Alien at the Movies

Written & directed by Woody Allen, this is the melodrama of a desperate housewife on Coney Island in the 1950's. Ginny (Kate Winslet) is an unhappy & moody woman with a fire bug son looking to escape her marriage & suffocating life. She is married to Humpty (Jim Belushi), a carousel operator with a drinking problem who has an estranged daughter Carolina (Juno Temple) that is on the run from the mob. Justin Timberlake plays Mickey, the handsome lifeguard destined to be involved in love triangle. Allen masterfully recreates the yesteryear look of this famed amusement park & boardwalk in this film with a subtle sense of humor that feels like a play with soliloquies & special key lighting effects. Winslet, Belushi, & Temple give outstanding performances with Timberlake doubling as a part-time narrator. However, if you seek resolution in your movie diversions, you may be disappointed. 

Alien gives it 3 "Ruby's Clam House" stars out of 4.

.

Roman J. Israel, Esq. (Denzel Washington) is a old school crusader for the poor fighting the good fight, civil rights activist attorney, & legal savant who works behind the scenes doing the grunt work & not the face of the courtroom defender. When his front man partner suffers a major heart attack, he is forced to seek new employment & fit in with his idealistic views. Washington is perfectly cast as this peculiar man who is overweight with a big afro & wears a cheap suit & headphones. Colin Farrell & Carmen Ejogo costar in this legal drama about principles, criminal acts, making amends, & being an inspiration. Denzel fans may want to see him stretch his acting chops in a role that has him packing an extra 40 lbs.

Alien gives if 3 "bacon maple donuts" stars out of 4.

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

August "Auggie" Pullman (Jacob Tremblay) has been home schooled his entire life but is about to enter the 5th grade in a private school system. Auggie has been sheltered by his loving family because of his facial deformity. Among this outstanding cast, Julia Roberts plays the mom, Owen Wilson is the dad, Izabela Vidovic plays the older sister, & Mandy Patinkin is the school principal. This is an emotionally moving story so bring your tissues. This film will surprise you as the impact of young Auggie is far more reaching than you would imagine. It's about making friends, bullying, & how school can be difficult for tweens & teens. This is a fantastic family film emphasizing inner beauty & the power of kindness.

Alien gives it 4 "Treacher Collins Syndrome" stars out of 4.

Miguel Ramirez is a young boy who dreams of becoming a musician like his idol Ernesto Del la Cruz. However, music has been banned in this family of shoemakers for generations. His quest to live his dream takes him on a colorful journey to the Land of the Dead in this animated tribute to Mexican culture & the celebration of the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This is a wonderful family film with a terrific storyline that will also expand your knowledge of another culture. It's another charming & delightful film from Disney/Pixar.

Alien gives it 4 "Remember Me & Seize the Moment" stars out of 4.

This misleading title is actually the title for a Charles Dickens inspired biopic. Based on factual events, this is a fictionalized account of Dickens' creative struggle to write & publish his famous novel "A Christmas Carol". Although not absolutely necessary, familiarity the novel will help to appreciate the Scrooge related references. To quote the beginning of another Dickens novel, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times for poor Charles as he struggled financially after much writing success. The visual aid gimmick utilized here is having the imaginary Christmas Carol characters pop into Dickens' real life to interact & converse with him. Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, & Jonathan Pryce star in this story about how Dickens repopularized Christmas traditions in England. 

Alien gives it 2½ "A Ghost Story of Christmas" stars out of 4.

Here is DC Comics next step to fast-tracked catch-up to the mammoth Marvel movie machine. "Justice League" or "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" Part II picks up with the fallout from Superman's death (Were any fans really fooled by this obvious cinematic ploy?) signaling the return of the once banished alien warrior  Steppenwolf & his army of Parademons. Once Batman & the Amazons realize eminent danger is upon them, the film shifts to "The Magnificent Seven" recruitment mode. Here we get mini intros to the Flash/Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), Aquaman/Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), & Cyborg/Victor Stone (Ray Fisher). But desperate times calls for desperate measures, so the group reluctantly go for a Hail Mary do-or-die long-shot. By now, we should all be very familiar with Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck), & Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot). Flash is the Spider-Man of the Justice League. Haven't made up my mind about Aquaman. Cyborg is the most intriguing with his continuingly developing powers & high tech interface capabilities. Spectacular special effect as expected. Two clips are at the end of the film.. The first one is the superhero challenge to see who can beat the other. The second shows a famous DC villain recruiting a team of his own. 

