Ben's Frozen Donkey Wheel

LOST Stands Up To Cancer

2010-09-11T06:55:00.002-10:00

A classic LOST commerical for the Stand Up To Cancer fundraiser. I wonder why Sayid doesn't have any lines? Maybe he's still a zombie.

In Memory Of Nunu

2010-09-08T14:29:00.001-10:00

With the end of LOST also came the end of the life of Jorge Garcia's dog Nunu. That was back in May.

Today, there is a tribute for Nunu in the latest newsletter for the Hawaiian Humane Society (pictured, right).

Garcia says there will be a bronze plaque at the Valley of the Temples with her name on it. Someday I'll go there to bid her farewell.

Thank you for all of the people who donated to the Hawaiian Humane Society in Nunu's name. I should have been one of those. I'm going to sponsor my sister-in-law for the PetWalk 2010 that will benefit HHS.

Here are the people who gave to the Hawaiian Humane Society in Nunu's name:

Meet Yasmin Dar

2010-02-20T15:08:00.008-10:00

She is not only the Beat The Traffic reporter on KITV 4 News This Morning but she's also a LOST alumnus and Yasmin Dar shares her experiences on being on our favorite television show in my latest On Location video.

LOST Season 6 Premiere Wrapup

2010-01-31T02:27:00.009-10:00

It was a wild evening at the Season 6 Premiere of LOST at Sunset At The Beach in Waikiki! On the red carpet, I was sandwiched between Kristin from E! and AOL.com. The videographer from Entertainment Tonight also said I looked familiar. I guess he must have been here for the Season 3 premiere and remembered me from 4 years ago!

Here's a complete roundup of what happened that night:

10 p.m. KITV News Story About LOST Season 6 Premiere
5 p.m. KITV News Story About LOST Season 6 Premiere

Raw interview videos:
Matthew Fox
Josh Holloway
Evangeline Lilly
Jorge Garcia
Terry O'Quinn
Michael Emerson

Red Carpet Slideshow

Also, if you become a fan of KITV on Facebook you can find more pictures of the Season 6 premiere.

LOST: Season 5 On Blu-Ray, Best Buy Exclusive: UNCUT!

2009-12-08T14:08:00.001-10:00

Here's a Qik video of the Best Buy Exclusive LOST: Season 5 Blu-Ray:

LOST On Location In Downtown

2009-11-21T13:45:00.006-10:00

I was driving through downtown on a whim this morning and I found LOST production trucks parked on Bethel Street. This is the same area where Michael tried to commit suicide and also used for some Thailand scenes with Jack.

Here are my pictures of the trucks parked and I got a shot of a crewman pushing some equipment with a film camera on top:

I don't really have time to follow this kind of stuff. But, my friend and LOST podcaster Ryan Ozawa does! Here's his blog from today's stuff, but I warn you it contains SPOILERS and he also shot part of an action scene!

LOST ARG Swag!

2009-11-20T12:13:00.014-10:00

Someone at Lostpedia convinced me to be a part of the current LOST ARG going on right now at DamonCarltonandaPolarBear.com.

Clues lead you to a real place then you get a URL to buy one-of-a-kind LOST posters. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to buy one because they sell out in the first couple of minutes. This time, the URL was hidden at Abe Lee Realty here in Honolulu and I got to go there today to get some LOST goodies.

I didn't have time to shoot everything in the folder because I was doing a piece on the LOST ARG for our local ABC affiliate. So, I went home where I could go through it at a nice place. Plus, I brought out some of LOST swag for a show-and-tell.

Here are some pictures:

LOST Season 6 On Location!

2009-10-21T13:20:00.007-10:00

Now, I'm not the type of LOST fan to go out and stalk the LOST cast and crew and try to get spoilers. Perhaps it was because I was actually allowed to be on the LOST set before and eat their catering, drink their water and eat their snacks. I have tremendous respect for the cast and crew and I'll leave them be while I wait for the episodes. Those who do chase the shooting locations, they do it well and I don't want to overshadow them.

With that said, a couple of photos landed in my lap, courtesy of an anonymous friend.
Last week, the LOST crew were shooting in Waikele on Alelo Street near the 9th hole by the golf course. Obviously, he couldn't get that close but was able to snap these pictures.

They were actually shooting INSIDE my friend's house! His neighbor's things were actually moved out of the house! His neighbor's garage was used as the craft area for painting and making props. The crew also painted the walls of the house to their liking and then painted it back when they were done! The movers were then called on to move everything back in the house. They shot for two days for about 11 hours a day.

Whenever I get these little nuggets of info, I'll post them here!

