Held off on this latest iteration of Nikita, thinking it would be cheese-tastic (have you seen the promo poster?), but am pleasantly surprised that it’s not that bad. The first 5 episodes or so haven’t lagged, and the series shows promise. Having read about the network wanting an action show “with a strong female lead” and still missing Sarah Connor – I had mixed feelings about Nikita, but no more. The action is pretty good, the storyline steady, and acting for the most part is credible. Maggie Q wouldn’t be my first choice as the titular character, but that opinion is likely to be drowned out by the roar of ten thousand fanboys.

Sets are not too shabby either. In the first handful of episodes I found the lighting admirable. The designers put some thought into it – something that makes me give this series so far, a solid 7 out of 10.

Don’t believe the hype. Rogen needs to hone his craft some more if he wants to pull off the comedic male lead. He’s not very good at being funny or being a leading man. Of course, one could argue that this was the point of The Green Hornet, but then the film just falls flat on its face. No amount of awesome tech-wonder/ninja sidekick bullet-time 3-point-0 could help prop up this weak flick. Kato 2.0 was ok, but then noone can ever replace the great Bruce.

Is it too soon to reboot this reboot?

Indie satire, or true believers? Portlandia’s first episode kind of makes me want to visit Portland and see just how much of tonight’s episode is still true – or if it’s just television. Don’t hold your breath.

Can you imagine how different the world would be if those mucks didn’t ruin Turing’s life?

Why do documentaries have this ability to make you sick in your stomach?

If you’ve read any book written by a fisherman, you won’t be too surprised by what goes on behind the scenes on how fish/seafood gets from sea to dining table. But what might surprise you is the depth and breadth of any number of deplorable practices involved. The fish from specialty shops (in the UK, where this show focused its attention) may or may not be fresh, and it weighs rather heavily on the latter. And, it’s not only fish. Shellfish – particularly prawn imported from Asia is suspect in a big way.

Being a vegetarian, I enjoy some fish every now and then, and shellfish even less frequently – and I’m based in North America; but I wonder how strict and extensive (or not!) regulation is over here. Channel4’s Dispatches has done an excellent eyeopener on fish… not that a single viewing of the show will change my eating habits, but it certainly brings about a new awareness. Said awareness is accompanied with an alarmed, and kind of sad face, and a pushed to the back of my mind question that asks: Well what else isn’t safe to eat?

I’m only halfheartedly looking forward to tonight’s supper, and no, there won’t be any fish in it.

A wild mix: Period piece combining adventure and horror elements, Season of the Witch is in too many places in too little a time. It’s easily 2 or 3 movies in one – would’ve been way better if concentrated on select points instead of being spread too thin.

Entertaining drivel though. The buddy action flick that stars two big names: Nicholas Cage and Ron Perlman. The latter playing sidekick to the former, oddly enough, since Perlman would have been the better choice for a Crusader/adventurer. Seeing him in this reminds one of The Name of the Rose, with which Witch shares some thematic elements.

A drama sub-plot: The angst of being ex-Crusaders and now masterless warriors trying their best to get home in a land ravaged by disease. Encountering an unnamed evil and being forced to once again champion the Church. Another warrior struggles to overcome his own personal loss. (This angle could have easily been edited out, so that the focus remains on the main body of the movie. Instead it takes strength away from it.)

The core of the movie, which focuses on the witch (no one is sure if she is, actually, should I italicise that?), and transporting her from plague-ridden town to far-flung monastery where only the sacred monks based there can pass judgement on her. The many challenges presented even before the journey can begin: Do we take up this quest? How do we get there? Ah, a none too trusty villain knows the route. Carry on, then.

A complex stew requires a deft cook, one who knows how the proper amounts of this and that should go in and when, to bring out flavor and texture pleasing to the palate. Unfortunately Season of the Witch overextends in some and underdelivers in others. Closely-related films viewed in a marathon will reveal Witch’s weaknesses, but if you’re only looking for spec effects and someting brain-free a couple of hours, then Witch might be a good fit.

Kidnap and Ransom opens powerfully, with loads of tension in the first five minutes. Acting is top-notch. Have only seen one (the first) episode, and it is dark, gritty, almost too hard to watch. Wondering if the show can sustain such a high level of drama.

If you want to armchair travel with an idiosyncratic, charismatic Scotsman through heartbreakingly beautiful country, try ITV’s Billy Connolly’s Journey To The Edge Of The World. The first part focuses on scenic is an understatement Nova Scotia. It may be the heart of winter with a foot+ of snow and wind here, but I find myself yearning for that cold, windy, foggy part of the world. It’s not easy to explain why.

http://www.itv.com/Lifestyle/BillyConnolly/default.html

Comedian, actor and musician Billy Connolly braves the elements in this adventurous journey from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, via the legendary Northwest Passage.