Lost S01E24 and E25 – Exodus Part 2 and 3

Brilliant, now that is how to end a season.  It was a double length episode which is why it's episode 24 and 25. Again there wasn't anyone focused on in particular and the flashbacks were a mix of different characters. The best part was Hurley trying to desperately make it to the airport and the numbers just kept popping up everywhere, almost like they were trying to stop him from getting to the airport, his dashboard, the amount he paid the man for his mobility scooter, the gate at the airport.  I love the numbers.  So anyhow the raft has been launched and the Jack, Locke, Kate, Hurley and Arzt have gone to the Black Rock to get some dynamite to open the hatch. Arzt annoys for a while before make a lasting impression on the rest. The end of season cliffhanger is excellent as it's really two cliffhangers, why have one when you can have two!

Well that's season one done, only five more left.  Still love it!

Lost S01E23 – Exodus Part 1

So despite some dangerous signs and dark undertones, this is a very positive episode, sure Rousseau shows up out the blue and warns them that the others are coming and that they will kill everyone, but despite that everyone seems to have their moment.  Jack and Sawyer finally make up and there is an exchange of respect for one another, Jin and Sun finally make up just as he's about to get on the raft and sail into the horizon, however the most touching moment is when Walt's dog, Vincent, tries to swim out to the raft but gives up  and turns back as it gets too far away.  No one in particular is the focus of the flashbacks in this episode we do however meet a new character in one of the flashbacks, Ana Lucia, who was sitting in row 42 to Jack's 23 (ooo! the numbers!!!).  Just lots of pleasantries and all round goodness, that's all going to end very soon!

Conan the Barbarian

How do you fill the furry boots of Arnold Schwarzenegger? Well pretty much like this. This is everything that the original films are without quite so much cheese, Conan cheese light if you will! There is plenty of action throughout it has a much more real feel about it, very similar in style to Game of Thrones. Conan is everything you would want him to be, tough, uncompromising, vicious and righteous. I really enjoyed this film and whilst it would appear I am in the minority I would love to see them make more films like this, Conan or not.

I do love a good fantasy adventure.

Battleship

D-3... miss... D-4... hit... you sunk my battleship!  Ok, so this film is obviously a little more entertaining than the original game although the way they tied it into the film was actually quite clever.  All in there is plenty of action and it is quite exciting for some parts, there was a whole load of crap that could have been cut and replaced with more action and excitement and I mean proper cheesy crap as well.  The best thing other than the action was obviously Brooklyn Decker... hmmmm!

Anyhow, it's not nearly as bad as they would have you believe although it could and should have been better.

Lost S01E22 – Born to Run

Just like buses, nothing for a while and two come along at once.  This is another distinctly average episode, get back to the hatch and other weird and wonderful stuff.  Ok, so Walt telling Locke not to open it was a little spooky but that was pretty much it.  This episode follows Kate and her inability to stay in one place for too long, we also find out who owned the toy aeroplane she carries around.  Not really a lot more to report on this one I'm afraid, at least I have the three part finale next!

Lost S01E21 – The Greater Good

Well, I said I was due an average episode and this was it.  Nice to get it out of the way before the next episode and the three part finale.  There wasn't really much substance to this one, Sayid takes Locke into the woods to find out if he was telling the truth, but then we've seen what really happened so no big surprises there.  We also see that Sayid had a chance to not be on flight 815 like everyone else.  Jack's pretty much incapacitated for most of the episode and we learn that Sawyer is a baby whisperer!!!  Hard stopping myself yawning just thinking about.  Bring on the next one, quick!

Lost S01E20 – Do No Harm

This is an excellent example of an emotionally charged episode.  Poor old Boone spends the entire episode on deaths door as Jack desperately tries to save him.  Whilst all of this is going on Kate is trying to deliver Claire's baby!  And on top of all that we see flash backs from Jack's wedding to none other than Claire Dunphy (of Modern Family fame, does Phil know?).  This is an excellent episode and the ending is complete mess of emotions, brilliant.  Got to be due an average episode soon!!!

