THE HACK: cheap views on pop culture

Top Ten Films of 2011

This is by no means a complete list. This is simply the best new films I saw in 2011. There are plenty I have yet to see. This explains why you may think this list is horrible. Well, that and my lack of taste.

10. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Who would've thought that this movie was going to be worth a damn? Well, it was. From Andy Serkis's Oscar-caliber performance as the film's lead Caesar to that "No!" this flick had so much. Hell, who would've thought anyone would be saying "Why cookie rocket?" in the summer of 2011.

9. Bridesmaids

Easily the funniest movie of the year. I was rooting for Melissa McCarthey to get an Oscar nod immediately after walking out of the theater as the credits rolled. Looks like her chances are really high. Oh, and Kristen Wiig. God, I love her.

8. Red State

And, the award for the movie most taken to the shit house be critics? Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked? Nope. Sorry. This title belongs to Kevin Smith's audacious Red State. Shit, I still can't believe Michael Parks is not going to get some love during awards season. Guess awards really don't mean much. Unless, of course, I win. Still, I loved the hell out of this film.

7. We Bought a Zoo

I went to see this movie for New Year's and it was a packed house. Leaving the theater, there was a line of about twenty people ready for the next showing. I'm hoping word-of-mouth helps Cameron Crowe's latest out. Because I'm hopelessly in love with this film. The final scene is one of my favorites from this year.

6. Super 8

I don't give a shit what people said. I felt the human story and the alien story both worked. And, they worked hand-in-hand. J.J. Abrams pulled it off. And, I still get misty-eyed when Joe lets go of the locket.

5. Contagion

Yes, yes - lots of stars in this one. But, the thing is, they act the shit out of this flick. The prom night ending is another favorite scene of my mine from this year. I also loved the scene where Kate Winslet calls her boss to apologize for not finishing. Her tears, man. It got me. Oh, and Jude Law is a son-of-a-bitch in this one. Sign of a good actor. He gets me to like him. And, gets me to hate him. Bravo.

4. Drive

A lot of people have this movie on their best of lists. Some have it on their worst. To each her own. I dug this flick, from the opening "action" scene to the Driver driving off into the sunset. And, let me just say, there's not much that can beat Carey Mulligan walking in slow motion.

3. 50/50

Anna Kendrick. Try watching this movie and see if you can resist falling for her character. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is really good in this, too. Jonathan Levine delivered on the promise made with The Wackness. He's got a good eye and a good ear. This movie's got some great music. I loved this movie.

2. The Tree of Life

And, the award for most ambitious live-action poster for a motion picture goes to. . . Terrence Malick's transcendent film. I get the love for this film. I also completely get the hate. It reminds me of the final episode of Lost. Some got it - and I mean really got it - and others didn't. Some that got it, loved it. Others that got it, didn't.

Wait. Hold up. Isn't that every movie that gets released? Contrary to what anyone has ever said, no one likes, loves, hates, or feels the same about anything and everything. It all truly is in the eye of the beholder. I mean, for the love of God, there are people in this world who truly believe that Jessica Alba is not hot. But, they are entitled to their beliefs and opnions. This list is mine. I loved The Tree of Life, though not as much as Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain.

Finally. . .

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

The second film almost made it into my top ten in 2002. The third film did. As did the fifth and seventh. This one, though - holy shit. What an ending. Though I still prefer the novel, director David Yates, screenwriter Steve Kloves, and everyone involved in this picture pulled it off. Check Rotten Tomatoes. Read the reviews. People loved this movie. It's damn good. And, it's pretty damn moving. From the moment Harry steps into Snape's memories to him dropping the resurrection stone, those twenty minutes are simply great cinematic storytelling.

Together as one movie, I personally feel that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the best film of the decade...so far. Obviously. Still, this film is the one that everything I see for the next eight years must measure up to. For some, that may mean the bar is not very high. For me, it's damn near impossible to even see over it. And yet, come Oscar nominations-morning, I doubt we'll see much love for it. And, that may be the biggest shame to come out of this film.

And, that's that.

All of This Matters

Boo-fucking-hoo.

