Alien at the Movies

Cocaine Bear

Inspired by true events, a drug smuggling scheme goes wrong over Georgia killing the pilot & has a black bear ingesting cocaine bricks packed in some missing duffle bags. This is a fictitious tale about what could have happened if this bear became aggressive attacking people after becoming addicted to coke. Producer/director Elizabeth Banks walks a tightrope balancing goofy humor & gore in this campy comedy/horror film. It’s cheesy bloody low-budget fun as victims are chased, grabbed, clawed, & dismembered by this apex predator high on cocaine & needing another fix. Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, Margo Martinique, & the late Ray Liotta are in the cast of quirky characters. This one is about mama bears protecting their young. With early film success, one can only guess what sequels & copycats may be spawned.

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

We Have A Ghost

It’s “Casper” meets “The Ghost Whisperer” when a family moves into their new home only to discover it’s haunted. A not-so-unfriendly ghost (David Harbour) wearing a bowling shirt labeled Ernest seems more confused than scary. The dad, Frank (Anthony Mackie), is a failing entrepreneur type who tries to capitalize on this ghostly sensation when it breaks the internet. His grumpy disagreeable son, Kevin, and the wacky neighbor girl, Joy, form a Scooby Gang to help out poor “Ernest”. It’s a crazy adventure story that’s more comedy & drama than horror. The plot takes a few surprise turns with even the CIA getting involved. Behind this goofy plot is a heartfelt story connecting parents & their children.

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

Jesus Revolution

In the late 60’s to early 70’s, there was a religious movement driven by the youth in the country which started in Southern California & swept across the country. Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) opens his church to some free-spirited hippies & lost souls. He becomes partnered a charismatic young hippie evangelist & the congregation grows immensely. This is their remarkable true story during a difficult & revolutionary time in history (Viet Nam war, drugs, hippies, youthful protests) This film is about religion, love, relationships, & acceptance. It follows a young man, Greg Laurie, as he struggles to figure out his life. This is an uplifting positive film. The two Time Magazine covers featured are: Is God Dead? & The Jesus Revolution. The film ends with summaries about the movement & the characters portrayed. 

Alien gives it 3 “Pirates Cove” stars out of 4. 

Marlowe

Raymond Chandler’s famed 1930’s detective Phillip Marlowe (Liam Neeson) returns to the big screen in this neo-noire mystery. A wealthy blonde hires Marlowe to find her missing lover. It’s a slow plot that lumbers through with its scenes. The sets beautifully captures the look of the period but the characters seem flat. It's filmed like a noire film with the lighting, cigarette smoke, shadows, & camera angles but it still feels off. Diane Kruger & Jessica Lange are among the supporting cast. While somewhat entertaining, I️ doubt if today’s movie audiences will enjoy this genre film that much.

Alien gives it 1½ “Bay City” stars out of 4.

Inheritance 

Meet the Monroes. They are a rich & powerful family: the banker father, the wife, the politician son, & the lawyer daughter. When dear old dad dies, the eldest sibling, Lauren (Lily Collins), inherits more than she bargained for… along with 1 million dollars, a cryptic message, a set of keys, & the dark family secret. This skeleton in the family closet could ruin everything.  Lauren has her doubts & must ferret out the truth. It a strange unbelievable tale as audiences will wonder what is the catch in this mystery. The intensity ramps up near the end as the full story is revealed. An unrecognizable Simon Pegg costars.

Alien gives it 3 “poker, ego, & women” stars out of 4.

Moxie

Like Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls”, producer/director Amy Poehler gives us another slice of high school life as seen through the eyes of sophomore Vivian (Hadley Robinson). Poehler plays the cool mom of the shy Vivian. After witnessing the unfair treatment of boys versus girls & having no support from the school authorities, our introverted hero anonymously publishes her feminist zine calling out the sexism. This is a cute, charming, & inspirational comedy drama about issues of bullying, sexual harassment, & rape while dealing with best friend, boyfriend, & mother/daughter relationships. This one is about personal growth & finding your voice.

Alien gives it 3 “rebel girl” stars out of 4.

Swiss Army Man

Marooned on a deserted island, lone survivor Hank (Paul Dano) is literally at the end of his rope when a body (Daniel Radcliffe) washes up on shore bringing him new hope. Unfortunately, it’s just a corpse. Like Wilson in “Castaway”, this gas bloated body becomes Manny, Hank’s traveling companion as they struggle to find their way back to civilization. This is an odd dark comedy/adventure where Manny becomes a quirky but useful survival tool. Manny seems to become more animated & talkative over time. Of course, Hank must have been so lonely & delusional from being stranded alone for so long.

