TV:

Star Trek S1x05 -> 07: After the disaster that was episodes 3 and 4 of this season I’m glad to see it getting back now to how I remembered it as a kid. These last 3 episodes have been fairly good, albeit showing their age now considering they are 22 years old.

Ep05 – The Last Outpost: First introduction to the Ferengi. Their species undergoes a lot of change over the coming seasons. They retain their sly deviousness but lose the simian like movements they have in this episode. In this episode the Enterprise encounters a planet that acts as an ancient power plant, which holds onto their ship as it drains their power. They escape, by convincing the guardian “portal” program on the planet to do so.

Ep06 – Where No One Has Gone Before: From memory, this was one of my first favourite episodes. A being which calls itself “The Traveller” throws the Enterprise to the far corner of the Universe where time, space and thought exist as one. This has the effect of causing the thoughts of the Enterprise crew to become reality. Before there transient imaginations destroy the ship they get the traveller to take them back to the Alpha Quadrant. This episode also starts the ongoing Wesley Crusher story arch.

Ep07 – Lonely among us: An okay episode. The special effects in this one are really showing their age. Some entity is supposedly shocking people and taking over their bodies when they touch other people or computer panels, but the lightning effects look like someone just drew on the recording. Still, it is from the 80′s and looks about as good as the effects in the first “Ghostbusters”

Tengan Toppen Gurren Lagann: After a brief hiatus, I’m finally getting back into this anime. The first 4 or 5 episodes didn’t blow me away so I went back to some other shows I had been watching. I got back into it however and wow, is it getting good now. If you are considering watching it, do not quit until you’ve watched up until the 8th episode. The episodes preceding this are merely an introduction. If you like your animes to have glossy mech units, flashing fight scenes and OTT dialogue then this is definitely for you.

Film:

Revolutionary Road: I liked it I guess. I felt the insane mathematician was an insult to the audience though, like “in case you aren’t getting the point of all this, here’s a crazy person to explain it for you”. In places I got the awkward feeling of “we’re overacting this scene because we want on oscar for it”. Haven’t felt that since watching “Atonement”

Ghost Town: I really liked this movie if I’m honest. Gervais fits more into his “Extras” persona for this rather than “The Office”. The humour was consistent and the story was affable. Overall if you liked Extras you’d love this, and I did.

Gran Torino: Finally got around to watching this. I liked it. I got the same feeling from Clints character in this that I got from Tommy in No Country, a sense of disconnection from reality. My only gripe was that kid “Thao”, what a horrible actor, he literally pulled me out of being immersed in the movie on more than a couple of occasions.

Outlander: Meh, was looking for some Sci-Fi b-movie fluff. It’s actually very well made, although mirrors, in a lot of ways, the Beowulf concept. Could of been a lot better, but if you watch it with low expectations you won’t be disappointed. It’s no cult success like “Pitch Black” but it’s definitely worth a watch.