Final Thoughts on Lost

I was planning to post a long rant on why I didn't like the series finale of Lost. Truth is, I no longer care, and I've decided to move on with my life.

The day after the finale, I posted this on Facebook: "I think I would like to travel to a parallel universe and see a different #Lost ending." I've changed my mind. I would rather use a time machine, travel back in time, and tell myself not to start watching the show in the first place! Of course, I can't be sure if this will affect my timeline or create an alternate timeline in which I never watched Lost. Will I exist in the alternate timeline or the original one? Perhaps I will forego time travel and interdimensional travel, and instead have all memory of season 6 wiped from my mind.....

Several other interesting posts relating to the series finale, before I forget about it and move on:

Never Raise a Question that You Can't Answer by Andy Inahtko

What Anime Can Teach You About Ending a Story by Madeline Ashby (io9)

Someone from Bad Robots take on the Lost finale (Lostpedia)

I would like to make one comment on that last post, by "Someone from Bad Robot." He or she claims that the writers knew how the show was going to end all along. However, check out this quote from James Parriott, creator of the short-lived sci-fi series "Defying Gravity:"

“I love the show [Lost], and Damon [Lindelof] and Carlton [Cuse]. I did a lot with Grey’s Anatomy during the first couple of years of Grey’s, and that first year of Grey’s was the first year of Lost, and I did a lot of dinners with ABC buyers with those two guys and Shonda Rhimes from Grey’s. Carlton is a really bright and funny guy, and he gets up, and the first question out of the foreign buyers’ mouths is ‘where’s it going to go? Do you know where it’s going to go?’, and he said ‘I haven’t a clue.’ And then he sits down across from me at the dinner table, and I remember saying ‘Damon, come on, that’s bullshit, right? I mean, you know where it’s going to go.’ And he says, ‘Jim, I haven’t a clue. I’m four episodes out; that’s all I know.’

Source: "How Defying Gravity would have progressed, straight from the creator" by Keith McDuffee (cliqueclack.com)

'Nuff said!

I'm reading: Final Thoughts on Lost

NPR on "Lost" and Alternate Universes

I am probably going to rant about this in the next couple of days, but I wanted to share this article that my friend Dexter Edge shared with me. It hits the nail on the head for me with regard to my biggest pet peeve about the series finale of "Lost." (Warning: Spoilers)

'Lost' And The Science of Alternate Universes : NPR

I'm reading: NPR on "Lost" and Alternate Universes

Theories on the Lost Season Finale

*Spoiler Alert: If you haven't yet seen the season 5 finale of Lost, don't read any further!*

I personally enjoyed the season finale of Lost. I thought it answered quite a few questions, yet, in true Lost fashion, brought up just as many new questions.

One of the biggest questions, of course, is the identity of Jacob's enemy. I've seen a few theories on the internet, and one of the most prominent is that he is the Smoke Monster ("Smoky.") I think that is a credible one, and even if he isn't Smoky, it could be that Smoky is an ally. One thing that I think is pretty obvious is that he is the personage of Christian Shepherd seen on the island since the crash of 815, and he may well have been many of the other ghosts that have appeared to people throughout the show. Another theory floating around is that Jacob's enemy 

(some people are calling him Anti-Jacob, some Esau, from the Biblical story) can only appear as people who have died, and the corpse has to be on the island, which is why Locke died and his corpse was put on the plane.

Anti-Jacob obviously went through some elaborate measures to orchestrate this "loophole," and it's interesting to go back and look at some of the things that could possibly be attributed to him.

I have another theory that I haven't seen discussed anywhere else. It is evident that Jacob knew at some point that Anti-Jacob was orchestrating these things. Otherwise, I don't think he would have asked Ilana to help him. I originally assumed that when Bram and several other people kidnapped Miles and tried to persuade him not to go to the island, this was Ben's doing. However, seeing him with Ilana convinced me that this was Jacob's doing.

If Jacob knew anti-Jacob was orchestrating something and suspected the connection with Locke, it's possible that he sent some of the losties back to 1977 in hopes that they would, in fact, change history, so that Locke would never even go to the island in the first place. Of course, we won't know if it even worked until early 2010! Anyway, it seems logical that this could be Jacob's failsafe, in case Anti-Jacob moved against him. He would basically be able to get a "do-over."

