426 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(14 replies, posted in Off Topic)

There's like four good anime shows, and the rest of it is crap. Watch those, and move on.

Go to forum: Off Topic

427 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(301 replies, posted in Episodes)

Release The Core!

Go to forum: Episodes

428 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(29 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I agree with Eddie. I don't agree with Mike.

Go to forum: Off Topic

429 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(37 replies, posted in Episodes)

Astroninja Studios wrote:

Um, dude, YOU'RE the one harping about dong, not me.

No, it's just that you said it would be 'on and cracking' come Monday, and it was Wednesday, and nothing. I wasn't sure what you'd found so offensive about my statement, so I was waiting to see what you were going to come back with.

Go to forum: Episodes

430 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(29 replies, posted in Off Topic)

downinfront wrote:

Well, I think there's a statute of limitations. In a film series, this can even go six movies, if you're not adding huge story-changing powers to the bean in question. ("Oh, Yoda can catch and re-direct the energy from force lightning. Nifty.") On a TV show, if you spend as many seasons adding mind-bending, story-changing, hugely influential powers to the magic beans...it might not be illegal or anything, but folks are going to accuse you of making everything up as you went.

Yeah, thing is, there weren't that many mind-bending, story changing powers. Heck, I think it's just:

1. protects the goodness of the world
2. can transport items through time and space if handled correctly
3. turns you into magical smoke if you try to touch it
4. allows the Protector to grant immortality to whom he choses
5. generates a special electromagnetic field which hides the Island from the outside world and traps souls of the departed

Sure, those are a little looney when written out like that, but over six seasons and 100 hours of the show, that's not too crazy. Compare that to the Force, which allows those who control it (who are usually spontaneously generated) to:

1. Bend matter to their will
2. Control the thoughts of others
3. 'See' without their eyes
4. See into the future
5. Meet themselves in a cave wearing the suit of their nemesis
6. Have children who also can control the Force

Oh, and sometimes it creates a virgin birth.

And that's only in *12* hours.

Go to forum: Off Topic

431 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(29 replies, posted in Off Topic)

downinfront wrote:

Two things. One, Zarban super eloquently nailed it with his saying "we do have to know what magic beans do, like make a beanstalk." I agree.

I kinda agree. We have to know what they did. I'd argue that almost every episode of Lost tells us something about what the power of the Island does.

What Brian has argued to me, and what I'm sensing from a lot of people, is that they think we need to know EVERYTHING the magic bean does.

Which is a fair point, but: do we know everything the Jedi can do? Or does Obi-Wan constantly in ANH do stuff that we didn't realize he could do before then. Do we know all the ramifications of the unknown magic bean in the West Wing world? Certainly not.

If you reveal everything about a magic bean's capabilities before you have to, you risk boring the audience. I certainly didn't know that magic could save people's souls from death until book SIX of Harry Potter.

So when you tell me that the power of the Island can be passed from person to person by drinking water, and that the power of the Island can create an afterlife so friends who have passed on can be together once more before heading on to Heaven or whatever, I go with you. It's still tied back to the magic bean, which I'm accepting because it's a magic bean.

Go to forum: Off Topic

432 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(37 replies, posted in Episodes)

So, where's Eddie's post about how he's not repressing?

http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q47/sentrei/300_1-26-27.jpg?t=1274844481

Go to forum: Episodes

433 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(29 replies, posted in Off Topic)

These are some of the best posts I have ever seen. Teague, you were right to have faith in these people. I need to give it all some thought before my next post, so, I'll edit this in a bit if there haven't been too many posts below me.

Go to forum: Off Topic

434 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(29 replies, posted in Off Topic)

BrianFinifter wrote:

And that was the test of Lost that some felt it could pass and some felt it couldn't. That's the sentiment of, "There's no way they're going to be able to tie all that random shit together" is essentially a way of saying, "There's no way they'll be able to tie that all back to one magic bean."

What do you think of my comparison of the power of the light to Star Wars' Force? They're both huge, nebulous powers, the constraints of which, and the source of which, are never entirely explained, but which are necessary to push forward the story?

BrianFinifter again wrote:

So, basically, the producers of Lost introduced a second magic bean in the last season and spent the finale explaining that, while leaving the Island magic bean substantially unexplained (not wholly, mind you, but substantially).

This, right here, is the ACTUAL genesis of the thread.

Brian says that a magic bean should be explained.

I completely disagree. I think that magic beans are specifically supposed to not be explained, ever.

Please, someone tell me why I'm wrong. With examples.

still BrianFinifter wrote:

I still don't know how Wonderland scenarios fit into the grand scheme of storytelling theory, admittedly.

I'm not sure how 'Wonderland' differs from 'there's more than one magic bean, but I liked the movie anyway.'

Go to forum: Off Topic

435 Topic by Gregory Harbin

(29 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Let's talk about magic beans. This comes out of a discussion on Lost, but let me define this before we go there.

As defined, a magic bean is the one piece of magic that you have to accept for a story. The Force. The Sun burning out. The core of the Earth stops spinning. Robin Williams is funny.

You accept it, the story is told, and everyone's happy. If they introduce another magic bean, an argument can be made that the story falls apart.

OK, so there we go.

So what do you think of magic beans? What's your favorite magic bean? Do you think magic beans need explanation, or should they be left completely mysterious?

How does this relate to Lost? So the question is, what is the magic bean of Lost? Is there more than one? Is it OK that the magic bean was left mysterious until the end?

And what's the difference between a magic bean and a McGuffin? I'd argue that the Island was the McGuffin, and the light itself was the magic bean, but…I want to know what you think.

And I want to hear what you have to say from other stories, too. PLEASE, pull in references to other TV shows, books, movies, plays, unproduced screenplays, fanfilms you made in 7th grade. Go.

Go to forum: Off Topic

436 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(4 replies, posted in Off Topic)

emfayder wrote:

If they're all dead, though, then they all have to die.  No one makes it off the Island, and the Island sinks, never to be found again.

Six people made it off the Island, the Ajira Six: Lapidus, Richard, Claire, Kate, Sawyer, and Miles. They went on to live full and productive lives. Three people stayed on the Island to protect it: Hurley, Ben, and Desmond.

Eventually, as everyone eventually does, all of them had died. Whether this was in 2011, or 2025, or 2090, we don't know. But once they were all gone, they came together in a Limbo-like construct that Hurley created so they could all be together one last time before heading off into the great Unknown. Think of it like the Matrix. The Island is at the bottom of the ocean in Limbo because that's what Hurley wanted.

Go to forum: Off Topic

437 Topic by Gregory Harbin

(4 replies, posted in Off Topic)

OK, so I'm friggin' starved for conversation about this show. The Jay & Jack show is delayed to Wednesday, the TFN board is covered in spoiler-black, and 2k is dead.

So, you guys. Awesome people. DIF fans. What did you think? Do you still have questions? Were you happy with the answers? Are you glad you stuck with the show?

And please, for God's sake, if you stopped watching the show, or never watched the show, don't come in here crowing about how happy you were you quit the show. No one ever bragged about walking out of 'Jedi' when Leia's getting poked in the ass by an Ewok.

I'm comparing Lost to Star Wars, you ask? Why yes I am. The show, at least the part on the Island, appears to follow pretty closely a hero's journey for Jack, from his first refusal of the call in the Pilot, to his death in the finale. More comparisons to come.

For now, I want to hear from you guys.

Go to forum: Off Topic

438 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(2,061 replies, posted in Episodes)

I prefer films with ALOT of SOTRY.

Go to forum: Episodes

439 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(37 replies, posted in Episodes)

downinfront wrote:
maul2 wrote:

Greg...would you quit listening to the commentaries early and then blabbing about them? Some of us actually wait until they're released.

Yeah, I have to endorse this policy.

I often have episodes up in advance for one reason or another, I don't mind folks sniffing them out, but hold off on discussion of the actual commentary until the release pls.

Oh, sorry sorry sorry. I thought the release was out, hence the thread.

Go to forum: Episodes

440 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(37 replies, posted in Episodes)

I love how Eddie completely forgot that they DID change the costumes for the movie. In that they were all bottomless in the book.

Repressing much?

Go to forum: Episodes

441 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(26 replies, posted in Off Topic)

maul2 wrote:

And I've spelt it both ways since childhood and no one has ever told me either was wrong (Except you) so I'll continue to use both, thank you very much.

…

Really?

I mean, I was mostly kidding, but, really?

That's kinda gotta be the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

I mean no offense dude but.

Wow.

Go to forum: Off Topic

442 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(26 replies, posted in Off Topic)

"A lot" is two separate words.

Go to forum: Off Topic

443 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(2,061 replies, posted in Episodes)

You should do "The Book Of Eli." This is a film that STARTS with a character literally killing a cat.

Go to forum: Episodes

444 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(301 replies, posted in Episodes)

I love pancakes.

Go to forum: Episodes

445 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(23 replies, posted in Off Topic)

And I'm the jerk who sits in the back of the class, has already read the textbook, and sarcastically throws barbs at the teacher because he can, because he's getting too good of grades to be yelled at.

Go to forum: Off Topic

446 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(23 replies, posted in Off Topic)

downinfront wrote:

Well, here's what happened. I mistakenly half-thought the conversation was taking place in the suggest a movie thread, and because the conversation was so divisive and really going on, I thought I'd break my "no movie threads until the episode comes out" rule and move the conversation there, and have as much of our discussion of 300 be in that thread.

Turns out, the conversation was actually happening in the "upcoming episode" thread, and was pretty much where it should have been. (Although I still like that thread more for socializing and less for big conversations about upcoming movies, for the above reason - the conversation all being in one place is easier on the mind.)

Dorkman tapped my brain and reminded me it was the right thread for that conversation (leaving only my "wah, I want the conversation in one thread" feeling) but by that point the other thread was goin', so I left it. He continued to rail on his point, this brings us to the present.

BREAKING: DORKMAN UNVEILS NEW PLAN TO CLEAN UP UPCOMING MOVIE THREAD

http://www.treehugger.com/containment-dome-468.jpg

Go to forum: Off Topic

447 Topic by Gregory Harbin

(23 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Gregory, on page 2 of the now-locked Upcoming thread wrote:

Is it just me, or is this thread turning dangerously into 'Off Topic' territory? Moderator, what's the guidelines for posting here? Do you mind if we use this as a general purpose Social Thread?

Six pages of Social Threading later, the thread is locked for being OT. Discuss.

Or, you know, breakfast food.

Go to forum: Off Topic

448 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(21 replies, posted in Off Topic)

If someone asks if Dorkman's a God, YOU SAY YES

Go to forum: Off Topic

449 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(301 replies, posted in Episodes)

I loved it at the time, but haven't been able to convince myself to watch it again.

Go to forum: Episodes

450 Reply by Gregory Harbin

(44 replies, posted in Episodes)

This is consistant with what I've read and what's on Wikipedia.

Go to forum: Episodes