Alien gives it 2½ “girl on the bus” stars out of 4.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Cassie Lang’s (Kathryn Newton) demonstration sucks Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), Hope van Dyke (Evangeline Lily), Janet van Dyke (Michelle Pfeiffer), Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), & herself into the Quantum Realm. There, it’s shades of Star Wars as our heroes explore this strange subatomic world & meet weird looking creatures, an ex, a blast from the past, a formidable supervillain, & some freedom fighters. Janet’s secrets from her stranded 30 years are revealed. Scott & Cassie find they are more alike than they thought. If you listen carefully, you may catch some subtle hints to future events. Who will live & who will die? Who will escape? Who will be the calvary to save the day? Look for a mid credit & a end of credit clip hinting to what may be next. Was that 2 cameos in that last clip? A final written message makes a promise.

Alien gives it 3½ “jump & tap” stars out of 4.

How I️ Live Now

How I️ spent my summer vacation when terrorists set of nuclear bombs.

A maladjusted American teen Daisy (Saoirse Ronan) is sent to visit her cousins in the English countryside for the summer. Her cousins are carefree, frolicking, swimming & fishing. She is being a stick-in-the-mud. Slowly, she bonds & teenage hormones kick in. When blackouts & war breaks out, the girls & the boys are separated. But Daisy is determined to return & find her cousins. She & Piper make a dangerous 6-day journey back to their home. A young Tom Holland plays one of the cousins. 

Alien gives it 2½ “Eddie’s hawk” stars out of 4.

Your Place or Mine

Debbie & Peter (Reese Witherspoon & Ashton Kutcher) have been best friends for 20 years. She lives in L.A. & he lives in New York City. They talk to each other daily. They are polar opposites. They swap homes for a week so she can pursue a lifelong dream while he volunteers to look after her son. This is a charming romantic comedy so you know where this is going. Witherspoon & Kutcher are a delight. The cast of quirky supporting characters includes Tig Notaro, Zoë Chao, & Steve Zahn. Featuring split screen conversations.

Alien gives it 3 “hockey, book, & mementos” stars out of 4.

Somebody I Used To Know

A disappointed reality TV show producer/host, Ally (Allison Brie), returns to her hometown & mom when her show gets canceled. Feeling low, she runs into her ex-boyfriend, Sean, & this starts to rekindle her old feelings for him. However, he is engage to be married to Cassidy. Ally sees her younger self in his fiancé & begins to wonder about her life choices. These three end up questioning their relationships with each other in this romantic comedy directed by Dave Franco (Brie’s real life husband). Brie & Franco also wrote the script. The film is rated R for language, sexual content, more nudity than I️ would have expected. One last funny clip runs during the credits.

Alien gives it 3 “Dessert Island” stars out of 4.

Orphan: First Kill

Esther, the wicked evil, is back in a prequel to the 2009 “Orphan”. The plot twist laid out in the original provides this storyline path. A 31-year-old psychopathic clever con artist with a rare form of dwarfism escapes from an Estonian Sanatorium & assumes the identity of an American family’s missing child, Esther. It’s a cat-and-mouse game as the little psycho tries not to blow her cover while family & others begin to detect inconsistencies. This film is about a family union, family secrets, a mother’s devotion to her kids, murderous killings, & blood spatters. There are certain givens in a prequel but just when you think you know where the plot is going, maybe you don’t. I️f you liked  the original, you’ll probably like this prequel. Isabelle Fuhrman reprises her creepy role & Julia Stiles plays the mother. As wild as this series seems, these 2 films were actually inspired by true events.

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

Emily

This is a fictionalized biographical story about famed “Wuthering Heights” author, Emily Brontë. Emily is portrayed as a kind of an odd duck with few friends but very close to her dad, her sisters, Charlotte & Anne, and her brother, Branwell. There is a tragic love story between her & a Mr. Weightman. It’s a beautiful period piece featuring daily life in Victorian England. However, the plot is rather dry & slow in the beginning. Emily’s behavior, emotions, & passions felt contrived to suit the storyline.

Alien gives it 2 “freedom in thought” stars out of 4.

Knock at the Cabin

Tsunamis, Earthquakes, & Pestilence… oh my!

Four individuals carrying strange weapons approach an isolated cabin in the Pennsylvania woods where two gay dads & their adopted little girl are vacationing. The four bring a Chicken Little message that the sky is falling. They are a school teacher, a nurse, a line cook, & a gas company man with the same end-of-the-world vision unless one of this loving family makes the ultimate sacrifice. I’m not a religious person, however, I️ cannot help but sense a connection to the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse & a Sacrificial Lamb in this latest psychological horror thriller. With M. Night Shyamalan at the helm, I️ was holding my breath for the other shoe to drop. Dave Bautista & Rupert Grint are among the terrific cast who give tremendously emotional performances. Will this be the end of the world or will someone find a solution? Or is there some kind of Shyamalan-dish Night-mare twist or hoax? It’s fear, terror, doubt, home invasion, isolation, & the apocalypse weighed against love & sacrifice. Is this a metaphor of today’s political climate? Do we blindly believe everything that the media feeds us? 

Alien gives it 3 “white, red, black & pale” stars out of 4.