Alien at the Movies

 Radium Girls

Based on a true event, “Radium Girls” portrays the plight of young female factory workers being slowly poisoned by radioactive paint while putting luminous faces on watch dials. Abbey Quinn & Joey King star as sisters fighting for justice against an American corporation in 1925. While this movie feels more like a CW TV drama with old time-y footage spliced in, it marks an important event in American labor laws.

Alien gives it 2 “occupational disease” stars out of 4.

 18 to Party

In 1984 outside of a small town nightclub, a group of 8th graders are relegated to the end of the line after the popular older kids enter first. During their long wait, they talk, complain, & argue about their lives’ “important”  crises. This is a coming of age throwback to our youthful memories when we thought the world spun around us. Though what actually happens is very mundane, the film captures the awkwardness & pettiness of adolescence as well as the relationships with our peers.

Alien gives it 2½ “suicides, UFO sightings, & absentee parents” stars out of 4.

 Fishbowl

In the small town of Bishop, the Simon sisters don’t feel like they really fit in. After the disappearance of there mother, their god-fearing father becomes obsessed with a TV evangelist preaching the end of the world & judgement day. It’s a Christian community & the girls attend a Catholic school. They feel like outsiders. It’s a slow moving film & you’ll wonder where this plot is leading us. It is agony watching these girls being tormented. You’ll wonder how their dad became this way. This is not a pleasant film to watch. I️ was glad when it finally got to the conclusion.

Alien gives it 1½ “child abuse” stars out of 4.

 A Case of Blue

Some of the issues facing senior citizens are explored as a recently retiree, Richard, adjusts to his new lifestyle. At a nude drawing art class, he meets a young model/artist/dog-walker, Amelia, which triggers past memories & possibilities of paths not taken. Awkwardly, Richard & Amelia form an unlikely connection. Just when I️ settled in with the flow of the plot, the film throws in an unexpected surprise.

Alien gives it 2½ “gift of art” stars out of 4.

 The Haunting of the Mary Celeste

Inspired by a true 1872 event of an abandoned ship with all passengers & crew missing, this haunted house on the open sea tale explores a possible supernatural theory. Three modern day researchers hire a boat to investigate their inter-dimensional explanation to a 140 year old question. To no one’s surprise, the people on board start to disappear one by one. This film thinks dark & murky can create terror & fright. This one is more boring than scary. 

Alien gives it 1½ “blowback rift” stars out of 4.

 When The Streetlights Go On

In 1995 Colfax, Indiana, a mysterious double murder sets off a drama about high schoolers’ raging hormones & emotions as they experience love & loss with unexpected twists & turns. Featured are a scandalous teacher/student relationship, the boy who is compelled to investigate the crime, the town’s bad boy prime suspect, the murdered victim’s sister, special connections being made, & uncontrolled jealousy. What starts out as a classic noir murder mystery with a narrator’s voice over seems to drift off into a tale of a confused teenager’s romance experiences. This shift made me wonder where was this story going & had me looking for potential killers & climatic moments along the way. It wasn’t what I️ had expected but had me intrigued as I asked myself where were these characters taking me.

Alien gives it 3 “high school revisited” stars out of 4.

 Daddy’s Girl

A father/daughter team go trolling for pretty young women to torture & kill in this disturbing tale of kidnapping & murder. In this backwater town, he is a mechanic/ex-marine with sadistic tendencies & she is compliant yet uncomfortable with his horrific hobby. A local deputy suspects something is up with this odd dual. This horror story is not for the squeamish as there are victims’ shock tortures & body dismemberments. The plot is somewhat predictable but could these filmmakers be leading us to a possible sequel? Faced with excruciating pain or suicide, what choice would you make? Hunters rationalizes saving the world from their perceived evils while playing their misguided game.

Alien gives it 2½ “pickup, Polaroids, & playtime” stars out of 4.