Leonard Nimoy

Mission: Impossible III director and Alias creator J.J. Abrams resurrects the classic science fiction franchise created by Gene Roddenberry with this feature film that embraces the rich history of the influential television and film series while also exploring some uncharted territory. Heroes star Zachary Quinto assumes the role of the Federation Starfleet lieutenant and Vulcan made famous in the original series by Leonard Nimoy (who also appears in an older incarnation of his original role), Spock, with Anton Yelchin stepping into the role of USS Enterprise navigator Pavel Chekov, Zoe Saldana assuming the role of communications officer Uhura, Simon Pegg keeping the ship in top shape as chief engineer Montgomery Scott (aka "Scotty"), and Eric Bana tormenting the benevolent space explorers as the villainous Nero. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle co-star John Cho also boards the Enterprise as staff psychiatrist Hikaru Sulu, with Chris Pine and Karl Urban assuming the legendary roles of Captain Kirk and Leonard "Bones" McCoy, respectively. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

This presentation from the Reader's Digest Association recounts over a dozen momentous events that helped shape world history. Narrated by Leonard Nimoy and told through archival footage and historical reenactments, the two-hour program travels the globe to bring stories such as the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the sinking of the Titanic, and the tragedy of Ann Boleyn to life. Also included are a climb up Mount Everest, the Battle of Gettysburg, the mystery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the lost ark of Jerusalem, the D-Day invasion, the building of the Panama Canal, the attack at Pearl Harbor, the construction of the Taj Mahal, and the final days of the Romanovs in Russia. ~ Sarah Block, All Movie Guide

The first Disney cartoon to be produced in the 70 mm format since The Black Cauldron (1985), this blend of traditional animation with computer-generated imagery is a straight adventure tale of the Jules Verne school, eschewing the studio's typical formula of cute critters mixed with song-and-dance routines. Michael J. Fox is the voice of Milo Thatch, a lowly museum employee and linguist in the early 20th century who's determined to continue his late grandfather's search for the lost, sunken empire of Atlantis. Bankrolled by eccentric millionaire Preston Whitmore (John Mahoney), Milo teams up with a diverse crew of mercenaries led by submarine commander Rourke (James Garner). After a sea battle with a giant denizen of the deep, the explorers locate the submerged civilization. Milo falls in love with Princess Kida (Cree Summer), the daughter of Atlantis' aged ruler (Leonard Nimoy), and must choose sides when it's revealed that some of his fellow expedition members intend to steal a mystical energy source from their hosts. Claudia Christian, Mark Hamill, David Ogden Stiers, Don Novello, and the late Jim Varney co-star. Although considered a shoo-in for a nomination in the debut year of the new Oscar category of Best Animated Feature, Atlantis: The Lost Empire faced stiff competition from other non-live-action entertainment in the summer of 2001, including Shrek, Final Fantasy, and Monsters Inc.. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Journey inside magnificent Egyptian pyramids and explore their timeless secrets. From A&E's Ancient Mysteries series, The Great Pyramid examines questions which have fascinated explorers and engineers for centuries. Leonard Nimoy narrates this intriguing probe into the secrets of the mammoth stone monuments. Why were they built? How did ancient architects and workers construct the structures? Were the Pyramids designed as royal tombs and spiritual launch pads to the afterworld, or were they created as altars of human sacrifice? How can one explain the similarities between Egypt's pyramids and the pyramids found half a planet away in Central America and those in Asia? Join the investigation into these ancient mysteries and the quest for answers as archaeologists unveil new information about the timeless legends of the pyramids. ~ Sally Barber, All Movie Guide

This animated children's film introduces kids to the life and times of Rashi, history's most studied Biblical commentator. Besides his work as a groundbreaking scholar, Rashi was a rabbi, lawyer, and vintner. This film takes children into the life of this remarkable man. Children will hear the voices of Leonard Nimoy and Armand Assante among others. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

