LOST... and Not-Gonna-Be-Found

... At least not this week.

Tomorrow night the brand spanking-new season of one of television's best shows (and my personal favorite), LOST, premieres at 9 PM EST. I absolutely can not WAIT. The writers' strike may mean we get only 8 episodes instead of the planned 16, but as the good book says, "8 episodes of LOST is better than ZERO episodes of LOST." Seriously, look it up. Its somewhere in the back, I think.

I've spent the past few months pouring over any article about the show that I could find, watching and re-watching the epic two minute trailer for Season 4 that premiered on TV back in December, and discussing the show (Season 3 in particular) with anyone willing to devote at least two hours time to the lengthy conversation needed to cover all the mysteries, revelations, and twists the show brought us last season.

In other words, I am *pumped*.

Last season I watched DVR'd episodes in HD at my dad's house, and we planned to have a large LOST viewing party at his house tomorrow night. In attendance were to be:

My father
His girlfriend, Karen (another LOST junkie)
My girlfriend, Jennifer
My friend, Doug (whom I hooked on LOST through my DVD sets last year- he just finished Season 3 two weeks ago)
Our friend Adam and his girlfriend Chris (they too have only watched LOST through DVD sets and finished it a few weeks ago)

It was gonna be a rockin' good time. Then came the bombshell yesterday from the production coordinator for a show I work on: My production trip this weekend started earlier than planned, and now instead of flying out friday morning, I'd be leaving THURSDAY NIGHT.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO *cue overly dramatic music*!!! Oh, cruel world, what I did I do to deserve such a crushing fate?

In the immortal words of Eric Cartman as the Awesome-o 2000: "LAME".

I'm disappointed, devastated, depressed. Destroyed? Nah, too dark.

Party's cancelled. I won't even get into the hotel in time to watch the episode tomorrow night. Thank God for making DVR, though. Seriously, *whew*. I'm going to be out of town the next THREE thursday nights, which means I won't be watching my LOST episodes until the weekend. DVR, you are my saving grace.

So any of you guys planning to spoil what happens tomorrow night can just go ahead and CAN it. But enjoy it. Discuss it, debate it. Just don't do it with me (until prompted otherwise).

--Cbake

R.I.P. Heath Ledger

By now most of you have probably heard the shocking news that actor Heath Ledger is dead. When I first read the words on entertainment gossip sites like TheSuperficial.com or Filmdrunk yesterday, only three hours after he was pronounced dead, I thought it was a joke. It *had* to be a joke. My denial stage was working overtime because headlines like "Heath Ledger is Dead" did not make any sense.

Britney Spears should be dead.

Amy Winehouse should be dead.

Lindsay Lohan should be dead.

I would not be shocked at any headline that referred to those wasteful, drugged out, idiot women and their demise. But Heath Ledger? The man had nothing in common with them. He was never a target of the papparazzi or a hardcore party-goer. Drugs? They never factored into any story about him. Heath loved acting and really respected the craft. He wasn't in it for the money or the fame or the drugs and women. He did it because he loved it and because he wanted to better himself at it.

This is why it comes as such a shock. Heath Ledger had so much potential, and being at the young age of 28, he had a long life of challenging and entertaining roles ahead of him. If Tom Hanks passed away, we would feel shocked and saddened, but it would be a different sort of grief. With him, at least we can say "He had an awesome career," or "He led a long, good life." Heath, on the other hand, was just getting started but was cut down too early, much like James Dean.

The first time I saw Heath Ledger was in high school on an after school live-action fantasy/adventure show on Fox called "Roar". He played some sort of warrior Irish chieftain during Roman rule- I didn't think much of it or him. Then his first big break in America came with a leading role in the high school film adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" called "Ten Things I Hate About You." At the time, I still didn't think much of him, considering the "High School" genre of films to be one of the worst as Hollywood churned out crap like "Down to You" and "She's All That" year after year. It was only later that I actually watched the film and realized it was pretty clever and that Heath Ledger had talent.

I still thought he was just another teenage pretty-boy heartthrob like Paul Walker or Freddie Prinze Jr. and thought he would be relegated to roles like theirs for the rest of his career. This viewpoint was not changed as he took roles in "A Knight's Tale" and "The Patriot", wooing young girls to the theater with his accent and good looks.

Most consider his role in the film "Monster's Ball" alongside Billy Bob Thornton and Halle Berry as being the turning point in his career. Here, the hunky actor from earlier "teenage" fare had chosen a deeply dramatic and dark film and one in which he was only a supporting character. I never saw the movie but can recall hearing good reviews for his portrayal as Billy Bob's prison guard son.

The movie that changed my perception of Heath Ledger was Terry Gilliam's "The Brothers Grimm" alongside Matt Damon as the film's titular siblings. Here they played "ghost hunters" and "monster killers", exploiting small villages' and their beliefs in local fairy stories about creatures that lived in the woods, "killing" said creatures while picking up a reward for their work. Whereas Damon played the loud, boastful PT Barnum showman that sold their services to the villagers, Ledger, surprisingly, played a shy, awkward, quiet brother that was more interested in writing down the fairy tales and researching their origins than in fooling the people.