Lost S01E19 – Deus ex Machina

Deus ex Machina is a Latin phrase that means God from the Machine and was usually referring to a story where the writer would introduce something or someone that had previous lot appeared to solve a problem.  Usually this would be in the form of an actor playing a god who would be lowered into the set by a crane.So in this sense I believe it means that something falls from the sky to solve an unsolvable problem... kind of like an hatch that cannot be opened... hmmm!  This episode follows Locke and gives us some more flash backs to show us just how crappy his life was before the crash, bit of a theme there!  That said this is a very good episode and one that has links brilliantly with a storyline from season 2.  Almost there!

Lost S01E18 – Numbers

4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42...  4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42... Yesssssssssss!  This is an amazing episode.  4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42...  In this episode we follow Hurley, absolutely my favourite character, and discover that he is incredibly rich thanks to some numbers he heard from a mental patient.  4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42...  The numbers however appear to be cursed and send Hurley on a trip around to world to discover their meanings.  4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42...  And they're on the hatch...  4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42...  Brilliant!

Lost S01E17 – ...In Translation

This is another really good episode and not for anything really obvious.  The story follows Jin and shows us a very different side to Sun's view point from episode 6.  For those with a keen eye they might have noticed that when Jin visited the Secretary for Environmental Safety to deliver a message, the secretary's daughter is watching the TV and Hurley is on it.  Ok, not a massive connection but they also went out of their way to tell us that Hurley still owed Walt $82,000.  Also the Michael's raft get burnt and Sun reveals she can speak English to the whole group.  I love the bit at the end when the happy tune starts playing, so you start waiting for the sinister moment when the music stops... genius!

Lost S01E16 – Outlaws

Episode 16 follows Sawyer and his attempt to enact vengeance on a boar that seems to be picking on him!  We also see into his past and find out what he was doing in Australia; we also find out that Sawyer met Jack's father.  For me this is going to be one of the most interesting elements within the series, I love the connections between each of the survivors and how they are linked by more than flight 815.  There was some nice character development in this episode as various characters came in and out of Sawyer's quest each dropping little gems about their past.

Lost S01E15 – Homecoming

So Claire has returned but she has no memory of anything after getting on the plane.  Then Ethan appears again and demands that Charlie bring Claire back to him or he will start killing survivors.  We also see more of Charlie's back story where he is a copier salesman trying to sell a copier model number 815 (Oooo the same as the flight number)!  There is a little more action than normal as the survivors try to stop Ethan from following through with his threats.  There is a little bit of intrigue and mystery but more of a focus on the action which is a nice change for a little while.  Now, get back to the hatch!

Lost S01E14 – Special

This is very much a middle of the road sort of episode, some stuff happens whilst not a lot happens at the same time... We find out more about Michael and Walt, and would you believe it their troubled relationship (funny how that keeps happening).  The main questions here are, is Walt special or is it the island showing them what they need to see, damn you Abrams et al, now we can't believe anything we see!  And that includes the dodgy special effects polar bear (not impressed).  So Michael is going to build a raft, the black rock is mentioned once more and Claire appears from no where.  Long way to go yet before any of this starts to make sense!

Lost S01E13 – Hearts and Minds

Well it's been almost two weeks since my last episode of Lost, you should never end a session on a low point it makes it harder to come back (that and I've been busy).  Well this episode focuses on Boone and his troubled relationship with Shannon.  We see some flash backs which show us why they were in Australia.  It also shows us more of what the island is capable of, the hatch didn't really progress much an Locke continues to become more and more mysterious but then that's good, give us more mystery, that's what makes it interesting.

Chronicle

Now officially my second favourite hand held film, behind Cloverfield, this is the story of three high school friends who acquire a set of powers that enable them to do pretty much whatever they want.  This is actually a really interesting story and filmed incredibly well using a bunch of handheld cameras and surveillance devices.  The story is compelling and whilst a little predictable you can't help but watch it all unfold before you. Some of the stuff they do as they are learning and experimenting with their powers is amazing.

