Alien at the Movies

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

For the Bruce Lee & Kung Fu fans out there, comes a fictionalized story inspired by the real life secret showdown between 2 sifu masters, Wong Jack Man (Xia Yu) & Bruce Lee (Phillip Ng). Regardless, it's an interesting plot involving underground Chinatown crime operations involving illegal gambling, prostitution, slavery, & extortion. Ng's embodied mannerisms & fighting style are convincing, although his arrogant portrayal of Lee throughout much of the film is not flattering to the iconic legend. However, Lee's opponent comes off in a more favorable light, possibly because Wong Jack Man serves as a film consultant. Google for yourself, if you what to know which Bruce Lee truths are interlaced through this plot. Look for some exciting choreographed fight sequences. The fictional character name of Steve McKee was a tribute to Lee's friend & pupil, actor Steve McQueen. Not that most would ever notice, but all of the Chinese spoken on screen is in Mandarin except from one older lady; for that time & locale, I would have expected Cantonese. This entertaining film is a guilty pleasure for all of those Kung Fu fans.

Alien gives it 3 "balancing chi" stars out of 4.

A heavy set, poor, white girl from Jersey dreams of being a famous rap star who goes by the moniker Killer-P. She is a part-time bartender/wait staff living with her mom & nana (Cathy Moriarty). With encouragement from her rapping East Indian pharmacist assistant/friend & a chance meeting with a mysterious homeless black musician who calls himself the Anti-Christ, they form PB&J & hope make it to the big time. This funny & quirky low budget independent film is well made, well acted, entertaining & makes the best of what it has available to work with. However, it may not exactly be for everyone mainly to due the "R" rated language punctuating the songs as well as their vocabulary. If you are a rap fan, you may really appreciate the creative moments. This film with a rap-off, a titty bar scene, & a talent contest feels gritty, down & dirty, and brutally honest. Through the good & bad times, this family's love for each other holds them together. 

Alien gives it 3 "Barbwire & Tough Love" stars out of 4.

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

It's a hillbilly heist/redneck robbery/poor white trash thievery/Ocean's 7-11 with Steven Soderbergh at the wheel directing another slick heist caper. The Logan siblings, an unemployed blue collar worker/single dad (Channing Tatum), a one-arm bartender (Adam Driver), & hairdresser (Riley Keough), plot to rob the Charlotte Motor Speedway with the help of an incarcerated explosives expert (Daniel Craig). Seth MacFarlane, Katie Holmes, & Hilary Swank round out the ensemble cast along with some familiar NASCAR faces. Craig gives an amazing performance & one may have to do a double take before you recognize him. If you like quirky characters & intricate robbery schemes involving car theft, cockroaches, jail break, bleach pens, & gummy bears all dipped in a healthy dose of Southern charm, then you just might enjoy this comedy caper with a twist because there always is one or two along the way.

Alien gives it 3 "cauliflower" stars out of 4.

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

This is a tremendous documentary about an inner-city program whose goal is to empower & inspire young black girls to succeed in life & go on to college. The film follows the stories of 3 very different seniors from the public charter Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women who are also members of a step dance troop (after school activity with African roots incorporating cheerleading, military, & drill-team moves). It is a powerful & emotional drama about struggling & succeeding as well as pride & bonding. Filmmaker Amanda Lipitz does an amazing job of capturing those magic moments & constructing a honest & realistically entertaining film where there are no actors, no script or guarantees of any perfect outcomes. Not only is Lipitz the director & the producer but she is also listed as craft services in the credits. This is a fabulous inspirational film featuring tough love & positive motivations.

Alien gives it 3 "Lethal Ladies of BLSYW" stars out of 4.

This action comedy is "16 Blocks" but on a grander international scale as a disgraced AAA security protection agent (Ryan Reynolds) must deliver a notorious contract killer (Samuel L. Jackson) to testify against a ruthless East European dictator (Gary Oldman). Selma Hayek has a small role but deliciously exploits her on screen time. You couldn't ask for a better cast for this hilarious & exhilarating thrill ride that takes you from England to Amsterdam with 2 mortal enemies bickering & saving each other's asses along the way. It's Marvel's Nick Fury teamed with Deadpool; who can resist this tandem pairing. Reynolds & Jackson bring their "A" game to this "R" rated show (cause it's Samuel L. Jackson & he can't help but repeat his famous tag line over & over). It's lots of laughs & outrageous chase scenes with a little "romance". This is definitely a guilty pleasure to just sit back, enjoy, & forget your daily troubles. For those diehard movie fans, stay to the end of the credits for an unimportant but funny bit for the blooper reel.

