This would be so sweet if we weren't all about to die.
++ In some ways, I really loved the finale, but I had some problems with it as well.
I loved that it ended with everyone together. But the fact that everyone got to be together in this afterlife, whatever you want to call it, didn't really make it any cheerier that only five people in that entire room got the chance to actually live their lives (as opposed to their waiting-room-afterlife). It didn't make it any cheerier that Ji Yeon grew up an orphan. Seriously, if one person was going to survive that submarine explosion, couldn't it have been Jin? That was re-sad when I realized that wasn't happening. I like Lapidus and all, but geez. Or that both Sawyer and Kate lived the rest of their lives without the person they loved. But I loved the implication that Hurley, at least, had found his calling and Ben, his redemption, and maybe got to a nice old age.
I loved that everyone got their reunions (particularly Juliet and Sawyer.. *sniff*), but I didn't love that they were constructed in kind of a repetitive manner. Touch. Realize. Cry. Touch. Realize. Cry. *sigh* It felt lazy.
I loved that the words Christian said to Jack felt a lot like they were being spoken to the audience as well.. that this had all been about the people, and the time they spent together and the connections they made, and that what they did mattered, even if there were a lot of things left unanswered. But it bothered me that, if that was the message, if that was the show, that so much of the final season was devoted to some really flat exposition about stuff that, in the end, was not really the point, and served only to take me away from those people, and their time together.
I did not love that there was literally an actual, honest-to-god, motherfucking CORK holding the world together. See all my previous rants about being happier with some mysteries just left unanswered. That cork was Lindelhof and Cuse's squirrel bone baby as far as I'm concerned. They can put it in a cradle and cover it with blankets and love it all they want, but is still just a crazysauce squirrel bone baby with button eyes. One thing I have always loved about this show is that, no matter how off the wall it was, it always made sense within its own logic. But there is no logic, its own or otherwise, in a magic cork. Fuck that cork.
But I loved the performances that it (and the rest of the episode) brought out. Everyone was spot on and wonderful, particularly our principles. It was such a showcase for the dynamism and charisma of the people involved in this show, and what they can do with a huge range of emotions to portray in a short span. Everyone was just so, so good.
And more than anything, I loved that final shot, the symmetry of going back to the start. The full-circle nature of that is much like another series near and dear to my heart, and that was satisfying for me. It was sad, and it broke my heart, the closing of that eye, but it felt right. I was satisfied, with the series at least, if not with the season. Six years in the making, and worth every second.
++ Elsewhere in TVLand, the Fringe finale rocked my world. That is officially my new favourite show, in this post-LOST world of ours. Season two was so strong overall, but those last four episodes seriously blew me away. So awesome. And this week's Breaking Bad? Awesome. Rian Johnson should do more television. I always enjoy his movies, but find the pacing really awkward. But dealing with just 44 minutes, he rocked the shit out of it. I think "The Fly" was the best episode of the season. And one that, I think, could stand alone in its awesomeness, so even if you don't watch the series, it might be worth checking out. The only show I'm behind on now is Chuck, I think. I'm like three episodes back yet on that. After that.. gosh, I don't know. Let the long wait until fall begin, I guess.
++ In other news, I took the dogs down to the creek on.. I guess it was Thursday? (Which, I must add, was not that long ago when I first started writing this post. But now it's Thursday again, so this was like a week ago.) We haven't been down much lately, on account of Kobi's knee, but it was a nice day, and supposed to get really hot shortly thereafter, which would make carrying him up the hill particularly unpleasant, so I figured it might be our last chance for awhile. Kobi, naturally, wanted to get in the creek. Which was fine, until it came time to get out. You guys, the creek stole my shoes. When I was trying to get out, the mud suckered around one of my flip-flops and held onto it while I was stepping/climbing out. But as soon as the weight of my foot wasn't there, it floated back up and started floating down the creek. I tried to get back in and get it, but wasn't fast enough to grab it before it was out of the shallows. And then, trying to get out again, it stole my other shoe the same way. :/ So I had to walk home barefoot. Carrying a 40lb dog. Who was soaking wet. And muddy. Luckily, it was too hilarious to be grouchy over. ;)
++ I did wind up seeing Letters to Juliet over the weekend. It really was just cute and fun. That's really my favourite kind of romantic comedy.. Lately, it seems like a lot of them veer towards the slapstick/cartoonish/mean in an effort to.. I don't know what.. appeal to a broader audience, I would assume, but I find it deeply off-putting. This was just a sweet, quiet little movie. I really enjoyed it! And Christopher Egan was really good, and has instantly won a place in my heart by looking uncannily like Heath Ledger in this role. It was the tan, plus the wee squint to his eyes, and the crease along his mouth that came with that big smile.. *sniff* And Heath was such a strong dramatic actor, it's easy to forget that he did his fair share of comedies back in the day. I dunno. Maybe I just look for him in other actors now, and no one else sees it. But whatever. Christopher Egan needs to be in more things.
++ Tomorrow, I'm taking the day off. Prince of Persia in the morning, then meeting my mom for lunche, and from there, who knows? Four days off are going to feel fantastic, though. I am so ready for it. Hope you all have a lovely holiday weekend, if you're having one, and a lovely regular one if you're not. :)
I loved that it ended with everyone together. But the fact that everyone got to be together in this afterlife, whatever you want to call it, didn't really make it any cheerier that only five people in that entire room got the chance to actually live their lives (as opposed to their waiting-room-afterlife). It didn't make it any cheerier that Ji Yeon grew up an orphan. Seriously, if one person was going to survive that submarine explosion, couldn't it have been Jin? That was re-sad when I realized that wasn't happening. I like Lapidus and all, but geez. Or that both Sawyer and Kate lived the rest of their lives without the person they loved. But I loved the implication that Hurley, at least, had found his calling and Ben, his redemption, and maybe got to a nice old age.
I loved that everyone got their reunions (particularly Juliet and Sawyer.. *sniff*), but I didn't love that they were constructed in kind of a repetitive manner. Touch. Realize. Cry. Touch. Realize. Cry. *sigh* It felt lazy.
I loved that the words Christian said to Jack felt a lot like they were being spoken to the audience as well.. that this had all been about the people, and the time they spent together and the connections they made, and that what they did mattered, even if there were a lot of things left unanswered. But it bothered me that, if that was the message, if that was the show, that so much of the final season was devoted to some really flat exposition about stuff that, in the end, was not really the point, and served only to take me away from those people, and their time together.
I did not love that there was literally an actual, honest-to-god, motherfucking CORK holding the world together. See all my previous rants about being happier with some mysteries just left unanswered. That cork was Lindelhof and Cuse's squirrel bone baby as far as I'm concerned. They can put it in a cradle and cover it with blankets and love it all they want, but is still just a crazysauce squirrel bone baby with button eyes. One thing I have always loved about this show is that, no matter how off the wall it was, it always made sense within its own logic. But there is no logic, its own or otherwise, in a magic cork. Fuck that cork.
But I loved the performances that it (and the rest of the episode) brought out. Everyone was spot on and wonderful, particularly our principles. It was such a showcase for the dynamism and charisma of the people involved in this show, and what they can do with a huge range of emotions to portray in a short span. Everyone was just so, so good.
And more than anything, I loved that final shot, the symmetry of going back to the start. The full-circle nature of that is much like another series near and dear to my heart, and that was satisfying for me. It was sad, and it broke my heart, the closing of that eye, but it felt right. I was satisfied, with the series at least, if not with the season. Six years in the making, and worth every second.
++ Elsewhere in TVLand, the Fringe finale rocked my world. That is officially my new favourite show, in this post-LOST world of ours. Season two was so strong overall, but those last four episodes seriously blew me away. So awesome. And this week's Breaking Bad? Awesome. Rian Johnson should do more television. I always enjoy his movies, but find the pacing really awkward. But dealing with just 44 minutes, he rocked the shit out of it. I think "The Fly" was the best episode of the season. And one that, I think, could stand alone in its awesomeness, so even if you don't watch the series, it might be worth checking out. The only show I'm behind on now is Chuck, I think. I'm like three episodes back yet on that. After that.. gosh, I don't know. Let the long wait until fall begin, I guess.
++ In other news, I took the dogs down to the creek on.. I guess it was Thursday? (Which, I must add, was not that long ago when I first started writing this post. But now it's Thursday again, so this was like a week ago.) We haven't been down much lately, on account of Kobi's knee, but it was a nice day, and supposed to get really hot shortly thereafter, which would make carrying him up the hill particularly unpleasant, so I figured it might be our last chance for awhile. Kobi, naturally, wanted to get in the creek. Which was fine, until it came time to get out. You guys, the creek stole my shoes. When I was trying to get out, the mud suckered around one of my flip-flops and held onto it while I was stepping/climbing out. But as soon as the weight of my foot wasn't there, it floated back up and started floating down the creek. I tried to get back in and get it, but wasn't fast enough to grab it before it was out of the shallows. And then, trying to get out again, it stole my other shoe the same way. :/ So I had to walk home barefoot. Carrying a 40lb dog. Who was soaking wet. And muddy. Luckily, it was too hilarious to be grouchy over. ;)
++ I did wind up seeing Letters to Juliet over the weekend. It really was just cute and fun. That's really my favourite kind of romantic comedy.. Lately, it seems like a lot of them veer towards the slapstick/cartoonish/mean in an effort to.. I don't know what.. appeal to a broader audience, I would assume, but I find it deeply off-putting. This was just a sweet, quiet little movie. I really enjoyed it! And Christopher Egan was really good, and has instantly won a place in my heart by looking uncannily like Heath Ledger in this role. It was the tan, plus the wee squint to his eyes, and the crease along his mouth that came with that big smile.. *sniff* And Heath was such a strong dramatic actor, it's easy to forget that he did his fair share of comedies back in the day. I dunno. Maybe I just look for him in other actors now, and no one else sees it. But whatever. Christopher Egan needs to be in more things.
++ Tomorrow, I'm taking the day off. Prince of Persia in the morning, then meeting my mom for lunche, and from there, who knows? Four days off are going to feel fantastic, though. I am so ready for it. Hope you all have a lovely holiday weekend, if you're having one, and a lovely regular one if you're not. :)