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ELIO – Review

They’ve had their time in the sun (the multiplex, actually), so move over live-action adaptations, and make room for a fully animated feature film (so the humans are behind the microphones). After scoring lasr Summer with the box office juggernaut INSIDE OUT 2, the artists of Emoryville, California, are back. But, hold on to your computer monitors, this weekend’s new release is indeed “new”, as in not a sequel (or prequel or “spin-off”. This is the first flick without a number in the title in over two years, when we entered the world of ELEMENTAL, which didn’t have a spectacular opening weekend, but stayed in the B.O. top ten for many weeks. Now this world is a tad familiar, as Pixar returns to space again, after the iconic WALL-E and the misguided LIGHTYEAR (oh well, he’ll always be integral to the TOY STORY series). Really, this is a bit of both, or all, worlds as much of this adventure begins on Earth, birthplace of the story’s focus, ELIO.

When we first meet the title character, a pre-teen lad called Elio (voice of Yonas Kibreab), he’s having a tough time adjusting to life without his recently departed mother and father. But luckily, he’s been taken in by his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldana), an Air Force major stationed at a base that tracks space debris. And that’s where sad little Elio really wants to relocate, outer space. Or any other planet than his home world. In the opening scene, he sneaks away from his “tia” to view a special museum exhibit all about the 1977 Voyager space probe. He soon becomes obsessed with tracking it and using the device to contact alien life. And when one of Olga’s equally fervent co-workers, Gunther Melmac (Brendan Hunt) thinks he’s picked up an alien transmission, Elio sneaks to his computer and sends out his own message to “anyone out there”. Which causes a big power outage and nearly gets Olga dismissed (she’s already given up on becoming an astronaut). This, and a recent “dust-up” with two other kids over a “ham” radio, prompts Olga to send her nephew off to a military camp. Another altercation with the same kids is interrupted by a beam of light that freezes his tormentors and sends Elio floating into a spaceship. There , he is greeted by a diverse group of aliens known as the “Communiverse”, who believe that Elio is the leader of Earth, which they’re considering admitting into the group. Ah, but there’s also another candidate. It’s the angry, armored warrior king from the planet Hylurg, Grigon (Brad Garrett). When he’s rejected, Grigon returns to his battle cruiser in order to organize his troops and return to conquer. Since the Communiverse would rather flee than fight, they prepare to send Elio back home. Thinking quickly, he convinces them that he can negotiate with Grigon. So they make an Earth-bound clone of Elio (using a gross source for DNA) and put him into a ship and send him back to the Hylurg star cruiser. When things go sideways, Elio is thrown into the “brig”, escapes, and meets Grigon’s timid young son, Glordon (Remy Edgerly), which leads to an unlikely friendship. Can the two new BFFS broker a truce? And will the clone somehow fool Aunt Olga back on Earth?

Once again, the braintrust at Pixar hasn’t embraced the notion of the current “hot celeb” casting for their vocal talent. Sure, there’s a recent Oscar winner, but this is a fairly unknown, though very talented, ensemble. In the lead role, Kibreab is a true ball of youthful energy threatening to explode as the boy embarking on his dream adventure, and possibly a new life. Sure, Elio has his moments of doubt, but Kibreab conveys his endearing optimism and his ability to “go with the flow”. He’s got great rapport with Saldana (in her first feature follow-up to taking the gold for EMILIA PEREZ), who is a warm, nurturing caregiver, also given to doubt in her choices as a suddenly new parent. And Kibreab has a great comedic “back and forth” with Edgerly as the adorable, sweet Glordon who blossoms with his new friendship even as he balks at his family’s plans. That future is spearheaded (ah, weaponry) by Garrett, who provides the gravelly threats as Glordon’s rage-fueled daddy, invoking memories of Buzz Lightyear’s nemesis, Emperor Zurg. But he’s still funny, especially as he mulls over his own parental concerns and decisions. Hunt is all manic frenzy as the conspiracy-crazed Melmac (perhaps a shout-out to 1980s TV icon “Alf”), a character who seems to have sprinted in from THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES. Plus, there’s terrific support from the vocalists behind the Communiverse, particularly Jameela Jamil and Shirley Henderson (a floating computer aide called OOOO).