The Darkest Hour

Another apocalyptic invasion, another promising premise, another failed attempt.  So far the best film of the nature I've seen recently is Battle: Los Angeles.  There are some promising moments like the initial invasion, which we only see for about ten minutes.  Then we watch another four or five days of four people sat in a room condensed into five minutes.  By the time they come out all of the inhabitants of Moscow appear to have been vaporised.

Those four days would have been the most interesting part of the story, the struggle to survive, running from the invaders.  Kind of like Skyline but hopefully with more interesting characters.

Underworld: Awakening

This film ticks so many boxes that I am guaranteed to watch it.  Vampires – ding, werewolves – ding, lots of action – ding, Kate Beckinsale in a leather corset – ding, ding, ding… we have a winner!  All that said however I am left feeling slightly disappointed.  The story was almost beyond predictable and lacked any real punch or intrigue.  No doubt they will make another, which is fine I’m more than likely to watch it (feels kind of like the Resident Evil series, if they keep making them I’ll keep watching them), but I’d be much happier if they worked on the story a bit more.

Friends with Benefits

As far as romantic comedies go this is actually quite good.  Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake were good together, although it was Woody Harrleson who stole the show.  Basically two friends both fed up with relationships decide that to satisfy their needs they would help each other out, so to speak.  The outcome is as predictable as any rom-com but as with all of these it’s more about the journey than the result, which for the most part is very funny.

Lost S01E12 – Whatever the Case May Be

So it took a while before this episode revealed whose flashbacks we would be enjoying and eventually it turned out to be Kate.  The whole episode revolved around a case Kate and Sawyer found whilst swimming in a pool.  A case that Sawyer couldn't open and Kate was desperate to get.  Long story short there are some guns in there and a personal item that belonged to Kate.  This is a very slow episode and not a great deal happens.  There wasn't really any outlandish unanswerable questions and certainly no real revelations.  It would have been hard for a good episode to follow the last two so maybe this is a sacrificial episode so they can get back to the good stuff.

Lost S01E11 – All The Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues

So, so, so good... I could probably sit here and watch the rest of season one only stopping for a quick cup of tea every once and a while.  Ethan has kidnapped Claire and Charlie and is being tracked by Jack and Kate and Locke and Boone.  But Ethan doesn't want to be found and to stop them tracking him he hangs Charlie... which is an emotionally incredible moment of TV.  Locke and Boone also discover a metal door in the forest floor!  Complete and utterly brilliant madness.  Oh and this episode gives us flashbacks for Jack and shows us more of what happened with his father before he drunk himself to death.

Lost S01E10 – Raised by Another

Oh, yes, this is where it really starts to get good.  Also this episode follows Claire, who would you believe it had a pretty crappy time before the flight, Mother disowned her, crappy douche bag boyfriend and a creepy psychic who tricked her into going on flight 815!  Not to mention what is going on with the baby that will bring doom to all unless raised by Claire.  This is also the first episode that we discover that they are not alone on the island (and I mean properly not alone, I'm not including Rousseau because she is not one of the others)!  Brilliant!!!

Lost S01E09 – Solitary

Oh, so many more questions and diddly squat in the answers department.  Another really good episode and it was Sayid's episode although whilst he monopolised the flash backs he shared the bulk of the episode with the mysterious French woman, Rousseau (not Crusoe, that would be ridiculous)!  Also in other news Hurley, another of my favourite characters (I can't wait for his flash back episode I think it's one of the best), builds a golf course so that the survivors have something of a distraction from the constant doom and gloom and monsters and polar bears and...

Lost S01E08 – Confidence Man

Finally we get to see what's going on in Sawyer's head and it's more than you'd expect and fairly tragic (as with everyone else).  He is one of my favourite characters if only for his dry sense of humour.  The survivors end up doing something that they didn't think they would as they torture Sawyer to find some medicine that they desperately need.  But then he doesn't even have it despite not declaring his innocence once and when they find out this causes even further fractures to the group as Sayid exiles himself for his part in it, and so that he may become the star of the next episode.

It's basically more all around Lost goodness, with only a couple more questions from this episode and no answers but then that's how they roll!

