“What the frak did I just watch?” – My Take on the Battlestar Galactica Finale

Before you read on, I’d like you to know that this post is more of a rant than a review. My thoughts and feelings towards this finale does not reflect my view on the show as a whole. Battlestar Galactica is fantastic and I encourage you to watch it. But, if you’re reading this, chances are you already have.

First off, can I just say “WHAT THE FRAK!?!?”

The 3 part finale of Battlestar Galactica rapped up a lot of the prophecies, but also left me confused and disappointed. Parts 1 and 2 were probably some of the best episodes in the series, but Part 3 is a completely different story. If you thought the LOST finale sucked, then think again.

The confusion

What happened to Kara Thrace? Was she “an angel sent by God?” Is their “God” Ronald D. Moore (see below)? If Kara is an angel, what does that make Red-Dress-Six and Creepy-Ass-Baltar? Maybe they’re narrators of some sort, corporeal catalyst for the rebirth of mankind in this cycle of destruction? Will the liberated Centurions and Raiders ever come back?

The final five (minutes)

For your amusement, here is a breakdown of my thought process starting at 40:20 on Netflix:

• 40:20 – Hera! Damn, I wonder how much that kid got paid. Yeah, that was totally shot on a green screen…
• 40:50 – “150,000 years later”? Wait, is that New York? Yep. HOLD ON, DOES THIS MEAN I’M A CYLON-HUMAN HYBRID?!?
• 41:00 – Oh gods noooo! This is present day! It’s not even some alternate universe New York, this is actually New York!
• 41:15 – WHY THE FRAK IS RONALD D. MOORE STANDING IN THE FOREGROUND? IS THIS A JOKE?
• 41:40 – Are they really explaining the show’s message to the audience? Hell, you might as well break the 4th wall.
• 41:58 – They’re totally filming on location. I wonder if anyone will — yep, bearded dude just spiked the camera.
• 42:05 – Six: “That too is in God’s plan” Baltar: “You know he doesn’t like that name.” WAIT, IS HE REFERRING TO RONALD D. MOORE?!?
• 42:25 – Great, a news reel about present day human advances in robotics. Maybe I wouldn’t be cringing if I this wasn’t 2013.
• 42:50 – So. Much. Product. Placement.
• 43:12 – DID I JUST WATCH THE CREATION STORY OF MAN OR A SNL SKIT?!?

Maybe I’m taking everything at face value, or maybe I’m just unable see the big picture. Either way, this finale gets thumbs down from me.

My Take on the LOST Finale

It’s been a little over 2 years since LOST ended, and almost 6 months since I decided to watch my first episode. Refusing to heed my friend’s warnings about “how terrible” it was, I allowed Netflix’s recommendation system to play “Pilot: Part 1”. I was hooked.

Now, this isn’t a rant or a rave (that might be a future post). This post is about my explanation and justification of the final episode of LOST and the events of season 6. I do not suggest reading this unless you have already completed the series. MAJOR spoilers are ahead.

Holy. Amazeballs. That pretty much sums up my feelings on the finale of LOST. I fangirled when old characters returned, I was angry when Kate didn’t wait 15 minutes then run after Jack, and I bawled my eyes out when Vincent ran out of the forest. I mean, my face was so distorted from crying I couldn’t recognize myself in the mirror. Absolutely incredible.

I can’t say I am pleased with the ending, but I am not disappointed either. The final flash sideways scene tied everything together nicely, but left its present day counterpart open ended. What happens to Kate, James, and everyone else on the plane? Maybe Miles’ duct tape surgery fails to keep the plane together and they all crash into the ocean and die? Maybe they crash and float back to the island on debris? Maybe they land safely in nearby civilization and catch connecting flights back to LA? The same open ended type stories apply to Hurley, Ben, Desmond, and everyone else on the island. Now that Hurley is the new Jacob and Ben is the new Richard, does that mean Ben and Hurley will live forever? Does Desmond get back to Penny? Do they ever find and bury Jack? Does Jack actually die in that final moment? Maybe Bernard was out looking for Vincent and he finds Jack lying there unconscious and takes him back to his camp. Then, Rose patches Jack back up and he’s off on his merry way! I could go on forever, but the point is WE WILL NEVER KNOW. Six months later and this still pisses me off.

The flash sideways
From my perspective, the flash sideways are kind of like a “final count down” to Jack’s death. Juliet detonating the bomb was merely a catalyst for Jack’s impending doom. That is, if Jack is actually dead (see above). One could argue that the flash sideways are actually flash forwards that take place in purgatory. After all, they’ve all done terrible things or had terrible things happen to them. The only way for everyone to “move on” is to find each other in the afterlife. Certain predestined events had to happen. This would include things like Kate delivering Aaron, Charlie meeting Clare, and the Oceanic 6 meeting each other.

Overall

Overall, LOST is a fantastic show. Take it apart and you have a cluster of the most ridiculous science fiction story ideas ever. Don’t mind the confusing storyline and just enjoy the ride. Trust me.

Dredd 3D – A Review

Summary
A murder investigation goes wrong when Judge Dredd and up-and-coming agent Anderson get locked inside an apartment complex run by Ma-Ma, the local drug lord.

Review
This movie is basically RoboCop on steroids. As lame as that sounds, it’s surprisingly AWESOME! The storyline is a little intricate, but the visual make up for it. Paying attention to the dialogue is key, but you don’t have to nitpick everything.

I can’t vouch for the 2D showing of this film, but the 3D version was wonderful. Almost every shot involved 3D effects, unlike most “3D movies” shown today. You’ll be dodging blood splatter, broken glass, and bullets from your seat. Very, very fun. The color palette used was also unique. The closer to Ma-Ma’s lair, the darker and more vibrant the colors get, like a trippy filter. Towards the beginning of the film there is a scene were Dredd and Anderson are talking in a kitchen. The camera is behind a table, and pots and pans are hanging above their head. The way this scene was shot, along with the color scheme, made me feel like I was right there. Behind the pots and pans was a neon sign. I found myself, and other audience members, trying to physically duck under the pots to read the sign. Just add shaky cam and it would feel like you’re the camera man for a documentary.

Like living in a comic book, the visual effects for Dredd 3D were top notch. The storyline was quick, clever, and never ceased to have a dull moment. Downtime between all the awesome gives you time to collect yourself before jumping right back in. 4/5 stars.