This galaxy-spanning adventure apparently required a solid directing team to pilot its course. But it’s not a duo, but rather a trio of filmmakers, Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian, and Domee Shi, who guide Elio’s journey, from the map/screenplay of eight (!) authors. The Pixar artisans have again crafted a visual marvel, full of eye-popping landscapes, imaginative props (love the beverage cups and the living encyclopedia), and delightful designs of the alien races. The Communiverse delegates have distinctive looks (I was drawn to one that resembled a shifting smooth “paperweight” that Don Draper might have used at his desk) and Glordon who looked like one of those magnified “dust mites” crossed with a bald mole rat (a challenge for the animators since he had no eyes and his emotions are all conveyed form the mouth shapes and body language). The film is pushing its 3D version (unlike most other recent flicks), and I’m sorely tempted to check out the “up-convert” for the many scenes of floating and flying past the great backdrops. The human characters are also well done, though they seem to harken back to the “rounded” facial features seen in TURNING RED and especially LUCA, but just as expressive (yes, the “acting” is superb all around). The movie’s look often “makes up” for the screenplay’s wobbly structure. Yes, there are several terrific scenes inspired by sci-fi classics (E.T. is obvious at the camp’s forest, while the clone recalls the many “Body Snatchers” adaptations). Perhaps the script needed a couple more “passes” to flesh out the lead as he’s often too “single focused” and doesn’t evoke enough empathy, although he does reference his “lost” parents. They may have thought that this would add more dramatic weight to his third act “decision” that also builds on the finale of Spielberg’s 77 alien epic. The marketing folks are making many comparisons to COCO, but this doesn’t come close to that film’s emotional wallop (which packs a punch many years later). Still, it’s great to see that the studio isn’t putting all of its energy into sequels (mind you, they’re on the way), and they can still produce worlds that are so immersive and dazzling. So, for a fun, family trip away from the remakes, moviegoers will have a blast blasting off into the cosmos with ELIO.

3 out of 4

ELIO is now playing in theatres everywhere

NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU – Review

Wow, can you believe that Halloween will be here in just over five weeks? Oh yes, it’s time to get in the mood with a creepy thriller mostly set at night but stretches well past dawn. Okay, we’ve got some of the essentials for a modern “chiller-Diller”. There’s a big house near the woods, far away from any neighbors. Check. Its sole occupant is a single young woman. Double check. Naturally, there are eerie shadows passing by the windows at night, accompanied by strange noises. Yup, a hat trick! Must be a distant cousin of Jason or Michael. Let’s put the brakes on, because this menace is much more sinister…and otherworldly. Now if he (or it) could “use its words”, I’m sure it would utter a variation of this dire warning to the home’s solitary occupant: NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU.

This modern “terror tale” begins in that swell country house just at the edge of a forest at around daybreak (much like a Thomas Kincaid painting print). It’s another quiet morning for twenty-something Brynn Adams (Kaitlyn Dever), the only resident of the place. Strolling into the front yard, coffee in hand, she notices an odd bare spot in the lawn, resembling a crescent. Strange, but not as weird as her postman, who tosses a big box at her mailbox (nix on a porch drop off). Seems pretty cruel. At least its contents weren’t damaged. It’s the newest miniature shop addition to her expanding tiny toy town display. Then it’s off to her sewing machine to finish a dress, wrap it, and stuff it into a large manilla envelope. With that and another package, she drives her SUV to the main street of her “picture perfect” nearby village. Oh, but there are no friendly waves or “hellos” from those on the sidewalks, only stares and hushed comments. After popping her mail in the boxes in front of the post office, it’s off to the cemetery for a picnic lunch…at her mother’s gravesite. When Brynn notices some mourners gathering down the trail, she quickly gathers her basket and drives home. Following writing a letter to her old friend Maude, a few minutes practicing ballroom dancing to an old LP, and a nice dinner (with plenty of vino), it’s bedtime. Brynn’s slumber is soon interrupted by odd noises and fleeting shadows across the windows. These aren’t caused by kids pulling a prank, or burglars. The silhouette in the moonlight reveals the outline of a creature she’s never seen. This “thing” takes out the house’s electricity, shuts down the car, and disables the phone (yes, she’s got a landline). Can Brynn evade it or will she have to fight for her life? And what if it’s not alone?

What may seem like a very simple story is elevated by the bravura performance of the gifted Ms. Dever. Though she’s recently made a name for herself in the area of light comedy (“Last Man Standing” on TV, BOOKSMART and ROSALINE on the big screen), Dever builds on the dramatic gifts she spotlighted in early works like SHORT TERM 12. Mind you, she was a terrific “team player” in those efforts and has a few supporting players here, but this is foremost Brynn’s story. She’s in almost every scene and Dever confidently carries the film, drawing us into the sheltered life of this young woman. In the opening scenes, Brynn appears to be a quirky eccentric with interests more fitting of a person two or three times her age. Miniatures? Ballroom dancing? But from Dever’s wide eyes and bright smile, she conveys the joy these unique hobbies bring her. It’s not until the “outsiders” intrude that her inner struggle begins to seep in. Brynn appears to be content in that big two-story house all to herself until she leaves the driveway and gives a hesitant wave to a neighbor, who merely sneers. How will she ever get a dance partner? Brynn’s a woman of mystery until she’s thrust into the role of “scream queen” and “action heroine”. Dever superbly shows us the panic in her eyes, soon tempered with her survival instincts. We can almost hear her brain going into overdrive, pushing past the raw shock, and scrambling for weapons or a hiding spot. Coupled with Dever’s athleticism we’re made to feel as though we’re sprinting right alongside her, as she encounters each new threat. Oh, and she does this with perhaps only a handful of words.

