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Monday, March 31, 2025

Death of a Unicorn

Do you believe in unicorns?

It’s unicorn connections, unicorn tapestries, & unicorn revenge in this fantasy horror comedy. On his way to his billionaire boss’s retreat home, widower Eliot (Paul Rudd) & teenage daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit this supposedly mythical creature & they panic so they stuff the lifeless young foal carcass into their car for later disposal. The Leopolds (Richard E. Grant, Téa Leoni, & Will Poulter) are rich, spoiled, entitled elitists. After the brief revival of the unicorn & an experimental test,  the Leopolds greedily jump at the financial potential availed to them by this extremely rare find. However, it's not all rainbows & happiness when the parental unicorns come looking for their baby. It’s a bloody satirical fun ride so buckle up if you like gory humor. Most probably have never imagined this dark side possibility from these mystical creatures.

Alien gives it 3 “Leopold Wildlife Reserve” stars out of 4.


Friday, March 28, 2025

Holland

There is something wrong in Holland, Michigan. Fred & Nancy Vandergroot are married with a 13-year-old son, Harry. When school teacher Nancy (Nicole Kidman) suspects her husband may be having an affair, she enlists her colleague, David Delgado, to help her gather proof. Fred is an optometrist who has been traveling for work a lot lately. Suspense grows as Nancy & David almost get caught in the act of gathering evidence. But Fred is not the only one hiding secrets here. As the plot plays out, it’s hard to figure out what type of movie this is. In this weird small midwestern town setting, everything Dutch is featured: like windmills, wooden shoes, & tulips. Fred’s hobby is an elaborate scale model train set down in the basement. Are these oddities essential to the story or are they colorful distractions? Is this a drama about spousal cheating? Is it a mystery about digging up clues to uncover the truth? Its quirkiness makes me suspicious of some underlying black comedy humor. All along, the plot feels like it’s toying with the audience & feeding us misinformation. It kept me guessing till near the end when some twists turn up. Maybe too weird for me.

Alien gives it 2 “pup-peroni” stars out of 4.



Wednesday, March 26, 2025

A Working Man

Levon Cade (Jason Statham) is an ex-Royal Marines commando who is trying to bury his past. After his wife passed, he is a single dad to a cute little daughter. He just wants to live a quiet peaceful life as a construction worker. However, when his boss’s young daughter becomes kidnapped at a bar/nightclub by human traffickers, this tough guy/nice guy can’t sit back because it’s not his problem. He calls in some favors from his old military buddies & uses his special skill sets to track down & rescue the missing girl. By now, you are thinking could this be a reboot of Liam Neeson’s 2008 “Taken”? It is set up with nearly the same premise but Staten & company ups the action ante. “Beekeeper” director David Ayer is back at the helm. Ayer & Sylvester Stallone share writing credits. Statham is awesome when he is just working man, but when he shifts to commando mode, he takes no prisoners. Of course, with Statham & this premise, the outcome is a given, but the fun is in the ride & how we get there as Cade follows the bread crumbs. Micheal Peña & David Harbour have small supporting roles. As these lame villains begin to appear, I️ could not help but ask myself, who dressed these clowns. Predictable but in a good way so we can root for the good guys. It is a fun time guilty pleasure wild ride.

Alien gives it 3 “sledge hammer” stars out of 4.


Monday, March 24, 2025

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie

It's a trip back to my childhood memory lane when “Saturday Morning Looney Tunes Cartoons” meets “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” meets “Night of the Living Dead” meets “Armageddon”. Those lovable losers, Porky Pig & Daffy Duck, are back on the big screen. Porky & Daffy were raised by Farmer Jim. After Jim leaves, these 2 barnyard buddies struggle to maintain jobs & the upkeep of their house. Finally, they secure a job through Petunia Pig at the Goodie Gum factory where a new flavor, Strongberry, is being developed & promoted. Unfortunately, this new chewing gum has been infected by an alien invader & a mad scientist. The people of Earth are being turned into zombies controlled by the alien. Did I forget to mention a huge asteroid is also headed straight at Earth. Now this trio must somehow stop the zombie invasion & save our planet. It’s a nostalgic look back one of my favorite toons but adults would likely be bored. This one seems to be targeted for older kids; although there is a duck crack, a dog fart, & vomit jokes to amuse little kiddies.