1. We know bad shit will go down if the Man in Black leaves the island. We know. It makes zero difference if we know exactly what.
2. Hell will overcome Earth. Pretty high stakes to me.
3. It is a team effort. Hell, Sawyer doesn't even put up a fuss when Jack asks him to go get Desmond. Even Ben is there to push the soon-to-be leader of the island out of harm's way. Kate is the one to kill the Man in Black. Desmond's special-ness is what takes the Man in Black's power away. I'll stop here before I keep going and going.
4. Jack obviously learns a lot. Listen to his exchange with Jacob in "What They Died For." It explains this. The conversation with Christian in the sideways world further develops it.
5. The finale was and is poetry to me. I cried. I was moved. The music, the photography, and the performances were poetry.

It's all opinion anyway. I completely disagree with everything in that article. I loved the finale. Still do. I will never, ever understand the hate.

No, Mr. Abrams. I do not think anyone could have done better.

LOST: THE FINAL SEASON (Revisited) - "Dr. Linus"

"Maybe you should be the principal."

"So says 'The Substitute.'"

"What do you mean I should be the principal?"

"Just sounds like you care about this place. And, if the man

in charge doesn't, then maybe it's time for a change."

"I appreciate the sentiment, but who's going to listen to me?"

This episode’s focus is the story of Benjamin Linus. On the island, we find him a lost soul, but still trying anything to weasel out of the consequences of his actions. It is not until the end of the episode that he comes clean and claims responsibility toward the murder of Jacob. And, man, does he feel bad about it. He feels so bad that he believes he’s pretty much screwed. He thinks the only way out is joining the Man in Black.

But, Illana’s forgiveness saves him.

And, why does Illana save him? Well, frankly, it’s what Jacob would have done. Ben may not have come out and said, “I’m sorry,” but he feels so bad that Illana sees that Ben is not the evil son-of-a-bitch we all believed him to be for so long.

In truth, Ben always tried to do things for the greater good. When flight 815 crashed, though, it all went to shit.

How do we know this? Easy.

The flashsideways.

Ben's mirror in this episode is interesting. On the surface, Ben is a different man. He's made different choices, and by episode's end he continues to make different choices. But, the episode explains who Ben was in life: his actions before the series finale and his actions after.

His position and demeanor in the flashsideways explains the person Ben eventually became, under the leadership of Hugo Reyes. His quiet and more than willing to help, but there's still that extra bit of constant calculation in him.

His actions, however, represent the Ben we thought we knew. His brief but extremely important dialogue with Locke at the beginning of the episode (quoted above) explains why he did what he had to in order to kick Charles Widmore off the island so that he could be leader of the Others. "Dr. Linus" explains how exactly he came about doing this. He found dirt on Charles and got him to leave, making sure that Ben would be his replacement.

And, Ben wants to be principal because he cares. Seems he must have cared when he assumed his leadership position on the island. The thing was, though, he just didn't have it in him to be leader, no matter how many times he lied and manipulated. In the end, he was a means to an end. He existed to bring the candidates together. And, his jealousy of this damn near destroyed eveything.

Except that Ben cared.

So did Roger Linus. He appears to be awakened. Although, it's fair to assume that this Roger doesn't exist, and that Ben only created him in his afterlife to find peace and closure with the man he killed.

And, poor Alex. She does exist here, and her relationship with Ben is the kind neither had with one another in life. The flashsideways function as a place to work things out, either with people who are there or with those who aren't. No matter what, the purpose portends a meaning behind the entire show.

I'll get to that later. Next up, "Recon."

LOST: THE FINAL SEASON (Revisited) - "Sundown"

"Sayid, if you'll do this for me...what if I told you that you

could have anything you wanted? What if I said you could

have anything in the entire world?"

"I would tell you that the only thing I ever wanted died in

my arms, and I'll never see it again."

There is no mirror moment in "Sundown." Sayid never once looks at his reflection, either in the island story or the flashsideways. His decisions in both stories reflect - no pun intended - this. Sayid goes down the same path he's always found himself on. Leaving Iraq, he found himself torturing Sawyer on the island. Leaving the island, he found himself a hitman for one Benjamin Linus. Finding himself back on the island, he believes his destiny to be killing a young Ben. Earlier this season, in "LA X", he felt what was waiting for him in the afterlife was not going to be good, because he felt he was not a good person. As he tells Nadia in this episode, "For the last twelve years I've been trying to wash my hands of all the horrible things I've done. I can't be with you, because I don't deserve you."

