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The X-Files (1993–2018)
10/10
The X-Files - Ups & Downs (may contain spoilers)
1 June 2003
Warning: Spoilers
I had watched The X-Files since it premiered here in the UK and from the first episode I was hooked by its fantastic storylines, special effects, and the acting talents of David Duchovny (Fox Mulder) and Gillian Anderson (Dana Scully). The chemistry between their characters was pure electric and, at least for me, drove the show on. The continuing story of government conspiracies and colonisation was interesting but, on occasions, not very clear and stayed that way right until the end questions were answered in series finale "The Truth" but just led to more questions. The first three seasons were pure gold in their story telling. And then came Season 4.

James Wong and Glen Morgan were my heroes of the 4th year with their 'recycling' of actors from their VERY poor and, thankfully, short lived series - Space: Above and Beyond. Their 4th season stories weren't up to the standard of the first three seasons. A prime example of this is `Never Again' guest starring wooden actor Rodney Rowland and his talking tattoo voiced by Silence of the Lambs actress Jodie Foster (waste of her talent). But, to be fair, I REALLY enjoyed "Musings Of A Cigarette-Smoking Man" which was well written, well directed, and well acted.

Season 7 should have been the end but they ended it on a cliff-hanger with Mulder abducted and Scully pregnant and promising to find him. I didn't really want to watch Season 8 knowing that Mulder would be missing and being replaced by Terminator 2's Robert Patrick as John Doggett. Why the production staff insisted that Patrick/Doggett wasn't a replacement is a mystery to me because he was and failed. I think it was Duchovny's absence from the series that lost the ratings. Now I have nothing against Robert Patrick, in fact I think he's a great actor, but I just couldn't take to him at all in Season 8.

Throughout S8 I resented the fact that it was him at Anderson/Scully's side rather than Duchovny/Mulder and missed the aforementioned chemistry. I think after 7 Seasons of Mulder and Scully I just couldn't get used to Scully and Doggett. But by Season 9 I had warmed up to him because he was now partnered with Annabeth Gish as Monica Reyes who was a great breath of fresh air. I would have rather have had Gish/Reyes partnered with Anderson/Scully in Season 8.

I reckon I could have watched The X-Files if it had continued past it's 9th Season with Doggett and Reyes as the 'Next Generation' of X-Files investigators. We had hints of what Patrick and Gish would have been like carrying the show on their own without Duchovny and Anderson and I think they would have pulled it off.

A great series and certainly ground breaking in terms of storytelling and special effects back in its early days which helped pave the way for series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. I thank Chris Carter for creating this series and managing to keep it going for 9 years. I thank David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Robert Patrick, & Annabeth Gish for bringing their characters to life and I am looking forward to the second X-Files movie. There will NEVER be a series like this again. A well deserved 10 out of 10.

The Truth Is Out There.
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10/10
WOW!!!
31 May 2003
WOW!!! What a GREAT film!!! The storyline was brilliant but I think that it's necessary for anyone who hasn't seen The Matrix to do so before going to see Reloaded to make some sense of the story. Keanu Reeves (Neo), Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity), Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus), & Hugo Weaving's (The Agent's Smith) acting talents are up to their usual brilliant standards. The special effects are phenomenal.

What I am glad about is that Reloaded doesn't try to outdo The Matrix but instead supplements it very well (which is more than can be said for some sequels where they try to repeat what has come before). The fight sequences are very well choreographed (the stand out for me is the Neo and Agent Smiths' fight). The car chase is well executed and some of the stunts performed during it are great!

I bought Enter The Matrix for the PC and I played that first before going to see Reloaded and was absolutely amazed at how well it ties into the film. It adds some extra storyline to it. But it is not necessary to play Enter The Matrix before going to see Reloaded.

The Matrix Reloaded gets a great big 10/10 from me and I know that when this gets released on DVD and Video it will make a great addition to anyone's collection. This is DEFINITELY the Year Of The Matrix!
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Speed (1994)
10/10
Pop quiz...There's a space on your DVD or Video rack. What do you do? What do you do?
25 May 2003
Pop quiz...There's a space on your DVD or Video rack. What do you do? What do you do?

Beat the rush hour, run the red lights, stay above 50mph and make your way to your nearest video supplier to buy or rent Speed.

This film is a definite MUST for those people who enjoy a good Action Thriller type film (and maybe even for those who don't).

I have a lot of love for Speed and no matter how many times I see it; it STILL continues to deliver non-stop action and incredible stunts & special effects. Jan de Bont did a fantastic job directing this and I can't believe that the same guy who made this also made such a dire sequel like Cruise Control (but that's another story).

Keanu Reeves once more proves what a great actor he is and that he is well suited for these types of movies. Speed also helped launch Sandra Bullock's career. Dennis Hopper's portrayal of Howard Payne is fantastic and Speed is a worth addition to his already impressive CV of films. He makes a great villain.

The main three stars of Reeves, Bullock, & Hopper is strongly supported by Joe Morton (Terminator 2) and Jeff Daniels (Dumb and Dumber) and it's also nice to see supporting actors actually doing something.

I am proud to say that Speed has a place on my DVD rack. A rack that won't be getting its space used up by Cruise Control (Special Edition or not!)

I have so many more positive things to say about this film and I think I said most of them in my User Comments for Cruise Control in which I compared that film with this. There's NO comparison. I think I all but destroyed Cruise Control with my comments leaving Speed as the clear winner. Speed most definitely stays above 50mph.

My vote: 10/10
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1/10
WHOA!!! What a mistake THIS was!!!
14 February 2003
WHOA!!! What a mistake THIS was!!! Somehow between 1994 and 1997 they forgot what made Speed great and put this sorry excuse for a movie together. How dare they even put Speed as part of the title. A COMPLETE insult as far as I'm concerned. I always think of this movie as "the rubbish one without Keanu Reeves".

That brings me to the first thing I hated about this movie. I missed the obvious on-screen chemistry between him and Sandra Bullock and is it because Reeves didn't take part in this film that the writers turned his character (Jack Traven) from being a really cool guy sound like a complete jerk. The guy they replaced him with was CERTAINLY no Keanu Reeves and I wouldn't be surprised if this film ended the actor's career (I've yet to see him in anything else).

Cruise Control's villain was far to comic for my liking and lacked that certain 'something' that made Dennis Hopper's portrayal of Howard Payne a worthy adversary to Reeves' Jack Traven. Dennis Hopper's acting in Speed was FANTASTIC and, again, the chemistry between him, Keanu Reeves, and Sandra Bullock was strong and not lost among the BRILLIANT Special Effects and EXCELLENT stunt work unlike Cruise Control.

The acting talent and chemistry between the characters in Cruise Control is totally lost and nowhere near as strong as that in Speed.

Even the special effects in Cruise Control don't seem to have the same impact as those in Speed.

Reeves and Hopper ARE missing from this and noticeably as well. Reeves because he declined to appear and Hopper because his character lost some...height...in Speed and Bullock should NEVER have been in this at ALL!

Avoid Cruise Control like the plague!!! See Speed NOW!!!
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