Alien gives it 2 “Green Goo” stars out of 4.


The Alto Knights

Two boys, Frank Costello & Vito Genovese, were sons of Italian immigrants who had moved to New York City. They became best friends & hoodlums together. In the 1950’s they were 2 of the notorious crime bosses. Based on true events, this is their story about their friendship, their lives, their different styles of operation, & their falling out. Robert De Niro plays the dual roles of Frank & Vito. This is a classic gangster mob story scenario like previously portrayed in films such as “The Godfather”  & “Goodfellas”. This is a well-made period piece reflecting the look & feel of the times. The Alto Knights was the name of the social club in New York City’s Little Italy that was the safe haven where these mobsters met.

Alien gives it 3 “Upstate New York, exit 17” stars out of 4.


Omni Loop

It’s “Groundhog Day”/“Edge of Tomorrow”/“Happy Death Day” meets “The Incredible Shrinking Man” when Zoya (Mary-Louise Parker), a quantum mechanics textbook author tries to avoid her eminent death by time traveling back to save herself. When she was just 12 years old, she found this bottle of pills that would allow her to travel back in time 5 days. Ever since, for her whole life she would used these pills as her do-over plan to correct her mistakes & improve her quality of life. Now she is threatened by a growing black hole in her chest threatening to consume her body. She hopes to unlock the secrets of her found pills & perhaps extend her time traveling periods to possibly years. One day during one of her many recent repeats, she runs into a research student Paula who she begins to collaborate with researching solutions. Eventually, Zoya becomes frustrated with her endless dead ends & having to relive her last 5 days over & over. In the end, Zoya considers another possible direction & finds some peace of mind. “Omni Loop” is actually the name of the Miami transportation system use in the film & not a reference to a time loop. This film is less of a sci-fi story & more of person dealing with their own mortality & value of their life.

Alien gives it 2½ “birthday present” stars out of 4.


Saturday, March 22, 2025

Demon City

Watch out John Wick… here comes a Japanese version of a hitman’s revenge. Sakata is a hitman who wipes out a yakuza clan all in one night so he can quit the business to be a normal family man to his wife & daughter. However, the kimen-gummi gang had other plans. These demon masked thugs frame Sakata for the suicide/murder of his wife & daughter but he remains in a coma for 12 years. Of course when he awakens, he savagely attacks the people responsible for his loss. It’s unrealistic violence by a 12-year coma patient who is back to fighting strength within hours. Through his fight scenes, he suffers terrible wounds but like the Timex watch… he keeps on ticking. His weapon on choice for the big showdown is a machete against a horde of gun toting hoodlums. A couple of twists are introduced near the end. One may be kind of expected but the other was a cheap plot ploy. This one is more laughable than realistic action. Who lives & who dies? Who cares?

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


Friday, March 21, 2025

Tyler Perry’s Duplicity

When a white cop shoots an unarmed black man supposedly jogging through a back alley, the city erupts in protests & violence as racism is screamed. Friends, cops, a lawyer, a journalist, the mayor, BFFs, a boyfriend, & a girlfriend get ensnarled in this tragic incident as justice is being seeked. People take sides & further investigations slowly reveal more information connected to the case. Will the case go to trial? Will the case be settled out of court? Was the victim murdered or was it an unfortunate accident? Who can you trust? Just when you think you have it figured out, the plot throws you a curve ball. It ain’t over until it’s over. Remember the movie’s title is “Duplicity”… deceitfulness by acting two different ways to different people concerning the same matter; double-dealing. Can you figure out who is/are the guilty party/parties? If you can overlook a couple of flaws, you can still have an enjoyable crime story.

Alien gives it 3 “fiery justice” stars out of 4.


Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Last Breath

It was a dark & stormy night when the support vessel left the Aberdeen, Scotland, coast on an undersea gas pipeline maintenance mission in the North Sea. Ducan (Woody Harrelson), David (Simu Liu)  & Chris (Finn Cole) go down 300 feet in a diving bell to the facilities. While David & Chris in their pressurized suits are making repairs, a malfunction shuts down the vessel’s global stabilizing equipment during the storm causing the vessel to drift away so the tethered drivers need to evacuate immediately. However, Chris’ hose becomes snagged & his air supply is disconnected. He gets left behind with only a 10 minute backup tank. The crew above struggles to get back to Chris. How long can he survive when he runs out of air? 5 minutes? 30 minutes? This high drama on the high seas is based on a true story. The film’s attention to details shows audiences what it is like to be on such a dangerous mission. It takes 4 days for these divers to decompress in a pressurized chamber after such a dive. Footage of the real characters are shown at the end of the film.

Alien gives it 3 “saturation diver” stars out of 4.


Saturday, March 15, 2025

Black Bag

Spies, lies, & dinner guests… oh my!

It’s spy vs. spy at the National Cyber Security Center in London. Apparently, someone is leaking a dangerous cyber weapon called Severus. George (Michael Fassbender) is tasked with ferreting out the mole/traitor. Among the list of 5 suspects is his wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett). At dinner party hosted by George & Kathryn, their 4 friends/colleagues are invited & a game is played. It’s a slow burn as the audience tries to process who is who & what is their part in this cat & mouse game. Trust no one & can you trust your eyes. See what spies do best in their espionage business. The suspense builds as the plot thickens. Another game is played at the dinner table leading to the climax. This film shows spies are people too with their own real personal lives & troubles. The title “Black Bag” refers to an operation or a piece of information so top secret that the speaker can not say any more than “black bag”. Two actors from the 007 Bond films are featured in the supporting cast: Pierce Brosnan & Naomie Harris.

Alien gives it 3 “loyalty to the company vs. loyalty to the marriage” stars out of 4.


Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Anora

It’s “Sex Worker in the City” meets “Crazy Rich Russians” when Ani begins her Cinderella fairytale. Anora “Ani” (Mikey Madison) is a stripper/sex worker from Brooklyn who finds herself in a whirlwind romance with Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a wealthy Russian Oligarch. Ivan’s parents sent him to America for schooling but he mostly spends his time playing video games & partying. On a trip to Las Vegas, Ivan proposes to Ani & they get married. When rumors of this marriage gets back to his parents, the fairytale takes a dark turn as they seek to have the marriage annulled. Does this fairytale have a happy ending? Is Ani just a gold digger? Is Ivan just a man-child & mama’s boy?  Madison is absolutely outstanding as the foul-mouth spitfire fighting for her man. The supporting cast brings their A game too. This may be a lower budget film but script, the actors, their characters, & attention to details elevates this dark rom-com.

Alien gives it 3½ “Headquarters” stars out of 4.



Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Novocaine (4D*)

Nathan “Nate” Caine (Jack Quaid) is a mild-mannered, 30-something-year-old introvert/loner/video gamer/assistant bank manager. He also suffers from a rare medical disorder, congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP). His only friend seems to be Roscoe (Jacob Batalon), his online video game partner who he has never met in person. Nate’s middle school bullies nicknamed him “Novocaine” due to his medical condition. Nate has a crush on a pretty young teller, Shelly (Amber Midthunder), at his bank. She invites him to lunch & later that night to an art gallery. He is socially awkward but they end up with a one night stand. He is now love struck & when she is taken hostage during a bank heist, he is compelled to rescue her. On his rescue mission, he takes advantage of his disorder to one up his opponents. This action comedy is a wild fun thrill ride with a little romance story too. If you are a little squeamish on pain & bodily harm, some scenes may make you cringe. But with the right sense of humor, those scenes may tickle your funny bone. Quaid seemed perfectly casted in this role. There was a twist that I️ didn't see coming.

