Requesting story . . . “Access denied,” replied the film. Odd, could have sworn everything was fine earlier, specifically in the mind-blowing introductory 20 minutes of Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets that sees director Luc Besson connecting us with our younger selves. Gleeful wonderment becomes the only thing palpable as we witness…
Here it is, the comeback the “Alien” franchise sorely needed. “Nothing,” remarked Daniels (Katherine Waterston, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”) on the noise level of her surroundings, a gorgeous planet seemingly teeming with conditions perfect for them, 2,000 in-cryosleep passengers and 1,000-plus embryos to colonize. Little does the character know this, but what…
SPECIAL GUEST REVIEWER: I am Groot. Much like our guest reviewer, I was delighted with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. It balances action, humor, character dynamics and stunning effects both visual and practical with multiple plot strands and explorations of family, regret and reconciliation. It is all the more impressive considering what it has…
Has Luke Skywalker come to the conclusion that the woes of the galaxy are in part caused by the Jedi? In this first teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi it seems he has. That doesn’t, however, stop him from training Rey (Daisy Ridley) in the fine art of wielding a lightsaber or tapping…
Is there a specific name or term for a production that compiles stock action scenes from a foreign property and rewrites the context by filling in the gaps with a domestic production? Because between old distribution of kaiju films and the 24 year old series in question, a one-word description would be quite helpful. “Clip…
In May of 2009, I traveled to Cape Canaveral to watch the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis, on a mission to deliver equipment to the Hubble Space Telescope. After waiting several hours, the mass of people waiting patiently at the viewing area of the Kennedy Space Center heard the live countdown coming from mission control: “Ten…
From the premise that all extra-terrestrial life is harmful comes Life, a combination of “Alien,” “The Thing,” “Gravity,” “The Mummy” and a few other trapped-in-space or alien-assimilation movies that we all know and love (or tolerate in some cases). Life is the story of the six-member crew of the International Space Station who, while orbiting…