Aldous Huxley's 1932 science fiction novel was previously adapted to film (a 1980 TV movie starring Bud Cort) and radio (a 1956 CBS Radio Workshop two-parter with an opening intro by Huxley) and again to TV in this 1998 production. In a high-tech city of a future time, humans are genetically engineered, monogamy is frowned on, and the drug Soma is consumed to eliminate stress in a society where the citizens are niched into rigid classes (Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma). Scornful looks are directed at high-level Alphas Bernard Marx (Peter Gallagher) and Lenina Crowne (Rya Kihlstedt), a couple who have become interested in each other over and beyond the commonly accepted one-night stands. Bernard has climbed to the upper echelons at the Neo-Pavlovian Conditioning Center, while Lenina is employed in the educational conditioning field. When Bernard and Lenina visit an outlying Reservation, their copter crashes, and they are under attack by the locals when Shakespeare-quoting "savage" John Cooper (Tim Guinee) intervenes. When John takes Bernard and Lenina to the house where he lives with his alcoholic mother Linda (Sally Kirkland), Bernard is fascinated by John's retro way of life and his collection of literature. With automatic satellite tracking in play, a craft arrives in short order to return Bernard and Lenina to the city. For research purposes, Bernard takes the two back to civilization -- where John (aka "The Savage") becomes a media celeb, and Linda gets hooked on Soma. The Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning (Miguel Ferrer) considers Cooper a threat to society, but his superior, the Controller (Leonard Nimoy), who thinks the social order is secure, holds a progressive, thoughtful attitude regarding past, present, and future. Meanwhile, Lenina has a sexual attraction for John, who rejects her passionate advances because it "isn't love," and he soon becomes disenchanted with the unspiritual, hedonistic way of life he sees in this "brave new world." Premiered April 19, 1998 on NBC. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

This made-for-tv relgious epic relates the life story of David, one of the Bible's most fascinating figures. David's life included a passionate affair with Bathsheba, an odds-defying defeat of Goliath, to a struggle with King Saul. This film, co-starring Jonathan Pryce, Leonard Nimoy, and Sheryl Lee touches upon these and many other aspects of his existence. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Thirty years ago, science-fiction editor Art Saha coined the term "trekkies" when he saw a few fans of Star Trek's first season wearing pointy ears. Today, the word is found in the Oxford dictionary, and aficionados of the long-run series have seen their subculture achieve stratospheric status. In this documentary on the fan mania surrounding Star Trek, Denise Crosby (Star Trek: the Next Generation) serves as tour guide, stopping off at a radio talkshow, visiting fans in their homes, interviewing actors of both the original and later series, and visiting fan clubs and conventions. Starbase Dental, a Trek-themed drilling station operated by dentist Dr. Denis Bourguignon, is only one of the unusual fan homages revealed here. World premiere at the 1997 Hamptons and AFI Los Angeles film festivals. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Fifty years after the Holocaust, Zev Carpati is the sole Jewish survivor of that period in his Ukrainian community. Almost all the others were either victims of the various calamities afflicting European Jewry in this century, or they emigrated when they had the chance. While there are other Jewish people living in this region, they have largely lost their history and traditions, and look to "Uncle Zev" for continuity. This a documentary film about that man: a musician, historian and storyteller. It also explores the common situation of both Gypsies and Jews in the region, which in the past 80 years has belonged to the Austrian Empire, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union. It is now part of the Ukraine. One highlight shows Zev taking a donated Torah scroll to his birth community; the moment shows clearly what has been lost and what still remains. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this documentary from the A&E television series Ancient Mysteries, host Leonard Nimoy takes the viewer on an exploration of the mysterious catacombs beneath the city of Rome. A complex labyrinth of more than 60 miles of burial chambers, these "cities of the dead" began in the early days of the Roman Empire as a place for persecuted Christians and Jews to worship and to bury their deceased. Interviews with scholars, eerie reenactments, and actual footage of the hidden necropolis highlight Ancient Mysteries: Who Built the Catacombs?, raising questions about the decoration and symbolism hidden in these deserted tombs and shedding light on some of the secrets of the catacombs still puzzling scholars today. ~ Carrie Downes, All Movie Guide