Alien at the Movies

Dust Bunny

8-year-old Aurora (Sophie Sloan) is terrified that there is a monster underneath her bed that will come out of the floorboards to eat her. Her mom tells her that only dust bunnies are under her bed. Frightened one night, she hides under her covers & hears scary noises. In the morning, her parents bedroom is torn apart & they are missing. Aurora hires the resident (Mads Mikkelsen) in 5B to kill her monster. He is skeptical but plays along to humor the little girl This is a very weird whimsical of the “The Professional”. It is a dark fantasy/horror/action/comedy. Resident 5B is actually a hit man with his own monsters, assassins, after him. Sigourney Weaver plays Laverne, his handler. This is a real mixed bag… reality meets imagination… metaphor of a child’s nightmares & fears… assassins’ gun battles…the huge monster who will eat you… This one was hard for me to get into… difficult to figure out what it wanted to be. Look for one last surprise clip mid credits. 

Alien gives it 2 “keep off the floor & I️ told you so” stars out of 4.

Apex

Do you enjoy rock climbing? Or are you afraid of heights & falling? How about white water sports? Or are you afraid of drowning? If you are an adventurer, you may enjoy “Apex”… well, at least parts of it. Apex is defined as the highest point of an object like a mountain or the peak of a thing like an apex predator. This survival action thriller starts with an exhilarating tandem mountain climb by Sasha (Charlize Theron) & Tommy (Eric Bana) up the Troll Wall in Norway. Then 5 months later, Sasha visits Australia to go to the Grand Isle Narrows. She plans to kayak the rapids to get there. A ranger warns her about some missing persons disappearing in the area. When she gets hassled by some rude hunters, I️ start to get a “Deliverance” vibe. But a stranger named Ben (Taron Egerton) runs some interference. After a wild rapids ride & a restful night, Sasha discovers her pack missing. Thus begins a terrifying cat & mouse hunter/prey game. The scenery is spectacular. The villain is a real psycho. This film is disturbing. The climbing & the water scenes are amazing.

Alien gives it 3 “crossbow & rituals” stars out of 4.

KPop Demon Hunters

Long ago, demons began claiming human souls but a team of three women warriors stepped up to stop them in this battle between good & evil. Over the centuries, each generation had their trio of defenders. The latest threesome is a K-Pop girl group that calls themselves Huntrix… composed of Mira, Rumi, & Zoey. In between their concert tours, they battle these demons to save souls. Thus, we have a musical superhero action movie with choreographed musical concert numbers versus big battle sequences. The demons create Saja Boys, a five-guy boy band to steal away Huntrix’s fans. At a critical moment, Rumi starts to lose her voice & a secret is revealed. This animated film explores the power of a team working together as well as finding your voice & not being afraid of who you are. The film is targeted for a younger audience but it is entertaining to all ages. 

Alien gives it 3 “patterns don’t define you” stars out of 4.

Christy

Sydney Sweeney stars as the trailblazing female boxer Christy Martin in this true biographical sports drama. Beginning in West Virginia in 1989, college basketball player Christy enters a local boxing contest & gets noticed. She gets introduced to trainer Jim Martin (Ben Foster), & thus begins her boxing career. Eventually, Christy & Jim marry. As Christy gains more & more success in the ring, Jim becomes more controlling & abusive. Both Sweeney & Foster give amazing portrayals. Sweeney really stretches & transforms herself to become this fiesty, fiery fighter. Sidney’s iconic image is barely recognizable beneath that boxer’s physique & 7 weeks after filming this movie, she looks like her former self to begin shooting her “Housemaid” role as Millie. This film highlights this woman’s journey to find her identity & to stand up for herself outside the ring. This may have been a theatrical box office bomb, but it’s an inspirational female empowerment message… as well as a bold choice for Sweeney to showcase her talents beyond her stereotypical pretty girl image.

Alien gives it 3 “Coal Miner’s Daughter” stars out of 4.

Thrash

I️ previewed an unfinished cut of this film in 2024 & wrote this review back then. It was supposed to be released in 2025 but never showed up. It is now on Netflix under this new name.

Beneath the Storm  

Anticipated release date: August 2025

What if you crossed “Jaws” with “Twister”…would there be double the trouble… double the fun… or double the ridiculousnes. No, it’s not “Sharknado”… that one has been done. Off the coast of the Carolinas, a couple play in the surf when something bites. Inland, 3 foster kids play in the river unsupervised. Meanwhile, a category 5 hurricane  is brewing up a storm off the coast. A pregnant almost due mom is driving around in a subcompact car. A meat products tanker is hauling a full load. What could go wrong? Of coarse, everything! It’s pretty much typical disaster movie step up. Idiots ignoring evacuation notices. Idiots out & about when they shouldn’t be. It’s a great white & some bull sharks or is it a big farce & bullsheeet. It’s pretty much contrived dangerous situations & seen it played that way before predicaments setting up for the perfect storm of errors. If you want to have a good time at the movies, ignore the contrived silliness, overlook the convoluted scenarios, & just go with the tidal surge flow while chuckling at the cheesy lines. If you thrive off of disaster thrills & suspense, you may have an entertaining time.

Alien gives it 2 “never saw that on Shark Week” stars out of 4.

You, Me, & Tuscany

Anna (Halle Bailey) is a professional house sitter in New York City. However, she tends to overstep boundaries while she house sits. She was studying to become a chef when her mother’s death derailed her plans. Then she meets a wealthy Italian businessman, Mateo, in a bar and her free-spirit nature takes over. She is compelled to visit Italy. Unprepared for her impromptu vacation without reservations, she desperately chooses to become a squatter at Mateo’s empty Tuscan villa. In this romantic comedy, Anna gets caught by Mateo’s family & they mistakenly think she is Mateo’s fiancée. From there, it’s a comedy of errors & lies. When Anna meets Mateo’s adopted brother, Michael (Regé-Jean Page) sparks fly, but then the prodigal son, Mateo, returns to complicate the deception more. This is a fun rom/com romp about owning up to your past mistakes. This entertaining film is about food, family, & following your dreams. Look for some funny tourist tram outtakes during the credits.

Alien gives it 3 “wet Nicholas Sparks moments” stars out of 4.

Beast

Former Mixed Martial Arts fighter & legend, Patton James (Daniel MacPherson) is forced out of retirement & returns to the cage after 10 years to help his younger brother. A slow beginning sets up the story & characters in this classic underdog sports film scenario. All of the pieces are carefully crafted to lead to the final climatic fight scenes. The parts are almost too perfectly aligned telegraphing the inevitable conclusion. The villain, Xavier Grau, is set up for the boos & hisses. Our hopes are manipulated to root for the struggling hero. His friends & family are supporting him all the way. Tragedy will strike forcing the showdown to occur. If you are unfamiliar with MMA fights, they are intense & brutal. This film does not pull any punches. It can be hard to watch for some to view such violence. Russel Crowe & Luke Hemsworth have small supporting roles. Crowe likely provided more impact as a writer & producer. Is this a story about revenge or redemption?

Alien gives it 2½ “If I️ can breathe, I️ can think, & then I️ can win” stars out of 4.