That’s right, there are only two or three lines of dialogue in the whole film, essentially making this a modern “silent movie”. Imagine the Best Picture Oscar winner THE ARTIST mixed with the classic Twilight Zone episode “The Invaders”. Plus there’s a big element of mystery at the story’s core. Just what happened to make Brynn an outcast, a despised pariah, in this Mayberry-like burg? And this backstory isn’t ignored once Brynn’s fighting for her life. It all comes together smartly thanks to the script and direction of Brian Duffield, in only his second feature (after several screenplays). Sure, there are “jump scares”, but they feel “earned” and not cheap tactics to keep us awake. Also, the unexpected twists and turns in the plot keep us guessing from scene to scene. Luckily Mr. Duffield has enlisted an army of talented craftspeople, from the sound crew to the special effects team, to the skilled art department who have enhanced the classic look of the aliens (culled from years of “abduction” testimonies) and made them the “stuff of nightmares” (these are some evil ETs). All abetted by the cinematography of Aaron Morton and a riveting music score by Joseph Trapanese. Some may be put off by the lack of dialogue and the big “open for interpretation” finale, but those last moments should spark some interesting post-viewing conversations. That won’t happen outside the multiplex, unfortunately. Like two films that premised on this app last year, PREY and BOSTON STRANGLER, NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU is most worthy of a theatrical release. Catch it now, then perhaps savor it with some leftover candy as Halloween dies down.

3.5 Out of 4

NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU is now streaming exclusively on Hulu

ALIENOID – Review

*A scene from the Korean fantasy/science fiction film ALIENOID. Courtesy of Well Go Entertainment*

ALIENOID is a fairly light-hearted Korean fantasy about an alien race using Earth to house its evil-doers. The movie is a mixed blessing. The CGI effects are superb but the plot may strike many, myself included, as being far more complicated than needed.

In the 1300s, aliens unwilling to kill or confine their criminals in situ, instead send them to Korea where they plant them in unwitting humans’ brains, where they are trapped until they die along with their host. A couple of versatile, sentient robots, capable of morphing into many forms, are stationed there to recapture any criminals who manage to escape and try jumping into another body. That gives us a second epoch of action – the present, along with a child they rescued from the past and raised for a decade in our future. Actually, make that three time-frames, since we also get to bounce around with a bunch of their flashbacks.

But wait. There’s more. We have sorcerers in the past vying over an object they don’t understand that contains all sorts of powers, making it a Holy Grail for humans and The Others. A number of characters provide comic relief, while others tear through the Koreas of then and now with no regard for casualties or devastation. Many of the scenes play out as live-action Manga, full of rapid-fire, colorful and often large-scale mayhem on top of some fanciful martial arts encounters.

Tired yet? Well, the capper is that this 144-minute opus is only Part One. The concluding installment is due for release in 2023. Those who groove on action-packed video games will probably follow the time switches, flashbacks and logical underpinnings of what the characters are able to do more easily than others. Since I’m not of that demographic, joystick jockeys should factor that into the weight they give this analysis. Their mileage will almost certainly vary.

ALIENOID, in Korean with English subtitles, opens in select theaters Friday, Aug. 26.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

THE TOMORROW WAR – Review

*CHRIS PRATT stars in THE TOMORROW WAR. Courtesy of Amazon Studios*

OK, folks. Strap yourselves in for another time-travel opus, with all the brain-warping snags that entails. Soldiers from 30 years in the future dramatically appear in 2022, warning of imminent extinction by a horde of alien invaders, requiring the initiation of a draft. Lots of cannon fodder from our now are needed in their then because Humanity is going down in flames. They’ve made this portal that only allows weekly trips between their present and ours for shuttling personnel. That’s supposed to minimize audience speculation about why they’re not using the technology in more sensible ways. Like going back to the initial encounter with enough weapons to prevent the whole disaster. Or fill in your own solutions. That’s what my brain keeps churning during moments of quiet dialog between the massive CGI clashes.

This may be my own nit to pick but time travel as a premise works best in comedy, when the logical quagmires don’t particularly matter. Let Bill and Ted, or Marty and Doc calendar-hop all they wish to give us some grins. But when we’re supposed to take this stuff seriously, it’s hard to suspend and maintain enough disbelief. Accepting a regular ol’ alien invasion or zombie apocalypse is easily doable. Just don’t complicate it with yet another mindless temporal leap into someone else’s fantasy.

As to the action that we’re salivating over, they truly deliver the goods while animating and battling the conquering hordes on an epic scale. The product displayed seems a mashup among STARSHIP TROOPERS, WORLD WAR Z, six SHARKNADOs and the TERMINATOR series. The aliens are huge, bug-like and hard to kill; they breed like crazy and swarm impressively; the measures used to resist them will trigger associations with the aforementioned and other genre films you’ve seen. That includes the trope of one family destined to play a much larger role in saving our species than logic would dictate. Oh. And a bit of messaging about how this all happened.

