Matt Damon Defines Summer Style in Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant
It’s time to play everyone’s favorite game, “Rejected Sears model, Amber Alert suspect or Matt Damon in character.” A celeb site ickily called Splash received a batch of open-shirted, pale Damon photos from the set of Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant. We haven’t talked much about the flick on: Damon plays Mark Whitacre, “the highest level executive to turn whistle-blower in U.S. history,” whose prolonged undercover work for the FBI gathering price-fixing evidence against his employer, an agri-biz powerhouse, um, did nothing to help a severe bipolar disorder.
Moreover, Whitacre embezzled millions from his employer while working with the “good guys.” He was released from prison in 2006 after serving more than eight years, and now has a COO position in bio-tech. If you saw the guy pictured here at the hotel pool, such a bizarre narc trajectory would sound about right, no? Scott Bakula will play the main FBI dude in the film, which is a welcome/unpredictable casting choice for a role usually created for Christian Bale. Opening March ‘09, The Informant looks to join notable white collar paranoia thrillers like The Insider, Michael Clayton and Damon’s own The Good Shepherd.
via Gawker
A Changing of the Order on SVU
The Law & Order universe is seeking another Special prosecutor.
Diane Neal, who has played Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak on L&O: SVU since 2003, is leaving after this season, a rep for the show told TVGuide.com on Tuesday.
Her last episode will be next month's season finale.
"Diane spent five years on SVU and was a tremendous addition to the SVU team," the rep said. "She is looking forward to new opportunities and she will be missed."
Neal, who before joining the good guys appeared in an earlier episode as one of several female friends accused of raping a male stripper, came on board after the series' first ADA, played by Stephanie March, had to hightail it into the Witness Protection Program after declaring war on a drug cartel.
And while she presumably won't have to fake her own death the way Alexandra Cabot did, Casey Novak hasn't had a particularly easy time of it, either.
The petite brunette exits stage left after having survived a savage beating carried out in her own office; merciless badgering at the hands of defense attorneys, judges and, at times, the resident SVU detectives; and, as viewers found out in season seven, a schizophrenic boyfriend who she was forced to break up with after he turned violent.
No replacement has been named, but franchise creator Dick Wolf is reportedly looking for an up-and-comer to fill the high-profile void, per TV Guide.
In a nearby precinct, meanwhile, longtime L&O mothership fixture Jesse L. Martin is closing in on his final episode, airing April 23. Former SVU guest star Anthony Anderson will be stepping in to partner up with Jeremy Sisto's Detective Cyrus Lupo.
SVU's first new episode since the writers' strike forced scripted series into repeats airs tonight on NBC.
Lost Redux: If Loathing Ben Is Wrong, I Don't Wanna Be Right
If you have not yet seen tonight's episode of Lost, please wait while an important message scrolls up from this box for you:
NOT YET
If you have seen the ep, then by all means, pin a note to your collar, say your last words, push the pedal to the metal and fly on in here…
"No more secrets."
This line from John Locke near the beginning of tonight's episode spelled out what the writers seemed to set out to do: To reveal a whole lotta things that have been keeping us guessing all season long. Holler!
Though chances are the writers didn't have time to change much of the script once the writers' strike was imminent, nearly every scene of episode eight seemed to scream out: "The strike's a-comin'! The strike's a-comin'! Quick! Reveal a bunch of stuff because we might not have any episodes for a good long while!"
Tonight's Michael/Kevin-centric Lost installment was indeed the last episode produced before the strike, which means we'll need to wait until April 24 (at 10 p.m.) to see what comes next. But thankfully, we do have plenty to chew on in the meantime…
What We Learned
"All of the Oceanic Six Have Been Revealed": Ben may be another story, but the ABC promo dude don't lie! And so, from tonight's teaser, we know that Claire's wittle bebeh Aaron does most definitely count as one of the six who get off the island. BTW, how genius was it that Damon and Carlton left that spot open for possibly Jin and then for possibly Michael so we'd not really know their fates while watching the last two episodes? Goddang I love this show.
Ben Isn't Evil. He's EEEEEVILLLLE: New drinking game! Every time Benjamin Linus allllmost convinces you that he's playing for the "good guys"—but then does something so despicable you want to climb through your screen and squish his little beady eyeballs like peeled grapes—take a nice big swig. Tonight was perhaps the most whiplashing of all such occasions, as he tossed out statements such as:
- "I do not kill innocent people."
- "I will not kill innocent people."
- "Then Michael, consider yourself one of the good guys."
And then…Whammo! It became clear he was behind the slaughter of two of the most seemingly innocent of all characters on the entire show (and the only two loved ones his daughter has): boyfriend Karl and mama Rousseau. It's obvious now that Ben is simply cultivating mass hysteria and paranoia to make the Losties do what he wants them to do. It's all part of his master plan to control the universe. And he also seemed to not graduate past the "mine!" obsession of the terrible twos.
RIP , Alex's Only Loved Ones: Karl, Danielle, we hardly knew ye. Well, technically we knew Rousseau a little bit from time to time, and Alex seemed to know Karl in the biblical sense (that's what Daddy was afraid of), but personally, I'm sad to see both these characters go. It also now makes perfect sense why Damon teased the last episode prestrike as having a cliffhanger "along the lines of Michael shooting Ana-Lucia and Libby." Only the good die in pairs, apparently.
Michael Has Reverse Charlie Syndrome: You think you had it bad, Charlie? Oh really? Well, how about finding out like Michael Dawson did that you are seemingly incapable of doing anything even remotely heroic, and your last-ditch resort—offing yourself—isn't even a viable option because, as Mr. Friendly put it, "The Island will not let you die." WTF? "Let you?"
The big, massive, mind-boggling question, of course, is exactly why and how "the Island" is controlling the Losties' destinies. Who's the man behind the curtain pulling the strings? Jacob? Ben? The black smoke monster? Damon and Carlton? Or perhaps what John Locke would call straight-up fate? Whatever the culprit, it's clear these people have very little control over much of anything at all. Bonus, though: Harold Perrineau now has some nice job security. Congrats, H.P.!
Mr. Friendly's Having a Gay Ol' Time: Nearly two years after Damon teased, "There is a gay character on the island," we now have his identity confirmed: Tom Friendly himself! He has a male lover! And my, does Mr. Friendly know how to live the refined life when he's not stepping into hillbilly overalls and fake beards to kidnap 10-year-old boys. Sure beats Dharma peanut butter!
Wacky and Probably Wrong Theory of the Day: Did you notice that Walt's grandma sure looked a whole lot like the woman who asked Miles to get rid of her grandon's ghost in the second episode of the season? And didn't Walt look a whole lot like Casper the freaky ghost as he peered from the window above? According to IMDb, Michael's mom/Walt's grandma has appeared in only one episode of Lost. But according to IMDb, my mom was a costume designer for Charlie's Angels, my dad was a janitor for Merv Griffin and I've appeared multiple times on Howard Stern (wrong, wrong, and oh yeah, wrong), so it's possible Ben is writing that site.
Memory of the Day: Remember when I said we'd see a little less of Matthew Fox this season? Just checking.
Quote of the Day: "How was your trip? I figure flying can't be too much fun for you." Bwahahaha. I still freak out flying to Hawaii. Speaking of…
What Lies Ahead
Claire Is in Trouble: Not only do we know that baby Aaron makes it off the island and she does not, but the promos clearly spell out trouble for the fair-haired mamacita. "The war," as Ben calls it, seems to have begun. (Then again, if Ben the pathological liar calls it a war it's probably more of a bake-off.)
Lost Is Taking a Minibreak: When it returns April 24, we get an episode written by Buffy alum Drew Goddard, who teased at tonight's Buffy Paley event that the episode is "maybe my favorite thing I've done on Lost, and I've been lucky with all the episodes I've gotten so far." Sounds promising, right?
Also…
I'm Heading to the Lost Set Next Week! If you have questions for the Losties, please take a moment to email them to me. I won't be chatting with everyone, but I will be tracking down whomever I can, and you know I aim to serve! So send those Q's in, por favor.
Check back a little later tomorrow for an exclusive Q&A with Karl himself, Blake Bashoff, who'll be reaching out from the other side, God rest his soul.
Lost: Twelve classic Ben Linus moments
Michael Emerson owns season four of Lost. Many of the season’s best scenes have featured Ben Linus. From screwing with Locke to obsessing over Juliet, Ben has become one of the show’s standout characters. Emerson took the complex role to an entirely new level in last week’s episode, “The Shape of Things to Come.” I’ll be shocked (and furious) if he doesn’t get an Emmy nomination this year.
Let’s take a look at some of Ben’s most unforgettable moments using the mastermind’s own words. If we’re lucky, Ben will give us a few more to add to the list by the season’s end. Spoiler alert: If you’re not caught up with Lost, stop reading now.
“I never entered the numbers. I never pressed the button.” (”Dave”) - Ben’s manipulation of Locke began almost as soon as he became the 815ers’ prisoner. He exploited the conflict between Jack and Locke, and tried to undermine Locke’s faith. John questioned the purpose of the Swan station after Ben claimed that he didn’t touch the button in the computer room. This ultimately led to one of the biggest moments of the season two finale, the hatch implosion. The electromagnetic event also got the attention of Penny’s men at the Antarctic listening station, another significant revelation.
“We’re the good guys, Michael.” (”Live Together, Die Alone”) - The Others kidnapped Walt and arranged for Michael to liberate Ben from the Swan station, which led to the deaths of Ana Lucia and Libby. They also abducted Hurley, Sawyer, Jack, and Kate. This scene marked the first time we saw Ben as the Others’ leader, and the things he said revealed a lot about his mindset. Ben has an unwavering trust in his own wisdom and believes that all of his actions are for the greater good. He can justify anything: murder, abduction, even brainwashing.
