It's simple really. When movie producers insist on following this imaginary formula for making a good movie.

According to reports the new X-Files movies is due to contain a love story sub-plot between Mulder and Scully even though it was this idea that was the begining of the end for the TV Series. It's all part of this magic formula that is now so outdated that just about everyone that ISN'T a movie exec just can see it.

I've seen so many movies ruined by the attempt to wedge in that ever important romance between the hard ass hero and his love interest and I'm just sitting there screaming at the screen, WHY DID YOU DO IT AGAIN!

Then there was "The Golden Compass". A best selling book, that'll make a great movie. Only it doesn't always, especially when you insist on cramming an entire book into the magic two hour running required for a childrens movie. At 1 hour and 58 minutes The Golden Compass is about 40 minutes shorter than the first Harry Potter movie and that 40 minutes really tells. The film zips from point to point with no real "depth" to it at all. Oh and then they pull the punch at the end of the book. I won't tell it here just in case you haven't read the book but the original ending had a proper punch to it that made me want to read the next book straight away.

Ruining a movie with a lame ending is a classic part of the formula too. When I saw "The war of the Worlds" I was pleasently surprised, in fact I loved it. Right up until the very end. Now don't get me wrong, I knew the original ending and I was delighted to see that they didn't have Mr. Scientology "save the day" somehow and if you haven't seen the movie before then trust me, when the Aliens die stop watching because what happens next ruins everything the movie has done up to that point.

[Spoiler alert!] About half way through the movie Tom Cruises son goes over a hill and two seconds later a huge ball of fire engulfs the entire valley he's in. If he isn't dead he is so badly burnt that he'd be better off dead. Instead at the very end of the movie Tom walks down this perfect street (in a city that has been destroyed) and the door of the house at the end of the road opens. Out of the door comes his ex wife, her parents and low and behold, his son apears in perfect health. [/Spoiler alert!]

What I really can't figure out though is how the movie industry can keep making these same mistakes over and over. Every now and again a movie comes out that ignores the rules and surprises us and each time it's a huge hit yet the industry keeps ignoring these results and continues to churn out the some old crud over and over.

Ahhhhhhh. Nothing like the occasional vent eh!