Watch it for the adrenaline. Turn off your brains, so any mental activity, intended or on autopilot, doesn’t interfere with the visceral. THE TOMORROW WAR releasing exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, July 2nd.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

A QUIET PLACE PART II – Review

So, we know that these new vaccines can work wonders, but could they also be a cure for “Sequelitis Interruptus”. Yeah, I made that up, but it should be a real thing that would certainly apply to this week’s big movie release. Way back in April of 2018 (ah, the before times), John Krasinski was the star, director, and co-writer of a weird hybrid flick (part family drama. part horror, part SF action) that become an unexpected box office smash. So naturally, a sequel was in order, and after some resistance, John K was back at the helm, with a release date of March 2020. I had already RSVP’d to the press sneak peek when everything literally shutdown, in those first few weeks of the pandemic. Would it be regulated to the streaming services? “No way!”, said John K, who insisted that we’d all get to see it together when things were safe. Well he, and Paramount, have kept their promise. It’s not the start of the month, but it’s still May, so we can say that the Summer movie season has officially begun, with a Disney prequel/origin story and a long (14 months) awaited follow-up that’s imaginatively titled A QUIET PLACE PART II…shhhh.

But as it begins, we’re taken back to “day one”, long before the events of that previous film. Perhaps this is really a prequel as Lee Abbott (Krasinski) brings some last-minute supplies (those kids need their orange slices) to a little league game in their quiet. almost designed by Norman Rockwell, upper New York state village. But with son Marcus (Noah Jupe) at bat, the crowd is distracted by a fire and black smoke trail piercing the perfect fluffy mid-afternoon clouds. Everyone scampers home with Lee and his wife Evelyn (Emily Blount) loading the kids into their respective vehicles. Suddenly all Hell breaks loose as those spindly, fast-moving creatures destroy the main street and its residents. Jumpcut to moments after the ending of the previous flick as Evelyn readies her shotgun while daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds) gathers up the hearing aid/boombox combo that produces feedback that’s almost lethal to the audio-sensitive alien monsters. As fire consumes their last home/sanctuary, the Abbotts, including Marcus and his baby brother, are on the move again. After lots of very slow, soft walking, they come across what seems to be a shuttered factory/foundry. Ah, but the trail is booby-trapped, causing Marcus to suffer a grave injury. But before the monsters arrive, they’re ushered into a concrete bunker (perhaps the long-cooled furnace) by Emmett (Cillian Murphy) one of the last survivors from their hometown. .He wants them to move on, but Evelyn pleads with him to allow Marcus to rest and heal. While working with the radio, they’re stunned to find a clear signal playing the same 60s pop tune nonstop. Regan uses a map to pinpoint its source, and, despite her mother’s objections, heads out on her own to find the station. Emmett reluctantly agrees to bring her back, while Evelyn makes the dangerous trek to find medical supplies for her boys. But as everyone splits up, how long before someone makes a noise that will attract the near-unstoppable killing creatures?

Blunt effortlessly slips back into the role of Evelyn, one of the silver screen’s greatest “mama grizzlies”. She is fierce with a capital “F”, her intense gaze broadcasts her devotion. Very tough, yet so tender as she takes time to comfort her still traumatized offspring. Jupe as marcus yearns to prove himself, but his injury frustrates him and sidelines him from fighter to (he thinks )burden or victim. But the Abbott that’s really straining to spread her wings is Simmonds as the fiesty Regan, butting heads with Mom as most teeens do, though she believes herself to be the only hope for the family (and perhaps humanity). And after losing her adored papa, she tries to push back on her terror in order to be his avenger. Murphy proves to be a terrific addition to the saga, as we can see his struggle to hang on to his humanity, despite his own catastrophic losses. Though he rescues the Abbotts, they somehow free him from a future of selfishness. Though not seen till the story’s final act, Djimon Hounsou makes a strong impression as another traveler offering a hand and good advice. Flipping things around, it’s great to see Krasinski back as the patriarch Lee if only for the brief prologue, giving us a glimpse of the pre-disaster dad, and reminding us of the loss that will also haunt his family.

But this time out, Krasinski is mostly behind the camera, directing from his own script, building on the characters and situations created by writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. He creates enormous tension when the Abbotts venture out, be it the dead of night or a sun-drenched morning. The slightest murmur and the demon hordes are mere inches away. Much of the film’s power hinges on the sound team, who more than match their impressive work from the original (last year’s Oscar-worthy work on THE SOUND OF METAL comes very close). And somehow the spider-like alien beasties are more impressive, as we get to view them a tad more closely, their flared faces seeming more of a mix of blooming flower and angry reptile, so big kudos to those CGI creature creators. But this sequel mainly works due to John K’s vision. He’s avoided the pitfalls of most non-franchise follow-ups, not rehashing the “best of the first”, but expanding on the family dynamic and opening up this savage new world that they try to navigate. And much like many post-apocalypse thrillers (especially TV’s “The Walking Dead”), the Abbotts learn that the other humans are just as monstrous as the alien invaders. But there are the added emotions involved, as the adults must deal with their children embracing adulthood, and knowing when to step aside. This may not quite be the cinema “home run” from 2018, but Krasinski and crew have delivered a solid triple. A tightly muffled hurray for A QUIET PLACE PART II, it’s more horror and heart. Well worth the wait.

