The X-Files Season 9

Tags

2000's, Annabeth Gish, Burt Reynolds, Cary Elwes, David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, Lucy Lawless, Mitch Pileggi, Robert Patrick, The X-Files, The X-Files Season 9

I thought it was about time I got back into my X-Files reviews again after a hiatus. So here is my review of last season of the original run. At this point in the show, it was running out of steam and becoming a bit stale. Season 8 was redeemed by an emotional finale, but I could sense that the show was running a bit low. With Season 9, there are obvious flaws here, but it still has moments that shine. Spoilers will be following in this review so be warned.

Mulder(David Duchovny) has gone into hiding after bring tipped off by Kirsch about the fact that he’s in danger. Meanwhile, Scully(Gillian Anderson) is taking care of her son William and is on maternity leave for the beginning of the season feeling she must protect her son from the possible dangers her work poses, before coming back slowly to work. Determined Doggett(Robert Patrick) is investigating Kirsch as he believes he has links to the conspiracy of creating super soldiers that has been referenced by many for a while. It turns out that Kirsch actually despite his own terse and shifty persona has been helping all the agents present even though those above him have been manipulating him. Doggett and good friend Monica Reyes(Annabeth Gish) continue investigating the X-Files and experience more strange cases, later being joined by Scully and often Skinner(Mitch Pileggi). There is also another new Assistant Director, Brad Follmer(Cary Elwes), who has history with Reyes and is something of an ambivalent character who you’re never quite sure what to make of. More evidence is discovered of the covert experiments to create indestructible beings within the darkness of the government. Scully’s baby begins exhibiting signs of powers far beyond logical explanation, that leads all the agents down into the conspiracy and how it holds links to baby William and the dangers that are posed to him. The main danger begins with a UFO cult who believe that William will lead the Super Soldiers and resort to kidnapping the child. Thankfully, Scully and Reyes manage to rescue him, but the experience leaves Scully having to make an important and painful decision.When Mulder comes out of hiding, more danger is sure to follow. So what will become of everyone in the story?

By this point in the scope of The X-Files, I believe it was obvious to many that the show had run its course. The absence of Mulder poses one of the biggest problems in Season 9. Season 8 can be forgiven because Mulder reappeared again in the middle and remained, but here his presence is limited greatly bringing incoherence and inconsistency to the mix. A lot of it has that disjointed feeling again that continues. Some Monster of the Week installments are good, but then there are those that start to feel dated and stale later. The various story lines vary in quality, with some very good and some sinking ships. The William story line was one of the better stories as it had some genuine emotion present. Plus, it led to some of the best episodes of this up and down season so it’s something to be grateful for. The Super Soldiers part of the story is good enough, but it never quite makes an indelible work where it really should have.

Despite mounting weaknesses and diminishing results, some shining moments of note can at least be gleaned. The two-part season opener has an excellent air of mystery and intrigue to it, that starts what becomes a very flawed season off very well. ‘Trust No 1’ in which a mysterious man who is in fact a Super Soldier plays on Scully desire to see Mulder in order to draw him out of hiding again is a nail-biting episode. This is an episode that really plays upon the fear of being observed without knowing it through black and white integration of camera footage prowling around the characters. It has a real flavour of The X-Files of old. Emotions run high in both ‘Provenance’ and ‘Providence’ as William is kidnapped and Scully is prepared to do whatever it takes to get her son back from the hands of the cult. It showcases Scully as a fierce matriarch going the distance and fighting with all she’s got to save her son. A comical highlight has to be ‘Improbable’ which guest stars Burt Reynolds as a most mysterious man whose card playing and numerology somehow chimes in with cases of murder revolving around the number three(luck, chance and fate play a large part too). Some of the situations in the episode are hilariously done with Reyes and Scully both having to play checkers with him before discovering something important. Reynolds has a blast in his part and steals the episode away from everyone with his amusing yet mysterious personality. ‘William’ provides sadness as Scully has to decide to give her son up for adoption as the powers of evil will never stop searching for him as long as he is with her. And I have to talk about the final two episodes ‘The Truth’ in which Mulder surfaces again after being accused of killing a military man, who was in fact a Super Soldier. A trial ensues with Skinner representing Mulder and a whole array of characters past and present being seen in various forms. An exciting getaway for Mulder and Scully is helped by those closest, where they must now ponder a unnerving future.  The use of flashbacks and past characters is a good touch to have as well as Mulder’s return. Yet while the finale answers some burning questions, it gives even more of them more convolution.  I just really wanted a bit more closure than anything in the finale, but as it was, the finale was pretty good albeit ambiguous.

