Dharma beer and Free-Will and Polar Bears ... oh my! The L O S T thoughts.

Please right click/open new tab HERE and listen to the approx. 5:28 minute long "Parting Words" from s1 while you read for better effect..

“Pilot”

On September 22, 2004 I sat down on a couch with my dad and sister to watch a a pilot for a new television show co-starring “the Hobbit Whitney has the hots for”.

The only premise of what was to come was something I had read (I think) where Dominic Monaghan said he is a rock star who survives a plane crash on an island with a resort on the other side unbeknownst to the survivors.

I had no idea I would immediately latch on to this show called “L O S T” but it sure as heck was not how Dom pitched it.

A hot Hobbit

We started with an eye opening and Matthew Fox stumbling around asking himself “WTF!?” - not in the script, but you could tell he thought it - before launching into what we came to recognize as Dr. Jack Shepherd mode. He took charge to fix the situation.

It was a very intense few minutes and then things settled down.

But what kept people watching, or most people?

A few WTF moments.

A polar bear?! A monster?! Some French lady broadcasting a 16 year old message?! Flashbacks to these people’s pre-crash lives?!

But it worked.

L O S T presented us with flawed characters - who at times either infuriated us or made us cheer with their choices and actions - plus a great thick plot and writing.

The season progressed, drawing me in more and more and then it happened.

A hunk of metal was found in the ground and then ... a death. Followed by a character moment with Locke letting it all out, pounding on the hatch with Michael Giacchino’s score playing perfectly in sync with the emotions as a light came from within the hatch.

“WTF?!” indeed.

For six seasons moments just like this came and went in L O S T, always adding a new element to the story and to our Losties’ experience on the Island.

Some were good (the tailies, new Dharma stations, Locke was in the wheelchair!) some were bad (the season 3 hiatus, Nicki and Paolo even though Lando Calrissian had a cameo, Sawyer and Kate locked up and digging the runway, which I suppose actually worked out in the end) and some were just freagin’ great (the Numbers, introduction of Ben, the freighter coming with Dan the Man, time travel, Desmond, quantum physics, Hurley writing “The Empire Strikes Back”).

Always with Giacchino’s score in the background.

Example of a great "WTF?!"

"Whatever happened, happened"

      People came together with this show.

They came to watch it with one another. They “SHH”ed each other if someone talked, they jumped in alarm or cried or groaned with disapproval together. And then they talked about what they just watched.

L O S T was - and will be for a while - something people could discuss, theorize and maybe even politely debate about.

We were able to use those almost literary devices picked up from English Lit to analyze and ponder about L O S T. Not because we are losers but because it was fun to do so. The show challenged us to pay attention and think about what we were seeing, what would happen next and what things meant. It, as Andrew Dickerson said, “begged us to dig deeper and investigate the mysterious happenings surrounding the Island.”

People met fellow Losties and friendships emerged because of the common interest, friendships many most likely will carry for a long time or for their whole lives.

That it helped form friendships itself is a wonderful thing.

Besties

“The End”

  Two and a half hours.

We knew the end was coming and we found out we would get another half hour to finish it. But still, two and a half hours on Sunday May 23, 2010 and the tale would be told.

So I settled in as I have done for much of the past two seasons - on a couch eating pizza with Keith and Tara (and for the finale, Trevor) with Jabba and Obi making themselves available to be petted if they so wished.

“Here we go,” Keith said as he hit Play on the TiVo remote. “Six years in the making, or in Dru’s case 12 since he watched it twice.”

And in the end “The End” was a proper finish to L O S T.

It was an ending I did not see coming, well not the sideways world. I suppose that was big finale. The ultimate end. THE END.

Over the course of the two and a half hours the show went from “what’s next” to “hold on” to “sniffle”.

Sure we have loads of unanswered or unthoroughly explained questions but I think we got something EW.com L O S T writer Jeff “Doc” Jensen hit on in his recap of the penultimate episode “What They Died For” ... it gave the show meaning.

Unanswered Question number 15

SPOILERSSSSSS

      Jack became newJacob last week.

Jack and Flocke this week went to the source. Desmond did his outsidetheelectromagneticrules job and pulled the plug. Uh-oh moments ensued. Jack fought Flocke. Kate killed Flocke. Flocke gets kicked off the cliff and goes “splat”. No more Smokey/TMIB. Jack and Kate declare their love and kissy face. Kate and Sawyer swim for the boat Flocke was going to escape on. Jack knows he has to plug the hole back up. Hurley becomes newJack/Jacob/Islandprotector. Jack fixes his ultimate patient, the Island itself and in a way, his own self. Desmond gets rescued from the bottom of the cave and Ben becomes newRichard.