Alien gives it 3½ "doing it my way" stars out of 4.

See how the creepy doll Annabelle came to be possessed in this prequel to a prequel. "The Conjuring" begat "Annabelle" which begat "Annabelle: Creation". After a tragic accident, Sam & Esther Mullins invite a nun & 6 orphan girls to stay at their large home & that's when things start to get creepy. If you like to be frightened, you might like this one as the suspense builds for each jump scare. It's not gory & mostly things that go bump in the night stuff. Stay for the credits & to the very end to see how it all ties into the real true life story & a hint to the next spinoff episode.

Alien gives it 3 "be careful about what you wish for" stars out of 4.

A family man's footloose & fancy free attitude drags his family across country living like gypsies & squatting in abandon buildings. Told in flashbacks, this dysfunctional family story is based on the memoirs of Jennette Walls (Brie Lawson), the second child of Rex (Woody Harrelson) & Rose Mary (Naomi Watts). It's a powerful & emotional film about overcoming the scars of living with dreams of an alcoholic father who was more talk than action and realizing those loving magical moments behind it all. Lawson, Watts, & Harrelson demonstrate their award worthy skills. The supporting cast of children is also exceptional as they learn life through living rather than from a formal education. Photos & film footage of the real family members appear as the credits roll.

Alien gives it 3 "sink or swim unconventional parenting" stars out of 4.

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

It's "Inside Out" meets "Zootopia" as we follow 3 main emoji characters' (Gene Meh, High-5, & Jailbreak) misadventures through Textopolis trying avoid being deleted. This looks like it's a children's film but there is lots of smartphone jargon, mentioned apps, & tech references. If you are old, you may not even have a smartphone or can't even figure out what most of those emoji symbols mean. If you are a frequent emoji texting millennial, you probably would be too embarrassed to be caught watching such a childish film. The overall message here is not to be afraid to be yourself. Ironically, like the main character, this film is rather meh. This movie will have a hard time finding an audience. Look for a loser lounge clip in the middle of the credits.

Alien gives it 1½ "malfunction" stars out of 4.

This is the sequel to the 2014 original where the creatures from Liberty Park find happiness & an abundant food source in the Nut Shop. Some of your favorite characters are back for more fun & laughs as they continue to struggle for survival as disaster strikes. When the greedy mayor of Oakton City threatens their home in Liberty Park, these little critters fight back to save their park from the humans. This sequel maintains the balance of adult & kiddie humor to entertain the whole family. Look for the toons to entertain during the credits. There is even a fake gag reel. If you stay to the very end of the credits & remember the original's mid-credit clip, you may detect a hint for a possible Nut Job trilogy.

Alien gives it 3 "Liberty Land" stars of of 4.

Yes, but this is also Stephen King's fantasy/sci-fi tale about the eternal struggle between good & evil, the Gunslinger (Idris Elba) vs the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey). It's Colt 45's, space portals, & faceless henchmen in this slick action adventure about protecting the dark tower & saving parallel worlds from destruction.

Alien gives it 3½ "the chosen one with the shine" stars out of 4. 

After the 2013 full dress rehearsal in "The Call", Halle Berry tries to refine her desperate woman rescuing a kidnap victim skills. Now, she plays a loving single mom/diner waitress willing to do anything to protect her 6 year old son. Her son has been taken by a couple who are the stereotypical image of poor white trash. This is a mother's worst nightmare as the camera lens takes us on a wild car chase thrill ride across the New Orleans vicinity that will have us wanting to scream our expert advice to the big screen (hopefully it's only happening in our heads). This may all seem to be contrived but it's heart pounding hold on to your seat intense. 

Alien gives it 2½ "Marco...  Polo" stars out of 4.