Congratulations, Michael Emerson!

2009-09-23T15:39:00.002-10:00

I want to extend a hearty mahalo to the Emmys for finally giving Michael Emerson, the hero of this blog, his long overdue Emmy for his role as Benjamin Linus in "Lost."

I think it's a little ironic, though, that he won the award for the season that I thought was his weakest as a character. Ben seemed to be along for the ride in Season 5 instead of being the "man behind the curtain."

I thought his strongest performances were in Season 2 and a good chunk of Season 3. The last several episodes in Season 4 were also good Ben episodes.

Anyway, I love that Emerson brought a little bit of the aloha spirit to the Emmy award show. He ended his speech with "mahalo nui loa" which means "thank you very much." In my book, he is kama'aina and I hope he takes the aloha spirit around the world wherever he goes.

LOST: Season 1 & 2 on Blu-Ray

2009-06-17T16:37:00.003-10:00

Bought it at Best Buy. Each season started out at $54.99. If you buy two seasons, you get $20 off. I had a $10 Reward Zone certificate. And there is also a mail-in rebate for $20 if you bought the DVDs previously. So, that will be a grand total of $63.75 (tax included) which comes out to about $31.87 for each season. Not bad, huh? :)

LOST: LEGO Edition

2009-06-04T13:16:00.002-10:00

I wish I was this talented to make a LEGO version of this scene. Fitting for this website, I must say. :)

If Me & Evangeline Lilly Had A Baby Girl...

2009-05-30T07:10:00.002-10:00

She's actually kind of cute, don't you think? :)

I decided to name her Clementine.

What do you think about my little new baby Clementine?

MakeMeBabies.com - What will your baby look like?

LOST: On Location - Episode 7

2009-05-16T14:27:00.006-10:00

LOST, Season 5: The Incident - Review

2009-05-13T23:04:00.007-10:00

Wow. I was prepared to be let down by this season finale. The previous episode "Follow The Leader" felt so underwhelming that I wasn't excited about this finale at all. I'm glad I was wrong.

So many answers, yet so many questions. That's what's great about "Lost." And I'm not sure that ANY two hours in the previous seasons gave us as many answers as "The Incident" did.

Here's a rundown of big things that happened:

Jacob is a real person that, evidently, can be killed. Jacob, however, does have supernatural powers that he uses to lure to the Island. Jacob also has an unnamed nemesis who, since at least the days of the Black Rock, has wanted to kill him.
Jack causes the "incident." I saw that coming. I did not guess, however, that Juliet was going to become a casualty. I'm not sure she really is dead. I highly doubt the hydrogen bomb detonation killed ALL of the Losties, though. EDIT: Jack does NOT cause the "incident" since the magnetism was happening before the bomb had a chance to go off.
The "shadow" people seem to be actually be on the side of the Others and it looks like "Alive Locke" and Ben will be the opposing faction working for Jacob's nemesis. It's too bad that Locke really is dead. Wouldn't it be funny if Richard actually brought the real Locke back to life?
Rose and Bernard are alive! That was great.
Phil had a great death scene. Best since the Frogurt death scene.
Goodbye Dr. Chang's arm.

Here's my theories, and they're not very original because a lot of people are guessing these.

The detonation of the hydrogen bomb takes our Losties 30 years into the future to be reunited with Sun, Locke, and Ben. I am hoping Juliet and Sayid survive, even though their injuries from 1977 show that they really should be dead. It appears that "whatever happened, happened" and the "incident" happens anyway.

Now, we can concentrate on the war that's coming. The war between Jacob's people and the guy who wanted him killed in the opening scene of "The Incident." I don't know, though, how Charles Widmore figures into this. I suppose he'd be on the side of Jacob. And somehow Desmond has to come back into this story. I'm not sure how at this point, though.

Here's my final ranking of the episodes this season:

The Incident, Parts 1 & 2
Jughead
LaFleur
The Variable
Some Like It Hoth
316
Follow The Leader
Dead Is Dead
Whatever Happened, Happened
He's Our You
Namaste
The Life and Death Of Jeremy Bentham
Because You Left
The Little Prince
This Place Is Death
The Lie

The next thing to look out for is Season 5 of "Lost" on DVD and Blu-Ray on December 8th. I'm sure there will be more to talk about before then. All in all, a great season! One of my favorites!

