Film Review: ALIEN (1979) – (Theatrical Release)

Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: Dan O'Bannon (story/screenplay), Ronald Shusett (story)
Running time: 117 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror
UK Release date: 1^st November 1979

Watched on DVD Sunday 3^rd June 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

The tag line on the poster says ‘In Space No One Can Hear You Scream’ which promises the viewer a terrifying experience. Well, having seen it many times over the years, it’s no longer terrifying, but it still has a relentless aura about it that still gives me goose bumps. Needless to say I am a bit of a fan of Ridley Scott’s first foray into sci-fi/horror. There is probably no need for a plot summary, but there may still be a few waifs and strays out there who haven’t seen it yet, so I’ll make it brief and as spoiler-free as I can.

When towing vessel Nostromo brings its crew out of stasis it is not because they are home, as expected. It turns out an alien signal has been detected and they’ve been diverted to investigate. When they land on the planet they sustain some damage and while it’s being fixed by Brett and Parker; Dallas, the skipper, goes with Lambert and Kane to investigate the signal. The planet is very inhospitable and so the team is monitored by Science Officer, Ash. Meanwhile Ripley does some analysis on the signal and discovers it may not be a distress call, as first thought; she believes it’s a warning! The away team discover a crashed alien ship and go in to investigate. When they return Kane has something attached to his face… Something that could be very dangerous indeed… I had better leave it there or the Spoiler Police (Alien Division) will have me investigating crashed alien craft (again).

From the very first scene to the very last this film both looks and sounds quite menacing. The design and the music are all superb and the performances, although a little chaotic at times are all excellent. Of course the stand-out performance comes from, the quite young at the time, Sigourney Weaver as Ripley. In a role she was to make her own she was a little raw, but you could see the quality there. Next up (for me) was Ian Holm as Ash; he played what must have been a difficult part very well. Yaphet Kotto as Parker and Harry Dean Stanton as Brett played the blue collar grunts very well, and also provided some much needed comic relief here and there. Tom Skerritt did ok as Dallas, although I felt it wasn’t a particularly demanding role. Veronica Cartwright did a decent job as Lambert and John Hurt, who has one of the most iconic scenes in sci-fi film history, played it with great aplomb. Finally a word for Jones the ship’s cat (uncredited)… Some great cat acting from that kitty.

The film has quite a slow pace that slowly builds to an almost frenetic conclusion. I must admit that having seen the follow-up ‘Aliens’ (1986), directed by James Cameron, I lost a little of the love I had for this one. You’ll be pleased to know I’ve grown up a bit since then and can now see the merits of both films. There is a certain quality to every scene in this film, whether it’s the sound design, the music or just the sets themselves, it looks and sounds quite brilliant. It’s creepy as hell and I believe Ridley Scott has learned the art of allowing the audience enough of a glimpse for them to make up the rest of the monster in their own minds. This is (of course) where all the best monsters lurk… It’s not perfect though, there are a few rough edges here and there, but even so well worth a look!... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

My score: 8.9/10

IMDb Score: 8.5/10 (based on 285,345 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/

MetaScore: 83/100: (Based on 22 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 97/100 (based on 86 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 90/100 ‘Liked it’ (based on 406,570 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
[first lines]
Brett: This is the worst shit I've ever seen, man.
Parker: What you say? You got any biscuits over there?
Ripley: Here's some cornbread.
Parker: Cornbread. Yeah.
Lambert: I am cold.
Parker: Still with us, Brett?
Brett: Right.
Kane: Oh, I feel dead.
Parker: Anybody ever tell you you look dead, man?

Kane: The pit is completely enclosed. And it's full of leathery objects, like eggs or something.

Dallas: Something has attached itself to him. We have to get him to the infirmary right away.
Ripley: What kind of thing? I need a clear definition.
Dallas: An organism. Open the hatch.
Ripley: Wait a minute. If we let it in, the ship could be infected. You know the quarantine procedure. Twenty-four hours for decontamination.
Dallas: He could die in twenty-four hours. Open the hatch.
Ripley: Listen to me, if we break quarantine, we could all die.
Lambert: Look, could you open the god-damned hatch? We have to get him inside.
Ripley: No. I can't do that and if you were in my position, you'd do the same.
Dallas: Ripley, this is an order. Open that hatch right now, do you hear me?
Ripley: Yes.
Dallas: Ripley. This is an order. Do you hear me?
Ripley: Yes. I read you. The answer is negative.

