As a kid, I just to just watch the movies when they came on TV. In the UK, TNG didn't really exist for us until well after the US and reruns of TOS were rare, but I loved them when I could see them. I remember seeing adverts in comics for TFF, and getting the magazine special for TUC around about the time I think TNG was. Exciting stuff that I'd have to wait ages to actually see, because my parents were cheap and wouldn't take me to the cinema.
So that's where I'm at. Weirdly, my foundation of what Star Trek is are the movies. What I notice is that many of the gripes are that they weren't true to what ST is to you. Not me! It's spot on for me!
TMP - I remember loving the special effects in this. I have very strong memories of this. I'm pretty sure this is what clicked with me and made me a fan. However, the only way I can watch this film these days is to fast forwards all the showy-off special effect sequences that last twice as long as they should. The core of the film is what's happening in the ship and I think if someone had the guts to throw away all the expensive bits it would be brilliant (*cough*as a TV episode*cough*).
TSFS - I probably saw this film the most through my childhood just because of TV scheduling. Now when I watch it, it's like it's got all the right ingredients but needed a better chef. I can't recapture all the bits I love quite like I still can with 2 and 4. Half the film is reused footage, I'd have happily seen all the hostages killed, and that ritual at the end? Ugh. The film now stops for me just before that ritual.
TFF - I realised it was a bit poor as a film when I first saw it, and I still do. But I loved it, and I still do. It will always be my favourite. I don't care what anyone says.
TUC - I was going to stress how I still happily watch 2, 4 and 6 ... but Valeris. May it's now knowing the ending, but on each rewatch I like the character less. I think I'd have the same opinion if she remained a goodie. There is something "Poochie" about her.
TNG films - When the BBC eventually let us watch TNG properly, I loved them. Yet while I enjoy the movies, but I don't love them like I do 1-6. But unlike the reasoning that they not enough like the TV series, my issue is they're too much like them. Warts and all. To bring it back to this subject, I enjoyed the all first time round but on rewatches...
Basically, they should have killed Data off earlier to stop attempts at humour that they got away with on TV. I don't mind such moments things so much on TV, because when it's on TV it's just ours to enjoy ... but the leap to movie is presenting it to the wider world and it's making everyone cringe.
They should have killed the dead weight from the crew too. Oh and not faffed around half having the old uniforms and half the new ones in GEN for consistancy...you've already messed about with sets and lighting! And then they ignore whole character arcs but then introduce stuff from TNG without the need to explain to the movie audience. Either it's a TV movie, or it isn't. they pick the worst of both worlds.
My enjoyment of the films depends where my head is at when I watch it. Either I'm in movie mode or TV mode, but neither quite works.