Addendum: I know a lot of fans have been upset by the ridiculous chain of events regarding Sawyer, Juliet, Kate, and Jack. I was scratching my head every time Juliet made a complete 180-degree turn from her previous conviction. And she had a lame flashback to show that she really doesn't believe that relationships work. I'm sure we didn't have to deal with the para-love-o-gram (as coined by Ryan Ozawa and "The Transmission" podcast) to get to the final scene at the future Swan site. However, after watching the episode for a second time I didn't let all of this hurt my enjoyment of the episode. For me, the Jacob reveals were a perfect counter to all of that nonsense. I did enjoy Sawyer and Jack beating the crap out of each other. Even though they both wanted to do that since Season 1, they really do have a healthy respect for each other. So, while I agree with most fans about the downsides of the episode it didn't ruin the finale for me.

LOST, Season 5: The Variable - Review

2009-05-03T13:32:00.011-10:00

I have to admit, "The Variable" was one of my most anticipated episodes of the season. Mostly because the title made it seem it was going to be the converse of "The Constant." While it did not rise to that level of greatness, it was a solid episode that basically set up the season finale.

Here's another admission: Daniel Faraday is one of my favorite characters on "Lost." So, it was heartbreaking to see him go in a "Twilight Zone"-like ending. And I'm not sure we're totally done with him just yet. We might see more of him in either a flashback or a time-travelling situation.

I really should have seen the death of Daniel Faraday coming. When the writers tie up each loose end in a character's backstory, that character historically becomes expendable. But, I REALLY thought that Dan was needed alive in Season 6, but I was wrong.

Some great reveals in this episode:

Widmore admits to Dan that he planted the fake Oceanic 815 at the bottom of the Sundra Trench. Most fans thought so. But, it's always nice to get literal confirmation.
Daniel is not only the son of Eloise Hawking, but also the son of Charles Widmore. That makes Dan and Penny half-siblings! *gasp* Again, this was speculated by the fans and finally confirmed. But we still do not know who is Penny's mother. It's probably NOT Eloise. But, I've been wrong before.
Desmond is recovering from Ben's gunshot wound and appears to be okay. Some fans thought Henry Ian Cusick might be written off of the show because of pending sexual harrassment charges stemming from a lawsuit. I'm really glad Desmond will be around for now. The Island is not done with him yet.

I think the one thing that didn't make sense in this episode was how Daniel went in the Hostiles' camp with guns (or gun) ablazing. He doesn't strike me as a guy who would normally do that. But, as some have pointed out in the past, sometimes characters on "Lost" act out of character if it means furthering the story. I suppose it was hard to wrap up the episode with Daniel dying if Daniel didn't appear to be a threat to the Hostiles.

Even with that minor criticism, I think it's one of the best episodes of the season although I didn't want to say goodbye to Faraday just yet.

Jughead
LaFleur
The Variable
Some Like It Hoth
316
Dead Is Dead
Whatever Happened, Happened
He's Our You
Namaste
The Life and Death Of Jeremy Bentham
Because You Left
The Little Prince
This Place Is Death
The Lie

Those who saw "Lost" in the U.S. were treated to an altered version of the opening title which preceeded an exclusive clip from the upcoming J.J. Abrams movie "Star Trek." Here's a quick clip of the altered "Lost" title:

LOST, Season 5: Dead Is Dead - Review

2009-04-12T05:39:00.011-10:00

Episodes about Benjamin Linus are always intriguing. Let me get that out of the way. I thought this was a very good episode. With that said, I thought it was kind of all over the place trying to answer every little question about Ben from the past. I think with "Lost," the questions the show brings up are much more interesting than the actual answers. Although the fans crave for answers, I don't think the producers are obligated to connect all of the dots. Sometimes our own imaginations are better than what we could ever see on the screen.

So, what did we get in this episode? A LOT:

We see a horseback-riding Charles Widmore in 1977 speaking with a Temple-healed Ben. I can see why he'd want to occasionally leave the Island for some "shore leave." He's like the Fabio of the Island.
We see a very young Ethan and Ben shows him the perfect baby-stealing technique. We also find out that Widmore originally wanted Alex dead, but Ben refused.
We see how Charles Widmore is banished from the Island.
We find out why Ben was badly beaten (although the fans already knew what was going on when Ben made a phone call from the docks; we just didn't know Penny's and Desmond's fates).
We see Ben constantly belitted by Locke and judged by the Smoke Monster.
We find out that Ilana has apparently taken things into her own hands (either by plan or perhaps she was "infected" by the Smoke Monster) after the untimely death of Cesar.

While some fans felt that the sum of these great parts made for a great episode, I felt like the writers tried to "clean up their own mess" by providing an episode chock full of answers. I did like the Smoke Monster scene at the end, though. Great to see actress Tania Raymonde again as Alex. Although I was a bit disappointed that summoning Smokey included removing the plug from his bathtub.

