Slowly Going Bald

This week's "Lost" was middling, but it could've been worse. Also: Why doesn't the Man in Black just turn into the smoke monster to get around the island all the time? Why actually run after people in his physical form?

"Lost" 6x10: "The Package"

Twisted but funny: Alien vs. Pooh.

Would I watch "The Office" if I wasn't being paid to? I'm not sure. I don't look forward to it the way I do "Community" and "Parks and Recreation." I'm just getting worn down by the show's unending march of pain.

"The Office" 6x21: "Happy Hour"

This still makes me laugh, though:

(I find myself unable to think of anything else to use as a headline this week, though I should probably try to find something different in the future instead of just counting down how many contestants are left. Then again, that would at least help me keep an eye on how little time the season has left. I need that light at the end of this tunnel.)

"American Idol," Week Eleven: Top 11 Perform

"American Idol," Week Eleven: Paige Miles Eliminated

A really solid episode of "Lost," and an interesting look at the core of the show's cosmology:

"Lost" 6x9: "Ab Aeterno"

Some good ideas smothered by predictability:

Click here for the review.

Solid documentary:

Click here for the review.

The thing that confuses me the most about some conservative pundits' recent attacks on the concept of social justice is the way they're framing it as a dangerous offshoot of a perverted faith. I was born and raised in the church and still believe in the primacy of the teachings of Christ, which is why it's bizarre to see talk show hosts like Glenn Beck now attacking the most basic underpinnings of those teachings. Political debates over religious topics like abortion are nothing new, but I had no idea so many people could get so upset over something as simple as the concept of charity. It's a terrible thing to do, both politically and morally.

The political problems are easy to see. One of the reasons there's so much fuel for the fire when it comes to the abortion debate is the lack of canonical or scriptural writing on the subject. The word isn't mentioned in the Bible, and that gives partisans on both sides free reign to interpret that silence to their own needs. But Jesus talks about the poor more than anything else, and uses countless parables and teaching moments to drive home the fact that he has come to save the destitute, to feed the hungry, to treat the sick, and to illustrate the truth of what it means to be fully human. For modern news hosts to act as if these passages don't exist, or as if they mean different things — in the second clip above, Mary Matalin says Jesus' instructions were along the lines of, "If you don't work, you don't eat," which Stephen Colbert interjected were actually, "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven" — is just blindingly stupid. These words are written, and they've been a guiding force for people for centuries.

That's why it's also morally dangerous for commentators to advocate an isolationist position when it comes to helping the poor, or to act as if the phrase "social justice" is a coded phrase for something other than helping out those who were born less fortunate. That's not what faith — and humanity — is about. Those railing against charity seem to be committing the mistake made by the disciples in the gospel of John, who, encountering a blind man, asked Jesus whether the condition was caused by the blind man's sin or that of his parents. He replied, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." Poor people aren't poor because they've made a mistake; they don't exist as a reminder of some curse brought down on their heads by a vengeful creator. Rather, their presence is a chance for those more blessed to extend help, to allow the grace and comfort shown to them to be spread to those in need. In the words of Deuteronomy, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." What possible excuse could there be for withholding help from those in need?

Fun but forgettable:

Click here for the review.

I recently got home from my second South by Southwest Film Festival. The fest also includes components for music and interactive, but since I am not in a band and don't design apps, I stick with movies. It was a busy, crazy, fun week, and I saw a decent selection of films, some better than others. I'll have reviews of some at Pajiba and The Hollywood Reporter in the coming days and weeks, but for now, here's a round-up of the posts I did for THR. I'm much happier with my THR coverage this year than I was last year, mainly because last year I had to file my copy to a territorial and obtuse reporter who rewrote my blog posts to fit his pedantic, first-person-plural, generally awful tone. But he's since moved on, and the staffer I worked with this year was encouraging and fun and respectful of the fact that my stuff sounds like me, and shouldn't be changed to sound like someone else.

Kick-Ass

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

The People vs. George Lucas

Predators

Cyrus (includes, as a bonus, an awkward interview)

MacGruber

Reflections on SXSW (with a newsier version here)

One Night in Vegas

Saturday Night

MacGruber

Ain't In It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm

Lebanon, Pa.

A sporadically cute episode, but mostly a filler installment.

"The Office" 6x20: "New Leads"

A solid little documentary about the process behind making an episode of "Saturday Night Live."

Click here for the review.

Pretty terrible, even for an hour-long TV documentary.

Click here for the review.

Because of a technical glitch, my blog post about last week's "Idol" elimination didn't run, though my posts about the contest eps did here and here. (Lilly Scott wound up going home, which though she's more talented than some who stayed, her cover of Patsy Cline's "Crazy" was out of her vocal range, and it showed.) Anyway, this week was the first round of performances and elimination for the top 12 finalists, and the show stepped it up a notch in terms of technical glitz and soul-scarring guest performers. Dig it:

"American Idol," Week Ten: Top 12 Perform

"American Idol," Week Ten: Lacey Brown Eliminated

If this recap feels a bit more cursory than my others, that's because I did it at the end of a five-day stretch covering the South by Southwest Film Festival. I'll have more on that later, but for now, here's the latest from Craphole Island:

"Lost" 6x8: "Recon"

I do like the slight joke of the title: Sawyer's doing a recon mission, but it's also "re-con," to con again. Wordplay!

Still, a solid episode. Always good to spend time with Henry Ben:

"Lost" 6x7: "Dr. Linus"

Some solid moments in this week's two-part episode, but even so, I think the show is nearing the end of its creative life. And that's okay.

"The Office" 6x17-18: "The Delivery"

This show is as much an endurance test for the viewers as the contestants. Every step of the process is simultaneously made to feel like the biggest moment in the season and just another step on the road to the real drama. It's everywhere and nowhere. I'm looking forward to May.

"American Idol," Week Eight: Top 10 Guys Perform

"American Idol," Week Eight: Top 10 Girls Perform

"American Idol," Week Eight: 4 Singers Eliminated

I know it feels like this blog is turning into a giant repository for "Lost" and "American Idol" recaps, but I swear, things will change soon. I'll be at South by Southwest, and have some other pieces kicking around. But for now, well, I'm up to my eyes in TV recaps. I hope you like them, and choose to stick around:

"Lost" 6x6: "Sundown"