"Lost" In Thought...

My dear friends and TV lovers of all nations, we are now less than 48 hours away from the season premiere of the 6th and (gasp) final season of one of (in my humble opinion) the greatest TV shows in the history of the medium. I'm talking about, that's right, "Lost."
I remember first hearing about this show back in early 2004. I thought it was a very clever idea--something not seen on television before, and I was immediately hooked. I couldn't wait for the premiere, and when I saw it, I knew I was in for a real treat.
The show has sparked numerous discussions among friends and complete strangers, both in person, and through internet forums. I've been a contributor to one of my favorite forums, and you can read it on USAToday.com's Popcandy blog (look for it in the Life section).
Anyway, the show has everything you would want: a fantastic plot, great characters, and terrific writing. Like millions of others (no pun intended), I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Maureen Ryan over at The Chicago Tribune had a great 3 part interview with show creators and writers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. Click here to read the entire article(s). Here's an excerpt:

Ryan: So many people love different things about "Lost" that I'm prepared to say, "OK, you guys like that stuff, that's cool. I'll get a turn with the stuff I like soon." 

Lindelof: We just hope you like Season 6. I think what’s cool about the show is that if you say to somebody who’s watched all five years, "What was your favorite season of the show?" -- there probably aren’t that many people out there saying Season 3 was their favorite, but they’ll say Season 3 was their favorite finale. You’ll get different answers. It's all over the place. And some people love Season 4 because of all the freighter stuff, some people love Season 5 because of the time-travel stuff. The purists just love Season 1 and nothing’s ever come up to [that standard], you know. That’s the way I was [i.e., debating which season was best] as a “Buffy” fan.

Cuse: Most people seem to like [Seasons] 1 or 5. Those are the two that people seemed to like the most. 



Click the link below to catch the season 5 finale which leads up to Tuesday night's season 6 premiere (which, by the way, you can catch starting with a special hourlong recap episode at 7p.m.)

the-incident-part-1

The New Girl (and her inner thoughts)

I'm going to treat this "get to know me" article like speed dating. (People do that right?) I think that will leave enough mystery to keep everyone coming back for more, yet give enough information for everyone to know what I am all about.

I'm the type of person who talks to themselves. So, for your reading pleasure I thought I would include many of the thoughts that pop into my head as I write this.

When Grant and Jody mentioned for me to starting writing on their blog, my first thought was,"I have a hard enough time keeping thoughts together, and they want me to write well organized, witty articles?!" Thanks to my degree in Communications from The University of Tennessee at Martin, I have been well trained enough to sound like I know what I am talking about (go Skyhawks!)

I truly enjoy what pop culture has to offer us! I have been a long time video game, movie, and music lover. I do not know where I get most of my information from (maybe from the depths of the interwebs), but now at 24, I find myself a plethora (one of my favorite words) of knowledge in all things pop culture that I am looking forward to sharing with you! I cannot being to convey my excitement and enthusiasm about writing for this blog. I hope you all enjoy reading what I have to say as much as I enjoy writing it.

Grant is going to be conducting a formal interview in a next days, so keep an eye (or two) out for that soon.

I also wanted to introduce a new series coming to Pop-Snap. This was inspired by a very good friend (thinking of clever aliases). Let's call her Beatrix. Well, as I was explaining to Beatrix what this blog was all about, I learned that she hasn't seen many of the movies that most people consider classics (many of these movies being the top grossing of their release year). So, over the next few weeks, Beatrix will be watching all of these movies and I'll be asking her questions about what took her so long to watch these movies;

1.) Back to The Future Series
2.) Indian Jones Series (Should I include The Crystal Skull?)
3.) The Princess Bride
4.) Top Gun
5.) Anchorman
6.) The Terminator Series
7.) Kill Bill 1+2 (two of my favorites)

Now, there is one series of movies she refuses to watch; Star Wars. I will hopefully convince her to watch them, but until then, I think we will keep her busy.

What do I get out of this (besides quasi-publicly embarrassing her)? Well, I am a chicken. While I feel that overall the horror genre is the weakest that it has been in years, I still don't like the basic startles that they offer. I agreed if she watched these movies and let me pick her brain that I would watch all of the Saw movies with her (mostly so she can laugh at me while I watch it with the blanket pulled up to my eyes.)

So stayed tuned folks! I hope to bring much to the popcorn box (but without the buttery fingers)!

James Cameron Sinks His Own Ship

"Avatar" can’t be stopped. While the doe-eyed rainforest warriors have yet to overtake the Caped Crusader in “The Dark Knight,” (in domestic sales) the oversea box office has surpassed James Cameron’s other indie flick, Titanic. Raking in $1.859 billion in the process, "Avatar" offers more than just a pretty face and $13 ticket price.

