The odd-numbered-Trek-films-stink tradition regularly overlooks the fact that Star Trek 3 and Generations were pretty good. The REAL pattern is that every 90's Trek film directly parallels the film released approximately a decade earlier.

ST2(1982) and ST6(1991)
Exciting revenge-themed suspense thrillers directed by Nick Meyer. Literary references abound.

ST3(1984) and Generations(1994)
Action-oriented films with forgettable plots that serve mainly to connect the story of the previous movie with the following one. Both feature the destruction of the Enterprise. Both earned about 70 million at the American Box Office.

ST4(1986) and First Contact(1996)
The Enterprise travels back in time to save the Earth from aliens. Both films were much bigger hits than expected.

ST5(1989) and Insurrection(1998)
Both films valiantly try but fail to achieve a grandiose epic, storyline. Failed attempts at humor and characterization abound, including embarrassing scenes of singing crewmembers.

The question is: Will this pattern continue in the next decade? If so, I'll look forward to another exciting suspense thriller in 2001 or 2002, although I'm sure Meyer won't be back.