Alien at the Movies

Finding Tony

This is the inspiring story of two lost souls who help each other redeem themselves. NBA player Tony Greene tragically loses his wife, becomes depressed & alcoholic, gets a DUI, & retires from basketball. He reluctantly becomes the head coach for a women’s community junior college basketball team hoping to lighten his DUI sentence. Seventeen-year-old Destiny is a foster care orphan with a chip on her shoulders, who needs an attitude adjustment, but is a basketball talent with a killer jump shot. They meet at the first day of tryouts & they immediately clash. This sets up the classic underdog sports scenario. But along the way, I️ got blindsided by a twist that I️ never saw coming. 

Alien gives it 3 ”teamwork & lab mixup” stars out of 4.

T.I.M.

It’s “M3GAN” meets “Obsessed” when a robotics company gifts an AI humanoid prototype called T.I.M. (Technologically Intergrated Manservant) to their prosthetics engineer Abi. Abi & husband Paul have just bought a new state-of-the-art electronically smart home & are recovering from a rocky patch in their marriage. T.I.M. can link to their home system & their personal electronics. The company cars are auto self-driving vehicles. So what could go wrong? Oh, and their nearby neighbor is a cute single lady Rose. All of these hints are pretty much layout early on. Of  course, T.I.M. is the creepiest robot to have lurking about your home. Right from the get go, Paul is suspicious of T.I.M. & wants to give it back & be rid of it. However, the feeling is mutual because T.I.M. wants to remove Paul from the picture. Abi’s blind eye thinks Paul is overreacting & T.I.M. is not the problem. As T.I.M. becomes more & more obsessed with Abi, the film poses the question: can robots love? It’s a classic sci-fi robot/Skynet dilemma. I️t pretty much plays out as expected except maybe for the collateral damages. 

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

Space Cadet

Childhood dreams of going into space may become reality for Tiffany “Rex” Simpson (Emma Roberts) when a friend enhances her application to NASA’s competitive astronaut training program. This Florida bartender, who has been derailed from her high goals because life happens, has a second chance. She is totally unqualified but makes a positive impression despite having to buff her way pass her fake credentials. This is a goofy over-the-top comedy featuring that lovable fish-out-of-water character. Somehow during critical test situations, Rex manages to fix all of the problems thrown at the crew. If you like sophomoric unrealistic comedy situations, you may enjoy this sense of humor. The plot feels more targeted towards those tween mindsets. Eventually, her manufactured untruths catch up to Rex, but in fairy tale fashion, a chance for redemption comes knocking at her door. The moral here is to use your wits, moxie, & determination to make your dreams true.

Alien gives it 2½ “Mars Mission” stars out of 4.

A Quiet Place: Day 1

This is the third film of the horror series inspired by actor/writer/director John Krasinski about an alien invasion that has terrorized the world. These mysterious creatures apparently hunt by sound. Not much has been revealed about these invaders in the first two film. This prequel takes us back to the first day of the invasion. With the bribe of pizza, this female hospice patient (Lupita Nyong’o) goes on a day trip to Manhattan with other patients to see a marionette show. But a sudden evacuation order cuts their city adventure short. It becomes terror in the big city as this lady with her “service animal” cat along with the entire NYC population tries to flee for their lives. It’s sudden jump scares as any slight sound can trigger alien attacks that can happen lightning fast. The cat is the perfect pet traveling companion being so quiet & stealthy. The silence & whispering play into the suspense & drama as deadly creature responses could be triggered at any moment. See how these survivors play it smart trying to avoid detection. One of the the great features of this horror tale is that not that much is ever revealed about these invaders. Why are they here? They are fast & mysterious. They have super sensitive hearing, but can they see; are they blind? Do these beings have any weaknesses? Imagine that you are so frightened that you want to scream, but you don’t dare. Who will survive to breathe for another day? Will there be another spinoff to tell more of this frightening tale. 

