Alien at the Movies

Infinity Pool

Novelist James Foster (Alexander Skarsgärd) & his wife Em are on vacation at luxury resort compound in a strange foreign country. He meets a seductive lady who claims to be a fan, Gabi (Mia Goth) & ends up involved in a tragic accident killing a local citizen. The authorities come to arrest him & local zero tolerance law requires his execution. Except this is a quirky sci-fi fantasy where he can pay for an exact clone to be executed in his place. From here, this nightmare grows weirder as James & his new “friends” explore alcohol & drugs and get high on getting away with murder. This movie is unsettling & disturbing with mean spirited overtones. Look for blood & gore as well as gratuitous nudity scenes for cheap shock value. This is an unpleasant watch as the victim tries to figure out who he really is. It’s a sadistic look at some miscreants & their plaything who must have mommy issues. There is a unexpected scene near the end that can’t be unseen & sure to be talked about.

Alien gives it 2 “no consequences” stars out of 4.

The Last Bus

Elderly Tom (Timothy Spall) plans out a detailed bus schedule from John o’Groats, Scotland, to Lands End in Cornwall, England. He has made a promise to his wife Mary & he must honor it but time is short. It is a long slow journey with mishaps, some nice people, & some rude people. Slowly, the secrets to his mission is revealed. This is a sweet & sad story but uplifting as Tom’s world unexpectedly expands beyond his comprehension.

Alien gives it 2½  “social media” stars out of 4.

All Quiet on the Western Front

It’s the third year of WWI when Paul Bäumer & his classmates eagerly enlist to fight for the fatherland after a rousing patriotic speech. With dreams of returning home as war heroes, they are quickly sent to the front lines where the realities of war smacks them in the face. It’s down & dirty trench warfare: poison gas & gas masks, mud & blood, machine guns & bayonets, tanks & flame throwers. This is a powerful film about the senselessness & tragedies of war and its effects on the individuals caught of in the middle. There is also a sad side story told about the negotiated armistice. This is a great film but hard to watch. At nearly 3 & a half hours, it’s exhausting but that’s how these German soldiers felt, drained & numb.

Alien gives it 3 “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” stars out of 4.

Shotgun Wedding

Tom (Josh Duhamel) is a groomzilla trying to plan the perfect destination wedding for his bride-to-be Darcy (Jennifer Lopez). There are enough usual problems at a normal wedding where friends, families, & exes commingle & clash but this drama escalates when pirate wedding crashers invade this private Philippine island & hold the guests for ransom. This romantic comedy turn action comedy is hilarious as the bickering bride & groom must rescue their hostage guests. It’s zip ties & zip lines, grenades & a cake knife, a helicopter & parasailing as the plot thickens. Cheech Marin, Jennifer Coolidge, & Lenny Kravitz are among the eccentric guests. It’s a wild wedding day that won’t be forgotten. Stay for the wedding reception/cast karaoke/dance party at the end.

Alien gives it 3 “cold feet” stars out of 4.

After We Collided (2020)

After We Fell (2021)

After Ever Happy (2022)

Not realizing this was a film series, I️ started watching “After Ever Happy” but it seemed like this film had a deeper story that wasn’t being explained & I️ had just jumped into the middle. So I️ paused & did a little research to find out this film was the fourth in the series. In fact, I️ had reviewed the original “After” in 2019. That’s why the two leads Tessa & Hardin felt familiar. This series was designed for the incurable romantics & soap opera addicts. It’s the ultimate love/hate relationship between the sweet good girl & her bad boy love interest. It’s anger issues, arguing, & tears in between steamy sex scenes set in cars, hot tubs, & bedrooms. Add excessive drinking, suspicions, jealousy, hiding secrets, weddings, a funeral, & infidelity to the drama. It’s a wild rollercoaster ride as these two lovers are so drawn to each other but disaster seems to always tear them apart. These 3 films can be currently seen on Netflix but I️ don’t see a free streaming service for the original. Supposedly there is a fifth in the works because the last film ends with “to be continued”. It’s a train wreck that you can’t look away from. I can’t help but wonder where this is going to end.. happily ever after or crash & burn?

Alien gives them 3 “guilty pleasure drama” stars out of 4.

Missing

First there was “Searching” where a dad was looking for his missing daughter. Now here is a daughter searching for her missing mom. Using the same gimmick style, most of the onscreen images are through social media screens, film footage, & computer displays. This is what’s called a standalone sequel. When 18-year-old June (Storm Reid) discovers her mom Grace (Nia Long) & new boyfriend Kevin (Ken Leung) go missing while on vacation in Colombia, she gets stymied by foreign & FBI red tape so she starts playing Nancy Drew & fine tuning her hacking skills in this twisty mystery plot. Follow the clues & see if your suspicions are correct. This one is for the tech savvy social media geeks/true crime junkies. It’s quite a rollercoaster thrill ride.

