Quick clips for Wednesday February 25

Green Hornet somehow even more stoner-friendly

This is one of those news items that I could chase my tail trying to find the source for, but I'm way, way too lazy to do that shiznit. I saw it so many places cross-linking to so many other places that my conscience is clean in just telling you that there's a chance the new director of The Green Hornet is going to be Michael Gondry. There are only two reactions to this news: (1) You know who Gondry is, thus your reaction is "SWEET!" or some derivative thereof or (2) you just said "Who?" in which case, I'm very uncertain as to how you came to read this blog. For the uninitiated, Gondry directed the Lego-based White Stripes music video for "Fell in Love with a Girl," which was so awesome my inner child hasn't quite recovered, before finding more success with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a movie that I love more every time I watch it. He also made Be Kind Rewind, which sort of sucked, but had real promise. I think we're on the verge of something here; with Kenneth Branagh on Thor and now this, could it be that we've reached the stage in comic movie evolution where "different" minds will be allowed to work on them? Sure, you can point to Ang Lee on Hulk, but that wasn't an artiste per say, just a damn fine director. What kind of world do we live in if we start conceiving of things like Danny Boyle on Green Lantern or Darren Aronofsky on Robocop?! I mean, isn't that what always appealed to people who read comic books: the limitless potential, the ability to avoid being tied down to the practicality of reality? The thought of seeing real geniuses play in the visual sandbox of funnybooks is incredible. Go, go, Gondry!!

That Freida Pinto girl is just hideous looking

I kid. In fact, were this a few hundred years back, the unemployment rate would triple because of all the workers staying home to write sonnets in her name. Wars would be fought over who got to make eye contact with her. Vast tracts of land (like, say, Canada) would be given as a dowry to her parents. Get it? So, what did Woody Allen have to pony up to get her to be in his next movie? I believe he asked nicely. Watch yourself, Freida. Just sayin'. This means the cast for the as-of-yet-untitled movie reads like this: Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Naomi Watts, Freida Pinto. Um, yes please. I usually don't get "pumped" for an Allen movie. I have been surprised by his late career resurgence, insofar as I really enjoyed Match Point and Vicky Cristina Barcelona as charming/thoughtful little thinkpieces. That said, holy crap is this movie looking like a total freakin' home run! As mentioned previously, Brolin's back-of-the-cop-car video (which I would link to if I could find it...if any of you out there in the ether know where it is, I HAVE to see it again) has endeared him to me forever, Hopkins is due for a moment of brilliance, Watts is smoldering and talented, and Pinto is perhaps the culmination of an eternity of the divine creator assembling humans, so yeah, it could be good. I know we don't have a plot or even a sniff of what they'll be doing, but you could just look at that cast for a few hours, couldn't you?

Lost predictions: "The Life and Death of Jeremy Benthem"

FINALLY! Ever since that lid of the coffin slid back and we knew (after months of speculating) that Locke was makin' the inside all stinky with his deadness, we've been waiting to see what the hell he was doing off the island, how his death was "necessary," how he would return (because you can't do this show without him), who he met off island (casting for the week confirms it's at least Abbadon, the creepy black dude now on "Fringe"), and what he had to say to the Oceanic Six. After FOR-EV-ER, we finally get some information (notice I said some, we never get it all). Once more, I have to point everyone to Ew.com to see Doc Jensen's brilliant (and increasingly long) theorizing. I don't want to steal it, but I do want to expound on some of it, so I have to give a warning on these. NOTE - If one of these predictions is right, it's a huge one (and I think it IS right, so walk lightly if you want true surprise). Doc mentioned the sudden religiosity of the show (which I love) and how it is playing against science again (things like a church with a Dharma lab in it). That's what I love about the show, playing with impossible themes, just so you think about them. He also pointed out what I noted to Abbie while we were watching: That the story of Thomas from the bible was truncated. He originally had his own book...and Abbadon appeared in it. Seriously. Cool shit, huh. I don't want to get bogged down here, but that religion vs science stuff has always been foundation for the show, so it's nice to see it so explicitly addressed. Moving on to the biggies: (1) Jensen thinks that the "grandfather" Jack visited was actually a future version of himself...this is possible, but seems unlikely and unnecessary to me, the big one is (2) Jensen thinks Jack is Jacob. Wowza. Now that's a theory. Plus, I think he's right. Consider the arc of the character, moving from a total doubter to the leader of the "faith-based" group. Since the show seems to have looped back to the 60s or 70s, when Dharma was in charge, it could very well be that Jack is the mythical Jacob, leading in the past. Think about it: He always wants to be in charge, can't be seen because he knows what messing with time can do, and I love the idea that the producers (who love to eff with us) basically were telling us who it was with the name. Let's also consider the role of his father who "speaks for him." I mean, this could seriously add up. If it isn't right, it's the coolest idea I've heard in awhile. So, props to Doc for that one.

Moving on to my meaningless predictions:

1.) Locke will have a run-in with Widmore - Now that we know the two met in the past, Locke has more reason than ever to check in with the jerk who made him have to leave the island. Widmore seemed skittish when Desmond came to see him last time, and he was never afraid of Ben. Maybe Locke says something, or maybe just his presence off island, makes Widmore freak out.

2.) Locke will finally deal with Walt - The cast list confirms that Walt is in the episode. Pause for a moment. THANK FREAKIN' GOD. I mean seriously people, you build up Walt for two seasons with everybody running and screaming and yelping to find him and how special he is and then just abandon him. Personally, I think he was an idea that just never worked out for the creative team, so they've been looking to punt him. They're going to give us some half-assed, quick solution to why he did what he did (like appear to Locke), why he can't go back, and then be done with him. Now, that kind of pisses me off, but is better than the alternative of JUST FORGETTING ABOUT HIM ENTIRELY. Seriously.

3.) Locke is going to meet with Eloise - I think there's going to be a point at which he wants to wuss out (like usual) and he's going to have the opportunity to do so by meeting Mrs. Farraday. He's going to decide at the last instant to move forward this time, but not before discussing other options.

4.) Locke doesn't kill himself - Okay, so I know all signs point to this...but I think maybe there was another factor involved here. Maybe someone else (Ben) did the actual act of killing. It seems too easy to assume he does it all on his own. Not the show's style. Of course, I'm likely very wrong.

5.) Sayid's gonna kill multiple people - See what I did there, I usually just say one person, but I think he's gonna go Wolverine this week. Here's hoping.

Overall I think this is the episode I've most wanted. It's usually the best acted (the Locke-centric ones that is), and we can really fill in some gaps. I can't wait. See you tomorrow to deal with my inevitable disappointment.