Alien gives it 3 ”pizza & a show“ stars out of 4.

Waiting for Dali

It’s 1974 in Barcelona, Spain. Due some political turmoil, talented chef Fernando with his brother Alberto & some buddies flee to a quaint coastal village where they find work at a local restaurant. Owner Jules reluctantly hires them as just kitchen help. Jules is obsessed with having local celebrity Salvador Dali dine at his establishment. When Jules’ chef & assistant walks out, Fernando takes over the kitchen creating some amazing dishes. This a Spanish comedy drama with a little romance story in the background. The film is spoken in Spanish & French with English subtitles. Will the famed artist finally come to dine at El Surreal? While I️ enjoyed the film, I️ am not sure I️ fully got this European sense of humor.

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

Firebrand

Katherine Parr (Alicia Vikander) was the sixth & last wife of King Henry VIII (Jude Law). She was reluctant to consent to the marriage due to the fate of Henry’s previous wives: vanquished, beheaded, or dead. She was a strong, intelligent, & passionate woman who pushed for a new future based on her radical Protestant beliefs. There were questions raised about her fidelity which turned the paranoid king against her. Vikander & Law were terrific, but story felt muddled as it played out. Maybe it was me & I️ couldn't get into it. Maybe it was the old English dialog. It felt slow & dragging. I️ did enjoy the costumes & the details of everyday royal life during those times. If anything, the film prodded my curiosity about these 2 lead characters & the factualness of this film’s recount of history.

Alien gives it 2 “leg wound” stars out of 4.

The Bikeriders

Johnny (Tom Hardy) loved dirt racing his motorcycle & talking about motorcycles with his buddies. So he decides to start a biker club & declares himself club president. He made the rules. His club members have many colorful nicknames. Johnny takes a particular liking to a young rebel, Benny (Austin Butler). Set in the 1960’s, the film follows rise of the Vandals Motorcycle Club in Chicago. They start out as normal people with families, but over time, this group of outcasts evolves into a feared outlaw motorcycle club. This story is told through interviews with club members by a photographer who also recorded their sessions. Benny’s girlfriend, Kathy (Jodie Comer), supplies most of the details. Comer’s expressive performance is outstanding & mesmerizing on screen. The film captures how wild & brutal life was to be part of this uncontrollable gang. See what happens to Vandals & its members. Will they die by the violence they measured out? Will they just quit & get normal jobs? 

Alien gives it 3 “Stop Light Bar” stars out of 4.

The Watchers

Do you believe in fairies? Are you afraid of being lost in the woods? Well, here’s a fairytale unlike any you have heard before.

Mina (Dakota Fanning) is an American immigrant working in a pet store in Ireland. She is sent to deliver a parrot to the zoo, but car trouble leaves her stranded deep in the forest. Sensing danger lurking about as nightfall arrives, she follows an old lady, Madeline, into a lone structure in the middle of nowhere. There, she also meets Ciara & Daniel. The door is locked for their own protection & they are on display for the Watchers during the night. During the day they are free to leave their “coop” because the Watchers retreat to their burrows. These 3 captives have been trapped here for months. Madeline explains the rules to the newcomer. Who are these mysterious Watchers? Will these four final escape their zoo-like prison? Will any survive this nightmare? M. Night Shyamalan is the producer & his daughter, Ishana, is the director/writer. This is another odd & warped psychological horror tale from Shyamalan family. 

Alien gives it 3 “Point of No Return” stars out of 4. 

Under Paris

First, a great white shark, named Bruce by Spielberg, threatened the Amity Island.waters. Then, Jason Statham swam with the Meglodons twice in the Pacific Ocean. Now, a huge mako shark named Lilith may spoil the 2024 Summer World Triathlon Championships in Paris. Sophia is sn ocean scientist & shark expert who carries the guilt of tragic incident 3 years ago. When Lilith’s tracking signal mysteriously turns up in the Seine River of Paris, Sophia, a young environmental activist, the police, & the mayor butt heads over how to handle the situation. It’s guilty pleasure fun as these opposing forces meet in massses for this all too obvious bloodbath setup on race day. Will your brain play that “Jaws” theme song when the first fin appears? Or it be that Baby Shark theme, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo? Who will end up as shark bait? Will this be the end of the line for Lilith? Or will Lilith find her way out of fresh water & back to the salty ocean? It’s just goofy disaster film entertainment. Will there be a sequel? During the credits, world city maps with red movement lines suggest a possibility.

Alien gives it 2½ “Beacon 7” stars out of 4.

Yes, God, Yes

This is a comedy/drama coming-of-age story for Catholic school girl, Alice. It’s the fall of 2000, her hormones are stirring, & she is sexually curious while being sexually naive. False rumors about her & a boy begin to circulate around school & her friends. Now her reputation has been tarnished. She is pressured to attend a religious retreat where she manages to get herself into more trouble. She has some eye opening experiences as she learns more about sex & others than she expected. 

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

Inside Out 2

Are you ready for some hockey?

Riley is back for more animated fun & games with her motions: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, & Anger. This coming of age story is the sequel to Pixar/Disney‘s 2015 Inside Out original. It’s 2 years later & now 13-year-old Riley has been invited to hockey summer camp, but puberty has also just struck.  So complicating her new adventure is dealing with 4 new emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, & Embarrassment. As her old emotions battle with her new emotions, Riley is torn between her old friends & her new ones as she tries to reinvent herself. The film has the same cute charm & humor of the original plus more emotions mixed into old memories & her consciousness. Will Riley be overwhelmed & lose it or will she pull herself together? Stay to the end of credits to see Joy reopen the Vault to finally reveal the Dark Secret’s secret.

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

Am I️ OK?

Lucy (Dakota Johnson) & Jane (Sonoya Mizuno) have been BFFs for most of their lives & think they know everything there is to know about each other. But Jane gets a promotion that will send her far away to work in London. On the night of celebrating Jane’s good fortune, Lucy admits she may have doubts about her sexuality & is uncertain. As Jane tries to help Lucy explore this new possible path, it puts a strain on their friendship. They fight & stop talking to each other. The stress of now their separate journeys begins to weigh heavily on each of them without the comfort & support they used to have for each other. This is a comedy/drama about friendship & figuring out who you are. Will these two get over their differences & reunite to be BFFs again?

Alien gives it 2½ “Hammock Retreat” stars out of 4.

Hit Man

Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) is a professor teaching psychology & philosophy at the university but he also has a side job working as a consultant for a police undercover sting operation. Reluctantly, he gets pressed into service pretending to be a “fake” hit man. He finds that he is good at this charade, ups his game, & helps put many bad people away. However, this film is actually a romantic comedy with crimes & law enforcement only being the backdrop. Enter Madison (Adria Arjona), an allegedly abused wife wanting to off her cruel husband. Gary makes a judgement call & dissuades Madison from going through with the contract so she goes off scott free. Being this is a rom/com, they meet again & fall for each other. But things get messy with divorce, a jealous husband, drugs, a murder, a confession, suspicions, a jealous co-worker, & blackmail stirring up the plot. This scenario of events are hardly believable for a crime drama, but it’s goofy light-hearted entertainment for this comedy romp. Will the guilty parties be brought to justice or will they get away with murder?

Alien gives it 2½ “crimes of the heart” out of 4.

Run, Lola, Run

A woman named Lola has 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 Deutschmarks to save the life of her boyfriend Manni. Manni is a small time bagman & he has accidentally lost the money he was supposed to deliver to his gangster boss. This is a visually simulating German film with subtitles & quick side story reveals. The butterfly effect is the gimmick here; how small changes can cause big differences in future outcomes. See how the decisions Lola & Manni make might affect their futures. The runtime of this R rated film is a mere 80 minutes. Will Lola come up with the cash as time ticks away? Will Manni be killed or will he survive? See how many pivotal scenes could play out differently. Will Lola & Manni live happily ever after?