So, here's my ranking of episodes so far this season:

Jughead
LaFleur
316
Dead Is Dead
Whatever Happened, Happened
He's Our You
Namaste
The Life and Death Of Jeremy Bentham
Because You Left
The Little Prince
This Place Is Death
The Lie

I'm really happy to see Brad William Henke as Bram in "Lost." I believe he had his first dialogue on the show this past week. He was so awesome in the movie "Choke." Although with the way they got rid of Cesar's character so fast, I'm not sure how much longer Bram will last.

LOST, Season 5: LaFleur - Review

2009-03-13T08:00:00.006-10:00

I have to admit - I knew Sawyer was LaFleur. Thankfully, that only spoiled the opening scene. I thought it was hilarious that Dharma underlings are totally scared of Sawyer.

I know Sawyer fans are disheartened that James "Bad Boy" Ford is not as bad as he used to be. In fact, we learn i

n this episode that he's pretty much the leader of the survivors during Dharma times. But, I think we see a lot of character development of Sawyer after three years of being in the Dharma Initiative.

The one thing that kept me believing that Sawyer and Juliet could make a great couple is that Juliet is super-intelligent and Sawyer is, well... not. Even in the scene when Sawyer is thanking Juliet for backing him up on the beach plan, Sawyer is litera

lly asking her for suggestions when she's telling him to think of a better plan. Somewhere in the next three years, Sawyer's intelligence at least rises to the level of Juliet - and it actually feels REFRESHING. Miles has now taken the role of being the smart-ass one-liner man.

I'm also glad that they kept the Sawyer-Juliet romance a secret until near the end of the episode.

Although I'm a fan of all the Island mystery, I really like this pa

rticular romance. It didn't seem forced or rushed.

So, here's my Season 5 rankings:

1. Jughead

2. LaFleur

3. 316

4. The Life and Death Of Jeremy Bentham

5. Because You Left

6. The Little Prince

7. This Place Is Death

8. The Lie

I'm not going to claim to be a great predictor, but here's a signature picture I use at Lostpedia that sort of joked about a future relationship with Sawyer and Juliet:

On a personal note:

This past Monday, my father passed away. I have been watching reruns of "Lost" because the whole story hinges on Jack's father dying. Thankfully, my father was nothing like Christian Shephard. But, a lot of "Lost" has to do with a lot of parental issues. And I am glad that my father had none of those issues. He knew that "Lost" was the one television program I watched every week. Actually, the one thing he does have in common with Christian Shephard is that they are both in a better place.

More LOST Goodness From Jimmy Kimmel

2009-03-06T12:41:00.000-10:00

LOST: On Location - Episode 6

2009-02-26T22:32:00.002-10:00

LOST: On Location - Episode 5

2009-02-20T20:01:00.000-10:00

LOST: Untangled - 316

2009-02-19T14:35:00.004-10:00

Rather than subject yourself to "Life On Mars," (sorry, "Mars" fans) you can watch LOST: Untangled here! It's not as good as the fan-made versions that ABC stole the idea from. But, they're still well made. Enjoy the LOST: Untangled episode of "316."

Daniel Dae Kim Gets LOST At "The Counter"

2009-02-18T12:32:00.005-10:00

KITV.com has posted a couple of videos of Daniel Dae Kim from LOST:

Kim is a co-owner of "The Counter" restaurant at Kahala Mall in Honolulu and it opened up this past Monday. Here's a video preview of the restaurant with Kim talking about it: "The Counter" At Kahala Mall (There's about 11 seconds of black before the video starts.)

Kim also spoke with KITV about what Hawaii means to him and shares one tidbit about what we can expect from Jin on LOST: Exclusive Interview with Daniel Dae Kim

UPDATE 2/19/2009: Here's the unedited interview with Daniel Dae Kim on KITV.com.

For best results with both videos, be sure to right-click on the screen and zoom to 200%.

Secrets Of LOST: Michael Emerson

2009-02-17T15:06:00.003-10:00

A short and funny skit by Michael Emerson called "Secrets of LOST" from Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Thoughts On LOST: "This Place Is Death"

2009-02-14T05:01:00.007-10:00

First of all, let me begin by saying that Season 5 of LOST has been chock full of revelations, information and surprises. However, in light of recent episodes, "This Place Is Death" felt more like a setup for next week's episode. That's not to say that there wasn't a lot of great moments. Here's some of my thoughts:

The opening scene was peculiar. Sun's mother calls Sun asking her where she is. Sun then talks with her daughter Ji Yeon about finding a new friend for her named Aaron. It all seems so innocent. But, could this be a setup for Ji Yeon to eventually look up Aaron in Los Angeles in the future? After Sayid and Kate leaves, Jack, Sun and Ben head to see Mrs. Hawking who will help them to get back to the Island. The best moment with this group happened when Ben violently slams on the brakes and tells Jack and Sun that if they knew what he had to go through to keep their friends alive, they would not stop thanking him. So, Ben has been keeping the Left Behinders alive? Strange, considering the death of Charlotte. More on that later.

