tcbaker Reviews

The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

Met my expectations

[8/10 · 26 July 2008]

This movie is basically a 90-minute episode of the X-Files. In my opinion, that's a good thing; I was getting really sick of the alien plot and I've been dying for some good old paranormal X-Files. This movie is receiving too much harsh criticism from so-called "diehard" fans. I'm a very loyal XF fan going back to 1993 and I came into this movie with very high expectations.

The movie did not disappoint. I'm not sure what everyone who didn't like this movie was expecting, but I'm guessing those who didn't like this wanted this movie to answer all their questions and be closure. Or perhaps they wanted this movie to come straight out of something from the 4th or 5th season? Grow up, folks. Come back down to reality with the rest of us, because the reality is that you're never going to get closure and Chris Carter is never going to answer all your questions. Furthermore, you need to understand that Scully and Mulder are getting older. It is part of life, we all grow up some day. Yes, they looked noticeably older in this film, but so do I compared to when this show ended six years ago.

The fact is, those who go to see this expecting it to be just like the good old days or to have aliens and flying saucers and cigarette smoking man will be sorely disappointed, and that probably explains why some reviewers here are so pissy. This movie doesn't touch the issue of aliens or 2012. Yes, Mulder and Scully are older, but what did you expect? No, it doesn't answer many questions, and it is definitely not closure. But I'd rather have this than nothing at all. So thank you, Chris Carter, for giving us loyal fans something, anything, to fill that void that has been created over the past six years since this amazing show ended. I've been a fan since the beginning and I have high expectations but this was a solid movie that in my opinion was better than its predecessor and gave me a much needed dose of spooky and dana.

Black Hawk Down (2001)

Intense

[10/10 · 30 December 2001]

I saw this movie on its opening day at the Mann Centurion in Santa Monica, California.. It was both intense and amazing. Josh Hartnett had a smaller role than I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised at how evenly balanced this movie was, it had no real lead actors, just a large supporting cast. It was both super-accurate and incredibly well directed, definitely on the same level as such movies as Saving Pvt. Ryan and The Thin Red Line, if not higher. It very effectively demonstrates the heroism of many of the US army delta and ranger soldiers during the Somalia conflict in 1993, and though it makes you question American foreign policy during that period and in that conflict, it also has a very pro-american patriotic feel to it. So far I think it's only in limited release, it's only playing in two theaters in Los Angeles and maybe a few in New York.. But see this movie if you get the chance!

SLC Punk! (1998)

Incredible!

[10/10 · 10 November 2001]

I saw this movie for the first time tonight and I must admit, I wasn't expecting much but it left me almost crying in the end, and recommending it to all of my family and friends. I don't claim to know what the 80s punk scene was like, especially in Utah, but regardless of whether punk life was portrayed correctly or not in this movie (I think most of you who bitch about that aspect wouldn't know anyway), it was written extremely well and the acting was just incredible.

To the Lighthouse (1983 TV Movie)

Slow, boring, but tolerable.

[4/10 · 29 July 1999]

When watching this 115 minute movie, one can see why it was made for television rather than a big screen release. It starts off slow and goes on and on without much to keep the viewer interested. The title is deceiving - except for a few screen shots in the beginning of the movie, the lighthouse does not exist. The plot is old and un-original - taking place in rural coastal England in 1912, it is a story about a family and its problems as it vacations near a lighthouse. This film has two strengths - Kenneth Branagh (Hamlet, Othello, Wild Wild West) plays a young graduate student vacationing with the family, and this offers a glimpse into his younger acting before his notable performances in Shakespearean movies. Secondly, the filming locations were beautiful and were really the only other thing that kept me interested. All in all, it is slow, long, and boring, but not the worst movie I've ever seen.