One of the most anticipated films of 2013 is Star Trek: Into Darkness, which finally comes out this May. After the trailer dropped late last year, there was plenty of speculation about how it connects to another Star Trek II from more than thirty years ago. Questions were asked – is this about Khan? what exactly is Sherlock doing in this movie? will Kirk and Spock finally make out? and will we ever get to see the green girl’s boobies this time around? It seems fitting to kick off the new year with a look back at Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, especially after all the hubbub it made as part of the beloved Summer of ’82 from last year alone. The older DVD and the more recent Blu-ray release includes director Nicholas Meyer’s commentary, in which he talks about Shatner’s acting, learning to direct, and (spoiler alert!) the death of Spock. And on to the commentary…

Every so often, a film emerges from the fray to prove its popularity and warrant a sequel. More and more, franchises are planned out in advance, but when one film turns into a franchise, a cash register sound goes off in the ears of the studio. Even though the kid stays in the picture, sometimes the director does not. Maybe the director is done working with the material. Maybe the producers want a more seasoned hand. Maybe a simple schedule conflict keeps him or her out of the chair for the next round up. But the show must go on, so the producers find another director to fill the slot – a director who ostensibly inherits all the strengths and weaknesses of a franchise birthed by someone else. Cinematic sloppy seconds that could have easily turned into sloppy sequels if it weren’t for a steady, talented director guiding the ship. Here’s a list of the ten best.

Nicholas Meyer is penning the script for a project on George Washington that will probably focus on his leading America to independence instead of his time-traveling robot past.