Alien gives it 3 "Mother Boxes" stars out of 4.

An unsolved murder case prompts a mother (Frances McDormand) to place a controversial message on 3 billboards questioning the work of the local police department. This drama/dark comedy by writer/director Martin McDonagh ("In Bruges" & "Seven Psychopaths") is a fascinating film about a mother's pain & suffering over the death of her daughter & the inability to find some closure. McDormand is perfectly cast as the tough determined woman who doesn't take sh*t from anyone. You will feel her anger, pain & frustration. Woody Harrelson & Sam Rockwell are members of the accused police force. It's a clever script that will draw you in with its interesting characters & mess with your head with some turns of events. Police brutality, racism, domestic violence, rape, murder, arson, suicide, aiding & abetting, child abuse, and assault & battery are issues involved but are countered with a sly & ironic sense of humor to break the tension. This quirky film may not be for everyone due its language & violence. However, it's an entertainingly unpredictable script as you don't know where this emotional roller coaster is taking you.

Alien gives it 3 "there's always 2 sides to a story" stars out of 4.

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

Set in 1934, Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) must solve a mysterious murder case which has occurred in the middle of a 3-day train trip from Istanbul to Calais. Among the talented cast of possible suspects & the murder victim is Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Josh Gad, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, & Daisy Ridley. Almost deserving equal billing is the tremendous mustache adorning the face of director/star Branagh.  He has opted for some unusual camera angles due to the confining close quarters on this opulent 4-car express train. Follow the investigation as Poirot slowly pieces together all of the clues that tell the full tragic story of death & its far reaching hands. See if justice will be served. The ending has the hint to the next Agatha Christie mystery that this famed detective may venture off to solve.

Alien gives it 3 "making the connections" stars out of 4.

In 2003, 3 Vietnam veterans Larry, Sal, & Richard (Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, & Lawrence Fishburne) reunite & take a bittersweet road trip in support for Larry who is retrieving his Marine son's body killed in Iraq. Along the way, these very different personalities reminisce about their good times & their not so good times some 30 years ago. Directed by Richard Linklater, this realistic dramedy is an exploration of the human condition as effected by war & even contrasts yesterday's soldiers with today's. If you aren't partial to dialogue driven films, you may nod off during this long journey across the east coast. Cranston, Carell, & Fishburne are all terrific on this emotional roller coaster ride dealing with truths & lies.

Alien gives it 3 "Semper Fi, do or die" stars out of 4.

Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) is an opinionated strong-willed rebellious teenager growing up Catholic in a blue collar neighborhood of Sacramento circa 2002. She has a turbulent love/hate relationship with her mom (Laurie Metcalf). Ronan & Metcalf are both outstanding in this funny, bittersweet story of a young girl struggling to make all of those growing up life decisions revolving around high school, college, friendships, love, & family. Actress Greta Gerwig turns writer/director for this wonderful teenage angst story with a subtext love story tribute to her hometown of Sacramento. Unfortunately, unless you have actually lived in Sacramento, you won't be able to fully appreciate all of the local references. Well then, just enjoy the many local iconic images of California's capital. But as a long time resident, I could not help but scrutinize every scene for something recognizable of my fair city. Also, one can not help but wonder if or how much of this charming coming-of-age story is autobiographical because it feels emotionally true, human, & relatable.

Alien gives it 3 "being the best version of yourself" stars out of 4.

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

Just in time for the holidays, those bad moms, Amy (Mila Kunis), Kiki (Kristen Bell), & Carla (Kathryn Hahn) are back to not only feel the stress of preparing for Christmas but also dealing with their visiting moms. Susan Sarandon, Cheryl Hines, & Christine Baranski are perfectly cast as the exasperating moms. If you loved the original, you'll love this sequel where battle between moms shifts to feature mother/daughter love/hate tensions.  Once again, bad behavior can be hysterically good if you are not easily offended by foul language, raunchy sexual content, & inappropriate actions due to overindulging in alcoholic beverages. It's outrageous behavior but hilarious fun & a guilty pleasure to ease any anxieties about the upcoming holiday season.

Alien gives it 3 "tis the season of family distress" stars out of 4.