Back on the Island, we see the Smoke Monster for the 11th time in an episode. The Monster kills Nadine. Then it goes after Montand. Smokey literally uses one of its dusty tentacles to sever Montand's arm. Seriously, that's the biggest mystery this episode answers. After seeing Rousseau's team in 1988, we still don't know exactly what kind of "sickness" they had. All we know is that Robert tried to kill Danielle. Robert also said that Smokey was a security system for the temple. We're not even sure if this is the same "temple" that Ben talked about as a sanctuary for the Others back in Season 4.

Jin is reunited with the Left Behinders and they get serious headaches from the flashes which are ramping up the nosebleeds. And, alas, we lose the fine Charlotte. I have to admit, I really bought into the Charladay love story. Her death brought a tear to my eye. Both actors were really good in that scene.

Another really good moment is when the rope that is being used to lower Locke into the Orchid time travels with Sawyer (because he is touching it) and ends up in the ground. I love how Sawyer was so despondent that he was willing to dig his way through the ground to get to Locke. So, I guess the Left Behinders believe that Locke is dead?

So, Locke ends up pushing the Frozen Donkey Wheel which is off its axis. It's great to see Christian Shephard again. I love it when he trashes Ben's plan. By the way, I don't know how Christian gets around but I don't think he is a ghost. Ghosts don't pick up baby Aaron. And he didn't help Locke because he COULDN'T - he needed Locke to get to the donkey wheel on his own strength.

At the end of the episode, I was really surprised to see that Ben and Mrs. Hawking were not overly panicked that Hurley, Sayid, Kate and Aaron did not come with them. I thought they needed ALL of the Oceanic 6? Mrs. Hawking is one of the biggest mysteries of LOST right now and at least we know for certain that she is Daniel Faraday's mother. Unfortunately, her character gets bookended again this season. It does look like she gets more talk time in the next episode.

Next week's episode is "316" and without giving away too much I'd suggest you go back and rewatch the Season 4 episode "Cabin Fever." I think it will be a great primer for this upcoming episode.

My ranking of Season 5 episodes:

1. Jughead

2. Because You Left

3. The Little Prince

4. This Place Is Death

5. The Lie

DocArzt LOST Previews - "This Place Is Death" (SPOILERS!)

2009-02-10T11:26:00.004-10:00

Thanks to DocArzt & Friends for these LOST sneak peeks at the episode "This Place Is Death."

Jack Tests Kate's Patience

2009-02-08T08:34:00.002-10:00

Here's my attempt at comedy using a LOST clip from the end of Season 4:

LOST: On Location - Episode 4

2009-02-06T19:55:00.003-10:00

This week you get THREE locations from this past week's episode "The Little Prince" plus a BONUS location. Enjoy!

LOST: On Location - Episode 3

2009-01-31T15:33:00.004-10:00

I just want to warn you that this week's video is pretty minor considering there wasn't many O'ahu locations in "Jughead." But, I hope you enjoy it anyway!

LOST Review: Season 5, Episode 3 - "Jughead"

2009-01-29T12:41:00.009-10:00

Wow. Who would have thought that one of the most revealing episodes ever would come in the second week of Season 5?

"Jughead" starts off with the birth of Desmond and Penny's son Charlie in the Philippines. I presume Charlie is named after Charlie Pace, the man who saved Desmond's life. Charlie/Charles could also be a nod to Penny's father Charles Widmore.

When Desmond spoke to his son about the island that he left long ago, I thought he was talking about The Island, not Great Britain. :)

Back on The Island, we found out that the year our heroes have time-traveled to is 1954 (50 years in the past) and that the "soldiers" are actually The Others apparently led by Richard Alpert (although he does say something about having superiors and a chain of command). And we finally have confirmation that a young Charles Widmore was once on The Island. I love when Widmore says, "You think he knows the island better than I do?" I was literally saying, "YES!"

Back in 2007, Desmond finds out a connection between Daniel Faraday and Charles Widmore. So, it seems that EVERYONE is converging in on Los Angeles. The Oceanic 6 is already there plus Ben and Ms. Hawking.

