Found in Lost: Thoughts on "The Shape of Things to Come"

Lost is finally back!--and better than ever? See our analysis and leave your thoughts after the break. As usual, MEGA spoiler warnings apply.

TOPH TUCKER '08

Very, very intense. Love the code for "OK I'm opening the fence BUT it's only under duress." Reminiscent of both Naomi's codephrase and Ben's line back in Season 3:

LOCKE: [checking to make sure they've left] The man from Tallahassee? What is that? Some kind of code?
BEN: No, John, unfortunately we don't have a code for "There's a man in my closet with a gun to my daughter's head." Although we obviously should.
http://www.lostpedia.com/wiki/The_Man_from_Tallahassee_transcript

Makes me wonder if they DO have a code for that and Ben was just choosing not to use it. :)

Nifty, too, how they exploited our knowledge of what is to come to make us all think Claire was a goner.

Interesting that we have the research arm of the freighter crew, who served as scouts, and now the militant arm. What was the point of the research stuff? Just to see if the coast was clear? And the disarmament of the Tempest seems more signifiacant now that we know the crew had been planning an invasion. Of course, they couldn't stop Cerberus. :) Makes me wonder whether they were worried about it. You'd think they'd put the fence back up after going through. But there the monster was, in the heart of the barracks. Could it have circumvented the fence? Hmm. (It was probably just that they were too dumb to put the fence back up.)

What was up with Ben summoning Cerberus anyway? How'd that work? How come he came out all roughed-up and dirty? At first I though he'd teleported/time-travelled. Which, moving right along, was clearly how he got to Tunisia. The Orchid. That's why he was wearing Halowax's coat.

Poor Alex / Poor Ben. It's sad that the last thing she heard him say was that she was just a pawn, although he clearly didn't mean it. And it's sad for Ben that she died. I thought a few things when he let it happen. (1) How often does that happen in TV and movies? That the guy doesn't give in to the hostage plea, and that the hostage then gets shot? Not too often. (2) When he said he had things under control, he seemed to mean it. Which brought me back to the bizarre "off-island dead people returning on-island" issue. Could it be that even if she was "killed," she wouldn't truly be dead? But no. The writers have talked about this. Even amidst all the craziness, they don't want to introduce a cop-out like that. So scratch that. But as soon as he said "He changed the rules," I thought that (3) Jacob had told Ben that Alex wasn't SUPPOSED to die and thus couldn't, a la Michael. So he thought he had to have faith that the gun would jam, or Keamy wouldn't go through with it, or whatever. But someone brought up a very good point after the episode: (4) Maybe it was WIDMORE who had changed the rules. They're clearly fighting over the island, and maybe they promised each other at some point in the past that they wouldn't target each other's families. You know--civilized war. And thus it had been Widmore who changed the rules, and with that rule broken, Ben felt OK about going after Penny.

Speaking of Widmore--wow. Makes Ben look like the bad guy again after all, eh? I'm guessing Widmore controlled the island before Dharma. (Or maybe he led Dharma, of course--that's in ways the more obvious answer--but in a way it's more interesting if we're introducing him as the group that preceded everything we know, but which is implied via cyclicity to exist. Would certain Hostiles be remnants of that group? Richard, maybe? ...nah...

Interesting the way Ben said Widmore would never find the island, and Widmore said Ben would never find Penny. Seems oddly... parallel, no? What if Widmore *is* associated with Dharma, and the island isn't the only "special spot" on the face of the earth, and Penny's being hidden in another???

And there were definitely Star Wars-esque moments there, especially revolving around fear/anger/grief comments. But the stress in Lost is on revenge. The stress in Star Wars is on fear. Fear is pre-emptive; revenge is retailiatory. In general, there's huge overlap (REVENGE of the Sith, anyone?), but that's an interesting distinction to make. Another Star Wars connection: the Widmore/Ben relationship is reminiscent of the relationship between Sith. Hm.

For the Class of '08'ers out there, could the guy named Ishmael be a reference to the themes of our favorite gorilla book???

OK, I could write more, but I really should be getting back to other things.... oh, and what's up with Jack??? Drug issues????? Already???????

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Muggle Quidditch

TAYLOR HAIGLER '08

Quidditch is the new sport sweeping (pun intended) the nation, or rather a few small colleges on the east coast. With brooms between the legs, players dressed in capes play the ‘muggle’ version of the game from the world-famous Harry Potter Series. As music from the soundtracks of the Harry Potter movies blares from speakers, Middlebury’s improv troupe provides commentary on the games that ensue.



It all began at Middlebury College in Vermont, where students of the 2009 graduating class, Alex Benepe and Xander Manshel, fooled around by playing the wizarding sport with friends on campus fields back in the Fall of 2005. They have since gained a devoted following; more than 100 students have joined the Quidditch League at Middlebury and every Sunday in the Fall, students practice and compete. The newly-admitted students to Middlebury’s class of 2012 have already begun to chat about whether or not to join the team in their facebook group. One hundred and five other campuses have formed leagues of their own including Bucknell, Tulane, Oberlin, Whitman and Vassar.

Benepe and Manshel have compiled a 39-page rulebook where they have written the re- created the game for non-magical folk. The basic rules include:

• 10-14 teammates run across field with broomsticks held between their thighs
• The snitch is a tennis ball stuffed inside a long sock, tied to a cross-country runner’s shorts, the snitch can do whatever he pleases (handstands, tackle, etc.)
• Seeker tries to capture the snitch to earn 50 points, and end the game
• Three beaters throw ‘bludgers’ (red rubber balls) at opponents
• Chasers throw a ‘quaffle’ (deflated volleyball) through gold hoops on opponents side
• Keepers are in charge of blocking their hoops
• Referees can give ‘yellow wands’ (warnings) if one were to, for example, grab a cape
• The team with the highest score wins and the snitch must be caught for the game to end

“I see Quidditch as a work of art- it’s not rehearsed, it’s spontaneous,” Benepe said. “The players are like actors, the stadium is like a set, your have props, and equipment, lights, and sound.”

