The X Files: I Want To Believe
Synopsis
After the kidnapping of an FBI agent, Mulder and Scully are called in to assist the FBI with an ex-Priest, Father Joe, who claims to have a psychic connection with the case.
The movie goes forward six years in time where Mulder is hiding in Scully's house. The F.B.I. asks Scully to tell Mulder they will forgive him and drop all charges if he helps them on this case. During the investigation their Psychic leads them to various places where the agent was attacked. Scully then learns through research for a patient that the government are doing stem cell research on the people they captured.
(from TV.com)
Writer/s: Chris Carter & Frank Spotnitz
Director: Chris Carter
Originally aired: 25th July 2008 (in the US) - 24th July 2008 (in Australia)
Quotes
Mulder: This is not an exact science. If it were me, I'd be on the guy 24/7. I'd be in bed with him kissing his holy ass.
Agent Whitney: Father Joe is a convicted pedophile.
Mulder: Maybe I'd stay out of bed with him.
Scully: Listen to me! I need your help!
Agent Drummy: I'm sorry. I-I can't help you.
Scully: Then let me talk to somebody there with some balls who can.
Scully: I'm not the one who buggered 37 little alter boys.
Mulder: That's a nice colourful way of putting it.
Scully: I have another word if you'd like.
Mulder: I'm sure you do.
Mulder: I can hear you thinking.
Scully: Sorry. I can't sleep.
Mulder: Actually, I have a little something for that.
Scully: Just a little something?
Links
Gag Reel: Here
Mods thoughts and discussion attempts
You’ll all have to forgive my half-assed rewatch post guys, life is so, so hectic right now. So I’ve made a list (with details!) of what I liked and disliked about the movie. What did you guys like/dislike?
And lets talk about all those DVD extras! We didn’t get them in Australia. *weeps*
Top 5 things I loved about the movie:
Mulder and Scully - I’m a shipper, so sue me :oP I loved that CC stayed honest to where these two characters should be (in my opinion anyway) I admit I was having a few doubts on and off while I was waiting for the movie to come out, but it didn’t disappoint. I read a few complaints about how people didn’t get that M&S were suddenly living together and all domesticated after being “just” partners - did they see the show, like, ever? - but I like how we come into their lives and wonder where they’ve been what they’ve been doing. It doesn’t frustrate me like I think it did with some people and there are some great fanfics out there that fill in the blanks.
Scully - I’m a Scully fangirl and have no shame in being so. Scully looks SO PRETTY in the movie. I don’t even notice that her hair colour is all wrong because she just looks so awesome. FS even mentions some pretty!Scully moments throughout the commentary in the movie, one being when her and Mulder are in the bathroom - personally, I couldn’t agree more. And on that note, I don’t think time has done any favours to Mulder, but the Mulder fangirls can try and prove me wrong.
The sweeping shots of Canada - OMG much love to those awesome sweeping shots of the snow. All the scenery is just perfect and beautiful and I want to move there right now. lol.
The story - I don’t hate the Frankenstein story like I a lot of people did. I don’t feel like its really lacking either. It was very much a classic scary movie for me - or just a classic XFiles. When I was discussing this with someone I pointed out that the movie doesn’t have heavy amounts of CGI to rely on like every single movie these days and I think that’s what I love about it. And I liked Scully’s story throughout the movie too. It was all great in my opinion.
The extended DVD version - I ran out of things! lol. Like I said, the Australian DVD release really blows, but we did the extended version of the movie (maybe that’s the standard dvd release? I don’t know) I like the all extra bits, it actually makes the movie feel even *more* whole. And I really loved seeing Agent Whitney impaled on those bits of metal which was not in the theatrical version - so satisfying.
Things I didn’t like:
The rehash of Mulder’s Samantha issues. WTF CC? Didn’t we solve this in a little pair of *amazing* episodes in season 7? No? Oh, ok then, I guess I imagined it.
Mulder’s free ticket from the FBI. I’m happy that they’ve dropped all the charges and stuff, but omg, lame.
The ending. Ok, I know the boat thing is supposed to be way cute and stuff. But the more I see it the more it kind of annoys me. I think it’s the fact that M&S wave to the camera. It makes it feel less “real” and kind of cheesy.
The Whitney-points-at-Mulders-shaved-face scene. CC says in the commentary that they couldn’t get it right, it was too cute, too businessy (or something) and I was thinking … hey, why didn’t you not have it at all? I cant stand that scene, its weird and awkward and just makes no sense.
Biggest LOL moment: My DVD has “descriptive commentary” I think for the blind? I dont know. But I accidentally switched it on and it’s the funniest thing you’ll ever hear. “Scully sits at her desk, a sob racks through her! She sees a co-worker watching her so she reaches for a Kleenex while trying to compose herself.” I’m going to watch the whole movie with it on one day.
Extra
The code name Done One was used as the film's working title during filming, with location signs labeled as "Done One Productions." The name meant the producers had already done one film. The Directors Guild production list for British Columbia listed a project named Done One, with the director listed as Rich Tracers, an anagram of the sequel's actual director, Chris Carter. "The Crying Box Productions" was listed as the production company, instead of Carter's usual "Ten Thirteen Productions."
Callum Keith Rennie, the second abductor in I Want to Believe, has also appeared with David Duchovny on the second season of the television show Californication. Rennie plays the character Lew Ashby and Duchovny plays Hank Moody.
Xantha Radley was previously in the episode The Post-Modern Prometheus.
Callum Keith Rennie was previously in the episodes Lazarus and Fresh Bones.
Mulder visits the Nutter feed store; David Nutter directed many episodes of the series.
When Mulder tries to call Scully from his cell phone, the display shows two names above hers and one name below. The two names above are Bowman and Gilligan, which can only be references to Rob Bowman (director of the first movie and several episodes) and Vince Gilligan (writer-producer of the show). The name below is Shiban, a reference to John Shiban (another writer-producer).
When Mulder and Scully first walk back into the FBI offices right before they walk into the bullpen, a female agent walks by that catches Mulder's attention and he watches her walk away. The woman is Vanessa Morley, who throughout the series played the young Samantha Mulder, and is the same Samantha in the photo Mulder has taped to the back of his home office door.