Alien at the Movies

To the Stars

In 1960’s Oklahoma, a timid mousy girl, Iris, who is bullied by her classmates & belittled by her mother, develops a psychological problem. When a new girl, Maggie, with her own troubled past, arrives in town, these two girls bond & become BFFs. This is a bittersweet story about 2 teenage girls as they are effected by small town gossip & mentality back in the day.  

Alien gives it 2½ “private swimming pond” stars out of 4.

The Invitation 

Curious of her heritage after the deaths of her father & mother, American waitress Evie submits a DNA test which surprisingly connects her to some aristocratic cousins in England & an invitation to a wedding where the relatives are anxious to meet her. She is in awe of the fancy estate & the lord of the manor. Reminiscent of 2019’s “Ready or Not”, soon things get dark as she begins seeing & hearing things as there is a secret hidden from her. Expect some jump scares & some human sacrifices along the way. If you managed to avoid the trailers, follow the clues for this predictable but entertaining horror thriller.

Alien gives it 3 “the 2 bridesmaids” stars out of 4.

Samaritan

In Granite City 25 years ago, two superhuman twins, Samaritan & Nemesis, representing good & evil, supposedly fought to a fiery death. Jumping to the present, an innocent 13-year-old boy Sam idolizes the Samaritan character & a slimy criminal Cyrus wants to emulate the evil Nemesis. Sam & his single mom live in a poor part of town struggling to make ends meet. When Cyrus finds Nemesis’s weapon, a specially forced hammer, he takes it as a sign to lead a revolution of the city’s oppressed poor in a disruptive take over. Joe Smith (Sylvester Stallone) is a quiet solitary figure, a neighbor to Sam, & a garage man who collects broken junk to repair them. One day, Joe reveals some superhero skills when he rescues Sam from being bullied by a local gang of thieves. Sam suspects he has uncovered the real Samaritan. But why is Joe in hiding & not using is special powers to help people? Of course, everything leads to the big climax. This is an entertaining action thriller about a aging older man with a secret past who meets a poor boy looking for a father figure.

Alien gives it 3 “broken watch” stars out of 4.

Me Time

Sonny (Kevin Hart) is stay-at-home dad that prides himself for giving his all for his 2 kids. When he gets razzed for his obsessive behavior, he sends his wife Maya (Regina Hall) & kids off so he can have his “Me Time”. Now the hilarity starts. When he reconnects with his old buddy Huck (Mark Wahlberg) for a wild weekend, everything seems to go wrong. If you are familiar with Hart, Wahlberg, & Hall, you’ll pretty much know what to expect from this slapstick comedy. Hart is the main show with his typical comic antics. Wahlberg is the fast-talking shady guy that you can’t really trust. Hall is the lovely breadwinner wife. Jealousy & bad behavior is the driving force of the humor as individuals try to be something they are not.

Alien gives it 2½ “tortoise accident” stars out of 4.

 Three Thousand Years of Longing

Dr Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton) is a academic scholar on storytelling, legends, & myths. While attending a conference in Istanbul, she buy a souvenir ancient glass bottle. Upon trying to clean it up, she accidentally releases a Djinn (Idris Elba)) who has been imprisoned inside for thousands of years. She is offered 3 conditional wishes but she knows all of the cautionary tales of wishes that could go wrong. It is a beautiful visual stimulating film as this genie recounts his fantastical stories. Alithea also explains why she did not need any wishes. Eventually, she makes a wish that surprises both of them. If you are looking for something different, check this one out.

Alien gives it 2½ “epic fairytale romance” stars out of 4.

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

Super-humans, Extraterrestrials, & Androids… oh my!

An ex-con genius is recruited by the Red Ribbon Army to develop super androids to battle their nemeses. An infiltration of a secret base uncovers a kidnap plot. This is a story of teamwork, evolution, & summoning your inner superpowers to overcome great obstacles in a battle between good & evil. If you are a fan of the manga/anime Dragon Ball franchise, you’ll likely get a great nostalgic kick out of this latest movie. If you are unfamiliar, you may be a little overwhelmed as so many characters with special powers & relationships are introduced. Regardless, it’s an action-packed animated show with a sense of humor that dates backs to the mid 1980’s but has evolved to this point. There is an original Japanese version with English subtitles playing but I viewed the English dubbed one. I always wonder if anything was lost in translation. There was an additional charge for what I️ was told was a special screening. Stay seated for one final clip in between the Japanese credits & the English credits.

Alien gives it 2½ “granting wishes” stars out of 4.

The Lost City

When reclusive adventure romance novelist Loretta (Sandra Bullock) gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe), her cover model Dash/Alan (Tatum Channing) from her books decides he must come to her rescue in this adventure comedy. It’s kind of “Romancing the Stone” meets Indiana Jones with role reversals as fantasy becomes reality with some funny twists. Loretta’s story about a lost city & its treasure becomes the real deal. Brad Pitt as Jack Trainer drops in to kick off the action.  It’s mindless lighthearted adventure & romcom fun making it a good date night choice. Stay for a mid credit clip in a yoga class.

Alien gives it 3 “sweeter after difficulty” stars out of 4.

Look Both Ways

It was the best of times. It was the worse of times. This is the tale of two realities. Soon to be a college graduate, Natalie has her 5-year plan set but a night of passion with her good friend Gabe diverges into two parallel possibilities: one where she isn’t pregnant & move to LA with her BFF Cara and the other where she is pregnant & remains in Texas as a single mom living at her parent's home co-parenting with Gabe. Audiences get 2 romcoms for the price on one as each path compares & contrasts Natalie’s crucial decision making moments. Life will always have its ups & downs but one must persevere & not give up on their goals to succeed.