Why then, if this is a world he himself created (along with the others), would he have put himself through this? Simple: Nadia was never "the one", or whatever you want to call it. His afterlife consists of desiring a woman he can never have. Essentially, he is punishing himself. Of course, Shannon could never be involved in any of this. If she was then they'd be awakened. And, each needs to find the path to find one another.

Shannon is Sayid's soulmate. She is the one he spoke of when with the Man In Black in this episode.

So, Sayid's afterlife has him going all dark on us. Of course, he's not evil. What he does here is for the greater good - at least, that's how he feels. Taking Keamy and Co. out will help his brother, his children, and of course Nadia.

Speaking of Keamy and Omar. It's nice that they appear in Sayid's flashsideways, considering how he interacted with them so closely in season four. Fitting that he kills Keamy, when the guy was so close to killing him back in "There's No Place Like Home."

Anyway, so Sayid's not evil in the flashsideways. Why would he be? Remember, these flashsideways are the afterlife for each character. So, Sayid didn't die doing something bad. He died so that his friends would have a chance to live. He made the ultimate sacrifice. This is why he is not suffering in his flashsideways. But, his everlasting guilt over the things he has done makes it hard to experience.

As for the island story, Sayid accepts his fate. Or, what he thinks is his fate. Do I believe for one second that he believes the Man In Black is going to give him Shannon? Not at all. But, he's always been told he was not a good person. Back in "He's Our You" we found out that even as a child he was seen as a killer. Sayid goes with the flow on this one. The fact that the Man In Black has claimed him only makes the decision easier. Look closely at Sayid's face when Ben sees him. That's evil. But, that evil will only last so long. Eventually, Sayid's friends will bring him back.

Well, one specifically. And, when that happens a few episodes from now, I'll smile at the writer's notion that the one to help Sayid was one who was helped greatly by him on a little episode called "The Constant." Desmond returns the favor, saving Sayid from oblivion.

Also, Dogen's story was great. It showed how Jacob chooses people who are nowhere near perfect. Why then did the lists exist? Well, they existed to give those who came to the island, and were good, a chance to live peacefully, while the non-chosen were left to the rest of the island making choices and discovering their destinies.

"Sundown" ends on a rather gloomy note. Jacob knew the Man In Black was coming to the Temple, and yet he does nothing to prevent it.

Right?

Wrong. First off, the guy's dead. Second, that temple has stood for who knows how long. Jacob did his job for a long time and kept the Man In Black out. It was just that...well, the time had come.

You can feel that the end is coming with this episode. And, that the end may involve a lot of darkness.

We can hope for redemption.

LOST: THE FINAL SEASON (Revisited) - "Lighthouse"

"Thomas the Apostle. When Jesus wanted to return to Judea, knowing

that he would probably be murdered there, Thomas said to the others,

'Let us go, that we might die with him.' But Thomas was not

remembered for this bravery. His claim to fame came later, when he

refused to acknowledge the resurrection. He just couldn't wrap his mind

around it. The story goes that he needed to touch Jesus' wounds to be convinced."

"So was he?"

"Of course he was. We're all convinced sooner or later, Jack."

Our first introduction to the mirror motif occurred in "LA X." It was Jack who was featured. Now, in his own sideways story, we see a new mirror moment. This one is similar, a companion piece if you will, to the one from the premiere. Each concern Jack discovering a cut - a wound of some kind. These moments will not be paid off until the finale, but they set things up very nicely. There's a mystery there that entices viewers to continue watching.

The real mirror image moment occurs on the island. Why is this the mirror moment of the episode? Because it's the island story that reigns supreme in this episode.

That's not to say that things in the sideways universe are slow and unimportant. On the contrary, the sideways world introduces us to Jack's son. And, even though we find out much later that this kid doesn't really exist, that can somewhat be deduced by watching this episode for the first time. After all, the kid looks so damn much like Jack. Of course, he's his son but come on. When we first meet David, we see him dressed like his father.

