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When I found out Julie Taymor had directed a version of Oedipus Rex and it was on DVD there was no doubt that I needed to find it. Enter the hero of the piece – Netflix. Thank God for Netflix, helping geeks like me find the most obscure things possible.

I had to see this because Julie Taymor has only made three feature films and has captivated me with them. The way she integrates genres, art, color and space is fascinating and astoundingly beautiful to me and knowing she’s primarily a stage director I had to see her stage work. If you’re not familiar with Titus, Frida or Across the Universe I can almost guarantee you’ve heard of the most popular thing she adapted for the stage – The Lion King.

What I didn’t realize about this version of Oedipus Rex was that it was in Japanese, done for a play festival in Japan but that makes it even more interesting. Taymor melded together Japanese dance, fashion, make-up and tradition with Greek masks, and her signature puppets and use of color and created a visually riveting production. This was a special taping, done for the camera not the audience so the recordnign is not static, but I can only imagine how beautiful this must have been to see in person.

I recommend any of Julie Taymor’s work to anyone that appreciated different and beautiful film. She’s captivating and I can only hope that another movie will come her way before too long.

I love television shows that consistently try to top themselves. Battlestar Galactica is one of those shows. If possible, season three is even better than the seasons before it.

Season three starts after the Cylon occupation; the humans have again formed a resistance and Adama is fighting to get back to the people he was forced to abandon. Once the humans break free of New Caprica a whole other can of worms is unveiled: Starbuck pursues her destiny, Apollo struggles with his military career, Baltar goes on trial and four of the final five Cylons are revealed. This season is a roller coaster from start to finish.

Perhaps one of the more fascinating things that happens in season three is how the time jump is handled. In a poorly crafted show the loss of time would be felt, our characters growth wouldn’t make sense and more than anything we as an audience would be confused. BSG is not a poorly crafted show. The writers are able to use the time lapse to our advantage, showing us the crucial moments for each character, and making sure that the movement in each character is still grounded in who that person was before we flashed a year into the future. They make sure that despite the change of circumstance the human heart of the show is intact.

It’s also fascinating that in season three time is finally spent with the Cylons. The writers once again help to evolve the Cylons from a faceless enemy to a complex race that only appears deceptively simple. They are in essence flawed children trying to grow up and unfold the mystery of the human parents, account for their past sins and find the meaning of their lives. This does not make them innocent, but as time moves on it makes them more human than their programming would ever care to admit.

My favorite character, Sharon, goes through what I think is the best single character arch in this season of the show as well. Grace Park is a phenomenal actor and I applaud her performance in every season of this show.

I can’t give too much away about the show in general as while I’m not afraid people won’t enjoy the show if they know what happens, but I want anyone who hasn’t seen BSG to enjoy sitting on the edge of their seat, fretting over the fate of characters and cheering in victory just like everyone else does who comes at it with fresh eyes. This is one show that is thoroughly enjoyable.

Adama: This is the Admiral. You've heard the news, you know the mission. You should also know there is only one way that this mission ends: and that's with the successful rescue of our people, off of New Caprica. Look around you. Take a good look at the men and women that stand next to you. Remember their faces, for one day you will tell your children and your grandchildren that you served with such men and women as the universe has never seen. And together, you'll accomplish the feat that will be told and retold down through the ages, and find immortality as only the gods once knew. I'm proud to serve with you. Good hunting.