Speaking of Ms. Hawking, the enhanced episode of "The Lie" says her first name is Eloise. Could Ellie on The Island in 1954 be Eloise Hawking? Going further out on a limb: could Ms. Hawking be Daniel Faraday's mother? Daniel named his rat Eloise. Widmore says Daniel's mother is in Los Angeles, which is coincidentally where Ben meets up with Ms. Hawking. Just something to think about as we push ahead this season.

I'm also intrigued by the Compass Time Loop. Future Locke gives 1954 Alpert a compass from Future Alpert. Alpert later shows a 5-year-old Locke the same compass which he doesn't recognize. Locke grows up and crashes on The Island. Ben moves The Island which sets Locke traveling through time where he gets the compass from Alpert and goes back to 1954 to give it back to Alpert. I have a headache.

The episode ends with Charlotte going full-Minkowski on Daniel. This doesn't look like it will end well.

Here's how I rank the episodes this season so far:

1) Jughead

2) Because You Left

3) The Lie

Unfortunately, no obvious public O'ahu locales in the episode this week. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled every week for a chance to do another "On Location" video.

LOST: On Location - Episode 2

2009-01-24T16:39:00.005-10:00

While I'm gathering my thoughts on Season 5, I decided to do another "On Location" video at two shooting locations that were revealed in the Season 5 premiere episodes "Because You Left" and "The Lie." I hope you enjoy it!

LOST: Season 5 Is Tonight!

2009-01-21T13:08:00.003-10:00

Set your DVR! The two-hour season 5 premiere of "Lost" is tonight on ABC. Here in Hawaii, it starts at 7 p.m. with a recap show. At 8 p.m. there will be two episodes in a row!

I might post something later tonight, but I will most likely post my thoughts tomorrow.

Happy LOST watching!

LOST Celebrity Playlists on iTunes

2009-01-13T15:15:00.005-10:00

I love iTunes. Every Tuesday, there's always FREE songs and videos to be downloaded. Plus, there's been a lot of LOST content this year.

Now, LOST has been included in the Celebrity Playlists section [iTunes link] with Evangeline Lilly, Naveen Andrews, and, you guessed it, Michael Emerson! They wrote a comment for each song they picked. It's interesting to see the different musical leanings amongst the cast. Would love to see more playlists from the cast and crew.

Michael Emerson Sheds Light On Season 5 (SPOILERS!)

2009-01-08T12:01:00.005-10:00

three8six.com has a new interview with LOST actor Michael Emerson who plays Benjamin Linus. I have to warn you that there are spoilers. It's a good read, though.

The picture on the left is from the LOST season 3 premiere on Waikiki Beach a few years ago.

LOST: Already Home (Season 4 Spoilers)

2009-01-05T22:29:00.004-10:00

I just made a LOST fan video based on the Season 4 finale. The song is called "Already Home" performed by Ha-Ash and Brandi Carlile. I thought the song really fit the theme of LOST. If you haven't seen the Season 4 finale this video definitely has SPOILERS. It's not my best editing job but I had some fun with it. Click on the video while it is playing to go to YouTube to view it in the high quality mode.

Review Of LOST: Season 5 Premiere

2009-01-01T04:34:00.006-10:00

sl-LOST.com just posted the BuddyTV review of the Season 5 premiere of LOST which will air on January 21st on ABC.

Thankfully, there are no spoilers in the review. Evidently, the two-hour season premiere will be two episodes, each one hour long.

Here's my favorite quote from the review:

Based on these first two episodes, Lost is back to “Oh My Effing God!” status.

I thought Season 4 was at least the second best season of the series (behind the power and mystery of Season 1). Season 5 will probably have a similar feel to the previous season since it will have only 17 episodes compared with the first three seasons which had anywhere from 22 to 24 episodes. Season 4 will probably end up being the shortest season with 13 episodes.

Less episodes means something BIG will happen every week. No more "filler episodes.

I hate to get my expectations up high, but after last season's finale (which was the best season finale so far in my opinion) the new season of LOST promises a lot. We'll see if it delivers.

Latest LOST ABC Promo (SPOILER ALERT!)

2008-12-28T12:45:00.004-10:00

Thanks to Lost-Streams.com for posting the latest ABC LOST promo! I warn you there are HEAVY SPOILERS in this video. Watch at your own risk!

LOST Season 5 Cast Photo

2008-12-28T05:59:00.006-10:00

You've seen those promotional pictures of the LOST cast. For the first four seasons, they have been in some kind of exotic locale on "the island." But, this latest cast picture is an amalgamation of the island and off-island locations:

Everyone is wearing clothing one would wear in a civilized society. Plus, they appear to be in some kind of penthouse. But, there are vines growing over the windows, plants on the side and branches and other debris on the floor. Very abstract. And very interesting for a LOST cast photo.

