Star Trek: TNG: All Good Things... (1994)

TNG's final TV outing connects directly to events in the show's pilot episode (Encounter at Farpoint), making everything that happened in the intervening seven years relevant to both stories. In order to fully appreciate the work, you absolutely must watch that pilot episode before watching AGT....
Central to the story is Capt Picard, whose consciousness is hopping between a number of fixed time periods like some kind of 24th century Billy Pilgrim. He's in almost every scene, but Patrick Stewart is up to the task, whether it be as a man full of confidence, of doubts, or seemingly bordering on senility.
A further benefit in connecting itself to the pilot is its ability to comment on TNG as a whole, in a way that's both reflective and contemplative.
It's sad to see a beloved show end production, but TNG's ending is perfect, drawing a knowing line under what's gone before whilst simultaneously looking ahead to the future. That duality is why I love re-watching AGT....

5 discontinuities out of 5

Star Trek: TNG: Chain of Command (1992)

When Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) is sent on a covert mission, Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox) assumes command of the Enterprise D in his stead. Jellico is an ass-hole who quickly pisses off everyone, but unlike the poorly written Lt. Cmdr Shelby in TBoBW (1990) he's given additional characterisation to make him more than just another one-note tool in a writer's arsenal.
The story has a second, more traditional villain operating in a setting that was heavily inspired by George Orwell's seminal Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) novel. It's a Cardassian named Gul Madred, played by David Warner. Warner had been in Trek twice before, as different characters, in ST V (1989) and ST VI (1991), but his role in TNG is arguably his most memorable; his scenes with an equally mesmerising Patrick Stewart are the primary reason that Chain of Command is a permanent fixture on many people's 'Best of TNG' lists.

4 lights out of 5

Star Trek: TNG: Unification (1991)

Unification's story is another political one, with the big draw being that Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) makes his first appearance in TNG's timeline, while another important character makes their last.
Spock's scenes are some of the best parts of the work, especially the ones he shares with Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Data (Brent Spiner). In the latter case, as the two converse while working side by side to achieve the same goal we're treated to an interesting 'compare and contrast' situation: the android Data has spent much of his life wanting to be more human, while the half human/vulcan Spock has spent most of his life trying not to be.
The story references TNG's Redemption (1991) and, even further back, TOS' VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), released in cinemas that same year.

3 ridiculous shoulder-pads out of 5

Star Trek: TNG: Redemption (1991)

Note: you'll lack crucial backstory for Redemption if you've not seen a few previous episodes; i.e. Reunion and Yesterday's Enterprise (Season 4).
Marking the show's 100th episode, the story sees Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) travel to Qo'noS to oversee the installation of Gowron (Robert O'Reilly) as High Council leader, but the ceremony doesn't go unchallenged. You'll hear numerous speeches about honour and treachery, often from people who have little of the former and practice the latter. But Worf (Michael Dorn) is pretty dependable, and by that I mean also that he can be depended upon to be headstrong in his unintentional narrow-mindedness, before stepping outside himself just in time to see the bigger picture, usually after having a candid chat with someone whom he either respects or hates.

3 friendly headbutts out of 5

Star Trek: TNG: The Best of Both Worlds (1990)

Responding to a distress signal on a populated planet, the Enterprise crew suspect the Borg have been present. They confer with Starfleet who send aid in the form of Borg specialist Lt. Cmdr Shelby (Elizabeth Hannah Dennehy), an officer who's never actually met a Borg. Shelby promptly makes herself a pain-in-the-ass of everyone, especially Cmdr Riker (Jonathan Frakes), in an attempt to create tension before the shit hits the fan for real.
It's essentially a war on three fronts: large scale (ship to ship); smaller scale (inside the Enterprise); and deeply personal (to retain a sense of self).
The Borg's cube ship is iconic, simple but imposing in its lack of aesthetic concerns, built solely for efficiency and functionally; and with a cube being a shape alien in the natural world it seems to scream defiance in every way.

4 magnetic resonance traces out of 5

The Grudge 3 (2009)

Due to events in the previous film, the Saeki family grudge now haunts an American apartment building. Had Ju-On creator Takashi Shimizu been involved beyond his producer credit, this direct-to-video sequel could have at least stood a chance at being creative. Instead the plot suffers from too much rinse-and-repeat. From the recasting of Kayako and Toshio to yet another backstory add-on (in the form of Kayako's sister), it really is like beating a dead horse. The lights flicker, the spirits flop around like fish and characters take on personality traits of the fallen Saeki family. It's been done.

1½ Mr. Potato Heads out of 5

Death Wish 3 (1985)

Mr Vigilante, Paul Kersey, returns to where it all began, to the city of New York. He's there for less than five minutes when someone he knows is killed in a gang attack. The guy is pure bad luck. Ladies, run away!
What the hell did I watch? Was Michael Winner taking the piss? It'll undoubtedly make someone's 'so bad it’s good' list because of the OTT finale, and occupy a place on the shelf of completists beside the other films whether it deserves it or not, but not on mine.

1 problem solved out of 5

Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

Stuart Baird decided he didn’t need to watch a single episode of TNG, so instead of making what could have been a ST:TNG version of Khan he made a shitty Star Wars film with characters he didn't understand. It’s saved by the regular cast members who imbue their roles with their usual professionalism.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Baird hasn't directed a single thing since.
Best moment: Wesley Crusher gets 99% of his scenes cut. Priceless.

2½ because of the cast, mostly Data out of 5

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Data goes apeshit. Picard and his crew make it their business to find out why. The film is a mixed bag. The good bits are exciting and sometimes funny, but for long-time fans it's obvious that it's treading old ground. If you can forget that you've seen this kind of thing a dozen times already in the weekly TNG television series, then the story is entertaining enough.
It's less action-filled than the last film, with more quiet, reflective moments, but production values are high, and aside from one face-palm moment involving Commander Riker and a joystick it's worth watching.

3 haystacks out of 5

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

The Borg, arguably the most menacing of the Next Gen villains (before Voyager turned them into clumsy halfwits), attempt to bring the Federation to its knees once and for all. Picard says, No! Not on my watch!
FC is Picard and Data's story, everyone else is just along for the ride. That suits me; those two stalwart characters are my all time favourites. It manages to be both an action movie and a Trek movie, striking a balance that previous films had failed to find. It’s a triumphant first solo outing for TNG crew.

4 pleasures of the flesh out of 5

Star Trek: Generations (1994)

Captains Kirk and Picard in the same film? Oh my!
Don’t analyse the plot too much or you’ll be screaming at the screen. It involves a man with a singular objective who must be stopped and, of course, it falls to the Enterprise crew to stop him. The emotional side, exploring family and duty, is handled clumsily and irritatingly twee. That part of it should've been rewritten prior to shooting. It never feels like a feature film, more like an extended episode with some moody lighting, so non-Trek fans need not apply.

3 arguments with history out of 5