I'm big with the Apatow & Seth Rogan love in the former

Hey, another reason for me to check out 40-Year-Old Virgin. I just started watching Freaks and Geeks (Christmas present from my mother, who loves the show; next year I plan to get her Sports Night in return) and am loving it.

I watched Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy this weekend and loved it. What kind of reception did it get here? I can't remember, but I thought it was great, and stayed very true to the spirit of the book. There's basically no plot in the book, so I had no problem with them adding some extra plot elements to the movie, and the casting was all perfect. Now if I could only stop singing "So Long and Thanks For All the Fish"...

I really liked it too, Kate, but it seemed to be mostly panned by critics. I don't remember what the Buffista consensus was, though.

I thought it was fabulous, Kate -- I think I saw it 4 times in theatres and then immediately bought the soundtrack. Trillian was the only casting choice I didn't like right off the bat, but she really grew on me with repeated viewings.

I didn't expect to like Trillian nearly as much as I did; I don't think I'd seen Zooey Deschanel in anything before, but somehow I had this idea that she wouldn't be good. But she was!

it seemed to be mostly panned by critics.

Really? That's too bad. I wonder what they didn't like about it? I can see how it would appeal more to people who already know the books and don't mind that the plot more or less meanders along, but I thought it was delightful.

Freaks & Geeks is indeed fantastic. The 40-Year-Old Virgin isn't quite a well-realized as that show, but not much is.

I was so-so on Hitchhiker's. It seemed like they cut a lot of the jokes from the books.

Corwood, yeah, but I expected that. And they added some new jokes I really liked (the spatula-type things on Planet Vogsphere, for instance, that smacked people in the face whenever they had a thought).

There are a couple of good deleted scenes on the DVD, I should mention. My favorite is Arthur Dent, carrying a big gun and wearing his bathrobe cord tied around his head, Rambo-style, bursts into the office of the Vogon prison shouting "I'm Dent, Arthur Dent! DO PANIC, motherfuckers!!!!" )

I love the deleted guide entry. It is my favorite joke from the series.

HHGttG was ranked worst movie of the year by one of the EW critics. I thought that was ridiculous.

I knew a girl in high school who was the daughter of a Catholic priest

A friend dated a girl who was the daughter of a priest and a nun. Reportedly, she had a letter from the pope saying she didn't exist. (My friend may have been paraphrasing.)

I liked Hitchhikers the first time, although I was iffy on Zaphod. The second time I loved it and loved Zaphod. I know someone who hated it, though. I think he was attached more to particular jokes & storylines, whereas for me it's more about the feel.

But I liked Mostly Harmless, too.

I really really liked the Zaphod casting in this one -- he was just the wacky, mad, bad & dangerous to know that in my heart I was looking for.

Unfortunately for me, since I came to it first through the radio series, then the TV series, I was expecting a much more leisurely paced, more detailed experience. Which didn't make it a bad movie, only one that didn't live up to my very high expectations.

HHGttG was ranked worst movie of the year by one of the EW critics. I thought that was ridiculous.

That is ridiculous. Whatev.

I thought Zooey Deschanel was great, and that they sort of combined Trillian with Fenchurch for the movie.

And yes, I still sing the song every now and then.