Alien gives it 3 “babycake/junebug” stars out of 4.

Emily the Criminal 

Aspiring artist, Emily (Aubrey Plaza), is struggling to find a well-paying job in order to payoff her student loan debt. Having a felony conviction dims her hopes. Desperate, she becomes involved in a credit card fraud scam & sinks deeper into more riskier situations for bigger payoffs. This crime thriller grows more intense as Emily refuses to be taken advantage of. You will be cheering for this anti-hero criminal as she learns to cope with her life of crime & tried to fulfill her dreams.

Alien gives it 2½ “dummy buyer” stars out of 4.

July Rising

The life of stubborn 16-year-old Andrea, “Andy”, becomes disrupted when her grandpa dies & she becomes the ward of her aunt, a San Francisco restauranteur. Andy loved her grandpa & helping work his pear orchard farm. Andy is determined to stay at the orchard, but her aunt insists she live with her in the city. This is an endearing story about a teen struggle against the odds to live her life her way. However, some background information seems to be lacking & the ending is less than satisfying. The film builds up our hopes & leaves us with some unresolved issues. 

Alien gives it 2 “farm to fork” stars out of 4.

80 For Brady

It’s the Golden Girls go to Super Bowl LI to watch their hero, gorgeous Tom Brady, play in the 2017 big game. Legendary iconic actresses, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field. & Rita Moreno, portray the senior citizen ladies/best friends who regularly gathered to watch Tom & the Patriots on game day. Since they aren’t getting any younger, they spontaneously agree to go to the Super Bowl in Houston that year on a once-in-a-lifetime girls trip. It’s wild fun & games and a comedy of errors as these ladies are living their lives to the fullest. This film has lots of charm & humor with inspiration as the theme for this cute movie. Remember when Tom Brady briefly retired from football in 2022. He then became a producer for this film & acted in it for 2 days before he un-retired himself. At the end of the film, there is a photograph of the real “Over 80 For Brady” fan club who inspired this film. The grandson of one of these ladies worked in Hollywood & pitched the idea.

Alien gives it 3 “gummies, hot wings, & gambling” stars out of 4.

Blue Bayou

An adopted Korean, Antonio LeBlanc (Justin Chon), struggles to provide for his pregnant wife, Kathy (Alicia Vikander), & her daughter, Jessie. He is a tattoo artist trying to hustle up some additional income due to having an extra mouth to feed soon. Antonio is threatened with deportation after a run in with 2 police officers, one of which is Kathy’s ex & Jessie’s absentee father. This is a really sad tearjerker as bad seems to go to worse as the story unfolds. This one is about family, the parent/child bond, & roots. Chon also produced, wrote, & directed this film. Swedish Vikander surprised me with her southern drawl & her singing of “Blue Bayou”. Photos of several child adoptees who were deported or facing deportation are shown at the end.

Alien gives it 3 “water lily” stars out of 4.

A Man Called Otto

This is director Marc Forster’s remake of the 2015 Swedish film “A Man Called Ove”. Tom Hanks is perfect as the lovable curmudgeon, Otto, who thinks everyone is an idiot. He is a recent widower who is a very neat & tidy, by-the-rules kind of guy. Mariana Treviño is excellent as the pregnant new neighbor, Marisol, with the useless husband & 2 charming daughters. Hanks’ son, Truman, plays the younger Otto. The cat steals its scenes. This comedy/drama is heartwarming, bittersweet, & a tearjerker. It’s about family, friends. neighbors, & purpose. Told with flashbacks, it’s like peeling back layers of an onion to reveal Otto’s true story. I️ viewed the Ove version the night before & I️ liked this version a little better. Maybe a little was lost in translation or in the struggle to read subtitles & watch the screen. They both follow the same blueprint with only minor variations. Each had done some scenes better than the other. The less you know about the film, the better experience you’ll have as the story unfolds.

Alien gives it 3½ “cars, trains, & bicycles” stars it of 4.

A Man Called Ove

A grumpy lonely old man named Ove has recently lost his beloved wife Sonja. Unable to cope with his grief & lost of the love of his life, he tries unsuccessfully to end it all so he can finally be reunited with his darling Sonja. Through flashbacks we learn about Ove’s life & why he behaves the way he does. When new neighbors move in across the street, they begin to have a positive effect on Ove in this Swedish comedy drama with English subtitles. Ove starts to reconnect with his neighbors & find renewed purpose. A remake has been made starring Tom Hanks as “A Man Called Otto”.