It was such a strange surprise for me to see this actor, who had largely chosen roles as confident, good-looking ladies' men, play this nervous, thoughtful, even dare-I-say-it, GEEKY, character. This is when I first thought "Hey, this guy *is* talented," and I began to see him as a real actor with lots of potential, but almost no one saw him in this film.

When I heard he had accepted a role in Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" as a gay cowboy, I had to laugh because "Southpark" had told me all independent films were about "gay cowboys eating pudding," and despite my love for the director, the movie sounded like it would be too cliched.

But I saw the film. I enjoyed the film. I thought Heath acted the hell out of his character, and he was nominated for his first ever Oscar. Here at last was his breakthrough role that told everyone he truly was more than good-looking; he could *act*. He was soon signed onto the "Batman Begins" sequel as the fanatical villain The Joker, a choice that puzzled many on the internet who still saw Ledger as that kid from "10 Things..." or the gay cowboy, but many believed if he was the actor producers had chosen, he must have brought something special to the role and must have a very interesting take on Batman's insane criminal arch-nemesis.

Alas, that this will most likely be the last role we see him in (no word yet on whether or not his role in Terry Gilliam's next film was complete or if his character will be recast). For months people wondered how Ledger would fare as The Joker, and when the trailer was released last month, many were overjoyed at his dark and sinister take on the character. It will be strange to see the movie knowing that he is now dead and won't get to replay the character in the third film in the series.

I'm saddened by this loss, more so knowing he leaves behind a two-year old daughter with actress Michelle Williams. The poor girl will grow up not knowing her father, only seeing him in the roles he left behind. Ledger had so much to give, and I looked forward to the challenging roles he would have given us. I feel like he could have been the next Marlon Brando if he wanted- imagine if he had died after "A Streetcar Named Desire"- we never would have gotten "On the Waterfront" or "Godfather" or "Apocalypse Now".

Ledger had no history of drug use and at the time of his death was reported to be suffering from pneumonia. Illegal drugs were not found in his apartment- only sleeping pills (reportedly) and possibly other legal prescribed medication. It seems his death was an unintended tragic combination of the three, but that is yet to be determined.

Heath Ledger will be missed. He had talent, and he had class. I wish it had been someone else instead.

Heath Ledger, 1979-2008

--Cbake

Merry (Late) Christmahannuhkwaanzakah

Hey All!

It's a little late (almost a month), but I thought I better not start breaking traditions, or that would be one step closer to letting this blog die (which I can't let happen, I won't let happen, and I can't let that happen!). Because I usually always do it, its time for the annual Christmahannuhkwaanzakah Gift report (aka, What I Received For Christmas).

And because my birthday was a few days before, here's my Birthday Gift Report:

DVDs
"The Princess Bride"
"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"

CDs
"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" - The Complete Recordings

BOOKs
"My Boring-Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith" by Kevin Smith

CLOTHES
Some good clothes. Duh.
Oh, and a really sharp pinstripe suit jacket. I can't wait to start wearing that around town (thanks mom!).


And now for Christmas:

DVDs
The Stanley Kubrick Collection
"Heroes" Season 1 (in regular and HD-DVD versions)
"The Tick" vs Season 2
"The Simpsons" Season 9
"The Simpsons" Season 10
"Paris, Je T'aime"
"Superbad"

VIDEO GAMES
"Super Mario Galaxy" (Wii)
"Metroid Prime 3: Corruption" (Wii)
"Super Mario Galaxy", later returned and traded for "Trauma Center: New Blood" (Wii)

BOOKs
"Children of Hurin" by J.R.R. Tolkien

GRAPHIC NOVELs
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" Vol. I
"The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier", both by Alan Moore

CLOTHES
Some new jeans, khakis, and sweaters, all great and just what I needed.

Also, as is the tradition, I received some cool Christmas ornaments, this year in the shape of Homer Simpson, Luke Skywalker carrying Yoda on his back, and the Grinch dressed as Santa Claus. When I finally start buying my own tree, I'm going to have the most kickass film and television related Christmas tree EVER, as all my ornaments are cartoon characters, comic-book heroes, or characters from some of my favorite movies. It. Will. Rule.

My stocking was filled with chocolates and candies, the most surprising of which was a pack of UNC Tar Heel bubble gum.

But the most unexpected gift of all, I have to say, was an Apple iPhone from my girlfriend, Jennifer. I didn't ask for, didn't expect it, never thought I'd receive it, and now I can't stop playing with it (which is just what she wanted, I'm sure). As a matter of fact, I'm blogging from it right now!

Okay, okay, I lied, its much easier to do it on the Macbook across the room, but the point is, if I wanted to, I *could* blog from it, although it would take a really really long time to do so.

So there it is. All I can say is that I made out like a BANDIT this year. As a matter of fact, I think that will be my slogan for Christmas 2007- MADE OUT LIKE A BANDIT (I need to get that engraved on an ornament).

I'm very pleased with all my gifts and I'm very grateful to all who treated me to one of the best Christmases in recent memory. Thanks a lot, family and friends. It was wonderful.

--Cbake