Season 9 may be something of a nadir, but at least there is excellent acting to be found. Gillian Anderson once more provides the show’s emotional anchor as Scully and is as adept as ever portraying her as a maternal figure of determination. By this point, Anderson has fully embodied the character to such a degree that we believe every move she makes because we’ve been along on the same journey as she has over the course of nine seasons. David Duchovny is shortchanged this time around as Mulder, as he appears only twice and it is the finale. He’s still exemplary as Mulder, no one else could have played the character, but I just wanted more of him this season considering it was to tie up loose ends. Robert Patrick impresses as Doggett, whose skepticism brings out the stern yet sarcastic side to his character, even as he begins to come around to the idea of the paranormal. Doggett is a very by the book guy and Patrick captures this excellently, while revealing a vulnerability beneath his tough guy image. Partnering him is Annabeth Gish, who comes into her own as Reyes. Balancing logic with a curiosity towards things that defy natural laws, Gish plays Reyes as a determined yet caring agent. Doggett and Reyes are no Mulder and Scully, but then again I don’t believe there were meant to be. Mitch Pileggi is resolute as always playing Skinner, who finally added to the main cast. I liked seeing this touch as Skinner has proved a very good and purposeful ally to the show and the characters. Cary Elwes is a shifty presence as Follmer, whose loyalties are very much called into question during his time on the show. An underused Lucy Lawless manages to be intriguing and alluring as a renegade super soldier who passes on information to Doggett. The problem is I would have liked to have seen more of her character than what the show had.

 

1. Nothing Important Happened Today – B
2. Nothing Important Happened Today II – B+
3. Dæmonicus – C-
4. 4-D – D
5. Lord of the Flies – C-
6. Trust No 1 – A+
7. John Doe – B+
8. Hellbound – B
9. Provenance – A
10. Providence – A
11. Audrey Pauley – D
12. Underneath – C-
13. Improbable – A
14. Scary Monsters – C-
15. Jump the Shark – C
16. William – B+
17. Release – C-
18. Sunshine Days – D-
19. The Truth Part 1 – B+
20. The Truth Part 2 – B+

So the original run of The X-Files is a definite mixed bag, that sometimes over complicates itself. Still, there is some respite to be found, even though the show could have ended on a somewhat better note.

Though I must say I’ve enjoyed delving into the show and going to the beginning to full experience it after hearing so much about the show. I have found the show to be excellent and can see why it is so iconic, even if the quality slowly ebbs away as it goes on. And fear not, I will continue charting my X-Files watching with a review of the second movie and the six-part series from earlier this year.

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Twister

Tags

1990's, Action, Adventure, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, Disaster Film, Helen Hunt, Jami Gertz, Jan de Bont, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Twister

Film Title

Twister

Director

Jan de Bont

Starring

• Bill Paxton as Bill Harding
• Helen Hunt as Jo Harding
• Jami Gertz as Melissa Reeves
• Cary Elwes as Dr. Jonas Miller
• Philip Seymour Hoffman as Dusty

A tense, special effects laden disaster flick, Twister is big on the thrills that never let up and make it an extremely entertaining wild and windy flick. Simple in plot and characterizations it may be, but no one is going to watch this film for outstanding characters so just surrender to the white knuckle ride.