Alien gives it 3 “manifesting your inner Wolverine” stars out of 4.

* This was my first 4D theater experience. My ancient body was not a fsn. Too much jostling & punches to my back during this film’s car chases & many fight scenes. I️ would have opted for an OFF switch or at least an intensity control slide. I️ witnessed popcorn & drink spillage on both sides of me. Once the film is over & the theater lights come on, be sure to check your seat for any items that may have been shaken loose.


Saturday, March 08, 2025

Heretic

Are you religious? Do you have faith? Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe in prayers?

It will be a dark & stormy night for two Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) & Sister Paxton (Chloe East), when they ring the doorbell of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant). Invited in out of the rain, the 2 young girls are recruiting new members to their faith. Mr. Reed is very charming & engages the girls in conversation about religions. But the girls become more suspicious of their creepy host as they talk. It seems that Mr. Reed has the girls ensnarled in some mysterious cat & mouse game as they find themselves trapped in his house with no escape. Grant is exceptionally disturbing as this crazed madman. Do you believe in resurrection? Who will survive & who will die?

Alien gives it 3 “one true religion/blueberry pie/magical underwear” stars out of 4.




Wednesday, March 05, 2025

C’è Ancora Domani (There’s Still Tommorow)

It’s post WWII Italy as we follow the daily life of Delia, housewife & mother of 3 children. Her husband Ivano is physically abuse to her & constantly humiliates her. They are a poor family & she has many odd jobs to earn extra money. Her teenage daughter, Marcella, has a boyfriend from a wealthy family & is about to be proposed to. Her 2 younger sons are on the bratty side. She also cares for live-in father-in-law. Delia has a lot on her plate in this patriarchal society where women are treated more like second class citizens & get little respect. She sees little hope for herself to escape her situation but as a caring mother, she takes some bold steps to effect some major changes. This Italian drama with a sly sense of humor is subtitled in English & shot in black & white in the neorealist style of the 1940-50s. I️t ia a bit uncomfortable watching Delia being disrespected & abused but you’ll be rooting for her as she tries to break traditions & seek a new future & hope.

Alien gives it 3 “Allied MP William” stars out of 4.



Tuesday, March 04, 2025

Mickey 17

It’s “Alien” meets “Imperial Stormtroopers” meets “The Expendables” without Stallone, Statham, & Schwarzenegger when a financially destitute Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson) volunteers to be a space traveler/lab rat clone in the pursuit of a politician’s dream of colonizing a perfect pure planet, Niflheim. In this sci-fi satirical dark comedy, idealistic plans are steered wrong by a bad politician & bad science. The first 30 minutes plays out as hinted in the trailers, but then the plot takes an unexpected turn as we experience an evil twin, indigenous creatures they call “creepers”, & egomaniacal elitists in a battle between good & evil. This dystopian society takes place in the near future, 2054 & is not a good reflection mankind’s development. Pattinson masters the subtleties of his dual screen role. Mark Ruffalo, Toni Collette, Steven Yeun, & Naomi Ackie are among the supporting cast of this Bong Joon Ho directed movie.

Alien gives it 3 “baby creeper” stars out of 4.


Monday, March 03, 2025

The Problem With People

Estranged Irish & American cousins are asked to heal an old family feud as a father’s dying wish. In Ireland, ailing Fergus asks his son Ciáran (Colm Meaney) to locate long lost family members who settled in America. Generations ago, two brothers were supposed to go to America together but they became separated & they ended up not speaking to each other again. Ciáran contacts Barry ( Paul Reiser) in New York & convinces him to come to Ireland to reunite the families. This is a buddy comedy film where the cousins begin to bond but everything begins to unravel as jealousy & mistrust escalates into a game of oneupmanship. The Irish setting is beautiful & I️ love the Irish brogue. Reiser & Meaney are two funny middle aged men stubbornly trying to poke back at each other. They are more alike than they would admit to each other. Of course, the final outcome is as we would expect but not before some surprising twists & turns.

Alien gives it 3 “last will & testament” stars out of 4.


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