The storyline is also very similar to what Jack went through with Christian, albeit in a different way. The point of the sideways story in "Lighthouse" is for Jack to get passed all the baggage from his life, so that he can start the process of letting go. That moment between him and David after the concert has Jack coming to terms with his own relationship with his father. David is essentially Jack. And, Jack is Christian. By switching roles, Jack is able to understand his troubled relationship with his father from another angle and this allows him to understand just how complicated it was. It also allows him to find peace.

You know, it's funny. I remember reading comments after "316" had aired, with people talking about how they thought that Jack had become a believer too quickly. I had thought those comments were so off-track. For one, Jack began his change from man of science to man of faith after John had visited him in "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham." By the time (chronologically) "Through the Looking Glass" came along, Jack was willing to find his purpose. But, he still wasn't a believer. Even though he marveled at how everyone showed up on the Ajira flight, most of "316" was about Jack still not wanting to fulling let himself go.

Hell, when Faraday brought his plan to Jack to blow up an atom bomb, Jack accepted it, because he thought it was his destiny. The thing was, Jack was forcing things, instead of allowing things to be. He still hadn't changed. He was still stubborn. And, he was still trying to fix things. "Lighthouse" is about Jack finally understanding that he needs to let go in order to find - rather, discover - his destiny.

At the lighthouse, Jack finds out that Jacob has been watching him his entire life. This freaks Jack out, and in one last act of defiance, he destroys the mirrors in the lighthouse. But, he doesn't do it out of anger toward Jacob. And, that Jacob would not appear to him. Bullshit. He does it because he's angry at himself. He realizes that he's really had a destiny for his entire life. But, that he is only now seeing that. If only he'd known and/or accepted it sooner. Would lives have been spared?

Maybe. And, that's the kind of question, along with countless of others that must be going through his mind as he stares out into the ocean at the end of the episode. The mirror image from earlier in the episode symbolized the Jack finally looking at himself and realizing that John Locke was right when he spoke to Jack way back in "Exodus":

"I don't believe in destiny."

"Yes, you do. You just don't know it yet."

Also, it looks like Jacob assigned the candidates specific numbers, each coming from the degree to which the mirrors were set. Jack's was 23. Went at 23, the mirrors showed Jacob none of than Jack's life. The numbers then really are variables, whether they be ones in the Valenzetti Equation or in life.

LOST: THE FINAL SEASON (Revisited) - "The Substitute"

"Why would he kill himself?"

"Oh...there are many reasons, I'm sure, but the only one

that matters is this: he is going to help you get back.

John is going to be a proxy. A substitute."

"A substitute for who?"

As fate would have it, John Locke was never special. His purpose was to convince Jack that he was, and even Jack's specialness wouldn't last long. He was meant to show Hurley his true purpose. But, that's life, isn't it? We all do things, and everything has cause and effect built into it. Still, most would agree. Locke's story ended tragically, with him never finding any peace.

Enter the sideways universe, a.k.a. the afterlife.

John, of course, is still the same guy - at first. He feels he can do anything he sets his mind to - that he can be and do anything. This reflects the attitude he showed in flashbacks during the first four seasons. The words, "Don't tell me what I can't do" defined pre-island Locke. Once he found his legs, Locke thought he'd found his purpose: to protect the island. And, the bitch of it all was he was right. The island needed protecting. But no one believed him.

When he left the island in season five, he confronted most of the Oceanic Six and tried his best to convince them to return. He died not fully comprehending that he'd begun their journey back to the island. Once dead, Ben was able to get a hold of his body and the returning survivors were able to use it in order to return to the island. Locke was a substitute for Jack's father's body back in season one.

Locke ended up being another's substitute. The Man In Black used Locke's body to trick Ben, Richard, and the Others into leading him to Jacob. We know what happened next.

In the sideways world, Locke is a man very much like he was pre-island. The conversation with Rose proves it. She does her best to convince him otherwise. She succeeds, of course, probably because she knows exactly what to say. After all, she's been awakened and needs John to be as well.

And, this time, Locke realizes that this is true. He can't do everything. He's not special.

Unlike Kate, he doesn't look at himself in the mirror. It's there to keep things up thematically. But, he doesn't need it. He's made his choice. Something within him has opened his eyes. He's not awakened, but he begins to live his life differently this time around. But, why?

