This is my haphazard, not very well written review of "The Matrix: Reloaded":

After 4 years of hype and anticipation, for a real action-flick with zero nudity/immorality....I was grossly disappointed.

The first movie was absolutely great. It indeed should have been rated PG-13. Other than adult themes and violence (although only partially realistic at best) the movie captured us because of it's underlying Christian-like theme, its excellent script, it's ability to make you think and ponder about life, and of course it's spectacular special effects.

"Reloaded" however, is pretty void of plot. Same old thing, but this time the directors/producers decided to focus more on the special effects (which WERE amazing, admittedly) and on the developing romance of Neo and Trinity. If I had it my way, I'd cut out about 25 minutes of film after the opening scene (which is crucial to the weakening plot). It felt disjointed and altogether out of place. While I understand the necessity of introducing the viewer to the city of Zion, its people, and the separation that exists between those who "believe" and those who do not, the entire Zion scene was eeriely out of place. Morpheus' appearance before the masses, dressed in tribal-like clothing, spouting off apostolic prophesies and testimony, rallying the crowd as an unexpected incensed zealot, came across as oddly out of character and completely contradictive of the strong, poised and graceful Morpheus we met in "The Matrix".

Unfortunately, I find that a more accurate name for Zion would be Babylon (and Babylon was destroyed, remember?). Not only is it ladled with sexually-tense tribal music, provocative dancing, semi-transparent blouses and partial female nudity, but the Wachowski brothers decide that appealing to the younger demographic (and, consequently, that demographic is primarily made up of young boys UNDER the age of 17) was more important than plot development, and they decided to try their hands at what Hollywood does best - eroticism. Never mind that the first movie was an unexpected hit, even without it. They throw in a steamy love scene between Neo and Trinity, which only feeds the idea that their relationship is purely physical - at no point in the movie do we actually see a strong, developing love between them (although the words are there - but action speaks louder than words, right? And passionate love-making in Hollywood usually isn't the equivalent of deep and abiding love - it's sex, and that's all there is to it). Fortunately my contact was bothering me at the time and I did not see the scene. But from the vocal approval of the audience (namely, young men in their late teens and early twenties) I could gauge the level of immorality without having to watch it.

This greatly disappointed me. They ruined what could have been an excellent film. While be it that the plot was indeed weaker, it still could have been a perfectly acceptable film for ALL movie-goers. Does the film industry not realize that they are creating weaker fan-bases by introducing strong sexual content into films? Sex sells, yes. But Hollywood has also proven that films with no explicit sexual content can sell even BETTER. Any movie by Steven Spielberg is a prime example. Or the fact that almost all of cinema history's blockbusters were PG-13. They will make millions of dollars on this film, yes. Everyone who loved the first one will see "Reloaded". But you can bet your bottom dollar that the numbers will decrease for "Revolutions". It sickens me that Hollywood believes that what we ALL want to see is sex. They believe that in order to demonstrate a powerful love between two people they have to have a steamy love-making scene, but to those of us in the know, we see what is really going on (or rather, what isn't).

All in all, I give it a 2.5/5.

Well, yesterday was a really tough day. After a few weeks of Beau being a major pain in the butt...he's urinated on my down comforter 3 times, as well as gone outside the litterbox several times now...plays constantly in his water (even after I bought the $40 fountain from Petmate) drinks way too much, talks and talks...well...I decided to take him to the vet. So I dropped him off early yesterday morning before going to work. Laura helped me, because Beau hates travelling, and he needs someone to hold his carrier and pet him while we're in the car. So she was a great help. Well not much longer after I got to work, I received a phone call from his vet telling me that he didn't have an UTI...rather, he had high levels of glucose in his urine and they wanted to do a blood panel to check for diabetes.

Anyway...he definitely has diabetes. They called me later, telling me his blood glucose was at 578 (normal is between 76-145). So the vet wrote me a prescription and I went and got insulin and syringes for Beau. Then Laura and I went back to the vet to get Beau, and learn how to take care of him. The actual injection isn't a big deal - just have to inject him into the scruff of his neck, basically....and he doesn't even notice. But he will have to go back several more times at the most, at least once more...to get blood glucose curves done to make sure he's getting the correct amount of insulin and is being regulated.

This is going to cost me a lot. I was very fortunate yesterday to have only spent $150 for both his urinalysis and blood panels, and also his medication. But the curves are going to cost more. Oh well...he's worth it. He might be 14 but diabetes isn't a death sentence. He can still live many happy, healthy years. I just have to remain consistent in his feeding, his medicating, and his activity levels. I have to watch him carefully, and if I go anywhere get someone I trust to administer to him. But Beau was so happy to come home yesterday afternoon. And a few hours into the injection, he seemed his old self again. So while this has cost me a lot, making him healthy and happy is the true reward!