3 Out of 4

A QUIET PLACE II opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, May 28, 2021.

Top ALIEN Films

Director Ridley Scott and Katherine Waterston (Daniels) on the set of ALIEN: COVENANT

ALIEN: COVENANT opened in theaters this past weekend and brought in an estimated $36 million at the box office.

Fox’s film enjoyed a solid global debut performance as the Ridley Scott directed film that is the second of the prequel series and the sixth ALIEN feature film in the franchise earned $66.3 million globally.

In space, no one can hear you scream. After nearly four decades, those words remain synonymous with the sheer, relentless intensity of Ridley Scott’s masterpiece of futuristic horror, ALIEN. Now, the father of the iconic franchise returns once more to the world he created to explore its darkest corners with ALIEN: COVENANT, a pulse-pounding new adventure that pushes the boundaries of R-rated terror.

The films timeline line up as such:

Engineers create humanity.
Archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw and Charles Holloway discover humanity’s origins in 2089.
Prometheus mission to find the Engineers takes place in 2093.
Alien: Covenant takes place in 2104.
Alien: Awakening ?
Alien: happens twenty years after Covenant in 2122.
Ripley wakes up from hypersleep 57 years later in Aliens.
Alien 3: set immediately after Aliens.
Alien: Resurrection is set in the year 2386.

Here’s a look at the franchise and the subsequent ALIEN VS. PREDATOR, crossover franchise. “Let’s Roooock!!”

ALIEN – Everyone remembers the alien bursting out of the chest of Kane (John Hurt). It lives in the annals of cinematic history now, and undeniably one that’ll never be equaled. But it’s the introduction of the full Alien during Brett’s death scene that truly frightened audiences and created the tone that set the stage for the ultimate demise of the crew of the Nostromo. All perished at the hands and jaws of the xenomorph, Captain Dallas, Parker, Brett, Lambert…Ash… except for a resourceful Warrant Officer and sole survivor, Lt. Ellen Ripley. It forever changed the landscape of horror and sci-fi movies establishing women as the hero and ultimate savior.

See our look back at ALIEN here.

ALIENS – “Go, go, go” is the main theme of James Cameron’s film featuring the Colonial Marines versus the Alien horde led by one the big screen’s best monsters ever, the Queen Alien. The tracker scene is worth the price of admission alone. Led once again by Ripley (Sigourney Weaver – who received an Oscar nomination as Best Actress for her performance), the 1986 sci-fi classic, with a rousing James Horner score, has become a fan favorite and filled with memorable quotes such as “Get Away From Her You Bitch!” The final act culminating in the battle of the titans makes ALIENS the sequel fans of the original were hoping for and a box office success.

“Ca’mon!!”

ALIEN 3 – “Was there an Alien on board?” David Fincher helmed third entry into the series finds Lt. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) the lone survivor of the Sulaco. When her crippled spaceship crash lands on Fiorina 161, a bleak wasteland inhabited by former inmates of the planet’s maximum security prison, Ripley’s fears that an Alien was aboard her craft are confirmed when the mutilated bodies of ex-cons begin to mount. Without weapons or modern technology of any kind, Ripley must lead the men into battle against the terrifying creature. And soon she discovers a horrifying fact about her link with the Alien, a realization that may compel Ripley to try destroying not only the horrific creature but herself as well. Loved and hated by the diehard fans of the franchise, Ripley going out in a blaze of glory was a fitting end to our brave heroine.

PROMETHEUS – “Big things have small beginnings.” Fans of the franchise were elated when Fox announced that Ridley Scott’s long awaited prequel was at long last in the works. Considered by some to be a visually stunning movie and intriguing prequel, the director’s film created a groundbreaking mythology. PROMETHEUS takes a team of explorers, who discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

The debates, along with some confusion, were heard far and wide after the release of the 2012 film. While some plots were left unexplained on purpose to create mystery, like “who are these Engineers?”, there were many burning questions with the biggest being, as scientist Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) asked, “Who created us and why are we here?” Damon Lindelof wrote the TV show “Lost”, and as he did with that amazing show, he knew exactly what he was doing when he wrote this film as well.

Not rife with the beasties running around, many complained it was Alien-lite, while others praised the Oscar-nominated director for giving audiences the first of three movies explaining where the creatures hailed from.

ALIEN: COVENANT – Set ten years after the events depicted in Scott’s 2012 hit Prometheus, ALIEN: COVENANT returns to the roots of the director’s groundbreaking saga with a uniquely terrifying tale filled with white-knuckle adventure and monstrous new creatures. With this, the sixth installment in the blockbuster series, the visionary director edges ever closer toward revealing the mysterious origins of the mother of all aliens, the lethal Xenomorph from the original film.