I know some of my readers are also Lost fans, and I would love it if you would post some of your theories on the episode here.

I'm reading: Theories on the Lost Season Finale

Science of Watchmen

I know, I'm YouTube crazy this week. It just happens that I found two geektabulous items on SlashFilm, and I just had to share them. This, the second one, concerns the comic book adaptation that I personally have been waiting for with great anticipation - "Watchmen." It's a great explanation of the science behind the graphic novel/film by the scientist who actually served as science advisor for the production.

On a related note, from everything I have read about the film, this is an extremely faithful adaptation. If you are planning to see it and haven't read the graphic novel, go pick up a copy and read it this weekend. You won't be sorry!

(via SlashFilm)

I'm reading: Science of Watchmen

Back to the Future Alternate Ending

This is what happens when "Doc Brown overshoots the future by a few years..."

(via SlashFilm)

I'm reading: Back to the Future Alternate Ending

RIP Forrest J Ackerman

Forrest J. Ackerman, the dean of sci-fi/horror fandom, is dead at 92. For those of us who grew up reading his words of wit and wisdom in "Famous Monsters" and elsewhere, this is a sad day!

Obits:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2008/12/forrest-j-acker.html

http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2008/12/rip-forrest-ack.html

Wikipedia Article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_J_Ackerman

I'm reading: RIP Forrest J Ackerman

I'm in Geek Heaven!

I've heard some exiting news in the last several days! First, I heard that Joss Whedon has unexpectedly decided to return to television. He is developing a new series starring Eliza Dushku, called "Dollhouse." There's been all kinds of buzz about this, and another rabid Whedon fan has already created this website, which has quite a bit of info.

The second bit of exciting and surprising news: X-Files 2 is coming out next year! Chris Carter is directing, and David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are both in it!! If the rumor I've heard is correct, we may see it in theaters next July.

There's not much more I can say - I'm too overwhelmed with joy. Since some of my geek wishes have been granted, if anyone is listening, here is what will make my life complete:
1. The Star Trek remake doesn't suck
2. "Fray" gets made into a movie
3. Marvel does an "Avengers" movie and DC does a "Green Lantern" movie (no cartoons, though, they should both be live action.)
4. Bruce Campbell does "Bubba Ho-Tep 2," and "They Call Me Bruce" actually gets a theatrical release!

These are a few of my favorite things!

I'm reading: I'm in Geek Heaven!

What Are Your Non-Musical Influences?

I just finished watching a documentary on the SciFi channel called "The Sci Fi Boys." It brought back quite a few memories. I had forgotten how, as a boy who was an avid scifi and horror fan, some of these people seemed like rock stars to me. Names like Forrest J. Ackerman, Ray Harryhausen, George Pal, Ray Bradbury, and Robert Heinlein seemed like household names to me, while most of my classmates did not know who these people were at all. I, however, was an avid reader of "Forry" Ackerman's magazine "Famous Monsters of Filmland." "Jason and the Argonauts" and "The Time Machine" were probably my two favorite movies as a kid. By the time I was in high school, I had read most of Ray Bradbury's books, and I did indeed read every book ever written by Robert Heinlein!

The documentary was, of course, about how the early directors, writers, animators, makeup/effects artists, and one magazine publisher influenced the next generation of scifi/horror filmmakers. Interestingly, though, these people were also an influence on me, and I did not go into the film business. Of course, if I think about it, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, John Romita, Frank Miller, and many other Marvel Comics writers and artists from the 1960's-1980's held rock-star-like status for me, but I never went into the comic business. I chose to go into music. And yet, comics, scifi and horror were a big part of my life, so they must have had an influence on my later work, even though I went into a different creative field.

When you read an interview of a band, artist, or songwriter, they are usually asked about their musical influences. Just last night in my singer/songwriter class, I asked several songwriters who they listened to. However, you rarely hear musicians asked about what they read, what kind of movies they watch, or who their favorite (visual) artists are. So, I would like to ask any of my blog readers who are musicians right now: What are your non-musical influences? I want to hear from you!

I'm reading: What Are Your Non-Musical Influences?

Yet Another Hilarious Video!

This one featuring William Shatner is cringe-inducing, but keep watching it, because it gets funnier and funnier! I can't believe I never saw this before!

I'm reading: Yet Another Hilarious Video!