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.

I just got home from seeing Munich. And on a totally shallow level, Eric Bana must have legs that are about three inches long, because he's got the longest torso in the galaxy. I swear, you could have landed planes on his back muscles.

I totally didn't recognize Ciaran Hinds, the whole movie long (like, I knew I knew him, but had no idea from where) till I saw his name in the credits. Daniel Craig, I recognized, but didn't know he could pull off an Afrikaner accent till he did it.

It's a fairly OTT movie, earnest and discursive, and I think some of the flashbacks were mistakes. But, not a bad movie; and considering it's Steven Spielberg, the OTT did not make me homicidal, so that is progress.

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

Can you explain this statement, Corwood? I loved 40-Year-Old Virgin and I loved F&G yet I think they're different things, having different aims. So I wouldn't compare them except for how well they each achieved their different objectives.