All is quiet aboard the spaceship Covenant. The crew and the rest of the 2,000 souls aboard the pioneering vessel are deep in hyper-sleep, leaving the synthetic Walter to walk the corridors alone. The ship is en route to the remote planet Origae-6, where, on the far side of the galaxy, the settlers hope to establish a new outpost for humanity. The tranquility is shattered when a nearby stellar ignition shreds Covenant’s energy-collection sails, resulting in dozens of casualties and throwing the mission off course.

Soon, the surviving crew members discover what appears to be an uncharted paradise, an undisturbed Eden of cloud-capped mountains and immense, soaring trees far closer than Origae-6 and potentially just as viable as a home. What they’ve found, however, is actually a dark and deadly world full of unexpected twists and turns. Facing a terrible threat beyond their imagination, the embattled explorers must attempt a harrowing escape.

(L-R) Danny McBride (Tennessee) and Katherine Waterston (Daniels) star in ALIEN: COVENANT.

Following in the sure footsteps of Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley, actress Katherine Waterston’s character, Daniels, finds a place in the broader legacy of Scott’s female heroes and is one of the many standouts of the film. Michael Fassbender and Michael Fassbender is another. He takes on the roles of androids “David” and ”Walter,” named after producers Walter Hill and David Giler. His performance is chilling and scary and the two “synthetics” are terrific additions to the Alien canon. It still makes us wonder what makes “David” seek revenge by dropping the payload of black death onto the Engineers’ civilization? Was it because he discovered their intention of wiping out humanity with the pathogen? Will we find out in the next film who the Engineers were and why they want to destroy humanity?

Plus a huge shout out to our favorite Covenant ship engineer, Tennessee, played with a lot of heart by Danny McBride. Already a favorite of WAMG, we truly loved the inspired casting of McBride, cowboy hat and all.

Scott has announced that the third film, ALIEN: AWAKENING will start production tentatively next year.

ALIEN: RESURRECTION – 200 years after her last adventure, a group of scientists has cloned Lt. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), along with the alien queen inside her, hoping to breed the ultimate weapon. But the resurrected Ripley is full of surprises for her resurrectors–as are the aliens they’ve attempted to imprison.

To combat the creatures, Ripley must team up with a band of smugglers, including an advanced female android named Call (Winona Ryder), to combat the rampaging aliens in a lab ship hurtling toward Earth.

The underwater chase scene makes the Aliens even scarier! Swimming aliens – very creepy!

AVP: Alien VS. Predator – After fans caught the Alien head hanging in the trophy case towards the end of PREDATOR 2, it then became of a question of when Fox’s iconic creatures from two of the scariest film franchises in movie history would finally appear in a film together.

Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, AvP follows billionaire Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) and his team of drillers, scientists, and archaeologists, to an obscure pyramid site in Antarctica. Among the icy ruins, allegedly, lies the proof of an empire predating humankind. Once there, however, the group finds more than ancient sarcophaguses and hieroglyphics; rather, their discovery consists of dismembered human skeletons and fossilized remains of the alien creatures that appear to have violently burst out of their chests. Even more horrifying is the evidence suggesting that the aliens may still exist.

Indeed, there are aliens below the pyramids, but an equal threat looms above: three Predators, all on the verge of manhood, are engaged in a gruesome rite of passage — every hundred years, young Predators must travel to Earth and take on a hunting ritual in order to complete the transition to adulthood or die in the process. Before long, the humans find themselves battling for their own lives as the Predators and aliens continue their fight for superiority.

Featuring another female protagonist, Sanaa Lathan, AvP culminates with her character and the Predator joining forces to destroy the alien creature.

(AVP2) ALIEN VS. PREDATOR: REQUIEM – The small town of Gunnison, Colorado becomes a war zone between two of the deadliest extra-terrestrial life forms – the Alien and the Predator. When a Predator scout ship crash-lands in the hills outside the town, Alien Facehuggers and a hybrid Alien/Predator are released and begin to terrorize the town.

Toy Fair 2017: NECA

Toy Fair is an annual trade show where hundreds of toy companies get together to showcase their latest innovations for buyers and press. The following is a photo recap from the Neca booth. To see the rest of our coverage, click HERE.

The Neca booth called out to me from afar with their lifesize foam figures of Deadpool, Harley Quinn, and Spider-Man. Unlike most items of that size, these were not just for display purposes. You can actually purchase each of these figures for around $1,000 each. Aside from the price, a total lack of space, and a wife I’d like to keep, I could certainly see myself a collector splurging on one of these because the quality is astounding.

Luckily, the attention to detail carries over to their much smaller scale collectibles. Their Evil Dead II Ultimate Edition 2-figure set was one of the most fun things to photograph at Toy Fair, especially due to the awesome cabin diorama that sadly does not come with the figures. The quarter scale Ninja Turtle figures look as if they were perfectly cast from molds of the original Jim Henson creations. Dr. Strange may be their most accurate Marvel figure from the Avengers lineup and the Mayor edition of Penguin from BATMAN RETURNS is simply astonishing. Other highlights included the massive Predator display, a Muhamad Ali / Superman 2-pack, and a surprise Batman / Aliens 2-pack that features a Joker Xenomorph!

I am not sure if I am supposed to have a favorite company at Toy Fair but lets just say Neca knows what they are doing. Not only are their figures high quality and reasonably priced but Randy Falk, their Director of Product Development, is absolutely killing it on Twitter (@Neca_toys). Seriously, all companies need to be as interactive and passionate about their products on social media. Check out the images below to see what he is so proud of…

30th Anniversary of ALIENS – This Weekend Midnights at The Tivoli

“We’d better get back, ’cause it’ll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night… mostly.”

ALIENS plays this weekend (September 30rd and October 1st) at the Tivoli as part of their Reel Late at the Tivoli Midnight series.

ALIENS is a great sequel though James Cameron chucked the creepy Ridley Scott atmosphere for a more action-oriented format. Set 57 years after the original, Ripley’s escape pod has been found, and she is returned to earth. Once she gets there, however, her story is discounted and The Company fire her for detonating her old ship. A few weeks later Burke, an employee of The Company, asks her to go with a group of marines to LV-426 (the planet where she found the first alien), where contact has been lost with a colony of terraformers…

ALIENS is a fantastic movie. It is quite different from 1 & 3 in the series, in that there is a huge nest of Aliens instead of one, and Ripley actually has some decent firepower. Yet it doesn’t descend into the usual action clichés of firefight after firefight: the few marines left after the initial alien attack are stranded, and try to barricade themselves in, leading to some tense and genuinely frightening moments as the aliens grow ever closer. The characters are also well-developed, which is a change, you really feel something as they die, which adds to the overall effect. The acting is extremely high quality; some characters aren’t hugely likeable, but they’re still enjoyable to watch. This is arguably the best film in the series – interesting, exciting and genuinely scary.

I will be there with trivia and prizes so bone up on your Aliens knowledge!

The Tivoli is located at 6350 Delmar in The Loop.

Visit Landmark’s The Tivoli’s website HERE

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/st.louis/tivolitheatre.htm

And here’s the midnight line-up for the next several weeks:

Oct. 7-8 YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Oct. 14-15 HALLOWEEN (1978)

October 21-22 and Oct 28-29 ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW – with live shadow cast, Samurai Electricians! – All tickets $10 for ROCKY

The Tivoli Announces the ‘Reel Late’ Midnight Line-Up – MEAN GIRLS, HALLOWEEN, ALIENS, and More!

Another brilliant lineup, but only five movies to announce as we end the season for this year’s ‘Reel Late at The Tivoli’ midnight series. It’s a typically good variety of titles that will draw the late night movie buff crowd with a couple of retro surprises. The Midnight Movie experience has always catered to a college-age crowd and that’s the way it should be. ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW with live shadow cast with the Samurai Electricians climaxes the new schedule on October 21st and 22nd as well as October 28th and 29th. The oldest film this time is YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN from 1974 (this was actually chosen before Gene Wilder’s death) and the most recent is MEAN GIRLS from 2004. I think John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN is new to the Tivoli midnight roster, and I suspect it will draw a good crowd.

The Tivoli is located at 6350 Delmar – in ‘The Loop’

Tickets are $8 except for ROCKY HORROR

Here’s the line-up:

Sept. 23-24 MEAN GIRLS

Sept. 30 – Oct 1 ALIENS – 30th Anniversary

Oct. 7-8 YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Oct. 14-15 HALLOWEEN (1978)

October 21-22 and Oct 28-29 ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW – with live shadow cast, Samurai Electricians! – All tickets $10 for ROCKY

Films of 1986; ALIENS Hits The 30 Year Mark

“Game over, man, game over!” It’s rare for a sequel to live up to the original film, but James Cameron managed to fulfill expectations with ALIENS (July 18, 1986). This summer marks the 30^th Anniversary of the action-packed sci-fi classic, so “stop your grinnin’ and drop your linen.”

Tune-in Saturday, July 23, to an exclusive ALIENS YouTube live stream Q&A with the filmmakers and cast from San Diego Comic-Con! Submit your questions in the comments below for a chance to get them answered. #Aliens30th

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of ALIENS (1986), San Diego Comic-Con will host an ALIENS reunion on Saturday, July 23. Attendees include director James Cameron, producer Gale Anne Hurd, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser, Michael Biehn, and Carrie Henn.

Subscribe to Fox Movies and follow on https://www.facebook.com/AlienAnthology so you don’t miss this exclusive live event.

The terror continues in James Cameron’s ALIENS as Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story about the Alien encounter is met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of high-tech marines back to LV-426…and this time it’s war!

Critic Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5 stars out of 4 and called it “painfully and unremittingly intense” and a “superb example of filmmaking craft.” He also stated “when I walked out of the theater, there were knots in my stomach from the film’s roller-coaster ride of violence.”

ALIENS was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Music (James Horner), Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Art Direction/Set Decoration. It won two awards for Sound Effects Editing and Visual Effects. Sigourney Weaver received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, and although she did not win, it was considered a landmark nomination for an actress to be considered for a science fiction/horror film, a genre which was given little recognition by AMPAS in 1986.