Good to see Desmond and hopefully his story can still go forward. But, noticeably absent is Daniel Dae Kim. Many fans still argue that his character Jin is still alive. And we know for a fact that Kim is still in Honolulu after giving a donation to Toys For Tots. But as Darlton has always said, just because your character dies on the show doesn't mean that actor is out of work. That usually means that actor is used MORE often!

New LOST Previews (SPOILER WARNING!)

2008-12-24T16:57:00.005-10:00

I LOVE iTunes! This year, I got a whole slew of new Christmas songs for free.

And before Season 5 of LOST starts, it looks like iTunes will be the exclusive place to get all of the promotional videos.

In addition to the Season 5 music video and theatrical trailer, there's several more FREE videos:

LOST Starter Kit - A recap of what has happened in the series up to now for those who never saw LOST.

Going On Vacation & Back To The Island - (SPOILER!) Actual scenes from Season 5 so if you a hardcore non-spoiler fan you might want to skip these.

From all of us here on The Island, have a safe and

Merry Christmas!

LOST Actor Brings Holiday Cheer For Hawai'i Children

2008-12-23T17:17:00.004-10:00

LOST actor Daniel Dae Kim made a HUGE donation to the Hawai'i Toys For Tots drive on Monday. He actually BOUGHT toys for less fortunate children in Hawai'i.

Guess how many toys he and family donated? Count 'em: 500! He made that donation in a ceremony at Kahala Mall. It looks like he also helped to clean out the KB Toys store there. Kim said, "I thought it was a great opportunity for my wife and I to teach our children about the true meaning of the holidays."

I am impressed that Kim is continuing to be in the public eye here on O'ahu despite being fined and sentenced to community service just three months ago for drunk driving. At the court appearances he made, he always seemed sincerely sorry. Actions definitely do speak louder than words, however, and his generosity really says a lot about his character and integrity.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin says Toys For Tots still needs about 1,600 toys this holiday season.

Source: KITV

LOST Podcast: The Transmission

2008-12-22T17:02:00.002-10:00

If you have never heard of the LOST Podcast: The Transmission, then you have missed one of the most popular LOST podcasts EVER!

It's run by my friend Ryan Ozawa and his wife Jennifer. Obviously, I like it because it comes from the point of view of an O'ahu resident. But, it's a podcast that appeals to anyone who is a LOST fan.

For a while during Season 2, the couple took a hiatus and as we get closer to the Season 5 premiere Ryan and Jen are doing a podcast for the episodes they missed.

They just did a podcast for the episode "?" and right now is a good time to get in on the podcast if you haven't heard them before.

I Made sl-LOST.com!

2008-12-21T17:22:00.002-10:00

Hey, my video on LOST shooting locations has made it to the ever-popular sl-LOST.com blog!

It's great to be recognized when someone other than myself thinks my work is worth posting! It's almost deja vu for me when I posted my "Frozen Donkey Wheel" video on YouTube and Lostpedia and Audibly LOST picked it up earlier this year.

I have to remember to embed my blog URL on the video, though. Next time, I'll remember! I'm still very happy!

Michael Emerson: The Lostpedia Interview

2008-12-21T15:08:00.009-10:00

Although my LOST site is somewhat a tribute to Michael Emerson, I wouldn't say I'm fanatic about the actor. Since I met him at the Season 3 premiere, perhaps I think of him as a normal person rather than some big-time Hollywood star.

That is exactly the feeling I get after reading The Lostpedia Interview: Michael Emerson. It's a must-read for any fan of Michael Emerson or Benjamin Linus.

It is an e-mail interview, however, so some questions seem repetitive since Emerson sometimes answers a future question while replying to the current question.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the interview with the Emmy Award-winning actor:

"Honestly, I don’t worry about motivation or back-story much. Much more important that a scene crackles or sings. Acting is more abstract than most people (or actors, for that matter) think."

"I feel especially comfortable with Terry [O'Quinn]—not only are we in many scenes together but we are close in age and temperament and work habits."

When asked what he would miss about Hawaii when LOST is finished:

"I will miss the smells of the place and the surprising trade winds, the colors of water and the ever-changing show of light, clouds and rainbows in the Hawaiian sky. I love the ragged green mountains here and the hiking and the unusual birds. I love the sound of the Hawaiian language (like moving water) and the music of the islands. Most of all, I will miss the relaxation and the easy hospitality of the people of O’ahu."

