "I was like that once, who am I now?"

I enjoyed this film, it was very relaxing. I took a glorious 10 minute nap in the middle and woke up and felt I didn't miss anything. It's a classic Sunday movie. 

Have A DNA Weekend

Have a DNA weekend stands for Delicious, Nutritious and Awesome. And yes that is the DNA man from Jurassic Park

Liquid Mountaineering Will Turn Your Mind To Water

Yeah this is positively mind bending. Can't say I'm not surprised though, I mean when you have some super bros who have conquered climbing peaks, base jumping, and other extreme shit, they only thing left to do is run on water, yeah I guess. The other thing that is great about this video are the inevitable follow up videos of people trying to run on water and then failing.

Thanks to the devious twitter hacker Ajmattero for the tip

Adjustment Bureau Trailer

Looks like a weaker version of "Inception", but "Inception" looks like a master piece so this doesn't look bad at all.

TPG's Lost Compass: Across the Sea

God dayum! What a crazy ass episode that was. Only LOST would have the courage to kill a whole bunch of it's beloved characters one week and then follow it up the next week with a mind bending episode where none of them appear. Some say it's frustrating, I say it's bold storytelling. And last night's episode entitled "Across the Sea" certainly had a story to tell. My head is still spinning from the implications of it. So what to do you say we grab out decanter, stare into the glowing yellow cave and attempt to be reborn in the enlightenment of LOST


1. So we never got a name for Jacob's brother, eh, big deal, we'll probably never get one. But, let's just be honest here, is he really that bad? Dude just wants to leave. He's been getting screwed over by his Mama's boy of a brother for thousands of years, so of course he's pissed. He builds a well, makes some friends, gets some knowledge then his family rolls in and destroys it all. I feel bad for the guy. By the way he's clearly cooler than Jacob? Jacob sits at home knitting quilts for Mother's approval and this dude is out gambling with his board game, meeting babes from across the sea and solving the mysteries of time and space.


2. ULTRA MIND MELT WITH CHEDDA. The "Mother" was the smoke monster. Let me say that again, the mother is the original smoke monster. No wait TPG, what about the bro on the who dresses in black? Naw, look at the facts

•  She kills an innocent woman for her childen, with a rock too, that's Jack Bauer shit!
•  She knows everything (knew about the game, knew he was lying)
•  She's been killing people on the Island for a long time (she was digging more than one grave)
•  She tried to kill her own adopted  son (not the nicest thing to do in the world)
•  She wiped out an entire village of people and burned it to the ground.
•  In case you can't tell, just like Smoked out Locke said to Kate, she's clearly crazy.
•  She was killed by a special knife by someone who didn't let her speak a word to her. After this   happened her smoke monster self was freed from it's human form and came roaring out of that cave.
•  She assumed the form of Jacob's brother because the smoke monster appears as dead people.

3. The glowing cave is nothing we haven't seen before. It's the electro magnetic energy that we've been dealing with since we first saw the Hatch. The sound of the golden stuff is even the same. I find this new way of looking at what's underneath the island as very cool. People, whether it's the man in black, whoever re-built the well, the others, the Dharma Initiative, or present day Widmore and Zoe have been trying to get at the "pockets of electro-magnetic energy" for a long long time. I believe that Widmore knows how to kill the smoke monster using this energy, see point #5 last week for more on that.
4. MIND MELT PART 2 - The mother seemed to be protecting the "source" aka the glowing cave on the Island. Now before, in the Richard Alpert centric episode "Aeb Eterno" we learned that the Island is a cork, keeping the bad stuff in. Now, last night the essence of the island was described as the super heady beatnik sufer brah fantastic thing known as "the source...life, death, and rebirth," which doesn't sound that evil to me. However, perhaps this great glowing gold is not to be obtained by anyone, it's the forbidden fruit, it's the apple in center of the Island of Eden. Yeah, I said it the Island is Eden.

5. Continuing on this religious tip, if the Island is Eden, than the "mother" is well Eve. She ended up stuck there, banished from the glowing goodness of the cave, because like everyone she arrived by "accident."  Her accident, eating that damn apple or, or drinking that fine fine wine, the same wine she gave to Jacob to trap him in the cycle. Her going in that hole was original sin, it ruined her life, trapped her (No wonder she was so happy when she died). I wonder if she was egged on to go in by someone, perhaps a person who wanted to see what is was. After all, man corrupts, hey, that's what she said. And in case you didn't know that she was Eve, the writers, really really spelled it out for you at the end of the episode.
6. And finally we're only one episode away from the finale. And man, I couldn't be more satisfied with LOST right now. It's clear that the writers are making a major play to tackle some serious themes here, and I love it. Does man corrupt man? Are we born blank slates or Tabula Rasas (link to episode)? How do the philosophies or Locke, Rouseau, Hume, Bentham and others relate to show? Are we men of science or men of faith (link to episode)? Do you believe in God or in reason? These are things that Lost is trying to answer, and I applaud them for making the effort, and hey I guess I'm a man of faith, cause I think they're going to pull it off. And for all you haters out there....see below

24 Points About 24: 12:00PM - 1:00 PM

 This guy is either really upset about American Idol or getting his chest cut open by Jack Bauer

1. How convenient that Dana Walsh managed to hide a camera in some location, but successfully managed for it to be shaky cam. Who was holding it?
2.  I wonder how Michael Madsen feels about being the new Chloe.
3.  When are the people who work at CTU going to learn that no one gets ahead there but following protocol. Chloe has been been breaking protocol for years, and she got promoted.
4. Michael Madsen has enough computer equipment to produce the Toy Story sequel, record the new Jay-Z disc, and program the new HALO video game.
5. Love how the evil Russian dude is dressed like a college professor in his photo that appears in the Matrix, I mean, Michael Madsen's computer system.

6. The foxy blond reporter (who in real life is married to Jon Hamm) seems to be just fine considering early today she was tortured at the UN and her hubby got killed by terrorists. Just a day in the life of  New York City reporter
7. How many different types of bluetooths are on this season of 24. I've counted at least 6 different varieties of headsets. I guess each character archetype deserves a different model
8. Damn, CTU really is like a night club. They have windows that become "less public" aka the champagne room. You know, you're hanging out with your hot hacker babe girlfriend who may or may not be a mole, and you need a little private "hacking time." You either hit the server room or you use the special windows, end of story.
9. Thank god SPRINT CREATES A MOBILE HOT SPOT for Chloe. This is the biggest product placement in 24 history. I really hoped that Chloe said something like "it creates a mobile hotspot and it has free nightime calling and unlimited texts, get to work."
10. Chloe talks to some CTU stooge about collecting time cards. You're telling me that CTU is so damn high tech yet they still use paper time cards. And by the way, why aren't these CTU geniuses paid on salary?
11. FPJ says "they're no good guys here," yeah no kidding buddy. You certainly aren't a good guy considering just a couple of hours ago you were stashing bodies in marshes.
12. President Logan really has lost it, he's just calling random Russian hit men on his cell phone now? I mean what's next, he's going to be poisoning the President's food himself?
13. Jason Pilar is the spiritual successor to Rob Weiss. They both are the uber-shady white dudes who work for shady people.
14. President Logan is such a slimy little shit, trying to get his face time for the treaty.
15. For the second there, I thought the reporter girl was going to ambushed and sniped by a perfume girl. She comes around the corner and then BAM someone hits her with the Este Lauder.
16. Jack Bauer is THE PREDATOR he can't be seen on cameras, and when he is scene he vanishes into the night, or uh, the department store.
17.  Nice little mall shoot out for Jack there, reminded me of this scene from Commando:

18. Man, I love how Logan is really turning up the heat on killing Bauer, of course you know this means that Bauer is going to have kill Logan, and boy is it going to be sweet.

19. The program that Chloe is running of Jack's associates looks exactly like a GUESS WHO program. Chloe first asks if it it's a man or a woman, then if they are wearing a hat, then ummm depending how bold she's feeling, she asks if they have a mustache, and then it's off into the great beyond.

20. Why is Meredith Reed trying to talk Jack Bauer out of torturing somebody? As a CTU agent points out, she clearly is some type of bleeding heart liberal who works for the Huffington Post. Now if she was FOX news journalist, it would be a different story.

21. You know you're getting some graphic torture violence when they give you the "viewer discretion advised" during a commercial break.

22. Pilar should honestly just say "Bauer is armed and extremely dangerous and none of you guys stand a chance against him so yeah, if you find him, just tweet about it or call me and then pray you don't get iced and strung up on a laundry bag"

23. Whenever Jack needs someone to talk he consults his medieval torture table and then grabs his convienently placed blowtorch and starts roasting marshmallows, I mean, Russian flesh.

24. Best ending of the season yet. Jack gets Charles Logan's voicemail after he calls the number on the the sync card  he ripped out of the dude's chest. Amazing! Oh yeah, that Russian dude was stop two on the Bauer vengeance train.
25. Yes A 25th, point. 24 is really kicking ass right now!