CELEBRATE THREE DECADES OF PULSE-POUNDING ACTION and bone-chilling suspense with this Aliens 30th Anniversary Limited-Edition Set that features both the Theatrical and Special Edition versions of the film on Blu-ray™, as well as audio commentary, deleted and extended scenes and more.

This must-have set also includes collectible art cards, and a book featuring art from the Dark Horse Comics Aliens series with an all-new cover created exclusively for this 30th Anniversary Edition.

Releases in the USA on Digital HD, Blu-ray & DVD on September 16th.

Pre-order ALIENS 30^th Anniversary edition HERE https://www.amazon.com/Aliens-30th-Anniversary-Edition-Blu-ray/dp/B01I0K018W/ref=sr_1_1_twi_blu_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1469291109&sr=1-1&keywords=aliens+30th+anniversary

Not only movies, but TV, music, and pop culture captured the zeitgeist of 1986.

The 59th Academy Awards were held on March 30, 1987. PLATOON won Best Picture. The radio was filled with pop tunes featuring Eddie Murphy’s “Party All The Time,” Robert Palmer’s “Addicted To Love,” Pet Shop Boys’ “West End Girls” and Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors.” TV audiences were glued to shows such as “Designing Women,” “Alf,” “L.A. Law,” and “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”

There were also so many great and memorable films that were released in 1986.

Check out the chart below how these films did at the box office.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1986&p=.htm

1.	Top Gun	Paramount Pictures	$176,781,728
2.	“Crocodile” Dundee	Paramount Pictures	$174,803,506
3.	Platoon	Orion Pictures	$138,530,565
4.	The Karate Kid, Part II	Columbia Pictures	$115,103,979
5.	Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home	Paramount Pictures	$109,713,132
6.	Back to School	Orion Pictures	$91,258,000
7.	Aliens	20th Century Fox	$86,160,248
8.	The Golden Child	Paramount Pictures	$79,817,937
9.	Ruthless People	Touchstone Pictures	$71,624,879
10.	Ferris Bueller’s Day Off	Paramount Pictures	$70,136,169

WAMG takes a look at the long list of films from 1986.

STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME

CROCODILE DUNDEE

THE GOLDEN CHILD “I want the kniiiiife… pleeeeease.”

RUTHLESS PEOPLE

FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF

8 MILLION WAYS TO DIE

PLATOON

HANNAH AND HER SISTERS

52 PICK-UP

AN AMERICAN TAIL – directed by Don Bluth

ABOUT LAST NIGHT – directed by Edward Zwick, starring Rob Lowe, Demi Moore

ARMED & DANGEROUS

AT CLOSE RANGE

BACK TO SCHOOL

A ROOM WITH A VIEW

THE MISSION

STAND BY ME

LEGAL EAGLES

THE COLOR OF MONEY

SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT – directed by Spike Lee

PEGGY SUE GOT MARRIED – directed by Francis Ford Coppola, starring Kathleen Turner and Nicolas Cage.

PRETTY IN PINK

THE FLY

THREE AMIGOS

GUNG HO

THE MONEY PIT

NOTHING IN COMMON

JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH

HOOSIERS

IRON EAGLE

HEARTBURN

F/X

FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR

LEGEND

THE MOSQUITO COAST

CRITTERS – A romping fun sci-fi film for a Friday night and a killer cameo by Terrence Mann as Ug/Johnny Steele.

EXTREMITIES – Charlie’s Angels Farrah Fawcett gives a riveting performance in this drama.

SPACE CAMP

LABYRINTH

FIREWALKER

NO MERCY

BLUE VELVET

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA

CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD

CRAWL SPACE

THE DELTA FORCE

DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS

THAT’S LIFE! – directed by Blake Edwards, starring Jack Lemmon and Julie Andrews

HEARTBREAK RIDGE

HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER

HOWARD THE DUCK – “Cleeeeeeeveland.” Howard appears briefly during a post-credits scene in the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy.

INVADERS FROM MARS

MURPHY’S LAW starring Charles Bronson

JO JO DANCER, YOUR LIFE IS CALLING

LADY JANE

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

LUCAS

THE MANHATTAN PROJECT

MATADOR – directed by Pedro Almodóvar

MANHUNTER directed by Michael Mann, starring William Petersen

MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE

THE NAME OF THE ROSE – directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, starring Sean Connery, F. Murray Abraham, Christian Slater

HIGHLANDER – “There Can Be Only One.” Sean Connery, Christopher Lambert and Clancy Brown starred in the cult classic that inspired movie and TV franchises! An immortal Scottish swordsman must confront the last of his immortal opponents, a murderously brutal barbarian who lusts for the fabled “Prize.”
A terrific score was accompanied by classic Queen songs.

RUNNING SCARED – directed by Peter Hyams, starring Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal.

WILDCATS – stars Goldie Hawn

UNDER THE CHERRY MOON – American musical drama film directed by and starring Prince

THE WRAITH – stars Charles “Charlie” Sheen, Sherilyn Fenn, Nick Cassavetes, and Randy Quaid

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