X-Files: I Want To Believe

First off, I didn't mention last week that "The Dark Knight" was my 100th posting, which I thought was pretty cool, but enough about that, here's my 101st posting:

Rob, Justin and I would rent VHS tapes of early X-Files episodes down at the only video store in Buena Vista. We'd get some snacks, some Mountain Dew, and turn off the lights and watch Mulder and Scully delve into the mysteries of the unexplained. It was fun, and it got better as the seasons progressed. When we moved to Colorado Springs, it quickly became a tradition to gather together Sunday night and watch the new episodes. Soon enough Jess got roped in and all of a sudden we had good food to go along with the conspiracies, aliens, the Cancer Man, tongue-in-cheek humor and people with stretchy fingers. Since then I haven't commited myself to a television program, and my life is better for it (as far as I know). Watching "I Want To Believe" brought back all those good memories for me. The actors have aged about ten years or so, and so have their characters. The plot of the film was independent from the soap operaish storyline of the final episodes of the tv show. This is good, because instead of being a continuation of the show it was more of a revisiting. Scully and Mulder had a good chemistry, and it remains here in the film. Chris Carter, the director of this film as well as the creator of the series, has done a great job of capturing what was great about X-Files and telling a thoughtful sotry at the same time. Unlike what has become vogue in recent psychological thrillers, this film actually searches for answers. Now in typical X-Files tradition it asks more questions than it provides answers, but still it more interesting to ask than to ignore the obvious. If any of you see the film, the most thought-provoking question for me was the discussion that Scully and Mulder have about God's purpose in creating certain people. I know I'm being vague, but I'd hate to give away too much. It's just interesting that two dynamic characters in a secular film can struggle so realistically with a subject that we Christians avoid like the plague. Anyways, if you liked the X-Files, this is for you. If not, then go see "Wall-E" again.