Paramount Pictures, Rated PG
Directed by Roger Nygard

You've at least heard of them but maybe they are a mystery to you. Trekkies (or Trekkers depending on who you ask) are a huge subculture as we see in this documentary hosted by former "Star Trek: The Next Generation" actress Denise Crosby shows just how obsessive the hardcore Trekkies can be. We see a "captain" of a "Trek" club who insists on always wearing her "Trek" accessories and wears her uniform as a Whitewater juror, a young fan who must have his uniform just right and writes a script and creates special effects for a sci-fi film, a dentist whose entire office is decorated with "Trek," a fan who would like to have his ears surgically changed to look like a Vulcan's and some very convincing "Klingons" among many others.
We hear from many cast members of the many shows and movies and their stories are both funny and heartbreaking. "Star Trek," it seems, has many good effects on its fans and the overall message of the show is touched on quite often. We are left with a good feeling for the fans but what we see can oftentimes be unsettling and troubling. We see that "Trek" has almost replaced religion in many people's lives today. The actors on the show are treated as gods by some and the show seems to be the only life many of these people have. It is a quite hilarious movie most of the time for sure, but overall, what it has to say is a sobering look at the permeation of the media in our lives today and is something of a warning of where we may be headed when a television show can replace a real life for so many. This movie gets that point across much better than films such as The Cable Guy do. *** 1/2

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