Monthly Archives: March 2010

It’s always darkest before the…

Posted by Marco Sparks on

So, last night’s episode of Lost, “Sundown,” 6X06, was quite frankly fucking amazing. From baseballs to boomerangs, it was dark, epic, and just gorgeous in it’s depths. You’re watching it and even though it’s the final season of this show, you’re thankful that we’re still in the first half.

We’re not quite to the end, you remind yourself. There’s so much more to savor. There’s still time…

Not for Sayid though!

So many questions! Again, the Others: What exactly is their power structure or hierarchy of leadership? If Ben was the leader of the Others for a significant portion of time, how is it that he doesn’t know crucial things about Smoke Monster, but Dogen does? We know that Richard Alpert was both consigliere to the “leader” but also a go between said leader (be it Ellie, Widmore, or Ben) and Jacob. And then there’s Dogen…

Or there was Dogen, anyway.

Seemingly fate didn’t just bring Dogen to the Island, Jacob did directly. So where does Dogen rate on the power structure compared to someone like Richard Alpert? And if it’s Dogen’s continuing living presence that kept the Locke-ness Monster out, what was going on with the ash that temporarily protected Bram under the statue?

And Ilana seems to know quite a bit, presumably having gotten her info from Jacob himself. So she’s technically an expert, right? Does she know as much as Richard Alpert, or more? Those too should really do a coffee and sit down. And answer some of my questions. For example: Why is the Man in Black recruiting?

Regardless, I have a feeling that the story of the Others is going to be one of those many mysteries that we’re always left a little curious about.

Also, Claire?

Still nuts, but I feel like, to me, her story just got a whole lot more interesting…

The Flash Sideways world: Keamy and Omary, whatever. A perfect depiction of them, as they would be in that world, certainly.

And this episodes sideways flashing gave us a fascinating continuation of Sayid’s story, but from a different perspective, from another angle. And with Jin’s appearance there, are we going to start seeing the threads of the Sideways world coming together?

That said, let’s get back to what matters: this episode might as well have been called “FUCK YEAH SAYID.”

Sayid, fan favorite, everyone’s favorite Iraqi with an Iranian passport, killer with a heart of gold. He’s seeking answers about his place in the world, and getting into fights with Japanese masters of weird and ancient temples.

He’s making deals with the devil, getting infected with “the darkness,” and then delivering messages…

When there’s no more room in Hell, SAYID WILL WALK THE EARTH.

Adults are just obsolete children.

Posted by Marco Sparks on

“Nonsense wakes up the brain cells. And it develops a sense of humor, which si awfully important in this day and age. Humor has a tremendous place in this sordid world. It’s more than just a matter of laughing. If you can see things out of whack, then you can see how things can be in whack.”

-Dr. Theordore Geisel, AKA Dr. Seuss.

Today is Dr. Seuss’ birthday!

The thing that always captured me about the works of Dr. Seuss as a kid wasn’t that there was some joy of reading out there for my childlike self to discover, not yet. Sure, that would follow soon on the heels of discovering Suess’s fascinating world of characters and silliness…

And it’s funny, when my mother first started taking me to libraries, and first started showing me that books contained not just knowledge, but whole worlds inside them, whole new amazing discoveries, she would say things like, “Oh, the places you’ll go!” I knew it was cheesy back then, but didn’t know she was cribbing it from Seuss himself. It didn’t matter though. When she said it, I believed her. She was my mother, after all. And her boundless enthusiasm about the world of literature that was about to come crashing down on me was far too intoxicating.

But, no, the world of Seuss isn’t just a gateway to the joys of reading. His works and the works of someone like Shel Silverstein, whom I see many parallels, taught you more about the rhyme and reason, to pardon the pun there, of the world that awaited children. They showed you something else: silliness and nonsense.