To understand the sideways world, one has to always remember that they occur after everyone has died. Kate left the island with Claire and most likely stay close with her until they both passed. This explains their strong connection in "What Kate Does". This also explains why it's Aaron who brings them close together. The three of them most have spent a great deal of their lives together.

As for John, he died at the end of "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham." He died after being turned away by Sayid, Kate, Hurley, and Jack. He died after leaving behind Walt. He died knowing that he never got to spend time with Helen after she rejected his proposal years before. He died alone. Sure, Ben was there. But, he was never John's friend. The guy murdered him for crying out loud. He was a bastard. And, John's life was all the more worse because of it.

Cut to "The Substitute." John wants Helen. He understands that he may not get everything he wants in life, but he has her, and that is something he wants more than anything. So, he takes a job as a high school substitute teacher, and he begins his journey to the Church.

Even in the afterlife, John's purpose is contrary to what he wants.

On the island, we follow the Man In Black, now in Locke's body as he begins to further his plans to finally "go home." He tries to recruit Richard but moves on to James, who looks more than willing to get the hell of the island.

The episode ends with a big reveal. Jacob has been bringing people to the island for quite some time in order for them to replace him as protector of the island. He called these people "candidates." Sawyer is one. Locke was one. Each of them received a special number. And, these numbers are the infamous ones: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42. Not only were these numbers variables in the Valenzetti Equation, but they were assigned to the variables in the equation of life. Back in his episode "The Variable," Daniel Faraday speculated that each person was a variable and each person that the ability to cause great change. Turns out he was wrong about preventing the incident, but was he correct about variables?

Could Sawyer, Jack, Sun or Jin, or Hurley cause great change? Locke did when he brought them back to the island. Perhaps these others have that ability, too. The thing is, does the Man In Black know this? Did Jacob?

And, why those numbers? Next time: "Lighthouse."

LOST: THE FINAL SEASON (Revisited) - "What Kate Does"

"What are you thinking?"

"Thinkin' about running, Kate."

I remember hating this episode when it came out. I thought, "Why in the hell are they spending time telling a boring 'sideways' story like this?" I guess perspective is everything. Rewatching "What Kate Does" for the first time since, with the knowledge of everything that happened after, I gotta say it plays a lot better this time out.

First off, the island story is really two stories. The first is the beginning of Sayid's final arc on the show. Again, he's designated the bad person. But, we all know that Sayid has more good in him than evil. Still, seeing Dogen do those experiments on him made me realize just how terrified the Others were of Sayid. Watching Dogen's face throughout that "torture" scene, I saw that the guy did not enjoy what he was doing and seemed mesmerized by what was unfolding before his eyes. After all, he truly believes that these experiments meant something. Therefore, if they conclude that Sayid has been claimed by the Man In Black, of course they'd be terrified. Of course, they'd want him dead. However, I'm pretty sure they can't kill the guy. He's a candidate after all. They must find a way for someone else to kill him - like persuading Jack to give him a poisoned pill.

And, why are the Others such assholes? Well, think about all of this from their perspective. Most, if not all (aside from Dogen), have never seen Jacob. They only know about his lists. And, his lists pretty stated that these candidates were not worthy of joining them. They're scum, essentially. Finding out that they're special doesn't dramatically change what they've felt toward these people for years. Suddenly they have to care for them - protect them. Fine. But, they won't do it with a smile on their face.

The other island story involves James Ford (I stopped knowing him as Sawyer sometime during season four).

Anyone watching this episode thinking that there's anything remotely romantic going on between him and Kate are desperate for some Skate action. If anything, their relationship evolved into a mature one between two former lovers. In fact, they probably still care a lot for one another. But, time passed. Kate found Jack. James found Juliet. And, his tearful confession to Kate on the dock showed just how far the former confidence man had come. What a story was told about this man. Just two episodes in, and James's final arc of the series will prove to be one of personal discovery, as he begins to live life once again "alone."

Off-island, the sideways story, finds Kate in a similar position in which he met her way back in season one. She's wanted for murder. She's a fugitive. This Kate, however, is cold and violent. Look at the way she points the gun at Claire in the back of that cab.