Lost S01E07 – The Moth

Episode seven finally gives a bit more details of Charlie's past and it's appears that none of the survivors had a pretty happy life prior to the crash, read into that what you want but it's bound have some symbolism at a later stage. This episode is very biblical in a sense as we see the temptation of Charlie and even Locke telling him to ask for his drugs three times and he will give them too him. We get to see a little bit more of a hint at the impending Kate, Jack, Sawyer love triangle... it's some way off yet but there is a hint at it. And then Sayid getting whacked near the end adds more questions.

They've still not really answered any questions and yet they continue to pile up, that is one of the best and most frustrating things about Lost, so many questions, how can they possibly answer them all?

Lost S01E06 – House Of The Rising Sun

No surprise here really but this episode follows Sun and dips into her past and reveals more about Sun and Jin's relationship.  Jack also fails to convince all of the survivors to join him in the caves and surprisingly Kate is one that decides to stay on the beach.  There is obviously something about the two corpses that they found in the caves, Adam and Eve, that will no doubt be revealed much later in the show (wasn't in the first four seasons that I remember).  Kate said she didn't want to be Eve, can't help but feel like that's going to come back and bite her!

Bit of an average episode compared to some of the others but the tension is building and it's not going end with a calming song and everyone sitting around a camp fire every episode.  Still one of the most intriguing and enthralling shows I've ever seen.

Lost S01E05 – White Rabbit

White Rabbit focuses on Jack and shows us a glimpse into his past.  We see that he has a past of trying to help everyone and that his parents are exactly the nicest of people and seem to try to undermine him at every opportunity.  This is another episode that starts to reveal the mysticism of the island, or is it just Jack delirious from lack of the sleep and water.  Locke again shows that he seems to be more in tune with the island, but then he's got the most reason to believe.

This is another good episode, shows a little bit more of all of the characters revealing some elements that you wouldn't have suspected.  Again finishing with a little bit of a feel good moment which means the next episode is bound to explode.

The River S01E01 – Magus

The River follows the family of a wildlife expert and TV show host, very much in the style of Steve Irwin, after he goes missing whilst filming on the Amazon river.  The show is filmed entirely as a documentary with a camera crew and surveillance cameras.  It is reminiscent of the Blair Witch Project in the style that it was filmed, but unlike the Blair Witch Project it isn't crap.  The River raises more than enough questions to keep you interested and shows you enough to make you want to see more without revealing everything straight away.  I really enjoyed it, which can only mean one thing... you can pretty much forget about there being a season 2, we can all hope but looking at the news on Google it looks like it's already been cancelled, so I've got the rest of the season to enjoy and no doubt the frustration at the end of the season at yet another unresolved climax!

Grimm S01E01 – Pilot

It's going to sound a little bit like I'm completely obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but Grimm is somewhere between Supernatural and Buffy (every where I look I can't help but see her).  The style is very good and fits perfectly with the Grimm fairytale theme.  There is obviously quite a lot of material for them to work with so you would think they should be able to get a good number of recognisable stories to flow throughout.

Interesting premise, look forward to more (although it's not as good as Supernatural which is fantastic).

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

I saw the trailer for this about a month ago and it blew me away... that is were this tale sadly ends!  This was nothing like the trailer, the trailer was fast paced, aggressive and comedic in a slightly absurd way.  In reality it was much slower, almost period drama slow in places, and the vampires were almost as scary as those found in Buffy the Vampire slayer or maybe even Sesame Street!  There were some entertaining moments but they were few and far between.

The most notable thing throughout was the over reliance (to the point of obsession) on 3D effects and I'd rather see an end to all this 3D nonsense and some actual focus of clever and funny stories.  Also Ab seemed to age far faster than his best friend who looked pretty much the same the whole way through (and no not his vampire friend)!

Lost Girl S01E01 – Its A Fae Fae Fae Fae World

Lost Girl starts out quite sexy, sleek and mysterious but then it quickly turned into Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing but I was really enjoying the first half of the show and then the Buffy monsters appeared which weren't really in keeping with the style of it up to that point.

I did enjoy it and will definitely watch a couple more episodes, but I feel it could have been much better and guaranteed that I would watch many more an episode.  Less plasticine monsters and more of Bo seducing and draining bad people's life force!