Alien at the Movies

This is not a sneak preview. This film has already released.

It's "The Thing" meets "The 3:10 to Yuma"  in director/writer Quentin Tarantino's western murder mystery. A Wyoming winter blizzard strands 2 bounty hunters, a prisoner, a sheriff, a Confederate, a Mexican, a hangman, & a cow puncher in a stagecoach way station cabin during post Civil War. Audiences won't know who to trust & who is lying in this 3 hour drama with a very dark sense of humor & gory in-your-face bloody violence. Who will die & who will survive their cabin stay? Typical of Tarantino films, colorful characters are spouting off long dialogues of speech defining their personal views. This movie is not for the easily offended by full male nudity, racist remarks, crude sexual content, & brutal horrific over-the-top violence. Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, & Channing Tatum star. The outdoor scenes are sheer beauty in the snow but most of the film focuses inside the stagecoach & the cabin. Tarantino paints the ugly side of the Wild West in his version of good vs evil.

Alien gives it 3 "the Hangman's ride to Red Rock" stars out of 4.

This is not a sneak preview. This film has already released.

Director/writer David O. Russell reunites Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, & Bradley Cooper in the inspirational story of Joy Mangano, inventor of the Miracle Mop. This film is not a straight biopic but told in fairy tale book style, based on 50% true facts & 50% reconstructed entertainment value. Lawrence shines as the strong, independent, intelligent woman who even as a small child had great dreams & imagination. She dominates the film while De Niro & Cooper have much lesser supporting roles. See how Joy's best friend, her ex, & family influence her amazing journey. This patent informational & inside look at QVC is a wild roller coaster ride of emotions tempered with a unique sense of humor which includes a quirky soap opera tribute with some surprising cameos. Virginia Madsen, Diane Ladd, & Isabella Rossellini provide a good supporting cast. 

Alien gives it 3 "adversaries in commerce" stars out of 4.

Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Road Chip

This is not a sneak preview. This film has already released.

Those rascally rodents are back for another misadventure that takes them from L.A. to Texas to New Orleans to Miami & back. This fourth episode explores issues of bullying, blended families, & misunderstandings as Alvin schemes always seen to go awry. The animation is terrific and the movie does a marvelous job merging the chipmunks with the real live action. The humor is fitting for the younger audience but doesn't supply much entertainment for the older crowd. This childish humor is very predictable & tiresome after a while, unless you are under ten years old. Annoyingly, the film appears to try & apply this chipmunk harmony to as many musical genres as possible, unless you love their shrill squeaky sound. A couple of continuing clips run near the beginning of the credits.

Alien gives it 2 "Suggs Life" stars out of 4.

Disney magic has re-energized that epic space adventure thought to be long gone forever & only relived in the memories of Blu-Rays & DVDs. A deserter, a scavenger, and a droid with a mission kicks off this revival that will draw Star Wars fans back to the theaters like that high school reunion curiosity of seeing old friends again & recalling all of those good times spent together.  This Star Wars: The Next Generation is still packed with thrilling action & doesn't disappoint as it carries on with the spirit, excitement, and fun of the originals. A smile will come to your face when your old friends like Han, Chewie, Luke & Leia make their grand entrances and you'll feel the shock & awe when the unexpected happens. To some, it will feel like coming back to your hometown seeing some familiar sights & hearing those local phrases again. But for those who have been living on another planet & are unfamiliar with the franchise, don't worry, just let yourself go & feel the Force to enjoy this one. Newcomers Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac look like good picks for their roles. The dark side of the Force reveals some anger management issues. The film raises more questions than providing answers to this continuing saga. Like the mystery of C-3PO's a new red arm, there seems to be a lot more story here to be told in coming sequels. Some heroes & villains have yet to be truly tested.  Thus, audiences will be on the edge of their seats begging for more. The film was shot beautifully in Abu Dhabi, Iceland, & Ireland. John Williams is back adding to his iconic score.

Alien gives it 4 "In Search of the Last Jedi & the First Jedi Temple" stars out of 4.

