After getting back from Memphis (a trip for work), we left the next day to go to Omaha to see the family. 5 days later, came back, went to work for a day, then took 24 hours of dragging to get myself back together...
So today--my last Friday off for the Summer--I decided to go to the movies and see what was a must see for me, despite the reviews, X-Files: I want to believe. Then, after I picked up Nathaniel from day-care, the two of us decided to go see Space Chimps.
I've been waiting for the X-Files movie excitedly when first hearing about rumors over 2 years ago. I think Chris Carter has a great imagination, and have very much enjoyed all of his work. All signs for me were pointing that this movie was going to be, at least, enjoyable. And it was, for a TV show.
It was like visiting some old friends that you haven't seen in a long time, whose relationship had progressed much further along than you would have guessed, and coming face to face with the fact that as your life moved on, so did theirs. Not that it is bad, just that it is not the same. However, it had absolutely nothing to do with the story.
The story was interesting, but a bit long. (I don't want to spoil it for anyone.) I'd have been happy with the typical TV show formula with the hinting at the relationship stuff, focus on the odd story, and get it over and resolved with an uneasy, uncertain feeling, all in 60 minutes. It would have been one of the best episodes. As a movie it didn't hold up. That being said, yes I'll be at the next one just because.
I hope that Chris Carter finds a new story and new characters soon. He is way too talented to be stuck in these same old (tired?) characters that I still hang on to.
As for Space Chimps, I was really looking forward to it. Recognizing that it was a children's movie, I thought Nathaniel would be all over it. Lately, everything for him is about outer space. We were a little late, but some nice people allowed us to cut in line, so we only missed the first 5 minutes. The story was simple, the characters flat, the gags--at times--were funny. The animation was good the special effects were cool, and everything was fine until the captain chimp got picked up by the alien and was about to get frozen in the puddle of freezing goo.
Nathaniel lost it. It didn't matter that he was laughing at the aliens getting frozen throughout the movie, when one of the chimps were going to get it (he didn't) Nathaniel could not handle it. He started crying real tears, and was visibly shaken by the situation. Of course, this was right after a part that was kind of scary where the cute little alien (named Kilowatt) sacrificed his life to save two of the chimps.
I got him to calm down and we continued to watch the movie another 10 minutes when the threat of freezing was brought up again. . . Nathaniel lost it, this time saying that he doesn't like this movie. It took all the way out of the theater and into the bathroom break before he totally calmed down...
So Space Chimps: Probably great for kids. . . a little too much for a little boy 2 weeks shy of his 5th birthday.