Whew.

el Jefe

      All this happening as we go back and forth from Island to sideways world. People getting the realizations. People showing up at a church. People knowing each other.

People remembering.

It was so, perfect.

Locke forgave Ben who in turn had just motivated John to walk again. Then Hurley asked Ben to come inside, and after a polite “no thanks, I have some things left to do” Hurley said’s Ben was an “awesome number two.”

“Thanks, you were a great number one.” Ben said in reply (or something like that) as he sat on a bench outside a church.

And then it alllll started to come together.

Jack arrived with Kate who says she will meet him inside with the rest of the others. Jack goes in to see his dead father’s casket and touches it. Flashes happen.

Bam.

Remembering but not understanding. Not understanding and scared.

And then daddy comes in and explains it all ... what the sideways world is.

Queue the wet eyes on my side of the couch.

They are dead and are meeting up with each other so they can go on together with the people that meant to the most in their life.

But surprisingly to me the sideways world was nothing to do with the present or past but a future of sorts for our L O S Ties. It was the waiting room of all waiting rooms. Meaning came finally to Jack as he joined his friends - no longer strangers - to journey together into the light ... of the afterlife, Heaven, Paradise, whatever you want to call it.

Jack walked out into the church to see his friends and journey to Heaven happily ever after as we see Island Jack walking out of a stream, through the bamboo and lay down where it all started.

With Vincent giving him comfort so it is not “Live together, die alone,” L O S T ended exactly as it began, with Jack laying in a bamboo clearing and the camera on an eye.

Except this time, rather than open to confusion and disaster it closed after seeing a plane carrying those he cared and protected fly away safe.

Beautiful.

And I could not help but have wet eyes and a smile on my face.

Me Sunday night, kinda.

      A dual meaning was accomplished. The Island was protected and much of our cast met up and walked into the light, happily at peace and together.

To me the finale gave meaning to the show, to the characters, to the idea that is L O S T even if it didn’t flesh out all the unanswered questions.

They were brought - broken, flawed, lost - to the Island by it’s protector Jacob as a way to fix his mistake of killing his brother and creating Smokey. And it worked. And then, in different times of their own lives, they died and met each other so they could go to Heaven together.

“The End” indeed.

"Closing Credits"

  Over six seasons we have met characters who were all, as I said, broken, flawed and lost. People with daddy issues, trust issues, relationship issues, honesty issues, self-esteem issues , drug issues and many other burdens.

Through it all they grew, for the most part. Or at least we could see they tried to change.

People attached to these characters for different reasons: they were attractive, had a specific demeanor or attitude, or were just plain cool.

We learned about these people and why they did whatever it was they did on the Island and what they did before the crash of Oceanic 815.

And it was because of the geeky lore the show threw at us mixed with these characters that made it a success.

Who wasn’t completely intrigued by Dan the Man? Who couldn’t pull for Charlie to kick his habit and didn’t feel their gut bottom out when he bravely died? Heck all the deaths were pretty tragic, except for the girl that drowned in season one. Who was that anyways? And maybe Arnst.

Dan the Man

Dammit.

  We had Team Jacob and Team Flocke. Skaters and Jates. Sullietes and ... Jack/Julliette?

Of course, the characters would not be there if not for the actors portraying them.

While there were little nuances that were annoying in some portrayals (Jackface) I think we can all agree it made the characters real.

Watching Michael Emerson specifically over the years as Benjamin Linus is what really sticks out to me. Through him and his facial expressions we really didn’t know what Brad Bagby calls “that bug-eyed bastard” was up to until the very end.

A Bug-eyed Bastard / the Island's Severus Snape

      Other excellent casting choices were Terry O’Quinn as John Locke (especially when it came down to Locke playing two different characters this season) for making Locke’s faith passionate and believable. On my second time through the series Josh Holloway‘s Sawyer - or rather the pain and yearning to be a good guy - was very evident. I always liked Matthew Fox as Jack. I liked how he really showed a broken and confused character who always had to fix something and was steadfast in whatever it was he believed in.

Hell, I won’t lie ... 99% of the cast had to be in it to make this thing work and it feels a disservice not to mention them all.

L O S T also was just as rich in exposition as it was in plot and characters.

There were aspects of faith, free-will, destiny, science, theoretical physics, time travel, Volkswagen buses, Dharma beer and the many head-nods to geekdom, literature and famous names just to give extra meaning to most of the story.

We even got L O S T fanbands (see The Oceanic Six “Good Morning Charlie”).

Dharma beer. Mmmmm.

      L O S T and I have been close friends since day one because of all these reasons.

I came into Scrubs late but it had an enormous impact on my life and continues to be one and the emotional impact of the true finale (not Scrubs 2.0) was large, similarly to that of L O S T's

With this said it is still hard for me to say L O S T is my favorite show ever (I Love Lucy always has been, I say) but is it possible to have three favorite shows, especially if they are different genres?

Because as far as I am concerned it should be allowed and after reading this at least my case should be spelled out.

Farewell L O S T and thank you for all the memories. You will be missed.

"I’ll see you in another life, brotha."

A Beer, A Book and a Blog v0.1 - "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

"The Road" is unlike any novel I have ever read.

Hell, the punctuation - or lack thereof - alone makes it most unique.

But there is more.

A nameless father and son team as main-characters known only as "the man" and "the boy". A journey down a road in a post-apopolyptic world that exists for an unknown/unnamed reason leaving these two pushing a cart with scavenged supplies while hiding from man-eaters and the elements of nature.

Not really something I can say I have read about.

And I liked it. A lot.

I am not sure why exactly. But I did.

Yes it is depressing and bleak, but I found myself enthralled in their journey once I decided to simply sit down and finish the book.

There are sentences I found simply beautiful, darn near poetic.

"It's snowing, the boy said. He looked at the sky. A single-gray flake sifting down. He caught it in his hand and watched it expire there like the last host of christendom."

There were also those I had to read several times, sometimes still not grasping their full breadth of meaning and storytelling.

"At a crossroads a ground set with dolmen stones where the spoken bones of oracles lay moldering. No sound but the wind. What will you say? A living man spoke these lines? He sharpened a quill with his small pen knife to scribe these things in sloe or lampblack? At some reckonable and entabled moment. He is coming to steal my eyes. To seal my mouth with dirt."

In fact, I think I can see myself reading it again one of these days.

After I give Mr. McCarthy's other works a shot, courtesy of the Davidson Public Library.

Oh ya, they just made a movie about it too. Dunno if it is any good though.

A Beer, A Movie and a Blog v2.1 - "Into The Wild"

Cross another one off the list and add another to another list

Last month I finally watched "Into The Wild".

Wow.

Actually, wow does not really explain everything I felt after watching this film, written and directed by Sean Penn and staring the very young and talented Emile Hirsch.

The acting was superb (especially Hal Holbrook), the cinematography was interesting with different techniques used (and even once Hirsch making a funny face into the actual camera) but still beautifully shot and the philosophy and lessons learned were exceptional.

A lot of emotion came to surface during this movie - hope, desire, pain, sadness, confusion, love, anger. Many emotions I have felt lately whilest dealing with this matter or that matter. Watching Hirsch play the just college graduated Chris McCandless made me ponder how to deal with some of these matters. Do I write my saster? Do I call my saster? Do I just continue to do as I do - not talking, praying for her and hoping or fearful of one day having a relationship? Do I just swallow my pride and throw myself out there with her ... with life ... with mankind?

" ... when you forgive, you love. And when you love, God's light shines through you." Ron Franz

Either way I must be careful not to get in too deep and deal with it in what could be the wrong way. Because the film is a tragedy of getting in to deep. Not swallowing that pride sometime and dealing with things in your own way. But we must be cautious too, not to let it get the better of us. It is a thin line that must be walked.

Some things do need to be journeyed away from. Yes.

I have oft thought of going on my own "Great Alaskan Adventure" ... but across the pond and to the land of Erin. Pack it all up and head there and live in the land of my blood. See if I can do it, why not?

Maybe what really spoke to me was a conversation between Chris and Vince Vaughn's Wayne Westerberg, where the two are discussing Chris' thoughts. Even reading Kraukar's original 9,000 word article on the matter reached out to me, as Westerberg in the article mentions Chris' ethics and his way of thinking. Because in many ways it is like mine.

"The core of mans' spirit comes from new experiences." Christopher McCandless

But we can go on our own adventures without our many possessions and without having to go to Alaska. We can do things to prove our own strength without journeying across the country and then living in a "magic" bus. We can live our everyday lives right here and push ourselves, test ourselves, see if we can do "it" - whatever "it" is for each individual.

Right? Right.

Getting "L O S T" again - Part 1 of 5

***If seeing on Facebook please go to http://abeerabookandablog.blogspot.com instead, Facebook never publishes these the way I want and messes up the pictures****

A borrowed idea from my friend Brad, whose blog is at http://bradsasylum.blogspot.com/

On February 2nd, 2010 - Groundhog Day - a show that changed television will begin it's sixth and final season. These are my thoughts on each season as I re-make my way through the first five seasons of this gem of a show. It is bittersweet and sad that this will be the final year for L O S T but the producers and writers are going out the way they wanted to do things - end the story arc in six seasons and tell the story they want to tell. Plus, the characters will be able to live the fictional lives the writers/producers always wanted them to rather than altered when the actors and actresses head off to the silver screen.

I first started watching the show with my saster (yes, that's her term of endearment) and padre with only the knowledge that a LOTR Hobbit was to play "a rock star who crashes on an island in which the survivors are unaware there is a resort on the other side." Guess that was kind of right. Over five years later I started my re-watch - originally slated to start in December but pushed to January - with the anticipation to finish by the sixth season's start.

These are my thoughts.

To begin ...

Top-Three Favorite Episodes

1) "Walkabout"

Sure, there were some "WTF is up with this island?" episodes before with polar bears, monsters in the jungle and the fact that most survivors walked away muttering "It's only a flesh wound!" but this John Locke centric fourth episode showed us he not only arrived with a box full of knives and the ability to use them effectively but a wheelchair ... since he was paralyzed from the waist down. Not only did this episode provide the basis for an amazing limited edition Hitchcockian film art print over the summer of 2009, but it also showed us John Locke had some pretty big cajones (or is crazy) as he faced Smokey down and, "Saw into the eye of the Island ... and it was beautiful." Oh ya, after that he returned to the beach with a boar over this shoulder for the whole bunch to throw on a spit and feast on. Right after we found out he couldn't go on a walkabout in Australia because he was paralyzed!

"Just don't tell him what he can't do ... "

Theory out of this? Smokey - or the Island - showed him some of his future role on the Island, because after this he was more of a man determined and with a lot more wealth of knowledge on how to do things.

2) "Outlaws"

I gotta agree with Brad, this sure is a heckuva an episode. Up until now - the 16th episode of season one - we didn't really know why Sawyer is douchey. As the episode opens we see a mother telling her son to hide under his bed no matter what he hears. An argument ensues with the mother and father. A gunshot rings out. Then a man walks in, sits down and another shot rings out. Sawyer was the boy. Sawyer told Kate about it when he read her the letter he carries but still ... what an opening. Over the course of the next 40 or so minutes we see him track down the man that supposedly conned his mom (resulting in his dad's murder-suicide) ... and finds him in Australia. Not only did he wind up in the Land Down Under (because of his old partner) but he made drinking buddies with a Dr. Christian Shepherd who says a little line about "And that's why the Red Sox will never win the World Series." This comes in to play later on when Sawyer tells Jack he met daddy after Jack uses the same line and was the first time (I think) we are introduced to the concept of running across other characters in the past.Oh ya, at the end Sawyer pops the guy in the chest and it wound up not to be the right guy. This is when we find out why Sawyer is so tormented, especially when the guy says "It'll come back around ... ", the same words he keeps hearing whispered as a boar stalks him on the island. From this point on Sawyer - I feel - is more of a good guy acting tough than a douche bag. And he changes afterwards too.

3) "Exodus: Part II"

This is not a character centric episode, this is a cast centric episode as we see our LOSTies at the airport in the two-hour finale. More importantly we see a lot of happenings on the Island. Rousseau took baby Aaron and faked a black-smoke fire to freak out the LOSTies because of what happened to her kiddo. Luckily Charlie and Sayid tracked her down, got the baby and had a moment to offer her hugs as she cried about it all. But this was not only it ... Walt and Michael, Sawyer and Jin were on the raft; we went to the Black Rock - a ship, not a rock! - to get dynamite and then saw Arnst the science teacher get blowed up by TNT; nearly got drug down a hole by Smokey with Locke and blew the hatch to hell and back as the raft dwellers would up on a blowed up raft by Steamboat Willie and friends who took Walt and shot Sawyer. Oh ya, we were introduced to the L O S T cliffhanger ... as Jack and Locke looked into the hole that was the hatch - did I mention the numbers were on the hatch? - and had to wait three to four months before we started season two with a Mama Cass Elliot tune. The Pilot could easily be a top-three for the season. Easily. Hard choice.

Honorable Mention: "Do No Harm"

We have gotten to know Jack but here we really see him pushed to his limits - both mentally and ethically - as he first works to fix Boone up from being crushed in the NigerianplanefilledwithheroineVirginMarystatues on top of stressing about Claire going into labor. The flashbacks of his wedding are not so much what gets me in here as everything he does as he attempts to treat Boone, even so much as to nearly chop off his leg. This not only was the biggest reason our castaways needed to actually be upfront about things they have experienced - ya know, Locke didn't tell Jack what REALLY happened so Jack could not treat Boone correctly - but it was also our first real death. Ya sure, a few died here and there, but nobody we even really met. But Boone died tragically ... and was talking to someone on the airplane's radio too! Jack did everything he could do and more to treat Boone and it was another example of how far he pushes himself because he has to succeed. Another favorite is "All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues" when he brings Charlie back to life with CPR.

MVP - Jack

A single eye opens with a sudden gasp escaping from the character. This is Jack and he is the first person we see on the Island. He immediately rushes into action to help people in the crash. Why ... we learn in a few minutes. Jack is a surgeon and over the course of the season we come to learn he is a dedicated one at that with some major daddy issues to boot. Daddy issues that push him in a positive way but end up pushing him too far oftentimes to territory he does not need to be in - both mentally, physically and emotionally. Jack kind of is a little annoying in season two but in season one he definitely is the drum beat pacing the rest of our LOSTies on the Island as he takes on the role of El Jefe handed to him by the survivors.

Characters revisited

Locke - As I mentioned before, I think Locke saw part of his path on the Island when he looked into Smokey because his behavior completely changed after that. More confidence and understanding. I remember being a little annoyed with him towards the end of this season originally but now ... I think he just was confused as to what his path was on the Island after seeing part of the result, but not the getting there.

Sawyer - I must say, I never did notice the way he changes moods so much in season one before. He is mean and downright cruel sometimes but afterwards you see he is tormented by his actions. Sure we see him get tortured by Sayid early on but he still feels the need to play a tough guy when he knows he does not need to later on in the season, and it kills him afterwards each time.

Sun - Talk about a character surprise. The buttoned up Korean girl speaks English but is smoking beautiful in that blue bikini too! And she knows herbal remedies and gardening techniques? The Sun/Jin story over the first two seasons was a good one to see as a relationship in turmoil was turned around.

Charlie - Lovable character with a huge flaw - his addiction to heroine and the need to feel wanted and useful. Love this guy and pulled for him the whole season.

Top-10 Christmas Films

So, there I was ... sitting on my futon and looking at my DVD collection when a brilliant idea sprung to my head. "Forget the 25 days of Christmas on ABC Family," my mind said, "What about my own 10 days of Christmas?"

And thus I present to you, the world, the galaxy and the universe my Top-10 Christmas films of all time*, which can be watched leading up to Christmas. In fact, I intend to watch one a day too.

10) "A Charlie Brown Christmas" - Never have seen this, though I must admit there is a good chance I did as a child and do not remember it. I feel obliged to include this and am eager to watch it on Dec. 15.

9) "Scrooged" (1988) - Starring Bill Murray, Karen Allen and many other SNL actors.

Woa! Nearly forgot this one. It has been a long time since I have watched this gem but it really is a great modern raunchy re-telling of "A Christmas Tale" with Bill Murray playing Frank Cross, a tv-exec who is haunted by three spirits on Christmas Eve. Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present is especially hysterical.

8) "White Christmas" (1954) - Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney (yes, George's mom), Vera Ellen.

Many of these are films I have not seen in a while but this is a film I saw once as a child. So long ago I need IMDB.com to give the fast summary. "A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general. Plus, you can't go wrong with Bing Crosby.

7) "The Santa Clause" (1994) - Starring Tim Allen, Eric Lloyd, Wendy Crewson, Judge Reinhold

I read a Facebook status the other day - by someone I can't recall - that said something to the effect of, " ... would like to thank 'The Santa Clause' for teaching an entire generation of children how to incorrectly spell Santa's name." I found that brilliant, as is this one where Tim Allen kills Santa, dons the suit, the guy from "Numbers" is a helpful elf and Judge Reinhold hates Santa because he never got an Oscar-Mayer weenie whistle. Wow, was this REALLY 15 years ago?

6) "A Muppet Christmas Carol" (1992) - Starring Michael Cane (and the Muppets!)

Charles Dickens and the Muppets? What could go wrong with that? The answer? Nothing!

5) "Elf" (2003) - Starring Will Ferrell, James Cain, Bob Newhart, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel, Daniel Tay.

Before there was "Anchorman" or "Talledega Nights" Will Ferrell donned a pair of yellow tights and became a human adopted-elf in search for his real father in Manhattan. Of course it was the same year "Old School" came out, but he was not THE STAR of that one. I never have not laughed while watching "Elf" and after my recent first-time-ever trip to New York City I really realized I was like Buddy as he explores the city. Oh ya, Zooey can sing. And she is perrrrty.

4) "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" (1989) - Staring Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo and Randy Quaid

The laughs over the last few days are over as "Christmas Vacation" shows what a Christmas comedy truly is with the help of the almost-always funny Chevy Chase (and always funny in the 1980s) reprising his role of hard-working family-man Clark Griswald. It has been some time since I have sat down to watch the entire film and I can not wait to laugh my backside off throughout the sledding scene. To be honest, "Elf" very well could be no. 4.

3) "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) - Starring James Stewart, Donna Reid, Henry Travers

I have seen this movie once. I believe maybe in high school at my sister's friends' house. I remember it was a great film and I feel obliged to put it up in the top-three. James Stewart plays George Bailey, who wonders what the world would be like if he never existed. When it comes to a classic Christmas drama, this is to what any one should strive to reach.

2) "Die Hard" (1988) - Starring Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson and Severus Snape, errr Alan Rickman

"Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs ..." Nothing like spending a great Christmas Eve gearing up for the big day by watching John McClane battle Hans Gruber and his merry men in the Christmas Eve takeover of Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles. If you are looking for a moral tale look no further than the epic battle between good and evil, America and Germany, cops and robbers and feet and broken glass. "Yippie-ki-yay-mother-fucker" indeed.

1) "A Christmas Story" (1983) - Starring Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin and Peter Billingsley.

What Christmas Eve and Christmas Day would be complete without at least two viewings while broadcast on a 24-hour marathon on TBS? Sure, there is no tough-luck having James Stewart in this film or angels getting wings ... but still, it put's the ice cream on top of the pie that is Christmastime for me. All the kid wants is an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. But there is so much more: fighting a bully, using his first curse word (and the ensuing soap in the mouth), dogs, turkey, snow, triple-dog dares and of course, the leg lamp.

Merry Christmas gang. Don't drink too much eggnog.

*Of course, one discussion with either Brad Bagby or David Allen could shift this list. In reality it is more my own favorites I suppose.

From the Wayback Machine - Spider-Man vs. Batman

Wrote this when applying for an internship or job in Chicago my senior year of college. One of the topics to chose from was, "Who would win, Batman or Spider-Man?".

I give you ... glorious geekdom.

Three’s S’s of Success for Spider-Man’s Defeat of Batman

or Marvel Will Always Dominate DC Comics

The motivation to become a superhero is similar for Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker. Both lost loved ones, which in turn provided the catalyst for them to pursue a career in crime fighting. Wayne chose to take on the persona of Batman and defend Gotham City after his parents were murdered. New York City native Parker became Spider-Man after being bitten by a radioactive spider and his Uncle Ben’s murder.

Even though Bruce Wayne’s wealth contributes to the Caped Crusader’s crime fighting campaign Spider-Man could still beat Batman because he has superior strength, speed and finally his “spider-sense”.

Peter Parker designed a canister based webbing, as he is a scientist. Bruce Wayne is loaded like Donald Trump which helps his Batman alter ego, because it allows him to make and purchase gadgets to fight crime. The prime example being the Batmobile, the ultimate tricked out ride that would make rapper Xhibit jealous.

Costumes are an important part in the comic world. Spider-Man’s costume is merely fabric covering his true identity (exception being the symbiotic black costume first appearing in Amazing Spider-Man #252) but Batman’s suit is what protects him. His Batsuit offers him the ultimate in protection at a ridiculous, but honorable, expense.

Even with the Batsuit, Spider-Man will defeat the Dark Knight because of his super human strength. Batman is simply a strong human being and there is not a steroid in the world that could enable him to K.O. Spidey. In theory Spider-Man should be able to knockout anyone with one punch unless they are more powerful than him. He would pummel Batman once he caught him and if he had a face shot (as the Batsuit offers protection). Therefore he would have to be quicker than the Dark Knight.

Batman has the ability to get out of tight spots quickly with his utility belt gadgets (ex. a grappling hook). For an ordinary bad-guy or petty crook this would very well spoil their day and give him the advantage but not so versus Spidey. Spider-Man can use his webbing to shoot around in any direction with the press of two fingers. Batman’s martial arts training helps him against others but Spidey would be able to quickly maneuver a defensive or offensive attack. His ability to stick to surfaces means he could leap from point A to B quickly, completely discombobulating the Caped Crusader.

In fact with Peter Parker’s “spider-sense” and his agility he would not only be able to calculate in a split second which way Batman was attacking from but also be able to counterattack. The spider-sense in a way is the factor that seals the deal in defeating Batman as it is the ultimate defense mechanism. It has saved his neck countless times and it will always be the deciding factor in Spidey’s duels, exceptions being Venom or Carnage who don’t trigger it. Whatever Batman launched Spider-man would be able to deflect or avoid, depending on what it may be.

Both heroes avoid the use of guns all together so a battle would be the ultimate prize fight, just a street style prize fight. Batman’s seemingly unlimited supply of gadgets that are used as weapons would make the fight memorable and longer than 10 seconds. A carefully timed attack with a gadget followed by a physical attack would definitely make contact with Spidey but it would not harm him, at least not the physical attack. Even if Batman could keep up with Spider-man he still will never be able to knock him out or cause him much harm using only his bodily abilities because he is too slow. A well launched gadget attack would most likely fail in the long run because of Peter Parker’s fast reacting spider-sense. Once Spider-Man got within punching or kicking range of Batman the fight would be over and Spider-Man would be victorious.

A Beer, a Movie and a Blog v0.3 - "Where The Wild Things Are"

(Warning: Small Spoilers)

I could not stop smiling during this movie.

My eyes smiled. My mouth smiled. My brain smiled. My heart smiled (and teared up a little).

Spike Jonze ("Praise You" "Weapon of Choice") has taken Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are" and turned it into a masterpiece that gives depth and backstory to Max and captured (as my friend Landon put it best) " ... that point in life at which a child ceases to define him or herself in entirely selfish terms. Really well.".

The movie is simply brilliant.

Jonze and Dave Eggers screenplay (with Sendak's blessing) took a children's book where a bratty kid escapes in his own imagination to a place where he can run wild and then realize he wants to be home where he is loved and created a film that explains WHY Max is Max and uses the Wild Things as a manifestation of those he knows and his own internal characteristics, strengths, faults, fears and dreams.

It shows the mind of a child and how a child copes and analyzes things within.

This is a character film which asks a 12-year-old actor (and most likely 10-years-old at the time of filming) to carry the brunt of the film upon his own small, young shoulders.

And Max Records does it perfectly, so much so it is evident he IS Max and not just a kid actor told to say this on this cue and be in this mood. He makes this film a success. He makes this film a dare I say masterpiece. He makes this film WORK.

Jonze and Records

The use of Jim Henson's Creature Shop to create the Wild Things (with CGI aiding in the facial expressions some) is AMAZING. You see sand flying. You see dirt impacting them. You see Max form a relationship with Carol and not just a stick with a head on it. The Wild Things are ALIVE. They exist and are running around on their island and play the physical imagination-fueled games children play (with Max's instructing).

Carol (James Gandolfini) and Max

The soundtrack is spot on with the film featuring pretty much only original songs by Karen O And The Kids, similar to the musical mood of the "Garden State" and "Juno".

There are some things I would like to pay a little harder attention to on my next viewing, such as the king discussion at the end and if it is religiously symbolic of simply childish. I would also like to study the different Wild Things characteristics even more and how they relate to Max himself.

Go see "Where the Wild Things Are". Go with some friends. Go enjoy yourself and let the self-introspection, self-evaluation and imagination run wild. Go remember your childhood. Go remember when you had a fort in your bedroom. You will not be disappointed. Just please do not go and expect this to be some children's movie, because it's not.

It's a movie for the wild thing, in all of us.