If last week’s Richard-centric flashback episode was a different kind of LOST, and it was, then this week’s “The Package” was a lot of the same old, same old. But for a show that, by last estimate, was drawing over 10 million viewers per episode, the same old is clearly working well.
This week’s episode moved along the Jacob/Man-in-Black plot quite speedily while still, in true LOST fashion, revealing only scant details surrounding the billion other questions that fans have.
I haven’t seen one of the new 3D movies. We didn’t go watch Avatar when it was in theatres, and personally I think the technology seems pretty hokey. But what about choose your own adventure?
The clip below, from a company called 13th Street is advertising a new kind of cinema, one in which the viewer can interact with the film and change the outcome. In this case, it’s done by phoning different viewers in the audience and changing the outcome of the film based on recognized voice commands. Is this the new step in immersive horror films or just another hokey Hollywood breakthrough?
What do you think? Leave a comment.
To any aspiring writer, learning that The Bishop’s Man is only Linden MacIntyre’s second novel is surely nothing short of depressing. MacIntyre’s story of one priest’s journey through the Catholic Church’s abuse scandals reads like he’s a writer who’s had lots of practice. He has, in a way. In the non-fiction realm, Linden MacIntyre is a well-known, award-winning investigative journalist. The host of Canada’s The Fifth Estate on public television and the often guest host of The Current on public radio, MacIntyre clearly has a prowess for fiction too.
In this new series Favourite Tracks, I thought I would share, with readers, some of my favourite tracks of all time. I’m not saying these are the best songs ever because I don’t think I’m qualified to compile that kind of list, but these are some of the songs that I like the best.
Death Cab for Cutie – A Movie Script Ending
I first came upon Death Cab for Cutie through a friend, I think. I remember browsing through some of their records—actual vinyl LPs—in a record shop in Toronto. I remember, later, listening to them and being amazed. Bands like Death Cab for Cutie were my introduction to indie rock way back when and when I heard it, for the first time, it was so brand new. When I come back to a track like A Movie Script Ending I still have that feeling.
Although Death Cab has greatly increased in popularity since 2001, and moved a great deal from their original sound, a track like this is a good reminder of where they came from. It still feels fresh and new. It’s the sound of a band nearing the brink of what would be their explosion into popular culture, but just before the edge. It’s a band that’s firing all all cylinders: great song-writing, spectacular musicality and even a video that’s a treat to watch. If I had to pick a favourite track of all time, just one, it very well might be A Movie Script Ending. And so, I begin this series here.
Those that know me well know that I love everything about the British royals—the Monarchy—so I approach a cinematic offering like The Young Victoria ready to just devour it. I’m happy to say that this film is a feast that doesn’t disappoint.
I should clarify. I do love the royals, but more than that, I love a good historical biopic film. The Young Victoria is exactly that: a dramatization of just what the name implies—the life of the young Queen Victoria. The beginning of the film covers Victoria’s growing up, her aging uncle, the King, and the power struggle that surrounded her eventual rise to the throne. Once she assumes the throne—and I hope I’m not spoiling this for anyone but she does become Queen—the rest of the film follows her settling into power, her mistakes and missteps, her personal life and, of course, her falling in love.
This week’s episode of LOST, “Ab Aeterno,” was what I imagine LOST fans everywhere have been waiting for this season. Answers. Ab Aeterno, which is Latin for “since the beginning,” was an almost full-length flashback episode telling the story of Richard Alpert, the never-aging adviser to the Others. Unique, in that it was almost an entire episode devoted to a flashback, it also significantly advanced the Jacob/Nemesis plot and answers scores upon scores of questions. Let’s do this…
Tonight’s episode of LOST is about Richard, one of the great mysteries of the island. Ironically, it feels like it’s been ages since we first met Richard. Back then we didn’t really understand much about him. He was an advisor to Ben, the leader of the Others, and seemed to wield significant power in his own right, but we didn’t know much more than that. Since then, we’ve learned a lot.