Your parents and teachers read these stories to you or introduced them to you and they too thought they were nonsense. And as a kid, there’s so many things you don’t understand, so many things that you know you don’t understand and you look at your parents for those answers and some things are just too big to explain to the mind of a child. And there’s far too many questions that you can have to which the answer “…when you’re older” just hurts to hear. But then Seuss comes into your hands. You read it with your parents or any adult and that smile comes on both of your faces, that smile and laugh at something so ridiculous, and it’s shared. It’s a simple world, one of hilarious images and rhyming dialogue and no narrative descriptions, and it’s easy and fun. For a second there, you’re on a plateau with anyone of all ages. And then you get your footing, you grow and develop, and you continue climbing.

The wartime political cartoons of Dr. Seuss:

from here.

Some linkage, unrelated:

Two literary superstars (Ian McEwan and Rick Moody) publishing science fiction soon.

Abe Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.

Nanotube thermocells hold promise as energy source.

Looting in Chile.

Speaking of which, the earthquake in Chile may have changed the Earth’s axis, shortened days on the planet.

The mystery of nuclear scientist’s “bizarre” disappearance.

Roger Ebert gets his voice back.

The world’s first temple?

“Jumbo shrimp.”

Doing an about-face on “overmedicated” children.

Really, Carly, it’s about David Geffen? Really?

Roger Ailes is a self-loathing liberal.

The fascinating letterheads of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison.

The universe is “hella big.”

“Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them.”

-Geisel

Seuss and the frequently mentioned cat, from the Dr. Suess Memorial.

Man wrecks car; pisses life away.

Posted by Benjamin Light on

So I’m watching Point Break, as promised, and wondering why some people just seem to hate this movie. And I think I have the answer: the 10 minute rule.

Anyone in filmmaking knows that most people make up their mind about a movie in the first ten minutes. It either grabs them, or it doesn’t. And you know what’s missing from the first 10 minutes of Point Break? Patrick fucking Swayze. I guess I can see how some people just saw this as a Keanu flick and checked out. Because Keanu, after all, is Keanu. But Swayze just lives his role as Bohdi. I mean, if you had told me that the Swayz knocked off a couple small banks on the side to get into the part I would have totally believed you.

Before Swayze shows up, Point Break is mostly ho-hum. Then it turns into some kind of awesome roller-coaster where Bohdi can walk into a scene and say “Johnny has his own demons to deal with. Don’t you, Johnny?” and you totally buy it.

The man is fascinating, and you kind of wish he made 10o more movies in his career. There’s like a Tao of Swayze that needs to be studied in film schools. If I can take an auteur class on Ida Lupino, surely there’s room for a seminar or two on the career of Patrick Swayze.

A fascinating man.

Anyway.

Just an open word out there to all you supposed Lost fans who seem to pop up EVERY FUCKING SEASON whining about how you’re not getting enough answers: It’s a fucking mystery show! You are never going to get all the answers until it’s over. You knew this in Season 1. Why are you still here if that was a problem? Let me tell you why the rest of us fans are still here: because of the characters. If you’re not into it, then fuck off and quit bitching. This is the last season; enjoy it like fine wine instead of demanding a rush to the ending. Ass.

In other news, Rogue Wave has a new album out, just listening to it right now.

A man in Washington crashed into a telephone pole in his car. He survived without serious injury and called his family for help. Then he took a piss near a live electrical wire and electrocuted himself to death. That’s fucking awesome, some real Final Destination shit.

Root beer makes a fine mixer for vodka.

Jerry Brown is probably going to be the next governor of Cali. If you’re wondering why this state is so fucked up, look no further than that and Prop 13. Also, if you don’t live in California, don’t get cocky. We just got here first, you’re next.

If Jerry Brown is the answer, we're asking the wrong question

Under-rated Point Break moment: Johnny Utah jumping out of a plane after Bohdi. No parachute, just a gun. If Jack Bauer did that we’d all be jizzing in our pants.

I really want to read this book.

That is all.

The person I am tonight.

Posted by Marco Sparks on

“Think how you love me,” she whispered. “I don’t ask you to love me always like this, but I ask you to remember. Somewhere inside me there’ll always be the person I am to-night.”

-from Tender Is The Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald.