Alien at the Movies

Sweet Pecan Summer

A product developer, Amanda, for an Atlanta cosmetic company takes some time off to help manage her Aunt Carol’s pecan farm. There, she keeps running into her ex-boyfriend, JB, that she broke up with years ago. True to rom/com fashion, their relationship is awkward & they disagree as they butt heads over farm issues when Carol wants to sell the farm. But to no surprise, a last minute discovery saves the day & romance prevails. This one is about second chances.

Alien gives it 2½ “real estate & baseball” stars out of 4.

Love & Where to Find It

Lena, the owner of a mom & pop coffee shop, becomes concerned for her business when Jonah, the executive of a big chain coffee shop, opens his new store across the street. In true rom/rom fashion, they accidentally bump into each other on the street & she takes an instant disliking to him because he represents the competition who can undercut her business with their prices & discounts. However, this starts out as a double Cyrano de Bergerac plot as these two speak for their timid love-shy BFFs on a dating app. Of course, the BFFs hit it off & coincidences keep throwing Lena & Jonah into awkward situations together. If you adore these cheesy romantic comedies, this one may be right for you.

Alien gives it 3 “Kismet Cafe” stars out of 4.

The Little Mermaid

It’s a rebellious teenager/over-protective father/love at first sight/sell your soul to the devil live-action remake of the 1989 animated musical fantasy. The film follows the original Disney blueprint but expands on the surface world & the human interactions. This extends the runtime to 135 minutes & seems to be more geared to the kid fans who have now grown up to be young adults. Halle Bailey is excellent as Ariel. She has a great singing voice & is a fine actor. Apparently, she was the first to be auditioned for the part & set the bar so high. The underwater scenes & the land scenes (Sardinia, Italy) are spectacular. The under the sea scenes look convincing real although you know they weren’t shot underwater.  If seeing is believing, the CGI may make you believe in mermaids. I️ loved little tweaks & additions. Ariel’s sisters get slightly more screen thing & some names changes. Melissa McCarthy does a marvelous interpretation of Ursula, the Sea Witch. Javier Bardem plays King Triton. Awafina kills it as Scuttle (now a diving bird) & sings a funny rap song. You will hear many of your favorite tunes from the original plus some new songs. The film demonstrates diversity; for after all, Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale is about an inter-species love story relationship.

Alien gives it 4 “kiss the girl” stars out of 4.

9 Bullets

A burlesque performer, Gypsy (Lena Headey), tries to make a career change & become an author. After the execution of his parents by a local crime boss, Jack (Sam Worthington), a neighborhood kid, Sam, is rescued by Gypsy & off they go on a getaway road trip but they are being chased by the Jack’s henchmen. Jack  is also Gypsy’s ex-lover. Jack needs to retrieve the key to his millions & eliminate all witnesses. Will Gypsy & Sam make the perfect escape or will the bad guys catch up to the runaways, retrieve their money, & eliminate their prey.

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

Crater

After the deaths of his mother & father, young Caleb is awarded his late father’s seat on a 75-year cryogenic space voyage to the distant planet, Omega. Just days before his launch date & because he will miss his buddies, Caleb & his friends, Dylan, Marcus, & Borney, along with Addison hijack a rover to go on an adventure & explore a mysterious crater. It’s kids will be kids & act like kids having fun. But trouble springs upon them & puts them in dangerous situations. What future is in stored for these BFFs? This Disney film is geared to the older kids.

Alien gives it 2½ “meteor shower” stars out of 4.

About My Father

It’s “Meet the Parents” in a culture clash comedy when Sebastian (Sebastian Maniscalco) is invited by the parents (David Rasche & Kim Cattrall) of his girlfriend Ellie (Leslie Bibb) for the Fourth of July weekend at their summer home. Sebastian brings his old country immigrant Sicilian father, Salvo (Robert De Niro). Sebastian wants to propose to Ellie & make a good impression on his future in-laws. He is worried his father’s blue collar values will embarrass him in front of Ellie’s wealthy family. Maniscalco wrote this script loosely based on his own father. This comedy of errors rom/com is focuses on the fact that all families has its eccentric members. I️ found this movie is much funnier than I expected. 

Alien gives it 3 “family is everything” stars of 4.

Dating Amber

In 1995 Ireland, a closeted gay teen, Eddie, & his lesbian counterpart, Amber, pretend to be boyfriend/girlfriend to escape the teasing & harassment of their bullying classmates. This comedy/drama is about finding out & coping with ones sexual identity. It's about youths awkwardly figuring out their relationships with others & being brave enough to admit who they are. He is meek. She is aggressive. They awkwardly pretend their faux relationship, but end up forming a special bond & honest caring for each other. Both need to escape the torment of their small town mentality. She dreams of moving to a more liberal London. He wants to follow in the footsteps of his dad’s military career. It’s a lovely story of 2 youths trying to find themselves. The film will also teach you Irish slang.

Alien gives it 2½ “photo booth photo strip” stars out of 4.

Kandahar 

In Afghanistan, Tom Harris (Gerard Butler) is an undercover CIA operative stuck deep in hostile territory. His identity & mission are exposed through an intelligence leak. It’s a thrilling & dangerous journey as he & his Afghan translator must make their way to an extraction point in Kandahar while avoiding the enemies hunting them down. This one sounds a lot like Guy Ritchie’s “Covenant”, but not quite. The first half kind of plods along slowly but the action & suspense picks up in the second in the second. Who will survive & who will die? There are no winners in war.

Alien gives it 2 “God’s Plan” stars out of 4.

Book Club: The Next Chapter

This is the romantic comedy sequel to the 2018 “Book Club” movie. With the pandemic isolating these 4 BFFs, Diane, Carol, Vivian, & Sharon (Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda, & Candice Bergen) finally reunite when restrictions are lifted & Vivian announces she got engaged. They decide to celebrate with a girls trip/bachelorette party to Italy, a dream trip they never took. It’s a beautiful & picturesque tour through the Italian countryside but these gal pals experience some hilarious ups & downs along the way. Expect lots AARP type jokes & many double entendre one-liners. Driven by fate & destiny, their’s is bumpy journey all the way to the altar. Don Johnson, Andy Garcia, & Craig T. Nelson play significant others. Will this wedding go off without a hitch? This a fun romp feel good movie that emphasizes that you are never too old to live it up & enjoy yourself.

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

The Blackening

It’s “Black-ish” meets “Cabin in the Woods”/“Knock at the Cabin”/“Jumanji”/“OUIJI” in this comedy parody of the slasher horror genre. A group of middle class black friends meet for their annual Juneteenth reunion at an upscale cabin in a remote area. All is good until creaky doors, locked doors, & sudden power outages trap these friends & they are tricked into playing this mysterious life or death Blackening game based on Black trivia. One by one, these friends are picked off or wounded by some mysterious masked figure. In this game of choices, the movie explores Black issues & stereotypes while following the typical slasher movie path. Look for some jump scares & plot twists as you try to identify the movie’s mastermind killer. Who will survive this deadly game night? This one may be more fun & hilarious than you expected. Some outtake clips appear mid credits.

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

Fast X

Toretto & company are back for more over-the-top car stunts, explosions, gun fights, & fist fights as Dom struggles to protect his crew & family. The plot starts back 10 years ago with the daring vault heist in Rio de Janeiro & the death of drug lord Hernan Reyes in “Fast Five”. Reyes’ son, Dante (Jason Momoa) is out for revenge. If you are a fan of the franchise, you’ll get exactly what you are looking for. Besides the usual cast of familiar characters, they have added Brie Larson, Alan Ritchson, & Rita Moreno to the ensemble. Look for some surprise cameos. One of the best things about the series is how each of the actors are allowed to develop their own character’s unique personalities. To maintain the rather large ensemble cast, the plot line has allies become enemies & enemies become allies. With each new film, the are expectations for bigger & better stunts have grown to become outrageously impossible, but mesmerizingly fun to watch. This is a nostalgic look back at the franchise. The crazy wild action is tempered with its sense of humor. If you didn’t know it, this one ends in a cliff hanger after this 2 hour 21 minute thrill ride. A mid credit clip has a surprise reveal set up for the next episode.

Alien gives it 3½ “Mega Bomb” stars out of 4.

Hypnotic

This new Ben Affleck thriller is not to be confused with the 2021 Jason O’Mara/Kate Siegel hypnotist movie with the same title. Austin police detective Danny Rourke (Affleck), who is distressed about the abduction of his 7-year-old daughter, Minnie, is back on duty investigating a tip about a bank robbery when bizarre things occur. A mysterious man (Willian Fichtner) makes suggestions to people that they must obey. Eventually, the investigation leads Rourke to team up with con artist/fortune teller, Dianne Cruz (Alice Braga), who seems to know about this mystery man & his ability to create hypnotic constructs. This is a mind-bending experience (à la “Inception” & “Tenet”) where you can’t trust what you see & hear. Then, just as your mind grapples with what’s happening, the film throws you some curve balls to keep you off balanced. It’s twists & turns right to the end. Who are the good guys & who are the bad guys? Who will live & who will die? If you skip the mid credit clips, you may miss out on some key information. 

Alien gives it 3 “Operation Domino” stars out of 4.

The Strays

First off, this film should not be confused with the doggie film “Strays” being released in the middle of next August. The film deliberately starts out with lots of confusion about what it is going to be about. An abrupt mysterious beginning jumps to the present focusing on Neve, a biracial woman, wife, mother, & deputy headmistress of a private school. She is very posh, sophisticated, & well to do. Then, she starts to see & hear things and seemingly behaving erratically. Is she hallucinating? Or is there something more sinister going on? Next two young black strangers, Carl & Dionne, are introduced. They are connected to some of the previous incidents with this seemingly perfect family. This all leads to a disturbing night of terror. Who will survive the night?

Alien gives it 2½ “family game night” stars out of 4.

I️ Came By

A 23-year-old rebellious graffiti artist/tagger, Toby, & his partner-in-crime, Jay, target upper-class residences leaving their signature message “I️ Came By”. On a solo break-in, Toby discovers more than he bargained for in this prominent ex-judge’s basement. His anonymous tip to the police does not pay off & his further attempts to expose the ex-judge jeopardizes his life as well as his mom & best mate, Jay. It’s a cat & mouse game as the ex-judge is too clever & seems to always be one step ahead. See who lives & who dies.

Alien gives it 2½ “panic room” stars out of 4. 

The Mother

It’s Ethan Hunt meets Sarah Connor when a former military sniper/assassin (Jennifer Lopez) is lured out of hiding to protect her estranged daughter, Zoe, that she was forced to leave behind. After 12 years, the double-crossed bad guys, Adrian & Hector, locate & kidnap Zoe so mama bear must rescue & protect her baby cub. It’s a contrived story with little hints that tip off the story direction, but it’s a fun watch.

Alien gives it 2½ “Snow Globe” stars out of 4.

Love Again

The title pretty much tells you what’s going to happen in this romantic comedy about two individuals who have had devastating love losses & are having difficulty getting over them. It’s now 2 years after the death of Mira’s fiancé & her sister Suzy is trying to get her mopey sister (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) back into the dating scene. Still unable to let go, Mira continues to send emotional text messages to ex’s old phone number unaware the number has been reassigned to journalist Rob’s new work phone. He had been jilted at the altar & becomes obsessed with meeting his unknown texter. True to rom/com form, they meet, fall for each other, the deceit is discovered, they break up, & you know the rest. Celine Dion plays herself & become a love advisor/matchmaker. Real life hubby Nick Jonas has bit part as a Tinder type blind date. If you are a romantic sucker, you’ll probably have a good time watching how everything plays out.

Alien gives it 3 “night at the opera” stars out of 4.

Polite Society

Ria Khan is a martial arts-in-training enthusiast who dreams of becoming a stuntwoman like her idol. She is very close to Lena, her older sister who supports her dreams. However, when the mother & these 2 sisters get invited to a hoity-toity festive soirée given by another Pakistani family, it leads to a quick romance, engagement, & wedding for the older sibling. Ria’s suspicions becomes aroused & believes she must save her sister from a big mistake. Ria enlists her best friends to sabotage the relationship & the impending marriage. Is Ria just jealous of losing her special bond with Lena or is there something more sinister going on? This is a hilarious wild comedy romp with an over-the-top mashup of kung fu action/heist caper/the Chicken Little tale. Witness the “Wrath of Khan” as Ria brings out the Fury of her Warrior to save her sister.

Alien gives it 3 “Reverse Spinning Kick” stars out of 4.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3

Peter Quill is mourning the loss of Gamora when the Guardians are attacked by a supreme being, Adam Warlock, unleashed by Ayesha from the end of Volume 2. With one of their own gravely injured, it is a race against time to save that life, save the children, save the animals, & save the universe. It is a wild, eye-dazzling ride to unimaginable worlds & stunning visuals. See an origin story, see the Orgosphere & OrgoCorp, meet the High Evolutionary & Theel, see Counter-Earth & Gamora-2014, & the Ravagers returns. Each of the Guardians gets to flex their special power/skill as well as have some comedic moments. This one moves to the beat of a different drum. Will this be a fitting farewell? Will Star Lord be back? Look for a mid & post credit clip.

Alien gives it 3½ “Rocket’s other friends” stars out of 4.