Bill Harding is a former storm chaser and weather researcher who has decided to settle down as he plans to marry his girlfriend Melissa and has recently become a television weather man. The problem is Bill’s estranged wife Jo(herself a meteorologist and fellow storm chaser) hasn’t signed the divorce papers yet after they separated some time before. Travelling with Melissa, he seeks out Jo, who is with a group of scientists in Oklahoma. The exceedingly driven Jo has managed to perfect a series of devices by the name of DOROTHY, which Bill had worked on when they were together. The devices function by releasing thousands of sensors into a tornado and getting important information( the catch being that you have to be very close to a tornado to enable it). With this knowledge they could glean from the device, they may be able to help create a more advanced storm warning system, resulting in less damage if people are informed much earlier. Yet his timing is just as a series of very destructive tornadoes are headed their way which Jo plans to tackle so that she can put the creation to good use. Soon, Bill’s wild desire to be a storm chaser again returns and he joins Jo on her mission to execute DOROTHY, much to the opposition of Melissa. The group also has to contend with and race against Dr. Jonas Miller, a slimy guy who ripped off their ideas and has created a similar device, though he’s had all the corporate sponsors and funding and is only in it for the money. Yet with each tornado becoming more destructive than the last, just how far are Jo and Bill willing to venture in the name of both science and adventure?

Jan de Bont is an exceptional director of action and his skill set can be viewed in various exciting ways during Twister. Utilizing swirling cameras and a lightning pace, de Bont never stops for breath once the tornadoes getting going. We are quite literally thrust into the terrifying but exhilarating path of the destructive tornadoes and what a blast it is. Through the use of special effects that still hold up remarkably well, the spectacle of each intense twister is marvellously executed. Standout scenes abound, especially the big finale tornado that finds Jo and Bill ducking for cover in a barn as it is ripped from around them until there’s nothing left. As I previously stated, character development and seriousness is not the order of the day here. Yet this doesn’t do detriment to Twister’s impact as it never sets up to be character driven or literate, instead opting for an extravaganza of action and danger. Sound design and effects are equally as excellent when it comes to simulating the intensity of Mother Nature and the destructive forces she can conjure up on an unsuspecting people. By far the biggest stars of this film are the tornadoes themselves, as they make for very memorable visions of destruction and terror. A rousing musical score from Mark Mancina mixed in with rock songs from Van Halen is very effective and furthers the feeling of action and tension that the team encounters along the dangerous journey.

While the characters are somewhat thinly drawn, the cast is mostly impressive. Playing the estranged couple and fellow storm chasers, Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt are very good; bringing out more character than was probably written on the page. Both get across the collective desires and obsession to put their device into use and how these aspirations are what leads them both into the harmful path of near death in the cross-hairs of oncoming storms. A weak spot in the generally good acting is Jami Gertz as Bill’s terrified and annoying fiancée. She is only required in the film to berate and shriek as loud as she can and the sole purpose of her is so that Bill will visit Jo. Cary Elwes does the slime ball shtick very well as the villainous opposition who wants to use the storms as a way to make money. The rest of the science team have roles that generally all blend together, which lets the excellent Philip Seymour Hoffman stand out as the hyperactive Dusty, who lives for the thrill like no other.

So while character development is clearly on the back burner, Twister is all about the danger and destruction and in both aspects it succeeds with sensational results. Don’t look for any logic here, just sit back, fetch some popcorn and enjoy this roller coaster of a film.

Kiss the Girls

Tags

1990's, Alex McArthur, Ashley Judd, Bill Nunn, Cary Elwes, Gary Fleder, Kiss the Girls, Morgan Freeman, Thriller

Film Title

Kiss the Girls

Director

Gary Fleder

Starring

• Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross
• Ashley Judd as Kate McTiernan
• Cary Elwes as Detective Nick Ruskin
• Alex McArthur as Detective Davey Sikes
• Bill Nunn as Detective John Sampson

Although it may be a somewhat by the numbers thriller that many will say doesn’t have a lot to set it apart from all the other thrillers churned out, Kiss the Girls at least benefits highly from atmosphere and credible work from Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd that elevates it a compelling and creepy watch.