Leaving the visuals out of the equation in a sea of remakes and wish-they-had-never-been-mades, the original idea of the Na'vi people created by Cameron is refreshing. I can’t agree with the people who say this movie is an old idea with new visuals; The film stands for more than that, and money speaks louder than words. Word–of-mouth from this film should happily keep people in their 3D glasses.

Much has changed since the movie “Titanic” debuted in 1997. Theatre-goers can experience "Avatar" in multiple formats including 2D, 3D, and IMAX.

I saw this movie in 3D, and the anticipation of what would be flying out of the screen was worth the extra dough!! I suggest seeing "Avatar" in 3D while you can. I don’t know about you, but I won’t be buying a 3D TV anytime soon. If you can appreciate the movie for what it is, an action blockbuster filled with creative creature and lush landscapes, you will enjoy the experience. In the end, isn’t that what movies are all about anyway?

Cameron’s "Avatar" set the standard for blockbusters from now on. This is the season where the Oscar indie-flicks reign supreme, and the winter months don’t usually see movies with huge budgets; "Avatar" maintained a rumored $300-500 million budget. I have a feeling “It’s no Avatar” will be a widely used phrase to characterize a movie that just doesn’t impress the way "Avatar" has for present audiences and critics. Until we can start tasting movies, I think "Avatar" has laid the map outlining the directions all new movies will ultimately have to follow. It looks like James Cameron has sunk the Titanic yet again, but either way, he wins.

Welcome, Katie Mercuri!

PopSnap! is expanding and very excited to welcome a new member to the team! Jody and I have the distinct privilege of welcoming Katie Mercuri to the popcorn box. I've known Katie for some time and I must say she is an asset to any organization. She has background in Communications, Web Design, Theatre, and Photography. Her roots run deep in the world of pop culture and she will help provide us with the latest news and gossip.

Katie will join us frequently on our pop culture podcast on Blog Talk Radio. I know that she will do an outstanding job of keeping everyone informed. I just wanted to take this time to welcome our new member and say how excited and honored we are to have her join the crew. Expect to hear a lot more from Katie in the weeks ahead!

Count Me In!

Welcome back, Mel Gibson. Box offices around the country are opening up today with "Edge of Darkness," Mel Gibson's first movie in years. He's one of the greastest leading men of our generation. His movies range from "Mad Max" to going 'mad' over women in "What Women Want" (Yes, I did just mention that movie). His performances in "Braveheart" and "The Patriot" are two of my all-time favorites. "Darkness" is his first leading role since 2002's "Signs," directed by M. Night Shyamalan.

The film tells the story of a man's quest for justice after his daughter is murdered. From the first time that I saw the preview, I've been so excited about Mel Gibson's revenge quest. This is definitely a film that I will be taking my Dad to see in theatres. "Taken" was a huge success this time last year and we could see of the same good numbers for "Darkness."

If the Winter months get you down, put your trust in the silver screen! With "Edge of Darkness," "From Paris With Love," "The Wolfman," and "Shutter Island," we have a great FOUR weeks of film ahead! Popcorn is a MUST with these movies...Enjoy, Everyone!

"Lost" Prepares For The Beginning Of The End...

Attention "Lost" lovers: The critically acclaimed ABC show is drawing to a close. It will have the premiere of its 6th and final season Tuesday night. I found this article on USAToday.com. *Spoiler Alert* If you don't know want to know
which characters from past seasons will be making an appearance, do not read this article! For the rest, read and enjoy!
Click here to read the article.

Remembering Pernell Roberts

"Bonanza" made him a star, but for many people, like me, Pernell Roberts will always be known as the guy who played "Trapper John, M.D."
Roberts, who died Sunday at the age of 81 from complications due to cancer, first made his mark in Hollywood in 1959, playing the eldest son of the Cartwright clan on the popular TV series, "Bonanza." But he got restless playing Adam Cartwright. Frustrated with lack of character development, he left the show after just six seasons.
He toured the country performing in regional theatre, and took occasional TV work after that, appearing in many popular shows including "Hawaii Five-O," "Mission Impossible," "Ironside," "Mannix," and "Marcus Welby, M.D."
In 1979, he landed the title role in the series "Trapper John, M.D." If that name sounds familiar, it was the same character that Wayne Rogers played in "MASH," both of which aired on CBS.
"Trapper John" aired until 1986.
Like "Bonanza," "Trapper John" has great theme music. Check them both out below: