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Characters in Lost are often named after historical philosophers, such as John Locke, whose name reflects the concept of a blank slate. The character of Kate Austen, named after legal philosopher John Austin, ironically has a disregard for rules and is constantly on the run from the law. Desmond Hume's last name, Hume, is a reference to David Hume, whose ideas about free will and being slaves to emotion are reflected in Desmond's character.

Fans of Lost may have noticed a trend in characters being named after historical philosophers. The hit ABC series was known for its thrilling mysteries and character development throughout its 6 season run, but the show also commonly explored complex, philosophical themes. References to philosophy are all over Lost, via episode titles like "Tabula Rasa" and "The Greater Good," and scenes that explore dichotomies between science and faith, as well as good and evil.

To honor the influence from historical philosophers,...

By the time Donald Sutherland leads a song and dance number, kicking around gliding office furniture and extolling the virtues of capitalistic greed for "The Greater Good" -- which includes the should-be immortal line "Obi-wan Kenobi gave up to Darth Vader" -- I was already sold on Basmati Blues. Granted, it's very much a well-intentioned, white man's perspective on India. It incorporates far too many racial and cultural stereotypes to list, some that may be highly offensive to the Indian people and also to filmgoers of good taste and discernment. It's pitched to a very broad, lowbrow demographic. The premise follows a singing American scientist who goes to India to sell thousands of supposedly ignorant farmers on the idea of buying lab-created rice and also...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Trailers are an under-appreciated art form insofar that many times they’re seen as vehicles for showing footage, explaining films away, or showing their hand about what moviegoers can expect. Foreign, domestic, independent, big budget: I celebrate all levels of trailers and hopefully this column will satisfactorily give you a baseline of what beta wave I’m operating on, because what better way to hone your skills as a thoughtful moviegoer than by deconstructing these little pieces of advertising? Some of the best authors will tell you that writing a short story is a lot harder than writing a long one, that you have to weigh every sentence. What better medium to see how this theory plays itself out beyond that than with movie trailers? Declaration of War Trailer When it comes to parents and sick kids, everyone seems to have a story in them. However, this at least makes an original argument for itself.

The Greater Good Click here to read the review! "Kendall Nelson and Chris Pilaro track down the leaders from both sides of the fence, carefully propped them against a mountain of hard numerical evidence proving that immunization drugs aren't going through enough rigorous testing to prove that they are safe for public implementation, and pair them with beautifully tasteful animations that help convey their message while complimenting the prominent talking heads within this informative doc."...

BNP Pictures Screen grab from “A Greater Good.”

A new documentary about childhood immunizations, “The Greater Good,” could intensify debate around the potential dangers of vaccines. The film, which premiered Saturday at the Dallas International Film Festival, aims to create “a rational discussion” about vaccine safety, according to producer and co-director Chris Pilaro, who worked previously as a producer on such Sundance documentaries as “Blue Vinyl” and “Everything’s Cool.”

Pilaro immediately rejects the notion that “The Greater Good” might be labeled “anti-vaccine.

The Dallas International Film Festival presented by Cadillac Announces Ann-Margret to receive the Dallas Star Award

Beautiful Boy, Ok Buckaroos and Soul Surfer named as the Centerpiece screeningsAll Selections in the Target Documentary and Narrative CompetitionsThe Dallas International Film Festival presented by Cadillac announced today that award-winning actress Ann-Margret will be honored with the Dallas Star Award at the upcoming festival (March 31 . April 10, 2011). This marks the first announcement of the prestigious Dallas Star Award Honorees.

Poignant dramas Beautiful Boy and Soul Surfer and the world premiere of Ok Buckaroos will be featured in the coveted Centerpiece screening slots. Fourteen films will vie for the unrestricted $25,000 Target cash prize in both the Target Documentary Feature and Narrative Feature Competitions.

The selection of Ann-Margret as a recipient of the Dallas Star Award follows a Dallas Iff Honoree Hall of Fame that features esteemed greats such as Sydney Pollack, Lauren Bacall, Adrien Brody,...