Alien at the Movies

Top Gun: Maverick

After 36 years, Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is back in the pilot seat & doing what his call sign insinuates. Cruise is another Ethan Hunt on a stealthy aerial “Mission Impossible” attack on a “Death Star” target training a new young group of “Top Gun” graduates weeding out the best of the best. It’s a nostalgic look back at the 1986 original. Although it’s not absolutely necessary to see the original before screening this wild thrill ride, familiarity with the first will kick in your emotional afterburners taking you to new highs. There are lines, sounds, & images that will engage your fond unforgettable memories. It’s an adrenaline rush as you feel the g-forces pressing against your body & excitement of the dog fights & evasive maneuvers. A marvelous crew has been perfectly cast for there roles. The aerial scenes are spectacular & you’ll feel like you are right there in the cockpit as you hang on tight gripping your theater armrests. It’s somewhat predictable because it’s a feel good Tom Cruise action film but there are a few unexpected turns. This is an emotional rollercoaster with tributes to certain key characters. It’s a sequel that you’ll not want to miss because everyone will be talking about it.

Alien gives it 4 “in the danger zone” stars out of 4.

Emergency 

Three college roommates, Sean, Kunle, & Carlos, find an unconscious stranger in their house. An immediate reaction to just call 911 is rejected because of their fear that “police will shoot first & ask questions later” given that they are black & Latino & this young girl is white. They debate how to help this poor girl & finally decide to drop her off at a hospital. What ensues is a comedy of errors & mishaps as their plans for a night of wild frat parties get detoured into a paranoid trip to the emergency room while being tracked by concerned individuals. This is a comedy/drama with a satirical message. Save the girl, save the project, & save the friendship. 

Alien gives it 2½ “Goldilocks & the 3 Bears” stars out of 4.

 Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers

Chip & Dale live amongst cartoons & humans in modern day Los Angeles. See how they first met, struggled getting acting jobs, got success with their Rescue Rangers series, broke up their act, & went their separate ways. When an old cast mate mysteriously disappears, they must mend their friendship & rescue their old friend. This animated live action film has something for the young & the old. Kids will enjoy the usual cartoony antics of their favorite toons. For adults, they will have a nostalgic look of some of their many past cartoon characters & animation styles.

Alien gives it 2½ “Dale 2.0” stars out of 4.

Senior Year

It’s 17, going on 37 meets skip to the future but it’s not a fantasy story about magical wishes or time machine DeLorean. When a high school cheer routine goes totally wrong, it sends poor Stephanie (Rebel Wilson) into a coma for 20 years. After she wakes, she decides to return to high school & complete her senior year where she was the cheerleader captain & the popular girl competing for prom queen. This is a fish out of water story where all of her classmates are now grownups & she is stuck 20 years behind competing against a “woke” generation. It’s a comedy of errors as Wilson does what she is good at. It’s a predictable storyline & seems to be an excuse to stage several music video style scenes.

Alien gives it 2  “Go Wildcats” stars out of 4.

Bleeding Audio

This documentary is about the punk rock band Matches. From their humble beginnings as an Oakland garage band called “The Locals” struggling to get gigs, going on tour, finding some success but never quite making it big, to their breakup & then their reunion shows. This is a fascinating behind the scenes look at one group’s struggle & popularity in the music industry. Perfoming in a band may not be exactly as glamorous & lucrative as you might expect.

Alien gives it 2½ “L3: Live, Loud, & Local” stars out of 4.

The Deep House

A couple of New York YouTubers, Ben & Tina, go to southwestern France in search abandoned ruins to explore & film for the internet. After a tip goes bust, a local directs them to a  house at the bottom of a very secluded portion of a lake. This is an underwater haunted house story by Blumhouse, so what could go wrong? It’s the typical trapped in a scary place stuff as the couple start hearing things, seeing things, & having their equipment malfunction intermittently. Ben is the confident one, always too curious & never heeding the warning signs. Tina is the timid one, easy to panic. I️ wondered how this young couple could afford all of their fancy diving, drone, & recording gear that they happen to have. More than 2/3 of this 85 minute film is shot actually underwater. As time & air supply start to run out, will Ben & Tina be able to escape the evil clutches of the submerged abandoned house with a haunted history? I️ did find it interesting how the filmmakers tried to recreate this horror genre all while filming underwater. At the end of credits, is one more scene with a glimpse of what’s possibly next.