“Hippity-hop. Hippity-hop. Hippity-hop.” (”Every Man For Himself”) - Poor bunny number eight. Ben gave us one of the show’s most disturbing moments when he deliberately frightened a rabbit and made its heart explode. The scene, in which Ben rattled the rabbit’s cage and shouted at it, seemed to go on forever. It was one of the few times that I’ve wanted to look away while watching Lost. Fortunately, it was all a con to prevent Sawyer from escaping from the Hydra station. Ben produced the rabbit, alive and well, before telling Sawyer that he was on a completely different island from his fellow castaways. Don’t mess with a man who terrorizes innocent bunnies.
“Picture a box.” (”The Man From Tallahassee”) - In season three, Ben introduced the notion of the “magic box,” a metaphor for the island’s ability to bring you what you want. He used this capability to bring to the island the one person Locke most feared: Anthony Cooper, his father. Ben used Cooper’s presence as a test. If John killed his father, he could remain with the Others and learn more about the island. Locke wasn’t able to kill Cooper, but found someone who could. Fans had been waiting for a confrontation between island Sawyer and the original Sawyer, and they finally got it. Locke took credit for the murder, forcing Ben to reveal another major secret.
“That was Jacob.” (”The Man Behind the Curtain”) - We still don’t know who or what Jacob is. Ben led Locke to an eerie cabin in the jungle to introduce John to the Others’ mysterious leader. Locke didn’t see Jacob, but he heard him whisper the words “Help me.” Jealous of John’s ability to hear Jacob, Ben lured Locke to the DHARMA grave and shot him. I’m worried for Hurley’s safety now that Ben knows about Hurley’s cabin sighting. Jacob’s supernatural role on the island is still in play this season. Hurley, Ben, and Locke set off to visit Jacob in last week’s episode. What will they find when they arrive?
“Because I have a man on their boat.” (”Confirmed Dead”) - Every so often Ben reminds everyone that he is always several steps ahead of them. When the freighties reached the island, he took another opportunity to show off his superior intellect. He knew exactly who the freighties were and what they wanted–him. We’re usually lucky to get one big revelation per episode, but Ben’s confession gave us an additional surprise. This statement also paved the way for Michael’s return as Ben’s spy.
“Good.” (”The Economist”) - Slightly more exciting than Sayid’s future career as an assassin is the identity of his employer. Sayid despised Ben before the Oceanic Six were rescued; he equated trusting Ben with selling his soul in the exact same episode. The idea of them joining forces was confusing, but fascinating at the same time. We learned that revenge brought the men together in “The Shape of Things to Come.” Ben was avenging Alex’s death and Sayid was avenging Nadia’s murder by a Widmore employee. I can’t wait to see who they target next.
“How can you not possibly understand that you’re mine? Take as much time as you need.” (”The Other Woman”) Ben and Juliet have a complicated history. Juliet’s recent flashback revealed a jealous, possessive side to Ben Linus that we’d never seen before. Some men send flowers to get a woman’s attention. He showed Juliet the rotting corpse of her lover, Goodwin. He responded to Juliet’s grief with the tirade of an undermedicated stalker. In a few seconds, Ben went from a jealous rage to his usual creepy, calm demeanor. The transition was priceless.
“See you guys at dinner.” (”The Other Woman”) - You wouldn’t expect Locke to trust Ben after he shot him last season, but Ben always finds away to get his attention. He’s gotten out of several tough situations with the strategic disclosure of information. In this case, Ben won his freedom by telling Locke about Charles Widmore and the spy on the freighter. No prison can hold him if he can size up his captors quickly enough. At the end of “The Other Woman,” Ben walked out of his basement cell and casually greeted Hurley and Sawyer. The look on his face, as though everything was going according to plan, gave us another reason to love Michael Emerson.
“So you do speak English.” (”The Shape of Things to Come”) - We’ve caught glimpses of Ben’s violent actions: shooting Locke, killing his father and the DHARMA community, strangling Ana Lucia, etc. Last week’s episode gave us a better idea of how deadly Mr. Linus can be. He took out two armed men in the Sahara desert with the kind of precision normally displayed by Sayid. Their shared action hero skills make them ideal partners in Ben’s new revenge campaign.
“He changed the rules.” (”The Shape of Things to Come”) - Alex’s death scene put me in the strange position of feeling sorry for Ben, a manipulator and murderer. I was already shocked that one of Ben’s plans–sending Alex, Danielle, and Karl to safety–didn’t work out. Things almost always work out for Ben. When Keamy shot Alex, Ben’s grief was mixed with genuine surprise. The devastated father suddenly became more human and, for the first time, worthy of sympathy. This was Michael Emerson’s Emmy moment.
“Sleep tight, Charles.” (”The Shape of Things to Come”) - Neither Ben Linus nor Charles Widmore appeared in Season One. Now all of the 815 survivors are stuck in the middle of a war between the two ruthless men. I thought that the writers would keep these characters apart for as long as possible, but Ben’s first flash-forward brought him face-to-face with his daughter’s killer. Ben rarely lets his friends or enemies know his true intentions. He made an exception for Widmore, however. He told Charles flat-out that he would avenge Alex by killing Widmore’s daughter, Penny. I hope that this vow leads to a showdown between my two favorite Lost characters, Ben and Desmond.
Which moments would you add to the list?