Students representing the Quidditch League at Middlebury College in Vermont traveled to seven colleges in the Northeast last week during their Spring Break to challenge other schools at Quidditch. They scrimmaged at Princeton University, Columbia University, and Amherst College, among others. Middlebury will host the World Cup next year and students hope that at least 10 schools will participate. Benepe hopes that J.K. Rowling, the author of the series who started it all, will attend.

"Knowing Middlebury had [Quidditch] was a childhood dream come true," said Olen, a 19-year-old freshman environmental studies major from St. Helena, Calif. "For the most part people think it's hilarious. Everyone I have told has been super interested and wanting to play. It really is an infectious disease. Once you hear about it, see it, and play - it's all you want to do.”

Video
Boston.com Article
Image Source
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"Speed Racer" looks nothing short of revolutionary

TOPH TUCKER ‘08

When the Wachowski Brothers released The Matrix in 1999, it was groundbreaking (for obvious reasons). When they followed it up with V for Vendetta in 2006, they maintained a similar feel (totalitarian regime, underground resistance, dark and gloomy and everything) but more or less left the crazy special effects sequences at home. The trailer for their latest endeavor, then, comes out of the blue—unless you consider that half the premise of their films is just shaking things up.

Speed Racer, visually, is everything that The Matrix is not. Bright, colorful, cartoony, vibrant, ever in-focus, and done with an even greater reliance on CGI. The trailers, in many parts, feel downright goofy… but amazing.

I highly suggest you watch all four.

We’ve had some pretty interesting films this past year from a special effects standpoint, from über-stylized 300 to stunning over-the-top Michael Bay awesomeness in Transformers. Industrial Light & Magic got robbed of a VFX Oscar this year; though they held two of the three nominations, for Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, ultimately the lackluster (in my humble opinion) The Golden Compass took the cake. (Our readers seem to agree--in our poll, 82% picked one of the ILM films over Compass.)

Here’s hoping they get due credit next time.

UPDATE: Looking at the IMDB credits, I have no clue who the main effects company is, but I like ILM so I'll stand by my earlier statement. :)
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"The Urban Nutcracker" Presents a Fresh Spin on a Classic

JEHANE SAMAHA '09

This past holiday season, I had the privilege of attending both the classical Nutcracker and the Urban Nutcracker. Both productions got a little tiresome after a while. It was difficult to sit through an incredibly long performance that I already knew mostly by heart. After being overdosed on the Nutcracker music through television commercials and holiday shopping music, that extra bit of magic was lost. Overall, the differences in audience and in production quality were striking.
Many people are unaware that the Urban Nutcracker even exists. However, it has been around for a while and is well worth seeing. It presents a very creative, fresh, entertaining take on the classical story. The Urban Nutcracker was created by renowned dancer Anthony Williams, who grew up in a Boston housing project. He found great opportunity and success in the world of dance, and he created the Urban Nutcracker to open up this same world to the children of Boston.

This show is a bright explosion of colorful sets and costumes. Elements of tap, jazz, flamenco, swing, hip-hop, and step are infused into the choreography at many points in the show. From do-op groups to step teams, this performance has it all. The cast is incredibly diverse, containing dancers of all ages and backgrounds. The dance company, Ballet Rox, emphasizes opportunity and diversity, bringing kids and adults from all around the Boston area together in one joyful, edgy performance.
Student dancers, such as Hannah Riggs, a Junior here at Beaver, have the fabulous opportunity to play great roles in the Urban Nutcracker. This year Ms. Riggs danced many roles, including an Arabian dancer, a candy-cane dancer, a party girl, and a soldier. One evening, she was even given the opportunity to perform a solo. In contrast, had Ms. Riggs chosen to perform in the Boston Ballet Nutcracker, her height would have limited her, forcing her to play a small role, such as that of a reindeer.

If you are bored by traditional ballet, then the Urban Nutcracker would definitely be a perfect holiday outing for you. The casual atmosphere and funky vibe is a great twist to a regular, snowy December evening. I recommend that you book your tickets early to get seats as close to the stage (and the action!) as possible. Also, it is important not to go to the last performance that is offered. According to Ms. Riggs, the dancers do not put very much effort into the last performance of the season. The Urban Nutcracker often comes off as less professional than the Boston Ballet Nutcracker, but do not let this perception bother you; the mood of the show is very positive and the entire experience is very entertaining.

The traditional Boston Ballet Nutcracker is a completely different experience. The classical music is performed by a live orchestra, the costumes are impeccable, and the lighting is dazzling. There is no lack of dancers to play minor roles, and the major roles are played by incredible professional ballerinas. Even the young dancers who play the party guests are very well trained and handle quite complicated choreography. This Ballet is performed by members of the Boston Ballet and of the Boston Ballet School. This production is much more established as a holiday tradition in Boston. Little girls dress up in puffy pink satin dresses and wear tiaras to see this show. Although the classical Nutcracker is very prestigious, it may not be the right show to satisfy your holiday craving. This show indeed dazzles the senses, but for those among us with short attention spans, this performance can come off as mind-numbingly long.

I deeply enjoyed many parts of both of these performances. Between the two of them, there is something for everybody. It is a great holiday experience to see one or both of these productions, and I enthusiastically recommend either one.

For Further Reading and Ticket Information for next Christmas:
http://www.jamaicaplaingazette.com/node/650
http://www.bostonballet.org/nutcracker/default.html
http://www.balletrox.org/
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