Brett: Here kitty, kitty, kitty. Meaow. Here Jonesy.

Ash: Ripley, for God's sake, this is the first time that we've encountered a species like this. It has to go back. All sorts of tests have to be made.
Ripley: Ash, are you kidding? This thing bled acid. Who knows what it's gonna do when it's dead?
Ash: I think it's safe to assume it isn't a zombie.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Trailer:

Film Review: AVATAR (2009) - Revisited

Writer/Director: James Cameron
Running time: 162 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

Genre: Action/Drama/Sci-Fi
UK Release date: 23^rd March 2012

Watched on Sky+ Saturday 1^st April 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I first saw this film when it came out in the cinemas back in 2009, you’ll find my original review here. It made its network TV debut in the last week and so I decided to cast my eye over it again to see how it’s fared. Well, I can say it’s still quite stunning to look at and the CGI is still top-notch (even in two dimensions!). I will tell you more after this brief summary.

Jake Sully is an ex-marine whose twin brother had trained to control an Avatar on the wild distant moon of Pandora. Unfortunately Jake’s brother was killed and Jake, himself a paraplegic, was persuaded to take his place, given he has the same genetic make-up. The program is run by Dr. Grace Augustine and Jake takes to controlling the Avatar very easily. A group of them venture into the forest where an accident leaves Jake stranded there at night where he meets Neytiri, a native Na’vi. Gaining her trust, he is taken back to the tribal village where Neytiri is tasked with teaching him the ways of her people. Now, as an ex-marine, Jake is persuaded by Colonel Miles Quaritch to find out as much about the Na’vi as he can in order to give the military an advantage. At first he does this willingly, but as he learns more about them he comes to appreciate their way of life and he also falls for Neytiri. This makes it harder for him to betray his new friends, but the Colonel has ways of finding out what Jake has learned. Having found the biggest deposits of Unobtanium (stupid name, I know), a very valuable ore, are to be found under their village, Parker Selfridge, the representative for the Resources Development Administration orders the troops into Na’vi territory. I’ll leave my short summary here, there is a lot I’ve missed out and a lot more to come, but the Spoiler Police (James Cameron Division) will be suing me for every penny I haven’t earned yet if I say any more.

Although I did find the story a little predictable, I still loved the experience of watching this film. It’s still quite stunning to look at. The CGI and much of the world created by Cameron is beautifully done, although I’m not too sure about the look if the Na’vi. All of the cast did a decent job, Sam Worthington as Jake Scully, Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine, Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch, Michelle Rodriguez as Trudy Chacon, Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge, Joel Moore as Norm Spellman, CCH Pounder as Moat and Wes Studi as Eytukan.

‘Pocahontas in Space’, ‘Fern Gully meets Terminator’, these are just two of the comments I’ve heard about this film since its release. I can see why it has attracted such ‘derisory’ comments, but I can also see (from a second viewing) just what Cameron was trying to do. Yes, the story is predictable and, for the most part, we’ve seen it all before in another guise. But there is an underlying message about greed that seems to get missed my many reviewers. It is all a bit too ‘touchy, feely’ for some, but personally I didn’t mind it all that much. At the end of the day I did find it entertaining (if a little schmaltzy in places), but even so, still well worth a look… Still Recommended (if with a slightly lower score).

My score: 7.9/10

IMDb Score: 8.0/10 (based on 423,897 votes when this review was written).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 83/100 (based on 283 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 92/100 (based on 622,949 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/avatar/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
[first lines]
Jake Sully: [Narrating] When I was lying in the V.A. hospital with a big hole blown through the middle of my life, I started having these dreams of flying. I was free. But sooner or later, you always have to wake up.

