Alien at the Movies

Gangnam Zombie

It’s Christmas Eve in the Gangnam District of Seoul, Korea, when a cat’s scratch infects a man & sets off the next zombie apocalypse. One by one, the infection spreads turning citizens into blood thirty zombies. Next, the focus is on a man with taekwondo skills & a woman, his co-worker who he has an infatuation with. They are trapped in an indoor mall/parking garage situation. This low budget film becomes a tedious one-note drama of run, stop, fight, & run some more. You can only stand to watch so many punches, kicks, hits with a stick, & spin kicks so many times. It just become monotonous after a while. A couple of zombies keep recurring because they don’t die because they are dead already. I️ could barely wait to get to the conclusion & I️ wasn't satisfied there either. The mid credit scene shows filmmakers are optimistic about a sequel, but count me out. This Korean language film has English subtitles. At the beginning, I️ was hoping for something more like “Train to Busan” but got Trapped Inside on Foot.

Alien gives it 1 “landlord” star out of 4.

Flora and Son

Flora, a poor, single mom living in Dublin, is having trouble with her rebellious teenage son, Max, who is a petty thief just one strike away from being incarcerated. When it was suggested that she find him a hobby to keep out of trouble, she rescues an old acoustic guitar from a dumpster. However, he refuses to play & she ends up taking lessons from a LA-based online teacher, Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Flora & Jeff get off to a rocky start but eventually help improve each other’s lives & collaborate to make beautiful music together. Meanwhile, this connection to music also helps mother & son bond over his interest in making rap music. This musical comedy/drama is a heartwarming charmer with people bettering themselves through their shared musical interest. This film is also rated R mostly for language. 

Alien gives it 3 “Both Sides Now” stars out of 4.

Play Dead

Brother & sister, TJ & Chloe (Bailee Madison), find themselves facing foreclosure on their house after their father’s recent death.  TJ & Chloe’s ex, Ross, attempt a robbery to get some extra money. However, things go bust, TJ gets away, but Ross gets shot & sent to the morgue. Medical student Chloe fakes her death to get into the morgue to retrieve evidence incriminating TJ. While executing her covert mission, she find out the coroner (Jerry O’Connell) is secretly harvesting body parts for the black market. Then the evil coroner discovers her & must silence her. This is a suspenseful thriller but it’s not very realistic. It’s just a fun cat & mouse/escape room caper to see how one can end this night of terror & silliness.

Alien gives it 2 “bad dog” stars out of 4.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie

It’s “Fantastic Four”/“Power Rangers”/“Avengers” for kiddies & toddlers as the famed animated Canadian kid show expands to incorporate super pup powers. When a magical meteor crashes into Adventure Bay, Ryder’s search & rescue pups with their emergency skill sets (policeman, firefighter, aviation pilot) & specialized vehicles accidentally develop unique superpowers (flight, speed, water, fire, magnetic, & wrecking ball). But then the bad guys, Humdinger & Evil Mad Scientist steal some of their powers. They must work together to defeat the bad guys, save the city, & recover the stolen powers. There is also the theme of not being too little to matter as Skye, the runt of her litter & tiniest on the team, has to step up for her big chance. It’s good family fun.

Alien gives it 3 “Puppy Power” stars out of 4.

Dumb Money

This is a biographical comedy/drama based on the true story about the GameStop (mall video game store) short squeeze in 2021 during the COVID pandemic when a group of small time Joe Blow stock market day traders banded together to counter the big hedge fund companies that had bet that GameStop shares would fall. If you are not a player or only a dabbler in the stock market…it’s about buying, selling, or trading shares… you may not fully grasp all the details or terms on what is going on or why it’s happening, but you’ll see how the small investors contrasts against the big hedge fund CEOs trying to manipulate the market. This history making event draws media attention & a congressional hearing is called. The terrific ensemble cast includes Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, America Ferrera, Vincent D’Onofrio, Nick Offerman, Seth Rogen, Shailene Woolley, Sebastian Stan, & Antony Ramos. You may still not get Wall Street investing, but this is a highly entertaining David vs Goliath tale giving hope to the little guy. 

Alien gives it 2½ “Roaring Kitty” stars out of 4.

A Haunting in Venice

Famed Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is back for the third time. Once again, this story is based on another Agatha Christie book. In 1947 Venice, disenchanted Poirot has decided to retire avoiding any new cases. However, friend/crime novelist Adriadne (Tina Fey) convinces Poirot to attend a séance on Halloween night at the palazzo of an opera singer in order the expose the medium Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh) as a fraud. It is a dark & stormy night when multiple deaths occur, hallucinations begin, & quirky characters are interrogated. Expect a number of jump scares. See if you can solve this complicated case before the finale is revealed. Will Poirot stay in retirement or will he turn up in another Agatha Christie novel movie?

Alien gives it 2½ “curse of the children” stars out of 4.

Inside

A high-end art thief (Willem Dafoe) breaks into a luxury, high-tech penthouse to steal some valuable paintings, but upon exiting, the smart house system malfunctions trapping inside with little water or food as hours into days & days into weeks. He must improvise if he is going to survive & escape. Also the temperature inside changes from one extreme to the other as he starts to go a bit stir crazy & hallucinates. One day, he finds a hidden passage leading to a secret room. Will he finally escape or will he perish within? Or will someone finally come to his rescue? This psychological thriller is hard to watch as this frustrated man is trapped in this penthouse prison. Dafoe is desperately wonderful & tortured. 

Alien gives it 2½ “saving art” stars out of 4.

Unseen

A misdialed phone call links 2 strangers in a suspenseful game of life or death. Sam is a bored gas station/convenience store clerk who accidentally calls a wrong number. Emily is at the other end of the misdial. She is tied up & being held captive by her murderous ex, Charlie, in a remote cabin in the woods. She manages to escape but is nearly blind without her glasses. She desperately tries to flee using Sam on video call to guide her way. Of course, madman Charlie in hunting Emily down. Meanwhile, Sam is having her own problems at her end. The situations set up for this suspense thriller are kind of silly, but I️ had to stick around to see how it was going to all play out.

Alien gives it 2½ “a ‘Karen’ at the gas pump” stars out of 4.

A Million Miles Away

This biopic is about José Hernández (Michael Peña), the son of a migrant farm worker who had dreams of becoming an engineer & an astronaut. Inspired by a true events, it’s a story about hard work, perseverance, sacrifice, & family support to accomplish a seeming impossible dream. Peña is terrific as the man who never gave up on his dream with the help & support of many along the way. A teacher’s wisdom about a tree sets José on the right path. You’ll see the many struggles he has along the way as he follows his dad’s recipe for success & obtaining his goals. This is an inspirational heartwarming family film. Photos & summaries of the real characters appear at the end of the film.

Alien gives it 3 “Tierra Luna Restaurant” stars out of 4.

Cassandro

Saúl is a homosexual amateur wrestler from El Paso, Texas, who crosses the border to Ray’s Auto Garage which has been converted for lucha libre matches on some evenings. Ever since he was a little boy, he dreamt  of being a luchador. Wanting fame & recognition, he seeks out trainer Sabrina for advice to improve his game. She suggests that he becomes a expósito, a female impersonator wrestler. He becomes that novelty act that starts to draw in crowds & bring him more money. Being a mama’s boy with an estranged father, he wants to earn enough money to afford a new house for himself & his mama. Then, tragedy strikes he struggles with his life being openly gay. Finally, he gets a match against his long-time idol, the Son of Santos. 

Alien gives it 2½ “secret lover” stars out of 4.

The Nun 2

It’s “The Exorcist” meets “Nancy Drew” when Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) returns to investigate mysterious deaths at churches throughout Europe. Back also is Maurice working as a handyman at a school for girls. Look for a few jump scares throughout & strain your eyes to see what lurks in the shadows. It’s slow to build up until near the end when the demon reveals itself. The best visual effect is the magazine rack & the wind gently blowing though the pages. Possession, an ancient relic, & faith dive this storyline. Who will survive? Can this demon be stopped or contained? A mid credits reveals a phone to the Warrens & possibly hinting to the next film in the Conjuring franchise.

Alien gives it 3 “blood of Christ & eyes of St. Lucie” stars out of 4.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3

After the death of patriarch Gus, the Portokalos family plans a family reunion trip back to his hometown in Greece to share Gus’ journal with friends & relatives in his old village. They become disappointed to find only 6 people remaining living there & have difficulty finding their dad’s old childhood friends. What makes this franchise so funny & charming is the wacky characters playing off each other. With their dad having passed & their mom getting senile, there is a debate about who should become head of the family. Secrets get revealed as the day of the big reunion approaches. 

Alien gives it 3 “secrets are a waste of time” stars out of 4.

The Inventor

This stop action animation film features the story of the famed renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci. He was insatiably curious about astronomy, anatomy, architecture, science, flying machines, mechanical gears., & so much more. He was a deep thinker & inventor… a man before his time. Some of his ideas were thought to be heresy. Thus in 1516, Leonardo would leave Italy for France so he could experiment freely. Short sighted leaders could only think of symbols of power so they only wanted da Vinci to build for them statues & war machines. This amusing film is better suited for adults & older kids rather than little children expecting typical cartoon humor. 

Alien gives it 2½ “the ideal city” stars out of 4.

Golda

This film follows Prime Minister Golda Meir (Helen Mirren) during those tense 19 days in 1973 of the Yom Kippur War where the Egyptian & Syrian armies were advancing on Israel. On the brink of destruction, Golda Meir in her war room with her cabinet had to navigate against extreme odds, great casualties & losses, & a complex relationship dealing with U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (Liev Schreiber). Mirren is terrific portraying Golda. This behind-the-scenes war movie may be less satisfying for those craving the thrill of action mayhem warfare. 

Alien gives it 2 “Sinai Peninsula & Golan Heights” stars out of 4.

The Equalizer 3

Mr 2 C’s & 2 L’s, Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) is back for a third installment as the defender of helpless victims. He finds himself in Sicily obtaining cash from a drug ring operation, but things go south when he becomes wounded. Fortunately, some good samaritans come to his rescue in this little Italian coastal town. During his recovery, he grows to appreciate this friendly community & possibly contemplates retirement in this idyllic city. Of course, corrupt individuals force his his hands back into action. This is director Antoine Fuqua’s fifth collaboration with Denzel as he reunites Washington with his costar from “Man on Fire”, Dakota Fanning. She plays a CIA agent who McCall aids with tips in a hidden agenda/little cat & mouse game. If you like this franchise or you like extreme violence along with vigilantism, you may have a fun time as justice is served McCall style. During the film, someone questions our hero as to whether he is a good man or a bad man. And McCall’s response is…

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

Sitting in Bars with Cake 

Jane & Corinne are BFFs. Jane is awkwardly shy & conservative, but is a talented baker. Corinne is a fun loving carefree extrovert who wants to help break Jane break  out of her shell. She convinces Jane to create a different specialty cake for their weekly bar visits. This is the “boy bait with sugar” so Jane can meet & converse with single men. This is lots of fun but Corinne suddenly develops a serious health issue that puts a damper on their exciting LA watering holes tour & troll for men. This film about female relationships, parent/child relationships, & discovering your true inner self is a fun & emotional ride (tissues may be necessary). This may be a good girls night out movie. It’s also based on a true story. Bette Midler has a small supporting role. The actual people portrayed are mentioned at the film’s end.

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