Do You Watch Revolution?

Posted by Stephanie Dube Dwilson on October 17, 2013

It’s been ages since I posted about a TV show on this blog, but I just had to add something new… Season 2 of Revolution is AMAZING. Really, the show has improved vastly since Season 1. If you started the show in Season 1 and gave up on it, I suggest you give it another try. They’ve made one big change to the show that I think accounts for the huge improvement…

Rockne S. O’Bannon has joined the ranks as a co-executive producer. If you’re not familiar with the name, Rockne is the genius behind the amazing series Farscape. He is also currently at the helm for SyFy’s Defiance. And since he joined Revolution, the show has improved by leaps and bounds. Now I’m on the edge of my seat and something in every episode surprises me.

What do you think? Have you noticed the show’s improvement since starting Season 2?

A Dark Knight Philosophy

Posted by Stephanie Dube Dwilson on August 10, 2008

Last night I finally caught up with everyone else in America and saw “Dark Knight.” I have to say that all the reviews were dead on; this movie was amazing! Heath Ledger was especially incredible, which makes his untimely death that much sadder. Such amazing talent cut so short…

A lot of interesting questions about life and justice were brought up in this movie. For those who also saw it, I’d love to read your input on a few things. For those who have not seen the movie, MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. Seriously. I am going to discuss the ending in detail, so if you don’t want to be spoiled, stop reading now.

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SPOILERS!
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Harvey Dent

I’m not too familiar with the Batman storyline, so I had no idea that Harvey Dent was going to become Two-Face. That entire scenario took me by complete surprise.

Dent was the best of the best, a shining example of morality and goodness that kept everyone else in balance. This was why the Joker focused on bringing Dent down (for anyone who has read the Old Testament, it reminded me of Job a little bit.)

If Dent fell into corruption, his fall would create a domino effect, taking everyone else down with him. He would prove, in essence, that everyone is corruptible and every hero, no matter how bent on goodness, has a breaking point. And Dent did fall… He became the very thing he hated.

So here’s my question… Do you think this philosophy (“everyone is corruptible”) is true in real life? Can anyone crack if put under enough pressure?

Dent fell because he was overwhelmed with pain and grief. He fell because, from his tragedy, he learned that life and justice are just matters of chance and absolutely nothing makes any sense.

Do you think you could have stood firm and held the “higher ground” if you experienced what he did? To be honest, I don’t think I could. Much less than that has taken me down and left me re-observing everything about life, wondering about the “bigger plan” and if some of us really just get the short end of the stick. At the same time, I’ve known people who have gone through hell and come out of it stronger and better, throwing away bitterness and replacing it with resolve.

Which type are you?

Batman’s Sacrifice

Gotham City needed a real hero and Harvey Dent’s fall would lead the people to chaos. Because of this, Batman took the blame for Harvey’s crimes. Although he was the one who actually saved the city, he took the blame and punishment for things he never did.

Do you think that was a good idea?

I’m still undecided about whether Batman’s action really was necessary. He believed it had to be done to “save” the people of Gotham. But to me it just seemed horribly unfair. But maybe that’s the point. The entire movie seems to play on the theme that life just isn’t fair. Sometimes sacrifices seem to be in vain, sometimes innocent people are hurt… The movie took a lot of time to show us that the Joker was crazy just because. He didn’t have a deeper motive. He just wanted to see everything burn – and he knew that Dent was the key.

It’s the classic tale of good vs. evil with a twist. Evil has no real motivation, no real background. There’s a very thin line between hero and villain, and every hero has the possibility within himself of becoming a villain. As is often repeated in the movie: “You either die a hero or live long enough to become a villain.”

Batman’s sacrifice ruined the Joker’s plan – at least for now.

NASA Astronaut Claims Huge Alien Cover-up

Posted by Stephanie Dube Dwilson on July 25, 2008

The Asgard from Stargate SG-1 may be real after all.

Dr. Edgar Mitchell, a former NASA astronaut, has just announced that governments have been repeatedly covering up alien visits for the last 6 decades. And he’s finally ready to talk.

Mitchell brings some credibility to his statements: first off, he’s a moon-walker. If you’re like me, when I first read the headline, I thought the article was about a former 80s dancer who used those cheap Michael Jackson dance moves. And I thought, “Well, yea, he *would* be crazy.” But Edgar Mitchell actually *walked* on the moon.

Edgar claims these real-life aliens look like the typical description: small frames, large eyes and head. In other words, our “grey” friends from Stargate might just be real. What’s next? Stargate is real? Daniel Jackson exists?

