2. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) I love this movie just as much as I did the first time I saw it at the Hampshire Mall. I must have seen it at least five times in the theater, and that wasn't so easy for me, living out in the country. Why did I love it so? I was just the right age, I guess -- it was during that period of Star Wars/Raiders movies that hit the early adolescent geek sweet spot. And it touched on all the great things about the Star Trek world while minimizing the cheesy/embarrassing aspects. So there. I don't think they'll ever top this one, though I hope J.J. Abrams will keep trying.

Overall: A

Plot: A Whoever came up with the idea of a follow-up on the original series episode "Space Seed" was a genius. A GENIUS. Everyone rose to the occasion, most especially Ricardo Montalban. An incredible recovery from the bore-fest of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Costumes: B+ Another good recovery, though there is no getting around the cheesiness of uniform jumpsuits (like that worn by young David Marcus) and McCoy's jumpsuit-with-chaps-for-pants in an early scene is still haunting me. The grade really should be higher, though, to reflect the awesomeness of the garb put together by Khan and his klan in very challenging conditions. I especially like what they do with the appropriated Starfleet-wear. The sets are also greatly improved.

New cast members: B Saavik is awesome. Perhaps Kirstie Alley's greatest role, though it didn't allow for her comic chops. Carol Marcus is fine, and David Marcus is OK. (My husband noted that he was "that kid from Square Pegs" but since I was a deprived adolescent who didn't have cable and had a lot of homework and chores that seriously limited my TV viewing time in the '80s, I never saw that show. I never saw 21 Jump Street, either. OK????) Khan's son I find alternately fascinating and totally miscast -- like he really belongs in a video for a middling metal band.

F/X: A- Another stellar recovery -- they backed off on the overly long tracking shots of spaceships and concentrated on stuff that moves the story along. Not quite the right category but the score is great, too -- evidently the work of a young James Horner, which I had never noticed before.

Series rank: 1. Wrath of Khan 2. The Motion Picture