Based on a true story, a Nigerian doctor/forensic neuropathologist (Will Smith), working in "Steel Town" the home of the Pittsburg Steelers, looks into the deaths of former NFL football players with the conclusion that concussions may have been a major cause. However, he faces an uphill battle against corporate big business football, one of America's favorite sports past times & passion. Smith gives an incredible performance where you hardly even see a Will Smith in this character. Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks, & Gugu Mbatha-Raw add to the excellent supporting cast. It is common sense versus big money. A summary update is listed at the end explaining where things are now.

Alien gives it 3 " Chronic Traumatic  Encephalopathy" stars out of 4.

This is the true story about some individuals (played by Steve Carell, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, & Brad Pitt) who foresaw the 2007-2010 crash in the U.S. Housing market & tried to profit from their prediction. The general public may be bored and/or lost in this financial jargon loaded movie even though the clever script tries to dumb it down using Jenga blocks, food analogy  by a famous restauranteur, & a blackjack analogy with Selena Gomez. If you get the meaning of the title or have an huge interest in the high finance/housing market, you may enjoy this odd but well-made film that tries to use humor to tell this ultimately depressing story.

Alien gives it 2 "Collateralized Debt Obligation" stars out of 4.

This remake is essentially the wide world of extreme sports with a little bit of heist plot interwoven through the film. Amazing stunt work is captured in thrilling 3D for all of you adrenalin junkies. It's skydiving, motor crossing, BASE jumping, surfing, snowboarding, and freehand rock climbing from the United States to Mexico to India to France to Venezuela. The acting is just passable by unknowns covered in tattoos to make them appear more edgy. Provisional FBI agent infiltrates a band of zen Robin Hood thrill seeking eco-terrorists. Alien never saw the 1991 original but it must have better than this movie.

Alien gives it 2 ½ "follow your path/it's beautiful" stars out of 4.

In 1926 Copenhagen, a husband (Eddie Redmayne) & wife (Alicia Vikander) pair of struggling painters deal with a new revelation after a silly game has seductive repercussions. Based on a true story, it's a bittersweet love story revolving around gender identification confusion. As the husband transforms into Lili, he/she ironically becomes the muse of his wife & leads the success his wife had been seeking. Redmayne & Vikander are absolutely outstanding as they take you through an emotional wringer. The diagnoses & practices of then state of the art modern medicine may have you cringing a bit. The film is beautifully shot with some scenes framed as if seen through the artistic eyes of the two main characters. Rated "R" for some nudity.

Alien 3 ½ "he is so pretty" stars out of 4.

It's macho rivalry when a step dad (Will Ferrell) meets his kids' biological dad (Mark Wahlberg). Comedy ensues as oneupmanship gets out of hand. Ferrell & Wahlberg act pretty much as you would expect in their comedy movies. Deep down it's a story about what it means to be a good dad in a family and the jealousies & insecurities of being a good parent. Look for some surprise cameos.

Alien gives it 2 ½  "The Panda: Smooth Jazz Radio" stars out of 4.

Spotlight

This is not a sneak preview. This film has already released.

A group of investigative reporters (Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams), know as Spotlight, re-pursue an old story about Catholic priests molesting children. Based on true events, see the inside story behind the Boston Globe headlines. Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, & John Slattery also add to the great acting in this fascinating cover-up story.

Alien gives it 3 "Pulitzer Prize for Public Service" stars out of 4. 

This is the classic tale involving witches' prophecies, murders, & greed for power which leads to guilt, paranoia, & a tragic ending. Shakespeare fans will probably love this exceptionally well crafted film. However, the general public will probably be bored and lost, unable to translate Shakespeare-speak efficiently enough to follow the story line adequately. Michael Fassbender & Marion Coltillard are terrific as Macbeth & Lady Macbeth. The outdoor settings are stunning backdrops to the story.

Alien gives it 2 "Birnam Wood" stars out of 4.

It's "Titanic" meets "The 33" for the whaling industry story that inspired Herman Melville to write his famed novel "Moby Dick". This tale of survival on the high seas around the horn includes a clash between the captain & the first mate (Chris Helsworth), a stalking demon sperm whale, and big business politics. With most of scenes shot in the water, director Ron Howard creates a dark & murky mood. Disappointingly, the 3D effects appeared seemingly non-existent. 

Alien gives it 3 "edge of sanity" stars out of 4.