Alien gives it 2½ “Lac du Freess” stars out of 4.

The Righteous 

A former priest & his wife are struggling with the grief of their adopted daughter’s death when a stranger with a leg injury appears on their property. This newcomer is surprisingly invited to stay overnight by the husband although there is some suspicion. Secrets begin to unfold in this black & white psychological thriller. Stricken with grief, a man’s guilt from his past surfaces to haunt him. This artistically creative film is well made but not likely to suit everyone’s taste for entertainment.

Alien gives it 2 “confession” stars out of 4. 

Breaking News in Yuba County

A timid ignored housewife Sue (Alison Janney) looking for attention & trying to be more assertive is inspired by a tv reality show about a missing 13-year-old girl in this crime comedy. Sue claims her husband Karl has gone missing, may have a lead to the missing child, & may possibly been kidnapped. Sue’s lie starts to get the attention she so much desires but her lies just get her deeper in trouble. This wild wacky tale involves money laundering, an affair, a jewelry heist, extortion, kidnapping, & a ransom in a comedy of errors that triggers a trail on dead bodies. The ensemble cast also includes Mila Kunis, Awkwafina, Regina Hsll, Wanda Sykes, & Juliette Lewis. There is a mid credit clip.

Alien gives it 2½  “3 million dollars” stars out of 4.

Most Dangerous Game

When a former athlete/bankrupt real estate developer, Dodge (Liam Hemsworth), is diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor case, he is compelled to participate in a deadly game with him as the prey in order to provide for his pregnant wife & unborn child. Miles (Christoph Waltz) is the hunt organizer who explains the strict rules of the hunt where the payout increases hourly & could run into the millions depending on how long Dodge can survive. From the beginning, audiences can see how ill prepared Dodge is against these 5 professional hunter assassins. It’s an absurd storyline that feels so contrived. But it’s best to suspend beliefs of reality & just enjoy the suspense. Dodge takes a beating but keeps on ticking in this exreme game where you can trust no one.. Which wise guy writer decided the lead’s first name should be Dodge & that’s not a nickname. This movie was originally a 15 episode streaming show edited into a little over 2 hours. At the end Miles is already lining up his next hunt.

Alien gives it 2½ “presidential killers” stars out of 4.

The Northman 

When the King is killed by his brother, the young Prince becomes the next target so he must flee for his life. The boy joins a band of Vikings only to return years later to rescue his mother, kill his uncle, & get vengeance for his father. It kind of sounds like the “Lion King” to me. Alexander Skarsgård plays the grownup son, Nicole Kidman is the mother, & Ethan Hawke is the father. Anya Taylor-Joy & Willem Dafoe are in the supporting cast. This action adventure thriller is brutally bloody violent set in rather dark & primitive times of sorceresses, pillaging, & slavery. The story plods along slowly with spurts of bloodshed in a gloomy dim backdrop. Guided by his fate, Prince Amleth follows his heart to meet for that final showdown at the Gates of Hel.

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

Uncharted

Based on a video game, Uncharted is a “National Treasure” type hunt for pirates’ treasure searching for maps, keys, & clues to find lost gold. Bartender/pickpocket Nate (Tom Holland) teams up with seasoned fortune hunter Sully (Mark Wahlberg) to find this rumored lost fortune as well as reunite with Nate’s brother/Sully’s partner Sam. Holland’s dance/gymnastics/Spidey skills come in handy for the many athletic movement requirements. Wahlberg brings his fast wisecracking skills to the table. The duo becomes a trio when Chloe joins their forces against Santiago (Antonio Banderas) & his mercenaries led by Braddock. It’s 2 hours of crazy action-packed thrill scenes & puzzle solving skills where you cannot trust anyone. Some spectacular aerial fight scenes occur featuring a cargo plane & helicoptering a couple of old pirate ships. At the end, look for another postcard clue as well as a mid-credit clip suggesting another hunt reuniting this dynamic duo. 

Alien gives it 3 “Magellan’s 18” stars out of 4.