(I wish… And yes, I’m wishing more for Daniel Jackson than for a Stargate. And no, the actor doesn’t count. I want a *real* Daniel Jackson – cute, single, smart, and involved with a top-secret government scifi project. *swoon*)

😛

But back to the story at hand… Mitchell claims our technology is nothing compared to what the aliens have. How does he know? He claims that being a former astronaut and all, he is privy to intelligence information.

Do we believe him? And if it’s true, why is he sharing this NOW? According to Mitchell, the cover-up started right after World War II. Now, he says, countries across the world (Mexico, Brazil, etc.) are starting to open their files, thus precipitating his announcement.

Could the United States successfully cover something like this? Sure it could. But just because the U.S. can, doesn’t mean it *is.*Or is it? (Insert spooky sci-fi music here.) 😉

Already, people are discounting Mitchell’s tale. NASA has denied his statements. Others are pointing to his history as a man always interested in consciousness and paranormal phenomenon. He’s too “fringe.”

Interestingly, he’s not the first person to make this announcement. He’s not even the first astronaut to claim this.

Gordon Cooper, also one of America’s first astronauts, has been saying for years that aliens are real and the government is covering it all up.

And in 2005, Paul Hellyer, Canada’s Defence Minister from 1963-1967, stated that UFOs are real and are being covered up. And don’t forget that the Vatican just recently announced that the existence of aliens would not hinder the faith at all. Coincidence?

Probably. But isn’t it more fun to imagine otherwise? 😉

So, what do you think? Is it true? If it is, I hope the government releases the information in our lifetime. I’d really like to travel through a Stargate someday. 🙂

Top Ten Things LOST Taught Me About Love

Posted by Stephanie Dube Dwilson on June 1, 2008

(Warning: Spoilers below! Don’t read if you haven’t seen all four seasons yet.)

The Lost writers must really hate love. Ever notice how they take every opportunity to destroy it?

10. All good relationships must end in death.

(Many photos courtesy of Lost-Media.com)

Except for Bernard and Rose, no one on the Island is allowed to be happy. Charlie & Claire? Death. Sayid & Shannon? Death. Jin & Sun? Death. It’s probably a good thing that Kate and Jack haven’t been working out so well. Next time you think about starting a relationship, consider the sad ending you’ll be forcing upon your loved one.

9. Don’t date doctors

Doctors have issues – serious ones. And none are more clearly seen than in Mr. “I want to lead everyone and whine the entire time” Jack. I mean, we saw the flash forwards. He and Kate had a great relationship until he decided to get all controlling. Real smart.

8. Christians are out of luck 😦

Out of all the characters on Lost, only one never found love. Not only did he never experience love in his past, but he didn’t find it on the Island either. After that he was out of luck because, well, he died. Who am I talking about? Mr. Eko of course.

Devout Christian, but never found a soulmate. Since I’m a Christian too, I guess that means no love for me. Sigh.

7. The Chupucabra of Love

What’s a chupucabra, you ask? It’s a vampire-like creature of Mexican mythology, just like Kate. Yes, on Lost, Kate is the vampire of love. She’s always bouncing back and forth between Jack and Sawyer. But let’s not forget the husband waiting back home, Mr. Super Handsome If Only I Could Meet Him Nathan Fillion. No girl gets that blessed. EVER. Thus, it can only be evil at work within her. Did you really think that Claire disappeared by accident? No. What Kate wants, Kate gets.

6. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Sad, but true. According to the Lost writers’ philosophy of life, doing good to others will end up getting you burned. Just take Jack. This guy actually saved a woman’s life and performed a miracle so she could walk again! Wow! Then they got married – hurray! And how did she repay him? Oh, by whining about how busy he was and having an affair. And then when Jack miraculously survived his plane crash, tries to jump from a bridge, and ends up in a hospital? Lovely Sarah says, “I can’t give you a ride home. It would be innapropriate.” Congratulations Sarah! You win!

5. Never accept invitations to a dinner party

Who could ever forget the moment Juliet walked into Ben’s house and saw the candle-filled table and a place setting for two? Ah, poor, naive Juliet, thinking the dinner invitation was all innocent. Ben told her that he was inviting a group. She actually fell for that line?

4. Some people are love-cursed

Certain people just don’t have any luck. The moment they find love, it’s ripped away from them by the gruesome hand of Death. It’s almost like Death is just hovering around them like a black cloud, waiting for them to finally feel happy for just a second, and then… Bang! It’s over.

Yep, that’s the story of our poor friend Sayid. Shannon, Nadia, that girl who conned him for Charles Widmore… It must really suck to be Sayid.

3. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Throughout Lost, we’ve seen Ben as that creepy, stalker guy who can’t hold a candle to Jack. Jack is tall, hot, smart, kind, compassionate… You know the drill. Meanwhile, Ben is this shorter dude who can’t get a date to save his life and has to kidnap a baby to have a child. But in the last scene of Season 4, all of that changes.

Jack made a bad decision on the Island and he has let it destroy his life. Now he’s a drunk, a drug addict, and seriously hygiene-impaired. He’s whining and crying at the funeral home when Ben shows up. Remember, Ben lost his daughter and is suffering far worse than Jack. But he has it all together, dressed in a spiffy black coat and looking super cool. What happened?

Just goes to show, you can’t tell what’s inside a person by looking at the surface.

2. Good guys really do finish last.

Sawyer’s always been the most handsome guy on Lost, but until this season, he was also the biggest jerk. Back in his con artist days, he got all the women. But then, something happened. All that time on the Island turned Sawyer into a good guy. Suddenly, he started genuinely caring about people: Hurley, Claire, Kate, Jack, Aaron… He went from zero to hero in one season. So what was his reward?

Oh yea, that’s right. He got to sacrifice himself and let baby Jack win Kate. And now he’s stuck on the Island with creepy Miles.

1. Sometimes love really does conquer all… But chances are it won’t happen to you.

Ah, Desmond and Penny. Despite all the obstacles that came between them, including her greedy, controlling Daddy, they still found their way back to each other. Who could forget the sweet phone conversation seven years after Desmond promised to contact her or their amazing reunion on Penny’s boat? True love conquers all…one out of every 1,000,000 times.

Sure, Bernard and Rose experienced it too. But not Jack, Kate, Claire, Charlie, Eko, Ben, Juliet, Nikki, Paulo, Michael, Locke, Hurley, Ana Lucia, Libby… Get the point? True love really is out there and it really does happen. But chances are astronomical that it won’t happen to you. I guess Destiny really is a fickle…

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Wow wow wow wow wow!

Posted by Stephanie Dube Dwilson on May 30, 2008

What an amazing two hours for the Lost finale! I’m just going to share a few quick thoughts here and I’ll write something more in-depth later (so stay tuned!) As usual, if you haven’t watched it yet, don’t read anymore.

SPOILER ALERT! 🙂

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Now we know why only the Oceanic Six were saved. Did anyone else want to cry when the freighter exploded and Sun was crying? The acting was amazing in that scene. I could just feel how painful that would be. I can’t imagine that happening to me!

It was interesting to see Sun’s situation contrasted with Desmond’s. Sun is separated from her true love and Desmond is reunited. It’s very illustrative of life itself. We all have different paths to follow, different times of joy and sorrow. Sometimes our paths converge and we struggle with the same things, and sometimes our paths are mirror opposites. It’s why you should never be jealous of someone else. There is no telling when life could change and you will be the “blessed” one while the other person will have the struggles.

Back to Lost… Sawyer has totally trumped Jack in the coolness department. Whining baby Jack was so insistent on NOT going back to the Island that Sawyer had to sacrifice himself. Nice Jack, real nice. And years later Jack abandons Aaron? Why?! I don’t care what was going on, there is no excuse to abandon a little kid. This proves the old adage: Never get involved with a doctor. They’ll only become really self-obsessed and crazy in the end! (Or maybe I just like blondes.)

And what did you think of Ben moving that “wheel” to move the Island? Did anyone else catch that he was moving the Island *forward* in time by 3 years? Immediately after that scene, Ben showed up in the desert three years in the future. So we know that moving the Island isn’t by location but by time.

And Locke is Jeremy Benthame? He probably changed his name to signify his new role and new life as leader of the Island. Who killed him and why? And why did Locke think it was so important for all six to come back that he visited them each individually?

In the last scene, Ben actually looked really cool. It is the only time in the history of Lost that Ben was better looking than scruffy Jack. Could never happen with Sawyer though. 😉

Note as of 10/15/2013: Please check out www.WiredForPR.com/blog/ – It’s my new blog (although I’ll still update this one from time to time).

OK, now here is my big question for my readers. It’s really important, so read closely…

Who is the “cooler” character? Jack, Sawyer, or Ben? Hmm…

Lovin’ Lost!

Posted by Stephanie Dube Dwilson on May 16, 2008

As usual, spoilers are below. Don’t read on if you haven’t seen the latest episode!

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There really weren’t any “new mysteries” added or new solutions offered. But I really loved seeing the homecoming for the Oceanic Six. I’m glad it wasn’t like Star Trek Voyager, where the entire series is set around a homecoming that no one ever sees. (I’m still bitter about that show’s finale.)

By the way, did anyone else catch that the lady who coordinated the Oceanic Six played a HUGE role in Battlestar Galactica? Don’t say what the role was, because people read this blog who aren’t caught up yet!

Here are my questions. Please share any ideas you have about them!

1. Much of the episode centered around the Orchid. Remember the Orchid video from last summer? Here it is if you want to see it again:

OK, exactly how does this video tie in with moving the Island? Are they going to teleport the entire Island somewhere? But if they do that, will there be a duplicate copy like we see with the rabbits?

2. Alpert’s BACK! I’m so excited. He and the “others” still dress in that crazy garb though. Is everyone in his little group immortal just like he is? I bet they all came from the Black Rock.

3. How on earth do the Six get back together? Kate, Sayid, and her baby have been caught and are probably being led back to the Temple. Jack is at the helicopter. Hurley is with Locke. Sun is on the freighter. How are all these paths going to intersect?

4. Why the huge coverup story? I can only think that they’re doing it out of coercion. For some reason, if they tell anyone the truth, their buddies will be killed. But does this also mean that their buddies can never return?

5. How is Ben getting out of THIS mess? We know he survives, but he sure seems outnumbered. Does he have another Smokey up his sleeve?

6. Did anyone else notice how much Jack’s mom looks like an older version of Kate?

CREEPY. Dr. Jack has more issues than I thought.

7. And finally… Do you think Jin died or was simply left behind? I believe Sun paused before answering because she wanted to say “Jin’s alive! Go find him!” Saying the love of your life is dead – even if it’s not true – has to be heart-wrenching.

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Well, these are all my main questions. I loved the part where Jack learned about Claire. I was cheering when Sun finally stood up to her dad. And I felt really bad for Kate when they first got off the plane. If the Island is moved, how will they ever get back?

Lost: I See Dead People!

Posted by Stephanie Dube Dwilson on May 2, 2008

Another incredible episode!! As always, don’t read on if you haven’t seen the latest Lost epi. Spoilers below!

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Amazing! Just amazing! Where do I even begin?

Well, we finally know what started Jack’s downfall and his addiction to painkillers. If I saw a dead person, I’d react the same way! Creepy!

GHOSTS

Question: Are the hallucinations just that, hallucinations caused by an illness from the island? Or are the hallucinations actual visits from some entity (such as Smoky)?

Since Miles can communicate with dead people, of course he could see Shepherd with Claire. It’s a clue that they are actual entities.

Question 2: Are these “entities” different aspects of one entity (such as Smoky)? Or are they separate entities (i.e. ghosts)?

Question 3: In my last Lost post, we talked about the possibility that Smoky is made of nanites. If that’s the case, could the “ghosts” be made of nanites also? I’m leaning against this one, since Losties see them in the real world too. How would the nanites get there?

Which brings me to a big question:

Could any of our Losties actually be one of the entities and not a real person? I bet so! But who?

Jack and Kate

So, they do end up together! I can’t say that I’m too surprised. Their relationship does teach us one important lesson: never ever lie. The moment you start hiding something is the moment the relationship is over! And being as Jack is a doctor, the relationship was bound to end in a huge fireball of emotional debris anyway.

Both are equally to blame for the demise. Jack is to blame for hiding his hallucinations and turning to alcohol and narcotics rather than Kate. (Typical doctor, self-prescribing and thinking he knows best!) Kate, however, shares equal blame. She should not be hiding anything from Jack. She should have been honest with him from the beginning and Jack would not have gotten so upset. By hiding it, she was throwing red flags everywhere.

Have you ever gotten the “just trust me” speech from a loved one? It reeks. And it’s a total cop-out from the person saying it. Just be honest!

By the way, Girl from the Ghetto’s blog has INCREDIBLE information about what Kate was doing for Sawyer and why. I totally missed it! Check out what she wrote here.

Claire

Wow!!! Now we know why Claire didn’t get off the island. But what exactly happened with her and the Shepherd ghost? Does this mean Jacob views Claire as one of the “good” people and took her? But if that’s the case, why not take Aaron too?

I love how Sawyer is so protective of Claire. It’s sweet and it’s far more “noble” than what he had with Kate. Now we know why Sawyer didn’t leave the island. He couldn’t abandon Claire, knowing she was somewhere on the island. What a guy!

So… What do you think happened to Claire?

I See Dead People!

Who was that guy in the preview? I think he’s Radzinski, the guy that Desmond’s hatch partner, Kelvin, killed. He’s wearing the same jumpsuit that Desmond wore and he’s been dead for 12 years, which fits the timeline.

He’s been dead! How wild is that? I hope this means we’ll see Danielle again (but not Nikki or Paulo *shudder*). This probably means that Richard Alpert, the guy who never ages, is also dead. In fact, all the “natives” that the Dharma people defended themselves against (when Ben was a boy) are probably also dead.

It’s so fascinating. I can’t wait until next week! If you have ideas on any of this, please let me know!

🙂

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