TRON (1982)

If you’re twelve, TRON is the best thing ever. It was visually mind-blowing in the 80s and despite the advances in technology since it still holds that same power today. Wendy Carlos’ music is great. The creativity and steps taken behind the scenes to make it unique earn it maximum respect.
Realistically, though, the protagonists are given just enough characterisation to prevent them from slipping into two-dimensionality and the plot is wafer-thin in the second half. But none of that matters, because every time I watch it part of me is still twelve. That's the power of TRON.

4 conscripts out of 5

Babylon 5: In the Beginning (1998)

The first and the best of the B5 TV movies. Set ten years before the TV Series, it tells the full story behind the Earth/Minbari war. Much of it has been revealed in snippets before, but seeing it like this, in flashback, told from the last days of [spoiler], makes it extra special. Fans will know what happens seconds after the credits roll; the narrator knows... he's always known.
Why is there no Mr Garibaldi? They could've made him a wig.

NOTE: Despite what the title suggests, this should NOT be watched before the series, it should be watched after the 5 years have finished.

5 minor continuity discrepancies out of 5

Babylon 5: The Gathering (1993)

A feature–length pilot that's notable mostly for setting up large chunks of a story arc that would develop in subsequent years, although no one but series creator J. Michael Straczynski and the producers really knew back then because such long-running continuity wasn't the norm at the time.

If you know Babylon 5 already, then The Gathering is worth hunting down, despite its flaws. If you're new to the station, however, or not sure if a plot-heavy sci-fi show is really for you, it might be better to start with Season 1 of the TV series instead, even though it means missing out on some crucial back-story for certain characters. You can fill in the gaps later, but be aware that there are a number of notable differences between what was planned and what eventually came to pass.

3 changing faces out of 5