Legions of fans have been salivating for The Matrix Reloaded for four years since its 1999 debut in movie theaters and now in 2003 we will be given not one, not two, not three, but four new entries into the series in the forms of video games, movies, and animated shorts. Unfortunately those looking to recapture the amazement and magic of the first film won’t find it in this second installment of the series, but we can still hold out hope for the third.

The Matrix Reloaded is not a bad film, far from it in fact, but it certainly isn’t the best film it could have been with the imagination of it’s directors, Andy and Larry Wachowski. The whole movie comes off as a full notch below the original Matrix with amazing fight sequences interspersed between excruciatingly slow story progression and a total disregard for some of the events in the first movie. The MTV Spring Break Rave held in Zion and the “love triangle” only slow down the movie further. In fact the entire first half of the movie doesn’t even need to exist aside from the computer assisted fight sequences and appearance of the uber-cool Agent Smith.

With the addition of new characters and a convoluted storyline, which has more “Huh?” moments than an episode of Star Trek on a techno-babble high, the movie just never catches on with the audience and, instead, throws enough eye candy on the screen to make even the most jaded critic or patron drool on themselves in sheer awe at the physics of these sequences. But it still doesn’t make up for the fact that if you remove the fight and chase sequences from the movie you are left with a mediocre sci-fi film that could pass off as a straight to video release.

Reloaded picks up at an undetermined amount of time after the first movie. After Neo (Keanu Reeves) begins to have disturbing dreams about Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) he awaits word from the Oracle on his next step to save humanity. Just before this, as seen in Final Flight of the Osiris, the machines are drilling from the surface straight down to Zion in order to destroy the last human city. Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and the gang are employed with the task of finding the “Keymaker” in order to gain access to the matrix’s mainframe and learn the truth about the program once and for all. Without giving too much away, that is basically how the plot breaks down. Sure there are a few twists here and there, but nothing unexpected, and surely nothing overly dramatic that strays from the tried and true methods of sci-fi fare.

As stated the movie isn’t bad at all, and the aforementioned fight sequences are nothing short of spectacular in technical know-how and visuals. Neo’s fight with over 100 replicas of Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) is nothing short of awesome but after the battle is over it feels like it never needed to occur, as with all of the battles in the movie. At the end of The Matrix Neo tears Smith apart, literally shattering his “code,” but through Reloaded his plods in battle after battle as though he is just very good at Kung Fu. Except for his tendency to fly around Neo hasn’t changed very much even though he is “the one.”

The car chase scene, obviously sponsored by GM, is the highlight of the movie as Trinity, Morpheus, and the “Keymaker” escape in a Cadillac CTS on a busy freeway all while being shot and chased by Agents and The Twins who were so hyped and so underutilized you wonder why the parts were even written. As with everything else in the movie these new characters, including the lovely Persephone, bring the film to the least common multiple rather than raising it up to the intellectual superiority of the first film.

Reloaded never really comes into its own for the entire length of the movie. You feel as though you are being stringed along with more and more eye candy to a climatic ending but it never happens because that “climax” will supposedly happen in the third film, thereby taking even more money from the public who went into the movie with such high expectations.

Without the drool-drenched special effects the film stumbles on it’s own two feet as the story becomes so clouded from that of the first film. Maybe a desire to cater to a new audience, or a new found sense of freedom after the success of the first film caused the Wachowski brothers to craft this entry in a different light. Maybe Reloaded is simply a bridge to a much bigger, and better, story that we will see see in Revolutions this fall. Let’s just hope the last chapter in the series is able to rekindle the fire of the first.

Cold’s latest album, Year of the Spider, is a follow up to their 2000 commercial debut, and second full album 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage. With a break out single in the form of “Just Got Wicked” the Florida based band broke into the music scene with a dark, brooding motive to tell the world about the sorrows it creates. All this under Fred Durst’s wing.

Year of the Spider is a much more mainstream album than 13 Ways but that doesn’t mean the group has lost the dark edge they had. With newly emerging bands like Seether and veterans Staind also filling up the dark recess pool would there be enough room in depression for a few more?

Breaking out of the sophomore curse seemed to be the biggest objective for the band as not many are able to top the success they had with their debut album. No Doubt’s Return of Saturn was a disappointment as was Linkin Park’s Meteora when compared to the CDs that preceded them. Luckily Cold’s slight alteration to a more accepted melody plays well in the hands and voice talents of lead man Scooter Ward who’s voice is getting a fair amount of airplay on local radio stations.

The band’s first single, “Stupid Girl” is the most commercially acceptable song on the disc, but not certainly the best. “Don’t Belong” unravels a tale of exile in society for the value of keeping your personal beliefs intact “Well I won’t ever change my ways / and I can’t be strong / That I don’t belong.” “Suffocate” is the albums breakup song and acknowledges the fake facade people display in relationships, “This cloud will always hover over me / I’m leaving you today / ’cause now I see.”

The highlight of the disc is the final track entitled “Kill The Music Industry” which details a general disgust for the big name companies who release CDs. “It’s gone to far to name / the way you see / The things they’ll change / Your life and control / your mind / I can’t relate to it.” It mainly shows that artists can be just a frustrated with the lawsuits, bullying tactics, and general disregard for the public that the record companies are imposing on all patrons because they fail to embrace the digital age. Some people are on the little guy’s side and it’s nice to see bands lining up to support a cause.

As stated earlier Cold’s dark, niche sound on 13 Ways to Bleed on Stage may have kept them from the lime-life early in their commercial career, but that disc didn’t lack polish. As with 13 Ways, Year of the Spider is packaged wonderfully with great artwork including an oriental feel with kanji characters on the cover and throughout the accompanying booklet.

The only downfall to the album is a lack of good singles, as “Stupid Girl” is the only “catchy” tune that may make it on the radio besides the possible track “Suffocate.” Even if they don’t experience another single form this disc Cold should be proud of the accomplishment that is Year of the Spider. Any fan of Cold’s or complimentary bands like Deftones, Seether, or Staind should pick up this disc if they wish to hear a band they have become accustom to with a new edge that only further illustrates their musical talent.