For the Love of Spock (2016)

Not unlike Trek Nation (2011) did for its subject, FtLoS is a documentary in which a son looks upon the career of his father and in so doing reflects upon their time together and what they meant to each other. For Dir. Adam Nimoy, whose famous father was loved by millions of people the world over, it's both a professional and personal journey, and ultimately a celebration of both the man Leonard and the incomputable legacy that he left behind.
Incorporating newly filmed interviews with family members, old Super-8 home movie footage, magazine articles and TV interviews it paints a picture of Leonard's beliefs regarding his famous Star Trek character and compares it with what it meant to the fans, through responses and testimonials.
Note: there's a lot of spoilers for TOS episodes, if you've not seen them.

3½ raised eyebrows out of 5

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

STAR TREK BEYOND [2016]

Director Justin Lin gives Captain Kirk & Friends a fast & furious makeover for the third installment of the Kelvin timeline, Star Trek Beyond.
This time around we follow the restless Enterprise crew into uncharted space where they meet a Big Bad who's bent on destroying the federation.
It's a pretty straight forward story that feels more like an old episode of TOS, especially by dropping the heavy cynicism of the first two films and diving deeper into the search for hope in humanity.  More a character piece than story driven film, we get plenty of great moments with the cast that all share an easily watchable on-screen chemistry.  There's some unforgivable face-palmy moments but Trek's always had it's fair share of bits that easily out-dates itself best taken with a grain of salt.
It's not going to win over any folks already hissing at the series but for those already invested in this series than it's as pleasurable as Insurrection or The Search for Spock.  A welcome stand alone film treading water in a world of sequels that require knowledge of every film in the franchise.

3 big green hands out of 5

Get a Life! (2012)

A documentary directed by The Shat that has him trying to gain a deeper understanding of why Star Trek fans are so impassioned and committed to the long-running franchise. Alternatively, it's a documentary by The Shat that earns him a quick buck without having to expend much effort. But it's not exploitative and amid the fandom filler there's a heartbreaking story that truly deserved the attention. Capt. David, you're an inspiration.
The 'understanding' that The Shat claims to have sought comes not from the convention floor but from a one-on-one interview with an intelligent individual whose name I've regrettably forgotten.

3 family gatherings that don't end in divorce out of 5

Star Trek: The Captains' Summit (2009)

William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes gather in the same room to discuss Star Trek. It’s hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, who draws out the anecdotes with occasional questions. It’s very friendly with no clash of egos but also mostly pointless. I guess people that get a kick out of this kind of thing at conventions may like it.
The Shat steals the show with his charm and wit. He’s a bona fide legend.

2 tenures out of 5

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

While The Next Generation was kicking ass on TV, The Original Series returned to the big screen for one last hurrah. And it went out in style. From the dramatic opening to the bitter-sweet ending it rarely puts a booted-foot wrong. I don't understand why it often gets overlooked by so many people.
Thematically, the film is darker than Star Trek often dared to go. The optimism is still evident but it's bullied by heavy political issues, prejudices and ingrained racism, all of which are dissected and put under a microscope.
It's not all cold war parallels and gloom, though. Amid the many tensions are some light-hearted moments to remind us that the light of life needs all colours of the spectrum if it's to be fully enjoyed.

4 architects out of 5

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

It's new challenges time and a new ship for the old crew. There's a problem in the Neutral Zone (again) and only Captian Kirk can sort it out. Why only Kirk? Because he's William Shatner, of course. And he's now also the film's director.
The story touches on philosophical and theistic concerns; and by avoiding delving too deeply into either it adds food for thought without risking offending all but perhaps the most religiously-sensitive viewer. But, alas, as it goes on the cracks begin to show in the script and besides a few excellent character scenes, and some decent comedic moments, it lacks a crucial spark.
Budget cuts forced the planned earth-shaking finale to be abandoned. Far from being apocalyptic, it instead has the explosive power of a warm shart.

2½ secret pains out of 5

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

During a return voyage to face the music after stealing the Federation’s flagship, the close-knit group find themselves in temporal trouble.
TVH has its detractors, but it’s one of my guilty pleasures. There's something absurdly entertaining in seeing the ship's crew wander around San Francisco like a retirement home science club on a field trip. The comedy isn't targeted specifically at fans, but they’ll get more out of it than a casual viewer.
Depending on your disposition, you can think of it as a Trek movie with an ecological message or an ecological message movie with some Trek. Both viewpoints work and both are equally as effective.

3½ nuclear wessels out of 5

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Star Trek II, III and IV are a trilogy telling one story. This middle section explores the benefits of friendship and the burden of responsibility. Much of it works well, but the consequences aren't as weighty as they ought to have been. Couple that with the continuing biblical references, with parallels so overt that they're like a slap in the face, and you have a middle film that could've been so much more if it had only dared to try.
As before, the established relationships between the crew is the glue that holds everything together. The camaraderie and overriding concern they share makes even the most superfluous scenes feel more like the TV series than either of the preceding films. That's enough to keep me happy.

3 ongoing missions out of 5

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

This is more like it! TWoK uses the Kirk, Spock and Bones triumvirate as a strong foundation to heap danger and tragedy atop. The story recognises that the steadfast closeness of the Star Trek family is its greatest strength. And furthermore, on the receiving end is an enemy that can be understood.
A man consumed by vengeance should be fearsome. Khan Noonien Singh may resemble an ageing rock star, but Mexican actor Ricardo Montalbán tapped into what gave the character purpose and brought it to the surface; you can almost feel the burning hatred for Kirk emanating from the screen in his best scenes. The Melville parallels strengthen it even more.

4 good words out of 5

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Often referred to as 'The Motionless Picture' affectionately by fans, and from the opposite view point by haters, Alan Dean Foster's final draft (screenplay by Harold Livingston) forgets that it's supposed to be Star Trek. Instead, it opts for cold, clinical sci-fi that would work better if it was half the length and didn't have the expectations that a film with the Enterprise crew carries.
The amusing name change isn't just a clever play on words, it's an apt description of the pace at which the snooze-fest moves. With too many meandering establishing shots, it's the dullest 132 minutes that I've ever spent in the TOS universe. A cubic inch of empty space contains more atmosphere.

1½ pho…tohn…tohr…pee…dohs out of 5

Trek Nation (2011)

A documentary that follows Gene Roddenberry's son (also called Gene) as he attempts to understand why Star Trek has had such a dramatic impact on the lives of so many people across the world.
Obviously. you'll need at least some interest in Trek to get the most from it, but what makes it special beyond that is the honesty that Gene Jr brings to the table. His goal is also to understand who his father was before he died, which is something he admits he was unable to achieve when Gene Sr was still alive. It's a sometimes painful journey for the son, but he doesn't shy away when the camera gets near, for which he should be wholeheartedly applauded.

3½ final frontiers out of 5

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS [2013]

A little bigger, darker and bolder than director J.J. Abrams & his Fringe team's first film in the franchise, Star Trek Into Darkness continues the "more balls than brains" version of Trek.
It stirs the excitement with adventure and intrigue, while taking us to brand new worlds that seem more in place in the Star Wars universe than Rodenberry's vision.  Nevertheless, with a simply deliciously cold and menacing performance from Benedict Cumberbatch and Chris Pine & Karl Urban stealing lens-flared scenes left right and center, the film is nothing more than good summer fun to butt heads with Iron Man 3.

3½ models of Zefram Cochran's ship 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