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The fanboy culture is so ingrained in the concept of ‘Star Trek’ that it mush have been very hard for J.J. Abrams to put together an incarnation as accessible as this. But accessible, it is; and a very entertaining sci-fi action adventure at that. Zachary Quinto seems perfect as a new generation of Spock, with his years as the pseudo-human Sylar in ‘Heroes’ standing him in good stead. There’s also impressive work by relative newcomer Chris Pine. And Daniel Mindel’s space cinematography (including the infamous lens flares) has an organic feel, somewhat reminiscent of Whedon’s CGI handi-cam approach in ‘Firefly’.
Food and entertainment often go hand in hand, but rarely as they do at Fuji Teppanyaki. A personal chef juggling knives and forks is a great way to whet the appetite, as is simply being able to see the plates of fresh meat and vegetables just waiting to be cooked. It was a great introduction for someone like me who hasn’t eaten teppanyaki before, with our friendly chef cooking exactly to our likings and recommending appropriate condiments throughout. It is a little on the expensive side, but then again, it’s not every meal that someone throws fried egg at you!
Over the years, I’ve had mixed feelings about monster flicks, and I really thought that ‘Cloverfield’ would be one I wouldn’t enjoy. I’d heard the talk of the shaky camera, lack of back-story, and frenetic pacing to keep the run-time down to just over an hour – but combined, I think it worked. These three points all merged to give the movie a panicked feel, tying you in to the emotions of the characters on screen. The acting and directing were surprisingly good (if you ignore T.J. Miller’s forced voiceovers), and the visual and sound effects made for an impressive experience.
I’ve never grown out of that childhood need to hear a story before bedtime. It can be a novel, a histoy, or even just a well rehearsed shaggy-dog tale. ‘Bluebear’, in the similar vein of train-of-thought fiction as Hitchhikers Guide, falls neatly into all three of these categories. Detailing the accounts of a blue bear called Bluebear and his travels through the continent of Zamonia, this is a story without any deeper meaning, told only to conjure images of the hundreds of mythical creatures (like yetis and chimeras, or demons and gnomes) through dozens of far-off locales.
Yum Cha is a great way to eat with a big group, and Shark Fin House is a great place to eat Yum Cha. It’s busy, and from what I’ve heard, it always is; but with the efficiency and number of staff patrolling the floor, that doesn’t mean you’ll go hungry. As well as being plentiful, the food on offer is wonderfully varied – it didn’t take long to lose count of the options available. It’s also quite affordable, and in most cases you’ll get out of there fully fed for under $30 per head. It’s great fun and great food.
Sitting somewhere in and around the sc-fi, crime, mystery, and adventure camps, ‘Dollhouse’, whilst not being up with Joss Whedon’s best, is certainly worth watching. With a premise built around the separation of the body and the mind, the versatility of the actors is put to the test, and in most cases, (including in impressive surprise performance from Miracle Laurie) shines. As per other Whedon series, it’s the ensemble cast that makes the show, with both main and supporting characters quite endearing. Also, against the odds, the show’s been booked for a second season, with Summer Glau joining the cast.
It still manages to surprise me to go to a bar in the city where you can sit around comfortably, and have a conversation without shouting. I guess that’s what happens when your bar becomes a test case for the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal over noise levels. Misty’s got a great drinks menu on offer, with a huge variety of beers, an extensive cocktail list, and a selection of wines, both domestic and international. The décor works on two levels, as well, with the worn stools providing both comfort and proof of the decades long popularity of this place.
The ‘Broken Lizard’ boys had to start somewhere, and that place is ‘Puddle Cruiser’. While not quite at the standard that its younger brother, ‘Super Troopers’, achieved, it’s still a very funny movie. It centres on the budding relationship between Felix and Suzanne, yet the main source of laughs comes from the judicial process surrounding Kevin Heffernan and Paul Soter’s characters, after they’re caught breaking into the college cafeteria. Also, keep an eye out for Erik Stolhanske’s Freaky Reaky, as the perfect example of a man who came to university with his own style, and decided to stick with it.
Listening to ‘Invisible By Day’, the debut LP from San Francisco three piece Hey Young Believer, made me feel like I knew the band; or more to the point, that they knew me. The album followed me through my day – ‘Tidal Waves’ bounced me out of bed, ‘Waking Up On The Floor’ forebode my day at work, ‘The Funeral Shuffle’ got me through the paper pushing, ‘Walking Over You’ accompanied my romantic dinner, ‘Float Away’ took me for cocktails, and ‘Don’t Look Down’ put me back to bed. If every day could be like this album, I’d quite enjoy it.
It’s an interesting feeling to eat your dinner with Sophia Loren and Charlton Heston looking over your shoulder from a wall full of 50s movie posters. But Dante’s is an interesting place, and full of interesting flavours. Feel free to ignore the standard mains and pizzas and jump straight to the tapas, making sure you stop for a side of parmesan crusted eggplant chips on the way. The beetroot aranchini balls are great, too; as is the classic, yet perfectly crispy saganaki. They even manage to hit the nail on the head with the delicately dressed garden salad. Simply tasty.
