Alien at the Movies

Sublet

A gay middle-aged travel writer for the New York Times journeys to Tel Aviv on a 5 day work assignment. He sublets an apartment from a film student who needs the money. Through unforeseen circumstances, these two strangers form a relationship & bond as they get to know each other while exploring & experiencing the locale. This is a well made & acted film takes you to the local beach, shops, & nightclub as it touches of subjects like the arts, drugs, sex, & family.

Alien gives it 2 “stolen bike” stars out of 4.

Reminiscence 

It’s “Somewhere in Time” meets “Altered States” in this neo-noir detective story set in a soggy dystopian Miami future of the haves & the have nots. Hugh Jackman & Thandiwe Newton play private investigators of the mind paid to help clients recall or relive past moments. Rebecca Ferguson plays a mysterious new client in this complicated story of love, drugs, greed, corruption, addiction, & obsession. The ghosts of people’s past are explored in holographic visuals. This sci-fi/dark mystery/action thriller/bittersweet love story may be a bit too much & complicated for some if you aren’t in the mood to focus on the clues laid down along the way. Jackman, Newton, & Ferguson have great chemistry together & play their roles well. In the end, it’s all about the choices that people make, whether you can move on into the future or you are stuck in the past.

Alien gives it 3 “memories are like perfume” stars out of 4. 

Habit

When 3 party girls lose their drug pusher’s supply & cash, they decide to hide out as nuns to avoid the wrath of the violent drug lord. This premise sounded like it might be a new spin on “Sister Act”. Unfortunately, it’s not. If it is supposed to be a comedy, but it’s not funny at all. The film feels like it’s trying to be like an edgy Tarantino film, but it’s not by a long shot. It’s just terrible. Bad acting. Seemingly, no written script & the people are just making it up as they go.  Cheesy violence. Littered with F-bombs. Sexualizing women. Drug use. Desperately poking fun at faith, Jesus, & Christianity. The runtime is only 81 minutes but it feels like a lot longer. It is so bad that I️ was wondering if it was deliberately trying to bad in a dark comedy sense. Whatever this film is doing it’s not working. Bella Throne plays the lead. What were you thinking, Bella?

Alien gives it ½ “drops  this bad Habit” star out of 4.

Sweet Girl

When a big pharmaceutical company pulls a last-chance-hope drug from distribution, Ray Cooper (Jason Momoa) vows to find who is responsible & get justice for his dying wife. Ray & his daughter Rachel (Isabela Merced) become endangered when a meeting with an informant turns deadly. Now, the bloody journey to find the truth begins. This is a good action thriller with some knock-down drag-out fight sequences, hired killers & the FBI giving chase, & some surprises. While the filmmakers may not be playing completely fair & I didn’t entirely believe this by-the-book vigilante-seeking-revenge plot, I still had a good time. I️ couldn't resist a second viewing to clear up some details.

Alien gives it 2½ “Paloma” stars out of 4. 

Apparition

Disbelieving young adults who dare to test a new supernatural app that connects the living to the dead find themselves trapped in an old abandoned youth reformatory. This is a classic ghost story with the typical jump scares & a few plot holes. Being a low budget project, set your bar low & you may have a good enough time. Expect lots of dark scenes & very little, if any, special effects. I’m not really much of a horror fan anyway so I️ was entertained enough. However, I️’m a bit biased due to the local connections. Producer/writer/entertainment reporter Mark S. Allen features some local locations, the Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort & Ione’s Preston Castle. The Preston site with its already haunted background makes the perfect shoot locale for this project. The first 30 minutes sets up the creepy backstory with no sightings of any ghosts or any clue to where this storyline is going. Jump ahead 20 years & the real story starts to connect back to beginning. Kevin Pollack & Mena Suvari are big name draws with unknowns carrying the bulk of the film load. Supposedly, this film is loosely based on some true events. This is not a great film, not so scary but it held my interest.

Alien gives it 2 “sins of the fathers” stars out of 4.

