LOST: Jughead

This was the best episode of LOST in a while. Do you agree?

While Desmond is fetching a doctor (in the Philippines?) to birth his and Penny's child, back on the island Daniel, Charlotte, Sawyer, Juliet and Locke happen upon what looks like the M*A*S*H compound. As it turns out, it is the 1954 version of The Others, complete with ageless Richard Alpert at the helm. It seems this group, highlighted by a young, feisty British dame named Ellie, blames Daniel and Co. for conducting scientific experiments. Daniel claims he can help defuse their hydrogen bomb. Is it me, or does Daniel seem a little too familiar with their situation?

Meanwhile, Locke, remembering his conversation with Richard in another time, approaches the leader with a little too much enthusiasm, and proclaims himself Richard's future leader. Richard's WTF? response indicates that perhaps he is not yet in tune with time travel.



Back in Desmond and Penny's kingdom, they have a young boy they name Charlie, and Desmond goes in search of Daniel's mother at Oxford, as instructed. He happens across Daniel's condemned laboratory, learns that Daniel jilted a woman he left in a tattered medical condition because of his experiments, and finally visits Daddy Widmore's office to learn about Mrs. Hawking... I mean Mrs. Faraday's... whereabouts. She's in L.A., it turns out. Shocker!


Interesting bits of this episode:


-The Others all know Latin - you know, the world's dead language. Does this suggest The Others go back farther than we think?

-Locke discovers the young British Brat who attacked Sawyer and Juliet is none other than Charles Widmore himself. Locke's smirk upon learning this information is priceless.

-Is Charlotte's nosebleed fatal? Methinks Daniel's confession of love for her is sketchy. Yes, he loves her, but how? As a lover? As a brother? As a... father?

-Is Locke the proclaimed leader of The Others because he went to visit Richard in this episode? Is it all that kind of never ending cycle?

-Could Widmore be Daniel's father?

-Are we to presume that, per Daniel's instructions, Richard's group really did bury the bomb? If so, is it under the hatch? Is that why Desmond had to turn the "fail safe" key? And does that mean that the island will someday blow itself up?

This series just gets more and more complicated, and the time travel is making my head spin. And I'm kinda lovin' it. A

This is a Test

After all the hype, all the warnings from local TV stations and all the worry amongst nursing home residents who still catch Wheel of Fortune through rabbit ears, today the United States Senate passed a bill to delay the nationwide switch to digital TV signals. The move was pushed back from Feb. 17 to June 12.

In case you haven't read about the switch numerous times online or in print, haven't been harassed by your cable carrier or haven't ventured out of the house in two years, today's news means you now have about four months to prepare. So, mark your calendars. Maybe.

UPDATE: The House defeated the bill today, since many members of the GOP opposed President Barack Obama's legislation. As of right now, the digital switch will take place as planned - on Feb. 17.

The Nun Bagged a SAG

The SAG Awards were presented in Los Angeles last night. The outcome solidified the status of two front-runners, and made most of the other races more confusing.

Slumdog Millionaire continued its pre-Oscar sweep to collect the Best Film Ensemble award. The fact that over 100,000 SAG members voted for a cast of total unknowns speaks volumes to the film's likability.

Likewise, Heath Ledger was awarded Best Supporting Actor, in a surprise to no one. Gary Oldman touchingly accepted the award for the late actor.

The other races are not so clear cut. Kate Winslet nabbed Best Supporting Actress for her turn as a Nazi war criminal in The Reader. But, at the Academy Awards she's nominated for that film in the Lead Actress category, where she'll go head-to-head with the SAG Lead Actress winner, Meryl Streep, who won for her fierce performance as a nun in Doubt.

That leaves Best Supporting Actress wide open for the Oscars, with Penelope Cruz now the likely front-runner.

On the Best Actor front, Sean Penn (for Milk) snuck past Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler. Rourke won the Golden Globe, but it appears that Penn is gaining ground. Now the question is: which stands to be disappointed at the Oscars?

What do you think? Will Kate finally reign, or will Meryl triumph for the first time in 26 years? Will Penelope claim the Golden Guy, or can a smaller performance like Viola Davis' triumph? Talk amongst yourselves.

Batter Up

The Oscar nominations were announced today. To see a complete list, lookie here: http://www.oscar.com/nominees/?pn=nominees

There was nothing shocking, but a few mild surprises and snubs. Among them:

SURPRISES

-Kate Winslet was nominated for Lead Actress for The Reader. She had campaigned in Supporting for that role and for Lead for Revolutionary Road. But Oscar voters can place performers in whatever category they want, and apparently her support for The Reader won out.

-The dandy performance of The Reader, which also nabbed Best Picture, Director and Screenplay nominations.

-The inclusion of hard-working character actors who were considered long shots for nominations, such as Richard Jenkins in The Visitor, Melissa Leo in Frozen River and Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road.

SNUBS

-Sally Hawkins (Happy go Lucky) and Kristin Scott Thomas (I've Loved You So Long) for Best Actress.

-Dev Patel and the rest of the Slumdog Millionaire cast.

-The Dark Knight for Best Picture, Director and Screenplay.

-Clint Eastwood and Gran Torino.

-Leonardo DiCaprio and almost everything else related to Revolutionary Road.

ALSO OF NOTE:

-Meryl Streep received her 15th nomination for Doubt, besting her own record. She now ties Katharine Hepburn with 12 Lead Actress nominations.

-Heath Ledger's turn as The Joker became the 7th performance in history to receive a posthumous acting Oscar nomination. Only one (Peter Finch for Network) has won. The others were:

James Dean East of Eden 1955

James Dean Giant 1956

Spencer Tracy Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 1967

Jeanne Eagels The Letter 1929

Massimo Troisi The Postman 1995

Ralph Richardson Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes 1984

The Oscars will be broadcast on ABC on Feb. 22. Stay tuned.

LOST: Because You Left and The Lie

After eight months away, I was afraid I was going to get a nosebleed.

Thankfully, Lost has returned, and just in time. Last night's two-episode premiere did not disappoint: we flashed back and forth in time, saw people shot with burning arrows, impaled by dirty knives and hit by poison darts. And yet... it didn't seem like the producers dropped a bomb on us like they have in past premieres.

The highlights of these two episodes were (spoiler alert):

-Locke's North by Northwest moment with Mr. Eko's plane, his creepy confrontation with Ethan and his instructions from the ageless Richard.

-Hurley's traffic stop by (the ghost of?) Ana Lucia.

-Sun's manipulation of Kate, and her revelation that she (sort of) holds Kate responsible for Jin's alleged death.

-The return of Mrs. Hawking (Daniel's mother?) who looked as if she just flew in on a broom from the Harry Potter movies.

-Hurley's conversation with his madre, who touchingly believed everything he told her about the island.

-Ben's no-nonsense approach to Jack's drug treatment.

-Daniel's encounter with past Desmond outside the Hatch.

It was interesting how the premiere opened with the man we know as Marvin Candle, the guy from the orientation videos. I read one theory today that the baby he held was perhaps Jin - or maybe Miles.

Does anyone else think that Sun sent the lawyers after Kate? And is maybe working for Ben? And what do we make of Charlotte's nosebleed? Is she gonna kick it? All grades are subject to change until I've seen all Season 5 episodes, but as it stands now - Because You Left: A- The Lie: B

Scorecard

A quick recap of some of this season's releases.

LAST CHANCE HARVEY
Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson star in this offbeat romantic comedy set in London. It's surprisingly effective, and it's worth seeing for this pair's lovable and neurotic performances alone. It might just be the lone bright spot after a series of dreary Oscar-bait movies. B+

DOUBT
Adapted from his own play about a conflict at a Catholic School, John Patrick Shanley directs a quartet of powerhouse performances: Meryl Streep (as a nun), Phillip Seymour Hoffman (an accused priest), Amy Adams (also a nun), and Viola Davis (a weary mother). B+

THE READER
One of the best films of the year. Kate Winslet plays Hanna Schmitz, a Nazi war criminal who seduces a student (David Kross) who is oblivious of her past. Compelling for its history, it also depicts fiercely complex characters who will leave you questioning your beliefs. A

GRAN TORINO
This movie was made for Clint Eastwood, who delivers his lines as a crotchety war vet with the subtlety of a rabid dog. The focus is a culture clash, but it's also, surprisingly, one of the funniest movies to come out in recent months. B+

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
A crumbling marriage in the early 60s. Sounds thoroughly depressing - and it is - but the performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are so compelling, you won't care. Think American Beauty meets Little Children. Everyone's abuzz about the leading performances, but Michael Shannon and Kathy Bates offer outstanding support too. A

Globes Countdown and Predix

The Golden Globes will begin in less than an hour.

Here are a few last-minute predictions. Do you agree with my choices? We'll see if the Hollywood Foreign Press Association does.

Best Picture, Drama
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor, Drama
Sean Penn, Milk

Best Actress, Drama
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy
Dustin Hoffman, Last Chance Harvey

Best Acress, Musical or Comedy
Sally Hawkins, Happy Go Lucky

Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress
Kate Winslet, The Reader

On the TV side, I think Mad Men, 30 Rock and John Adams will dominate.

Is There Room for an Oscar in my Utility Belt?

Need more evidence that the Best Picture lineup at the Oscars is all but set?

The Producers Guild, Writers Guild and Directors Guild all unveiled their nominees. Each one named a nominee from the following movies:

The Dark Knight

Milk

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Slumdog Millionaire

Frost/Nixon

Looks like buzz for The Dark Knight is building. It will be shocking if at least four of these movies aren't nominated for Best Picture. But which is most vulnerable, and what could sneak in in its place?

'Tis the Season

Oscar season is almost upon us. Nominations will be announced in only a couple of weeks. With Golden Globe and SAG nominations out, and most critics awards bestowed, we have a good idea of who may be nominated. Here are who I think are the leading contenders in the major categories.

Best Picture
Front runners: Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon
Possible nominees: The Dark Knight, Doubt, The Wrestler, Wall-E
Long shots: Revolutionary Road, The Reader, Rachel Getting Married

Best Actor
Front runners: Sean Penn, Milk; Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler; Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Possible nominees: Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino; Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Long shots: Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road, Josh Brolin, W.

Best Actress
Front runners: Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road; Meryl Streep, Doubt; Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married; Sally Hawkins, Happy Go Lucky
Possible nominees: Angelina Jolie, Changeling; Kristin Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long; Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Long shots: Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Keira Knightley, The Duchess

Best Supporting Actor
Front runners: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight; Josh Brolin, Milk; Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt; Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Possible nominees: Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire; Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road; James Franco, Milk
Long Shots: Ralph Fiennes, The Duchess or The Reader

Best Supporting Actress
Front runners: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona; Viola Davis, Doubt; Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Kate Winslet, The Reader
Possible nominees: Amy Adams, Doubt; Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Long shots: Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married; Debra Winger, Rachel Getting Married; Kathy Bates, Revolutionary Road

Best Director
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire; David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon; Gus Van Sant, Milk
Possible nominees: Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight; John Patrick Shanley, Doubt; Darren Arronofsky, The Wrestler
Long shots: Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road; Stephen Daldry, The Reader; Andrew Stanton, Wall-E