Alien gives it 3 “finger hold” stars out of 4.

Above Suspicion 

In small town rural Kentucky, an ambitious rookie FBI agent Mark Putnam (Jack Huston) recruits a local drug addict, Susan Smith (Emilia Clarke), as an informant with hopes to make a big drug bust. Unfortunately, this married man with a family becomes involved with his snitch which leads to a downward spiral of jealousy, betrayal, & violence. This soap opera drama thriller feels made up & unbelievable but it’s based on a true story. The British Clarke lays it on thick with her Southern charm/trailer trash performance. Photos & footage of the real characters play at the end.

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

The Pale Blue Eye

Set in 1830 West Point, New York, veteran detective Augustus Landon (Christian Bale) is requested to investigate the hanging of a young cadet at the United States Military Academy. With the aid of another cadet, Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling), this turns into murder mystery involving more dead bodies, body mutilations, & possibly the occult. Pay attention to all of the clues laid before you if you want to solve the crime before the final reveal. It’s a period piece with a famous poet/author as the gimmick. 

Alien gives it 2 “hearts taken” stars out of 4.

Women Talking

Do nothing. Stay & fight. Or leave.

In 2010, 8 women from an isolated religious colony (Mennonites) debate what to do when they discover how they have been unknowingly abused by certain males in their community. This is a tough decision to make as it involves faith, love, children, home, safety, rules they have always lived by, & venturing into the unknown. This powerful film is built around an outstanding cast which includes Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Ben Whishaw, Judith Ivey, & Frances McDormand. Based on true events, this hard-to-watch, sad, & emotional story is about a horrible situation that these women find themselves in, seek answers, & stand up for themselves despite their upbringing. 

Alien gives it 3 “daydream believer” stars out of 4.

Plane 

Looks like Gerard Butler quit his Secret Service job to become an airline pilot in “My Plane Has Fallen”. Extreme bad weather forces a plane, with 14 passengers including one prisoner being extradited, to land on a jungle island control by separatists & militia. When the crew & passengers are taken hostage, Captain Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) decides he must rescue them. Fortunately, Torrance is just the experienced commercial pilot & lets some others do the heavy lifting. It’s a wild thrill ride. Meanwhile back at corporate headquarters, they struggle to locate their missing plane, to mount a rescue mission, & do media damage control. See who lives or dies and how or if they can get off this island.

Alien gives it 3 “ Trailblazer 119” stars out of 4.

M3GAN

It’s “Annabelle” meets “Terminator” meets “Frankenstein” when a single aunt with no parenting skills introduces her recently orphaned niece to her latest project. Robotics engineer Gemma (Allison Williams) unexpectedly becomes the guardian of her 8-year-old niece Cady (Violet McGraw) & uses her latest AI prototype, Model 3 Generative ANdroid, to entertain & be a nanny for her new ward. What could go wrong? This creepy 4-foot AI doll is self-learning without the proper safety protocols & begins protecting Cady to extremes. This is a cautionary tale about parenting & over dependence on electronic devices. It’s pretty much as you might expect for the genre, but will M3GAN manage to return in a sequel? Just sit back, hang on to your seat, & enjoy the ride.

Alien gives it 3 “Funki Toys” stars out of 4.

Above The Shadows

This is a supernatural romance story about a woman so ignored that she becomes invisible to the world. Holly was the meek & mild middle child who at the age of 12 when her mother died, she started to fade away & not be seen anymore. She grows up learning how to adapt in a world where she is unnoticed. She earns a living as a tabloid photographer. Suddenly one day, a club bouncer/disgraced former MMA fighter, Shayne Blackwell, can see & hear her. This is an odd story where you have to suspend your belief on how this can be, in order to enjoy the movie. If you like romance stories & MMA fighting you may enjoy this Rocky-ish ghost-like romance tale. Olivia Thirlby & Alan Ritchson are main characters. Jim Gaffigan plays the dad. Megan Fox has a bit part doing little more than just looking pretty.

Alien gives it 2 “shadow girl” stars out of 4.

Unhuman

What starts out looking like a comedy about some high school students bullying the meeker ones on a field trip quickly shifts gears to what looks like zombie mode when the bus comes under attack  The kids flee for their lives to an abandoned dilapidated building for refuge. This is a Blumhouse Production so you can expect blood, gore, & grossness. It is low budget so expect cheap special effects & quick cut editing. Expect some jump scares. It’s kids will be kid as they bicker & disagree on what is best to do. Two thirds into this horror thriller, a surprise twist happens. Who will live & who might die? By.the end, see who has your back. It ain’t over until it’s over, so look for a mid credit clip for a possible hint.

Alien gives it 2 “Scared Straight” stars out of 4.