Movies: January 2008 Archives
Review by Mike HeronimeWhen the last season of Lost ended, we couldn't figure out what we would do with our Wednesday nights so we decided to re-watch the last three seasons of Lost before tonight's premier of Season Four. We watched a couple of episodes each Wednesday until we got to January and then mapped out how many episodes we had left before January 31st. In January, we watched about 4 to 5 episodes each week. Last night we watched the last two episodes of Season Three in our final preparation for Season Four's commencement (God, we sound like such dorks).
Like so many others, we have been captivated by the mystery of Lost. With every new story thread it's easy to doubt that the creators of the show are following a central plot. Or that they even know themselves what the answers are to their web of questions and puzzles. It's not hard to believe that Lost's creators aren't even sure how this whole crazy thing is going to end yet. And then, when you pour over the episodes again, you see how all these things are connected, even if you still don't know what they mean.
Near the end of Season Three, you start to imagine that you're so very close to learning the answers to the secrets of Lost. Hanging out with the Others revealed so much, but in typical Lost fashion, raised so many more questions. And with a stroke of genius, they feed us a flash-forward which totally turns everything upside down again. Then comes the promotions for Season Four. "Lost is now Found," they say. "All your questions will be answered," they promise.
Tonight's episode does what Abrams and Lindeloff and company have done so well for the last three seasons. It convinces you that you know what everything means, and then Jack walks in on Hugo and Hugo apologizes, "I shoulda gone with you instead of Lock." Whoosh! What happened? How did Hugo end up off the island if he went with Jack? What's Charlie talking about? Is Hugo crazy? And if Jack's not crazy, what's Kate's problem? The flash forwards are amazingly effective as story telling devices. Maybe even more so then the flash backs. That might be the biggest surprise yet. Every season, nearly every episode, these guys rewrite the rule book, spin their story in a new direction, introduce new characters and new story threads, create new devices, and of course, new mysteries.
Tonight's season premier of Lost is just like all of the other episodes. It's unexpected. Exciting. Perplexing. Mesmerizing. And satisfying in it's ability to leave you wanting moe. So much more. Here's to a new season of Lost.
Review by Mike Heronime
Last Saturday, we drove from Dallas to Denton (about a 40 minute drive) to cruise the campus (UNT), have dinner, and catch a movie. We were pretty intent on seeing Cloverfield having exchanged Cloverfield for the Bucket List the night before. Given all that we were trying to accomplish during our Denton trek, its no wonder that we ended up at the movie theater with no time to spare. The guy at the ticket counter warned us that the movie was pretty full and that we would likely have to sit in one of the front rows. And as he put it, "it might make us throw up."
It was at this point that I realized two things: Cloverfield was going to be an experience that I was not entirely prepared for. And Mexican food for dinner was a bad idea. Luckily we were able to score a couple of seats together in the middle of the theater after sheepishly asking a few people to move closer together to make room for us. Good thing too. I'm not a squeamish person but after sitting through J.J. Abrams answer to the question, "What happens when the Blair Witch Meets Godzilla," I was pretty happy that I wasn't sitting in the front row.
By now, you've probably heard about the unorthodox approach taken by the Cloverfield creative crew in filming their monster movie. From beginning to end, the audience experiences the entire film through the lens of a hand held video camera being shared by a small circle of friends. These friends are enjoying a fun -- if not overly typical -- going away party for one of their group when the Manhattan apartment they are rockin' starts shaking violently. Rushing to the roof they begin to witness the spectacle of an exploding Manhattan.
For the next hour and half, this group of friends rushes outside where they nearly get creamed with the head of the Statue of Liberty, try to leave Manhattan on the Brooklyn Bridge where they lose one of their friends to a giant tentacle or tail that smashed the bridge to pieces, attempt to escape through the Subway where they are attacked by monsters, rush to a stranded friend's aid in a collapsing skyscraper, and fly out of town (or almost out of town) in an open helicopter. All along the way, we're treated to glimpses of a giant monster on a mindless rampage.
This movie risks a lot by taking such an unconventional approach to what would typically be a summer blockbuster type action movie. And I think their risk pays off. From watching this movie, you get the feeling that you now know what it would REALLY be like if you were in a city when it was attacked by Godzilla or King Kong. Thankfully, this level of reality was never spoiled by attempts to explain the origins of the monster or long involved plans to destroy the monster. Just the simple human reaction to crisis and the need to survive.
Best of all, the movie ends the way a horror movie should end -- unhappily.
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be trapped in a subway with the son of Rodan, be sure to check out Cloverfield before it comes out on DVD. This is definitely a flick for the big screen. And if you're really adventurous, be sure to take a seat in the front row.
Enjoy.
Last Saturday, we drove from Dallas to Denton (about a 40 minute drive) to cruise the campus (UNT), have dinner, and catch a movie. We were pretty intent on seeing Cloverfield having exchanged Cloverfield for the Bucket List the night before. Given all that we were trying to accomplish during our Denton trek, its no wonder that we ended up at the movie theater with no time to spare. The guy at the ticket counter warned us that the movie was pretty full and that we would likely have to sit in one of the front rows. And as he put it, "it might make us throw up."
It was at this point that I realized two things: Cloverfield was going to be an experience that I was not entirely prepared for. And Mexican food for dinner was a bad idea. Luckily we were able to score a couple of seats together in the middle of the theater after sheepishly asking a few people to move closer together to make room for us. Good thing too. I'm not a squeamish person but after sitting through J.J. Abrams answer to the question, "What happens when the Blair Witch Meets Godzilla," I was pretty happy that I wasn't sitting in the front row.
By now, you've probably heard about the unorthodox approach taken by the Cloverfield creative crew in filming their monster movie. From beginning to end, the audience experiences the entire film through the lens of a hand held video camera being shared by a small circle of friends. These friends are enjoying a fun -- if not overly typical -- going away party for one of their group when the Manhattan apartment they are rockin' starts shaking violently. Rushing to the roof they begin to witness the spectacle of an exploding Manhattan.
For the next hour and half, this group of friends rushes outside where they nearly get creamed with the head of the Statue of Liberty, try to leave Manhattan on the Brooklyn Bridge where they lose one of their friends to a giant tentacle or tail that smashed the bridge to pieces, attempt to escape through the Subway where they are attacked by monsters, rush to a stranded friend's aid in a collapsing skyscraper, and fly out of town (or almost out of town) in an open helicopter. All along the way, we're treated to glimpses of a giant monster on a mindless rampage.
This movie risks a lot by taking such an unconventional approach to what would typically be a summer blockbuster type action movie. And I think their risk pays off. From watching this movie, you get the feeling that you now know what it would REALLY be like if you were in a city when it was attacked by Godzilla or King Kong. Thankfully, this level of reality was never spoiled by attempts to explain the origins of the monster or long involved plans to destroy the monster. Just the simple human reaction to crisis and the need to survive.
Best of all, the movie ends the way a horror movie should end -- unhappily.
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be trapped in a subway with the son of Rodan, be sure to check out Cloverfield before it comes out on DVD. This is definitely a flick for the big screen. And if you're really adventurous, be sure to take a seat in the front row.
Enjoy.