The Valet 

When the paparazzi snaps a picture of movie starlet Olivia Allan (Samara Weaving) with her married billionaire lover, it becomes a PR nightmare just before the release of her new movie. For damage control, the lover hires the other man caught in the same photo, a parking valet named Antonio (Eugenio Derbez) to pose as her new boyfriend cover. Predictable romantic comedy antics ensues. Although you may anticipate the general direction that the plot is flowing towards, you may be surprised by how funny some of the jokes are & that they aren’t even spoken in English. Derbez & Weaving play their fish-out-of-water roles perfectly but a great supporting cast takes funny to another level, especially from the parts of Antonio’s mom & the landlord Mr. Kim. They were hilarious.This one is about love, greed, status, image, jealousy, kindness, honesty, ethnicity, gentrification, & doing the right thing. This is a remake of a 2006 French film with the same title.

Alien gives it 3 “Earhart” stars out of 4.

 The Addams Family 2

Everyone’s favorite New Yorker Magazine’s crazy & kookie family is back for more bizarrely morbid adventures. This time the storyline centers around little Wednesday Addams. She has become a rebellious teenager, not quite fitting into the family dynamics. Gomez feels like a cross-country vacation road trip will bring father & daughter closer together. Then, there is the possibility that their little girl was switched at birth. An evil scientist tries to lure Wednesday into his clutches after witnessing her brilliant science fair project. If your sense of humor is kind of dark & twisted, you’ll enjoy this animated adventure taking us across America. This one is all about family, no matter how odd or peculiar it may seem to be. Snap your fingers if you know the haunting family theme song.

Alien gives it 3 ”macabre transformations” stars out of 4.

Blow the Man Down

After their mom’s recent funeral, sisters Mary Beth & Priscilla find themselves in a predicament where they have to dispose of a dead body. To cover their tracks, they start fabricating some lies when questioned by the authorities. Riddled with guilt & constantly always looking over their shoulders, they contemplate confessing to their crime. They also learn this tiny town of Easter Cove, Maine, has more dirty little secrets. With that famous sea shanty echoing in the background, this black comedy/thriller may only appeal to some quirky tastes.

Alien gives is 2 “10-17-51” stars out of 4.

Candyman

This is the continuing story of the 1992 film with the same title. Helen Lyle & a baby from that film are referenced as well as the fictitious urban legend of the man with a hook replacing his hand who appears from a mirror when you call out Candyman 5 times. This myth inspires an artist to create projects based on this theme. Of course, his works get noticed & some people who scoff at such a ridiculous idea will utter those words, only to suffer their fatally bloody demise. Such is the normal in this teenage slasher genre. Amongst the blood & gore are issues of racism, segregation, being Black in the projects.

Alien gives it 2 “Cabrini-Green” stars out of 4.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) & others to stop Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) in his quest for power & craving a war with the muggles. It’s a magical tale involving a blood troth, a bastard, twins, a shell game with attaché cases, a political ascension, hate, bigotry, & a wedding. This is the third chapter of the trilogy with many returning characters including no-maj baker Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler). The fantastic beast at the heart of the story is the Qilin whose precognition abilities are key to this dark adventure.

Alien gives it 2½ “breaking the bond” stars out of 4.

Old

This horror thriller is another one of M. Night Shyamalan’s twisted nightmare stories. A family on a tropical vacation are recommended a special secluded beach by their resort hotel. A few other hotel guests were invited too. However, this dream paradise setting quickly turns deadly as everyone seemingly appears to be rapidly aging. All race against time to figure out what’s happening as various medical anomalies occur. Expect twists, turns, & surprises for these visitors trapped on this isolated cove. Will all of these beach lovers die or will someone solve their dire dilemma? Is there some unknown explanation behind this baffling situation? Shyamalan has a cameo as the resort shuttle driver & he invites you to analyze & decode this confounding mystery he has contrived. This one is creepy fun.

Alien gives it 3 “medical madness” stars out of 4.

The Bird Catcher

In 1942, a 15-year-old Jewish Norwegian girl, Esther, & her parents were trying to escape Nazi occupation of their country when their vehicle is stopped & the passengers are executed. Esther manages to escape, but hide out in disguise at a farmhouse sympathetic to the German soldiers. It’s a complicated story of prejudice, abuse, collaboration, kindness, adultery, jealousy, & forgiveness. See what Esther must endure while hiding in plain sight living amongst the enemy while plotting her escape to Nazi-free Sweden. Will she be caught, exposed, & executed?

