Done with Season One

I had the chance to watch Westworld when it was beamed on Astro earlier this year. But I got bored after a couple of episodes. Then, I read a review on YouTube about how good the series was and decided to watch the pilot again.

But this time I downloaded the episode on iTunes using my US account. I got the uncensored episodes and it was a lot different from the one I remembered watching on the local TV.

There were nudity and swearing aplenty - some of which were just plain unnecessary. But some of the dialogue and scene which were cut out were needed to move the plot along. So, watching it the second time around really gave a clear perspective of what was going on.

After watching all 10 episodes, I begin to appreciate just what the buzz was all about. Definitely a fascinating series with superb acting. Both Anthony Hopkins and Thandie Newton definitely gave masterclasses. Haunting soundtrack to boot - who could forget "No Surprises" playing on the background at the saloon. Great stuff.

And the plot twists .... they all made sense in the end. Great television and I couldn't wait for the second season.

Into the Darkness

I managed to finish the morning ward round pretty early, and after a quick search on the net, there was an 11.30 am Star Trek show at Pavilion. A quick text to Puan Anita - to ask for her permission of course - and then I was off. Got to Bukit Bintang well in time, popcorn and all.

If you were expecting full-on action flick, you would be disappointed. There was of course the obligatory action scene, but on the whole, it was a plot-driven movie, and the scope of the storyline on the whole was actually pretty narrow. None of this safe the universe thing - but maybe they were doing it one star system at a time.

It was clearly a franchise movie - expect a third instalment of the series coming in the next few years. The dead giveaway was the ending - the crew embarked on a 5-year mission into deep space as the closing credit rolled on. This could also set the series up for television.

Anyhow, being a Trekkie, I liked the direction JJ Abram was taking the franchise. Clearly a work in progress rather than a pure stand alone movie. Some pretty heavy scene, while the villain did not actually die - which possible appearance in future ventures. Interesting none the less.