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Star Trek - The Motion Picture
D: Robert Wise (1979) 132m

Trek returned with the release of the first of six original cast movies in 1979. It was a painfully average movie, but the gang was back - albeit with a few new wrinkles and some excess body mass. There are lots of agonisingly slow bits where we are supposed to savour the moment and a lumbering storyline based on a TOS episode. Nevertheless, Trekkies everywhere breathed a sigh of relief.

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Star Trek II - The Wrath of Khan
D: Nicholas Meyer (1982) 113m

Trek got back to basics with this action-packed adventure featuring one of the most feared TOS adversaries. Ricardo Montalban reprises his role as Khan - a genetically enhanced human bent on revenge. Nowhere near the budget (or running time) of its predecessor, in the process highlighting all the things that make Trek great. Started the tradition of the 'even' movies being the good ones.

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Star Trek III - The Search for Spock
D: Leonard Nimoy (1984) 105m

The second instalment in a loose trilogy, Kirk hijacks the Enterprise to go searching for Spock based on the assumption that his friend may not really be dead. There's lots of Vulcan culture, terraforming and even a Klingon villain. Good thing too considering the fate of the Enterprise and a sudden need for an alternative form of transport. Pretty average, but essential to the story.

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Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home
D: Leonard Nimoy (1986) 119m

Widely regarded as the best of the original cast movies. The Voyage Home finds our heroes lightheartedly time-warping around in a borrowed Klingon spaceship looking for humpback whales in order to save the Earth from destruction by an alien probe. Meanwhile, the Federation still holds a grudge over the fate of the Enterprise. Not to be missed by anyone even mildly interested in Trek.

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Star Trek VI - The Undiscovered Country
D: Nicholas Meyer (1991) 101m

The last of the original cast Trek movies - The Undiscovered Country - has Kirk and crew in hot water when a prominent Klingon diplomat under their care is assassinated. Christopher Plummer is terrific as the villainous General Chang who is trying to avoid peace at all costs. A strong entry in the series and a fitting farewell that looks even better in retrospect.

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Star Trek - Generations
D: David Carson (1994) 118m

The feature film baton was handed to the TNG crew in this entertaining tale of two captains (Kirk & Picard) teaming to fight the latest incarnation of galactic evil. Malcolm McDowall is darkly unsettling as the villain and there isn't a dry eye in the house when Kirk's fate convinces us once and for all that things will never be the same. Not the greatest Trek, but essential to the story.

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Star Trek - First Contact
D: Jonathan Frakes (1996) 110m

Supremos Berman and Piller managed to juggle three Trek incarnations at once, including the second TNG movie which may stand as the best and most universally appealing work they'll ever do. Picard & co. face off against the dreaded Borg and their terrifying queen in an attempt to stave off Earth's assimilation into the collective. Cutting edge Trek, still unsurpassed.

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Star Trek - Nemesis
D: Stuart Baird (2002) 116m

A good film that unfortunately suffered from a general decline of interest in the Trek franchise. The Enterprise is diverted to the Romulan neutral zone where Picard faces his evil clone who has designs on the Federation. A few TNG relationships are brought to fitting ends as parting of the ways signals it's time to say goodbye. Marked the end of the TNG era