Alex Cross is a brilliant forensic psychologist who also works as a detective in Washington, D.C. He is exceptional at getting inside the heads of serial killers, yet also manages to keep a distance of emotion so as not to be completely taken over by the horrors he uncovers. Yet things get personal when he receives news that his young niece Naomi has been kidnapped from her university campus. Travelling to North Carolina and meeting the detectives on the case, including the cynical Nick Ruskin, he is informed that they believe that Naomi is one of a number of  women who have been kidnapped by a twisted predator known as Casanova. His most recent victim is a beautiful and strong-willed doctor by the name of Kate McTiernan ,who is imprisoned in a subterranean lair along with the other women. The talented Alex determines that the twisted Casanova is not a killer per say; he is a collector of strong-willed women. He only kills the women he captures if they break the rules of subservience that he cruelly enforces on them. This gives Alex and the other detectives hope that there is still time to unearth the location of the missing women. Meanwhile Kate, with her intelligence and physical prowess manages to overpower her captor and escape his lair, surviving by running to a nearby river and jumping in. When she is found, she is traumatised by her ordeal but still determined. Alex talks with her to try to get some picture of Casanova’s motives and whereabouts. In the beginning, Kate’s memory is hazy because of drugs she was injected with, but as her memory comes back, she begins to help Alex with the search to find his niece before it is too late. However, as the investigation continues, links begin to appear between Casanova and another serial killer in Los Angeles. Are the two killers colluding with each other? And can the strong Kate lead Alex in the right direction to discovering Casanova and his niece?

The direction provided by Gary Fleder is confident enough and helps compliment the style and pace of the movie. He may occasionally take a step in the wrong direction, such as when he delves into the possible connection between Casanova and another killer that doesn’t quite hold the impact of the main Casanova story. But his directing is credible and well sustained enough with dark terror and menace to kept you watching. There is some superb editing and cinematography that combine for a ghoulish effect, especially when in Casanova’s depraved and warped world in which he dominates the women he has abducted. With distorted angles and kinetic editing, Kiss the Girls gives a real sense of disorientation and Gothic atmosphere that is incredibly well done. The subterranean structure of Casanova’s lair is a suitably chilling and fear-inducing highlight of set design, rendered with a perverse and creepy impact. There are a few issues with some of the plot directions taken within the movie and a running time that is a bit too long. Some of the script could have done with a bit of tweaking as well, as some scenes go on for longer than required. Yet for all those flaws, Kiss the Girls manages to retain interest from the audience with its thrills and chills. A well-constructed score provides a creepy backdrop to Kiss the Girls and knows exactly when to build the necessary suspense and then ratchet it up a few notches.

In the role of Alex Cross, Morgan Freeman is as reliably excellent as he always is. There is a humility, grace and depth Freeman brings to the part, tempered with a brilliant mind of intelligence, quiet dignity and grave authority. I think it’s safe to say that his authoritative demeanor is perfect for the part and he is the only person I can think of to play the part of Alex Cross so well. Equally as impressive is Ashley Judd as the traumatised but incredibly brave Kate, who refuses to be seen as a victim because of her ordeal. Judd projects a tough steel and inner vulnerability to the character that we can relate to as her toughness acts as the shield to stop her completely going to pieces. Sterling support is provided by Cary Elwes and Alex McArthur as the wry detectives initially reluctant of Cross but needing him to help. Bill Nunn is also well cast as the best friend and confidante on the case.

So all in all, Kiss the Girls is not going to win any awards for inventiveness, but it remains a gripping thriller with spine-chilling visual style, ominous music and typically great performances from the two leads.