Col. Quaritch: You are not in Kansas anymore. You are on Pandora, ladies and gentlemen. Respect that fact every second of every day. If there is a Hell, you might wanna go there for some R & R after a tour on Pandora. Out there beyond that fence every living thing that crawls, flies, or squats in the mud wants to kill you and eat your eyes for jujubes. We have an indigenous population of humanoids called the Na'vi. They're fond of arrows dipped in a neurotoxin that will stop your heart in one minute - and they have bones reinforced with naturally occurring carbon fibre. They are very hard to kill. As head of security, it is my job to keep you alive. I will not succeed. Not with all of you. If you wish to survive, you need to cultivate a strong, mental aptitude. You got to obey the rules: Pandora rules. Rule number one...

Jake Sully: Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world, and in here is the dream.

Dr. Grace Augustine: Is the avatar safe?
Jake Sully: Yeah, Doc, it's safe, and you are not gonna believe where I am!

Neytiri: To become "taronyu" hunter, you must choose your own Ikran and he must choose you.
Jake Sully: When?
Neytiri: When you are ready.
[makes a whooping sound as she flies off on her Ikran]

LINKS:
Official Site: http://www.avatarmovie.com/
Trailer:

Film Review: PAUL (2011)

Director: Greg Mottola
Writers: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Running time: 104 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 15

Genre: Comedy/Sci-Fi/Adventure
UK Release date: 14^th February 2011

Watched on DVD Sunday 11^th March 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I know it’s quite rare for me to watch and review a comedy, but I decided that on a Sunday morning with a bad back I needed a bit of a laugh. This was a bit of an odd choice for me because I find Pegg and Frost a bit of a mixed bag… I liked ‘Hot Fuzz’ where as, controversially, I found ‘Shaun of the Dead’ a bit too predictable for my liking (I know I’m gonna get slagged off for that!). Also, from what I’ve seen of Seth Rogen’s work, he has yet to make me laugh… not even once. The film had a pretty good reaction in the press and so I hit the PLAY button with just a little trepidation. I’ll tell you what I thought after this very brief summary.

Two British sci-fi geeks, Graeme Willy and Clive Gollings, having visited Comic-Con, decide to go on a road trip around the famous American UFO hotspots. They hire an RV and the trip seems to be going well until, outside Area 51, they witness an accident and rescue Paul… an alien. He convinces them to help him escape ‘The Big Guy’ and her agents, Zoil, Haggard and O’Reilly. They head north and stop at an RV park where they meet Ruth Buggs, a fundamentalist Christian who accidently sees Paul. They now have to take her with them as they try to evade capture in a race against time to get Paul back to his people. I won’t say any more or the Spoiler Police (Aliens Division) will have me probed (again).

Very well made with some nice CGI work and effects; I also very much liked the choice of music, but if you open with ‘Another Girl, Another Planet’ by The Only Ones you’ve got me right there! All the performances were pretty good, although I particularly liked Kristen Wiig as Ruth Buggs, she really stood out for me performance-wise. Of the others, well, Simon Pegg as Graeme Willy and Nick Frost as Clive Gollings pretty much did what they usually do and Seth Rogen as the voice of Paul was just about what I expected. I’ll give honourable mentions to; Jason Bateman as Agent Zoil, Bill Hader as Haggard, Joe Lo Truglio as O’Reilly and, not forgetting, Sigourney Weaver as The Big Guy.

A film littered with nods and homage’s to many classic sci-fi movies; you could spend hours going through it and noting them all. This could be distracting, but, as it’s a comedy, I’ll let it slide (this time). I thought the theological question was handled quite well, although I can see it not going down too well in certain quarters. It’s a well scripted piece although I did get the feeling it had been very much ‘tweaked’ towards the American market; although a couple of ‘Brit’ in-jokes did squeak through. I must say I did enjoy it though and, at the end of the day, it did what it said on the tin. I was afraid it would go off in a certain direction at one point, but in the end they managed to steer it home! Would I watch it again?... Yes!... Recommended.

My score: 7.0/10.