Alien gives it 3 “gambling with destiny” stars out of 4.

Ezra

Stand-up comedian Max (Bobby Cannavale) living with his father, Stan (Robert De Niro), struggles to co-parent his autistic son Ezra (William A. Fitzgerald) with his ex-wife, Jenna (Rose Byrne). At school one day, Ezra was being so disruptive to his class that the social worker & the principal recommended that Ezra be removed & put into a special school. When Ezra wandered off alone late one night in his pjs & bare foot, he gets injured & doctors recommend some special medications for Ezra. Max disagrees & becomes upset over these new issues. A desperate Max finally takes matters into his own hands & ends up on a cross-country road trip. This story is inspired by the real life experiences of a father & his autistic son. This is a realistic emotional thrill ride, heartbreaking & heartwarming. It is a close up look at dealing with an autistic child. What is best for an autistic child? Cannavale, Byrne, & De Niro are outstanding pouring their hearts out in this struggle about relationships & love. Fitzgerald gives an amazing performance too. Whoopi Goldberg, Rainn Wilson, & Vera Farmiga are among the supporting cast.

Alien gives it 3½ “New Jersey to Hollywood” stars out of 4.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Bad boys, bad boys… what ya gonna do… when they come for you…

Miami PD detectives Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) & Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) have returned for another round of that iconic Bad Boys buddy cop action comedy. They started in 1995, reappeared in 2003 & 2020, and now back again in 2024. The film starts off with a wedding, a near-death experience, a staged murder/suicide, & warning from a dead man. This leads to our favorite Bad Boys being framed & on the run. It’s a basic crime plot: framed hero must find the bad guy behind it all, find the mole in their organization, & rescue their loved one hostages in order to clear their name. However, the plot isn’t the driving force here. It’s the wild & crazy Bruckheimer style action sequences & comedy element bits between Smith & Lawrence that brings audiences out to the big screen singing those famous lyrics. The filmmakers feel they must the ante up for this fourth film. Add some younger actors to help carry the load.  Vanessa Hudgens & Eric Dane Sre in the supporting cast. Look for Tiffany Haddish for an extended cameo role & a surprise Bruckheimer cameo. It’s fast cars, guns blazing, shoot ‘em up, & blow it up mindless fun entertainment. Oh… and beware of Duke. 

Alien gives it 3 “Skittles & Ginger Ale” stars out of 4.

Sting

It’s “Arachnophobia” meets “Alien” meets “Home Alone” when 12-year-old Charolette captures what she thinks is an ordinary spider. It was a dark & stormy night when a tiny object smashed into a rundown apartment building. The curious Charolette, who has habit of crawling through her building’s duct work, wants to study her new find so she puts it in a jar, feeds it, & names it Sting. Unexpectedly, it grows at an alarming rate, escapes, & begins feeding on the apartment cohabitants. When her family goes missing, she weaponizes & begins her search & rescue mission. This sci-fi horror thriller almost feels like a very dark black comedy. It’s quirky scary. Near the end is a possible hint of what could be next. During the mid credits, there is a final word from grandma.

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

Thelma the Unicorn

It’s “Sing” meets “A Star Is Born” when a singing small farm pony dreams of stardom. Thelma & her band mates, Otis the donkey & Reggie the llama, are trying to make it big in the music industry when a carrot & a paint accident gets them noticed. The now pink unicorn Thelma attracts the attention of snooty promoter/manager Vic Diamond. Vic only wants Thelma & cuts out her band buddies. Vic sabotages current star Niki Narwhal to push Thelma as the new singing sensation. However, the lesson here is to be true yourself & not be a fake. This is fun family entertainment for the kiddies.

Alien gives it 2½ “The Rusty Buckets” stars out of 4.