Yowazzup: A Directory of Happening Things

2012 is yet another movie about the end of the world. 2012 stars John Cusack, Thandie Newton and Amanda Peet and will be released on November 13, 2009 so you can have three years to prepare yourself. LoL! The last part, I just made it up.

Popularity: 1%

"The X-Files: I Want to Believe", the sequel to the 1998 The X-Files brings back David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as Special Agent Fox Mulder and Special Agent Dana Scully respectively.

SPOILER WARNING: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in "The X-Files: I Want to Believe"

Even though The X-Files: I Want to Believe is slated as the sequel to the 1998 film, it is easily a standalone movie, despite the relations to the TV series. Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is a doctor and is no longer an agent. However, Agent Mosley Drummy (Xzibit) finds her in the hospital in order to have her find Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) to assist the FBI to find a lost agent. Back at home, Scully persuades an unshaven Mulder to help the FBI since the FBI will put the case against Mulder behind if he is willing to help. Though Mulder is hesitant at first, he decides to help at last.

The entire movie is about searching for the lost FBI agent who is kidnapped by some Russian mobs. Disappointingly, there is no alien involvement in the movie. Amanda Peet plays Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dakota Whitney in the movie and she is easily overshadowed by the existence of Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully despite the little involvement the latter has. Most of the time, Scully plays a surgeon and her objective is to save her patient while Mulder uncovers the mystery behind the crime.

Mulder believes Father Joseph Crissman who is a psychic as well as a convicted paedophile of seven children. On the other hand, Scully has high doubt on what the Father says and so do the rest of the FBI including Agent Mosley Drummy.

Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) makes a surprise appearance in the end when Scully has no one to turn to. Skinner and Scully help save Mulder and the three of them manage to solve the case of the missing FBI agent.

Overall, I want to believe the movie can be a lot better, but that’s not the truth. Sadly, I believe even The X-Files fan will feel truly disappointed at the movie — mundane plot, predictable scenes and nothing suspenseful.

My ratings: 4 out of 10.

Popularity: 1%

Martian Child is a 2007 comedy-drama film about a writer, David Gordon (John Cusack) who adopts a strange young boy, Dennis (Bobby Coleman) who believes he is from Mars.

SPOILER WARNING: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Harlee (Amanda Peet), David Gordon (John Cusack) and Dennis (Bobby Coleman)

David Gordon has recently lost his wife Mary and is looking to adopt a young boy named Dennis who believes he is from Mars. After adopting the boy from Sophie (Sophie Okonedo), he manages to bring Dennis out of the Amazon box in which he stays to hide from the sun by giving him an SPF 45 sunblock and a pair of sunglasses.

Slowly and with a lot of patience, David teaches the boy how to be an “earthling” and earns Dennis’ love in the process with the help of his sister Liz (played by Cusack’s real life sister Joan Cusack). Initially, David has had a hard time of teaching his newly adopted son to become a real “earthling”. But as the movie progresses, David manages to understand Dennis better and Dennis is able to open himself more. In the end, David realizes that Dennis’ worst nightmare is his parents leaving him when he was way too young and Dennis is afraid David will leave him.

Though the film tries very hard at implementing emotional elements into it, it doesn’t really work. Somehow, it’s not really that bad — a little bit touching together with some mediocre acting.

My ratings: 6 out of 10.

Popularity: 1%

This romantic drama stars John Cusack as a recently widowed science fiction writer who forms an unlikely family with a close friend (Amanda Peet) and a young boy he adopts that claims to be from Mars.

The movie quotes “It doesn’t matter where you come from. As long as you discover, where you belong.” A really sweet romantic comedy.

Popularity: 2%