IMDb Score: 7.1/10 (based on 75,553 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt1092026/

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 71/100 (based on 189 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 70/100 (based on 80,163 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/paul/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
WARNING: SOME STRONG LANGUAGE
Adam Shadowchild: [Upon seeing the cover of Clive Gollings' book, which shows an alien woman with 3 breasts] Three tits? Awesome.

Clive Gollings: [Putting the phone to his ear] It's ringing.
Paul: [Out of view] I wouldn't do that if I were you
[Clive and Graham turn around]
Paul: Put... the phone... down!
Clive Gollings: [Falling backwards fainting] Ha ha ha ha ha!
Paul: Aw fuck me.
Graeme Willy: [Looks to his right, then down, and then back at the approaching alien] What did you do to him?
Paul: I didn't do anything to him - he fainted!
Graeme Willy: But you made him faint!
Paul: It's not like I set my Phaser to faint!
Graeme Willy: You've got a Phaser?

Ruth Buggs: The world is 4000 years old and can only be the product of intelligent design.
Paul: [off-screen in the bathroom] That's horseshit!

Ruth Buggs: So everything that I have been told my whole life, is just a big fat lie? Do you know how that feels?
Graeme Willy: Look. Just because your truth, isn't the true truth, doesn't mean there is no truth, Ruth.
Ruth Buggs: That's easy for you to say.
Graeme Willy: It's really not.

Paul: This is America. Kidnapping a Christian is worse than harbouring a fugitive.

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site (UK): http://www.paulthemovie.co.uk/
Official Site (USA): http://www.whatispaul.com/
Trailer:

Film Review: AVATAR (2009)

Director: James Cameron
Running time: 162 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12A

Watched at the cinema Tuesday 29th December 2009.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have been waiting for the chance to see this film for quite a while now and I finally got it today. The gods were against me, it seemed, what with bad weather or other social engagements, I thought I’d missed it. Fortunately I saw a window of opportunity and took it. And believe me I was NOT disappointed!

Jake Sully is a marine whose twin brother had trained to control an Avatar on the wild moon called Pandora. Unfortunately he was killed and Jake, himself a paraplegic, was persuaded to take his place, given he has the same genetic make-up as his brother. The program is run by Dr. Grace Augustine and Jake takes to controlling the Avatar very easily. A group of them venture into the forest where an accident leaves Jake stranded there at night where he meets Neytiri, a native Na’vi. Gaining her trust, he is taken back to the tribal village where Neytiri is tasked with teaching him the ways of her people. Now, being an ex-marine, Jake is persuaded by Colonel Miles Quaritch to find out as much about the Na’vi as he can in order to give the military an advantage over them. At first he does this willingly, but as he learns more about them he comes to appreciate their way of life and he also falls for Neytiri. Having found the biggest deposits of Unobtanium (stupid name, I know), a very valuable ore, are to be found under their village, Parker Selfridge, the representative for the Resources Development Administration orders the troops into Na’vi territory. I’ll leave my short summary here, there is a lot I’ve missed out and a lot more to come, but I urge you to go and see it on the big screen, you’ll thank me.

Although I did find the story a little predictable, I absolutely loved the experience of watching this film. It is absolutely stunning to look at. There is a sequence where the Na’vi are catching and bonding with Mountain Banshee's, flying creatures, that is breathtaking. All of the cast did a great job, Sam Worthington as Jake Scully, Zoe Saldana as Neytiri, Sigourney Weaver as Dr. Grace Augustine, Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch, Michelle Rodriguez as Trudy Chacon, Giovanni Ribisi as Parker Selfridge, Joel Moore as Norm Spellman, CCH Pounder as Moat and Wes Studi as Eytukan.

Technically, I cannot fault it, the effects are stunning, it’s almost like you are taken to Pandora for 162 minutes. As I said before the story is a little predictable, but it looks stunning and I urge you to see it on the big screen. I only saw it in 2D and it looked impressive enough to me, so if you get the chance I can highly recommend it.

My score: 8.6/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/
Official Site: http://www.avatarmovie.com/index.html
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi531039513/