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| Movie Review: The X-Files: I Want to Believe Alternate Title: The Truth is Still Out There
Story: Has it really been six
years since the fun paranormal phenomenon and Government conspiracy
days of TV's The X-Files? Ah, I remember them well. Perhaps real life
mistrust of Government has taken its place. Anyhow, if you are a fan
(and I am) you will definitely like this second X-Files film. Director
Chris Carter is back along with his writing pal, Frank
Spotnitz to reintroduce us to Dana Scully
and Fox Mulder.
Scully is now a full time medical doctor and
Mulder, who was dumped by the FBI, seems to spend most of his time clipping
newspaper articles about weird stuff and shooting those pencils up into
the ceiling, just like the old days. Just when they thought they were
out of it - the FBI pulls them back after a female agent goes missing
and an ex-Priest has visions of where she might be located. I am not
going to plot spoil for you but I will reveal there is no ET type alien
in the movie, but there is plenty of mystery (all earthbound) and some
really bad people. There are also those FBI agents who maintain their
nay saying attitude at all costs.
Do you need to be a long time fan to appreciate
the film? Not at all. The writers eke out old story lines so you are
in the loop quickly. There are some old jokes that resurface and the
fan based theater crowd all appreciated those oldies, like me.
I look forward to another in the X-Files series
whenever this crowd feels like putting one together for us diehard fans.
Watch the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5HrxAXvQ6A
For those loyal fans you will enjoy this love
song dedicated to Scully and Mulder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYhhh2hoL64 Acting: David Duchovny is, of course,
Mulder and does not skip a beat. Gillian Anderson,
as Scully, seems even more serious now that she wears a stethoscope
full time. Amanda Peet as an FBI agent has too wide
eyed an expression for me to believe her in the role. Billy
Connolly as the former Priest was the best one in the cast
and Rapper Alvin "Xzibit" Joiner as the FBI
agent tagged as the non-believer and the one who is always wrong is
fine. Trivia: David Duchovny earned an undergraduate degree
from Princeton and a graduate degree in English Literature at Yale.
Predilection: I am an X-Files fan and believe the
truth is still out there.
Critters: Many scary, attack dogs. There are also
photo images of experiments that have been done on dogs that will not
be easy for some to view. There is also a scene where an attack dog
gets hurt.
Food: I do not recall anyone eating anything.
Sex Spectrum: Scully and Mulder spoon.
Soundtrack: Loud and scary.
Opening Titles: The titles are superimposed over
a winter landscape where tons of FBI agents are covering a lake looking
for a body. Visual Art: The winter landscape is supposed to be
West Virginia, but it was filmed in Vancouver.
Theater Audience: About 50 believers. I was the only
one to stay through the credits and I am glad I did because I received
a very large smile for my extra time.
Weather: Very cold and snowy.
Sappy Factor: 0
Quirky Meter: 0
Squirm Scale: 3
Drift Factor: I paid attention throughout.
Predictability Level: Moderate
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: No
Nit Picking: Long time X-Files fans are used to seeing
the location and time of a scene in the lower left hand corner of the
screen. I assume this is too advance the story line. However, there
is nowhere on the East or West coast that the sun rises at 5:02 in the
morning in the dead of winter.
Big Screen or Rental: If you are a fan - you have
to go BIG.
Length: 100 minutes.
LOBO HOWLS: 7.5
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