Aliens (Special Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Aliens (Special Edition)
Movie Review: Game over man, game over.
Summary: 5 Stars
There are movies and there are movies. The best movies are those that can transcend time. It may not necessarily look fresh 20 yrs later, but it stands against the hundreds of other movies that have been made. It's one where you can go back and watch again and again. Is this one of those? Aliens is, but whether you can watch it several times in a week, that's up for debate.
Personally, this is my favorite Aliens movie. It tends to be that way for a lot of people w/ the original Alien either just ahead of #2 or right behind it. Either way, THIS Aliens was a nice sequel. It also laid the foundation for many other film makers and movies and in a way, it really created a whole new genre. Or at least, brought it to light and made it `cool'.
The story picks up many years later. Our heroine, Ellen Ripley, is found by a deep salvage operation and returned to a spacestation near Earth. A few events unfold and she ends up going back to the planet where she first encountered the "xenomorph". But she doesn't go alone. She is accompanied by Simon Burke (Paul Reiser; did all comedians start in sci-fi or end up there?) and a squad of kick booty Marines. As can be expected, everything falls apart. There's lot of dying, shooting, crashes, explosions and screaming.
It's a sci-fi, action drama. I love the idea of a group of soldiers who aren't scared to shoot the `monsters'. The horror element is still there, but it's not as mystery-ridden as the 1st movie. And that's ok because what would be the point of the sequel if our squad of Marines were scared to shoot? Oh, that might be Alien3 and Alien4.
This particular movie moves forward the whole sci-fi genre as well as the Aliens universe. Did James Cameron plan on creating such a monster? Hard to say but then he did establish the Terminator universe also. His creations are celebrated by fans all over.
This movie IS long. That is the one strike I have against it. It's not just a movie you can pop in and chill to. Star Trek or Star Wars (or even the other 2 Alien movies that came after) are better suited. I'll admit, I don't know the difference between the theatrical release, tv release, edited and whatever other versions there are. I DO know that when I originally bought this on VHS all those years ago, the automated machine gun scene was NOT in there. Nor was there a scene of Ellen remembering her daughter. The Special Edition, which I am assuming is like the Director's Cut, adds more scenes and helps flesh things out. However, it doesn't change the story like with The Abyss or, ahem, Lord of the Rings.
Aliens is a classic in it's own right. For the price it is at, it's a great deal for an excellent movie.
If you want some fun trivia:
Mac Macdonald plays Al Simpson, the Colony Officer. But in the British tv show, Red Dwarf, he is Capt. Frank Hollister.
Jeanette Goldstein plays Vasquez. Find her in T2 as the foster mother. AND find her in Star Trek : Generations on the bridge.
Movie Review: The Titanic of the Horror Genre
Summary: 5 Stars
Back in 1986, as I recall, I came across a friend of mine looking paler and more distracted than usual. Asked if anything was wrong, I remember his reply quite clearly: "I just came out of the theater where I saw "Aliens." ...I think I need a Valium, or something..."What do you get when you combine pulp horror fiction with first-rate acting, direction, editing and production values? You get "Aliens," the second -- and unreservedly best -- in the seemingly unending "Alien" Saga started by Ridley Scott in 1979. Director James Cameron, at the time known mostly for his work with Roger Corman and his directorship of the low-budget and hugely successful "The Terminator," neatly applied the dripping, claustrophobic atmosphere of the original with Reagan-era militaristic bravado.
Cameron takes the semi-soft, semi-tough Ripley character, (Sigourney Weaver), fleshes out her personality with a dash of post-traumatic stress disorder and ships her back, (bribed, blackmailed and reluctant), to her dreaded creature-infested planet. She is accompanied by a squad of fatally over-confident Marine Co-Eds and a ladder-climbing Company Man, (played to smarmy perfection by Paul Reiser).
Even back then, Cameron was demonstrating a masterly handle on the dramatic-action elements of filmmaking most lately evident in "Titanic." He condenses this lesson in a painfully obvious and often overlooked imperative: NEVER allow action without actors. The movie must be filled with believable and recognizably human characters portrayed by the best talent money can buy. Unless a film connects on a personal level everything else is just eye-candy; (or worse; a disgruntled hour or so spent with a thumb pressed on the fast-forward button - Does "Starship Troopers" spring to mind?)
There are a number of key performances that make this movie a genre classic. Apart from Weaver's Ripley, the most unforgettable is Pvt. Hudson, (Bill Paxton). In a bit part that could have been mere comic relief, Hudson begins the mission with a swaggering machismo, degenerates rapidly into pathos and swings back just as quickly into the nearly heroic. Viewers may admire Ripley, but they closely identify with Hudson: he's an average guy and the system gave him the shaft. His enlistment was almost over, ("...four more weeks and out, man!"). You can rely on Hudson to give a voice to our unexpressed horrors: ("They cut the power! How could they cut the power, man? They're ANIMALS!").
In a world ruled by honesty and justice, Sigourney Weaver would have walked away with an Oscar for her performance in "Aliens." She packs talent and energy into every frame. At some point during the course of the film she has convincingly projected every conceivable emotion: love, tenderness, fear, hate, fury; you name it. Weaver is not just a great actress; she's a method to be studied.
Movie Review: One of the best ever...period.
Summary: 5 Stars
Perhaps I should warn you right off that this review is probably biased being that this movie is sitting atop of my favorite movies of all time list. If you have never seen this movie before, you better clip your nails.As other reviewers have said before, this movie is completely different from the original in its format. This is one hard-hitting, fast-paced, throttle-your-throat type of movie. There aren't very many pauses in the movie that allow you to breathe once the feverish action begins.
It's a little known fact that this movie was actually nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, it didn't win, of course. Sigourney Weaver was nominated for her role in this film, which isn't surprising since it was a powerhouse of a performance. The film's endless unpredictability keeps you on your toes, the frantic race for survival is enough to keep your heart pumping as though you were on a treadmill. There's special effects too (in which case DID win the Oscar for that category) which are simply stunning for its time.
Then there's James Cameron. A notorious perfectionist, he has remarkably turned the aliens into a frightening revelation, and let's not forget to credit the design of those horrendous creatures to H.R. Giger. One of the themes of this movie that some people probably overlook is that of feminism. Cameron (think about his movies) is a die-hard feminist, and in this movie, he lets his thoughts be well-known with Weaver and the big bad momma that everybody on the block runs away from. This movie, at its core, is really a fight between mothers, protecting her child(ren). Their maternal instincts kick in and inevitably heads towards a catalysmic fight. At the end, one realizes it's not so much a fight of good vs. evil, but a matter of survival and protecting the offspring. The marines, the planet, weapons, etc., are merely backdrops to this confrontation.
I have to say, though, being a guy and all, I loved watching the marines, their camaraderie, tough-guy attitude, especially Hudson right before he goes down, that alone is a treat to watch!
It's amazing that Cameron infuses such a powerful theme (never mess with mama) and yet is able to create such a enjoyable masterpiece that I never get tired of watching.
I've only seen the special edition on DVD a couple of times (it was the first DVD I bought...of course) but I immediately liked what I saw. This is one entertaining DVD packed with features and a very nifty interface.
Get this flick...even if you're not a big fan of sci-fi or Weaver, you'd definitely would appreciate this movie and see why it was nominated for a few Oscars.
Movie Review: an instant classic!
Summary: 5 Stars
One of my theories is that sequels are never as good as the original. Well, "Aliens" proved it wrong! James Cameron's 1986 sci-fi/action classic surpasses the original "Alien" by far, although the two cannot be compared. Why? Here goes: Ridley Scott's 1979 original was more of a horror film, rather than Cameron's sequel, which focuses more on action. And, boy, does it have action. The story is simple: after 57 in hyper-sleep, Ripley (Sigorney Weaver, who earned an Oscar-nomination) is rescued from floating adrift in space by a team of scientists. Ripley is the only survivor of the first alien encounter, and is the only living human who knows of the alien's existance. Of course, her hazy employers of the Company don't believe her tale, because a colony has been thriving on LV-426 (the planet where we first encountered the alien) for years, and the people living there have never complained about anything. Considered a nutcase, Ripley is fired and is forced to live in isolation.
And then, trouble arises! Apparently, "all contact has been lost with the colony on LV-426," and sleazy Company executive Burke (Paul Riser) convinces Ripley to return to LV-426 to check it out. Oh, yeah, she'll be traveling along with a squad of space marines.
When they reach their destination, everyone in the colonty is, of course, dead--except little Newt (Carrie Henn), a child who has maraculously survived the alien's wrath. And it seems that the colony's processing station is being used by the aliens as a nest. In the first big action scene of the film, nearly all the marines are killed when they march into the alien nest, which ends in a fiasco. There's not just one alien . . . there's a whole colony! It is Ripley's worst nightmare.
Along with mothering Newt, falling in love with a marine (Michael Biehn), and battling those nasty critters, Ripley makes a startling discovery: sleazy Burke was planning all along to capture an alien specimen for the Company's Bio-Weapons Division (shades of Ash from the first film). And Ripley is determined to stop him.
By the film end, only a handful of our heroes survive. I must admit that going in, I wasn't expecting a good movie, but Cameron proved me wrong . . . again.
"Aliens" boats amazing special effects, along with James Horner's intriuging score. Also, Weaver's acting has improved greatly since the first film, and she delivers one of her strongest performances. And the all-female fight scene at the end is worth seeing twice.
All in all, "Aliens" is a classic sci-fi/action movie, with plenty to offer in entertainment. Thank you, Mr. Cameron.
Movie Review: Express ride to Hell. Going down!
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is a ball tearer. It can not be compared to the preceding film, "Alien", because the two of them are so totally different. Where Alien was a drawn out plot twisted suspense filled horror flick, Aliens is an all out action thriller. Sigourney Weaver was hailed for her true action hero portrayal whilst still retaining motherhood instincts. I have to admit that she was superb in this role however I don't know how seriously she took it. During a publicity interview on one of the midday shows I witnessed her being asked, by another guest, a question about "Hicks", to which Sigourney replied with a completely blank look as if to say, "I don't know what you're talking about." For those of you that miss the point here, "Hicks" was the leading male character in the film, played by Michael Biehn.
We start the story where the first film left off, at least from the heroine's point of view. Ellen Ripley is awakened after drifting in deep space for over fifty years whilst in hyper sleep. She then finds that her daughter is dead, (special edition), and she is facing charges for destroying her infested ship, (the Nostromo). Then surprise, surprise, she is asked to act as an xenomorph expert just in case it is her imaginary aliens that have caused the loss of contact with colonists on (LV-426). The very planet where she first encountered the beasties.
Enter the marines and their corporate helper, Burke, that are to protect Ripley during the excursion. Of course it is the other way around in the end. Landing on the planet, all seems peaceful but deserted, until they find a survivor, in the form of a little girl called Newt.
After this, all hell breaks loose as in quick succession they raid the Aliens' lair, dropping half their number to the nasties. Lieutenant Gorman, officially in command, is brained by a box, during a wild APC drive out of said lair. Then their drop ship is destroyed, crash landing out of control after the pilot is perforated by an alien's inner jaws. This leaves them stranded in a building that has already been swarmed during the colonists stay, as night approaches. I'm not going to describe any more because from then on it is just mind numbing action without letup.
If you haven't seen the directors cut of this film, make the effort. There is a scene in it where computer automated gun arrays defend a corridor that is just fabulous.