Jungle Cruise

It’s Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone with a touch of Pirates of the Caribbean when Disney brings another of their amusement park ride to the big screen. If you’ve ever ridden on the Jungle Cruise ride, parts of this film may feel familiar including the bad punning jokes. A scientist (Emily Blunt) in search of a legendary tree of life hidden in the Amazon rainforest hires a shady river boat skipper (Duane Johnson) as a guide to finding this potential miracle medical cure. The journey becomes a fun & wild thrill ride with some twists & turns. Blunt & Johnson are each very charismatic & have great chemistry together as the bickering team being chased by the bad guys. This is a Disney fun family film with lots of humor, action, & CGI special effects. One can only speculate whether a sequel will pair this dynamic duo for another crazy jungle cruise adventure.

Alien gives it 3 “tears of the moon” stars out of 4. 

CODA

Seventeen-year-old shy Ruby (brilliantly played by Emilia Jones) struggles between family responsibilities & discovering her new latent passion, singing. Up before dawn to work for the family’s struggling fishing business before school starts. At school, she joins the choir club led by a demanding music teacher (Eugenio Derbez, finally in a non-comedic role). This is an eye opening film because CODA stands for child of deaf adults. Rudy is the only hearing person in her family. Deaf actors Troy Kotsur & Marlee Marlin star as Ruby’s parents. This is a funny, moving, & touching film about family & growing up as we see the emotional frustrations & complexities of living with deafness. You’ll laugh & cry at this coming-of-age story. As the story unfolds, it’s not hard to see where it’s heading, but you’ll enjoy the journey & hopefully understand more about people dealing with hearing disabilities. Plus the film has a wonderful soundtrack. This is an uplifting feel good film, kind of a teenage version of “Flashdance” that ironically revolves around a song/deafness theme. It is a definite must see.

Alien gives it 3½ “stepping up to be heard” stars out of 4.

All My Life

If you enjoy love stories, check out this budding romance between Sol (Harry Shum Jr) & Jenn (Jessica Rothe). He is handsome, sweet, charming, & a great cook. She is beautiful, adorable, fun, & supportive. They are the perfect couple. Before you know it, they move in together, get engaged, & are planning their wedding. Then medical issues derail their plans. However, that have great friends who come to their aid. This tearjerker is a beautiful true story. This one is for all of you incurable romantics out there. You’ll be rooting for them as they suffer & stress over their difficult situation. It’s a bittersweet modern day “Love Story”. Live for present & create your moments. At the end, see footage of the real Solomon Chau & Jennifer Carter.

Alien gives it 3 “27,375 days if you are lucky” stars out of 4.

John & the Hole

A 13-year-old boy John from a well-to-do family questions what’s it like to be an adult in this psychological thriller. One day in his coddled life while flying his new drone, John finds a hole in the woods near his home. It is the start of abandoned concrete bunker. This is a slow paced unsettling story where his parents & sister become trapped in the hole while the boy plays home alone. This dark film is not for everyone’s tastes & audiences will question what is wrong with this boy. Most will be unsatisfied with the ending. Plus a side story about a little girl named Lily is interjected into the main plot. Beautifully shot & well acted but disappointing.

Alien gives it 1½ “vision while drowning” stars out of 4.

The Suicide Squad

It’s “The Dirty Dozen” meets “Mission Impossible” meets “Godzilla” meets the Borg when director/writer James Gunn parodies the superhero genre with DC Comics’ black ops team of expendable supervillains. Led by Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) under the command of Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), the likes of Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), Captain Boomerang, Polka-Dot Man, Blackguard, T.D.K., Javelin, Mongal, Savant, Weasel, & Ratcatcher 2 are sent to destroy all evidence of Project Starfish. This film is ultra-violent with lots of blood & guts, over-the-top action sequences, a wicked sense of humor, & dazzling special effects. Robbie is stunning as Harley Quinn & totally nails her part. Davis gives another outstanding performance. This is a fun thrill ride, not to be taken too seriously. It has twists & turns. You are never quite sure where the plot is taking you & who will survive or perish. Once again, Gunn will sneak his sibling Sean into his film project. Stay seated for a mid-credit & end of credit reveal.

Alien gives it 3 “Task Force X” stars out of 4.