I'm curious how the A&D movie differed from the book, if anyone knows. I hated the book so much that I never saw that movie. I actually enjoyed A&D a fair amount, although that might have been mostly for Ewan McGregor.

Yeah, the total lack of caring about the men who been branded and then burned or almost drowned was sort of appalling. I suppose that was the point of "just one more hour!" but it felt a bit flat. I did like seeing all the stuff in Rome, though. Made Joe and I want to go visit some day.

I love Gosford Park. I watched it twice more the same weekend as the first time, and the performances are even better when you have an idea what the characters are thinking. Helen Mirren is sublime.

Oh, Gosford Park totally pays to rewatch. (So confusing the first time around.)

Saw Star Trek again - last time on digital - this time on IMAX. IMAX was SO. MUCH. BETTER. The sound and picture were both superior.

It could be that the digital theater I saw it in the first time wasn't that good and that the IMAX theater I saw it in the second time was much better.

Saw Trek. LOVED IT! Didn't mind the comic aspects (they felt very TOS to me). The casting was sublime. Simon Pegg was a bit OTT, but, to be fair, so was Doohan, though he didn't stand out in such stark relief since you also had Shatner in there trying to eat the scenery at the same time.

Z. Quinto was just fabulous, not that it was a big surprise - I thought that was perfect casting as soon as I heard about it. And I thought Chris Pine got enough of the Shatner essence without going for a full-on impersonation.

The villain was definitely the weakest part, but I'm not sure why. His motivation was certainly strong enough, and Eric Bana did a great job, but something was missing.

Sumi, is the IMAX version widescreen or have they converted it to 4:3?

The villain was definitely the weakest part, but I'm not sure why. His motivation was certainly strong enough, and Eric Bana did a great job, but something was missing.

Well, he was basically just Romulan flobotanum - his ONLY function was to provide someone for the Enterprise to shoot at while Kirk and Spock are getting to know each other. (I do wonder if the character was more fleshed out in earlier drafts, because I really can't imagine justifying an actor as big as Eric Bana for the role as it appears in the theatrical cut.)

Speaking of which, I think I identified Sean' other bit of annoying exposition on rewatch - was it Nero's "I used to be a nice guy and now I'm a disgruntled time-traveling space miner!" speech?

Here is another question for Trek fans: how badly are the episodes butchered in syndication? Am I missing anything terribly important or notable? I get all twitchy thinking about the difference between watching the full episode online and the shorter episode on TV.

I do wonder if the character was more fleshed out in earlier drafts, because I really can't imagine justifying an actor as big as Eric Bana for the role as it appears in the theatrical cut.

As someone who still associates him with the hokey sketch comedy show Full Frontal, I love that he now counts as 'an actor as big as Eric Bana'.

Huh. Just checking out on imdb, he had a part in The Castle. I should watch that again.

Oh, here's another tidbit. Prior to playing a Romulan in Star Trek, Eric Bana also played the titular character Romulus in Romulus, My Father.

Here is another question for Trek fans: how badly are the episodes butchered in syndication? Am I missing anything terribly important or notable? I get all twitchy thinking about the difference between watching the full episode online and the shorter episode on TV.

I think there's, what, two or three minutes missing in each syndicated episode?

I downloaded The Doomsday Device (or whatever it's called) from iTunes because I wanted to see the new special effects (the original special effects were horrible in that episode). It was cool, as I'd never seen the stuff they cut for syndication before (I think the extra stuff was when the Commodore escaped from security and stole the shuttlecraft.) (Whitefont in case PC hasn't seen this yet.)

Anyway, in regards to your question - I don't know. In theory they cut out the least essential bits.

Um, I saw all the TOS episodes in the early '70s in syndication. When you watch it in syndication now, do they cut out more time?

I'm babbling - I think I need more coffee....

I think there's, what, two or three minutes missing in each syndicated episode?

I think it's more like six or seven. The original episodes are 50 minutes long, and episodes today are generally about 43.

In theory they cut out the least essential bits.

Heh, true. I'm usually a completist, so I'm already neurotic about deliberately not watching the whole series. If I'm only watching some of the episodes, I should at least be watching the whole episodes! Right?

Um, I saw all the TOS episodes in the early '70s in syndication.

But then again, that's a good point. I watched "The Enemy Within" yesterday and didn't really notice where they might have cut things (although there was one scene where it looks like Kirk's going to give a whole monologue and he only gets out one line).