When she goes back to get Claire, suddenly this story clicks with the on-island story. Kate came back to island to find Claire. In the sideways, Kate goes back to see if Claire is okay. Why? After seeing what Claire had packed, Kate catches her own reflection in the mirror. There must be some kind of recognition. She feels - she knows - that she must go back and help Claire. Why? Because she did so in life. Since the sideways are the afterlife, she repeats the same actions. Kate is still the same person. Helping Claire, taking her to the hospital. It makes sense. They form the first bond in the sideways world. Finally, notice Kate runs in each of her stories in this episode, but that she ends up running toward the same person: Claire.

As for Ethan's appearance. Is he real or created by the two of them? It's possible that he was created, the way we use people we've met to inhabit characters in our dreams. Then again, his name is Ethan Goodspeed. Did they know his last name in life? Probably not. But, Juliet did. She helped his mother deliver him. Since Juliet is in the sideways, it's possible she created this Ethan to inhabit this world.

"What Kate Does" focuses on Kate beginning to let go - the reason for the sideways. It's no longer about her past, about what she "did." It's about what she "does." It's about seeing herself in that mirror and changing things. It's about her running for the right reasons.

LOST: THE FINAL SEASON (Revisited) - "LA X"

 

"It's okay. Y-you can let go now."

"Looks like we made it."

"Yeah. We sure did."

And, so began the sixth and final season to Lost. When we left the show, Jack and co. were following up on late-Daniel Faraday's plan to blow a hydrogen bomb to change things. Meanwhile, it looked like Locke was no longer Locke but the mysterious Man In Black. He'd pursuaded Ben to kill Jacob. The final moments from season five saw a dying Juliet set off the bomb.

There was a white light. And, that was that.

The opening sequence to "LA X", the premiere episode, showed us that things had changed. Right?

No. Turns out whatever happened, happened. As Jack would say in the finale (I'm getting ahead of myself but bear with me), "There are no shortcuts, no do-overs. What happened, happened. Trust me, I know. All of this matters." So, the Losties always went back in time and always set off the bomb, which ended up being the very incident they were trying to stop.

But, then, what the heck was that opening sequence and the proceeding scenes all about? Well, these scenes were some sort of afterlife for the Losties, and these "flash-sideways" provided insight into who these characters were before death. None of them knew where they were. They had to be awakened for that to happen. Watch that opening scene again. Rose clearly knows what's going on. Bernard doesn't seem to be awakened...yet. ("The Candidate" should prove that he eventually did receive an awakening, though.)

In fact, Boone looks like he knows what's up, too.

And, as Sayid lies dying before Hurley, he says, "I've tortured more people than I can remember. I murdered. Wherever I'm going...it can't be very pleasant." Hurley tries to protest but Sayid continues, saying, "I deserve it." Later, we'll find out that Sayid's afterlife-world is not a happy place. He's not with Nadia and still finds himself killing for the greater good. He created the afterlife he felt he deserved.

Now, as for Locke and Ben. It's interesting to hear him tell Ben that he "wants to go home." The first time I saw the episode, my jaw hit the floor. I had so many ideas running through my mind. Was he a fallen angel? An alien?

Nope. Turns out the Man In Black really was a man in black. More on that later.

Worthy of note is that Jack learns about Locke being in a wheelchair in the flash-sideways. It always kind of bothered me that Jack never learned that the island had healed Locke. Perhaps that would have helped in his transition from man of science to man of faith. Not matter. The flash-sideways helped develop this aspect of their relationship very well, making that moment where they meet in the church all the more powerful. It all begins at the airport, where the two's conversation echoes the conversation they had in season one's "White Rabbit."

And, ah, yes - the Temple. Dogen, specifically. He remains my favorite small but substantial character in all six seasons of the show. The guy was mysterious, yet we knew his backstory. He was a badass, but also conflicted. He was in and out of the show very quickly but he left an indelible mark on the show and the characters. Don't believe me? Check back when I revisit "Lighthouse" and "Sundown."

By episode's end, we've been re-introduced to the main players. Jacob and the Man In Black look to be major players as well. Mysteries are answered and/or paid off (seeing the Temple, finding out what or who the smoke monster was, seeing what happened after the bomb went off, etc.). "LA X" is definitely how you begin a season. That this was the last season makes it all the more meaningful.

Lost, it turns out, is all about character. The flash-sideways prove this. First up, Kate.