Alien gives it 3 “fatten the pig named Bogey” stars out of 4.

Dear Evan Hansen

When a therapy lesson ends up in the wrong hands, an innocent lie escalates out of control. Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) is an anxious socially awkward high schooler being raised by an overworked single mom (Julianne Moore). When his stolen letter to himself is found on another loner/troubled classmate/recent suicide victim Connor Murphy, he must face Connor’s grieving family (Amy Adams, Kaitlyn Devers, & Danny Pino) & he tries to comfort them as he struggles with his disorder. Evan is an invisible nobody but this tragic event thrusts him into the limelight & he starts to feel connected. This is a emotional film highlighting feelings of loneliness, loss, & grieving. It’s a wake up call to look around you for someone suffering silently in pain & needing some help. This is a film adaptation of a Broadway play & book. It’s one of those musicals where the songs sound more like dialogue sung acapella. The performances are terrific & the story is moving but sad.

Alien gives it 3 “signed cast” stars out of 4.

The Wolf of Snow Hollow

A stressed-out, alcoholic deputy with anger management problems in Utah tries to solve a series of horrible murders. Rumors going around town suspect it maybe the work of a werewolf. This horror/comedy/thriller written, directed, & starring Jim Cummings is pretty lame. It doesn’t seem funny enough to be a comedy & doesn’t seem scary enough to be a horror flick. This low budget film is hard to categorize as it plays out. It seems like a horror film but maybe it’s just a cheap drama/thriller.

Alien gives it 1½ “Wolfman of Summit County” stars out of 4.

Zoe

In the near future where the development of androids has been advancing, there is a Romeo/Juliet type star-crossed love story within a Frankenstein-esque creation theme. Cole (Ewan McGregor) & Zoe (Léa Seydoux) are coworkers at an AI research  company studying & trying to perfect human partners. Zoe has a crush on Cole but he resists her advances. Cole is divorced but still co-parenting with his ex (Rashida Jones). Zoe is introduced to Ash (Theo James), Cole’s latest synthetic project. Cole eventual starts to fall for Zoe but something changes after a automobile accident involving Zoe. This film examines the complexities of human emotions like love & loneliness through the experiences of both humans & synthetics. Also, a pharmaceutical drug has been developed which can generate the feeling of first love between 2 people. The film questions whether these replicants & humans can be compatible with each other.

Alien gives it 2 “Benysol” stars out of 4.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Witches, Demons,  & Zombies… oh my! I’m not a Monster.

It all starts with a strange Doctor Strange & a teenager of unknown powers fighting a gigantic demon in some inter-dimensional space, but was it just a bad dream? Well, it’s shades of “Star Wars”, “Wanda Vision”, “What if”, & some other Marvel fan favorites as America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), the Book of Vishanti, & the Book of Darkhold become the keys to the battle between good & evil being fought across the multiverse. Marvel Studios does not disappoint with its spectacular special effects, surprise twists, turns, & cameos and all with a sense of humor that can laugh at itself. The multiverse is a mind-bending experience where you can see not only a different set of Olson twins, but you get more than a pair of Cumberbatches too. These 2 leads are great at waving their hands & having Marvel create the magic. It was terrific to see Christine Palmer (Rachel McAdams) again & again. The film poses the question “Are you happy?” The driving force behind this plot is the strong bond between a mother & her kids. What would she do to be with them & to protect them? The movie blurs the line separating right & wrong as it questions hypocrisy & is there another way. Once our heroes open these portals through to the multiverse, what are the consequences? It’s also a coming of age story where one must develop their confidence & believe in themself. Keep an eye out at the end for a reveal. The mid-credit clip hints to a Doc Strange part 3 adventure with a new player. Then, the post credit clip signals it’s over. Not watching any trailers nor following any rumors but knowing just enough Marvel information outside of the big Marvel movies made this film lots of fun & surprising for me. Can’t wait for what Marvel projects will develop based on the clues dropped here.

Alien gives it 4 “Dream Walker” stars out of 4.