Alien gives it 3 “You’re Ok” stars out of 4.

The Wretched 

With his parents contemplating divorce, a teenage boy’s summer visit with his father turns into a nightmare. A roadkill deer carries an evil entity into the neighborhood. Ben starts hearing & seeing things. His suspicions leads him to a “Rear Window” situation. He google searches some clues & prepares some defenses as people disappear or begin to behave oddly. It’s a creepy horror film where you can’t trust anyone & no one believes this Chicken Little’s warnings.There is a surprise twist & a final scene hinting that this terror may not be really over.

Alien gives it 2½ “Dakota Starcrusher” stars out of 4.

Day Shift

A blue collar working dad tries to earn enough so he doesn’t lose his family & he’s coerced into an odd couple/buddy cop team for fighting the blood suckers lurking about. It’s faux pool cleaner Bud (Jaimie Foxx) the vampire slayer trying to afford tuition & braces for his daughter. When his ex-wife (Meagan Good) threatens to move to Florida with his daughter, he is forced to join the vampire hunters union so he can earn some big bucks in short order. He is only assigned to the day shift & partnered with office accountant Seth (Dave Franco). But soon the hunters become the hunted in this an eye for an eye & a tooth for a tooth revenge plot.

Alien gives it 2½ “Elder teeth”” stars out of 4.

Prey

Long before Dutch & company encountered & fought this technologically advanced alien creature in Central America (1987’s “Predator” movie), this species had arrived on 1719’s Comanche Nation’s Great Northern Plains for a prior hunting exploration trip. This is a coming of age story for Naru, a young Comanche woman & healer who dreams of becoming a hunter like her big brother Taabe. It’s primitive weaponry (spears, hatchets, bows & arrows, and flintlocks) versus superior technology like a laser targeting device & an invisibility cloak by a huge super strength creature who hunts for sport. This is a thrilling underdog story that captures the Comanche spirit & their lifestyle. It’s the best Predator sequel since the original even though it is actually a prequel. This movie also works as a standalone film in case you are unfamiliar with the franchise. If you pay attention to the native drawings embedded in the credits, you may anticipate another follow up film. 

Alien gives it 3½ “Smarter than a beaver” stars out of 4.

Beast

Nate (Idris Elba), a recently widowed husband, returns to South Africa, where he first met his wife, on a long-planned trip with his 2 daughters to visit Martin (Sharlto Copley), an old family friend. A fascinating tour of this beautiful country & its wildlife turns deadly when a ferocious, man-eating rogue lion begins attacking them & anyone else in its path. It is a terrifying horrific experience with this huge beast stalking & lunging at its prey. Fortunately Nate is a doctor who must perform on the spot emergency first aid. This is a travelogue slasher film with that relentless unstoppable attacker, if you like that genre. It’s storyline is pure & simple. More of a guilty pleasure film. Whether man or beast, one must do whatever necessary to protect its own.

Alien gives it 2½  “law of the jungle” stars out of 4.

Bullet Train

It’s “Pulp Fiction” meets “Kill Bill” meets “Murder on the Orient Express” meets “Train to Busan” with a snake on a train in this hilarious over-the-top action comedy. Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug (his mission code name), a last minute replacement for the hired man who suddenly took ill. The mission is simple: retrieve a briefcase & get off at the next stop. Of course everything goes wrong for the man who believes he is plagued by bad luck. This is a complicated tale of revenge & fate. It seems this Tokyo-to-Kyoto bullet train is loaded with other assassins like the twins, the lone wolf, the school girl, & the hornet. Amongst the cast of killers are Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Joey King, Zazie Beetz, Michael Shannon, & some surprise cameos. Gratuitous murder & mayhem occur on & off the train as the mystery of the plot is slowly revealed & the audience can finally connect the blood stained dots. So it’s all aboard for a riotous ride full of thrill kills & lots of laughs. See if you can guess who will be still be standing when the train finally comes to a complete stop. Stay seated until mid-credits because it ain’t over until it’s really over. 

Alien gives it 3½ “Thomas the Tank Engine” stars out of 4.

Licorice Pizza

It’s summer/fall of 1973 in the San Fernando Valley when 15-year-old student/actor/entrepreneur Gary (Cooper Hoffman) first meets & flirts with 25-year-old photographer assistant Alana (Alana Haim). Thus begins their platonic friendship & some wild business adventures together. He keeps contriving new business schemes & she continues to wander aimlessly not sure about her goals. Jealousy develops between the two as they head towards romance. Sean Penn, Tom Waits, & Bradley Cooper have small supporting roles in this romance drama filled with Easter eggs related to the times & the locale. It’s an enjoyable period piece watch but I’m still a little creeped out by this 25-year-old hanging around these kids 10 years her junior.

Alien gives it 3 “Fat Bernie’s” stars out of 4.

 Easter Sunday

A struggling standup comedian trying to make it big in LA returns home to Daly City to celebrate Easter Sunday with his dysfunctional family. Funny man Jo Koy plays Joe Valencia in what may seem somewhat autobiographical. It’s a hilarious holiday romp as Joe must deal with his crazy friends & family through their bickering, wild schemes, & relationships. Koy brings his brand of American-Filipino humor to the big screen but there are universally common threads relatable to everyone. Look for appearances by Tiffany Haddish & Lou Diamond Philips. This one about the family that drives you crazy but you love them dearly.

Alien gives it 3 “guilt trip” stars out of 4.