brad dielman

When the third season of Lost went on a brief hiatus back in November, I was a bit put off. Not because I was on the edge of my seat eagerly anticipating the next installment of what was once the best show on television, rather because they had opened up so many new plotlines while letting older, more interesting ones languish and added so many new characters while at the same time killing of one of the most interesting new members of the Lost “tribe”. No, I wasn’t lamenting the temporary loss of my favorite show. I was upset because this season had taken all that was great about it and brushed it aside without any explanation. Now I had to wait months before seeing if the producers, directors and writers could get the show back on track.

Well, my long wait is about over since Lost will pick back up on February 7th. I have to say, I’m a bit pessimistic about the prospects of the show returning to its former glory. Not that the talented writers don’t have the chops to write amazing and compelling TV drama, but I believe they have painted themselves into a corner. I have the first two seasons on DVD and going back there are many twists and turns the story has taken, great adventures and mysteries that were introduced and then simply ignored. No follow up. No closure. No mention of them at all. Its almost as if the writers had a great idea one week, looked at it again post shoot and decided it wasn’t worth the effort so they dropped it. All the while hoping that the audience wouldn’t take notice.

The problem with that thinking is that with any show with a large cult following, there are leagues of rabid fans soaking up every detail, every nuance of the characters and their stories. In a situation like this, you owe it to the fans to stick with the myriad story lines that were created in the Lost’s golden era before you introduce many more don’t tie in well with the established plot.

Then again, what do I know?

I just recently re-watched my all-time favorite movie, Chinatown. I love this movie, but when I forget how absolutely brilliant it is if I let too much time lapse between viewings.

From the opening credits which hearken back to the early days of cinema to the final depressing scene, this movie masterfully captures the look and feel of classic film noir.

The mystery surrounding the story is compelling and believable. It takes place in Los Angeles during the ’30’s and touches on the politics and intrigue surrounding its early days and potential growth into a major metropolis. This plot is interweaved into the lives of the main characters J.J. ‘Jake’ Gittes (Jack Nicholson), Evelyn Cross Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) and Noah Cross (John Huston). While Jack Nicholson is amazing in just about every movie he’s in, John Huston definitely steals the show.

I don’t want to give too much of the plot away, just trust me. Add this to your Netflix queue or go to your local video store and rent it. You will not be sorry. Its been my top movie for as long as I can remember, and will probably be number one on my list for the foreseeable future.

Enjoy!