"I think you learn to love your work, learn to do it well, be patient with yourself and go where your career takes you. Fame and Fortune are not healthy goals even if they were achievable. Acting is a difficult business and luck is a big factor. (Luck and preparedness, of course.) I still think of it as a monkish calling and it demands many sacrifices and makes no promises whatsoever."

Again, check out this link for the entire interview.

LOST: On Location - Episode 1

2008-12-20T15:12:00.005-10:00

Now that I have a video camera, I can shoot video of all these LOST locations around Honolulu and Oahu. Here's my first bunch in Chinatown and Downtown. I hope you enjoy it! It is made especially for all the peeps at Lostpedia!

Merry Christmas!

LOST: On Location - Episode 1 (Correct Aspect Ratio) from Clayton Wakida on Vimeo.

Got Your DVD Set Yet?

2008-12-09T12:48:00.004-10:00

Bought it for $37.99 at Best Buy
Posted via Pixelpipe.

My First LOST Fan Video

2008-12-08T10:34:00.003-10:00

Now, I have participated in a LOT of fandom. And for whatever reason, LOST fans really LOVE to make fan videos. It seems EVERYONE does them. So, in the midst of my LOST fanaticism I pooled whatever resources I had to make a fan video. Here's the first one I ever made. I used an archaic editor that came with my DVD burner. I still think it's a pretty good video, although I didn't have a lot of clips to pull from. Let me know what you think of it!

Found A LOST Shooting Location From S4

2008-11-29T06:13:00.009-10:00

I was doing another one of my long walks when I happened to stumble across an alley near Fort Street Mall that, with one look, was VERY familiar to me. Check it out:

Does it look familiar to you? Well, my first thought was that it looked like the same alley that was used in the scene where Michael tries to commit suicide and Tom (Mr. Friendly) stops him in Season 4's "Meet Kevin Johnson."
Well, with the help of the great people at the Lostpedia Forum, it indeed is EXACTLY the location I was thinking of! Check out how these pictures match up:

Many astute Losties at Lostpedia also believe that this could be the same alley where Charlie saved Nadia from a mugger. So far, I haven't been able to prove that. If anyone can help me with that it would be great appreciated!

UPDATE: Looking at the "Charlie" footage a bit better and a helpful comment from Lost addict Ryan, this alley is NOT the Charlie alley. When I get a chance, I'll check that one out later.

New Season 5 Theatrical Trailer

2008-11-28T11:21:00.002-10:00

There is a new free theatrical trailer of Season 5 of LOST on iTunes. Click here for the link. Looks like we'll be hearing that Fray song at least up until the start of the new season. And now we know how long the season premiere will be! Exciting!

LOST-World Of Warcraft Tie-In!

2008-11-23T08:33:00.007-10:00

Lostpedia has posted a "Lost" tie-in with the new "World Of Warcraft" expansion "Wrath Of The Lich King." There is an island with a hatch and if you mouse-over the hatch it has "The Numbers." Also, Lost-inspired music plays while you are on the island. Here's a screenshot from Lostpedia:

LOST: Season 5 Music Video

2008-11-22T12:32:00.003-10:00

Check out the new LOST music video by The Fray called "You Found Me" on iTunes [iTunes link]. It's at the bottom of the page.

The music video features new footage from Season 5. It's a bit spoiler-ish so I would stay away if you are an absolute non-spoiler fan. I wouldn't think they would spoil something crucial in the upcoming season, though.

It's interesting how an actual LOST music video was edited after seeing all of these fan videos, including my own.

The real music video did use some scenes that I used in this Jack & Kate fan video I made about 5 months ago:

LOST: Season 5 Poster

2008-11-22T10:41:00.003-10:00

Doc Arzt posted the new official poster for Season 5 of "Lost":

A fellow Tweeter noticed that Jin is noticeably absent from the poster. Not a good sign for "Alive Jin" theorists, although I hardly think they'd show a spoiler like that anyway.

The layout of the poster almost makes me think that the Futurists and the Islanders will be opposing factions in this upcoming season. Maybe I'm reading too much into this. Also, should Locke also be with the future group, but in a coffin? Or maybe as a zombie? :D That would have been a disturbing poster.

My Two Loves

2008-11-16T17:16:00.001-10:00

Aside from God and my family, I have two loves in my life. The iPhone and "Lost," sad to say. But, hey, being single does have its perks. So, I will try to keep two blogs going on both subjects. I have plenty of "Lost" stories to tell and there's the upcoming Season 4 DVD that's on its way as we head toward the Season 5 premiere.

I'll leave you with a picture I took of Michael Emerson, the actor responsible for the character of Ben and is somewhat an inspiration for this blog: